In Butch We Trust....

Wow, the Browns made a big statement in crushing the Cardinals 44-6. But it was much more than a game.... it was a bold-faced, underlined refutation of two weeks of heavy criticism, and perhaps a taste of what lay ahead. We sure didn't miss KJ.

This game was flawless. The only complaint one can muster is a taunting penalty after a touchdown! Maybe we could have gotten more rushing yards? Perhaps, but on this team the pass is going to set up the offense and it met little resistance. I think the key to everything was the return to health of the offensive line which afforded Holcomb plenty of time in the pocket. Kelly was rarely hit hard after a pass and never sacked. That, combined with another nice defensive effort made for an unbeatable combination. Few teams in the NFL could have beaten the Browns on Sunday.

The fact that Andre Davis and Quincy Morgan (imagine!) had big days was icing on the cake. Davis in particular was very impressive, and it was nice to see Morgan hang on to everything thrown his way. Northcutt too was tearing it up. The talent is clearly there and it's very nice to see it in full bloom. The only issue now is getting enough repeat performances to make a run this year and, more importantly, to go deep into the playoffs in 2004. There are enough pieces in place to put it together, but the roller coaster ride of ths franchise means we shouldn't count on anything for certain. One week at a time...