Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[hurricane]

Not to restate the obvious but one huge problem the past few years is ignoring the O-line, and to a lesser extent, the D-line. So one superstar free agent signing is supposed to make it all better? What if he gets injured? Oops, he did. DRAFT O-LINE FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY

 

[hurricane]

Joey Porter vs. Kellen Winslow Jr.

There's a battle of (nit)wits...

EDIT: I will say this... it was classy of KWII to try and shake Porter's hand before the game. And there were some moments during the game where Winslow just got up, handed the ball to the official and shut up when he otherwise would have talked shit. But you've gotta keep up class the whole game, or it's just a farce. Joey Porter is a guy that will never have class, and if Winslow doesn't grow up, he'll be the same.

Agreed, but the cheap shot after the whistle made any other action worthless.

 

[Crashcup]

"Romeo, Romeo where art thou Romeo?" and for that matter Davis, Belichick, Shottenheimer, Snorich, Rutabaga, Greg, Palmer, Shofner and the band played on to name a few.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

All talk, little action by Browns in Pittsburgh
Saturday, December 9, 2006
By Steve Doerschuk repository sports writer


BEREA Why were the Browns humiliated in every way Thursday night?
?We got beat all the way across the board on offense, defense and special teams,? said the man in charge, Romeo Crennel. ?I don?t know why it happened.?
The Steelers led 528-294 in yards, 26-11 in first downs and 38:47 to 21:13 in time of possession.
Here?s a theory from Steelers Round 3 pick Anthony Smith, a rookie safety from Hubbard: ?They?ve got a lot of good players. We?ve just got ... you know ... better players.?
Smith thought the Browns played with some spunk.
?There was a lot of talking going on out there,? the young safety said. ?I got into the mix. I had a lot of fun out there.?
Which Browns were yakking?
?Braylon (Edwards), (Kellen) Winslow, (Reuben) Droughns ... pretty much everyone,? Smith said.
Did Crennel think his players quit at any point?
?No, I don?t think they quit,? he said. ?I think Pittsburgh played harder overall than we did.?
Did Edwards think his team played with too little passion?
?Um ... yes and no,? he said. ?I mean, there?s some things that we ... it?s typical Cleveland football right now. You know what I?m saying?
?There are things we do well. There?s passion at times, and you can see it in plays and players. I mean, I really don?t know.?
The great unknown is how Willie Parker went from rushing for 129 yards during the previous three games to blistering the Browns for a franchise record 223 yards.
Steelers linebacker Joey Porter?s theory: ?Willie ran like a wild man. He has breakaway speed that you can?t teach.?
Browns linebacker Willie McGinest declined to condemn his own unit.
?You have to take your hat off to Parker and the offensive line,? McGinest said. ?They schemed well. There are no excuses.?
Cleveland?s defensive scheme came into play.
?They didn?t try and blitz us all out like most teams have been doing,? Pittsburgh right tackle Max Starks said. ?They?ve done that to stop the run and force Ben (Roethlisberger) to win the game.
?Cleveland stayed more in their base defense.?
Then there was the psychological aspect of what went wrong. The Steelers are conditioned to beating Cleveland, having won 13 of the last 14 meetings. Whereas the Steelers have a Super Bowl win in February to fall back on, the Browns are 19-42 since losing at Pittsburgh in the 2002 playoffs.
?We?re supposed to beat the Tampa Bays. We?re supposed to beat the Clevelands,? said receiver Hines Ward, who expects to come back from an injury next week. ?To not have both our starting safeties and both our starting wideouts in the game and play the way we did speaks volumes about our team.?
What did Thursday?s blowout say about the Browns?
?This team is hoping to be in games,? Winslow said. ?When I was at Miami (in college), we already won the game before the game happened. Intimidation was a factor, and the work ethic was a factor. That?s a point the Cleveland Browns have to get to. I think that?s what the Steelers do.?
INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Braylon Edwards came away from Thursday?s loss talking mysteriously about what might be going wrong.
?There are a lot of other things that are bothering us, that are bothering this whole organization,? he said. ?It?s not one thing you can point out and say, you know what, if we can do this better, we?ll win. ... There are a lot of other things that are going on that I won?t comment about that are affecting us.?
Edwards didn?t say if he was alluding to problems in the locker room.
?There are no problems to my knowledge,? Crennel said.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Change in the air?
Saturday, December 9, 2006


The emergence of Derek Anderson as a capable quarterback ? at least in his first six quarters of real NFL action ? has at least accelerated the timetable Browns fans are willing to wait for incumbent starter Charlie Frye. Here is a look at the two bodies of work put forth by the two Cleveland QBs so far:

Charlie Frye
Frye is 227-of-358 (63.4 percent) for 2,267 yards, 10 TDs and 16 interceptions in 11-plus games. He has been sacked 43 times and has a passer rating of 72.0.

Derek Anderson Anderson is 33-of-58 (56.9 percent) for 447 yards, 3 TDs and 2 interceptions in six-plus quarters. He has been sacked just once and has a quarterback rating of 84.5.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns notebook
Saturday, December 9, 2006


K-2 stays mum Kellen Winslow Jr. declined to retaliate Friday for inflammatory postgame remarks aimed at him by Steeler linebacker Joey Porter. ?He?s entitled to his opinion,? Winslow said. ?He?s a great player, and I have great respect for Joey Porter. If he wants to be a tough guy or whatever, that?s fine? Winslow tried to shake Porter?s hand before the game. Porter wanted no part of it ?That?s a classless act,? Winslow said. ?I see what type of guy he is now. I lost a little respect for him.? Porter could be fined for his comments.
?poor choice? Head Coach Romeo Crennel on Winslow?s late hit on Pittsburgh linebacker James Farrior: ?It looked like he lost his composure. The runner was already out of bounds, (Farrior) was in the wide open and it was a poor choice.?
ANDRUZZI IN DOUBT Guard Joe Andruzzi?s status is in doubt after he left Thursday?s game with a knee injury. Crennel did not have results of an MRI.
one and done The Browns still don?t have a winning streak since 2003. ?It?s almost as if we cannot stand prosperity,? Crennel said. STEVE DOERSCHUK

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Scott Heckel plenty to think about Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel didn?t like most of what he saw Thursday night during a 27-7 loss in Pittsburgh, but he did come away accepting of the effort put forth by quarterback Derek Anderson.
​

Anderson playing well as Frye recovers
Saturday, December 9, 2006
By Steve Doerschuk repository sports writer


BEREA It?s freezing out there, but Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson are in a summer sweat.
This absolute zero of a season has sprouted a burning question.
What?s the plan for quarterback in 2007?
In two games, including his first NFL start Thursday, Anderson is 33-of-58 for 447 yards, with an 84.5 rating. He has been sacked only once in 61 drop-backs.
?Well, I think he?s done enough to make it intriguing,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said Friday in the wake of a 27-7 loss at Pittsburgh.
The flow of the offense was ruined by dropped passes, ?eight or nine? by Crennel?s count. Yet, Anderson went 21-of-37 for 276 yards.
?I think he played pretty well,? said Joe Jurevicius, the one wideout who hung onto the ball (seven catches, 111 yards).
Frye is 4-8 as the starter this year and 6-11 over two seasons. Before suffering a wrist injury that has led to Anderson playing the last six quarters plus an overtime, Frye?s 2006 stats were 227-of-358 for 2,267 yards, with a 72.0 rating.
Will Frye play Dec. 17 at Baltimore if he heals?
?It?s too early for me to say because he?s not healthy,? Crennel said. ?We?ll see next week.?
Crennel?s overview of Anderson?s start at Pittsburgh?
?He didn?t have a lot of help. When you consider that, he probably did a decent job.?
It was an odd job.
Anderson came out throwing fastballs for strikes, but after he passed the team to midfield, coordinator Jeff Davidson sent in runs on second and third downs.
Punt.
Anderson soon had the Browns at midfield again, but guard Cosey Coleman was caught holding on first down. Anderson?s 13-yard completion to Steve Heiden wasn?t enough to avoid another punt.
Browns running backs rushed for 11 yards on Anderson?s first series but just 3 more net yards the rest of the night. Yet, Davidson sent in runs on first and second downs and stuck Anderson in a third-and-10.
Punt.
Anderson alone was to blame for the fourth series, again ending near midfield, this time on his lost fumble.
His fifth series included a 1-yard Jason Wright run, then dropped passes by Darnell Dinkins and Dennis Northcutt.
Series six: He went 5-of-7 for 59 yards and had a first down near the Pittsburgh 20, but the first half had only seconds left. Phil Dawson missed a field goal.
Anderson opened the second half with a third-and-10 strike to Jurevicius for 16 yards. The momentum died when Northcutt dropped a second-and-7 pass.
Punt. Steelers drive and score ? 24-0.
What was up with the drops? Anderson throws the ball harder than Frye. The game was played on a 7-degree night, factoring in wind chill.
?Some of that has to do with the cold,? Jurevicius said. ?We shouldn?t make that an excuse.?
Frye is more mobile than Anderson. Yet, Frye was sacked 22 times in his five full games under Davidson. How can it be that Anderson wasn?t sacked by the Steelers?
Do linemen have an easier time protecting Anderson because they know where he?ll be, whereas Frye scrambles around?
?There?s a difference in style (between Frye and Anderson),? Crennel said, ?but I?m inclined to believe it?s related more to protection than style.?
Why hasn?t the protection been there for Frye?
?I?m trying to figure that out myself,? Crennel said. ?We had the line protecting Anderson pretty good, but we couldn?t run. That same line was able to run the ball (Nov. 19) against Pittsburgh and couldn?t protect.?
Anderson did throw one interception. He may have stared down wideout Braylon Edwards, tipping off safety Anthony Smith.
?I was reading the quarterback?s eyes the whole way,? Smith said. ?He looks to where he?s going to throw to his receiver.?
On the next series, though, Anderson hit Edwards in stride over the middle for a 45-yard catch-and-run touchdown. The score meant nothing to the game, but something, perhaps, in the club?s calculations as to Anderson competing with Frye for the starting job next training camp.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Anderson impresses coach

Crennel says QB's `decent job' against Steelers, Chiefs means he'll keep him in mind for future

By George M. Thomas

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - While saying it was too early to know whether starting quarterback Charlie Frye would return to face the Baltimore Ravens next week, Browns coach Romeo Crennel said backup Derek Anderson's play in two games offers an intriguing prospect for the team.
Anderson keyed a comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and was one of few bright spots in a 27-7 drubbing courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
``Going down the road, we are going to have to evaluate it and see how we are going to handle it and what we are going to do,'' Crennel said during a news conference Friday. ``Charlie's situation is going to impact that some, and Derek's performance from here out will impact that some.''
Anderson went 21-of-37 for 276 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a sackless performance that saw him get rid of the ball quickly, accurately and read the Steelers' blitzes with skill.
``He didn't have a lot of help, and when you consider that, he did a decent job,'' Crennel said. ``He didn't have the help that you normally expect or want. I thought the offensive line did a decent job protecting for him overall.
``He didn't get beat up and thrown down. We didn't help him with the running game at all. The Steelers were beating us at the line of scrimmage and we couldn't run the ball. It's hard to make an overall evaluation.''
By Crennel's count, Anderson also was victimized by at least nine dropped passes, with at least three coming from receiver Dennis Northcutt. The bright spots in the receiving corps: Joe Jurevicius (seven catches for 111 yards) in putting together his second impressive showing and Braylon Edward's 45-yard catch and run for a score.
That case of the dropsies was one of myriad reasons why Crennel would offer no excuses for the team's poor showing against the rival Steelers. Given the score, it's not as if he could.
The Steelers had their way with the Browns in the passing and running game. Speedy back Willie Parker sliced through the Browns' front seven on his way to 223 yards and the team single-game rushing record.
``We didn't play very well at all in any phase,'' Crennel said. ``We got beat all the way across the board on offense, defense and special teams. I don't know why it happened. We felt that we were going to go down and be more competitive than we were.
``We weren't able to make it a game because of penalties, dropped passes, missed assignments and missed tackles,'' he said. ``We couldn't stop them on defense and we didn't get a lot done on offense. Usually, we've been able to make a play or two on special teams and we really didn't do a lot there.''
It's a grim assessment for a team that showed signs of life a few days earlier in the comeback win against the Chiefs.
Players are just as frustrated as Crennel.
``It's not good, and we want to win. It's frustrating when we go into a game thinking that we are ready to play and then we play like we did,'' linebacker Willie McGinest said. ``We just have to keep working. We have Baltimore coming up and we have to get out of this funk somehow.''
Crennel said it's as if the team can't stand prosperity, alluding to the Browns' inability to string together consecutive victories. If they were going to accomplish that this year, the Steelers offered a prime opportunity.
At 5-7 coming in, they hadn't dominated the AFC North in a way many had expected of the defending Super Bowl champions. For whatever reason, however, they remain camped inside the Browns' collective psyche.
In a game the Browns should have won Nov. 19, the Steelers eked out a victory with seconds left on the clock. Thursday night was an old-fashioned whupping.
``I felt like we were ready to compete. I thought whoever would have the ball last in the fourth quarter would win,'' tight end Kellen Winslow said. ``I thought it could be a field-position game where special teams mattered a lot.
``This team is hoping to be in games. When I was at Miami, we already won the game before the game happened. Intimidation was a factor and the work ethic was a factor,'' he said.
``That's a point the Cleveland Browns have to get to. I think that's what the Steelers do. They try to intimidate you and they do a good job at that.''
Winslow on Porter
As he greeted the media Friday, Winslow was well aware of what Steelers linebacker Joey Porter had been quoted as saying about him. Many outlets reported that Porter used a derogatory word for homosexuals to describe the tight end and questioned Winslow's desire to play the game.
Winslow said he thought it was in response to a late hit Winslow delivered late in the game. He would not escalate the war of words Friday.
``That's just Joey being Joey, I guess I still have respect for Joey; I'll pray for him,'' Winslow said with a chuckle. ``They have a good team. They're the defending champions. They have the right to voice their opinion, but I am going to voice mine and that's that.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Another collapse leaves Browns, coach baffled

Sunday, December 10, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Braylon Edwards drops one of the many passes Browns receivers flubbed against the Steelers.


CLEVELAND ? At this point, Browns coach Romeo Crennel is running out of answers.
"I don?t know why it happened," Crennel said after the team?s humbling 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Why did receivers drop so many balls?
"I don?t know the answer to that," he replied.
Any reason the team gained just 18 rushing yards?
"I?m trying to figure that out myself," he said.
Issues abound as Cleveland (4-9) reaches the tail end of another disastrous season. The Browns have today off because they played Thursday night, and they could use an extra day or 10 to try to get things going in the right direction.
Cleveland will play its next game on the road Dec. 17 against the Baltimore Ravens (9-3).
Every time the Browns take a step forward, the team takes two steps or more in the opposite direction the following week.
The Browns were coming off an overtime win over the Kansas City Chiefs. They have not won back-to-back games since 2003, lost to Pittsburgh for the seventh straight time and have yet to beat a division opponent this season.
"It?s almost like we cannot stand prosperity," Crennel said. "If we win ? just to get a win, everyone feels like we?ve arrived. The next week, because we?ve arrived, we don?t have to be as up or work quite as hard because we?ve arrived and we are going to make it happen.
"It doesn?t generally work that way in the NFL. Every week you have to be up and know that the opponent that you are playing can beat you. We haven?t gotten to that point."
Crennel appears baffled by which team will show up on game day. Cleveland has lost five of nine games by eight points or fewer, and the other four defeats were by an average of more than 19 points.
Confidence and effort are an issue. Whenever they get off to a good start, the Browns usually play with emotion and stay in games throughout. They also have the tendency to tank when teams jump on them early.
"I think the thing with this team is we?re hoping to be in games," Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said. "I hate talking about college, but when I was at Miami we already won the game before the game happened. Intimidation was a factor and the work ethic was a factor. That?s a point the Cleveland Browns have to get to."
The Browns also will spend extra time this week evaluating their quarterback situation between Derek Anderson and Charlie Frye, who has been out because of a right wrist injury.
Frye thinks he will be healthy by the next game, but Anderson has been decent in a game-anda-half, throwing for 447 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and an 84.5 quarterback rating.
Frye has been up and down in 12 starts with 2,267 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and a 72.0 rating, and having an injured throwing hand doesn?t help.
Crennel could be in a sticky situation where he has to balance Frye?s health and Anderson?s performance in deciding.
"I think it?s too early for me to say right now," Crennel said. "(Frye) is not healthy. We?ll see what he can do next week and then we?ll make the determination at that time."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

McManamon on the Browns

Browns sink after too much floating

Crennel takes heat but when are players responsible?

By Patrick McManamon

In the final week of preseason, after the Browns had played a wretched game against the Chicago Bears, I wrote a story that stated: ``If (a) struggling team floats through preseason games, it will float through regular season ones.''
A lot of people e-mailed to say I should check my Cheerios because it was only preseason.
Guess what?
The same Browns who mailed it in for the preseason finale have mailed it in two of the past three weeks.
That wastes words: They stunk.
And they should be ashamed and embarrassed and... how many times will we have to write these words before things change? How many times can you write that a team is bad, and how many different ways can you say it?
There are individual exceptions of guys being pros -- Steve Heiden and Joe Jurevicius come to mind, and surely there are others.
But collectively the Browns present themselves as the class clowns of the NFL.
Friday I actually heard that players think the atmosphere in Berea is terrible and they were upset they have to practice more than two hours in full pads.
What a pity. And what a crock of an excuse.
If the atmosphere is bad, do something about it and play and win. Too, coach Romeo Crennel has given these players more days off than they had in all the Butch Davis years combined. He has rewarded them after wins, and given them a day off after a loss because he recognized they were tired. He doesn't force them to practice if they're hurting.
But the tired old ``we're tired'' line was being bandied about after the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Please.
The Steelers practiced Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They should have been exhausted, no?
Many fingers are being pointed at Crennel, and he will readily concede that he must accept his share of the responsibility.
But at what point are the players responsible?
Crennel is much like Chris Palmer. Both are exceedingly good men who were excellent coordinators given their first shot at coaching a team in Cleveland. Both took over in near-disastrous circumstances -- Palmer during expansion, Crennel with little or no talent.
Both have tried the old chicken salad stuff... and both have had a hard time.
But at what point are the players responsible? At what point does the third pick in the draft stop dropping passes? At what point does the line actually block people two weeks in a row? At what point does the defense play like it cares?
Back after that last preseason game, Crennel showed faith in his team by saying he was not going to make the pathetic performance in the practice-season finale an issue. He believed his team would be professionals and play hard.
They stunk up the joint against the New Orleans Saints in the opener.
Crennel also stood by them after the debacle against the Cincinnati Bengals.
They responded -- for one week. Then they went back into their ``me'' shell, the one that inexplicably leads to games like the one in Pittsburgh. The shell that makes them look like a bunch of guys trying to collect a check and get home as soon as they can.
One week, the Browns looked like they cared about their coach. The next week... blech.
It's not clear yet whether Crennel will be a great or even good head coach, but two things are clear: He deserves a full chance, and these same players that he showed great faith in have let him down.
If Crennel is fired, those same players will go on collecting their checks and playing for the Browns. And they will have cost a good man his job.
What's wrong?
Spent part of Friday trying to contact a few NFL types.
Assistant coaches, coaches, front-office folks. Those kind of people.
The question was very general, but it brought specific responses: How can the Browns be so bad for so long?
The answers varied around the same theme: Continuity.
To folks around the league, the constant changes and shuffling and re-shuffling have made it impossible for the Browns to generate any consistent plan, which makes winning nearly impossible.
Since 1999, the Browns have had four head coaches, six offensive coordinators, 12 quarterbacks who have started games (including the immortals Doug Pederson, Spergon Wynn, Jeff Garcia and Luke McCown) and five defensive coordinators.
That's a staggering amount of change.
League types say that they are not yet sure if Crennel is a true head coach, but they are sure that if the Browns make more changes they'll be making a mistake. The word ``panic'' actually was used.
As one league insider said: ``They need to come out and say they have a five-year plan and stick to it. The question is, will they have the guts to say that and then actually carry it out?''
Disdain
The disdain that Joey Porter had for the Browns was palpable.
Porter talked as if the Browns were the little kid trying to get in the game with the big kids. When that little kid is in, the big kids just smack them around.
Consider his statements to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
He first compared Thursday night to last season's 41-0 game.
``This was almost worse than that because we really dominated them,'' Porter said. ``We ran the ball any time we wanted to. We had them sucked in so much we could have play-actioned any time we wanted to, but we were just going to run the ball, and they knew we were going to run the ball and they still couldn't stop us.''
His final comment:
``Overall, we just beat them bad. We made our impression on them to where they know when they play us, they know what time it is, it's going to be a physical game. Truthfully, I don't think they can handle the challenge.''
Porter can be irritating on the field, but he works hard, leads and backs it up on Sunday.
When a guy is right, he's right.
Winslow time
If Kellen Winslow harnesses his desire and talent and avoids silly plays like the cheap shot he took on James Farrior, he will be an amazing player.
That hit was completely unnecessary and dangerous, and he can't do that.
But Winslow seems to ``get'' the notion of competing, and he shows that on the field.
Mistakes can be stopped.
The Browns need more guys with the professionalism of Heiden and the attitude of Winslow.
That being said, Winslow might want to pay heed to another of Porter's statements. He said Winslow should move to wide receiver because it's clear he doesn't want to block anyone.
And finally
A few years back, the New England Patriots eschewed big-name players and went with guys who ``fit in.'' Guys who had no ego, who played roles. They had a great player in Tom Brady, but they mainly signed lower-paid free agents and combined them with young guys with desire (like Deion Branch) and they won Super Bowls.
Is it possible that the Browns just have too many guys who have made too much money who were picked too high who are too interested in their checks and their stats? And that that attitude is getting in the way of the one thing that matters: Winning.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

View from Pluto

Data on Derek

By Terry Pluto

TALKIN' DEREK ANDERSON
? I looked up some stuff on Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, who did a decent job in the 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has been a major achiever in high school -- first in the history Oregon 3A sports to be the state's Player of the Year football and basketball. He averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds as a forward.
? At Oregon State, he was the first quarterback to lead his team to three bowl games. Only Andrew Walter (85) of Arizona State threw for more touchdown's than Anderson (79) in his Pac-10 career. He was only the second Pac-10 player to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season.
? At Oregon State, he was known for making big plays -- and throwing interceptions. He had 79 touchdown passes but had 57 interceptions. His 24 interceptions in 2003 tied a Pac-10 season record. One scouting report read, ``He fumbled 23 times, 14 resulting in turnovers and his indecision in the pocket resulted in him being sacked 95 times.''
? The odd thing is he has made quick decisions in his six quarters with the Browns and has been sacked only once. His two interceptions have been on poor throws, but most of his passes have been on target. His 57 percent rate could be much higher as he has been hurt by several drops.
? Another college scouting report said he gets passes batted down at the line (there have been two of those), and that he ``locks in on a receiver.'' We've not seen that often as Anderson appears to be aware of what's happening on the field. They added that while he's not quick, he does ``throw well on the move.'' That appears to be true.
? I received an e-mail from Ed Franks, a Tallmadge native in Portland. His daughter graduated from Oregon State with Anderson. ``She took a couple of classes with him and said he's a genuine nice guy.''
? I've made a couple of mistakes about him. I wrote that Phil Savage recommended that the Baltimore Ravens consider drafting Anderson before Savage left to become the Browns' general manager. Not true. But Savage did like Anderson from some reports that he had, and Anderson was on the Browns' board as a low-round pick if they had failed to take Charlie Frye in the third round in 2005. Anderson was a sixth-rounder.
? I also wrote that the Ravens ``cut'' Anderson. As some sharp readers e-mailed, not exactly true. He was placed on waivers so they could get him on the practice squad. Savage claimed him late last season.
? I'll say it again. This is not a comment on Frye, just common sense: The kid has an 84.5 rating with three touchdown passes, two interceptions and one sack in six quarters. He deserves to play in Baltimore, where the Ravens know him well and should be ready for him. That will show the Browns even more of what he can do, because there will be no element of surprise.
TALKIN' BROWNS
? Almost every year since the Browns moved, I wonder if the fans can be any more discouraged. It seems like the the team keeps hitting a new bottom, which they did again in the 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was like watching one of those Ohio State games against an independent team where Jim Tressel could score 60 points but keeps the ball on the ground so as not to embarrass anyone.
? At the end of last season, the Browns were 6-10. They need to win two out of three to reach that. They thought they had a running back in Reuben Droughns, now they think otherwise. They thought they had a quarterback in Charlie Frye. They sort of do, but they also might have one in Derek Anderson. They need to look at both. They thought the offensive line was OK at three spots with veteran guards Cosey Coleman and Joe Andruzzi and right tackle Ryan Tucker. All three are question marks for 2007.
? A year ago, they thought they'd have three experienced cornerbacks for 2006: Daylon McCutcheon, Gary Baxter and Leigh Bodden. They can only count on Bodden in 2007. They hoped to be better against the run. They are not.
? I'm going to stop with all that; it's too depressing. Here's who has played well for the most part: Andra Davis, D'Qwell Jackson, Kamerion Wimbley, Orpehus Roye (when healthy), Sean Jones, Brian Russell, Kellen Winslow, Leigh Bodden (when healthy), Dave Zastudil, Joshua Cribbs, Steve Heiden and Joe Jurevicius (when they remember he's on the team).
? After the game, Braylon Edwards told some reporters, ``There are a lot of things going on that are bothering us . . . . and bothering the whole organization . . . . I will not comment about that.'' I wish Edwards would just keep quiet and catch the ball. He needs to cut out the big-picture thinking and concentrate on his job, because he seems distracted.
? E-mailer Joe Clark mentioned that in the past two weeks, the Browns gave up a 99-yard touchdown drive to the Kansas City Chiefs and a 97-yarder to the Steelers. On either side of the 31-28 victory over the Chiefs is the 30-0 embarrassment against the Cincinnati Bengals and the 27-7 stinker in Pittsburgh. I keep wanting to say the Browns are making progress, but other than with some young players -- I don't see it.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Ohio State?s Smith may measure up as quarterback choice

Sunday, December 10, 2006

BROWNS BEAT STEVE DOERSCHUK

Losing at Baltimore will all but guarantee the Browns a top-10 draft pick.

They need it.
Whether they need to spend it on a quarterback is the $50 million question.
Cleveland has three games to figure out whether it has an answer between Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson.
If it looks like the wrong answer, they won?t tell you, but they?ll quietly weigh whether Troy Smith?s Heisman Trophy magic projects to the land magic forgot, Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Smith?s stock rose with each point racked up in the pinball game with Michigan, but he didn?t grow an inch, which could worry a general manager right out of drafting a future Pro Bowler.
Look for the Browns to finish at 5-11, maybe 6-10. That likely puts them somewhere around No. 7 overall.
That figures to be too low to get Brady Quinn ? the same sort of thing happened with Quinn?s brother-in-law, A.J. Hawk, in the 2006 draft.
Because Smith is just 6-feet tall at a position where 6-foot-2 is short in the NFL, taking him in the No. 7 neighborhood would be real risky.
But sometimes thinking outside the box can get you something.
Look for 6-0 Big Ten product Drew Brees to go to the Pro Bowl after he takes the Saints to the playoffs, a year after they were 3-13.
Because he is the same height as Smith, Brees slipped to No. 32 in the 2001 draft.
Who would have been a better No. 3 overall pick for the 2001 Browns? Brees or Gerard Warren?
In the same draft, the Cardinals picked Leonard Davis at No. 2, the 49ers took Andre Carter at No. 7 and the Bears grabbed David Terrell at No. 8. They all wish they?d have reached for Brees.
The trick with Smith will be for some smart GM to correctly guess if he?s Brees with better mobility.
The Browns? quarterback issue is trickier than a December wind off the lake.
Frye has lost altitude among some fans, who worry that the team is back on the Tim Couch treadmill.
Frye, though, made a breakthrough in his last start, giving the Chiefs trouble for a half. The team is rightfully reluctant to throw away the bike now that the training wheels are used up.
Anderson has received the standard fanfare heaped on a backup who walks and chews gum at the same time after the starter has stumbled once too often.
Anderson throws a nice ball and has put it on the money for a game and a half. Doing so on a night Pittsburgh felt like Nome with a stiff breeze was impressive.
Often failing to do so in college, when his completion percentage was a light 50.7 and he threw 57 interceptions, tells you some of why he slipped to the sixth round last year.
But Tom Brady slipped to the sixth round in 2000 for a reason, too. And he?s turned out fairly well.
Temper that thought with a list of the other quarterbacks who picked in a sixth round after Brady?s draft year: Bruce Gradkowski, Reggie McNeal, Jim Sorgi, Jeff Smoker, Drew Henson, Brooks Bollinger, Kliff Kingsbury, J.T. O?Sullivan, Steve Bellisari, Josh Booty and Josh Heupel.
Anybody think Troy Smith might be better than those guys? For what it?s worth ? which would be $50 million plus if they?re on the money ? NFL Draft Scout sees Smith as the fifth-best senior in the ?07 draft.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[Cornerback6]

As a lifelong Browns fan, I wish they would just trade Edwards for a veteran OL. I am sick of him thinking he's got all the answers and living it up in the media spotlight. The Soulja has run his mouth less than Edwards this year. I know we need the talent at WR, but I'd take a quality OL over him anyday now.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns bad run defense hasn?t improved

Sunday, December 10, 2006


BEREA Opponents run at the pace of ?Talladega Nights.?
The Browns respond at the pace of ?Driving Miss Daisy.?
A disturbing expansion-era pattern came to a head-slapping in Thursday?s 27-7 loss at Pittsburgh.
Willie Parker gave the Steelers a club-record 223 rushing yards, peeling off one tackle after another on an ugly field of half grass, half muck.. Reuben Droughns gave the Browns all of 6.
Pittsburgh?s running backs amassed 301 rushing yards on 49 attempts. Cleveland?s muddled for 14 yards on nine spits into the Monongahela wind.
?They came to play,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. ?We came, but we didn?t play.
?Everyone across the board had to be in position, and we weren?t right with some of our run fits and support.?
Parker had run for 129 yards at 2.7 per carry during his previous three games. It seemed odd the Browns needed to be perfect to harness a slumping back.
Surely, run defense will be an issue as the braintrust looks ahead to 2007. It has to be, because days like Parker?s are way too familiar. A look at some wild runs against Cleveland:
n In 2003, Baltimore?s Jamal Lewis ran for 500 yards in two games.
n In 2004, Cincinnati?s Rudi Johnson had a career-best 202-yard day.
n In 2005, Thomas Jones rushed for 137 yards, a number he hasn?t approached in 23 games since. Also that year Johnson racked up 169 yards, Lamont Jordan gained a season-best 132 and Steelers ran 34 times for 211.
The Browns had begun to make progress against the run after a slow start in 2006.
During the first six games, they gave up 100-yard games to Johnson, Lamont Jordan, DeShaun Foster and Tatum Bell. In Game 8, they got abused by LaDainian Tomlinson (18 carries, 172 yards, three TDs).
During the next four weeks, they stopped or reasonably contained Warrick Dunn (73 yards), Parker (46 yards), Rudi Johnson (64 yards) and Larry Johnson (110 yards).
Then, Parker ran against a Cleveland team the way Willie Mays did in the 1954 World Series. The Browns slipped near the bottom of the NFL run rankings again.
It wasn?t supposed to be this way. New starters Kamerion Wimbley, D?Qwell Jackson and Ted Washington were supposed to make a difference in Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham?s second year.
THIN ORANGE LINE
In the darkness at Pittsburgh, the Browns were exposed as a thin, fragile, run-stopping unit.
They played without their best lineman, Orpheus Roye, and free safety Brian Russell, whose strength is sniffing out plays and passing the word.
The stocky Roye was replaced at end by tall, slender Simon Fraser.
?Orpheus is a lot bigger than (Fraser), but Fraser plays with good body lean and he put up a real good fight,? said huge Steelers right tackle Max Starks. ?It was a challenge to get under Fraser?s pads, but Orpheus is a bigger dude, so naturally, as a two-gapper, he gives us a tougher challenge.?
Roye will turn 34 next month. The other starting end, Alvin McKinley, is signed only for three more games.
General Manager Phil Savage faces as big a dilemma as he did coming off the 2005 season.
Only seven NFL teams made fewer than 30 sacks last season, and the Browns were the worst of them with 23. Only the Bills and Texans gave up more rushing yards than the ?05 Browns.
But Savage targeted Wimbley, a pass-rushing outside linebacker, over run-stuffing nose tackle Haloti Ngata.
?We were 32nd in the league in sacks,? Savage said back in April. ?Any time you are the bottom of something, that?s an area that needs to be addressed.?
NO TO NGATA
The Browns and Ravens swapped the 12th and 13th picks as Baltimore grabbed Ngata, plugged him in as a starter and leads the AFC in run defense, allowing 75.8 yards a game.
The Browns picked Wimbley and have gotten 71⁄2 sacks out of him. However, with three games left, Cleveland still has just 23 as a team.
There?s no way of knowing if the Browns would have been better off drafting Ngata. They don?t know how much more mileage they can get out of nose tackle Ted Washington, who turns 39 during the offseason.
Outside linebacker Willie McGinest, who turns 36 on Monday, was supposed to bring an on-field presence against the pass and run along with locker room leadership. He had a season-high 12 tackles in a win over Kansas City, but four days later was part of a walloping.
?(The Chiefs game) was a stepping stone,? McGinest said. ?I don?t think you win one game and say everything is solved.
?It?s frustrating when we go into a game thinking we are ready to play and then ... . We have Baltimore coming up, and we have to get out of this funk somehow.?
But even a fast break out of the funk ? say, three straight wins ? would leave the Browns with just a 7-9 finish.
As they prepare for a game next Sunday at Baltimore, attention turns to next year in general, and how to avoid getting run over in particular.

Getting their wheels spun
The Browns came into this
season vowing to improve their run defense. Here is statistical proof it hasn?t happened, based on opponents? per-game running average.
Yards Yards NFL
Year per game per carry rank
2003 132.1 4.62 23rd
2004 144.6 4.40 32nd
2005 137.6 4.18 30th
2006 144.9 4.61 30th Note Cleveland?s running attack likewise has not improved, averaging 104.4 yards in 2003, 103.6 yards in 2004, 93.9 yards in 2005 and 80.7 yards this year.

 

[scarletngrey11]

Our biggest areas of need.

NT
DE
OL
CB
QB

If the Browns dont draft Troy Smith...

How do you pass him up? The team has alot of problems but seriously...