Mid-week thoughts

Today's focus is on focusing. As in what to do, what to say when what you're working hard to do isn't working.

Today's subject: Browns head coach and playcaller/wannabe coordinator for the offense Kevin Stefanski and focusing. 

Maybe it's a coaching rut Stefanski has fallen into with his 3-7 record this season and 11-16 mark the last 27 games. Then again, it very well could be a verbal crutch he leans on during his dealings with the media throughout the season.

In his most recent session with the media, the beleaguered coach uttered the word "focus" 11 times in answering why the club has been so extremely disappointing this season, one that began with playoffs a prominent topic. In some areas, that might be labeled deflecting or dodging.

He addressed, among other topics, the struggle with mistakes continuing despite working on eliminating them in practice; finding a way to stem the flow of massive amounts of yards given up on the ground; dealing with players who go public with their criticisms; why the defense is still struggling in year three under his watch; players not understanding all their assignments with the gameplans; and how much support he's receiving from ownership in dealing with all this.

Regarding the ownership, Stefanski said, "Again, focus on this week. We meet every week with ownership. They are here every day so great conversations throughout the day. We are all frustrated. I get that part of it. But again, the focus is on this week and what we can do this week to go 1-0 (against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday)."

It has reached the stage where Stefanski now says, "Our focus is on anything that needs fixed." That is not what you want to hear from a head coach 10 games into a season. That covers a heck of a lot of territory with just seven games remaining.

"My focus is on winning," he said. I should hope so. Guessing here, I'd say there might be 31 other National Football League coaches who have the same focus.

It's almost as though he's saying,"Don't worry, I've got this." The record says no he doesn't. Verbally assuring that's the case seems to fly in the face of the results.

His "blame this one on me" lines after losing games has worn so thin, he seems to have abandoned it. Absolving the players of any blame, Stefanski instead has chosen to concentrate on getting the message across that the coaching staff, as well as the players, is constantly efforting hard to get the job done.

And yet, the Browns continue to commit egregious mistakes that lead to losses. If it's not a dropped pass in the end zone, it's a blocked field goal or extra point at a critical time. If it's not a blown coverages in the secondary, it's a stupid penalty.

It has reached the point where fans have come to expect a meltdown from this talented but underachieving group. They  don't when and how it will happen. They just know it will. 

The Browns have replied with six losses in the last seven games. Their only victory, a 32-13 mauling of the Cincinnati Bengals back on Halloween eve, halted a four-game losing streak and was probably enjoyed as much by the goblins as the fans, who no doubt were stunned by the result. Then it all fell apart again in successive poundings by Miami and Buffalo.

It seems that whatever Stefanski focuses on, most of it fails. He is in the frustrating position of throwing just about everything he can against a wall and hoping some of it sticks. That's got to be a very uncomfortable position.

Don't get me wrong, There is nothing wrong with focusing. I think he should be focusing more on his coaching staff and what their immediate future holds and the poor job his general manager has done to strengthen one particular side of the football. 

Hoping here the focusing will not get out of focus.