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Berea Report: Stewart on the Mend
LB Matt Stewart
By Fred Greetham
Date: Oct 3, 2005
Fred Greetham reports from Berea where Matt Stewart is going to see if his knee will hold up, Trent Dilfer is ready to go, and the youngsters have had a chance to get some reps...
BEREA Matt Stewart was one of the players the Browns were counting upon as they transitioned to the 3-4 defense. Unfortunately, Stewart went down on the first series of downs against the Bengals in the season opener. He sprained his MCL and has not played since.
"Im feeling pretty good,"? Stewart said. "I'll go out there and see how it does in practice.
"It's been frustrating because all of the hard work to get ready and three plays into it, I'm hurt,?€? Stewart said. ?€œI was ready to go and ready for the season and to have it interrupted that early was frustrating.?€?
Stewart was injured when one of his teammates slipped off of making a tackle and landed on his knee while Stewart was trying to make a tackle.
?€œI don?€™t really know what?€™s going to happen,?€? Stewart said. ?€œI don?€™t want to set any limits. I just want to get out there and see what I can do.
?€œI?€™ve went out there and felt better each day,?€? he said. ?€œI have been able to run without pain and have had no setbacks. However, running by yourself is much different than when you?€™re running in practice.?€?
Romeo Crennel said Stewart will start practice today and see where he?€™s at.
?€œWe expect both (Josh) Cribbs and Stewart to be out there,?€? Crennel said. ?€œThey might be limited, but we?€™ll see.?€?
Stewart knows the injury could?€™ve been much worse and with the bye week, there?€™s an outside chance he could be ready for this week?€™s game with the Bears.
?€œI feel real fortunate that it was just the MCL,?€? he said. ?€œIt could?€™ve been worse.
Stewart was signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Falcons on March 15 and has played in the 3-4 defense as both an inside linebacker and outside linebacker. He had 89 tackles last year for Atlanta and had his best season in 2003 when he had 108 tackles. He came into the season with seven sacks in his four-year career.
?€œI felt very comfortable out there because it was very similar to what I had done in the past,?€? he said. ?€œI?€™m just anxious to get back on the field.
Red Zone Alert: The Browns have just scored one touchdown in 6 tries inside the red zone and that?€™s a statistic that has to be rectified.
QB Trent Dilfer said that?€™s one of his primary goals for the offense after the break.
?€œWhen we?€™re in the red zone we have to score touchdowns,?€? Dilfer said. ?€œWe have to make plays.?€?
Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards agrees with Dilfer?€™s assessment.
?€œWe have to be more efficient in the red zone,?€? Edwards said. ?€œWe have to execute when we?€™re in there.?€?
Dilfer said he evaluated two areas that he must improve upon in the following weeks.
?€œI reviewed and evaluated myself,?€? he said. ?€œWhat I?€™m disappointed in is that I haven?€™t played my best football in the red zone and on third down.
?€œI haven?€™t been awful, but feel I could do better.?€?
Injury Update: With the bye week, Crennel mentioned no specific injuries other than Stewart and Cribbs should be back at practice. He said Dilfer was fine after a week?€™s rest.
?€œI have nothing to report on,?€? Crennel said. ?€œI expect Trent to practice today. We didn?€™t have to take him to the hospital. He?€™s a pretty tough guy. We rested him a little bit, but I expect him to be out there and ready to practice.?€?
Dilfer concurred with his coach.
?€œI feel good and am ready to go,?€? he said. ?€œI was a little sore last week, but I was able to get some rest and I?€™m ready to go this week.?€?
Honey Do?€™s: Crennel said he was able to get some things done on the domestic front during the bye weekend.
?€œI did a few things around the house and am in better shape with my wife because of it,?€? he said with a smile.?€?
No Changes: Crennel said he expects no changes in the starting lineup after a week of letting some of the younger plays get more repetitions in practice.
?€œBecause you?€™re playing games the young kids don?€™t get to play,?€? he said. ?€œThey get a chance in practice and they?€™re rusty. No one really stood out or was exceptional.?€?
As far as the starting lineup Crennel had this to say:
?€œOur guys are our guys and until someone steps up and takes someone?€™s place, that?€™s how we?€™ll go.?€?
Dilfer Gets a Rest
Browns QB Trent Dilfer
By NFL Scout
Date: Oct 4, 2005
The Browns QB looks set to bounce back after taking a nasty shot against Green Bay. Not only that, he's looking to improve his play in the Red Zone. Here are some Browns notes to start off a warm October Tuesday in Cleveland...
The Browns gave Trent Dilfer some time off during their bye week.
"We rested him a bit because he's one of the elder statesmen," coach Romeo Crennel said.
Crennel and Dilfer both said they expect Dilfer to start Sunday against the Bears. Dilfer took a shot to his knee in the loss to the Colts, and limped through the final period. He did not need an MRI, though, and he said there was no problem with his knee.
"I'm feeling good and I'll be ready to go this week," Dilfer said. Dilfer has been a pleasant surprise through three games. His rating of 95.1 is eighth-best in the league.
The Browns QB also wants to be more productive in the red zone.
Dilfer has dropped to throw five times in the red zone on third down, and completed two passes -- none for touchdowns.
One completion was on a tipped ball that went to center Jeff Faine; another incompletion was a drop by Antonio Bryant.
But Dilfer also took a sack and said he needs to do better on the most crucial down in the most crucial situations.
"I haven't played my best football on third down in the red zone," he said. "That's where I want to play my best."
CALVARY ARRIVES: General Manager Phil Savage thinks the return of Lee Suggs will help Reuben Droughns.
Droughns has run well, but is averaging less than four yards per carry.
Savage said the team envisioned Suggs and Droughns as an inside-outside tandem. "I think Reuben's performance will increase as Lee comes back and vice versa," Savage said. "I think they'll kind of feed off each other."
NOT STARTING YET: WR Braylon Edwards may or may not move into the starting lineup against Chicago. Asked if the coaching staff had discussed moving Edwards to the starting unit and using Dennis Northcutt as the third wideout, coach Romeo Crennel said, "We have not discussed that."
Random Thoughts from a Wasted Mind
By Dale Galbraith
Date: Oct 3, 2005
Fan commentator Dale Galbraith takes a look at the team's progress early in 2005
Are the Browns Good at the Bye?
The Browns are 1-2 at the early bye.
They looked like a 4-12 team in the home opener against Cincinnati. But the Bengals have made every team look silly in their first three games and started the season 3-0. Quarterback Carson Palmer looks like a big league passer and the defense is stellar.
Then the Browns went to Lambeau Field and were able to beat Brett Farve and the mystic with a solid performance. It should be noted that cornerback Gary Baxter returned to action and had a key interception in the end zone. But the Packers aren?€™t the Packers of old, posting a 0-3 record to start the season.
Just before the bye the team went to the RCA Dome and held Peyton Manning and company to thirteen points. Indianapolis is 3-0, but it appears that defenses have caught up to the Colts high-powered offense.
So what can we expect from the Browns in the rest of the season?
That?€™s a question that will be answered in the next five games.
The next five opponents are all teams that the Browns can beat.
The Bears have a good defense, but rookie quarterback Kyle Orton can?€™t keep his counterparts off the field.
Billick and the hated Ravens are in the same boat as da Bears, good D but can?€™t score.
Detroit is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team. I think the Browns can beat whoever shows up at Cleveland Browns Stadium on October 23.
The Texans are trying to find their way on both offense and defense. Hopefully they will remain lost, because Houston has some talented players.
The Titans haven?€™t won a game on the road through the first three games. The Browns will play them in Cleveland. I?€™m banking on home field advantage here in a close contest.
The next five weeks will tell us if the Browns were good at the bye or is it good-bye 2005 Browns and wait till next year.
Winning is the Only Thing
After the Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the opener I wrote, ?€œThe Browns faithful should not be patient. This team must make substantial progress each week resulting in wins along the way.?€?
By recent quotes coming out of Berea it is evident the team feels the same way.
"Inside this locker room, the expectations aren't low," said tight end Steve Heiden.
Kicker Phil Dawson had this to say, "There are no moral victories. You can't really gain confidence and say. We hung with this team.' It's all about winning."
Head coach Romeo Crennel said. "I'm not going to come out and say how many I think we can win, but I expect us to win, and I want to win. We're going to coach to win, and we're going to try to get them to play to win. That's why we're in this game."
O Romeo, Romeo! Where were you in 99 thou Romeo?
Dilfer Plays to the End
A coach?€™s job is to put the best team on the field every Sunday. He owes it to the players and the organization. That is why Trent Dilfer needs to start and finish every game, unless injured or the coaching staff feels he is not being effective.
Charlie Frye?€™s day will come soon enough. But by starting him so that he has experience for next year sends the wrong message to the team.
This organization says, ?€œIt?€™s all about winning.?€?
It would be hypocritical for the coaching staff to treat regular season games as if they where preseason contests.
The Pepto Bismol Wonder
The Bengals gifted wide receiver Chad Johnson has a laminated poster in his locker listing the cornerback he will face each week of the season. After their names there are two boxes to be checked ?€œyes or no,?€? if the particular corner was able to cover the Pepto Bismol Wonder.
Johnson recently said in an interview that Mr. Baxter was not able to cover him in week one of the season. No kidding Dick Tracey, Browns cornerback Gary Baxter wasn?€™t even dressed for the game. He was still recovering from a concussion suffered in the preseason.
It wouldn?€™t surprise me if Johnson declares he can pick up messages from outer space on those gold teeth of his. Hopefully, Baxter will send him tumbling back to earth when they actually do meet December 11.
Nice Place to Visit
The RCA Dome is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn?€™t want to live there. The fan?€™s intensity has picked up since the last time I visited the enclosed stadium which will soon be imploding. I guess that is what winning can do to a lethargic dome dwelling species. The atmosphere was friendly and hospitable. Indianapolis sure isn?€™t Pittsburgh and that?€™s too bad for the Colts. I can?€™t wait to get back home to the Dawg Pound where football is played in the elements and the fans have a bite.
Chemistry
I like the chemistry of this team. The offensive line dines together once a week. Trent Dilfer even paid the tab after he wasn?€™t sacked and the Browns won in Green Bay. All three running backs Reuben Droughns, Lee Suggs and William Green have coexisted and have said all the right things in the media. Players aren?€™t complaining about not getting enough time off during the bye week. Andra Davis even suggested that the team isn?€™t going anywhere on their days off. They seem content to just hang out together.
What a change in attitude this is from previous years. This chemistry comes from the top down. Randy Lerner has treated everyone in the organization with respect. Phil Savage is a straight shooter. Romeo Crennel treats all his players equally showing no favoritism. If he says he will play the best guys, the best guys are on the field. But this chemistry couldn?€™t be in place without players leading in the locker room. I am not a player and only they know who the leaders are. I do know this. The 2005 Browns are a team.
LB Matt Stewart
By Fred Greetham
Date: Oct 3, 2005
Fred Greetham reports from Berea where Matt Stewart is going to see if his knee will hold up, Trent Dilfer is ready to go, and the youngsters have had a chance to get some reps...
BEREA Matt Stewart was one of the players the Browns were counting upon as they transitioned to the 3-4 defense. Unfortunately, Stewart went down on the first series of downs against the Bengals in the season opener. He sprained his MCL and has not played since.
"Im feeling pretty good,"? Stewart said. "I'll go out there and see how it does in practice.
"It's been frustrating because all of the hard work to get ready and three plays into it, I'm hurt,?€? Stewart said. ?€œI was ready to go and ready for the season and to have it interrupted that early was frustrating.?€?
Stewart was injured when one of his teammates slipped off of making a tackle and landed on his knee while Stewart was trying to make a tackle.
?€œI don?€™t really know what?€™s going to happen,?€? Stewart said. ?€œI don?€™t want to set any limits. I just want to get out there and see what I can do.
?€œI?€™ve went out there and felt better each day,?€? he said. ?€œI have been able to run without pain and have had no setbacks. However, running by yourself is much different than when you?€™re running in practice.?€?
Romeo Crennel said Stewart will start practice today and see where he?€™s at.
?€œWe expect both (Josh) Cribbs and Stewart to be out there,?€? Crennel said. ?€œThey might be limited, but we?€™ll see.?€?
Stewart knows the injury could?€™ve been much worse and with the bye week, there?€™s an outside chance he could be ready for this week?€™s game with the Bears.
?€œI feel real fortunate that it was just the MCL,?€? he said. ?€œIt could?€™ve been worse.
Stewart was signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Falcons on March 15 and has played in the 3-4 defense as both an inside linebacker and outside linebacker. He had 89 tackles last year for Atlanta and had his best season in 2003 when he had 108 tackles. He came into the season with seven sacks in his four-year career.
?€œI felt very comfortable out there because it was very similar to what I had done in the past,?€? he said. ?€œI?€™m just anxious to get back on the field.
Red Zone Alert: The Browns have just scored one touchdown in 6 tries inside the red zone and that?€™s a statistic that has to be rectified.
QB Trent Dilfer said that?€™s one of his primary goals for the offense after the break.
?€œWhen we?€™re in the red zone we have to score touchdowns,?€? Dilfer said. ?€œWe have to make plays.?€?
Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards agrees with Dilfer?€™s assessment.
?€œWe have to be more efficient in the red zone,?€? Edwards said. ?€œWe have to execute when we?€™re in there.?€?
Dilfer said he evaluated two areas that he must improve upon in the following weeks.
?€œI reviewed and evaluated myself,?€? he said. ?€œWhat I?€™m disappointed in is that I haven?€™t played my best football in the red zone and on third down.
?€œI haven?€™t been awful, but feel I could do better.?€?
Injury Update: With the bye week, Crennel mentioned no specific injuries other than Stewart and Cribbs should be back at practice. He said Dilfer was fine after a week?€™s rest.
?€œI have nothing to report on,?€? Crennel said. ?€œI expect Trent to practice today. We didn?€™t have to take him to the hospital. He?€™s a pretty tough guy. We rested him a little bit, but I expect him to be out there and ready to practice.?€?
Dilfer concurred with his coach.
?€œI feel good and am ready to go,?€? he said. ?€œI was a little sore last week, but I was able to get some rest and I?€™m ready to go this week.?€?
Honey Do?€™s: Crennel said he was able to get some things done on the domestic front during the bye weekend.
?€œI did a few things around the house and am in better shape with my wife because of it,?€? he said with a smile.?€?
No Changes: Crennel said he expects no changes in the starting lineup after a week of letting some of the younger plays get more repetitions in practice.
?€œBecause you?€™re playing games the young kids don?€™t get to play,?€? he said. ?€œThey get a chance in practice and they?€™re rusty. No one really stood out or was exceptional.?€?
As far as the starting lineup Crennel had this to say:
?€œOur guys are our guys and until someone steps up and takes someone?€™s place, that?€™s how we?€™ll go.?€?
Dilfer Gets a Rest
Browns QB Trent Dilfer
By NFL Scout
Date: Oct 4, 2005
The Browns QB looks set to bounce back after taking a nasty shot against Green Bay. Not only that, he's looking to improve his play in the Red Zone. Here are some Browns notes to start off a warm October Tuesday in Cleveland...
The Browns gave Trent Dilfer some time off during their bye week.
"We rested him a bit because he's one of the elder statesmen," coach Romeo Crennel said.
Crennel and Dilfer both said they expect Dilfer to start Sunday against the Bears. Dilfer took a shot to his knee in the loss to the Colts, and limped through the final period. He did not need an MRI, though, and he said there was no problem with his knee.
"I'm feeling good and I'll be ready to go this week," Dilfer said. Dilfer has been a pleasant surprise through three games. His rating of 95.1 is eighth-best in the league.
The Browns QB also wants to be more productive in the red zone.
Dilfer has dropped to throw five times in the red zone on third down, and completed two passes -- none for touchdowns.
One completion was on a tipped ball that went to center Jeff Faine; another incompletion was a drop by Antonio Bryant.
But Dilfer also took a sack and said he needs to do better on the most crucial down in the most crucial situations.
"I haven't played my best football on third down in the red zone," he said. "That's where I want to play my best."
CALVARY ARRIVES: General Manager Phil Savage thinks the return of Lee Suggs will help Reuben Droughns.
Droughns has run well, but is averaging less than four yards per carry.
Savage said the team envisioned Suggs and Droughns as an inside-outside tandem. "I think Reuben's performance will increase as Lee comes back and vice versa," Savage said. "I think they'll kind of feed off each other."
NOT STARTING YET: WR Braylon Edwards may or may not move into the starting lineup against Chicago. Asked if the coaching staff had discussed moving Edwards to the starting unit and using Dennis Northcutt as the third wideout, coach Romeo Crennel said, "We have not discussed that."
Random Thoughts from a Wasted Mind
By Dale Galbraith
Date: Oct 3, 2005
Fan commentator Dale Galbraith takes a look at the team's progress early in 2005
Are the Browns Good at the Bye?
The Browns are 1-2 at the early bye.
They looked like a 4-12 team in the home opener against Cincinnati. But the Bengals have made every team look silly in their first three games and started the season 3-0. Quarterback Carson Palmer looks like a big league passer and the defense is stellar.
Then the Browns went to Lambeau Field and were able to beat Brett Farve and the mystic with a solid performance. It should be noted that cornerback Gary Baxter returned to action and had a key interception in the end zone. But the Packers aren?€™t the Packers of old, posting a 0-3 record to start the season.
Just before the bye the team went to the RCA Dome and held Peyton Manning and company to thirteen points. Indianapolis is 3-0, but it appears that defenses have caught up to the Colts high-powered offense.
So what can we expect from the Browns in the rest of the season?
That?€™s a question that will be answered in the next five games.
The next five opponents are all teams that the Browns can beat.
The Bears have a good defense, but rookie quarterback Kyle Orton can?€™t keep his counterparts off the field.
Billick and the hated Ravens are in the same boat as da Bears, good D but can?€™t score.
Detroit is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team. I think the Browns can beat whoever shows up at Cleveland Browns Stadium on October 23.
The Texans are trying to find their way on both offense and defense. Hopefully they will remain lost, because Houston has some talented players.
The Titans haven?€™t won a game on the road through the first three games. The Browns will play them in Cleveland. I?€™m banking on home field advantage here in a close contest.
The next five weeks will tell us if the Browns were good at the bye or is it good-bye 2005 Browns and wait till next year.
Winning is the Only Thing
After the Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the opener I wrote, ?€œThe Browns faithful should not be patient. This team must make substantial progress each week resulting in wins along the way.?€?
By recent quotes coming out of Berea it is evident the team feels the same way.
"Inside this locker room, the expectations aren't low," said tight end Steve Heiden.
Kicker Phil Dawson had this to say, "There are no moral victories. You can't really gain confidence and say. We hung with this team.' It's all about winning."
Head coach Romeo Crennel said. "I'm not going to come out and say how many I think we can win, but I expect us to win, and I want to win. We're going to coach to win, and we're going to try to get them to play to win. That's why we're in this game."
O Romeo, Romeo! Where were you in 99 thou Romeo?
Dilfer Plays to the End
A coach?€™s job is to put the best team on the field every Sunday. He owes it to the players and the organization. That is why Trent Dilfer needs to start and finish every game, unless injured or the coaching staff feels he is not being effective.
Charlie Frye?€™s day will come soon enough. But by starting him so that he has experience for next year sends the wrong message to the team.
This organization says, ?€œIt?€™s all about winning.?€?
It would be hypocritical for the coaching staff to treat regular season games as if they where preseason contests.
The Pepto Bismol Wonder
The Bengals gifted wide receiver Chad Johnson has a laminated poster in his locker listing the cornerback he will face each week of the season. After their names there are two boxes to be checked ?€œyes or no,?€? if the particular corner was able to cover the Pepto Bismol Wonder.
Johnson recently said in an interview that Mr. Baxter was not able to cover him in week one of the season. No kidding Dick Tracey, Browns cornerback Gary Baxter wasn?€™t even dressed for the game. He was still recovering from a concussion suffered in the preseason.
It wouldn?€™t surprise me if Johnson declares he can pick up messages from outer space on those gold teeth of his. Hopefully, Baxter will send him tumbling back to earth when they actually do meet December 11.
Nice Place to Visit
The RCA Dome is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn?€™t want to live there. The fan?€™s intensity has picked up since the last time I visited the enclosed stadium which will soon be imploding. I guess that is what winning can do to a lethargic dome dwelling species. The atmosphere was friendly and hospitable. Indianapolis sure isn?€™t Pittsburgh and that?€™s too bad for the Colts. I can?€™t wait to get back home to the Dawg Pound where football is played in the elements and the fans have a bite.
Chemistry
I like the chemistry of this team. The offensive line dines together once a week. Trent Dilfer even paid the tab after he wasn?€™t sacked and the Browns won in Green Bay. All three running backs Reuben Droughns, Lee Suggs and William Green have coexisted and have said all the right things in the media. Players aren?€™t complaining about not getting enough time off during the bye week. Andra Davis even suggested that the team isn?€™t going anywhere on their days off. They seem content to just hang out together.
What a change in attitude this is from previous years. This chemistry comes from the top down. Randy Lerner has treated everyone in the organization with respect. Phil Savage is a straight shooter. Romeo Crennel treats all his players equally showing no favoritism. If he says he will play the best guys, the best guys are on the field. But this chemistry couldn?€™t be in place without players leading in the locker room. I am not a player and only they know who the leaders are. I do know this. The 2005 Browns are a team.
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