Top 10 reasons to fire Maurice Carthon
Kenny Roda from WKNR SportsTalk 850 will be writing a weekly blog on Cleveland Scores covering the sports world both locally and nationally. Check back often for his updates!
10. The Browns offense is ranked 31st out of 32 teams in total yards per game with 261.2 ypg.
9. The Browns are averaging 1.2 points in the first quarter of the first 5 games. That’s right, they’ve scored a total of 6 points in the first quarter of the first 5 games! Two field goals!
8. Their 16.2 points per game average is ranked 25th in the NFL.
7. They have scored 20 or more points only once in the first 5 games of the 2006 season and only eight times in their last 21 games. They have scored 30 or more points in a game a grand total of ZERO times since Carthon has been the team’s offensive coordinator. Even when they were 4-12 in 2004 they scored 30 or more points three times.
Enough with the stats, how about some common sense reasons to fire Carthon.
6. He refuses to put his three best playmakers on the field in Winslow, Edwards and Jurevicius in a three wide receiver set because Winslow isn’t considered a wide receiver. Who cares! They’re the 3 most explosive offensive weapons you have. Use them together and make opponents adjust to them!
5. Charlie Frye’s strength is rolling out and throwing on the run. Yet the Browns insist on trying to make him a pocket passer. This would be somewhat acceptable if the Browns had a solid offensive line. They don’t even have a below average offensive line, it’s awful.
4. Features rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers more on third down plays than 1,000-yard rusher Rueben Droughns! One has to wonder, as a former fullback in the NFL, is Carthon trying to start a movement for fullbacks to touch the ball more in the NFL, thinking that it will get him noticed more around the league and loved by current & former fullbacks everywhere?
3. Continually takes one of the few playmakers he has, tight end Kellen Winslow, out on third down plays when all Winslow does is catch the ball and make first downs when the ball is thrown his way. And even if it’s not thrown his way, at least he can be used as a decoy, someone the defense has to account for on the field at all times.
2. Refuses to use a no-huddle offense to change the tempo of the game and not allow opposing defenses to substitute freely and bring in fresh bodies to attack and kill quarterback Charlie Frye.
1. Third and inches at the Carolina 21-yard line…need I say more?!!!!!!
Feel free to add to the list. I stopped at ten, but I’m sure with your help we could come up with over 100 reasons to fire Maurice Carthon.
Posted in: Cleveland Browns, Kenny Roda
#11 – twice running vickers on 3rd-and-1 in the new orleans game at not droughns or harrison or wright – one of the tailbacks, “real” running backs, not slow, blocking fullbacks
#12 – for often wasting timeouts because of the confusion coming form the sidelines
#13 – because charlie frye is the teams second leading rusher! use harrison when droughns needs to come out, which should be rarely!
#14 The Browns down 17-6 in the 4th qtr. they have the ball on the Carolina 10 and they run Droughns up the middle on 1st and 2nd down leaving a 3rd and goal from the 9. I know they don’t have any tall athletic wide receivers, do they!
14. Any time inside 10 yard line, runs on first & second down allways leading to a 3rd down & long and eventually a field goal.
15. Refuses to call a pass play of more than 20 yards.
16. Third and eight, runs two yards pass routes hoping to get broken tackes, never works!!
17. Four field goals vs Carolina, one with less than 5 min. left.
18. Third quarter vs Ravens went to prevent offense.
19. Browns record 11-27 with him calling the plays.
20. Uses 50 scripted plays as if they were an instruction manually without any room for adaptation by Frye whatsoever leading to inept 1st quarters, as mentioned above.
21. In 21 games the Browns have scored 28 offensive Td’s and 4 of them are rushing td’s.
I can think of 10 reasons that are more important than Carthon’s playcalling on why the Browns are having the year everyone thought they would have anyway.
1. Charlie Frye is an inexperienced QB that keeps throwing Ints and holding on to the ball too long.
2. The worst offensive line in football. David Carr thinks he has better protection. Frye could get better protection from a condom given to him by a downtown stripper.
3. Why in the world do we have Ken Dorsey for a back up when….no.4
4. The Ravens got McNair for a 4th rounder and cheap.
5. Receivers aren’t catching. Northcutt and Edwards are dropping balls they are getting 2 hands on!
6. We have the least talented team on paper in the division and easily bottom 5 in the league and in the NFL the most talented team almost always wins.
7. Past drafts are haunting us like ghosts do Scooby and Shaggy. When I see Ladanian Tomlinson, Arrington, McNabb, Champ Bailey….etc and recognize we could’ve had them I get physically ill.
8. Savage penchant for bad QB picks. Dilfer, Boeller, Wright,Frye, Dorsey……etc. Maybe the worst group of quarterbacks in one sentence.
9. Defense played great at Carolina but lets not fool ourselves. Steve Smith dropped 4 balls(1 TD) that he usually catches with one hand and his eyes closed.
10. The bucks stop at the HC. Romeo Crennel. We’re gonna run him out of town too? Like we did Silas and expect to still make the playoffs in the middle of a playoff run? All succesful organizations have consistency in their staff and players. They may have started rough as coal but end as a diamond. From Dungy to Cowher. From Belichick to Holmgren.
For those non math people out there the Browns score less than one rushing td in every 5 games.
Typical Cleveland fans putting Frye in a group of losers when he has started 9 games; all the while contradicts himself by saying the Browns have the worst offensive line in the NFL. In case you have not noticed the QB lines up behind the offensive line.
ditto that, david.
there is nothing wrong with frye.
he just needs a better line and some better plays designed to his strengths.
I agree – Frye is not the problem – he will develop over time
Another problem with Carthon apart from the play-calling is the execution of plays. One reason the line is so bad right now is that there are two new players on the line – it takes time for a line to gell. Yet we have so many formations and personnel sets that there is very little continuity. Can anyone be surprised that they were not able to execute the Vickers pass play? Sure, it was a dumb call, but this team can’t execute most plays. Any time spent practicing that play last week took away from solid plays they could have called to Drougns, Winslow and Edwards.
Though it helps to have a proven off. coordinator, we have needed a O line since ’99. Until we find a good O line, we will keep switching Quarterbacks every 3 years. But the CYO playbook has to be down the proverbeal sh*tter.
Also G
That was a rookie back-up full back making that play. That play is difficult with vetern rb’s. There are very feww running backs who can execute a play like that on a consistant basis. There are just to many bad things that can result in a play like that.
And, have we forgotten about last year’s 3rd and goal reverse play? Great call Mo, now get your things and go.
Some SPECIFIC observations on why Mo gots to go:
1. Continually run on 1st & 2nd, netting 2 yards, but NEVER using this to their advantage by running play-action.
2. When defenses constantly blitz, he NEVER calls a screen, or a decent draw play to keep linebackers honest.
3. NEVER having Jerome Harrison or Jason Wright out in the flat for Charlie to dump it off to.
4. Having Droughns in on 3rd down and long.
5. No mis-direction plays with Frye and K2 rolling out together.
6. Running the same sideline fly route when he actually does want to open it up.
7. LAST but certainly NOT LEAST: Defenses go into the game with the mindset of making Charlie Frye beat them. They’re set up to stop the run from the get-go!
Reason #1: His name is “Maurice” – which should forever be a red flag when dealing with Ohio Football!
Mo comes from the school of Bruce Arians offensive play calling!!! I am sick of these conservative chumps with predictable play calling!! Pretty bad when players from the opposing team know what play you’re gonna run!! If that’s not a sign then what is!
san diego went 12-4 in the 2004 season with 5 new offensive linemen.
the 4 current starting defensive linemen in denver are all from cleveland. who couldn’t talking a baby in stroller when they played here.
who thinks coaching doesn’t matter?
yes – i meant “who couldn’t TACKLE when they were here”.
sorry for the stupid typo.
Everyone needs to take a reality check and realize that progress is being made it just is taking a lot longer than all of us wish. Some names Bentley, Winslow, Edwards, Wimbley, Bodden, Frye, and Jones. This is your future. I know we all wish we had an o-line full of Panzer tanks, but Phil and Romeo have taken the philosophy, with some many holes to fill, to take the best available players. Lets just hope they address the o-line, a young run stopper, and a shut down corner to compliment Bodden. I just can’t be a Browns fan and say they suck. They do have some holes to fill and they need to play together in order to build trust with one another.
Additionally, I do not feel M. Carthon is capable. We need to open up the play book and see this young talented skill players shine. What do we have to lose? I mean 1-5 or 2-4. It does not matter. What matters is progress. We need to address the O. Coord. now and not wait until next year and institute a new offensive philosophy. Put Robiske in and lets go.
What we would have to lose by doing the plays everyone wants is Frye’s health. You people want Dorsey as our starting QB? Fine. I like Frye-I thought his last year in college could’ve been a Heisman candidate until my alma mater screwed him over by the coaching change. Has anyone here played or watched football up-close? What play can you call with a QB that knows he has a bad o-line but still holds on to the ball to long,Horrid o-line,wr catching the ball-add to the fact that there are plays you don’t run in certain parts of the field. What plays can you call. The last Int in the Baltimore game-ebveryone says-I would’ve called a fade route-Well fade routes takes more time and if anyone saw it , you would notice Frye gets smacked on that play. He would’ve never gotten that fade route off. All this complaining like girls when the million dollar players aren’t doing what they are PAID! I hear-well roll Frye out all the time. You can’t keep shortening the field on him by doing that. You will get him killed also. He rolled out last time in the game one time to often and Peppers choked slammed him. You ever hear of an OC getting fired in the middle of a season? No-because it has never happened so stop whining about it. You’re not going to agree with every play called. I saw Tressel call a draw play on 3rd and 8 on OSU side of the field. Most people wouldn’t agree with that-I know I didn’t. How is it Carthon gets no credit for the 1000 yard rusher and 1000 receiver last year? When the last time that happened here-DECADES AGO-With the lack of talent on field that had to be straight up Magic. By the way-Frye has the worst O-line, wr not cathing the ball and the 1000 RB is hurt. His working with not great parts-So is Carthon.
Chris M
Oh my! I have heard it all! We have compared Jim Tressel who has the best record within his first 68 games as a head coach in the history of OSU football to Maurice Carthon.
There is a big difference to running on 3rd and 8 when you are up 20+ points to running up the middle on both 1st and 2nd down from the Carolina 10 when you are losing by 11 in the 4th qtr. Let’s keep J. Tressel and M. Carthon away from each other.
It is not the plays that I have a problem with. It is the lack of mixing it up on 1st down that drives me insane. Maybe throw once in a while on 1st down. Whining! We have scored 4 rushing Td’s in the past 21 games. That is 1 rushing td every 5 games. Yea. We had a 1,000 yard rusher last year; except it took 309 carries to do it. That is an avg. of 4.0 yards per carry. Third worse among the 16 1,000 yard rushers last year. I don’t give credit to Carthon, but to Droughns. He earned every yard, because of the lack of a good offensive line and predictable play calling.
Charlie Frye! We need to protect for this year. So rolling him out every play is a bad idea. But lets call some plays that develop quickly, like inside slants, pass to the tight end, WR screens, screen passes, draw plays to when the DE is coming up from the outside. Here is an idea lets adjust to the defense, rather than scripting the first 50 plays and sticking to them. We have scored 6 points in the first qtr. All year. That’s 75 minutes. We are averaging 15 points a game. Yes talent is limited and it is not all Carthon. But I would like to see some conservative creativity.
Whining! I have watch about 7,000 minutes of Browns football since 1999, and enough is enough. Lets develop our talented youth and show “progress” rather than sitting back and say well Carthon does not have much talent so we should run vanilla plays to defenses who know exactly what we are running please! I have more pride in Browns Football than that.
The Browns should’ve fired his ass after the fullback carry on third down. This dude sucks, why didn’t we keep Coach Robo as the offensive coordinator. Hell, he got us a win with Luke McCown. He doesn’t adjust to the defensive play calling by the other team. No more conservative play calling, let’s open it up. This is the NFL, not muny league. My kids football team is more successful than the Browns, and they play in the termite league. Their coaches adjust to the other teams play calling, and use their weapons. Carthon doesn’t have a clue. He’s over his head. He coaches like Coach Klien from Waterboy, scared. His ass has gotta go.
Getting back to the list
22. Calling any play that has northcutt as the prime receiver.
23. Not using a moving pocket to give Charlie more time to look downfield (presuming that his receivers are down field).
24. Working with the offensive line coaches to establish escape lanes for Charlie.
25. He was a fullback for the NY Giants when their offense was lead by the unrememorable line of QB’s before Phil Simms.
Please continue…
In the carolina game, in the 2nd quarter, They max protected and threw a 5 yard pass…then they spread the field in a 5 wide set and tried to throw downfield, allowing Fry to get Killed!…I get all the other big things Carthone does wrong, but to me it is the liitle screw ups like these that are more glaring..more indicative of things not being well thought thru…why not use Charlie on a few naked bootlegs or roll him out to play to his strength….use his athletic ability???
As for the top 10 reasons to can Maurice, I think #1 should be that the Browns actually admit that they script the first 15 plays of the game, and that they had 0 net yards to show.,…if that doesn’t prove offensive incompetence, I don’t know what does!
If firing Carthon would change the personnell on the field -which is the REAL problem-I would be all for it. But it doesn’t. Does it?
guys,
great reasons to can him. and for chris who doesn’t blame carthon. i realize the talent may not be all pro caliber, but it’s the most offensive talent they’ve had since returning in 1999. a good coordinator will find a way to get the most out of what he has and put them in the best position to succeed. that is something carthon didn’t do last year and is not doing again this year. again need i go any further than 3rd and inches at the panthers 21 yard line?!
Carthon is in charge of sending the personnel of the field, he’s in charge of sending in the plays to the personnel on the field, he’s in charge of making adjustments to the defensive personnel on the field. He’s failed miserably at these tasks. Not to mention that the offense doesn’t score any points. The Browns offense is the problem, and Carthon is in charge of the offense. His play calling doesn’t have to be genius, just effective and productive, which it is not. He has weapons to use, he’s just not doing so. He coaches scared, and that won’t cut it in the NFL.
Response to Kenny,
Come on Roadman, don’t be like these other unknowledgable fans. They may have the most talent since 99 but they’re facing much better defenses and more importantly-THEIR O-LINE IS AS BAD Or WORSE THAN ’99. You know you can have Peyton at QB, Harrison and T.O at WR and LT at RB but if you have this O-line- They are through. Ask Peyton about what you can do with no protection in the playoffs by your Steelers, or Trent Green’s dome when he had to scramble the whole game because his best O-lineman retired, or Aaron Brooks who couldn’t take 3 step drops, or Couch for that matter. How did those situations turn out? Peyton had Harisson,Edge,Stokely, Wayne, HOMEFIELD and the NFL was cheating for them. How did it turn out? What plays could’ve been called to make any of those situations better? Unless your name is Vick-you’re hit.
If you are as serious as I am about the Cleveland Browns firing Maurice Carthon; please visit my Fire Maurice Carthon Petition Site and sign the petition. I will forward this signed petition to the Cleveland Browns Front Office. It’s time we hard-working, loyal Browns fans be heard. Please sign your name, I want this to be taken seriously in Berea.
Thank you for your time.
Click on my name to be taken to the Petition Web Site.
Thank You
Trying to establish the run at the beginning of the game, why, for the love of God, is the FB sitting on the bench? With Smith in there, the RBs are gaining 2 yards ave or more than without him blocking. I would think that for a former blocking FB, this is not difficult to figure out. Guess he took too many blows to the melon
JUST REMEMBER, CLEVELAND FANS, YOU WANTED BELICHICK OUT OF TOWN ALSO…BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
Mo’s offense reminds me of Chris Palmer
Reply to Whatever:
Bill Belicheck and Maurice Carthon. Can I say thereis a difference bewteen “diminishing skills” and no skills whatsoeever.
okay – i’ll drop any complaining about carthon if this team can find a way to beat the broncos this upcoming sunday.
i currently live in denver, and i hate the broncos more than i can explain. the media is already on the air this monday morning talking about cleveland being lucky if they put up 3 points against the broncos. i’ve already had to listen to the starting defensive linemen (all from cleveland) talk about how they are coming back to cleveland with something to ‘prove’ because of how they were treated and let go in cleveland, which ‘left a bad taste in their mouth’.
YOU NEED MORE PROOF COACHING MATTERS? LOOK AT THE DENVER STARTING D-LINE.
additionally, the denver offense is the second worst in scoring in the nfl. second worst only to the raiders.
but, their defense has only allowed 1 touchdown in 5 games. which hasn’t happened since detroit did it in 1940 or something.
the browns are treated like a complete joke in the nfl by other cities. not living in cleveland at the moment i see it very clearly. even national media like espn and fox often skip right over browns game highlights. not that there are many, but i’ve seen them completely ignore games the browns are involved in.
so, as i said at the start of this post, if this team can find a way to score some points and win, i’ll shut up regarding carthon. the denver offense should be no problem to stop. they managed only 13 against oakland and 9 against baltimore. it should be a game where if we can find a way to get past their defense, there is no reason we can’t win it.
in fact, i hate the broncos and their fans so much, i am flying into cleveland this upcoming weekend to go to the game and to get the hell out of this city (denver – the city of hypee, but thats another rant) so i don’t have to hear it from anyone here about the browns getting destroyed by the broncos.
Constantly running a draw on second and long!!!
im a die hard fan of my browns…..however, im slowly but steadily losing all faith in this city…or should i say, i already have…..as of now….i go into games with my head held high, and my hopes up, but whenever we score once, i know the prevent offense comes out, and i expect a loss………i say this….what the hell else do we have to lose? another game?
no one cares wat yall think! is it that serious that people take something thats not benifiting them at all this serious! get yalls priorities in line get a damn life! i love u Uncle mo!