That's it for starters?

If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, the next time we'll see the Browns' starting units on the field will be Sept. 10 in the regular-season opener at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has already indicated backups will play the entire Thursday night exhibition game in Philadelphia against the Eagles. That also means they'll probably repeat that effort in the exhibition finale in Kansas City.

It has become almost tradition that starters sit out the final meaningless game to dodge the possibility of a serious injury on the precipice of the regular season. The penultimate exhibition -- e.g. the Eagles game -- is generally considered the dress rehearsal for games that count. Not anymore it would appear.

Ostensibly, the next two games will give General Manager Andrew Berry, Stefanski and the coaching staff the opportunity to determine what the bottom of the final roster will look like as the starters and major contributors watch from the sidelines.

It's an odd decision that conjures up the notion it could backfire. After all, the Browns' starting offense has booked just one possession to date. This offense needs more game reps and it doesn't look as though it's going to receive them.

The starting defense has had just two cracks, the second one lasting two plays and producing a safety. That's not nearly enough to begin a season finely tuned. 

But what, you say, about all the practice time between now and then? Surely that will be enough time to fine tune what needs to be fine-tuned, right? You know, practice makes perfect. Uh, no. It doesn't.

This curmudgeon is a firm believer that great practices, at least those praised highly by the coaches during the week, more often than not do not necessarily transition well to game-day performances. Give me great game-day players who merely tolerate practice over those who practice well and disappear on game day.

Players get tired playing against each other. After the second-game loss to Washington, several starters for the defense exulted how much they enjoyed hitting someone wearing a different uniform. 

With three of the first four games against division opponents, it is imperative the Cleveland offense is ready. One very impressive series is not nearly enough, however, to suggest Deshaun Watson and company will hit the ground running against the Bengals.

Timing is everything on offense. The running game with precise blocking. The passing game that requires exquisite timing between the thrower and the receiver. The tiniest mistake can blow up a play. 

Defense is another matter. Timing is secondary at best. It's all about aggression and attitude on that side of the football. And from what we've seen thus far in two games, new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz seems to have righted the ship after three years of passive defense.

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Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will have the first half against the Eagles; future practice squader Kellen Mond the final 30 minutes. 

Semi-excited to see what DTR does as a starter. Thus far, he's been as close to perfect as you can get to the point where the thought of moving the fifth-round pick up to No. 2 behind Watson has entered conversations.

In two games, he has completed 17 of 21 passes for 184 yards, run nine times for 47 more yards and thrown two touchdown passes in six possessions with just one three and out. His poise is off the charts. His accuracy is virtually unerring. His pocket awareness is beyond his years. You can't teach that.

He has yet to face adversity, though. And that's what I want to see. How he handles a situation he's never faced before. It will happen eventually. How he deals with it will be telling. That's what generally separates the average ones from the good ones and the good ones from the great ones.