IS WILLIAMS’ WORK ENOUGH FOR THE GUY WHO MATTERS MOST?
By STEVE KING
Has interim Browns head coach Gregg Williams already shown enough?
That is, has he already shown enough in these past seven games, and perhaps also in the final one this season – the all-important one for a variety of reasons — on Sunday at Baltimore against the now AFC North-leading Ravens, to earn the job for at least the next several years?
Has he shown enough to you?
No offense, but more importantly, has he shown enough to Browns General Manager John Dorsey? Has he at least presumably shown enough to Dorsey? In the big picture, all that really matters is his opinion, for he will be the one making the call on who to hire on a full-time basis to replace Hue Jackson, who was fired at mid-season.
After a loss in his “opener” in game No. 9, Williams has guided the Browns to five wins in their last six games to boost their record to 7-7-1, which is the best they’ve had at this point in the last 11 years, when the 2007 team was 9-6 on its way to a 10-6 finish.
That’s impressive – very much so – as it already represents the Browns’ biggest one-year turnaround ever following the 2017 nightmare of 0-16. But, again, all that matters is if it’s impressive enough for Dorsey.
It would seem so, but it’s hardly a given. In Dorsey’s mind, Williams was not even on the radar as a long-term solution when the GM handed the reins to him. All Dorsey wanted was for Williams to get to the Browns to the finish line with as little embarrassment as possible.
Williams, of course, has done far more than that. He has well exceeded anyone’s wildest expectations. The players seem to love Williams and Freddie Kitchens, who was promoted to offensive coordinator from quarterbacks coach when all the other changes were made. And winning over the locker room is a big pre-requisite for any head coach.
It’s no secret that Dorsey has had his eye on high-profile candidates such as Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. Has Williams’ work caught Dorsey’s eye enough to move it off Riley and his ilk?
Only Dorsey knows for sure, and he’s not saying and likely won’t say until he hires his guy.
However, those questions are all legitimate, and, with just one game – only a few days away – remaining, it won’t be long before we’ll find the answers to them.
THIS BROWNS COACHING SEARCH IS COMPLICATED
I’m always interested in the opinion of outsiders about the Browns.
Unlike Northeast Ohioans, they’re not knee-deep in the issues. As such, it’s possible – not definitely, just possible – that they might see something that we don’t.
That’s especially the case with the so-called experts, the media people who cover the sport.
As such, then, I was intrigued by Mike Jones’s lengthy column in Wednesday’s USA Today entitled, “(Gregg) Williams builds case to keep his job,” with the subhead, “Browns interim coach not long-term fit as team looks to advance QB (Baker) Mayfield.”
Indeed, that’s what everybody is trying to figure out now as the Browns prepare to go on the road and ruin – or at least put another major dent into — the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens’ fortunes on Sunday in the regular-season finale.
Many local fans are willing to give Williams the job permanently right now since he has guided the Browns to a 5-2 record since rating over at mid-season, lifting them to 7-7-1, their best mark at this point in 11 years.
The Browns have been rejuvenated, and to them, much of it has been because of his coaching.
But USA Today staffer Jones isn’t of that opinion – at least nor firmly so. To him, it’s telling that, despite the success, Williams hasn’t already been given the job by the Browns. He thinks General Manager John Dorsey is looking at this from much more of a longform view.
Jones writes in the middle of the piece:
“They (Dorsey and co-owner Jimmy Haslam) have to ask themselves if this wave of success is sustainable and if continuity will breed the necessary strides that will transform Cleveland into a legitimate contender.
“Chances are, although Cleveland has finished the year on a strong note, duplicating this success will prove more challenging next year. Opponents will pore over this season’s film and pinpoint weaknesses to exploit. And it’s rare that an interim coach winds up being the long-term answer for teams.
“It’s very possible that the decision-makers might conclude that while Williams was the man for the job of shepherding the Browns away from the Hue Jackson era, he’s not the guy to take Mayfield and Company any further. Although Williams has certainly been good for Cleveland’s defense, the primary concern for this organization is the development of the quarterback.”
I tend to agree with most, if not all, of this.
What do you think?
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