Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Washington set for former team

Veteran big tackle to lead Browns against Raiders

By Tom Reed

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Browns nose tackle Ted Washington made quick work of two reporters seeking comment on having to face his former team, the Oakland Raiders, on Sunday.
``Get out of my house,'' Washington said, half playfully.
It appears the mammoth defender is again relishing the challenge of neutralizing a double team.
Washington heads to the Bay Area coming off his first solid outing of the regular season in a 15-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The 38-year-old Washington made seven tackles and helped the Browns break a seven-game streak in which opponents had rushed for 100-plus yards.
The Ravens managed just 86 yards on 27 attempts.
``It all starts with Ted,'' Browns linebacker Andra Davis said. ``He took the run defense and put it on his shoulders. They couldn't do anything against him.''
Washington needed a strong effort after two subpar showings against the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals. Acquired in March to bolster the Browns' porous run defense, the 6-foot-5, 365-pound Washington had been a non factor.
One NFL coach, speaking on conditions of anonymity, reportedly offered this stinging assessment of Washington prior to the Ravens game: ``He's retired but doesn't know it.''
``Everyone has their own opinion,'' Browns coach Romeo Crennel said when asked for a response to the report.
Crennel said Washington's performance against the Ravens represented progress. He thought the lineman's technique was improved. The coach doesn't think his conditioning is a factor.
Washington benefited from a subtle formation change that had the Browns' defensive ends lining up inside of the offensive tackles. The move helped Washington plug up the middle and make running between the tackles more difficult.
Browns killer Jamal Lewis finished with 86 yards on 21 carries.
``It takes a few games to get the rust out and adjust and watch what you do on film and try to correct your mistakes,'' Washington said on Thursday. ``Hopefully, starting this week I'll be a better player.''
Washington spent the past two seasons with the Raiders, a franchise struggling to find an identity and any semblance of offense. The Raiders are ranked 29th in rushing and last in total offense (145.5 yards).
Orpheus Roye expects Washington to be highly motivated against his former team. Washington downplayed the reunion in a comical exchange with reporters on Thursday.
Often prickly with the press, Washington sprayed disinfectant around his locker to ward off approaching writers.
``He gets his work done but he likes to keep everybody laughing,'' defensive lineman Alvin McKinley said. ``He doesn't like to see anyone walking around all nervous. He keeps everyone loose.''
Baxter out
Cornerback Gary Baxter is expected to miss his second consecutive game on Sunday. Baxter (pectoral muscle) was listed as out on the team's injury list. Willie McGinest (calf), Reuben Droughns (shoulder) and Kellen Winslow (knee) are listed as questionable and all participated in part of Friday's practice.
Playing with pain
Tight end Kellen Winslow is practicing with a wrap on his injured knee, but is expected to play. ``I don't think that knee will ever be 100 percent,'' Crennel said. ``He goes out on Sunday and plays very hard on it. Then it's sore the rest of the week. You have to manage the situation.''
Brownies . . .
Crennel said Joe Jurevicius (ribs) is making progress, but isn't sure if he can play Sunday. The receiver has missed the past two games.... All three teams the Browns have faced remain undefeated.... The Browns and Raiders are the AFC's two lowest-ranked offenses. The Browns are averaging 258.3 yards per game.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns report
Saturday, September 30, 2006


GET THE DIRT: Phil Dawson, who beat the Raiders in December on a last-second field goal, might be kicking off a dirt infield Sunday depending on field position. The Raiders share the same field as the Oakland A?s. ?It?s a challenge,? Dawson said. ?I?ll need to get there early and assess the conditions.? The old Browns played for many years on the Cleveland Indians? infield.
WHERE?S JOE? Romeo Crennel said the Browns have missed ?the calming effect? Joe Jurevicius was supposed to bring to the offense. There is a chance the veteran wideout will miss his third straight game with a broken rib. ?He did a little bit more this week than last week,? Crennel said Friday. ?I feel he is closer, but ...?
FRALEY STILL ADJUSTING Reuben Droughns, likely to return from a shoulder injury, sees the running game improving as new center Hank Fraley settles in. ?He was used to the Eagles? system,? Droughns said. ?He got here real late (Sept. 2). The playbook was kind of shaky to him. Now he?s starting to figure it out a lot more.?
FLAG DAY The Raiders have been penalized 13 times in two games. The Browns have been penalized eight times in three games. Crennel generally likes that disparity, but he added, ?You can win games as the most penalized team and lose games as the least penalized team. Which one would you want?? STEVE DOERSCHUK

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Shell insists Raiders are getting better
Saturday, September 30, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


BEREA - Not counting their 9-7 win over the hapless Raiders in December, the Browns head for Oakland having lost seven of their last eight games.
Including their loss to Cleveland in ?The Black Hole,? the Raiders have lost eight in a row.
But football culture feeds on hope, real and imagined.
?They are better than an 0-2 team,? Raider-turned-Brown Ted Washington said, ?just like we are better than an 0-3 team.?
Raiders Head Coach Art Shell emerged from two blowout losses and a bye finding the strength to say: ?We are headed in the right direction. I really believe that. We?re going to get this thing going.?
And maybe Shell?s team would have last Sunday, while the Browns were generating real hope by taking unbeaten Baltimore to the wire.
Instead, Oakland had a bye during which to stew over a 28-6 loss at Baltimore.
?I never think a team with a bye has an advantage in any way,? Browns left tackle Kevin Shaffer said, ?especially that early.
?I?m sure they weren?t that happy with the Week 2 bye. You?d like to have it later in the season.?
On the other hand, the Raiders seemed ready for anything but football during their most recent fiasco. Ponder the likelihood of Oakland looking crisp in the wake of this series of blunders at Baltimore:
The coverage team gave up a 72-yard return to B.J. Sams on Sebastian Janikowski?s game-opening kickoff.
After a Ravens field goal, Oakland QB Aaron Brooks couldn?t handle Jake Grove?s snap and fumbled. One play after another field goal, Grove and Brooks botched another snap.
After another Ravens field goal, Andrew Walter replaced Brooks at quarterback, then got sacked by Adalius Thomas on his first play.
Trailing 16-3 to start the second half, Walter was promptly sacked by Terrell Suggs and, two plays later, by Trevor Pryce.
All-Pro punter Shane Lechler pinned the Ravens deep, and 33-year-old Warren Sapp got to run his yap after a sack that forced a punt. The Raiders squandered field position when Derrick Gibson got caught holding on the return.
After Justin Fargas was stuffed by Ray Lewis on a first-down run, Walter fired over the middle toward Randy Moss but was picked off by Lewis.
It got worse on Oakland?s next possession.
On third down from the Raiders? 4-yard line, right tackle Langston Walker was flagged for holding while Walter was getting sacked for a safety.
It got worse.
Walter moved the Raiders on completions to Moss and Alvis Whitted, but on a second-and-7 he fumbled while getting sacked. Baltimore?s Kelly Gregg grabbed the ball and ran 59 yards.
Worse still? Somehow, yes.
The next time Walter touched the ball, he threw an interception to Thomas.
No Raider game is complete without an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty ? Jarrod Cooper did the honors during the ensuing kickoff.
An exhausted Raider defense gave up a late 81-yard touchdown drive.
?Once we get a win,? said Raiders rush ace Derrick Burgess (NFL-best 16 sacks last year), ?you?ll see a new side of everything.?
The Browns, though, would be content to keep the Raiders on the dark side of ?The Black Hole.?
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail:

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Talkin'Browns
? The Browns spent some time with quarterback Charlie Frye this week, encouraging him through film work to see there were plays when he held on to the ball too long. There are times when throwing an incomplete pass is OK. Just get rid of the ball, and quit taking such a pounding.
? At least five of the major hits taken by Frye were plays where he could have dumped off the ball to a receiver for a short gain, or just heaved the ball over the bench. Frye is being told, ``You don't have to make a big play each time.''
? At the University of Akron, one of Frye's tendencies, especially when playing from behind, was to try and make too many big plays. He also was fearless when running. The Browns would rather have a guy wired that way, determined and tough, than a quarterback playing timid. They keep stressing to Frye that they want him around for the entire season.
? This is not to take blame away from the offensive line. The group is struggling, especially the guards, who have had trouble run-blocking. The Browns were confused by some of the Baltimore Ravens' blitzes.
? Don't know what this means, but the three teams that beat the Browns are 9-0. No surprise about the Cincinnati Bengals, but the New Orleans Saints are off to a terrific start -- and the Browns had several chances to win that game. If Steve McNair stays reasonably healthy, the Ravens will win a lot of games. That's why today's game at the Oakland Raiders means so much -- the Browns need a win, and the Raiders are a mess, especially their offense.
? When General Manager Phil Savage evaluates his team, he keeps reminding himself that Frye has started only eight games. Kellen Winslow has five starts. Braylon Edwards has 10 starts. The most consistent defensive player has been safety Sean Jones, and he has only had three starts. ``So many of our key guys are young,'' Savage said. ``I know this is tough for the fans, but it's reality. I just can say that we will get better.''
? The Browns want Winslow to work on his blocking. They are thrilled with his hands; he catches everything near him. So far, he's handling the physical pounding well, which was a concern because of his injury problems.
? The Browns don't say it publicly, but they realize that Edwards will drop some passes. As one scout said, he usually had at least one ``bad drop'' per game at Michigan. But he also makes big plays. They were thrilled with the care Edwards took to make sure he hung on to the ball last week, when he had no drops. He's averaging 22 yards per catch this season.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns' direction starts in Oakland

Game against Raiders important, could be pivotal

By Patrick McManamon

Flattering would not be the word to use to describe the way folks view today's Browns game against the Oakland Raiders.
Two winless teams whose playoff aspirations have nearly died by Oct. 1 tee it up for a 4:15 p.m. game.
Hoo, hoo!
One national pundit wrote that the Browns and Raiders are playing for pride, a reference usually reserved for the end of the season.
Dan Marino joked on Inside the NFL on HBO that Browns highlights wouldn't be shown much this season since only the good games would be featured.
At this point, The Wiggles get more respect.
What to make of today's game then?
How about that it could define the team's season? That it's that important.
The Browns went into a funk late in preseason, and that funk extended into the opener. The Cincinnati Bengals waxed the Browns in Week 2, but somehow Romeo Crennel woke his team up for the Baltimore Ravens last week.
With four starters sidelined, the Browns played the Ravens to a last-play, 52-yard field goal -- and easily could have won.
Perceptions sometimes become reality, and the Browns now are defined by the opener. A poor effort against the New Orleans Saints has them 0-3 at a point when most would have predicted they would be 1-2. Had the Browns beaten the Saints, few would have questioned them losing in Cincinnati and playing close to the Ravens at home.
But then again, Pompeii would be a great place to visit had Mount Vesuvius not erupted.
The Browns are what they are, and right now they're 0-3. Today in Oakland they have a chance to determine how the rest of the season goes. A win helps them build on a good effort against the Ravens, a loss wastes what was accomplished and makes for what looks like a dismal rest of the season.
The two directions mirror the fact that as the team hits the quarter pole, there are two ways to look at just about every issue. As in:
Being 0-3 at this point is not that bad.
The good: The combined record of the opponents is 9-0.
The Bengals and the Ravens are tied for first in the AFC North, and the Saints are leading the NFC South after that emotional Monday night win over the Atlanta Falcons.
What's the shame in losing to three undefeated teams?
The bad: The Ravens game was winnable, and the Saints came to town off a 3-13 season. This team should be 2-1.
The reality: The Browns stunk it up against the Saints, but the effort against the Ravens was representative.
Offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon has taken some heat.
The good: Every offensive coordinator is dissected and cut up. Crennel points out: A play is a good play when it works and a bad play when it doesn't.
The bad: Carthon has left himself open to question in each of the first three games.
The play-calling against the Saints was bizarre, and the decision to use rookie Lawrence Vickers on third downs quite curious. Kellen Winslow did not stay on the field on third downs in Cincinnati. Against the Ravens, the Browns threw into the end zone late when a field goal would have done serious damage to the Ravens' comeback hopes.
The reality: The Wiggles might soon come out with a new CD.
As their young quarterback goes, so goes the team.
The good: Frye has carried the offense. His running and ability to make throws on the move have been the offense's only consistent way to move the ball. Frye has been sacked a lot, but he has shown grit and toughness and stood tall with no running game to help him.
The bad: Frye holds the ball too long at times, and his running eventually will get him injured. Plus, he's getting sacked more than anyone should expect. If that continues, he could end up like Chris Simms. Besides, even with Frye running around, the team is still 0-3.
The reality: Without Frye, it'd really be bye bye.
The running game will be reliable.
The good: Not to worry. the Saints and the Ravens have very aggressive run defenses, and the Browns fell behind against the Bengals. It's just a matter of time before Reuben Droughns gets going.
The bad: The grade-school kids who run around at halftime of home games gain more yards than the Browns. So far, Droughns has been invisible, and the offensive line's play gives little reason to expect it to get better.
The reality: If the Browns don't get the running game going today, it's time to order the boxed set of Wiggles CDs.
Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow provide a new dimension for the offense.
The good: Edwards has two 100-yard games and would have had a third if a long touchdown had not been called back in the opener. Winslow catches everything thrown to him.
The bad: Edwards' drops killed the Browns in the first two games and were inexcusable for the third overall draft pick. The guy should spend less time on his TV show on FSN and more time catching balls from that tire machine.
Winslow talks too much and is nowhere near the player he was before he got hurt.
The reality: These two guys provide hope for the future.
Veterans Willie McGinest and Ted Washington will help the defense.
The good: McGinest, as they say, ``brought it'' when he played against the Ravens. Played the run, pressured the passer, led on the sidelines. He showed his value. Washington finally became a factor when the Browns moved their ends inside the tackles, which tied up blockers and allowed Washington to tear up the interior.
The bad: The run defense gave up 300 yards the first two games. How much difference can these guys make?
The reality: It would be best not to find out how things go without these two guys.
The Browns are a team that should improve in 2006.
The good: The season is only three games old, Frye has shown a lot of ability and things are on the upswing after the effort against the Ravens. Nobody expected this team to go to the playoffs in the first place, so what's all the fuss over a slow start anyway?
The bad: Until the Ravens game, the team just did not play well. They were near comatose in the final preseason game and lax in the opener. The Bengals then blew them out. And since when should anyone feel good about a close loss?
The reality: See what happens today.
It's a rare occurrence that a game between winless teams means so much, but for the Browns, it truly does.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

Cleveland ready for Oakland freak show


By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Sunday, October 01, 2006


It was a learning experience for some of the younger Cleveland Browns when they visited the Oakland Raiders last year.
Mainly, they learned not to look in the stands, where the fans sport their own uniforms. Have you seen these people?
"Sometimes young players have a hard time because they have never seen anything like that," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "They'll start talking to the fans, and their concentration leaves them."
"If you are looking up in the stands at costumes, you are not going to play well," safety Brian Russell said. "You really need to keep your focus."
Bizarre-looking fans are more intimidating when the home team isn't hapless. The 0-2 Raiders have scored six points in two games and have the worst offense, statistically, in the NFL.
And their defense isn't exactly striking fear into anyone.
So the Browns should win today, right? That seems to be the national consensus. But the Raiders are coming off a bye week, which gave them extra time to reflect on what's gone wrong and prepare for what the Browns feature.
Cleveland prevailed at Oakland last season, 9-7, on Phil Dawson's 37-yard field goal as time expired. It was quarterback Charlie Frye's first win as an NFL starter.
"I just remember it was a real dark day," defensive end Simon Fraser said, referring to the weather and the atmosphere, not the outcome. "They call it the black hole for a reason."
Baxter still out
Veteran cornerback Gary Baxter's pectoral problem persists. He won't play today.
"It feels like my arm is weak and not a part of my body sometimes," he said during the week.
Ralph Brown will start opposite Leigh Bodden, who figures to have primary responsibility for covering Randy Moss.
The Raiders will take some deep shots with strong-armed quarterback Andrew Walter, so there's pressure on Brown and rookie backup Daven Holly.

DDN

Browns vs. Raiders: Games keys, prediction


By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Sunday, October 01, 2006


What you need to know about today's Browns-Raiders game in Oakland:

Overview

It's the battle of the beaten, each team looking for its first win. The Raiders, coming off a bye, can't be as bad as they looked while losing their first two. The Browns looked fairly proficient in spurts in a narrow loss to the Ravens, so they are favored despite being 0-3. Cleveland won in Oakland last season, 9-7, on Phil Dawson's 37-yard field goal as time expired.
Scouting the Browns
With RB Reuben Droughns expected back after missing last week's game with a shoulder injury, the hope is for a balanced offense to keep the pass rush honest. QB Charlie Frye, sacked seven times by the Ravens, notched his first win as a starter last season in Oakland and won't be intimidated by the atmosphere. On defense, the Browns hope to confuse young QB Andrew Walter, who is making his first NFL start.
Scouting the Raiders
Oakland has scored a league-low six points and is averaging 145.5 yards per game, nearly 90 fewer than any other team. Still, WR Randy Moss and RB LaMont Jordan are worth worrying about. Moss needs two touchdown catches for 100 in his career. Jordan had 182 yards of total offense against the Browns last year. Aging tackle Warren Sapp (two sacks) gives the defense name recognition.
Numbers game
Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have lost 13 games in the final minute or overtime. ... Kellen Winslow II leads all tight ends with 19 receptions and 197 yards. ... The Raiders have lost eight in a row dating to last November.
Injury report
Browns ? CB Gary Baxter (pectoral), DE Nick Eason (ankle) and S Justin Hamilton (ankle) are out; TE Darnell Dinkins (hamstring), RB Reuben Droughns (shoulder), DE Simon Fraser (shoulder), WR Joe Jurevicius (ribs), LB Willie McGinest (calf), DE Orpheus Roye (shoulder) and TE Kellen Winslow II (knee) are questionable; G Cosey Coleman (hand) and S Brian Russell (elbow) are probable. Raiders ? QB Aaron Brooks (shoulder) is out; DE Kevin Huntley (foot), LB Grant Irons (back) and LB Sam Williams (ankle) are questionable; CB Nnamdi Asomugha (foot), OT Robert Gallery (calf) and CB Fabian Washington (hamstring) are probable.
Prediction
Browns embrace the role of favorite and even cover the spread. Browns 21, Raiders 16

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Hey, Al: Your Raiders stink
Sunday, October 1, 2006

[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]BROWNS BEAT STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


OAKLAND, CALIF. -- Yo ho ho and a bottle of whatever the Raiders are drinking.
You?ve gotta love these guys.
The Raiders have ended most recent voyages lower than Davy Jones? locker, but Al Davis insists they be presented as hotter than Johnny Depp.
The first sentence in the weekly team update uses the hilariously pretentious ?Team of the Decades? tag.
Give Big Al his due ? the Raiders did get to a Super Bowl this decade, albeit losing, 48-21 ? but the rest is doo-doo.
They?ve gone 13-37 since then, including this year?s 27-0 and 28-6 losses to the Chargers and Ravens. The Browns are 15-36 in that span.
Sure, the Browns would take that 2002 season Super Bowl, or any stinking Roman numerals game, but they?ve been no worse off than the Raiders for most of the last two decades.
The ?Team of the Decade? won two playoff games in the 1990s. The Browns won one, and that was before the team jumped ship for Baltimore in 1996.
During a mostly dark 10-year run from 1973-82, the Browns reached the playoffs only twice. They lost their first postseason game both years, both times to the Raiders.
One of the losses was the infamous ?Red Right 88? game in which Brian Sipe threw an interception toward the Dawg Pound. Some were reminded of that Jan. 4, 1981, play when Charlie Frye threw an interception toward the new Dawg Pound last Sunday.
The Raiders used both playoff wins over the Browns as springboards to Super Bowl wins.
They still have occasional fun. They got to a Super Bowl after the 2002 season on a ride that would have included a second-round game against the Browns, had Dennis Northcutt not dropped a last-minute pass at Pittsburgh.
It?s not as if the Browns have had even blips of greatness lately, but Davis? greatest hits are getting as old as The Supremes. His franchise began its descent to the dismal in 2003. The Raiders were 2-6 at the halfway point that year, including a loss at Cleveland, which had its own clouds forming.
Heading into today?s game, the Raiders have lost 10 of their last 11, including 9-7 to the Browns a week before Christmas.
News Flash: John Madden retired from the Raiders in 1979; the ?Team of the Decades? was the NFL?s September bum of the month.
Happy new year.
THE BODYGUARD
Center Hank Fraley, who will make his fourth start since getting traded to the Browns on Sept. 2, must help hold out Oakland?s inside pass rush. He?ll keep an eye on stunts and shifts involving defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who has the Raiders? only two sacks through two games.
Charlie Frye got beat up by the Ravens? rush last week.
?We?ve got to keep him clean,? said Fraley, who blames himself for one of Baltimore?s seven sacks. ?He took some good hits and kept getting up. That just shows how much he wants to win.
?All of us up front want to keep our guy as clean as a whistle, unless he takes off running for a touchdown ... then he?s on his own.?
WHERE?S REUBEN?
Even before he hurt a shoulder, Reuben Droughns didn?t look like the back who got hot in October and wound up with a 1,232-yard season. There is speculation he lost some of his edge after signing an offseason contract extension, or is distracted by issues surrounding his domestic violence arrest.
Engage him in conversation, though, and he seems hungry enough to do business.
His eyes light up when he talks about a game 121⁄2 months ago at Indianapolis.
?I took a shot from Mike Doss,? Droughns said. ?He was coming from over here (motioning). Once I stepped right, he was right here. He got me right in the temple. He knocked me out.
?The offense went off the field. Our defense came on. The only thing I could think about was getting back on the field and knocking out Doss.
?I got a couple tries. I tried to, but he kind of went low.?
EXTRA POINTS
n Sean Jones has locked down the strong safety job, but Head Coach Romeo Crennel hasn?t written off the man Jones beat out. ?I anticipate Brodney Pool playing and coming on,? Crennel said. ?He?s got really good ability, but right now, Sean?s just a little bit ahead of him.?
n Crennel got one of those sarcastic, no-kidding-Dick Tracy looks when he said, ?We haven?t exactly been setting the world on fire with our run defense.? The Browns rank 25th in the NFL, but they aren?t as bad as the Raiders, who are 31st.
n Realistic or not, you can bet tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. thinks the Browns can be the fourth team since 1990 to reach the playoffs after an 0-3 start. ?You know we?re a team on the rise,? he said. ?The record doesn?t show that, but we?ll be back. We?re a tough team, a tough offense, and we?ve got playmakers.?
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns return to scene of December win vs. Raiders
Sunday, October 1, 2006

[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


OAKLAND, CALIF. - Welcome back to The Black Hole, home of those rank aliens the mean mother ship dumped in the bay before scramming to Planet Rektar.
Legend has it the castoffs toured Alcatraz, hijacked a barge to a Berkeley liquor store, and established a colony where the Raiders play football on Sundays when not on hiatus in Los Angeles.
It never matters whether the Raiders stink, such as now as they await the Browns for a 4:15 p.m. kickoff, or kick butt, as they did in a 2002 Super Bowl run.
The sideline creatures are smashed and dressed to kill any concept of decency.
Cleveland Head Coach Romeo Crennel holes up there when he has to. He remembers being Browns defensive coordinator in 2000.
The Browns had just whipped Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and were 2-1 just a year out from expansion.
Chris Palmer, incredibly proud of having won the first game at Paul Brown Stadium, was looking like Coach Paul Brown.
The five Raider fans who read, however, researched every Brown from Tim Couch to Steve Zahursky. Armed with names of moms and girlfriends, they spread the word about who to harass from the rails.
Crennel remembers some of the Browns players engaging the aliens in pregame chatter.
?That was not good,? Crennel says now.
The Raiders had a big, physical team that would go 12-4. The weirdoes and the Raiders got to the Browns. A young offensive lineman false-started when the game was moments old, his body language clearly saying, ?Get me outta here.?
The Raiders won, 36-10. The game didn?t look that close.
The team is different now. Almost everybody who ranks NFL teams has Oakland at No. 32.
Still, the aliens have nothing better to do today than at least try to hassle the favored albeit 0-3 Browns.
Charlie Frye was a year out of Akron when he quarterbacked the Browns to a 9-7 win at Oakland last December.
?The Black Hole is a tough place to play,? said Frye, who seems amused rather than intimidated about the impending circus. ?I remember Phil (Dawson) making the field goal as time expired. We got a big win out there. That?s the plan this time.?
Joshua Cribbs was a rookie out of Kent State last year when he hurt the Raiders with a 46-yard kick return.
?Coach warned us, ?Hey, it?s gonna be Halloween out there,? ? Cribbs said. ?He said, ?It?s gonna be a fashion show and everything else.
?When the game gets going, you don?t really hear the fans too much. But my parents came out for the game. They said it was pretty disorderly.?
Defensive end Simon Fraser was a year out of Ohio State when he played at Oakland nine months ago.
?I actually remember it being kind of really dark,? Fraser said. ?They call it The Black Hole for a reason. Their fans dress for the occasion.?
Safety Brian Russell, who gave the Browns four tackles in the win at Oakland, grew up in the Los Angeles area when the Raiders played there on and off.
Whatever today?s sideshow brings, he warns the Browns? young players against any California daydreaming.
?If you?re looking into the stands checking out crazy costumes,? he said, ?you?re not gonna play well. If you can focus, which anybody at this level should be able to do, then it?s not a distraction.?
The Browns? combination of veterans and winning at Oakland last year could minimize The Black Hole factor.
?They?re die-hard fans who are behind their home team,? nose tackle Ted Washington said. ?That?s how you want it at any home game.?
Give the 365-pound Washington some face paint and spiked shoulder pads and he?d fit right into Raider nation.
In fact, he started for Oakland against the Browns last year.
But he?s with Cleveland now, one of the assorted reasons The Black Hole had an empty September.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].

BROWNS AT RAIDERS
Today, 4:15 p.m. McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, Calif. TV Channel 19

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Browns, Raiders seek consistency
Teams keep changing coaches, lineups in search of victories

Sunday, October 01, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio ? When it comes to history, few teams have more tradition and pageantry than the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.
The Browns, led by Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, have football championships that date as far back as the 1950s. The Silver and Black also have numerous Hall of Famers, many of which led the run during the "Decade of Excellence" when the team made seven playoff appearances and won three Super Bowls between 1976 and 1985.
But that feels like ancient history. These teams are searching for their first victory and trying to avoid the label as the NFL?s worst team.
So what happened to these once-proud franchises?
Just as recently as 2002, Oakland advanced to Super Bowl XXXVII and lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Browns were a wild-card team the same year and showed promise in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Since, the Raiders are 13-37 and the Browns 15-36. Both have followed a similar path of destruction that has included coaching changes, rotating quarterbacks, awful draft picks and embarrassing performances.
"It hurts. It hurt when I wasn?t here and it hurts now," says Art Shell, a longtime Raider as a coach and player. "I don?t like to lose. I?m not accustomed to losing. We are headed in the right direction. I really believe that. ? We are going to get it turned. We just haven?t had the wins to show that."
In four years, the Browns have had two coaches (Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel) and one interim coach (Terry Robiskie), three general managers (Carmen Policy, Davis, Phil Savage) and at least five quarterbacks (Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Jeff Garcia, Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye) the team considered as the solution.
So far, no one has been close. Frye is getting his turn this year and may have the most longterm potential out of that group.
Similarly, Oakland is on its third coach in four years (Shell, Bill Callahan, Norv Turner) and fourth quarterback (Rich Gannon, Kerry Collins, Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter) in the same span.
The team briefly re-signed 38-year-old quarterback Jeff George during the preseason but cut its losses early. Walter, who was taken in the same draft as Frye, will get to prove his worth today with Brooks out because of a shoulder injury.
Unlike the Browns, the Raiders have had stability at the top because owner Al Davis has always called the shots.
Both teams have shifted players in and out with every regime change, mainly because each coach and/or general manager wants to win or lose with his own players. Every few years it seems these two teams are learning and implementing a new system, killing the continuity among the players.
"When you talk about team chemistry, that has to be built and grow," Crennel said this week. "That?s why with so many changes now in the NFL, guys aren?t able to be together and work together."
Confidence could be an issue with both franchises.
The old Raiders and Browns had an aura about them that they could win every time they stepped on the field. The new Raiders and Browns are taking baby steps: The first goal is to build a competitive team. The second is to win games.
Surprisingly, the Browns are three-point favorites today in one of the toughest road environments in the NFL. Their last effort, a 15-14 loss to the undefeated Baltimore Ravens, certainly had something to do with it. But the Browns haven?t played well in their only road game this season, a 17-point blowout to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Raiders are ranked last (32 nd) in total offense but 10 th in the NFL in total defense. The Browns are 30 th offensively and 28 th in total defense.
Should Cleveland be considered this far ahead of its winless counterpart?
"It is (a slap in the face) in a way, but what are you going to do? " Oakland defensive end Derrick Burgess said of being home underdogs. "We are 0-2 and they are 0-3. At the same time, they played last week and we didn?t. That?s just writing on the wall."
After dropping the first three games, the Browns are looking at this as a 13-game season that starts this afternoon.
The equally struggling Raiders feel the same way, realizing that one of these now-dormant franchises will get back on the winning track today.
"It?s a new season for us," Shell said. "We had the bye and had a good chance to take a look at what we were doing. Now, we start the season again. We have the chance to restart. It?s a great opportunity for us and I think our players are in tune with what we are trying to do."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Frye leads road raid

Quarterback rallies Browns from 21-3 deficit to first victory

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal
Cleveland Browns quarterback Charlie Frye celebrates his third quarter game-winning touchdown pass to Joe Jerevicius against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday in Oakland, Calif. Cleveland won 24-21.
More photos

• Not pretty to watch, just to win
• Cribbs, Northcutt add special touches
• Jurevicius makes presence known
• Brwons next opponent: Carolina Panthers
• NFL roundup: Manning engineers winning drive for Colts

OAKLAND, CALIF. - The Browns got a win Sunday.
Their first of the season.
It wasn't the most beautiful of wins, and maybe nobody should have expected it to be beautiful considering two winless teams were playing.
But they won.
Even though they fell behind 21-3 early, and even though an inexplicable throw by Charlie Frye late gave the Oakland Raiders one more chance to get back in the game.
The Raiders, though, did nothing with their chance and the Browns won 24-21 in McAfee Stadium.
Though it will not be the subject of many poetic words from NFL Films, it's a win which can't be underestimated for its importance.
``I think this win is huge for us,'' Frye said. ``I thought it was a game we were supposed to win. I think it's a game that can spark us.''
Some of the Browns' success had to do with the opponent. The Raiders did not look like a very good team.
But the Browns welcomed back injured players, got contributions from each and, for one day, calmed some concerns about the rest of the season.
The day definitely started dismally, though.
A Reuben Droughns fumble was returned for a touchdown and two long Raiders' runs -- they installed a new wrinkle called the ``sweep'' during the off week -- led to two more scores.
Late in the second quarter, the Browns trailed 21-3.
But they scored 21 points in a row -- and were about to score more in the fourth quarter when Frye threw across his body and across the field while on the run and the pass was intercepted in the end zone.
But the Raiders' ineffective offense -- Andrew Walter, taken in the same round as Frye, was 9-of-23 for 68 yards -- did nothing.
Set aside the ugly interception and two long runs -- yes, set aside the flood and Johnstown was a beautiful place -- and the Browns had a decent day.
At points, the Browns looked more like a real team than they have at any time this season.
Reuben Droughns ran for 100 yards on 25 carries after missing the Baltimore Ravens game with a shoulder injury.
Frye completed 22-of-32 for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius made, as they say, plays. Jurevicius had three big receptions in his first action since hurting his ribs in the opener. Two converted third downs, and the third was the game-winning touchdown.
That catch on a fade came with 1:40 left in the third quarter.
``Charlie gave me an opportunity to make the catch,'' Jurevicius said. ``He put it away from the defense where I could use my long arms to go get it. Charlie should get some credit there.''
One other player who missed the game a week ago came up with a big play, as Orpheus Roye stopped LaMont Jordan on fourth-and-one on the Raiders' last real chance.
Roye blew by Langston Walker to stop Jordan for a loss of two at the Browns' 30-yard line.
``It was just one of those attitude plays,'' Roye said.
In the first half, the Browns gave up two long runs -- Justin Fargas' 48-yard run around right end set up a touchdown; Jordan's 59-yarder scored a touchdown. But in the second half the Raiders managed just 59 yards in offense.
``It was just miscues,'' Roye said of the first-half runs. ``We were out of gaps. We knew we were out of position.''
The Browns played most of the game without Leigh Bodden, who sprained his ankle in the first quarter.
That meant their top three corners -- Bodden, Gary Baxter (inactive) and Daylon McCutcheon (injured reserve) -- were not playing.
Daven Holly covered Randy Moss and Ralph Brown stepped in, and Walter could not take advantage.
``Say what you want, they took shots to Randy Moss down the field and didn't hit one,'' safety Brian Russell said.
The return game was vital.
Behind 21-3, the Browns got a 53-yard kickoff return from Joshua Cribbs to set up their first touchdown -- a 3-yard Frye pass to Darnell Dinkins (another player coming back from injury).
The Browns then took the second-half kickoff and drove to the Raiders' 31, where Romeo Crennel went for it on fourth-and-8.
Frye hit Winslow for 22 yards (his first catch of the day) and two plays later found Winslow for a 2-yard touchdown.
``That might have been one of the biggest plays of the game,'' Frye said of the fourth-down throw. ``It took coach a lot of guts to call that play.''
Dennis Northcutt then returned a punt 58 yards to set up the Browns' go-ahead touchdown to Jurevicius.
Browns' touchdown drives went 43, 69 and 17 yards.
``It beats starting from the 20,'' Frye said.
At 1-3, the Browns aren't going to start campaigning for the playoffs. But after a poor start to the season, they seem to have steadied the ship a bit.
Their players are getting healthier. Frye looks comfortable, the defense tightened up and the Browns made the long flight back with their first win -- albeit over a winless team.
Said Winslow: ``We'll be OK.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Not pretty to watch, just to win

By Terry Pluto

OAKLAND, CALIF. - There were so many moments when the Browns did something, and you found yourself screaming: NO, NOT THAT!
But they won.
Keep telling yourself that today as you are tempted to complain about their 24-21 victory against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday at McAfee Coliseum.
They won.
In the end, that is what matters when a team goes on the road at 0-3.
You can say the Raiders are terrible, which is true.
You can say Browns quarterback Charlie Frye can't keep throwing interceptions in the end zone in crucial moments -- which is really true.
You can say the Browns had trouble against the run -- which is basically true, at least in the first half.
But they won.
You also can say that when the game hung heavy on the shoulders of the defense -- a fourth-and-one situation with 11:25 left -- Orpheus Roye roared past the Raiders' offensive line to tackle LaMont Jordan for a loss. The ball was on the Browns' 30-yard line; the Browns were leading 24-21.
If Jordan gets the first down -- who knows what happens?
But he didn't.
And the Browns won.
You can say that when the Browns needed to run out the clock in the final two minutes, they did just that. Along with giving running back Reuben Droughns the ball, they threw some nice screen passes to rookie running back Jerome Harrison and Droughns.
You actually should say a few good things about offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon's play-calling. It always will be a bit quirky, like not throwing a pass in the direction of tight end Kellen Winslow in the first half. But overall, it was better and more coherent than what we've been seeing.
You can say that when the Browns went for it on fourth down, they got it. Once Winslow caught an 22-yard pass, another time Frye picked up two yards on a quarterback sneak. They played aggressive and played to win.
You can say they finally got a 100-yard rushing game from Droughns as they gave him the ball 25 times. You can say Frye at least could remember his own name when this was over, being sacked only twice and hit four other times. In the 15-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week, he was sacked or hit after the throw 19 times!
You can say when they needed the special teams to deliver some big returns, Joshua Cribbs and Dennis Northcutt did just that.
Best of all, you can say that in the past two weeks, they have looked organized and more like a football team. That means so much when a team is coming from a culture of failure, when it has a second-year coach and a quarterback making his ninth pro start.
Here's why this victory means so much: The Browns were down 21-3 with 4:21 left in the second quarter, and they won the game.
Rookie Kamerion Wimbley had two sacks and spent a lot of time in the Raiders' backfield. The Browns lost cornerback Leigh Bodden late in the first half to an ankle injury, but Raiders star receiver Randy Moss caught only one pass.
The Raiders had no real passing attack. Some of that was due to quarterback Andrew Walter making his first pro start. He seemed confused and was only 9-of-23 passing for 68 yards. Some of it also was the Browns' defense, which figured out that the Raiders couldn't throw the ball -- and held them to 38 yards rushing in the second half.
The Browns aren't kidding themselves. They know this game was uneven. They know they could have lost. They know Frye made a horrible pass that was picked off in the end zone with 4:09 left and a three-point lead.
Frye had plenty of time to either heave the ball away or run out of bounds -- setting up an easy field-goal attempt.
But Frye also threw three touchdown passes, including a beautiful one to veteran wide receiver Joe Jurevicius in the corner of the end zone that turned out to be the game-winner.
``You have to start somewhere,'' Jurevicius said.
Winning this game did just that.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns notebook

Cribbs, Northcutt add special touches

Tackles by kickers leave them a little embarrassed

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

OAKLAND, CALIF. - How big were special teams to the Browns win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday?
The return game accounted for 217 yards. That's a huge total, and 201 of those yards came from two players -- Dennis Northcutt and Joshua Cribbs.
``Some games we're going to be quiet,'' Northcutt said. ``Some games we'll make plays to help the team out. This was one of those days we had to help the team.''
The Browns squandered Cribbs' first big return, a 65-yarder that came after the Raiders' second touchdown.
But his second gave the Browns life after the Raiders had taken a 21-3 lead. Cribbs brought it back 53 yards, setting up the Browns' first touchdown.
``Field position is everything in this game,'' Cribbs said. ``Especially a game like that.''
Northcutt's third-quarter punt return gave the Browns the ball at the 17. Three completions later, they had a 24-21 lead.
Northcutt's return came after he had taken a serious shot from the Raiders' Jarrod Cooper on the previous punt. Cooper hit Northcutt high and hard before Northcutt had a chance to catch the ball, but he was unfazed.
``Please,'' Northcutt said. ``I've been in this game too long. It's part of the game.''
The only blemish on the return games? Kickers prevented touchdowns.
Cribbs was tackled by kicker Sebastian Janikowski (``He did a little karate thing there that kickers do,'' Cribbs said). Northcutt was brought down by punter Shane Lechler.
``Who else can I blame but myself?'' Northcutt said.
``I should be fined,'' Cribbs said. ``Me and Dennis might fine ourselves.''
Frye pass
Coach Romeo Crennel said quarterback Charlie Frye didn't have to be told he made a mistake when he threw across the field into the end zone in the fourth quarter, a pass that was intercepted.
Frye's throw was a poor decision and came with the Browns at the Raiders' 6-yard line, ahead by three points with 4:55 left.
He was rushed and chased to the right. Instead of throwing the ball out of bounds or away, he tried to go across the field to tight end Kellen Winslow. Nnamdi Asomugha intercepted the throw. ``I have to know better than that,'' Frye said.
Against the Baltimore Ravens, Frye threw a similar pass high in the air that Winslow went up to get.
``Sometimes I think I trust him maybe just a little too much,'' Frye said. Winslow did not go up to get this pass.
``The guy was holding me,'' Winslow said. ``I thought it should have been (pass interference). I couldn't get up to get it.''
One more down
When Leigh Bodden left the field with a sprained right ankle, the Browns were without their top three cornerbacks -- Bodden, Daylon McCutcheon and Gary Baxter.
That meant Daven Holly and Ralph Brown were at the corner spots, with Holly taking Bodden's role covering Randy Moss. ``He's a good receiver,'' Holly said.
Maybe he is when he wants to be. This day, Moss caught one pass for five yards as Raiders quarterback Andrew Walter could never get him the ball.
``He gets some good releases and he did some good things,'' Holly said. ``But I could stay with him.''
Big call
The biggest offensive play of the game for the Browns might have been the fourth-down completion to Winslow in the third quarter. That pass set up a touchdown and helped the Browns maintain momentum.
Frye said the play -- which started at the Raiders 31 -- was designed to go to Winslow or wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Winslow caught the pass, broke a couple of tackles and was tackled at the 9.
Brownies . . .
Reuben Droughns said his first-half fumble happened because he thought he was down. ``I put the ball down thinking I was down,'' he said. ``I got to be smarter than that.''... Edwards and Winslow combined for nine catches for 106 yards, and for the second week in a row there were no dropped passes.... The Raiders had four second-half possessions, and three were three-and-out.... The defense had four sacks, two from rookie first-round pick Kamerion Wimbley.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

View from Pluto

Jurevicius makes presence known

By Terry Pluto

OAKLAND, CALIF. - Scribbles in my notebook as the Browns won 24-21 against the Oakland Raiders...
Finally healthy, Joe Jurevicius showed Browns fans why General Manager Phil Savage worked so hard to sign the veteran receiver. He caught three passes. There was a great grab in the corner of the end zone for the winning touchdown. There was a 5-yarder to the Raiders 5-yard line for a first down. The other was for 12 yards. He's not as flashy as Kellen Winslow or Braylon Edwards, but he can catch the ball in the clutch.
? Last year, 37 of Jurevicius' 55 catches were for first downs and/or touchdowns. He had 10 touchdowns. He has a knack of running the right pattern and getting needed yardage. At 6-foot-5, 232 pounds, he's a big target with reliable hands -- exactly what quarterback Charlie Frye needs.
? In the first three games, Dennis Northcutt was playing for Jurevicius, and you could see the difference. Northcutt is not as big (5-foot-11, 175 pounds) or strong as Jurevicius. He can be knocked off his patterns by defensive backs. Jurevicius gives the Browns the type of veteran possession receiver they have needed for years.
? When the Browns have Jurevicius, Winslow and Edwards in the game, there are three receivers who demand defensive attention. That means someone should be open. Edwards had no real drops, caught six passes and continues to make progress. It's easy to forget the Browns didn't think they'd have him back by now from the last season's knee injury, yet he has started every game.
? The Browns have been in the red zone 13 times this season, and have eight touchdowns. That's a huge improvement from a year ago when the Browns were the worst team in the NFL in scoring touchdowns in the red zone.
? There is no rational explanation for failing to throw a pass in Winslow's direction in the first half. Let's face it. He's a receiver/tight end in that order. Blocking is not his strength, but he can catch just about any pass -- whether at his shoetops or a couple feet over his head. They went to Winslow in the third quarter, and he delivered a touchdown catch.
? How could coach Romeo Crennel not challenge the fumble by running back Reuben Droughns that resulted in a 30-yard touchdown run for linebacker Sam Williams? Crennel challenged the penalty on the play -- the Browns' Kevin Shaffer was flagged for illegal formation. But you can't challenge a penalty like that. You can challenge a fumble. No matter how Crennel tries to explain it, someone messed up. Even if Droughns was not down before he fumbled, you challenge because it was close -- and a chance to perhaps take a touchdown off the scoreboard.
? Three years ago, Robert Gallery was the second overall pick in the draft by the Raiders. He was considered a can't-miss left tackle from Iowa. In his first two years, Gallery struggled at the demanding left tackle spot -- and was moved to right tackle. This season, he's back at left tackle. With very few exceptions, it takes even the best offensive linemen in college some time to adjust to the NFL.
? The Browns' first touchdown came on my favorite play near the goal line -- a pass to the tight end, who is almost always open. In this case, it went to Darnell Dinkins, a backup tight end signed as a free agent. He made a nice leaping catch in the end zone. They did it again later, and this time Winslow was open.
? Kamerion Wimbley continues to bring heat on the quarterback. The rookie linebacker had two sacks, two quarterback hits and also had the Raiders' offensive line very worried. He's still learning the outside linebacker position after being a defensive end in college. He's just going to get better.
? While Leigh Bodden was saying his sprained ankle should be OK for him to play next week, I was staring at the walking boot on his left foot. Yes, I know that it's just a precaution -- but doesn't it seem like most Browns injuries end up being worse than first anticipated?
? Former Ohio State Buckeye Simon Fraser has earned some time on the defensive line, and he had another sack -- his second in two games.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns rally, then hold on
Monday, October 2, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]

Receiver Joe Jurevicius? first touchdown as a Brown couldn?t have come at a better time. His 5-yard pass from Charlie Frye in the third quarter capped 21 unanswered points by the Browns, who rallied for the 24-21 win after trailing 21-3.​

OAKLAND, CALIF. - Here in The Black Hole, the Browns tested the depths of the bottomless pit.
Staring at the prospect of an 0-4 record, they trailed the hapless Raiders by 18 points in the second quarter.
?We could either sack it in and say, ?We?re 0-3, and here we go again,? ? safety Brian Russell said. ?Instead, we said, ?You know what, we?re a better team than the one we?re playing. It?s time to turn it around.? ?
Before they rallied to a 24-21 win, the Browns had to survive a bad blast of deja vu. Leading by 3 with four minutes left, quarterback Charlie Frye went for the kill.
Instead, he gave the Raiders life by forcing up a pass that became an easy interception in the end zone.
To some, it was a maddening reminder of the previous Sunday?s late interception that turned a Cleveland lead into a Baltimore win. Right tackle Ryan Tucker said he wanted to strangle Frye during the retreat back to the bench.
?The defense told us running off the field not to worry about it,? Tucker said. ?It occurred to me then that we?re really becoming a team ... offense pulling for defense, defense pulling for offense, both of us pulling for special teams.
?When you have that, it?s hard to get you down.?
Frye called the interception ?a bonehead play,? but he showed plenty of backbone in throwing for three touchdown passes within 16 minutes over the second and third quarters. Two long kickoff returns by Joshua Cribbs and a 58-yard punt return by Dennis Northcutt set up the three scores.
?This win is huge,? said Frye, whose first win as an NFL starter came on the same field last December. ?I thought it was a game we?re supposed to win. I thought we were a better team than Oakland.
?I think it?s a game that can spark us.?
RAIDERS UP EARLY
The Browns got a spark from Reuben Droughns, who fought through a shoulder injury for what he called ?a good, tough 100 yards (on 25 carries).?
But Droughns also gave the Raiders a spark.
He shut up the crowd with a 7-yard run on the Browns? first play, and then plugged it back in at high voltage moments later.
Droughns smashed into a pile on an inside handoff and lost the ball while going down. Replay angles made it seem Droughns was either almost down or was down by virtue of having firmly placed the ball on the ground before losing it.
Linebacker Sam Williams scooped up the ball and ran 31 yards for a touchdown for a quick 7-0 lead. Crennel opted against a replay challenge.
When Oakland took a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter, it was official ? the Browns had sunk into their third putrid first half in four games.
Speedy Justin Fargas got outside for a 44-yard gain when Willie McGinest and Sean Jones couldn?t get off blocks. The touchdown came when 6-foot-4 Randy Moss caught a 6-yard pass lobbed over 5-foot-10 Daven Holly?s head.
Cribbs lit a fire with a 65-yard kick return. That was doused a bit when they had to settle for a field goal and a 14-3 deficit.
Soon it was 21-3. LaMont Jordan broke an Alvin McKinley arm tackle at the line and cut left. Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley and safety Brian Russell both got spun around by blocks, making a cutback alley of which Jordan took full advantage on a 59-yard touchdown run.
Browns defensive end Orpheus Roye, who made a key fourth-down stop late in the game, said he looked at the big hole philosophically.
?They didn?t really move the ball to score,? Roye said. ?They got big plays, one on defense and two big plays on offense. We felt we gave them that. They didn?t earn it.?
RETURNS SPARK RALLY
Cribbs struck again, missing a touchdown only because kicker Sebastian Janikowski made a diving shoestring tackle. Cribbs? 53-yard return set up a 4-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Dinkins, who dunked over the crossbar into a sea of black shirts with 58 seconds left in the first half. It was 21-10 at the half.
?We stuck with the game plan,? Frye said. ?Nobody was over there fighting or complaining. We just stuck together.
?At halftime, guys seemed motivated. Then we went out and played out butts off in the second half.?
The Browns drove to start the third quarter and went for it on fourth-and-8 from the Oakland 31. Frye fired a strike over the middle to Kellen Winslow for 22 yards.
?That might have been one of the biggest plays in the game,? Frye said. ?They?d just sacked me on third down. I told our guys, ?This right here ... if we get this first down we keep the drive alive.?
?Coach had a lot of guts to call that play. We made it work. I came off my fake and turned around threw it high to Kellen.?
Frye came back to Winslow for a 2-yard touchdown pass that made it 21-17 with eight minutes left in the third quarter.
Later in the quarter, Northcutt disdained a fair catch, barely had enough daylight to escape getting blasted, and ripped off a 58-yard return. Northcutt got smeared on his previous chance, disdaining a fair catch and getting hit before he could touch the ball.
?Fair catch? Not there,? Northcutt said. ?I?d just gotten smashed in the mouth .... another chance .... time to rock and roll.?
His return set up a 5-yard touchdown lob to Joe Jurevicius in the corner of the end zone.
DEFENSE HOLDS ON
In a stunner, the Browns had gone from down 21-3 late in the second quarter to up 24-21 at the end of the third.
The Browns survived Frye?s late interception by quickly responding with a big play, a sack by blitzing linebacker Andra Davis. The Browns held young quarterback Andrew Walter to 68 passing yards in his first NFL start.
Raiders Head Coach Art Shell got booed when he opted to punt from his own 25 with 3:13 left.
?I thought about it hard,? Shell said. ?If you go for it there and don?t get it, they are right there in scoring territory.?
Shell?s decision basically got blown up when Droughns made a 15-yard catch and run on first down. The Browns ran out the clock.
?It hurts to lose like we did,? Raiders co-captain Jarrod Cooper said.
But finally, the Browns were feeling no pain. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns bumble ... and still find way into win column
Monday, October 2, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER[/FONT]

Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. pulls in a touchdown reception from quarterback Charlie Frye during the third quarter of Sunday?s game at Oakland. Winslow finished with three receptions for 31 yards in Cleveland?s 24-21 win over the Raiders.​

OAKLAND, CALIF. - It doesn?t have to be this tough. The Oakland ? stinking ? Raiders?!? Have you watched this group of misfits and castoffs at all this year? It?s hard to tell who looks more lost: Head Coach Art Shell or his players.
At halftime Sunday on a cloudy, gloomy bay-area day, McAfee Coliseum was abuzz. Fans practically choked down hot dogs laughing at their team?s first sure win this season.
They had an 11-point halftime lead. They had it together. The Browns did not.
Something happened in Cleveland?s locker room. Perhaps Offensive Coordinator Mo Carthon lost a game of rock, paper, scissors to give up control of the playbook.
After halftime, Carthon and the rest of the staff remembered this tight end dude with bulging biceps and soft hands. The Browns threw the football to Kellen Winslow Jr.
They also threw to Joe Jurevicius. And Reuben Droughns ran hard.
See, like the good offenses in the NFL, the passing game opened up the running game.
?That?s just the way it goes,? Winslow said, making sure his postgame comments were subdued. ?It?s the NFL. Everybody is good. Our game plan was to run the football.?
In the first half, the Browns threw the football 11 times. They threw it 21 times in the second half.
The game changed on the first drive of the second half. Quarterback Charlie Frye converted two straight third-down passes. Coincidentally, both went to Edwards, who sat his 6-foot-3, 212-pound body in the middle of zone coverage.
Then Frye threw to Winslow, who can?t be guarded, on fourth-and-8.
?It opens up the offense ridiculously,? Edwards said. ?You have myself, Kellen Winslow and then bring in Joe, who had a huge third-down catch, and then scored a touchdown. There are so many things we can do. Then Reuben is running the ball for 8 yards a pop. There are so many things we can do when we relax and play our game.?
The first-half Browns, and the second-half Browns. The first-half Browns were bad, again. They were ugly. They were out of sync. They pressed. It looked like two different offenses.
?That?s what it looked like to me, also,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. ?What the exact reason (was), I?m not sure. Sometimes it?s a concentration issue. ... At halftime, we talked about what we were able to do, what we felt like we could do, and then concentrated on those things.?
Sooner or later, the Browns will realize they have drafted playmakers to throw the football.
Can you blame Carthon for being a bit confused?
You figure out this team.
They snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Who among us didn?t think this game was going to turn out the same as last week? Admit it. When Frye rolled right, and threw across the field to his left and was picked off ? that?s two straight games where he threw an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter ? this had the makings of being a making.
Cleveland was about to make another quarterback.
Andrew Walter, who remains Walter Mitty for now, declined the charity.
There aren?t many teams in the NFL as bad as the Browns. Fortunately for Carthon, the Raiders are one of them.
If Winslow and Carthon are on the same page, it didn?t happen until after halftime. After a Phil Dawson field goal in the first half, Winslow and Frye sat together on the bench. They talked. They motioned with their hands.
Carthon walked over.
Winslow got up.
On the biggest play of the game, though, the Browns went to Winslow on fourth down. He gained 22 yards to the Oakland 9.
?It was a gutsy call,? Winslow said. ?Our OC (offensive coordinator) has confidence in his playmakers. ... Just when my number was called, I made the plays. We want to run the ball early, and we did that.?
Some times Cleveland did it without Winslow on the field. The possession that led to Dawson? field goal, Winslow wasn?t on the field for four straight plays. On third-and-3, Winslow watched Frye through a dump-off pass to fullback Terrelle Smith for a yard. No wonder he walked away from Carthon on the sideline.
?It was hard being patient,? Winslow said. ?We were down 21-3. People were getting frustrated, but we knew we were coming back.?
Why not?
They looked across the field and realized it was the Raiders.
The Team of Decay. Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]