Trying to figure out what hurts less
It was almost exactly 41 years ago, in Aug. 23, 1984, and the Browns were playing the host Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason finale, the most meaningless part of the meaningless exhibition season.
For some unknown reason — possibly because of two one-sided losses his club had sustained, Sam Rutigliano wanted to get a win to finish 2-2 instead of 1-3 — the Browns head coach had one of the best right tackles in the NFL, Cody Risien, on the field in the fourth quarter.
That was a decision that ended badly for everyone involved. The Browns still lost the game 20-19, and Risien suffered a season-ending knee injury, which took away the blind-side pass blocker for left-handed quarterback Paul McDonald who was in his first year as a starter, which, in turn, blew up the pass protection as a whole and caused the USC product, constantly under siege, to struggle. As a result, the offense struggled and so did the team overall, as Cleveland, picked before the season to win the AFC Central title, faltered mightily, starting 1-7. At that point, Rutigliano, the architect of the Kardiac Kids, was summarily fired. (Kardiac Kids: The Story of the 1980 Browns available on Amazon)
Don’t play the starters much in the preseason, which doesn’t matter record-wise, for fear they will succumb to the same fate as Risien.
But at the same time, don’t seal the starters in bubble-wrap and put them up onto a shelf, for fear the team will not be ready to play at the beginning of the regular season.
Coaches — teams — are between a rock and a hard place in trying to figure out what to do.
The answer?
It’s hard to say, but there’s a growing movement within the league to abolish most if not all of these miserable, boring, hard-to-watch preseason games in favor of more of these combined practices in which the coaches from both teams can work together to structure the work — third-down, red zone, two-minute offense, etc. — they feel their teams need to get done.
In the meantime, let’s hope that the Browns, the Carolina Panthers, who they met in the preseason opener on Friday night in Charlotte, and the rest of the clubs in the NFL are able to get through these practice contests and get ready for the regular season with a minimum of injuries, especially to stars in the mold of Cody Risien.
Steve King
READ NEXT: Cleveland Browns Fan Favorites
Official Cleveland Browns Apparel on Amazon
Cleveland Browns Men’s Nike Game Jersey
Nothing says “team spirit” like a high-quality replica jersey. Nike’s officially licensed Browns jerseys come in all sizes and feature the latest players, from Deshaun Watson to Myles Garrett. Perfect for game day or casual wear.
- Breathable material
- Authentic team colors and logos
- Available in youth and adult sizes
NOTE: We are compensated by purchases made through Amazon links on this website at no additional cost to you
