Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Rookie Wimbley turns up heat
Linebacker from Florida State tops Browns in sacks

Friday, October 06, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

PAUL SAKUMA ASSOCIATED PRESS Browns linebacker Kamerion Wimbley (95) applies pressure on Raiders quarterback Andrew Walter during the first quarter Sunday.

BEREA, Ohio ? Browns coach Romeo Crennel doesn?t like to start rookies. They make too many mistakes, he has often said.
But Kamerion Wimbley, a rookie linebacker from Florida State, has become a staple in Cleveland?s defense just a month into the season.
Wimbley leads the Browns with three sacks in four games. He had two sacks last week in the win over Oakland. Wimbley is on pace for 12 sacks, which would be the Browns? secondhighest total since Jamir Miller?s 13 in 2001.
Wimbley got his first start in the second game after veteran Willie McGinest suffered a calf injury. Wimbley played well, with three tackles and a sack, so when McGinest returned, the coaches decided to bench veteran Matt Stewart and keep Wimbley in the lineup.
Wimbley?s ability to rush the passer, aided by great balance and a quick first step, has helped the Browns improve one of their biggest weaknesses. The team was last in the NFL with 23 sacks last season. This year, Cleveland already has 10.
Wimbley?s athleticism convinced the Browns to take him with the 13 th pick in the draft. His work ethic has put him in the good graces of Crennel and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.
"Wimbley was here from the start," Crennel said. "He had more opportunity to get indoctrinated, and then when you put him out there, he starts making plays.
"He?s not screwing up more than he?s making good plays. I think that?s when you develop trust."
Both Wimbley and his agent, Joe Linta, credit not missing any training camp as a major reason for Wimbley?s success. The Browns? previous five firstround draft picks missed at least a part of training camp in contract disputes.
"All of these moron agents are worried about how much did (their player) get versus the slot? All we knew was that we wanted to get Kamerion a fair deal relative to the cap, a nice increase from last year, and to be there on time," Linta said.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Edwards feels confident against Carolina defense
Saturday, October 7, 2006
[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports writer[/FONT]

Browns receiver Braylon Edwards has 22 catches for 324 yards through four games in 2006.​

BEREA - Big cats, some of these Carolina Panthers.
If defensive tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Kris Jenkins ever decide to hop on Interstate 77 out of Charlotte and drive to Cleveland, they?ll be required to get on the scales at truck weigh stations.
?Those two are there to disrupt the running game,? Browns guard Cosey Coleman said.
Consider the Saints? previously perfect season disrupted.
In a loss at Carolina, New Orleans fed No. 2 overall draft pick Reggie Bush 11 carries; he produced 22 yards. Deuce McAllister also got 11 chances; he rushed 39 yards, with a long gain of 6.
How wise is it for the Browns, with the NFL?s 28th-ranked rushing offense, to try to live by the handoff at Carolina?
Listening to Braylon Edwards after practice Friday, it seemed stupid to assume that?s what they?ll try.
?We?re gonna come out and execute and do the things that we know we can do,? Edwards said. ?I mean, when we play on all cylinders, like the practice that we had yesterday, nobody in this league can see what we do.
?Nobody can beat us if we play our game. I mean, that?s our plan. That?s our thinking.?
If that sounds brazen given the Browns? 1-3 record, the ?1? is fresh from California, and before the Browns sank Oakland, they came close to beating a Baltimore team whose defense is off to a better start than Carolina?s.
Plus, the bold words come from Edwards, who keeps getting open deep and has been a short and intermediate threat, too.
Last year?s No. 33 overall draft pick has that ?showtime? gleam in his eyes this week.
For starters, he?ll be on the same field Sunday as Steve Smith, who led the NFL with 1,563 receiving yards in 2005.
Energized by that?
?Definitely,? Edwards said. ?Whenever I play, I always intend on being the best receiver on the field that day.
?I don?t care who I?m playing, who I?m going up against. That?s my M.O.?
You have to remind yourself Edwards is coming off major knee surgery in January. He ranks fifth in the NFL with 324 receiving yards and third in yards per catch, 19.1.
The clearest sign yet he?s not bogged down in a post-rehab muck: He did his regular practice regimen with the No. 1 offense, then worked overtime as the scout team?s Smith.
Who better to show the defense a big-talent look?
?I love practice,? Edwards said. ?That?s where you get better. (Imitating Smith) meant getting more reps ... running routes full speed, trying to shake guys, jump over guys, doing the things I know he?s gonna do Sunday.
?It was a lot of fun. I think it helped our guys a lot.?
Smith isn?t the only added attraction for Edwards. He?ll revive a Michigan-Ohio State rivalry in facing Carolina cornerback Chris Gamble, whom Edwards had memorable duels with in 2002 and 2003 before Gamble became a Round 1 pick of the Panthers in 2004.
Edwards had 10 catches for 107 yards in their 2002 meeting, but Ohio State won, 14-9. A year later, Edwards made seven catches for 130 yards and two TDs in a 35-21 Michigan win.
?I know Chris Gamble like the back of my hand,? Edwards said. ?(Ohio State) matched him up on me both years. I know him probably better than anybody in this league.?
Quarterback Charlie Frye is enjoying getting to know Edwards.
After Friday?s practice, Frye was amused by the look of the 6-foot-3 Edwards impersonating the 5-foot-9 Smith in practice.
But this was serious business, too.
?Steve has really caught fire the last couple years,? Frye said. ?I think No. 17 has a chance to be just as good as Steve, or better than him, in the future.?
Reach Repository sports writer
Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns offense finding its zone

Frye, talented receivers main reasons for increase in scoring near end zone

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - In the NFL, four games make for one-fourth of a season, which means statistics can safely be considered trends.
And the Browns' trend offensively in the ``red zone'' (inside the opposing team's 20-yard line) is definitely up.
The Browns are tied for ninth in the league in red-zone efficiency (scoring when inside the 20).
More important, their eight touchdowns when inside the red zone are tied for third in the league.
The significance? Last season the Browns were the worst scoring team in the league, and the least efficient team when they had scoring chances. Any score was almost cause for champagne.
The Browns' 28.2 percent red zone rate was the league's worst. They were one of only two teams below 30 percent and one of six below 40 percent.
This season, they've scored eight touchdowns and kicked two field goals inside the red zone.
The reason for the improvement? ``Number 80, number 17 and number 84,'' quarterback Charlie Frye said.
He was referring to Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius, none of whom was on the field for the Browns at the end of last season.
Winslow and Edwards were sidelined by knee injuries, and Jurevicius was playing with the Seattle Seahawks. All stand at least 6-foot-3.
``In the red zone, you like big targets,'' Frye said. ``It's all about body position; it's not about speed. It's about bodying the little DB up, like Joe did last week and Kellen.
``I just threw it up to them.''
Jurevicius caught a fade that was thrown to the pylon; Winslow, a high pass in the back of the end zone. A week earlier against the Baltimore Ravens, Frye planned to make the same kind of throw to Edwards -- and he didn't care that Chris McAlister was in front of Edwards.
``Didn't matter,'' Frye said. ``Braylon is 6-3 with a huge vertical (leap).''
These are the kinds of weapons the Browns hoped would join with running back Reuben Droughns to help the offense. Early returns are favorable -- despite the 1-3 record.
Edwards ranks third in the league in yards per catch (19.1) among players with more than 15 receptions, and Winslow leads NFL tight ends with 22 catches. Jurevicius has been invaluable in the brief time that he has played. He has caught four passes; one converted a fourth down, two converted third downs and one was for a touchdown.
``He's smart and experienced,'' Frye said. ``That's the trust I have in him. He's going to be exactly where he's supposed to be when we draw it up on Wednesday.''
Frye deserves some credit as well. He has accounted for eight touchdowns (five passing, three running), which ties him for the most among AFC quarterbacks.
``He's getting better,'' Droughns said. ``I'm sure you guys can tell. He's making smarter plays -- obviously besides that one bonehead play he made. He knows how to control the offense now.''
That ``bonehead play'' happened in Oakland, when Frye threw the ball up late in the game. It's easy to say, but had the Browns gotten a field goal on that possession against the Raiders and the last one against the Ravens, their percentage would be 92.3, the league's best. (And if there hadn't been a fire after the earthquake, San Francisco wouldn't have burned.)
Improving the ability to score was the Browns' offseason emphasis, both from the front office and the coaching staff. Jurevicius was acquired in part because he scored 10 touchdowns with the Seahawks as a part-time player. Frye was given the quarterback job in part because his mobility made him dangerous.
The coaching staff then emphasized red-zone scoring in the offseason. The major part of the team's June minicamp was on being more productive when scoring chances were presented.
``We probably emphasized red zone more than anything,'' Frye said. ``It's been a big improvement so far, and hopefully we can get better at it.''
Not so old friend
Edwards will renew acquaintances with Chris Gamble on Sunday. He said he faced Gamble twice while the two were at Michigan and Ohio State.
``I probably know him better than any guy in this league,'' Edwards said.
Will the Carolina Panthers match Gamble up on him?
``I don't know,'' Edwards said. ``I don't care.''
Edwards said the other corner, Ken Lucas, is ``a guy.''
Edwards has backed up his words to stop dropping passes after the first two games. The past two games he has 11 catches for 191 yards -- and no drops.
Brownies . . . .
Cornerback Leigh Bodden was out of the walking boot that he has worn to protect his sprained ankle. Bodden said he'd like to try to play but still is listed as questionable.... Same with Gary Baxter. Bodden and Baxter were on one knee and watching during the early part of practice open to the media.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Another lump, Mr. Frye?

Panthers' defense doesn't sugarcoat: Its sacks come by the pounds

Friday, October 06, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

Charlie Frye on Wednesday had the face of a young man who'd just seen a horror flick.
Which is exactly what the Carolina Panthers' mauling of Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms was.
That was the game, two weeks ago, in which Carolina defenders hit Simms hard and often. Simms played through injuries to his ribs and dehydration, not knowing one or more of the hits had ruptured his spleen.
"Chris Simms took a lot of hits, but they've been doing that to every team, really," Frye said. "Especially that D-line."
Frye was asked if he could tell from the video which hit might have done the most damage to Simms.
"I saw a couple of them. They were pretty bad. But he kept playing. Julius Peppers had a couple good shots in there and one of the linebackers [Adam Seward] did, too," Frye said.
And yet, media reports of the game attributed the worst of the hits to tackle Kris Jenkins and end Al Wallace. The Bucs coaches believe that Wallace's hit after a bootleg pass in the fourth quarter was the one that damaged Simms' spleen.
On the play, Wallace drove Simms nearly 7 yards backward before landing on him with the full force of his 275-pound body. Wallace was not penalized, but later was fined $7,500 by the NFL office for unnecessary roughness.
"When you play that position, you are going to have days like that," Carolina coach John Fox said on a conference call this week.
Frye had a day like that. The same day, in fact, in Cleveland against Baltimore.
Frye was sacked seven times by the Ravens and hit on 19 other occasions. The official Carolina-Tampa Bay gamebook understated Simms' bludgeoning. It noted Simms was sacked once and hit only four times.
"Simms got hit quite a bit and Charlie got hit quite a bit, and they both got up," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "Hopefully, we can keep Charlie on his feet a little bit more. I think [the beating] was similar."
Frye had a more pleasurable experience the following Sunday in Oakland, Calif.
The Raiders sacked Frye three times and hit him only four times, according to the gamebook. The return of Reuben Droughns, who had 100 yards rushing, helped. So was an additional week of coalescing by the offensive line.
"You are in a vulnerable spot," Fox said of the inherent dangers of the position. "As a quarterback, you aren't looking at the rush. You are looking downfield, which makes you vulnerable. That's why the league has done so much to try to protect that position.
"By no means, are you ever, as a coach or player, intentionally trying to hurt an opponent. I didn't see anything illegal about it, but it's the unfortunate part about our business."
Simms had surgery to remove his spleen after the game. Now he is talking of returning to the field, possibly as soon as December.
Jereme Perry heard that and shook his head. Perry is a defensive back whom the Browns promoted from their practice squad this week. Five years ago, Perry suffered a ruptured spleen at practice at Eastern Michigan. He was a running back at the time and was injured when he cut-blocked a defensive lineman, who then fell on his side.
"I missed the whole season and the following season," Perry said. "My spleen wasn't removed. They thought it would heal and when it didn't, I had surgery and the surgery didn't go well. I lost four to five pints of blood. I was in ICU [intensive care unit]. I was close to dying because of the lost blood."
Perry said he can understand how Simms could finish a game with a ruptured spleen and why he would want to return to playing.
"It's like you're sick, but you try to go on and on to show your toughness," Perry said. "Everybody in my family wanted me to stop playing. Even the doctor told me there was a possibility I'd never play football again. But being out for two years, you realize how much you miss it."
Frye said after the Baltimore game that he has no concerns about not being able to get up after a hit.
"This is how guys earn their living," Fox said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

TALKIN' BROWNS
Comeback makes win better
? General Manager Phil Savage was relieved not only that the Browns finally won a game, but also that they came back from trailing 21-3 on the road with Charlie Frye to do it. Frye ended last season by leading the Browns back from a 13-0 deficit in the second quarter to beat the Baltimore Ravens 20-16. But this game was even more impressive, because the season is young, and Frye was not facing a team thinking about trying to get through the final game without getting hurt.
? By how he has handled some tough Sunday afternoons being sacked without complaint, Frye has earned the respect of the veterans. Young players such as Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow appreciate him, because Frye is willing to scramble and gamble to make a play. Even with the last pass picked off in the end zone at Oakland, the young guys liked how Frye will throw the ball up high and let the receivers jump for it.
? After the game, Frye spotted Savage in the dressing room and immediately said, ``Mr. Savage, that (the final interception) will never happen again!'' The Browns love how Frye doesn't make excuses for his failures.
? Winslow is again getting used to the physical pounding a player takes after being away from the game for two years. His body is very sore after games, especially his surgically repaired knee. He usually sits out a practice or two each week. The only negative to this is he'll miss out when the Browns add some new wrinkles to the offense, and that's one of the reasons he's sometimes on the bench.
? Another factor with Winslow is his blocking. It's below average. His inexperience has meant that he has missed a couple of blitzes that have led to sacks of Frye. That's all the more reason the Browns should use him as a receiver in the slot on many plays. Catching the ball is what he does best.
? And why not just throw a pass to Winslow early in the game? It seems the offense barely looks at him in the first half.
? Now that Orpheus Roye is back and healthy, don't be surprised if Simon Fraser begins taking some time from Alvin McKinley at defensive end. Fraser continues to surprise and impress the coaches with his relentless hustle and knack of making some big plays in limited duty.
? Not much was said when Joe Jurevicius missed most of the first three games, but you can see why the Browns wanted him. He's a veteran who knows how to make a tough catch in traffic near the sidelines. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, he's a big target for Frye. He also can be a be steady influence on the young receivers. Last year, 37 of his 55 receptions led to first downs; 10 were for touchdowns.
? The Browns love how Kamerion Wimbley not only rushes the passer, but also chases tailbacks across the field and can run them down from behind. He is a player who worries opposing offensive coordinators.
? There's no need to dwell on this week's game being a terrible matchup for the Browns. The Carolina Panthers bring a strong pass rush, combined with the Panthers having a veteran quarterback (Jake Delhomme) who can pick on the Browns' weak cornerbacks. This game will be a good measure of whether the Browns can actually run the ball. The Browns' guards (Cosey Coleman and Joe Andruzzi) have struggled, especially with their run blocking. A year ago, they helped open the holes for Reuben Droughns to gain 1,232 yards. So far, Droughns has been battling a sore shoulder, and he has 159 yards on 50 carries.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Team backed into corner

Why Browns will field young guys, not buy talent for injured cornerbacks

By Patrick McManamon

When training camp began, the Browns figured that they had three starting-quality players at cornerback: Leigh Bodden, Daylon McCutcheon and Gary Baxter.
Today when the Browns face the Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m., none is expected to be on the field.
Their replacements will be young developmental guys, not experienced veterans.
It's a tale of life in the salary cap, when only so much money can be invested at any one position and it's next to impossible to acquire an experienced replacement once the season starts.
The Browns have plenty of money committed to Baxter, McCutcheon and Bodden.
Baxter got a $9 million signing bonus to join the Browns in March 2005, and $2.5 million of that was paid in March of this year. He got a $1.5 million roster bonus in the spring and is getting a $1.5 million salary this year.
Bodden signed a four-year, $10 million contract extension last December. McCutcheon's salary for 2006 is $2 million, with a $200,000 workout bonus.
In exchange, the Browns asked Baxter to bring a physical presence to the position now that he'd recovered from a torn pectoral muscle.
They asked Bodden to be the main cover guy.
They would ask McCutcheon to compete to start and solidify the nickel back spot.
Things unraveled during training camp when McCutcheon needed arthroscopic surgery Aug. 1 to repair a cartilage problem in his knee. He did not recover quickly enough for the team, and he was placed on injured reserve in September.
Baxter was on the field for one play in the preseason. He reached to make a tackle and injured his other pectoral muscle. He tried to come back in the regular season but couldn't tackle and has sat out since the Cincinnati Bengals game.
Bodden was the focal point of the secondary, covering the opposition's best receiver -- until he sprained his ankle against the Oakland Raiders last week.
Now the Browns are using Daven Holly, Ralph Brown and Antonio Perkins. Carolina Panthers receivers Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson probably are well aware.
The Browns worked out Ray Mickens but didn't sign him.
They could have talked to former first-round draft pick Ahmad Carroll, let go by Green Bay Packers earlier in the week, but signed Jereme Perry instead.
They've looked at the guys available on the street. They've decided to ride things out with the guys they have.
Why?
Free agents aren't the answer.
Most of the players on the street are developmental types, and the Browns figure that they might as well see how their developmental types do in the short term with Bodden and Baxter out.
Carroll was a bust with the Packers. He spent Monday night getting beat for big plays. Signing him wouldn't seem to add much.
That leaves a trade, which would be expensive.
Phil Savage is not the kind of general manager who likes to give up a high or medium-high draft pick for a player, which is what an experienced corner would cost at this point of the season.
Finally, Bodden and Baxter will not be out the entire season. Baxter is out today, and Bodden is a long shot to play. Both are expected back shortly after next week's bye -- perhaps Oct. 22 against the visiting Denver Broncos.
So why bring in another player with a fair salary at the price of a draft pick?
The Browns liked Perkins enough to draft him. They considered drafting Holly. Brown was the best that they could find when they needed someone in August.
In Oakland, the team was able to ride out the storm when Bodden was down.
It'll be much tougher today because Jake Delhomme will be at quarterback, not Andrew Walter, and Smith is a lot more interested in playing than Randy Moss.
The Browns will give it their best and hope that what happened last season happens this season.
Last year, Bodden had to step in for Baxter, and the Browns discovered that Bodden was a real player.
Feeling Simms' pain
Jereme Perry had much empathy when he saw that Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback Chris Simms had to have his spleen removed after a loss to the Carolina Panthers earlier this season.
``I understood,'' he said. ``I understood the whole thing.''
That's because Perry went through the same thing his junior year at Eastern Michigan. At the time, he played running back, and when he blocked a defensive end in practice, the end landed on him.
He felt ill but finished practice. Later that night, he went to the hospital and learned that he had a ruptured spleen.
``They asked me if I wanted to take it out, but I said God gave me a spleen for a reason so I didn't want to take it out,'' he said.
Perry eventually needed surgery to repair the damage, and he nearly died during the operation.
``I lost four or five pints of blood,'' he said. ``After two or three days, they were going to take my spleen out, but it stopped bleeding. They didn't know why, but it did.''
Perry missed the rest of that season and all the next but never really debated giving up football.
``That made me realize how much I missed it,'' he said.
The thinking
Fullback Terrelle Smith is an excellent blocker.
He can catch, but he's not a real threat as a receiver after the catch. Smith admits this readily.
Yet Sunday in Oakland, the Browns threw to Smith on third-and-three.
The play gained 1 yard.
Why, with Kellen Winslow, Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards on the field, would the Browns throw to Smith?
Smith said it's not by design.
``We have to have some type of play where we can swing it so the quarterback doesn't get killed,'' Smith said. ``If it comes to me, it means the `over' is covered and the `sit-down' is covered.
``You got to get it somewhere. I'd rather take the hit than have (Charlie Frye) take the hit.''
Smith said the idea is to get him in a spot where he can run over a cornerback and fall forward for a first down.
``When it comes to the team, whatever you want me to do,'' he said
Ask Frye, though, and he said the play is designed for Smith.
``It's just a quick flat route we think we can get 3 yards on,'' Frye said.
When Frye looks downfield, he said he's trying to look defenders away from Smith.
Apparently a receiver runs deep to clear space and another runs across and hopes to pick off the linebacker assigned to Smith
``T-Smith has hands,'' Frye said. ``You want to try to get him involved. He doesn't want it to be like he's just a blocker.''
Smith will run the route, but he's proud of his blocking. He admits that his forte is blowing up linebackers not running after the catch.
If they want to call that play, might it not be better with Winslow as an H-back or with rookie Lawrence Vickers -- a faster player -- at fullback?
Just wondering.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

ROCKED & BYE

Panthers defense sends bumbling Browns into off week

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - No protection, no touchdowns, no offense.
That was the story for the Browns on Sunday, as the offense learned the difference between playing the Oakland Raiders and the Carolina Panthers.
Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers dominated, but the Browns still had chances to steal one on the road. They squandered those chances, though, in a 20-12 loss.
And yes, there was also the weekly confusing play-call, as the Browns called for rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers to throw an option pass on third-and-inches from the Panthers 21-yard line in the third quarter.
``Was it third-and-inches?'' asked tight end Kellen Winslow, the target of the pass.
Told it was, he said simply:
``No comment on that one.''
Needless to say, the pass didn't work, and a holding penalty led to a field goal and 17-6 deficit.
So the Browns head into their bye week with a 1-4 record -- and still have gone three years without winning two games in a row.
Any number of plays and statistics tell the story of this game, starting with a pass that went through Dennis Northcutt's hands in the first quarter and turned into an interception and Panthers touchdown.
``We knew we couldn't give them anything,'' Browns coach Romeo Crennel said.
The Browns did, thanks to Northcutt's bobble.
``They pressured. The ball came out quick. It might have been there before he was ready for it,'' Crennel said.
That play changed the early momentum and gave the Panthers a 7-3 lead. The Panthers increased the lead to 14-3 on a touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson in the second quarter, and to 17-3 on a third-quarter field goal.
It was then that the Browns had their best chance to get back in the game thanks to Joshua Cribbs' 64-yard kickoff return.
A Panthers penalty gave the Browns third-and-inches at the 21-yard line, and the Browns called for Vickers, a rookie fullback, to throw an option pass.
The throw to Winslow was incomplete -- Winslow said he was hit in the face as he tried to make the catch -- but the call also resulted in a holding penalty on Hank Fraley.
That set the Browns back 10 yards, and they settled for a field goal.
``It wasn't a good play because it didn't work,'' Crennel said. ``I told you if it works it's good, if it doesn't work it's not good. We called a play that didn't work.''
``I can't speak on that,'' quarterback Charlie Frye said. ``It's a coach's call. We worked on it in practice.''
``We score, great call,'' guard Cosey Coleman said. ``We're in this together. You got to take your shots at some point.''
The Browns had one last chance when they were behind by 11, but could not score after getting first-and-goal at the 10. A field goal made it 17-9, another Panthers field goal made it 20-9 and from there it was a scramble.
The Browns' defense gave up 13 points despite being without starting corners Gary Baxter and Leigh Bodden.
Daven Holly covered Steve Smith and Brodney Pool moved from safety to cover Keyshawn Johnson.
The two receivers combined for 11 catches, but dropped some passes as well and never had a huge play.
``Pretty good doesn't win football games,'' linebacker Willie McGinest said.
The main reason the Browns didn't win: They could not protect their quarterback.
Peppers dominated the game with numbers that would make any coach drool: Five tackles, one sack, four more hits on Frye, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
``He's a special player,'' tackle Ryan Tucker said. ``Y'all don't have to hear that from me.''
``I thought all week we were going to try to get a double-team on him,'' Frye said. ``And we really focused on him all week. But he was still able to make plays.''
Panthers defensive end Al Wallace, a seven-year veteran, summed things up aptly.
``In all my years in the league I don't think I've seen any defensive player be able to dominate a game the way Julius does,'' Wallace said. ``How many times in a row is he hitting the quarterback? It's incredible.''
Said Peppers: ``I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do.''
Because of Peppers, the Panthers were able to rush four and drop seven into coverage. Frye was rushed and could rarely find anyone.
``They're the type of team that depends on the front four,'' Winslow said. ``They have a very good defensive scheme. They're an old-fashioned team. They just line up and play football.
``No trickery or anything like that. They just line up and play.''
Winslow caught eight passes, but Braylon Edwards had just three catches for 27 yards -- after dissing Panthers corners Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas during the week.
Frye threw 43 times for just 173 yards, and the offensive line was flagged four times for holding.
And Frye had another of those games where he was running for survival. He was sacked two times and hit seven more.
``Their defensive line is great,'' Edwards said. ``They're a great force. We couldn't do anything with them.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Time for changes, starting with the offensive line

By Terry Pluto

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Browns have a 1-4 record and two weeks to figure out what has gone wrong so far this season.
Start by taking a hard look at the tape of Sunday's 20-12 loss at Carolina. It will serve as a demand that the team makes some serious changes.
The obvious trouble spot is the offensive line.
Quarterback Charlie Frye was sacked only twice but threw away at least six passes because of the constant pressure from the Carolina Panthers.
Most disturbing, Frye said the Panthers just let their front four prowl, seldom blitzing. They didn't trick the Browns, they just beat them -- and beat up Frye in the process.
The stat sheet said he was hit seven times after throwing the ball. That seems conservative. He said the Panthers linemen led by Julius Peppers took over the game, adding they rushed with arms up.
``Sometimes, I just saw the tops of (receivers') helmets,'' Frye said.
There's no magic that can transform the line. But something has to be done. The Browns were called for holding five times, everyone except guard Cosey Coleman drawing a flag.
Veteran Joe Andruzzi was penalized twice. He has struggled most of the early season. There were some physical concerns when the Browns signed him a year ago, but they were desperate. You can now understand why the New England Patriots won a Super Bowl with Andruzzi, yet let him go.
He's in physical decline, his body feeling older than his 31 years.
With no game for two weeks, the Browns should be working very hard with Lennie Friedman or someone else to take over at guard because it's hard to know if Andruzzi can play all 16 games.
Hopefully, General Manager Phil Savage and his scouts are seeking someone who can block in next year's draft. Even with a healthy LeCharles Bentley at center in 2007, they need more big bodies up front.
Understand that Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers is one of the best at rushing the passer. The Panthers (3-2) have a rugged defense. They give most offensive linemen cuts, bruises and ulcers.
But the Browns have to figure out a way to give Frye some protection. He's not a veteran quarterback with two wobbly knees at the end of his career, the kid from the University of Akron can move.
So move him around.
The team has a zillion fullbacks, so how about using them for something besides throwing a pass in the end zone. Put them in better position to block for Frye.
But Sunday's brainstorm from offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon was the fullback option pass.
In the third quarter, the Browns were behind 17-3. But they had the ball on the Panthers 21-yard line, third down and inches. There were no easy yards on the ground, but a quick pass to tight end Kellen Winslow is a good bet in this situation.
Instead, Carthon was inspired to bring out his dual fullback set: veteran Terrelle Smith and rookie Lawrence Vickers.
Starting running back Reuben Droughns was on the bench. The defense had a good idea Vickers would end up with the ball -- but the fullback then tried to throw a pass 30 yards into the end zone to Winslow.
Vickers said he was a quarterback in high school. Maybe he was, but the Browns media guide said he caught 72 passes, played some safety and rushed for 4,610 yards. The book also said he lettered in track, averaged 20 points in basketball.
Not a word about him being a quarterback.
Anyway, the pass was incomplete....
Left tackle Kevin Shaffer was flagged for holding....
A 64-yard kick return by Joshua Cribbs was pretty much wasted....
And fans were left scratching their heads and screaming at their TV sets again, and the Browns were lucky to salvage a field goal from that mess.
This play highlights a problem with Carthon's approach, one that coach Romeo Crennel must address. In the end, the play calling is the responsibility of the head coach. He put Carthon in charge a year ago, the first time the former fullback has ever called plays.
He must tell Carthon, ``If you want to get a couple of inches for a first down in the key part of the game, don't give the ball to a fullback.''
You might recall that Vickers was tackled for a loss in a similar situation during the opening loss to New Orleans.
Crennel also needs to say, ``Hey, Maurice, fullbacks are here to block. We don't need them running sweeps. We don't need them throwing passes. We don't need them split out wide as a receiver (as they sometimes do with Smith).''
In fact, it's absolutely ridiculous to have two fullbacks on the field at the same time, especially since Droughns (now a tailback) was a fullback early in his career and has some blocking skills.
Forget cloning the fullbacks and put wide receiver Joe Jurevicius on the field more often. The guy was good enough to be a regular for the Seattle Seahawks, catching 10 touchdown passes for a team that went to the Super Bowl.
But he has been behind Dennis Northcutt in the past two games.
Don't even ask why... it's sort of like the fullback option pass.
You want a couple of inches for a first down? Throw the ball to Jurevicius. He's 6-foot-5, 232 pounds. He catches nearly everything he touches.
Even the diplomatic Frye said they need to involve Jurevicius more into the offense. Most fans were saying the same thing Sunday.
Now it's time for the Browns to do something about it.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Notebook

Unusual play selection again

Rookie fullback fails when asked to throw pass in crucial situation

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The bio for rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers in the Browns media guide does not use the word quarterback when describing his high school career, but Vickers said he has had much experience throwing passes.
``Add 'em up,'' he said Sunday. ``I played quarterback in high school.''
Vickers' first NFL throw fell incomplete and was wiped out by a holding penalty on Hank Fraley. But it was an interesting call at a key point of the game.
The Browns trailed the Carolina Panthers 17-3 in the third quarter when a Joshua Cribbs kickoff return set up the offense at the Panthers 30.
Two plays and a penalty put the Browns at the 21, with inches to go for a first down. A touchdown gets the Browns back in the game.
The Browns brought in the short-yardage package that drew so many questions in the opener -- Terrelle Smith at fullback, Vickers at running back.
In the opener the Browns handed off twice to Vickers and failed to make the first down either time.
Sunday, the call was for a pitch to Vickers, who then could run or throw to Kellen Winslow.
The thinking, coach Romeo Crennel said, was ``that we'd get a touchdown.''
``You got to take your shot sometime,'' guard Cosey Coleman said.
Vickers ran right and threw up in the air to Winslow, who tried but could not come down with the ball.
``He likes for you to put the ball up and let him have a chance to get the ball,'' Vickers said. ``That's what I did.''
The call will be second-guessed. What did players say?
``Coaches draw plays up and we're supposed to execute them,'' Vickers said. ``We didn't execute that play, so it's on us.''
``Third-and-inches, an opportunity to set them up for seven,'' Coleman said. ``If you hit it, great decision.''
``I can't (second-guess),'' running back Reuben Droughns said.
Droughns was surprised to hear, though, that the call came on third-and-inches.
``I didn't know it was third-and-short like that,'' he said.
Neither did Winslow, who sounded incredulous when he heard.
``No comment on that one,'' he said.
Winslow said the Browns had practiced the play all week and had planned to call it just inside or outside the ``red zone'' -- exactly where they were.
He also said he would have caught the ball, but he got hit in the head as he jumped to catch it.
``Somebody whacked my face,'' Winslow said. ``I thought it was pass interference. I was looking around. I could have had it, but my helmet shifted over and I couldn't see it anymore.''
Vickers said he thought Winslow was held at the line. Either penalty would have offset the holding call, and had the Browns back at third-and-inches.
``Things didn't bounce our way,'' Winslow said.
Panthers standout defensive end Julius Peppers had a role in disrupting the play. He recognized the pass after Winslow blocked him in an effort to sell the run.
``I think he ran all the way with me,'' Winslow said. ``That was a great play by him.''
Pool to corner
With Gary Baxter and Leigh Bodden out, the Browns asked Brodney Pool to move from safety to play cornerback and cover Keyshawn Johnson.
Pool had not practiced at corner prior to this week, and said he had not played corner since high school. The reason for the move? ``Size,'' Crennel said.
Pool stands 6-foot-2. He was assigned to follow Johnson (6-4) all over the field.
Johnson caught one touchdown, but Pool was in position and said he missed the ball. He and Daven Holly ``played really good,'' Willie McGinest said.
Johnson did not disagree.
``If (Pool) challenges and he competes, then he will be able to play that position,'' Johnson said. ``But when you look at it as a wide receiver, a guy who knows how to play the position who has been doing it for 11 years, don't you dare line a safety up out there and think he can cover a receiver one-on-one.
``But that's what they had to go to in their secondary, and as far as I'm concerned he did a good job.''
Injury report
Dennis Northcutt left the game in the third quarter with an undisclosed rib injury. Cribbs took over the punt-return duties and followed his 64-yard kickoff return with a 34-yard punt return.
Brownies . . .
Winslow on the Browns offense: ``I think we need to start fast and come out scoring touchdowns. We start late. It takes us a while to get going.''... Charlie Frye bemoaned one pump-and-go that could have been a big play to Braylon Edwards in the third quarter. Edwards slipped as he cut inside the cornerback.... Carolina receivers dropped five passes with Steve Smith dropping three, including a touchdown. ``I didn't play up to par today,'' Smith said.... Crennel said a roughing-the-passer penalty on Alvin McKinley was a ``touch foul,'' adding: ``But he did hit him in the helmet.''... Carolina's DeShaun Foster ran for 106 yards, the third back to top 100 on the Browns' defense in five games.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Familiar refrains for Browns

Crennel takes blame, seeks more consistency, to accentuate positives

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - The Browns stumble into the bye week having lost four of their first five games and saying the same things fans have been hearing for years.
``We've got to do the little things on a more consistent level,'' coach Romeo Crennel said Monday.
``Back to the fundamentals of football,'' tackle Ryan Tucker said.
``Work hard, execute and make plays,'' defensive end Orpheus Roye said.
``Keep fighting,'' safety Brian Russell said.
None of the things said are wrong, of course.
There's just not much more they can say.
Crennel even did his best Bing Crosby. He said the Browns will accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative (though he said nothing about Mr. In-Between).
``We are going to try and self-scout ourselves,'' Crennel said, ``evaluate the things that we think are good, look at the things that are bad. Try to eliminate the negatives and work on the positives.''
He did not get into potential changes, but said one might happen. That would involve putting Joe Jurevicius in the lineup at receiver for Dennis Northcutt, whose drop led to a Carolina interception and touchdown Sunday.
Jurevicius did not look happy on the sideline in the first part of the game Sunday, much of which he spent watching.
Only when Northcutt injured his ribs did the Browns put Jurevicius on the field with the starters.
Jurevicius was not talking much about it, except to say he's healthy and ready to play.
``We can sit here and pry and ask, `What if?' and all that and I'm going to give you the same answer I've given from Day One,'' he said. ``I'm a team player and when you call my name or number more times than not I'll give you what I have to make the play.''
Crennel also was asked whether he might shuffle some of the duties within his coaching staff.
``We're going to evaluate that and see what happens,'' he said.
Crennel dismissed questions about the play-calling of offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon by saying the team had struggled, meaning everyone had struggled.
``The team is 1-4 and we haven't done as well as we wanted to do or hoped to do,'' Crennel said. ``We're going to work and try to get better. I'm not going to sit up here and analyze individuals, players or coaches.
``I told you the buck stops at my desk. I'm not doing as well as I would like to do and I'm going to try to do better.''
On one red-zone possession, the Browns ran Reuben Droughns twice and threw underneath to Droughns from the 10-yard line.
But the main call that was questioned was when backup fullback Lawrence Vickers threw an option pass on third-and-inches in the third quarter.
``Whether it's a rookie throwing or running or a veteran throwing or running, if it doesn't work, I'm frustrated just like the fans,'' Crennel said. ``We thought the play was a good play when we called it. We thought it had a chance to work, but it didn't.
``Like I told you before, if the play works, it's good. If it doesn't, it's bad.''
Crennel has never seemed like the kind to fault one player or one coach. Even when explaining why the option pass didn't work, he said it was a combination of things.
But he conceded that problems on the offensive line can complicate play-calling.
``You have to work around them the best you can,'' Crennel said. ``What you choose as an answer, if that's not working, you really don't know which way to turn.''
The notion of the line needing more time to ``jell'' again was brought up to Tucker.
``I don't know how long it takes to jell,'' he said. ``As long as I've been here I haven't been with an offensive line that has jelled yet. We've had so much turnover.''
Then he added, just like players have said the past few years: ``We've just got to get better at our fundamentals.''
Brownies
Northcutt's rib injury will be evaluated.... Kick returner Joshua Cribbs bruised his hip, and safety Brian Russell had his right ankle in a walking boot.... All welcomed the week off to heal.... Crennel said Cribbs has been a bright spot all season long -- but said he probably would not add to Cribbs' role because he's doing so well returning kicks.... Brodney Pool will remain at safety, but the Browns will keep open the possibility of him playing cornerback again.... Are the Browns getting the ball to their playmakers enough? ``Everybody who has the ball is a playmaker,'' Crennel said. ``That's how I look at it. If they have the ball, I expect them to make a play.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns say they?ve gotta believe
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]

Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith tries to stiff-arm Browns defender Daven Holly during the first quarter of Sunday?s game in Charlotte, N.C. Smith caught six passes for 62 yards in the Panthers? 20-12 win.​

BEREA - The Browns have disappeared onto the dark side of the moon again.
They?re 1-4. It would take a 7-4 finish to give them a .500 season in an era when they have surpassed 7-9 just once.
Mo Carthon?s offense seems to be the lightning rod, but the offshoots of the 1-4 bolt in the butt are plentiful.
The Browns rank in the bottom third of the NFL in total offense, rushing offense, passing offense, total defense, rushing defense and turnover ratio.
What?s left to do?
?Keep believing in each other,? linebacker Andra Davis said. ?Don?t let anyone separate us.?
Davis has been with the Browns through seasons of 9-7, 5-11, 4-12 and 6-10.
The other starting inside linebacker, D?Qwell Jackson, was in his fifth Browns game Sunday, rather than his fifth season, like Davis.
?I?m one of the new kids on the block,? Jackson said. ?I?m feeling my way out. We feel good around here.
?We?re sad that we lost (20-12 to the Panthers), but we know we have a team that?s going to fight and fight to the end.?
The end comes Christmas Eve against Tampa Bay and New Year?s Eve at Houston.
Maybe things would be more festive if there had been more such opponents ? the Bucs and Texans are a combined 1-7.
Instead, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Carolina, who account for the Browns? losses, are 14-4.
The Browns are ... ?one-and-four right now, so ...? quarterback Charlie Frye said.
There was a pregnant pause. There are a million things he could say. Bernie Kosar said some of it on the radio Monday ? that opponents are finding holes in Cleveland?s pass protection schemes ... that blown draft picks have left too many talent holes ... that Frye is making the best of a less-than-beautiful situation.
Frye has to be more diplomatic. ?We just need to fix some things this week and go out there and beat Denver,? he said. ?You really can?t say much more than that about where we?re at.?
They?re at the bye week.
They come out of it with home games against Denver and the New York Jets.
In a team meeting last week, Coach Romeo Crennel reminded his then 1-3 team that he had been in New England when the Patriots rallied to win the Super Bowl after the 2001 season. The thought might have resonated if the Browns had won at Carolina. Instead, a loss invited sarcastic responses from fans.
Ryan Tucker, the oldest Brown on offense at age 31, is at the point he accepts he may not be with the team if it begins to win.
?We have to build on something each week,? he said. ?I think if we do that, we?ll turn the corner and start winning consecutive games.?
That doesn?t resonate with recent history.
The Browns were a fourth-year expansion team when they won back-to-back games four different times in 2002. They were on the verge of a three-game winning streak when Dennis Northcutt dropped a late pass at Pittsburgh, allowing a playoff victory to get away.
They haven?t had a two-game winning streak since, partly because Northcutt deflected a completion into an interception and a touchdown Sunday. The latest loss tended to create a stuck-on-the-dark-side-without-a-map aura.
How to escape?
?It all depends on us, on how we feel about each other,? running back Reuben Droughns said. ?If we continue to believe in each other, we can make things happen.?
At the moment, though, the Browns have drifted from relevance in another NFL season. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns shouldn't clean house, yet
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER[/FONT]





From about 20,000 feet, the fall leaves along the Blue Ridge Mountains are a sight to behold. It was about the only breathtaking view during the Browns? trip to Charlotte.
It was a symbolic view as well. The question during the plane ride back from North Carolina was obvious.
Can the Browns see the forest through the trees? Even at 20,000 feet, it didn?t appear as if they do.
Head Coach Romeo Crennel enters the bye week with plenty to fix. Actually, there is more to tinker with than a used-car garage.
Has this team improved in a year? Really?
Last year?s bye came after three games. Crennel?s team was 1-2. Like this year, his offense has a week off to figure out how to get in the end zone. Last year, Cleveland lost to Indianapolis before the bye and didn?t score a touchdown.
Sound familiar?
Here is what was written on these pages before last year?s bye: ?They?re not bad. Actually, better than most of us should have been allowed to think.?
And ?With that having been said, the Browns are not good enough now, nor will they be this season, to overcome themselves. They can?t beat themselves and the other team, whoever it happens to be.?
Here is what the Colts said a year ago:
They were being way too kind, or way too optimistic: ?I think you could say the Browns are almost there,? Colts corner Nick Harper said.
Diplomatic quarterback Peyton Manning said : ?I think they?re going to have a chance to win every game they play.?
He didn?t mention anything about a year later, they?d find ways to blow games.
?... The difference between us and them,? safety Bob Sanders said after squeezing out that 13-7 win, ?is you don?t want those kinds of penalties they had. Those come back to haunt you later in the game. ... When you make a big play, let your play and actions speak for you. Everyone can talk.?
A year later, and they still have the same problems. Receiver Dennis Northcutt helps beat his team by dropping a pass that is intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Charlie Frye throws another fourth-quarter interception.
And like last year?s Indianapolis game, Offensive Coordinator Maurice Carthon is under fire. Then, it was for handling his players like a prison warden. A time-management issue was the beginning of the end of quarterback Trent Dilfer because the veteran was allowed to change one of Carthon?s bad play calls.
Crennel is fond of saying if the play doesn?t work, it?s a bad play. But Sunday?s fullback pass with rookie Lawrence Vickers would have been a bad play even if the skies parted and it did work.
There was no logic to it no matter how Cleveland spins it.
After five games last year, the Browns were 2-3. They?re a game worse now. Progress?
Perhaps so in some kind of convoluted thinking. The offense gained about 285 yards a game last year. It is getting about 260 through five games a year after more Mo. Frye is being sacked more a year later, and he?s throwing more interceptions.
While Carthon?s play-calling is questionable at best, he shouldn?t be fired. That is one of the problems with this organization. There hasn?t been stability. Tim Couch struggles; get rid of him. Chris Palmer loses games with a team made up of outcasts; fire him. Butch Davis ... OK, he needed to go.
Stay patient with Frye. Give Carthon less responsibilities. The playmakers are identified. Use them and be creative in getting them the football.
If it were easy, the NFL wouldn?t have half the teams as bad as the Browns. Crennel and Co. have 11 weeks to show improvement.
At this point, it?s hard to find. Even when looking at the big picture on a crystal clear day from 20,000 feet. Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Cribbs is bright spot
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]





BEREA - The Browns will take any edge they can get.
Who are they to tell Joshua Cribbs to quit acting like the most underpaid player on the team?
?Cribbs is definitely a bright spot,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said Monday in the wake of a 20-12 loss at Carolina. ?He makes things happen.?
Cribbs is earning the NFL minimum for second-year players, $350,000.
No one who watches Cribbs doubts he works hard for the money. The boss made it sound like he deserved a raise for his work in Charlotte.
?He played well on kickoff returns, he covered kicks, he made tackles when he covered kicks, and he got double teamed when he was a gunner on punt returns,? Crennel said. ?This guy?s a good football player, and he?s good for the Browns.?
Opposing kick returners are averaging 20.1 yards per attempt. Cribbs is averaging 28.22, second in the NFL.
Over the last two games, he has returned kicks of 53, 65 and 64 yards and a punt of 34 yards. Each led to at least a field goal.
Fourteen months ago, Cribbs was an undrafted rookie out of Kent State, having phone chats with Kent State basketball star-turned NFL superstar Antonio Gates.
?He gave me advice about how to act, about the whole lifestyle,? Cribbs said.
Cribbs needed no pointers on how to be confident.
?I just knew that when I was given the opportunity, I was gonna ball out,? he said. ?I was gonna do everything I could to make a difference, to be the man, like I was at Kent.?
Cribbs might be the man Browns fans love most in these trying times. He sacrifices his body, talking and playing as if he really cares.
He injects attitude into kickoff and punt tackling as well as returning.
He says he always liked laying the wood, going back to his days as a running back-linebacker as a 65-pound Pop Warner League player.
?He?ll run down and tackle,? Crennel said. ?It?s impressive ... as a gunner on the punt team, he has two guys on him. They don?t call any fouls out there.
?They beat you up, hold you and throw you down. He handles all of that and still gets down field and makes tackles.?
Crennel said he doesn?t plan to expand Cribbs? role, although soon enough he might have nothing to lose by doing so. Even if Cribbs doesn?t get more work as a receiver, he could get him to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist. ?That?s what I?m trying to do,? Cribbs said. Hawaii or no Hawaii, Cribbs has brought an exotic element to a flat five-pack of games.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

A call and a response

Some questionable strategy with the offense could bring changes on the Browns during the bye week

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter

With his offensive coordinator coming under heavy fire from fans and media, Browns coach Romeo Crennel didn't rule out tinkering with his coaching staff during the bye this week.
"We're going to evaluate that and we'll see what happens," Crennel said.
So what could be done? Assistant head coach Jeff Davidson was viewed as a rising star in New England and could get more involved. Terry Robiskie also has been an offensive coordinator and interim head coach. Then again, Crennel could maintain the status quo.
When asked to grade offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, Crennel said: "The team is 1-4 and we haven't done as well as we wanted to do or hoped to do. We're going to work and try to get better. I'm not going to sit up here and analyze individuals - players or coaches. I told you the buck stops at my desk."
Carthon was widely criticized after the 20-12 loss to Carolina for calling a fullback option pass on third-and-inches at the Panthers' 21 in the third quarter. Rookie Lawrence Vickers took a pitch to the right and threw an incompletion to Kellen Winslow Jr. in the end zone. The play was nullified by a holding call. The Browns settled for a field goal that pulled them to within 17-6.
Crennel was asked about the fans' frustration with the play call.
"I understand, because I have those same frustrations when it doesn't work, OK?" he said. "Whether it's a rookie throwing a pass or a veteran throwing a pass or a rookie running or a veteran running, if it doesn't work, I'm frustrated.
"We thought the play was a good play when we called it," Crennel said. "Like I told you many times before, if the play works, it's good. If it doesn't work, it's bad."
Crennel said the play was bad, in part, because the routes weren't run precisely.
"We were open late and by the time the ball was delivered, their guy came over and had a chance to make a play on it," Crennel said.
"It's a combination of things. It's not just one thing."
Winslow said he was hit in the face on the play and believes it should've been an interference penalty. He said his helmet was knocked askew and he couldn't see the ball.
But even Winslow was surprised at the call, saying, "I've got no comment on that one. I didn't even know. Wow."
Crennel acknowledged that Carthon sometimes is limited in his play-calling because of protection and run-blocking problems. Quarterback Charlie Frye was under duress all day and often had to throw the ball away to avoid sacks.
"Anytime you have problems, it limits what you can do," Crennel said. "You have to try to work around them the best you can."
Carthon came under scrutiny for another blown chance in the red zone, after the Browns moved to the Panthers' 10 in the fourth quarter. Three straight plays to Droughns - two runs and a short pass - netted 6 yards and led to another field goal to make it 17-9.
Overall, the Browns are 25th in scoring this season, with an average of 16.2 points per game. The first quarter has been most troublesome, with the Browns being outscored, 34-6.
In Carolina, they were up, 3-0, and off to a fine start, but receiver Dennis Northcutt let a pass slip through his hands and bounce to the Panthers' Richard Marshall, who returned it for a touchdown to put Carolina up, 7-3.
Which begged the question Monday: Why did Northcutt start ahead of receiver Joe Jurevicius? Was it because he's not fully recovered from his rib injury, or was it a coaches' decision. "Both," Crennel said.
Crennel became irritated when asked about the rationale of the decision.
"Northcutt has been starting ahead of Jurevicius, hasn't he? You've been here all camp and he's been the starter for all camp. Maybe I'm wrong about that," he said.
But he backed off when it was pointed out that Northcutt's been struggling with dropped passes this season.
"There may be [thought to starting Jurevicius] this week," Crennel said.
He said he'll evaluate the entire roster and see if other changes are in order.
"One of the things we'll do this week is give the backup players more reps in practice to see if they can help us," he said. "I'm not ready to say if that will turn into lineup changes."
He stressed that although the team is 1-4, he's hopeful.
"I'm not discouraged by what the players are able to do or the effort they give," he said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Bye week could bring change to 1-4 Browns

Tuesday, October 10, 2006


By James Walker THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio ? Changes could be coming for the Cleveland Browns. Coach Romeo Crennel plans to leave no stone unturned as the Browns enter the bye week with a 1-4 record.
Crennel said yesterday that he will spend the next two weeks evaluating his coaching staff and potential lineup changes.
He refused to talk about any particular coach or player, but offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, starting receiver Dennis Northcutt and offensive guard Joe Andruzzi could be among those on the list.
Carthon?s situation is a complex one. Firing him this early in the season might be too drastic, and demoting him by taking away his playcalling duties would not be taken well.
In addition, the team would have to determine which coach would be qualified to take over the offense for the rest of the season.
Personnel changes would be the easier fix. The Browns are not deep but have two quality backups in receiver Joe Jurevicius and guard/center Lennie Friedman who could help immediately.
"Part of the bye week process is to try to look at your personnel and determine how they?re playing and if you need to make some changes," Crennel said. "One of the things we?re going to do this week is give backup players more reps in practice to see where they are and if they can help us. So if that turns out to be lineup changes, I?m not ready to say right now."
When asked specifically about Carthon?s status, Crennel was short, saying "We?re going to evaluate that and we?ll see what happens."
To add to or scale back on the team?s workload also is a concern. Right now the Browns? coaching staff isn?t sure which would be more productive.
Two weeks ago, Cleveland opted to scale things back to emphasize basic plays and fundamentals. A victory over the Oakland Raiders followed, but the scaled-back approach isn?t not enough for the Browns to beat better-thanaverage competition.
The bye week could be an opportunity to add some new wrinkles and fix what hasn?t been working.
Despite their record, Cleveland players appear optimistic.
If there is any silver lining, it is that the defense is coming along and the Browns have lost three of their four games by eight points or fewer. The players feel that?s a sign that they are closer to winning than their record might indicate.
"I don?t even think hope is the right word," safety Brian Russell said. "We expect to get this thing in the right direction." Brownie points
Northcutt had a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his ribs and his status will be known later in the week. ? Russell suffered a right ankle injury and was wearing a protective boot, but he believes he?ll be ready Oct. 22 for a game against the Denver Broncos.
[email protected]