Wouldn’t it be interesting if the Cleveland Browns were run like a game show? How wild would it be if whenever a player, coach, or front office executive made a blunder completely unforgivable, fans could head to their cellular device or desktop and vote off the weakest link in the organization?
Well, we can’t necessarily do that. But we can have a hypothetical game show right here on NEOSI.
Earlier in the week, we put out a poll on Twitter to gauge your opinion on who was most at fault for the Browns’ 27-21 overtime loss to Green Bay and gave you four options to cast your vote for. The nominees were special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, quarterback DeShone Kizer, wide receiver Ricardo Louis, and safety Kai Nacua.
The results are in and the first “Browns Weekly Weakest Link” is Chris Tabor.
For the final three weeks, we will be running a weekly article named "Browns Weekly Weakest Link". We will ask fans to determine who we should "eliminate" after each week's game. Please vote below!
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) December 11, 2017
Tabor has been running the Cleveland special teams since 2011 and has survived three head coaching changes. How he manages to do so is an ever-growing mystery, as he has produced subpar special teams play at best. Since letting kicker Phil Dawson go back in 2012, Tabor has been tasked with finding a stable placekicker. Though it is nearly impossible to find anything close to Dawson’s elite level of play, Tabor has had opportunities to mold young kickers and has failed most of them in his efforts.
The most recent example of this is rookie Zane Gonzalez. Gonzalez was drafted in the seventh round out of Arizona State University and had been heralded for not only being accurate but also having tremendous kicking power. However, that has not been the case at all in the 2017 season. Gonzalez is 12-of-17 for a 70% success rate on field goal attempts, costing the Browns a few games this year. This falls back on Tabor and his failed execution and mentoring of Gonzalez.
Perhaps the main reason that Tabor is the weakest link after last week’s latest loss is for the failure to do the little things.
As the Browns led 21-14 late in the fourth quarter, they were forced to punt. The Packers’ punt returner Trevor Davis was able to bring back Britton Colquitt’s punt back 65 yards to the Cleveland 25-yard line, setting up the game-tying score by Brett Hundley. In the crucial play, the Browns failed to contain the edge and lacked the discipline of staying home in their lanes. The poor form allowed the big Green Bay punt return and spelled the beginning of the end for the Browns last Sunday.
Special teams are not easy, not everyone can play them. A few mental lapses can cost your team the game.
The above statement implies not everyone can coach them. Chris Tabor, your time in Cleveland has been impressive considering you’ve lasted longer than three head coaches for a total of seven years. Unfortunately, the Browns need a better option at the special teams coordinator position to lead them to victories, not cost them victories.
Chris Tabor, you are the first Browns Weekly Weakest Link.
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