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Cleveland Browns and Coach Mike Pettine took a chance on Andy Moeller, who let them down -- Terry Pluto (video)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I don't know all of what happened with Andy Moeller that led to the Browns being forced to indefinitely suspend their offensive line coach.

But it's obvious the Browns consider this a very serious situation. As Coach Mike Pettine said Wednesday: "Everything about the incident is troubling. The allegations, all the information that is available, it's disturbing."

That's evident if you heard or read the 911 call from a woman who said that Moeller had assaulted her. She filed a complaint with police, but later withdrew it.

What Pettine didn't say is that this incident really had to hurt him.

When Pettine was hired as the Browns head coach on January 23, 2014, he had to scramble to assemble a coaching staff. That was especially true on offense. He quickly brought in five coaches who worked with him either in Buffalo and/or with the New York Jets. They all were defensive coaches.

Pettine also worked one year with Moeller in Baltimore. That was in 2008. Moeller was an assistant offensive line coach with the Ravens from 2008-10. He became head line coach from 2011-13.

But Moeller was replaced as offensive line coach by Juan Castillo after the Ravens 2013 season.

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was officially announced by the Browns as being hired before Moeller. But reports of Moeller coming to the Browns surfaced before Shanahan was put in charge of the Browns offense in 2014.

TAKING A CHANCE

Pettine took a chance on Moeller. The coach knew that Moeller had three arrests for alcohol related problems between 2007-10. Moeller was suspended for the first two games of the 2011 season and fined $47,000 by the NFL as a penalty after his last arrest.

A 2013 Baltimore Sun story reported how Moeller had changed his life and stayed out trouble. His last arrest was in late in 2010. He was sentenced in the spring of 2011 to 60 days in jail, and it was suspended so he didn't have to serve it.

In that Baltimore Sun story, Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti said, "As long as he's doing what he's expected to do, then he has our support ... the caveat being that it's his last chance and he knows that ... he's either going to get it under control or spend a life in misery like other people affected by that... He knows he's one step away from not being a Raven, then probably not being in the NFL at all."

There are no reports of Moeller being replaced by Castllo in Baltimore because of off-field issues.

The son of former Michigan coach Gary Moeller, Andy Moeller was a risk by any team that would hire him in 2014. What NFL team wants to deal with off-field problems with an assistant coach?

But giving a person a second chance -- especially one who has talent and appears to have changed -- is commendable. Pettine believed in Moeller and presented him the opportunity.

In 2014, it appeared all was well. But that's no longer the case as Moeller has put his career in jeopardy regardless of how this case turns out.

SCRAMBLING FOR COACHES

The last Browns coach to survive more than two seasons with the team is Romeo Crennel (2005-08).

Every time a team fires a head coach, most of the assistants also are released.

When Kyle Shanahan was hired as offensive coordinator in 2014, it was a marriage of convenience for both. Pettine's NFL history is as a defensive coach and he needed an experienced offensive coordinator.

Shanahan had just lost his offensive coordinator job in Washington when his father (Mike Shanahan) was also fired as head coach of that franchise. Pettine will never say it, but looking for a coaching staff so late often leads to some iffy hires.

Then there was quarterback coach Dowell Loggains. He had been fired by Tennessee, hired by the Browns even before Shanahan.

It was Loggains who embarrassed the franchise by telling an Arkansas radio station about how he received a draft-day text from Johnny Manziel. Yes, that was the infamous text about Manziel wanting "to wreck this league."

Loggains went public with that. He also implied Manziel's text influenced Owner Jimmy Haslam to order a trade for Manziel. That made General Manager Ray Farmer and Haslam both look bad.

It turns out Loggains wasn't even in the draft room, according to the Browns.

I would have fired Loggains after that radio interview.

Loggians was fired after the season. Pettine told Sports illustrated's Jenny Vrentas that the quarterback coach failed to hold Manziel accountable.

Loggains was hired by Chicago, so that shows what I know.

Shanahan made it clear he wanted out, and he became the offensive coordinator in Atlanta. He took receivers coach Mike McDaniel with him.

This happens when a team keeps changing head coaches. Those head coaches then begin looking for recently fired assistants to fill some of the openings on their staff. They often have to change several spots on their staff after the first season.

Pettine was put in a very difficult spot when he was hired on January 23, 2014. He was the last head coach hired in that offseason. Many other assistant coaches available immediately after the 2013 season had already found jobs.

SECOND YEAR BETTER?

I have no clue if John DeFilippo will be a good offensive coordinator. The only place he ever called plays was with San Jose State in 2011. He had been Oakland's quarterbacks coach from 2012-14.

Pettine knew DeFilippo from 2009 when they were on the Jets coaching staff. Pettine nearly hired DeFilippo a year ago, but went with Shanahan because Shanahan had more experience.

Pettine clearly has a comfort level with DeFilippo that was not present with Shanahan. We'll see if it makes for an improved offense.

The defensive coordinator is Jim O'Neil. It's safe to say that O'Neil is Pettine's protege, much as Pettine was the protege of Rex Ryan when they worked together in Baltimore and with the Jets.

George DeLeone takes over as offensive line coach. He was Moeller's assistant since 2014. He has coached 37 years in college, five in the NFL. So he has a lot of experience.

It makes sense that if the coaching staff works together for a few years, they should be more effective. Also, the longer a head coach stays in place, the easier it is to attract good assistants.

That would be yet another benefit of Pettine having some success here. It could become a place where experienced and talented assistants want to work because they know they have a chance to win games and stick around -- something that has not been the case since the team returned in 1999.

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2015/09/cleveland_browns_coach_mike_pe_1.html

Agreed, bonefish. I would expect that all employees get a year-end review. I don't know who would perform Farmer's review.

jc

just jumping in here shortly to argue that UDFA pickups/success stories really can't be tied to GMs like draft picks do. There's MUCH more luck involved with those. Most of the time more than a handful of teams wants to bring in that UDFA, Crowell probably had more than a dozen suitors.

What happens then is simply a player and his agent looking at a team's depth chart and gauging where his best shot of landing on a 53 is, that's where the Browns have some sort of "advantage" given the reputation and lack of depth.

If Farmer was so high on K.Williams and Crowell, he would have taken them with one of the many blown picks. The view of a shrewd GM "finding" a gold nugget in UDFA is romantic at best. First of all, that's where the scouts lobby hard, it's somewhat "their draft" to begin with. The GM/owner barely sign the formal working paper with the longshot prospect.

My opinion on Farmer is pretty simply and direct. I think he's VERY incompetent for the job and deserves to be fired yesterday for all he (un-)did. And I was happy to see a fresh face (any, really) take over for the equally incompetent Banner/Lombardi monster, so he had a lot of sympathy from me starting the job. He simply reversed that opinion by doing an incredibly poor job. Many of you forget that he ALREADY got enough high picks for 3-4 drafts and has next to NOTHING to show for it. The roster only got older and the high picks are "parked" as semi-busts on the depth chart. No future

If your stance is that the GM position is not a training ground, or that his past perceived mistakes represent future, further mistakes, how do you justify keeping him at all?

Addressing that, do you believe Ozzie Newsome stepped into the GM position as a full fledged, fully experience GM, and do you believe he did not have any busts in his drafts?

How do you account for these failed first rounders: Kyle Boller, Travis Taylor, Jimmy Smith and Ray Rice? Shouldn't he have known Smith would have injury issues or that Ray Rice was a powder keg waiting to explode? What about his part in the scandal cover up, is that not considered worse than textgate? What about Matt Elam, is he a first round bust ala Gilbert?

I selected Ozzie as an example because he and Farmer stepped into their jobs with neither having done it before, and because Ozzie is one of the better drafters, with probably the fewest whiffs of any GM. Even though Ray Lewis was most likely a Belichick pick decided on before the move, he's done pretty well with the likes of Ogden, Flacco, Ed Reed & Jamal Lewis

Other misses in rounds 2-4:

2nd round - CB DeRon Jenkins, LB Dan Cody, OT Adam Terry, LB Sergio Kindle and DT Terrence Cody

3rd round - RB Jay Graham, RB Musa Smith, WR Devard Darling, and CB David Pittman.

4th round - LB Tyrus McCloud, WR Ron Johnson, WR Demetrius Williams, G David Hale, and WR Tandon Doss.

So it's really difficult for me to be dismissive of Farmer, or pick apart his decisions and draft choices after only two years. It's also laughable to bring out the pitchforks when players like Mayle or West don't work out, or crucify him for a bonehead move like texting to the field.

As I've stated, I don't agree with everything he's done, and I think his biggest flaw is ego, but I am willing to see this through. I'm willing to stick with him (and Pettine) for at least another four years, drafts unseen, based on the good he's done so far, and for the sake of stability.

JMHO

got to admit. never looked at it like that. this is a great example of why i read the board. a reasoned differnt point of view.

doesn't that kinda kill the "haslam picked Manziel" story line.. I mean if Loggains wasn't even in the draft room?

Oh well.. perhaps another myth out the window.

Not at all. It simply kills the Loggains had anything to do with it story. Loggians BS story was basically debunked after the draft.

If this is how you REALLY feel, then that shows a great deal reasonable thinking on your part.

Rather than Knee Jerk reactions because of this move or that move, you want to review the year, review his history, and talk to him about his plans and I assume get a handle on why some decisions were made.

I'm assuming you feel as if there could be some sound reasons for the things he'd done and you would investigate the entire situation.

That's sensible.. Very smart and well thought out.

Congrats on that.

I want Bonefish to do Farmer's review.

So...when he hits on a player it is "luck" and when he misses on a player it is incompetence.

Got it. Opinion noted.

I was thinking Django should do it.

Since "Text" is suspended, can we suspend conversations about this clown?

The heat comes with the failures of Manziel and Justin, Bowe signing for that 9mil guaranteed and not even playing, the Textgate ordeal... etc.

The cooler side comes with undrafted pickups like Crow and K'uan. Like Bitoni. Free agents like Donte and Karlos who most would agree were upgrades... etc

Take your pick with which what has unfolded and sort of outlined above and see what side you fall into. One thing is certain, if Danny doesn't come in and have a major impact, those on the cooler side may get heated instantly... I'm not going to say he's on the hot seat, but I'm not going to say he isn't...

I think that question should go in another thread, because this thread is about Farmer........well, supposedly it is. LOL

But, I'll try and answer your question just because you seem so sincere.

I don't know how good our Special teams will be this year. I do know that in order for the Browns to have any chance of winning game this year, this unit needs to be in the top third of the league.

I think we acquired a good punter. Hey........there is a good move by Farmer, so it is related. He should help us w/field position.

I know Benji had a good return in preseason and he was good two years ago, but I'm not sure about him because he was so awful last year. I really don't know.

I like Moore on special teams. Bademosi is pretty good. I hear Carder is good, but I'm not really sure.

I am worried about our place kicking because I don't even know the guy.

I really don't know, bro...........All I know is that they will indeed have to be very productive this year. We'll need to count on them a lot, because our offense sucks.

jc

guess who cut Dion Lewis...

Along with Charles Johnson and Brian Hoyer, Farmer might have cut a better Offense than he has assembled...and I'm not kidding

Not only are you not kidding, it might not be debatable.

j/c

Wasn't Dion Lewis brought to Cleveland by those two good for nothing guys Banner/Lombardi!!

Lombardi is now with the Patriots as well.

And maybe he did not...Lewis was injured here and did not have the luxury of playing with...you know...Tom Brady.

Where did Lewis kick butt last year in the NFL? Or this year for that matter? He was hardly a difference-maker tonight and won't see the filed much after pot head gets off suspension.

There's reasons to question Farmer...just not every darn thing he's done here.

How many carries has Dion Lewis had in the past 2 seasons?

I would add that the Colts, desperate for a RB last year, cut Lewis in September. Are they also morons?

Lewis had a nice game, but he also had a fumble on the goal line that could have cost the Pats badly. It was also 1 game.

Man, people go into "the sky is falling!" mode faster and faster each year, and this year probably has more reason for hope than most we have seen in the past decade.

Dion Lewis was out of football last year, with no carries in 2 years,

pssstt Johnson was not cut. The Vikings signed him off our practice squad. Dion was also on the Eagles and Colts rosters. They also didn't keep him around and he had only 51 rushing attempts for 240 yards over the last four seasons.

"Among other things, Shanahan and other offensive coaches wanted the Browns to sign a veteran quarterback such as Matt Schaub for depth, hoped that the Browns would draft a wide receiver when Josh Gordon was suspended for marijuana use and were dismayed when the team let promising receiver Charles Johnson get away. The Vikings signed Johnson off the Browns practice squad on Sept. 20, and he emerged as a starting receiver in Minnesota."


Report: Charles Johnson Waived By Browns

It seems that LaRon Byrd will be taking his place as the big receiver on the team.

where is LaRon Byrd now anyway?

Byrd is shopping at walmart I think

Don't forget we waived Byrd to sign Rodney Smith

Can we be grown up and QUIT calling him Text?

Season hasn't even started, and people already on the hot seat? thought this game was about wins and losses?

Actually I think Norv Turner had the biggest role in bringing Dion here.

I believe that per rules of etiquette, we are allowed to call him text until his suspension for texting is completed and he is back as acting GM.

I find it childish... But hey,, whatever floats your boat I guess.

Ok, Whoevers boat.. feel better now?

It was Banner. He still brags about it on Twitter all the time.

nice to see you not taking things so seriously. is this the new you or the pain meds?