Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns hosting reunion of sorts

Friendly advice is close if Ralph Brown needs it

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - If Ralph Brown needs cheering up after struggling in two games as the Browns' nickel back, he can seek solace from members of the secondary he has known for 14 years.
Brown, free safety Brian Russell and injured cornerback Daylon McCutcheon played on the same team at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Calif.
Brown and McCutcheon spent two years as teammates beginning in 1993, when Brown was a sophomore and McCutcheon a junior. Russell joined the mix in 1994, when the trio lost in the CIF Division I championship game with McCutcheon as a starting tailback and safety, Brown as a starting cornerback and backup tailback, and Russell as the backup quarterback. The following year, Russell and Brown won the CIF crown.
``He was a stud,'' Russell said of Brown. ``I played quarterback and handed off to him and he scored all the touchdowns. He's always been a special player.
``Daylon was also a running back, which is scary. We won a lot of games.''
That hasn't been the case in Cleveland. And Brown, a seven-year veteran who joined the Browns on Aug. 6, has been thrust to the forefront of an injury-ravaged secondary. He could make his first start since 2003 in place of Gary Baxter as the Browns host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Baxter is doubtful with a pectoral muscle injury. McCutcheon was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after progressing slowly from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in training camp. Russell is playing despite preseason elbow surgery.
Thus far, Brown has drawn criticism from fans and admits he's played ``all right.''
``I could do much better with some of the balls that have been caught on me,'' he said. ``But I feel like I've gotten better from week to week.''
He feels fortunate he has had McCutcheon to lean on.
``He has been a tremendous help to me since Day One when I came in here,'' Brown said. ``I've known him since I was 14 years old. I always thank him for what he has done.''
In the offseason free-agent rankings by Scouts Inc. for ESPN, Brown received a grade of 63, which fell in the ``good backup'' category. While the expert's take cited marginal pro size (5-foot-10) and lack of elite speed, it complemented his quickness, running ability, smooth movement and change of direction, sure tackling, excellent anticipation and a great ability to jam receivers.
``He is rarely out of position,'' the expert said.
So Russell might not have been just sticking up for an old friend when he said: ``I know Ralph's going to do great. He's physically very talented and he studies. He was brought in late, so he has been studying and catching up the whole time. I have a lot of confidence in Ralph.
``I played with him with the Vikings (in 2004) and we used him a lot there. He was successful and made some huge plays for us. That's what we're expecting here.''
A University of Nebraska product, Brown was Pro Football Weekly's 20th-rated cornerback in the draft class of 2000 that Ohio State's Ahmed Plummer headed. That magazine's Joel Buchsbaum noted Brown ``went through a stretch where he had a hard time finding the ball and misplayed or failed to react to some balls,'' which sounds eerily similar to his performance in the Browns' first two games.
Brown, the first true freshman to start every game for the Cornhuskers since World War II, went in the fifth round to the New York Giants. He spent a few months with the Washington Redskins in 2004.
Starting just nine out of 67 games played in six-plus years, Brown has found his size is always an issue.
``If anybody can bring some to me, I'll take it,'' he said.
The Ravens start 5-10 receivers Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton, whom Brown said he covered last year with the Vikings. He knows Ravens quarterback Steve McNair will target him.
``On the other side, you see Leigh Bodden, so I don't think it's really going to stop for the whole year,'' Brown said of the Browns' Pro Bowl-caliber corner. ``Ralph Brown, Leigh Bodden... Leigh Bodden is a proven cornerback.''
Brown didn't know if he'd get a call this summer when he was home in California working on real estate investments and the clothing line he owns and designs, Bralay. Boutiques in Los Angeles and Lincoln, Neb., sell the clothing.
``I was hoping a team would not just bring me in as an extra body,'' Brown said. ``Coming into the Browns, this is a team that actually needs me. I felt I came into the perfect position.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns notebook

Ravens tough test for grounded Browns

With growing injury list, unbeaten division rival not a welcomed guest

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Can half a team beat the Baltimore Ravens?
That's a question the Browns might have to answer Sunday as the team's injury list continues to be problematic.
The main concerns are in the secondary, where Daylon McCutcheon was placed on injured reserve and Gary Baxter appears unlikely to play.
That puts Ralph Brown in the starting lineup and Daven Holly or Antonio Perkins at nickel back. Coach Romeo Crennel said he has no Troy Brown-type on the team -- someone on offense who can play defensive back -- as Brown did under Crennel with the New England Patriots.
Offensively, Reuben Droughns again missed practice. The Browns' starting running back looks like he will be limited -- if he plays at all.
Several core veterans did not practice Thursday: linebacker Willie McGinest, Droughns, Baxter, defensive end Orpheus Roye and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius.
If . . .
Rookie Jerome Harrison appears to be the choice to start if Droughns can't play. The Browns probably will use a combination of backs, with Jason Wright and Lawrence Vickers also seeing time.
The Browns have liked Vickers since they first saw him in training camp, and part of the reason they let William Green and Lee Suggs go was they felt Vickers could be a viable option running the ball if something happened to Droughns.
``If called upon, I could be effective, and I believe all of us could be,'' Wright said.
The main concerns for the Browns are blitz pickups and the pass rush. None of the other backs has the experience of Droughns.
Baltimore's hurting
Several key Ravens also are listed as questionable, but most are expected to play. They include linebacker Ray Lewis (neck), running back Jamal Lewis (thigh), linebacker Adalius Thomas (foot), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (back), offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden (knee) and cornerback Samari Rolle (ankle).
Nearly in Cleveland
Ravens linebacker Bart Scott pondered signing with the Browns as a free agent before deciding to rejoin the Ravens.
``It looks like I made a great decision,'' Scott said.
With the San Diego Chargers coming to town Oct. 1, will the Ravens overlook the woeful Browns?
``No chance,'' defensive end Terrell Suggs said. ``This is a rivalry game. Who overlooks their rival?''
OK, then
Wright on facing the Ravens' defense, which is ranked first in the league: ``It's going to be a daunting task.''
Braylon Edwards on facing that defense: ``I think the main thing for us is not to kid ourselves... We have to bring it. They're intimidating people right now.''
No fine
ESPN reported that Brian Russell will not be fined for his fierce hit on wide receiver Chad Johnson in Cincinnati. The league said it could not confirm that report until today.
The league determined Russell did not lead with his helmet, ESPN reported.

 

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ABJ

Crennel calls for Winslow to button it

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Mike Cardew/ Akron Beacon Journal
Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel points out a player during the fourth quarter against Cincinnati Bengals Sunday Sept.17, 2006, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Cleveland 34-17.

• Next several weeks crucial for Crennel
• Five Browns are doubtful or out
• NFL notebook: Owens might not miss a game for Cowboys

BEREA - Browns coach Romeo Crennel did his best to quash the Kellen Winslow discussion Wednesday.
Probably because he has bigger issues to deal with -- starting with an injury report that looks a mile long, and continuing through the Baltimore Ravens, who have yet to give up a touchdown this season and come to Cleveland to play the Browns on Sunday.
Crennel said he had a talk with Winslow and told the team's tight end not to take team concerns to the media.
``Because I'm the head coach and I'm the guy who calls the shots, and if he's got displeasure with the shots that are being called, he should come and address them to me first,'' Crennel said.
Winslow declined to talk to the media, but Crennel said Winslow told him he thought he had made a mistake.
On Monday, Winslow said the coaches were holding the offense back by being too conservative. He wondered why he ever would leave the field.
``I don't want to comment on that,'' tackle Ryan Tucker said. ``He wants to win. That's the bottom line.''
``Each and every man has their own right to say whatever they want,'' fullback Terrelle Smith said. ``I look at it as you've got to live and learn.''
``Obviously I'm supportive of the coaches,'' quarterback Charlie Frye said. ``You know Kellen, he's a fiery guy. He's real intense. The way he talks to you guys is the same way he plays on the field. He plays with a lot of intensity.
``Kellen is one of my boys. That's just the way he is. But I'm supportive of the coaches, too.''
``Kellen's a very passionate person,'' defensive lineman Simon Fraser said. ``Along with passion comes great fire and desire to be successful and want things to be done a certain way. We've got to be able to rally around each other and support each other. That's what a team is all about. Kellen understands the situation; we all understand the situation.
``There's only 53 of us and we've got to stick together,'' Fraser said. ``That's what the coaches are preaching right now -- to make sure that there isn't a division on the team or someone doesn't get too completely out of hand.''
Crennel pointed out he did not say Winslow's comments were damaging, just misplaced.
``His claims are his opinion, and players play and coaches coach,'' Crennel said.
Asked if there was any part of Winslow's comments that he liked, Crennel said: ``No.''
Winslow did approach Crennel during Sunday's loss in Cincinnati.
``We didn't have time to have an extensive discussion,'' Crennel said. ``He told me a concern and I told him we would see what we could do.''
Ravens coach Brian Billick said he asks players a question when they first speak to the media: ``Why?''
``What are you trying to communicate?'' Billick said. ``What is it you are trying to accomplish?''
Winslow apparently was trying to garner attention and put pressure on the coaching staff to keep him on the field every play.
Against Cincinnati, he left the field on some third downs.
Crennel said the tight end is not part of the team's three receiver-two back package. Winslow wants to be on the field every down.
``Every guy I have wants the ball,'' Crennel said. ``Braylon Edwards wants the ball. Reuben Droughns wants the ball. Steve Heiden wants the ball. Charlie Frye wants the ball. All of the offensive skill-position guys want the ball.
``Not all of them say it, but they all want it.''
Winslow never mentioned offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon by name, but his comments clearly were directed at him.
Carthon has taken much of the heat for the offensive struggles in the team's 0-2 start, but Crennel said it's oversimplifying to fault one person.
Asked if he still had confidence in Carthon, Crennel said: ``When you lose, it's hard to have the confidence that you want to have in the team, period.''
Asked who would call the plays Sunday, he said: ``Who's been calling the plays?''
Asked if Winslow's comments might lead some to surmise he no longer was ``in charge'' of the team, he said: ``I'm calling the shots. If he's more involved on third down and is making plays, it will be a good thing. If he's not more involved on third down, then he's going to be cheering for whoever is involved on third down.''

 

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ABJ

Next several weeks crucial for Crennel

By Tom Reed

BEREA - The Browns' Romeo Crennel has more on his coaching plate than Ted Washington ever had on his junior high cafeteria tray.
Substantial injuries. A porous defense. A handpicked offensive coordinator under fire. A talented tight end throwing wood beneath the boiling pot. Two uninspired losses. The Baltimore Ravens coming to town.
None of Crennel's assistants has been spotted naked at a Wendy's drive-through window. But, hey, it's only Thursday. If it can happen to the Detroit Lions' coaching staff, it certainly can happen here.
When Crennel became Browns coach a year ago, he knew there would be crises to weather. He just didn't expect them to all hit at once.
Crennel is facing the first serious threat to his long-term future with the Browns. How he guides the franchise through the next six to eight weeks should give us an idea whether he's leading-man material or just another bright coordinator unable to make the difficult transition.
Is he the next Bill Belichick or the next Bud Carson?
After a relatively smooth first season, Crennel has fallen behind in the count quicker than you can say Fausto Carmona. The Browns are 0-2, struggling with multiple problems and residing in the NFL's most unforgiving division.
Some of the issues, such as mounting injuries and divisional strength, are beyond Crennel's control. He is realistic enough, however, to know where accountability ultimately lies.
``If you have to say it's one guy's fault, the buck always stops at the head coach's desk,'' Crennel said Wednesday while discussing his embattled offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. ``If you have to say it's someone's fault, then say it's my fault.''
Tight end Kellen Winslow doesn't see it or say it that way. Winslow lashed out Monday with biting and thinly veiled criticism of Carthon. Winslow's points are valid.
Crennel expressed disappointment with Winslow's decision to go public with his comments, but won't discipline his intense young player.
The coach emphasized that he's ``calling the shots'' regardless of Winslow's involvement in Sunday's game plan.
Crennel has to win, but the more immediate concern is getting the right personnel in position to make plays and starting games with a greater urgency. The Browns have been outscored 26-3 in the opening two quarters of the two games.
Crennel said Wednesday that Carthon would call the plays against the Ravens, but didn't offer a rousing defense of the coordinator's recent work. If things don't improve in the next few weeks, Crennel must be prepared to reassign responsibilities or risk losing the faith of key players.
Terrelle Smith said Crennel's experience will aid him in these uncertain times. The fullback said any coach who properly channeled the emotions of Lawrence Taylor should be able to corral the likes of Winslow.
``Romeo is fine,'' Smith said. ``He has seen everything in this league.''
But never from the eyes of the man in charge. The NFL coaching graveyard is filled with great assistants who couldn't take the last step.
It says here Crennel still has the makings of a quality coach. He can't, though, let this year become a remake of Chris Palmer's Runaway Train, the Second Season.
Losing starters to injuries is one thing. Getting caught off-guard by the Bengals' no-huddle attack is another.
Crennel built his reputation on defense and elevated it by winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. The ex-Pats he obtained via free agency, nose tackle Washington and linebacker Willie McGinest, have supplied more questions than answers. Questions about McGinest's desire to even be here have been raised to Crennel.
The Browns rank 30th in the NFL in total defense.
Whether the team is winning or losing, some want to see more fire from Crennel on the sidelines and in front of the cameras. His sarcastic ``I'm peachy'' response after the New Orleans loss was a rare show of emotion, nothing like the ``R.A.C. attacks'' he was known for springing on his former Patriots.
Quarterback Charlie Frye said Crennel internalizes his frustrations around players. Is it fair or relevant to wonder whether an emotional coach better motivates a team? Ask Eric Wedge or even Lenny Wilkens. When you're losing, nothing is off the table; everything is on the plate.
Crennel restored player accountability in his first season. He must prove he can win during adverse times. General Manager Phil Savage, the players and assistants all share in the blame, but Crennel is the one charged with turning it around.
Bearing responsibility for this organization could make you want to bare it all at any Cleveland-area drive-through.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Edwards: Winslow just wants to get wins
Friday, September 22, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


BEREA - Braylon Edwards had Kellen Winslow?s back and, well, covered his butt.
Asked Thursday how he reacted to Winslow?s public plea for coaches to get the ball into the hands of playmakers, Edwards said:
?The only reaction I can give you guys is that Kellen has come from a winning program. He?s been a winner all of his life, high school and college, and he?s a fierce competitor.
?You guys have seen that. He wants to win. He wants to do everything he can do to be in a position to help us win. My take on what Kellen said is that he is a competitor. He wants this to be a winning organization and that?s all he wants.?
Edwards went on to say his job is to run the plays coaches call.
Actually, the job both Edwards and Winslow are being paid to do is provide at least 2,000 combined yards of offense every year.
Despite the miserable 0-2 start and the fact the offense ranks 29th in the league in net offense, Edwards and Winslow are on course to generate 1,904 receiving yards in their mutual return from knee surgeries.
Edwards, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2005 draft, has six catches for a team-best 133 yards.
Winslow, a No. 6 overall pick in 2004, has a team-best 12 catches for 105 yards.
A big game by these two might be needed for the 0-2 Browns to upset the 2-0 Ravens.
?The main thing is for us not to kill ourselves,? said Edwards, a culprit in this sort of thing with dropped passes.
Edwards said he has been too eager to get upfield without securing possession.
?I?m working on that this week,? he said.
He has broken open for huge gains on deep passes in each game. A 74-yard TD bomb to open the Saints game was called back by a holding penalty. A 75-yard catch at Cincinnati put the Browns in third-quarter contention.
A collapse by the defense on the next series took them back out. The defense, it should be noted, ranks 30th in the NFL in yards allowed.
Baltimore?s defense, on the other hand, has seven starters who have been to Pro Bowls, and is playing like it.
The Ravens are allowing 32.5 yards a game on the ground and 119.5 via the pass. Cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle both have gone to Pro Bowls.
?They play so much man-to-man coverage,? Edwards said. ?You have to have enough faith in your two guys to do that. They have their safety, Ed Reed, 20 to 30 yards back, and they go single-high safety about 80 percent of the game.
?Their corners are extremely good.?
Edwards was drafted as a threat to beat anyone?s single coverage, but he still must prove he?s most of the way back from knee surgery.
Meanwhile, the Ravens? calling card is intimidation.
?It forces us to come out and match their intensity,? Edwards said. ?Nobody will come in here and punk us. If we do that, it?s going to be a good one.?
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at
(330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected].
browns report
INJURY UPDATE Nothing changed on the injury report from Wednesday to Thursday. Cornerback remains a big concern, with Gary Baxter doubtful and Daylon McCutcheon out for the season. Defensive line is a similar worry, with Orpheus Roye doubtful and key backup Nick Eason out. Linebacker Willie McGinest dressed and seemed in high spirits Thursday, but he was limited in practice and is questionable with a calf problem.
PHIL THE TOE Phil Dawson is off to the best start of his eight-year pro career as a kickoff man. Five times, opponents have started on the 20 or worse. Dawson always enjoys his duel with Ravens kicker Matt Stover. Both attended Lake Highlands High School near Dallas. For a while now, Stover has been the only member of the ?old Browns? who is still with the Ravens. STOPPING LEWIS Jamal Lewis, who totaled a humiliating 500 rushing yards in two games against the Browns in 2003, has totaled a modest 286 yards in the teams? four meetings since then. STEVE DOERSCHUK

 

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ABJ

Veteran says he wants to play

Linebacker McGinest says injury, not desire, is holding him back

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Willie McGinest adamantly stated Friday that he wants to be in Cleveland and will do all he can to get on the field for the game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
``If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be here,'' said McGinest, an outside linebacker. ``I wouldn't have signed here. Second of all, I'm not a quitter. I don't care what our record is, anybody who knows me or anything about me knows that I hate not playing.
``Regardless of what it is, I'm going to be out there for the last play. If we're getting beat by 60 points, we still got to go out there, and I'm still going to be out there for the last play.
``(But) it doesn't make sense to go out if you can't contribute to the team.''
McGinest addressed his desire to be in Cleveland in response to a question about the perception of some fans and media who were surprised he did not play after being listed as probable the Friday before the game last Sunday in Cincinnati.
``If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't have signed here,'' McGinest said.
``Second, it's implying that I'm a quitter because I'm not doing what I'm... that I'm bailing out on my team.
``I've been on teams where we started 0-2, and we went to AFC Championships and stuff like that. People are going to say what they're going to say.
``It's a dumb question.''
McGinest said he missed the Bengals game because his injured calf muscle ``kept grabbing'' during warm-ups.
He said he had an MRI on the strained calf during the week, and it showed no tears.
He has been listed as questionable all week.
He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.
``If you can't run, you basically can't play,'' McGinest said. ``It makes sense to have somebody that's 100 percent playing instead of somebody who's under 50 percent out there trying to play.''
The fear of making the calf worse by trying to play with an injury prompted McGinest and the Browns' medical staff to hold him out.
``It's a fear that my calf was messed up so I couldn't go,'' he said.
``It doesn't make sense to go out and rip something, tear it all the way and miss I don't know how many weeks when you're trying to manage something.''
When TV cameras caught McGinest on the sideline in Cincinnati, he did not seem emotional.
He said that was anger, and that he should not be mistaken for not caring.
``I hate sitting on the sideline,'' he said. ``I hate watching the game. I hate being hurt.''
And he added that when you're not playing, you can't do a lot of leading.
``I try, but it's hard doing all the talking and seeing stuff when you're not really out there,'' he said. ``You kind of watch guys at your position and see what's going on. For me it's hard.
``I get frustrated when I'm not out there and not playing.''
Injury report
Defensive end Orpheus Roye said his chances to play Sunday are a long shot.
Roye strained a right shoulder muscle in the second quarter against the Bengals.
He said he is focusing on getting the shoulder ready for the next game in Oakland, Calif.
Roye played through a knee injury last season that required offseason arthroscopic surgery, but he said the shoulder is a different matter.
``I feel I can tolerate pain very well,'' he said. ``But when you're dealing with your shoulder, that's what we use as a D-Lineman. Especially in this two-gap. You have to have all your strength so you're not overpowered.
``I'll just try to get it ready for next week and not hurt my teammates.''
The rest of the Browns' injured players will be a game-time decision, coach Romeo Crennel said.
Cornerback Gary Baxter (shoulder) and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius (ribs) remain doubtful, and running back Reuben Droughns (shoulder) and McGinest remain questionable.
Crennel declined to name his starter at corner, assuming Baxter does not play.
His choices: Ralph Brown, Daven Holly and Antonio Perkins.
Back to basics
Wide receiver Braylon Edwards said he has gone back to fundamentals in an effort to stop dropping passes.
Edwards has admitted that he has not caught four passes that he should have.
``I'm trying to make plays before I have the ball,'' Edwards said. ``I see a little opening, and I'm so excited to go in a forward direction that I'm not doing the easy things.
``One, two, three, catch the ball, tuck it and take off. That's what I've been working on this week. Going back to the basics.
``Seeing the ball all way into the tuck, catching it, then turning around and running with it.''
Edwards said he needs to relax.
``I think I'm so eager,'' he said. ``I'm happy to be out on the field. I'm happy to be out there with Charlie (Frye) and Kellen (Winslow). I'm happy to have a chance to make plays. I'm in a starting role.
``For me, I'm being eager and overanxious right now. I need to calm down and let the game come to me.''
Not fined
Safety Brian Russell confirmed that he was not fined for his hit on Chad Johnson late in the loss to the Bengals.
``It's nice,'' Russell said. ``You play hard, you earn your paycheck and it's nice to keep it.''
Johnson told the Cincinnati media that Russell and linebacker Andra Davis were telling him throughout the game that they were going to knock him out.
``I would definitely say he wasn't lying,'' Russell said, adding it was typical in-game chatter. ``You see a lot of times Chad trying to come over to the defensive huddle and say a lot of things. We're not going to be quiet.
``We're going to make sure he knows we're playing hard, too.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Harrison says he?s ready
Saturday, September 23, 2006


Preseason sensation Jerome Harrison said he doesn?t know whether No. 1 running back Reuben Droughns? shoulder injury will keep him out of the Baltimore game.
If it does? Harrison would probably get five to 15 carries against the NFL?s No. 1-ranked defense.
?They just run a lot of different fronts,? Harrison said before Friday?s practice. ?Those guys are no different than no other defense, man.?
If that didn?t come out quite right, it was clear Harrison isn?t intimidated.
What if Harrison gets the ball 15 to 20 times?
?That?s a running back?s dream, to carry the load,? he said. ?That wouldn?t be no problem.?
If Droughns can?t play, Harrison realizes he would be used in some combination with third-year pro Jason Wright. STEVE DOERSCHUK

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BROWNS NOTEBOOK
Crennel hopes walking wounded heal

Saturday, September 23, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio ? The Cleveland Browns have nine players on their injury report for their game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
Some will be in uniform and others will not, but coach Romeo Crennel is hopeful to have as many players available as possible.
"Some of these guys might end up being game-time decisions," Crennel said. "I want to give them every chance to see if they will be available for every game."
Injured starters include cornerback Gary Baxter (doubtful, pectoral), receiver Joe Jurevicius (doubtful, ribs), defensive end Orpheus Roye (doubtful, shoulder), running back Reuben Droughns (questionable, shoulder), linebacker Willie McGinest (questionable, calf) and safety Brian Russell (questionable, elbow).
Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. (knee) is listed as probable and is expected to play.
New backs ?

If Droughns cannot play, the Browns could use a running back by committee approach. Rookie Jerome Harrison, Jason Wright, and backup fullback Lawrence Vickers would be asked to handle the load.
None of these players is known as a workhorse running back.
In limited duty, the trio have combined for five carries for 13 yards, but the players say confidence will not be an issue.
"You always have big goals," Wright said. "No one in this locker room believes they can?t produce at this level.
"You want to go out there and produce. You want to make a mark on the game and have an impact."
Air up there

Baltimore, which went 6-10 last season, made a savvy move in the offseason by acquiring veteran quarterback Steve McNair. It has paid off for both parties.
The Ravens (2-0) have provided McNair another chance to be on a winning team, and McNair has given the Ravens a passing threat they lacked the past several years.
"When you play this game, you play it for one reason and that?s to get to the Super Bowl and win it," McNair said this week. "I feel that the Baltimore Ravens have the best chance of pushing two or three years of running to the Super Bowl."
Brownie points

The Browns have beaten the Ravens two consecutive years in Cleveland. ? Ravens running back Jamal Lewis (thigh) and linebackers Ray Lewis (neck) and Adalius Thomas (foot) were upgraded from questionable to probable.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

BROWNS INSIDER
Edwards too much ahead of the game


Friday, September 22, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

Maybe the three-hour delay from the usual home kickoff time on Sunday will give receiver Braylon Edwards time to follow his own advice against the Baltimore Ravens.
"I have to calm down and let the game come to me," Edwards said.
The receiver counted three drops in the Cincinnati game. That came after one in the New Orleans game, which was intercepted and sealed that loss.
"I'm trying to make plays before I have the ball. I see a little opening and I'm trying to make plays," he said.
Edwards said he has spent his practice week going back to basics.
"Steps one, two, three," he said. "Seeing the ball all the way into the tuck, catching it, turning and then running."
Edwards believes the Ravens' dependence on man-to-man coverage allows opportunities for receivers to make plays against them, as long as the offense is patient.
"If your eyes don't light up [at man coverage], then you're playing the wrong sport," he said.
Edwards said Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis won't let his teammates underestimate the 0-2 Browns.
"The main thing for them is they're intimidating guys right now," he said. "They're playing very physical, very sound, and making things happen at every position on the defense. So the main thing for us is to come out and match their intensity and show them we're not afraid, we're not going to back down and nobody will come in here and punk us up."
Team B on K2:
Edwards attributes Kellen Winslow Jr.'s critical comments on the coaches this week to his desire to win.
"The only reaction I'll give you guys is Kellen's come from a winning program, high school and college, and been a winner all his life," he said. "He's a fierce competitor. And he wants to win. He wants to do everything he can to be in position to make plays to help us win. He wants us to be a winning organization, and that's all he wants."
Edwards, who played at Michigan, said it "really tests your manhood" to go from a winning program and come to "a bottom-of-the-league organization and build your way up."
"To come from greatness and go to adversity, it shows what kind of player you are," he said. "For me, it's a challenge to rise to the occasion."
Shouldering the load:
With Reuben Droughns questionable with a shoulder injury, coach Romeo Crennel wouldn't say how he'll use his running backs against Baltimore. If Droughns can't play, backup Jason Wright thinks the position will be handled by a committee of himself and rookies Jerome Harrison and Lawrence Vickers.
"We're all getting ready," Wright said. "It won't be just me. We've got a great platoon of running backs."
Injury report:
Most of the players on the Browns' lengthy injury list did little the past two days but ride on the stationary bikes, Crennel said. Safety Brian Russell was the only player of nine on the list who did not miss any practice time.
The ultra-thin secondary has inspired some e-mailers to question whether Crennel would recruit a receiver to pitch in at cornerback, as Troy Brown did when Crennel was New England's defensive coordinator two years ago.
Crennel chuckled at the suggestion and answered, "No, not yet."
Throwing change-ups:
When linebacker Willie McGinest opted out of the Cincinnati game with a calf injury after pregame warm-ups, it caused the defensive coaches to change roles on the fly because McGinest was so much a part of the game plan.
"It's a disruption because now you have to move some things around and guys are practicing one position during the week and not in that position [in the game]," Crennel said. "It causes some concern."
McGinest is questionable this week. He was probable last week.
No. 1 fans:
Browns fans are No. 1, according to a ranking of NFL fan loyalty done by www.bizjournals.com, a weekly business publication. The article said, "Cleveland fans earned first place by routinely packing their 73,000-seat stadium despite the dismal play of the Browns -- who have won only 36 of 112 games since 1999 -- and a climate that is among the coldest in the league." The study analyzed each team in two ways -- first for its level of fan support and then for the difficulty it poses to long-term supporters. Cleveland was No. 1 on both lists, according to the article, published earlier this month. Kansas City was second and Philadelphia was third. The Oakland Raiders were at the bottom of the list.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Edwards will be mindful of basics against Ravens

Sunday, September 24, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> MIKE CARDEW AKRON BEACON JOURNAL Braylon Edwards has made spectacular plays this season, but he also has dropped three passes.


BEREA, Ohio ? Browns receiver Braylon Edwards has no problem owning up to his mistakes. He knows he hasn?t been as consistent, particularly with dropped passes, as he would like during the first two games of the season.
But Cleveland, a 6 1 /2-point underdog, hopes to have a big game out of its top receiver today against the Baltimore Ravens.
Scoring early will be key against Baltimore (2-0), which has the NFL?s top-rated defense. Edwards has the potential to have a breakout game because of the amount of aggressive blitzing and man-toman coverage he?ll see from the Ravens.
"If your eyes don?t light up, you are playing the wrong sport," Edwards said. "Any time you go into man-on-man coverage, it?s you on him. ?Am I better than him? Am I going to beat him?? You have to think that way. When you see manon-man coverage, you know they are going to pass the ball and you have to be open."
Edwards is having no problems getting open this season. He caught a 75-yard pass from Charlie Frye last week against the Cincinnati Bengals and had another 76-yard catch negated by a holding penalty against the New Orleans Saints.
Edwards leads the team with 133 receiving yards and a 22.2 yards per catch average, but the little things have hurt him. He has had three drops in two games, including one in the fourth quarter that killed a late rally against the Saints.
"I see a little opening and I?m trying to make plays," Edwards said. "I?m so excited to go in the forward direction that I?m not doing the easy things. ? That?s what I?ve been working on this week is just going back to the basics."
Edwards said he?s not complaining about the offense. He just believes the team needs to better execute the plays that are called.
Last week, teammate Kellen Winslow Jr. publicly criticized offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, saying some players were being held back and it was time to open up the offense.
"The only reaction I can give you guys is that Kellen has come from a winning program," Edwards said. "He?s been a winner all of his life ? high school and college, and he?s a fierce competitor."
Edwards is in the same situation. He came from a winning program at Michigan but has experienced mostly losing since joining the Browns as a first-round pick last year.
"I think it makes you a better player to come from a winning organization and come to a bottom-of-the-league organization and build your way up," Edwards said. "It really tests your manhood and really tests what kind of person you are to come from greatness and go to adversity."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ


Quote:
Winslow correct, but style all wrong

Tight end puts Crennel, Carthon in no-win situation

By Terry Pluto

When you hear that the Baltimore Ravens say they had Kellen Winslow as the No. 1 player on their 2004 draft board, they probably are hoping that the Browns keep him on the bench in third-down situations today. When Winslow is on the bench, that's a play that the Ravens don't have to worry about him -- and makes their defense happy.
? Just a thought: In 2004, the guy running the draft for the Ravens and putting the players in order for General Manager Ozzie Newsome was Phil Savage. And that tells you that Savage also is a big fan of the Browns tight end.
? Which brings us to the mess that Winslow caused when he went public about wanting to be in the lineup on third downs (he missed three last week). If the Browns use him in those situations today, then it will appear he got his way. If he sits again in these situations, it appears the coaches are being stubborn. What a mess.
? Here's another mess: Even those who criticize Winslow for taking his case public agree that he's right. The Browns have only two offensive players who really scare defenses: wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Winslow. Reuben Droughns is respected but not considered a big-play guy.
? Edwards is considered a big-play guy, but he needs to start making the routine catches. The Browns threw nine passes last week in his general direction. He caught four. He dropped two and got his hand on a third. Two more were out of his reach. As a target of 9-of-33 thrown by quarterback Charlie Frye, the Browns need him to catch the ball.
? The game plan had no passes in Winslow's direction until the middle of the second quarter. How about throwing him a ball early, getting him involved, making the defense worry about him?
? Yes, there's so much more wrong with the Browns than the play-calling of offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. All the injuries. The offensive line not knowing each other. The problems stopping the run. But one thing a team can do right now is get the right guys on the field and get them the ball.
? There is concern about the Browns' guard play. Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman have been struggling. Both have played with a lot of injuries the past few years. The Browns will need to find someone else at some point this season to fill in at guard. They think veteran Lennie Friedman (also backup center) can help. They are working with rookie Isaac Sowells. But the last thing they need is an injury to a guard right now.
? The Ravens' game plan is simple: Get ahead of the Browns, run the ball down their throats, turn the crowd against them and bring lots of pressure on Frye. The Ravens have nine sacks in the first two games. Linebacker Ray Lewis is healthy and playing with new fire. Somehow, the Browns need to grab a lead, get in front and give the crowd a reason to cheer -- and also make the Ravens throw.
? The Ravens' scouts have been impressed by Frye's mobility and physical toughness. They think that he can grow into a very effective quarterback over time, especially if the Browns can stabilize the offensive line.
? With all the defensive backs hurt, fans should finally get a chance to see Antonio Perkins play. The fourth-rounder from 2005 has been virtually invisible on game days. It's time for the Browns to find out if this guy can help them, because they need depth from someone in the secondary.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

McManamon on the Browns

Anybody know what happened to normal?

One victory, just one, would go a long way for Browns, coaches and their fans

CLEVELAND - Some day, in some lifetime, on some planet the Browns will go through what most teams do in a week of preparation.
The coach will address the opponent and talk a little strategy; the players will hang out in the locker room and talk football; and the media will write about football.
No list of injuries long enough to reach Barberton.
No players popping off.
No attempted roasting of an offensive coordinator.
No wondering when the team actually will be competitive.
No silliness. Just football.
It might not happen in our lifetime, but it will happen. And when it does, it will be cause for coach Romeo Crennel to make a guest appearance on Dancing With the Stars.
In the short term, the Browns have turned into a traveling road show. The only thing missing is the guy with the cart who sells the miracle liniment.
Take a look at the events swirling:
? Tight end Kellen Winslow takes his complaints about the offense to the media.
Not exactly what Crennel needed at this point in time. But... Winslow had good points.
He should be on the field every down, just like Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys and Jeremy Shockey of the New York Giants and Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers. Winslow is a dynamic player, a thoroughbred. Thoroughbreds don't belong in the stall.
That being said, Winslow going public brought a whole new element to the team, and painted a picture that Crennel is losing his team.
Don't think for a second that Winslow did not know what he was doing.
He was in the locker room early in the period that the media was present, and he declined comment. He then left, returned and said what he said.
The rest of the week he declined comment. Seems like he got his point across.
? Cornerback Gary Baxter reveals that he was playing with one arm.
Baxter came to the Browns never having missed a game with the Baltimore Ravens. Next thing he knows, he's out for the season after five games his first year with the Browns.
Next thing he knows, he's injured again after one play this year. Baxter was so determined to prove himself, so committed to showing last season was an aberration, that he came back too soon. Now his status for the next few weeks is in serious doubt.
? Cornerback Daylon McCutcheon goes on injured reserve.
That was a surprise, as McCutcheon had said during training camp his return was on schedule. Apparently, his knee was not coming around, and he couldn't have played until midseason at the earliest.
McCutcheon went to Crennel and told him that he understood if the team needed to make a move, and that he agreed, reluctantly, to go on IR.
McCutcheon now will go to California for a second opinion to find out why a knee cartilage problem remains after it had been treated in August.
The ripple effect from the problems with Baxter and McCutcheon is huge -- and means that, unless the Browns somehow find a Deion Sanders on the street, Ralph Brown, Daven Holly and Antonio Perkins are the team's second, third and fourth corners.
? Offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon comes under fire.
Perhaps it's time to officially make Carthon ``embattled.'' Is the team's 0-2 record his fault? Of course not, not with the run defense giving up 18 billion yards a game (not many questions about that side of the ball for some reason).
At the same time, offensive coordinator's careers are judged on decisions and planning. Carthon has left himself open to question with his planning for the opener against the New Orleans Saints and his decision to take Winslow off the field on some third downs.
If, as has been hinted, Winslow is making mental errors (which presumably means lining up wrong, missing blocks, running the wrong routes), then perhaps it's time to merely ask Winslow to do what he can.
That is part of coaching.
And part of preparation.
? Wide receiver Braylon Edwards.
Every Thursday, Edwards stands at his locker and addresses the media. It's most gracious of him, and he answers every question completely. He even talked about the Ravens' defense as if he spends Thanksgiving with them every year (``Ed'' and ``Ray'' and all the other guys known by first names).
Problem is what he says will not mean much until he does it on the field, and dropping passes isn't doing it on the field.
Edwards has a show on FSN that details his behind-the-scenes activities.
There are those who would point out that Edwards remains 1,511 receptions and 205 touchdowns behind the NFL all-time leader.
To those who want Edwards' talking to take place with his actions on the field, you can't add much. Oh, there's this. The night before the Cincinnati Bengals game, Chad Johnson dropped by the Browns' team hotel, and he and Edwards hugged like long-lost friends.
? Fans call for heads.
It's inevitable. Things go wrong, and somebody is to blame. Carthon can't call plays. His strategy stinks. Crennel isn't a head coach. General Manager Phil Savage made terrible personnel decisions. Earnest Byner shouldn't have fumbled.
Any or all could be true, but if the Browns make wholesale changes again after the season they're doing nothing more than spinning their wheels in mud that gets deeper every year.
All the criticisms seem to ignore the fact that in the offseason people were exulting at the moves the team made. Now they're all bad.
Time will tell, but if the Browns make wholesale changes -- again -- after the season, they'll look like a bunch of amateurs.
And doom themselves to losing for the next few years.
? We need to find an identity.
This was a common theme in the locker room. Find ourselves, it's a process.
Fans are rightly tired of this soliloquy.
It's not time for anything other than winning a stinking game.
Problem is, this is not the best opponent in the world to try to find yourself. I mean, while you're looking around for that identity, Ravens linebacker Adalius Thomas will knock the quarterback's head off.
The identity should have been found in the offseason.
And yes, I realize this is part of the reason people are calling for heads to roll. Because these things didn't happen in the offseason. The fans are as ticked off as they've been since the team returned in 1999.
Know what?
I don't know what to say anymore about the Browns.
Except it would be nice if this team could somehow, some way settle into the routine of a normal football team and eliminate all the drama and histrionics.
And just go win a game.

 

[Buckin' A]

What time and station is this game on? I can't find it on my guide.

 

[buckeyefool]

What time and station is this game on? I can't find it on my guide.

Will probally have to have nfl ticket to watch it if you want to see it. Columbus stations have decided to show Bengals games this year instead.......something about not being able to show browns games because of the fcc crack down on obsenity on tv.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Crennel backs play call

Browns' coach says interception would have been touchdown if Frye hadn't been hit

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - The Browns wanted a score, any score, late in the game when they threw a pass into the end zone during their 15-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Quarterback Charlie Frye's throw was intercepted with 3:21 left, and that led to the Ravens' game-winning, 52-yard field goal.
``When the play works, it's a good play,'' coach Romeo Crennel said Monday. ``If it doesn't work, it's a bad play.''
The Browns did a lot right in the loss to the Ravens.
The one thing they didn't do was win.
That led national talking heads to second-guess the call to have Frye throw.
Ravens linebacker Bart Scott came free on a blitz and hit Frye in the back as he threw, leading to the interception.
Crennel said Sunday the play would have been a touchdown had Frye not been hit.
He reiterated that point Monday after watching the film.
``(Frye) would have thrown it higher,'' Crennel said. ``He would have thrown to the back shoulder and Braylon (Edwards) would have gone up to get it.''
Cornerback Chris McAlister jumped in front of Edwards on the route, and apparently that was what the Browns wanted. After the game, Frye said he always throws that pass high and long so the only person who can catch the ball is Edwards.
Crennel said Scott got to Frye because of miscommunication up front.
``The front was not recognized the way we wanted it to be,'' he said. ``As a result, (Scott) was turned free.''
Tight end Kellen Winslow was on the left side, next to tackle Kevin Shaffer and guard Joe Andruzzi.
Winslow had Adalius Thomas in front of him, and Scott to his left. He blocked Thomas, the player closest to the quarterback. Shaffer blocked the defensive end, and Andruzzi made a late move to try to catch up to Scott.
It was too late, and Scott was able to get to Frye even though Frye took a quick, three-step drop.
Pundits questioned the call -- including former Steelers fullback Jerome Bettis on NBC.
``You should be running the football at that point, and that's why they lost that football game,'' Bettis said.
Whatever strategy the Browns' coaches used, they couldn't win.
Had they run, kicked a field goal and then Baltimore managed to score a touchdown, the questions would have been why they didn't throw when they were unable to run all day long.
Up by two points, the Browns chose to try to win the game with a touchdown that would have made Baltimore somehow score 10 points in the final three minutes.
``It was a great call,'' Edwards said.
What did Crennel want from that possession? Points.
``However we got the score, that's what we wanted,'' he said. ``If we could score the touchdown, that would have helped us more than the field goal.''
So with Browns' running backs gaining just 32 yards on 17 carries, the coaches felt their best chance to score and put the game away was with a touchdown pass.
That call and the way it turned out obscured the Browns' best effort of the season.
``If we continue to play like that, there is some reason for optimism going forward,'' Crennel said.
But Crennel added that optimism only goes so far.
``If we can play like that next week (in Oakland) and we can win one,'' Crennel said, ``there would be optimism after that. In this league, you have to be consistent.
``The challenge now is to see if we can play as hard and better this coming week as we did last week.''