An exhibition rant

The following comes with a warning label . . . 

Do not, under any circumstances, take seriously anything you witnessed in the exhibition football game Friday night between the Browns and Jacksonville Jagwires (yeah, I know). More on that in a bit.

But for now . . . 

The National Football League likes to call them pre-season games, which is technically correct because they are, indeed, played prior to the regular season. But what they are in reality are exhibitions, which they used to be called before some public relations flunky probably thought preseason sounded more politically correct.

These meaningless games are merely exercises in crafting rosters for games that count. Fans see mostly second- and third-stringers for the most part. The games are so meaningless, it appears as though the NFL is slowly reducing the number it schedules. 

The league craves more revenue and the likelihood of 18 regular-season games and just two exhibitions almost certainly will be on the table the next time the current Collective Bargaining Agreement ends.

The league played a six-game pre, er, exhibition schedule until 1978, when it was reduced to four. It stayed that way until last season when it shrunk to three games. Won't be long before teams pretty much determine the shape of their roster in training camp.

Side rant over. Now on to the Browns-Jags game. Again, do not draw conclusions based how it was performed. Most of you probably know more than a dozen Cleveland starters on both sides of the football were in street clothes.

The quality of the football was substandard, mostly because a good many of those who played will not see his name on the roster when the final cutdown to 53 players is announced because of the abundant talent already on it. With a few exceptions, they are displaying their talents for scouts of other NFL teams.

Yes, the Browns won, 24-13, overcoming a 13-0 early second-quarter deficit, a pair of rookies scoring all three touchdowns and rookie kicker Cade York tacking on a field goal. It provided a feel-good atmosphere in the locker room after the game, albeit meaningless.

There were a few highs, like the 76-yard pick six by rookie cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. in the final minute of the second quarter to give the Browns their first lead of the game at 14-13. Actually, it was more of a smash and grab interception, Emerson causing Jags receiver Jeff Cotton Jr. to bobble the football and then snatching it away and going the distance.

Then there's rookie running back Jerome Ford, who scored twice (once on acrobatic catch backing into the end zone) and looking like a young Nick Chubb with gobs of yards after contact. He touched the ball 14 times (10 runs), racking up 102 yards, but fumbled away the ball in the final quarter trying to gain extra yards.

He is not as quick as the last great Cleveland player to wear 34 (Greg Pruitt, with apologies to Kevin Mack), but his style is somewhat reminiscent in that he has instinctive lateral movement and seemingly good vision. If you don't get him early, he'll make you pay.

And now some notable lows, like the awful performance by Deshaun Watson in his first game action in 586 days. The rust he carried into the game had rust. Three series, eight snaps, five passes that counted, one completion of seven yards and minus eight net yards overall. He was erratic and did not look comfortable.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said he just wanted Watson to get the feel of playing the game after such a long layoff. But with the regular season about a month away, Jacoby Brissett will now get most of the reps in training camp and the remaining exhibitions when Watson serves his suspension, the length of which will soon be determined.

The Browns also lost center Nick Harris for the season on the second play of the game. The smallish Harris was bull-rushed and overwhelmed by Jags nose tackle DaVon Hamilton, the former Ohio State defensive tackle, and  his right knee buckled under the weight of his body.

Harris, the smallest center in the NFL at a pinky nail taller than six feet, was replaced by Ethan Pocic, one of the league's tallest centers at 6-6, who played well. He signed as a free agent a few months ago after being released by the Seattle Seahawks.

Stefanski was asked Saturday about possibly going after free agent JC Tretter, the veteran pivot released by the Browns earlier this year. "I will not comment on roster-type things," he said. "That is Andrew (General Manager Andrew Berry) and his crew. 

"But I do want to make note (that) Ethan did a nice job (against the Jags) and he has done a nice job since April. I am excited about what he can bring to the table." Translated:, Not a chance. For what it's worth, that's a mistake. Tretter, infinitely better than Pocic, was the Browns' best offensive lineman last season.  

One more lowlight: Anthony Schwartz. How many times do I have to say it for the Browns to realize it. He is a world-class sprinter disguised as a football player. Schwartz, now in his second NFL season, is listed as a wide receiver. He is a wide receiver in name only. 

Watson targeted him three times, overthrowing him badly on the first and then disgustedly watching him drop two easy -- so easy you and I could have caught them -- passes. Schwartz should be making money winning sprints all over the globe.

Tidbits . . . Josh Dobbs looked a lot better than Watson at quarterback, although that didn't take much. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 108 yards and the touchdown. Josh Rosen, in relief of Dobbs, also looked comfortable for someone who didn't get many training-camp snaps. His only miss in seven passing attempts was a throwaway on a busted play. . . . Running back D'Ernest Johnson, who has fumbled only once in three years with Cleveland, coughed up the ball that led to a Jacksonville field goal in the first quarter. . . . Rookie defensive end Isiah Thomas had himself quite an afternoon, filling up the stats sheet with two of the Browns' five sacks, three solo tackles, three tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback hits. Worth keeping an eye on. . . . A quibble with York's kicking: He tends to hook his extra points around the left upright. But his 31-yard field goal was perfect. . . . Third-year linebacker Jacob Phillips is not a good tackler, whiffing at least twice on seemingly easy tackles. He was credited with one assist. . . . Ja'Marcus Bradley got the first crack at replacing Jakeem Grant, on injured reserve with a ruptured Achilles, with mediocre results.