Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Ineptitude downright offensive

By Tom Reed

Things I would rather do than watch the Browns offense on any given Sunday:
Hang drywall. Rake leaves. Answer Donald Rumsfeld's fan mail. Sweep the chimney. Match wits with Paris Hilton. Be the North Korean lackey who tells Kim Jung Il, ``Your Excellency, those glasses and hairdo make you look like a woman.''
Find Waldo. Solve algebra story problems. Sit in the living room of Terrell Owens' publicist each night and ask, ``Honey, how was your day?''
Is there anything more exasperating on the Cleveland sports scene than the Browns offense? I'm one Lawrence Vickers' halfback pass away from spending my Sundays watching Lifetime. Man laws be damned.
The Browns have the NFL's best overall special teams. The defense, its ravaged secondary aside, is deserving of at least two more wins (Carolina, Baltimore).
The offense, however, has made sure the Browns have earned their 1-4 record heading into the bye week. The Browns are ranked second to last in total NFL offense, behind only the Oakland Raiders.
Here is the most frustrating aspect. There is no single reason for this ineptitude.
Offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon is bad. The offensive line is worse. Quarterback Charlie Frye is courageous and athletic but prone to big mistakes. Dennis Northcutt needs to make a guest appearance on Nip/Tuck and have his Quincy Morgan surgically implanted hands removed.
Coach Romeo Crennel said Monday that lineup changes are possible. He also didn't rule out tinkering with his coaching staff.
``We're going to evaluate that, and we'll see what happens,'' Crennel said.
Demoting Carthon and allowing assistant head coach Jeff Davidson to call plays would meet little resistance from this corner, or likely many in the Browns' locker room.
Carthon's latest bolt of genius had the Browns running a third-quarter halfback pass for their rookie fullback Vickers on a third-and-inches from the Carolina 21. The pass intended for Kellen Winslow fell incomplete and drew a holding penalty. They settled for a field goal when a touchdown was needed en route to a 20-12 loss.
Poor Vickers also was involved in several bizarre play calls in the opening-day setback to the New Orleans Saints.
I'd tell the maligned Carthon to return to his drawing board, but I fear it's in Wile E. Coyote's cave.
Crennel's loyalty to his second-year assistant is admirable. What about Crennel's responsibility to his players, however? Isn't he supposed to give them the best possible chance to win? Curious play calls and questionable personnel groupings (Where was Joe Jurevicius on Sunday?) compromise the players' trust in the coach.
Of course, the best offensive minds in football might struggle to find the end zone with the current blockers. Teamsters' picket lines are more impenetrable than the Browns' offensive line.
Is it Carthon's fault the Browns can't keep Frye upright in the face of a four-man rush? Only Daunte Culpepper (21) and Jon Kitna (19) have been sacked more than Frye (16). And who's ultimately in charge of the offensive line? Jeff Davidson, the man we want promoted to coordinator. Ugh.
Frye hardly escapes blame. You love his guts, tenacity and overachieving story, but is the University of Akron product the long-term answer at quarterback? It's hard to know. Several of his league-high nine interceptions are the result of dropped passes such as the one to Northcutt that resulted in a Panthers' first-quarter touchdown.
The second-year quarterback is guilty of holding the ball too long and occasionally forcing plays that are as outlandish as some of the ones called by Carthon.
Frye didn't enjoy the benefit of a preseason working with Winslow and Braylon Edwards, who were rehabbing injuries. Winslow and Edwards are the Browns' best playmakers since the franchise's 1999 return, but they have committed their share of mistakes.
Add it all up and you have an offense deserving of its dubious ranking. Now if you'll excuse me, I have leaves to rake.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns have to decide between veteran Russell and younger safeties
Wednesday, October 11, 2006

[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports wRITER [/FONT]


BEREA If it?s foundation-laying the Browns are about, shouldn?t they build with guys who will be in the building?
Behind the gloom of being 1-4 at the bye week, free safety Brian Russell is off to the best start of his six NFL seasons. Yet, his time with the Browns could be over before it really started ? his two-year contract expires after the season.
?The only thing that?s fair for me to say,? Russell said, ?is that my wife and I really like it here, and we?re hoping for the best, because I want to be a Brown.
?There?s a whole business aspect of it. I don?t know what people upstairs are thinking. I know I want to be here.?
The Browns want Brodney Pool to be the impact safety they envisioned when they drafted in Round 2 last year.
Sean Jones, a Round 2 pick in 2004, is having a breakout year at strong safety.
There are only two starting safety jobs. It?s illogical that Russell, peaking and in his prime, would embrace being a Browns backup to make room for Pool if other teams pursue him as a starter, which is likely if he hits free agency.
There?s a chance Pool could be retooled into a cornerback, a tempting prospect for a team that is getting burned by injuries at that position. Pool replaced injured Leigh Bodden at corner Sunday at Carolina.
?That?s a special player, to be able to move to corner with a week?s practice and play that well,? Russell said.
Head Coach Romeo Crennel, who has little to gain by publicly boosting any prospective free agent?s market value, gives Russell reserved praise after five weeks.
?He played a nice game (at Carolina),? Crennel said. ?He does a nice job of helping out on the back end. He gets to plays that he is supposed to get to.
?If he continues to do that, he can be solid back there, particularly if we can get some guys back.?
Once falsely perceived as a tentative hitter, partly because he was a college quarterback, Russell has established himself as one of the team?s most eager hammer men.
The treatment he gave Johnson and Johnson reminded no one of baby powder.
His belt on Cincinnati?s Chad Johnson left the wide receiver literally in stitches. On Sunday, Russell separated Carolina?s Chad Johnson from the ball with a collision so hard everyone assumed the residual effects caused Steve Smith to drop a pass over the middle moments later.
?Russell?s a physical safety,? Browns cornerback Daven Holly said. ?That kind of physicality causes dropped balls, receivers to look over their shoulders, running backs to tiptoe through the holes.?
Russell, 28, has played in 79 NFL games. He has made 57 starts, two in the postseason with Minnesota.
Every couple years, it seems the Browns come off a losing season saying they need more veteran presence in the locker room and on the field.
In that Jones and Pool have six NFL starts between them, and in that Jones in particular has raved about Russell?s mentoring qualities, keeping Russell makes some sense.
But why would a guy who grew up in the Southern California want to stay in Northern Ohio?
?We?re going through some tough times,? Russell said, ?but these are the type of guys who are gonna stick together and fight through.
?I?ve been in a few other locker rooms that weren?t as positive and maybe didn?t stay on track when things were rough. This one?s not that way.
?I?ve formed a lot of friendships and bonds in this locker room, and I want to see it through. I want to string a bunch of wins together and have the Dawg Pound going crazy week in and week out.
?I think we have a defense that can help do that, but the business factor is the business factor. ?I definitely want to be here. I hope I get that chance.? Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Carthon to keep on calling

Despite lack of offense, Browns coach Crennel says he won't change his offensive coordinator

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Romeo Crennel will think about a lot of things during the Browns' bye week, but he is not thinking about changing the offensive play-caller.
Crennel gave a simple ``no'' when asked whether he was pondering giving play-calling duties to someone other than Maurice Carthon, the offensive coordinator.
Carthon has become the lightning rod for criticism of the Browns' offense, which ranks 31st in the league. Several play calls have been questioned, as has the use of personnel.
Carthon has not spoken publicly, because assistant coaches may not talk to the media without Crennel's approval. He denied a request to interview Carthon on Wednesday.
``No one individual is the cause of whatever problems you have,'' Crennel said. ``This is a team game. We are all in it together. Because we are 1-4 and it's a bottom-line business, we all deserve criticism and we're going to get it.
``We're going to work and we're going to try to get it straightened out.''
Bye weeks traditionally are a time for coaching staffs to reflect on what works and what doesn't. In the 2002 season, coach Butch Davis pared back his playbook, and the Browns went on their only playoff run since they returned in 1999.
This year's team spent the entire offseason and training camp working on the offense, and Crennel said there is only so much he can change in a week.
``But I think we can work to be more precise and more consistent, which then I think will help the offense overall,'' he said.
To expound on the need for precision, Crennel explained the option pass that backup fullback Lawrence Vickers threw on third-and-inches in Carolina. He said receivers did not run routes properly and that Kellen Winslow was open early but not late, when Vickers threw the ball.
On a third-down swing pass to Reuben Droughns at the 6-yard line, Crennel said the pass was behind Droughns, forcing him to stop and allowing the defense to make the tackle.
``Every play that I call, we have a reason for putting it in,'' Crennel said. ``We have a reason for calling it. And we feel like it's going to be successful when we call it.
``We don't game-plan bad plays.''
Crennel emphasized the team element, saying the game plan comes from the work of all the offensive coaches.
When asked about the notion of giving Joshua Cribbs a bigger ``slash'' role in the offense, Crennel summed up what he's thinking about this week: ``If your team is not what you want it to be, do you expand and try to do different things or do you try to get better at what you're doing?'' he replied. ``That's my dilemma. Do I try to get better at what I got or do I try to get exotic or fancy and that stuff?''
One tangible element that Crennel said can be improved is turnovers. The Browns have thrown nine interceptions and lost five fumbles. They have only five takeaways.
Their turnover ratio of minus-9 ranks last in the league.
``That's something tangible that you can put your finger on to try to get fixed and make the team better,'' he said.
The nine interceptions have come from some poor throws, some passes that receivers didn't hold and from quarterback Charlie Frye being hit while he threw.
Meanwhile, running back Droughns is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry. Crennel admitted Droughns might be trying to protect his sore right shoulder.
But overall, it's evident why the offense has been a disappointment.
Even with Winslow and Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius and Droughns and Frye on the field, the Browns rank 31st.
``It hasn't gone as good as we want it to go,'' Crennel said. ``We're going to work and we're going to try to make it better. I know I keep saying that and you guys keep saying that's all he says. But that's what I have to do.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns give honor to Casey Coleman

BEREA - The Browns honored one of their longtime broadcasters Wednesday by naming the team's field house the ``Casey Coleman Fieldhouse.''
Coleman, the longtime radio broadcaster and former voice of the team, has been battling pancreatic cancer the past year.
Coleman visited Berea, where Jim Brown talked of how the Coleman family had been part of the Browns since Paul Brown hired his father to broadcast the team's games decades ago.
Ken Coleman also hosted the famous Quarterback Club, a half-hour television show wrapup of the previous week's game, before he moved to Boston.
Casey Coleman has been a radio talk-show host, a TV broadcaster, the voice of the team and most recently its sideline reporter.
His fight with cancer has prevented him from attending games this year, but he was able to visit Berea on Wednesday, where Brown spoke in front of the entire team.

-- Patrick McManamon​

​

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Coach Romeo Crennel?s take on his 1-4 Browns, by Repository beat writer Steve Doerschuk
Thursday, October 12, 2006


Issue: Offensive Coordinator Mo Carthon?s approval ratings would get him thrown out of office if he were subject to the November election. He has called plays the last 21 games. Will he continue in that role?
Crennel: ?We?ll evaluate that and see. That?s part of the evaluation process we talked about. Ask me again next Wednesday.
No one individual is the cause of the problems. ... It?s a team thing. We are 1-4 and it?s a bottom-line business. We all deserve criticism, and it?s been given. We are working to get it straightened out.?
Issue: Kellen Winslow Jr. has 30 catches, but his per-catch average is below 10. It?s unclear whether his modest number of big plays are a product of play calling, pass protection issues or Winslow?s two-year injury ordeal.
Crennel: ?It?s not an ideal situation. Kellen is a talent, and he wants to be there. We want him there, and we try to help him with extra meetings during the week so he can perform on Sunday. ... (Effects of his knee surgery) might be something that will linger.?
Issue: Cornerback Gary Baxter has missed 14 of the last 15 games with pectoral injuries. With Daylon McCutcheon on injured reserve, the Browns are in bad shape when Baxter can?t play.
Crennel: ?After this week, we should see him do more in practice. That will help determine whether he can help in the game.?
Issue: Even though all five offensive-line starters have extensive starting experience, Charlie Frye has been running for his life often. Might a lineup change help on the line?
Crennel: ?Lennie Friedman is probably the closest to pushing for playing time, because he has experience. He?s a swing guy, so he can play both center and guard.?
Issue: Offensive-line coach Jeff Davidson was bestowed with the added title of assistant head coach. How is his role playing out?
Crennel: (Gave a 300-word answer without using the names Jeff or Davidson and basically said the staff is working on making a disappointing offense better.)
Issue: Frye is on a pace that would threaten Brian Sipe?s single-season interceptions record, 26.
Crennel: ?Very seldom is it only one person. There are many people involved ... some of those balls hit us first before the opponent got them.?
Issue: The record after five games is 1-4, worse than last year?s 2-3.
Crennel: ?When we got here, we didn?t think we were good. We went out there and tried to keep it close. This year because of our offseason acquisitions, everyone had a feeling we were going to be better.
?I see progress being made with the way we are playing. We had to come back in Oakland, and I thought we played a hellacious game against Baltimore. We dug a hole against Carolina and had to dig out.
?We?re getting to the point where we are going to be in every game. We are going to win our share. I see progress. ... If we tweak some things, accentuate the positives and put the negatives behind us, we?ll be better.?
Issue: Joshua Cribbs has arguably been the team?s most exciting player in a special-teams role, but he has barely played on offense.
Crennel: ?If your team is not where you want it to be, do you expand to do more things or do you try to get better at what you are doing? That?s my dilemma. ... When you talk about putting Cribbs in because he can throw, who are you going to take out of the game to get him in? ... He?s good, but I don?t see the ?S? on his chest yet.?
Issue: Crennel has spent most of his career as a defensive coach, not counting some years as a special-teams coach. What does he bring to the offense?
Crennel: ?You have an idea of what is good, what causes a defense problems and what you like and don?t like. The concepts we put out there are good concepts. When you put three guys to a side, generally one of those guys is going to be open. We?ve done some of that and have been able to hit different guys. We?ve thrown slants on the backside and go routes when they sit up on us. We have to be more consistent.
?Every decision we make isn?t going to be perfect. You might not like every one of them, but we are not calling bad plays. We aren?t trying to screw up. We are going to get better at what we are trying to do.?
Issue: Reuben Droughns ranks 31st in the league in rushing after finishing 11th last season.
Crennel: ?Probably, I didn?t do a good enough job of getting him the ball in the first game. That impacted what happened in the second game. Then, he?s begun to come on. He?s had a 100-yard game (at Oakland), a 65-yard game last week. He?s beginning to get back to where we need him to be.?
Issue: Wideout Braylon Edwards agitated some of the Panthers with a few statements during practice the week before the game.
Crennel: ?You know how I am. Make your statements after the game.?

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

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

BROWNS REPORT
Thursday, October 12, 2006

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


BROWNS REPORT
Northcutt?s ribs not broken
Head Coach Romeo Crennel said wideout Dennis Northcutt?s rib injury does not involve broken ribs.
The Browns don?t play until Oct. 22, against the Broncos. ?If he can tolerate the pain,? Crennel said, ?then he?ll be able to play.? Cornerback Leigh Bodden and safety Brian Russell are nursing ankle injuries. Bodden?s seems more threatening in terms of playing against Denver. Joshua Cribbs has a bruised hip but expects to face the Broncos.

Canton

Crennel taking stock at the bye
Thursday, October 12, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER [/FONT]

Repository SCOTT HECKEL WORK TO DO Browns Coach Romeo Crennel expects his team to win ?our share? of games over a tough stretch coming out of this week?s bye that includes four of six opponents with a 3-1 record.
​

BRONCOS AT BROWNS
Oct. 22, 4:05 p.m.
Cleveland Browns Stadium
TV Channel 19



BEREA Good night and good luck.
After signing off for a week, Romeo Crennel gets to spend the break with the ache of being 1-4 under the weight of preparing for a back-breaking schedule. Four of the next six opponents are 3-1. Another is the Steelers.
?I think we will win our share of them,? Crennel said Wednesday. ?I really do.?
Before taking his longest break from the press (four days) since July, Crennel conducted a state-of-the-team press conference.
Turn to Page C-3 for some key points on the Browns at the bye, and Crennel?s take.
Here are some key points:
Issue: Offensive Coordinator Mo Carthon?s approval ratings would get him thrown out of office if he were subject to the November election. He has called plays the last 21 games. Will he continue in that role?
Crennel: ?We?ll evaluate that and see. That?s part of the evaluation process we talked about. Ask me again next Wednesday.
No one individual is the cause of the problems. ... It?s a team thing. We are 1-4 and it?s a bottom-line business. We all deserve criticism, and it?s been given. We are working to get it straightened out.?
Issue: Kellen Winslow Jr. has 30 catches, but his per-catch average is below 10. It?s unclear whether his modest number of big plays are a product of play calling, pass protection issues or Winslow?s two-year injury ordeal.
Crennel: ?It?s not an ideal situation. Kellen is a talent, and he wants to be there. We want him there, and we try to help him with extra meetings during the week so he can perform on Sunday. ... (Effects of his knee surgery) might be something that will linger.?
Issue: Cornerback Gary Baxter has missed 14 of the last 15 games with pectoral injuries. With Daylon McCutcheon on injured reserve, the Browns are in bad shape when Baxter can?t play.
Crennel: ?After this week, we should see him do more in practice. That will help determine whether he can help in the game.?
Issue: Even though all five offensive line starters have extensive starting experience, Charlie Frye has been running for his life often. Might a lineup change help on the line?
Crennel: ?Lennie Friedman is probably the closest to pushing for playing time, because he has experience. He?s a swing guy so he can play both center and guard.?
Issue: Offensive line coach Jeff Davidson was bestowed with the added title of assistant head coach. How is his role playing out?
Crennel: (Gave a 300-word answer without using the names Jeff or Davidson and basically said the staff is working on making a disappointing offense better.)
Issue: Frye is on a pace that would threaten Brian Sipe?s single-season interceptions record, 26.
Crennel: ?Very seldom is it only one person. There are many people involved ... some of those balls hit us first before the opponent got them.?
Issue: The record after five games is 1-4, worse than last year?s 2-3.
Crennel: ?When we got here, we didn?t think we were good. We went out there and tried to keep it close. This year because of our offseason acquisitions, everyone had a feeling we were going to be better.
?I see progress being made with the way we are playing. We had to come back in Oakland, and I thought we played a hellacious game against Baltimore. We dug a hole against Carolina and had to dig out.
?We?re getting to the point where we are going to be in every game. We are going to win our share. I see progress. ... If we tweak some things, accentuate the positives and put the negatives behind us, we?ll be better.?
Issue: Joshua Cribbs has arguably been the team?s most exciting player in a special teams role, but he has barely played on offense.
Crennel: ?If your team is not where you want it to be, do you expand to do more things or do you try to get better at what you are doing? That?s my dilemma. ... When you talk about putting Cribbs in because he can throw, who are you going to take out of the game to get him in? ... He?s good, but I don?t see the ?S? on his chest yet.?
Issue: Crennel has spent most of his career as a defensive coach, not counting some years as a special teams coach. What does he bring to the offense?
Crennel: ?You have an idea of what is good, what causes a defense problems and what you like and don?t like. The concepts we put out there are good concepts. When you put three guys to a side, generally one of those guys is going to be open. We?ve done some of that and have been able to hit different guys. We?ve thrown slants on the backside and go routes when they sit up on us. We have to be more consistent.
?Every decision we make isn?t going to be perfect. You might not like every one of them, but we are not calling bad plays. We aren?t trying to screw up. We are going to get better at what we are trying to do.?
Issue: Reuben Droughns ranks 31st in the league in rushing after finishing 11th last season.
Crennel: ?Probably, I didn?t do a good enough job of getting him the ball in the first game. That impacted what happened in the second game. Then, he?s begun to come on. He?s had a 100-yard game (at Oakland), a 65-yard game last week. He?s beginning to get back to where we need him to be.?
Issue: Wideout Braylon Edwards agitated some of the Panthers with a few statements during practice the week before the game.
Crennel: ?You know how I am. Make your statements after the game.?
INJURY UPDATE
Crennel said wideout Dennis Northcutt?s rib injury does not involve broken ribs.
The Browns don?t play until Oct. 22, against the Broncos.
?If he can tolerate the pain,? Crennel said, ?then he?ll be able to play.?
Cornerback Leigh Bodden and safety Brian Russell are nursing ankle injuries. Bodden?s seems more threatening in terms of playing against Denver. Joshua Cribbs has a bruised hip but expects to face the Broncos. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BROWNS NOTEBOOK
Crennel: Carthon?s status is the same

Thursday, October 12, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




BEREA, Ohio ? Maurice Carthon remains on the hot seat, but coach Romeo Crennel said he will not replace the embattled offensive coordinator this week.
Crennel responded "no" yesterday when asked if he was considering a change.
That doesn?t mean Carthon is off the hook. There could be procedural alterations, specifically in play-calling duties.
"We?ll evaluate that and see," Crennel said. "Ask me again next Wednesday."
Crennel defended Carthon by saying it?s too easy to point fingers when things are going wrong. Eventually, everything comes back to the head coach, he said.
"No one individual is the cause of whatever problems you have," Crennel said. "This is a team thing and we?re all in it together. Of course, we?re 1-4. This is a bottom-line business, and we all deserve criticism."
Early comparison

Last year after five games, the Browns were a scrappy 2-3 team that lacked talent but overachieved. This year, the Browns are considered to have more talent and are 1-4, which makes it more difficult to look in the mirror during this bye week.
"Last year when we got here we didn?t think we were any good and nobody thought we were any good, so we just went out and played and tried hard to keep it close," Crennel said. "This year, because of the offseason acquisitions, everybody was feeling we were going to be better. ? We can be better on paper, but ultimately you have to be better on Sunday, and we haven?t been as good on Sunday."
Brownie points

The Browns have some interest in cornerback Derrick Strait, who was released by the New York Jets on Tuesday. Cleveland attempted to trade for Strait this summer, but the deal fell through when former running back Lee Suggs failed a physical. ? Tests revealed that receiver Dennis Northcutt has no broken ribs, but the area is tender and he will receive treatment the next two weeks.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Putting the blame for Browns' play on plays misplaced


Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Roger Brown
Plain Dealer Columnist

Some midweek notes, observations and a whole lot of questions:
After five games,
the 1-4 Browns are on pace for a possible 3-13 or 4-12 season. Are you going to tell us that the big reason for that is how offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon calls plays?
Or how coach
Romeo Crennel makes game-day coaching decisions?
OK, now, can you
tell us both of the above with a straight face?
Browns offensive line coach
and assistant head coach Jeff Davidson seems destined to be a fine NFL head coach someday. But does anyone truly believe that if Davidson were the team's sole play-caller - and not Carthon - the Browns would magically be 4-1 now? 3-2? Even 2-3?
Cleveland's fans
(and its sports media) are notorious for latching on a local pro athlete with average talent, grossly overrating his true skills and then stubbornly refusing to accept the reality of his limited ability. (Cory Snyder. Danny Ferry. Lee Suggs. The list goes on and on.) And isn't that exactly what's happening in Cleveland now with Browns starting quarterback Charlie Frye?
What brilliance
as an NFL quarterback has Frye actually shown that Tim Couch didn't show occasionally - in short, fleeting flashes - during his failed reign as the team's QB?
Doesn't Frye,
in his second year, already have more offensive support than Couch ever did during his five seasons here?
Is it possible
the reason Carthon and Crennel employ the play-calling strategy they do is because they realize the full extent of Frye's limitations as a pro QB? You know, the ones local fans and media second-guessers seem content to remain in a comfortable state of denial about, week after week?
Wasn't it refreshing
during the recent Browns-Carolina telecast to hear a former star NFL QB like Rich Gannon - someone with an objective pair of eyes, no agenda and no vested interest in feeding or buying the Frye hype - give a candid appraisal of how far away Frye is from being a reliable and credible NFL starter?
We can understand
how someone like Indianapolis star quarterback Peyton Manning has earned the right and security to have an anonymous, unproven, non-threatening QB (Jim Sorgi) as his backup. But, when, exactly, did Frye achieve the status and earn enough juice to have no backup who's a serious, realistic threat to take away his starting job?
What's been the biggest
waste of money in Cleveland lately - the city spending hundreds of thousands on a pie-in-the-sky bid to host a 2008 political convention or Browns General Manager Phil Savage splurging millions to put together a second-tier NFL offensive line? (And spare us the "LeCharles Bentley is injured" whine. Bentley is a very solid NFL lineman, but let's stop lazily inflating his ability to "surefire Hall of Famer" status. Care to guess how many playoff teams Bentley's been on during his five-year career? Yes, the answer is, "zero.")
Isn't SportsTime Ohio,
the Indians' cable network, making the right move in dumping the team's awkward practice of using three rotating TV announcers (Rick Manning, Mike Hegan and John Sanders) - and going, instead, to a two-man team that works full-time? STO hasn't said which announcer is likely to go, but our guess is it will be Sanders.
Ohio State football coach
Jim Tressel doesn't buy the cliche that an excellent punt must land inside the opponent's 10-yard line. Tressel says he and his OSU assistant coaches are satisfied if punter A.J. Trapasso can consistently put punts within the 15-yard line. To expect anything better, Tressel says, is being "greedy."
Tressel on Michigan State
sophomore backup quarterback Brian Hoyer, whom the Buckeyes recruited as a former St. Ignatius High star: "He can throw it in there. He's a good football player."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Carthon to keep on calling

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

• Browns give honor to broadcaster Casey Coleman
• NFL notebook: Broncos' Brown done

BEREA - Romeo Crennel will think about a lot of things during the Browns' bye week, but he is not thinking about changing the offensive play-caller.
Crennel gave a simple ``no'' when asked whether he was pondering giving play-calling duties to someone other than Maurice Carthon, the offensive coordinator.
Carthon has become the lightning rod for criticism of the Browns' offense, which ranks 31st in the league. Several play calls have been questioned, as has the use of personnel.
Carthon has not spoken publicly, because assistant coaches may not talk to the media without Crennel's approval. He denied a request to interview Carthon on Wednesday.
``No one individual is the cause of whatever problems you have,'' Crennel said. ``This is a team game. We are all in it together. Because we are 1-4 and it's a bottom-line business, we all deserve criticism and we're going to get it.
``We're going to work and we're going to try to get it straightened out.''
Bye weeks traditionally are a time for coaching staffs to reflect on what works and what doesn't. In the 2002 season, coach Butch Davis pared back his playbook, and the Browns went on their only playoff run since they returned in 1999.
This year's team spent the entire offseason and training camp working on the offense, and Crennel said there is only so much he can change in a week.
``But I think we can work to be more precise and more consistent, which then I think will help the offense overall,'' he said.
To expound on the need for precision, Crennel explained the option pass that backup fullback Lawrence Vickers threw on third-and-inches in Carolina. He said receivers did not run routes properly and that Kellen Winslow was open early but not late, when Vickers threw the ball.
On a third-down swing pass to Reuben Droughns at the 6-yard line, Crennel said the pass was behind Droughns, forcing him to stop and allowing the defense to make the tackle.
``Every play that I call, we have a reason for putting it in,'' Crennel said. ``We have a reason for calling it. And we feel like it's going to be successful when we call it.
``We don't game-plan bad plays.''
Crennel emphasized the team element, saying the game plan comes from the work of all the offensive coaches.
When asked about the notion of giving Joshua Cribbs a bigger ``slash'' role in the offense, Crennel summed up what he's thinking about this week: ``If your team is not what you want it to be, do you expand and try to do different things or do you try to get better at what you're doing?'' he replied. ``That's my dilemma. Do I try to get better at what I got or do I try to get exotic or fancy and that stuff?''
One tangible element that Crennel said can be improved is turnovers. The Browns have thrown nine interceptions and lost five fumbles. They have only five takeaways.
Their turnover ratio of minus-9 ranks last in the league.
``That's something tangible that you can put your finger on to try to get fixed and make the team better,'' he said.
The nine interceptions have come from some poor throws, some passes that receivers didn't hold and from quarterback Charlie Frye being hit while he threw.
Meanwhile, running back Droughns is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry. Crennel admitted Droughns might be trying to protect his sore right shoulder.
But overall, it's evident why the offense has been a disappointment.
Even with Winslow and Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius and Droughns and Frye on the field, the Browns rank 31st.
``It hasn't gone as good as we want it to go,'' Crennel said. ``We're going to work and we're going to try to make it better. I know I keep saying that and you guys keep saying that's all he says. But that's what I have to do.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

ANALYSIS
Reality check

With the Browns 1-4 at their break, the PD's Tony Grossi offers ideas to get the team on track before the season restarts Oct. 22

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

The Browns stormed out of their bye week last year and defeated the playoff-bound Chicago Bears, 20-10, to improve their record to 2-2.
Reuben Droughns still had not rushed for 100 yards in a game. Braylon Edwards had nine catches. Kellen Winslow Jr. was out with a torn-up knee. The offense did not have Joe Jurevicius. Trent Dilfer was the quarterback.
Instead of Ted Washington at nose tackle, there was Jason Fisk. Instead of Willie McGinest at left outside linebacker, there was Kenard Lang, learning the position. Instead of Kamerion Wimbley at right outside linebacker, there was Chaun Thompson.
Now the Browns are 1-4 at their bye week and in the midst of a self-evaluation process.
"Last year when we got here, we didn't think we were very good and nobody did," coach Romeo Crennel said Wednesday. "We just tried to play hard and keep it close. This year, because of the off-season acquisitions, everybody felt we were going to be better. You can be better on paper, but ultimately you have to be better on Sunday. And we haven't been as good on Sunday."
Crennel pointed to the obvious when analyzing the team's record this year -- turnovers. The Browns were plus-1 in turnover differential through five games a year ago and are minus-9 this year.
Charlie Frye has thrown nine interceptions, but three of them banged off the hands of his own receivers. And one of those was returned for a touchdown by the opponent.
Defensive players have dropped, by unofficial count, six interceptions. And one of those would have been returned for a touchdown and probably clinched a Browns victory.
So that's a difference of nine turnovers right there. These are the things that teams playing badly do - they beat themselves.
The turnover statistic alone puts the onus on the players. They're the ones dropping the ball.
But it's overly simplistic to attribute everything happening in this Browns' season to turnovers. Crennel sounded Wednesday as if there's not much he can do in the bye week to correct everything accept "accentuate the positive" of what the team does well and "eliminate the negative" of what it doesn't do well.
Here are the changes we recommend be put in place before the Browns restart their season Oct. 22 at home against Denver.
Replace Dennis Northcutt in two-receiver sets with Jurevicius.
Jurevicius has the surest hands among the receivers. He was brought here to bring experience and professionalism to the team. He was hardly used in exhibition games and then a rib injury set him further back. Now Northcutt has a rib injury, so Jurevicius probably will be elevated. It's a long time coming.
Get Lennie Friedman some playing time at guard or center.
Continuity along the line was a worthwhile goal, but the interior of the line appears to be getting worse, not better. Would Friedman be an improvement at guard? At center? There is only one way to find out.
Incorporate Joshua Cribbs into the offense in special situations.
Rookie Jerome Harrison was supposed to be the "change-of-pace" back that would give Frye a new weapon. It hasn't happened. Cribbs has more skills in that he is a fearless runner, an improved receiver and, of course, was a successful quarterback in a conference that has produced five current NFL starters at the position.
Crennel on Wednesday decried the idea of getting "exotic" on offense. Yet, he continued to justify the halfback option pass of rookie Lawrence Vickers as "a play we thought would work."
Using Cribbs in special offensive formations, particularly in^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^side the red zone, would give defenses something else to consider other than pinning their ears back and putting an all-out rush on Frye.
Give the offensive play-calling duties to someone other than Maurice Carthon.
Asked directly who would call plays the rest of the season, Crennel said Wednesday, "We'll evaluate that and see."
Does that mean he is pondering a change?
"No," Crennel answered.
It's a delicate and sensitive issue, one that no head coach wants to confront. Yet, it happens. As coach of the Giants, Jim Fassel removed play-calling from coordinator Sean Payton as their season was going down the tubes in 2000. The Giants righted themselves and advanced to the Super Bowl.
Payton might have been crushed, but his career survived. He is now head coach of New Orleans and has the Saints at 4-1, the biggest surprise of the early season.
Under Carthon's direction, the Browns scored the fewest points in the league last year. Today, they are ranked 31st in overall offensive yards. Add in a bunch of questionable play-calls and some puzzling lineup decisions. What in that body of work suggests the coordinator is doing a reasonably good job?
Incorporate Brodney Pool more into the mainstream defense.
Pool's coverage of big and slow Carolina receiver Keyshawn Johnson was acceptable for a safety moving to cornerback practically overnight. That matchup won't present itself each week, but there has to be a way for Pool to play a more significant role in the defense.
The play of safeties Brian Russell and Sean Jones have been one of the more consistent aspects of the team this year. So maybe Pool should be trained more as a cornerback, given the injury situation at the position.
Restore Matt Stewart to outside linebacker ahead of Kamerion Wimbley on running downs.
Wimbley is a fantastic pass rusher, but the transition from college end to NFL outside linebacker is one that players historically have taken two or more years to make. The Browns' defense against the run remains a major concern, and Wimbley's growing pains on first and second downs aren't helping.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[tsteele316]

it's humerous that grossi wants stewert to play OLB in run situations to help bolster the run defense, which is terrible, yet he never mentions replacing either Roye or McKinley, both of which have been absolutely terrible thus far.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

McManamon on the Browns

Carthon should get used to heat

Offense problems will linger but blaming the coach is too simple

By Patrick McManamon

BEREA - Catching up with many things Brown on the bye week, as we all sit and think about the team's 1-4 start.
I think that Maurice Carthon had best get used to the heat. When an offense that was last in the league in scoring in 2005 starts the first five games ranked 31st in the league and averages 16.2 points per game and has a minus nine turnover rate -- well there's problems.
I think that blaming Carthon for all the offense's ills oversimplifies things, but I think that Carthon has not helped himself. Not when there are things that happen that seem to defy basic logic. Like putting Kellen Winslow on the sideline on third downs. And entrusting key plays to a rookie fullback who has touched the ball all of five or six times on offense. (This rookie fullback could turn out to be a Hall of Famer, but he's not there just yet.) And outthinking yourself in situations -- just run the play that is logical and sound.
I think that Carthon is facing a key point as the coordinator, a point where he can gain hold of the offense and his future or allow it to slip away.
I think this is a time when I wish Romeo Crennel freely let his assistants talk to the media. I think fans deserve to hear from the coordinator about some of the decisions, and I think the coordinator deserves a chance to explain his thinking. (A request to interview Carthon last week was turned down.) Carthon is being judged on impressions without all the facts. And the impressions aren't pretty.
I think, for example, that Carthon might be able to give a detailed explanation for that Lawrence Vickers option pass. Perhaps there was something he saw on film. Perhaps Vickers is the second coming of John Elway. Perhaps Carthon has Vickers in a Fantasy League. We don't know.
I think Crennel is being honest when he says the coaching staff does not game-plan bad plays, but I think that explanation kind of leaves some things unanswered. Part of Crennel's charm is his straightforward approach, like when he said this past week: ``We are not trying to screw up.''
But giving that kind of answer to the play-calling -- it's a bad play if it doesn't work, we don't game-plan bad plays -- is sort of like saying a person doesn't want to get wet in the rain. I think there are some things the coach might not want to reveal, and that's understandable, but explaining the reasons for a decision in a little more detail might help.
I think some of the negative judgments and overall hysteria are a bit rash because in preseason nobody would have expected the Browns to beat the Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals or Baltimore Ravens. And they almost beat the Ravens. They didn't beat the New Orleans Saints, though, and that game will haunt them from here to Boo at the Zoo.
I think also, though, that the patience level of fans has been tested for so long that not seeing concrete improvement frustrates folks.
I think that's justified. The only people who have suffered more than Browns fans the past seven years live in holding cells in Guantanamo.
After all, I think -- and I don't think I'm wrong -- that the Browns do have Winslow and Braylon Edwards on the field this year, and they do have Charlie Frye with a year's more experience. So I think some increased expectations are not unfair.
That being said, I think that when LeCharles Bentley got hurt, it cost the Browns two wins and that made them a 6-10 or 5-11 team. But even those records are better than where the Browns are headed.
I think that the fact that the Browns won six games a year ago is pretty remarkable, in hindsight. I think I wish I knew what Trent Dilfer was thinking right now.
I think if I hear one more professional football player say ``we need to make the play'' or ``we didn't make the play'' I might barf.
I think ``make the play'' became in vogue at about the same time Hubie Brown started to use the word ``elevate'' for jump.
I think Reuben Droughns' shoulder is hurting more than he's letting on. Droughns is running like a guy trying to protect an ailing wing.
I think Willie McGinest's calf injury is keeping him from running full speed.
I think the Browns hope both these guys get healthy over the bye week.
I think the main problem I had with the Vickers option pass was that it was just a silly call on third-and-inches. That being said, I think the bigger issue is that in Carolina the Browns threw into the end zone once -- and that came when Vickers threw to Winslow. So the only pass into the end zone came when a backup fullback was passing. I think that's silly. But that's just me. 'Cuz I think the new Pink Panther movie was pretty silly too.
I think that I wonder what is going on when I see the San Diego Chargers throw a high pass in the end zone to their tallest receiver, and that receiver outleaps the defensive back for a touchdown. And I think I wonder why the Browns don't try that with Edwards at least once.
I think Edwards has lots of talent, but he also might want to not call the opposing corner ``a guy'' again. That's what Edwards called Ken Lucas, and calling a player ``a guy'' is pretty much an insult. I think Lucas noticed. So did Chris Gamble. And so did Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson, who both told Edwards on the field that he should not talk like he did until he's done something in the league. See, playing less than a full season does not qualify in most players' minds as ``doing something.''
I think I believe it when I'm told that Johnson looked at Edwards and said: ``Hey 17. Be quiet.''
I think that's wise advice.
I think Edwards' first-person TV series on himself (Braylon Edwards: Under the Helmet) on FSN, when his dad did a lot of talking about how they expected to be drafted by the Miami Dolphins and how proud they were when they didn't sign the first contract the Browns offered and blah blah blah -- I think that was all pretty silly.
I think Winslow is one heck of a player.
But I think he'll be on the injury report all year because that knee of his will bother him all year. I think this could be an issue his entire career, because Winslow really wrecked that knee in his motorcycle accident. And I think that makes it all the more amazing that he's back and playing like he is.
I think people should notice that Winslow is leading the league in receiving among tight ends.
And I think people should also notice that Joshua Cribbs is leading the league in kickoff returns.
I think those two stats still add up to 1-4, which I think is most important.
I think a lot of teams would struggle, though, without their top three cornerbacks.
And I think I wonder why Cribbs isn't used in more of a ``slash'' role. Guy could line up at running back, receiver, quarterback, center, second punter. He can run, catch, throw, snap and punt. In baseball, he'd be a ``five-tool'' player. Kordell Stewart wasn't exactly a 10-year veteran when he became Slash, so why not try Cribbs in different roles? I mean, they gonna start 1-4 or something?
I think it was good to hear Crennel concede that he didn't give Droughns the ball enough against the Saints.
I think, though, it would have been better had he realized that during the game rather than after.
I think that Frye has shown a lot, but I think that underneath pass he threw to Droughns on third-and-goal in Carolina was a bad throw. That pass was behind Droughns, so any chance he had to score -- and the chance was slim, I admit -- was wiped out because Droughns had to turn and stop.
I think I wonder why Jerome Harrison wasn't catching that pass.
I think I also wonder the point of throwing a third-and-three pass to Terrelle Smith.
I think these are the questions people have about Carthon. And I think I wish I could give his explanation, but I can't.
I think I believe it when I heard that the Ravens players were marveling at Frye on their plane home. The Ravens ransacked Frye like the barbarians at the gate, yet he kept getting up. Not many guys could take that pounding, and the Ravens knew it. That being said, not many guys should take that pounding.
I think the second half of the season -- well, the 11 games after the bye -- does not look pretty. Not with the Denver Broncos' and Atlanta Falcons' and San Diego Chargers' defenses on the schedule. And with one more game against the Bengals. And two against the Pittsburgh Steelers. And one in Baltimore. This is not a schedule for the faint of heart.
I think that all the defensive linemen in Denver who used to be Browns would be very happy to knock Frye out of Sunday's game. Remember when Gerard Warren said he was going to go for Ben Roethlisberger's head?
I think that I heard Crennel say Lennie Friedman is the most likely option if a change is made on the offensive line. I think that Friedman is a splendid fellow but that move might not exactly bring to mind the storming of the Bastille.
I think that guard will be a position that will be assessed closely after the season.
I think it's one of several positions that could be improved.
I think everyone should face it and realize that the Browns are not among the elite teams in the league, and they should be judged as such.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Returning: Undrafted Cribbs a special teams star

While QB for Kent State, Joshua Cribbs spent three days in jail. He was suspended and undrafted. Now he stars on the Browns' special teams
Monday, October 16, 2006 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Joshua Cribbs sat in a cold, dirty jail cell, crying and wondering what would become of him. He was the star quarterback of Kent State, and now he was on the verge of losing every thing: his wife, daughter, foot ball career and reputation. He vowed that if he got it all back, he'd make something special of himself on and off the football field. Now, he's doing just that for the Browns, one of the few NFL teams willing to take a chance on him.
On a team with such big- name first-round picks as Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr., it's Cribbs, the undrafted free agent, who's generating much of the excite ment. In the past two weeks, Cribbs has ripped off kickoff returns of 65, 53 and 64 yards to catapult himself to No. 1 in the NFL with a 28.2-yard av erage. He also earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 4 when he ignited the Browns' lone victory, over Oakland, with two big returns. Last week in Carolina, he almost took another kickoff all the way and then subbed for Dennis Northcutt - who had injured ribs - on punt re turns and raced for 34 yards on his first attempt. It's his bone-jarring hits on punt and kick coverage that have endeared him to the Browns. Sacrificing his body with reckless abandon, he's climbed to first on the team with nine special-teams tack les and finished second last season with 19. "You'd have to say he's gone beyond [our expectations]," said coach Romeo Crennel. "How often do you see a quar terback come in, be a returner and a cover guy, and do it at a high level? "Josh has done an exceptional job. This guy's a good football player, and he's good for the Browns." Crennel doesn't have any im mediate plans to expand Cribbs' role, but Cribbs is just waiting for the time when he can unleash his running and passing skills and become the Browns' version of the Redskins' Antwaan Randle El. "I have a burning desire to suc ceed," he said. "Every time I step on the field, every time I touch the ball or make a big tackle, it's a chance for me to prove people wrong."

Three days in jail
Cribbs' life turned upside down the morning of Jan. 17, 2004, during his junior year at Kent State. He and his wife of two years, Maria, got into an ar gument over who was supposed to give 5-month-old Kimorah her bottle.
It escalated into shoving, and Cribbs called 9-1-1, thinking his friends from the campus police could mediate. Instead, the Kent city police showed up and ar rested him for domestic violence.
"They told me they had to take one of us," he said.
When they accompanied him to get his wallet, they saw some small bags of marijuana sitting on a shelf. Suddenly, he was un der arrest not only for domestic abuse - but for felony drug traf ficking. Because the small amount of pot - about of an ounce - was divided into eight bags, police arrested him for traf ficking instead of possession. If the marijuana had been in one bag, it would've been a misde meanor, and Cribbs' life may have gone on uninterrupted.
Instead, Cribbs toppled from big man on campus to accused felon.
He spent a three-day weekend in jail, wondering how he let it happen.
He had grown up in a strict, re ligious home, where his mother, Billye, was a minister and his dad, Harold, a former Marine, was a tough Washington, D.C., cop. Once, when Cribbs got into a street fight as a kid, his dad put him in a juvenile detention home for a night to see what it was like.
"I was shackled to other boys," he said. "I never wanted to go back."
His dad also drove him around in his cruiser to witness the bloodshed in D.C. "He was trying to scare me straight, and it worked," said Cribbs.
Cribbs smoked pot a couple of times but was so involved in church and sports that he had no time for trouble. He was an in stant star at any sport he tried, including football, baseball, bas ketball and swimming.
He chose Kent State over big ger schools for a chance to play quarterback - and led the team to its first winning season in a decade as a freshman. He met Maria that year, and they mar ried soon after. Cribbs went on to become the Michael Vick of the Mid-American Conference, rush ing and passing his way through the record books. Folks were talking about an NFL career.
Then the arrest.
"I figured I had thrown every thing away with one stupid mis take," he said.
A couple of times, he woke up in jail, thinking it was just a nightmare.
When Cribbs was released, he lived with then-coach Dean Pees for two weeks because of a re straining order. "I had to sneak around to see my wife and daughter," Cribbs said.
The domestic violence charges were dropped, and Cribbs was re united with his family, but he still faced up to a year in prison on the drug charges. "I felt the police made a big deal out of it because of who I was," he said.
Cribbs, who originally told po lice he thought about selling the pot but never did, wanted a trial to clear his name. Instead, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony drug possession and was sentenced to 20 hours of community service and three years' probation.
His dad also drove him around in his cruiser to witness the bloodshed in D.C. "He was trying to scare me straight, and it worked," said Cribbs.
Cribbs smoked pot a couple of times but was so involved in church and sports that he had no time for trouble. He was an in stant star at any sport he tried, including football, baseball, bas ketball and swimming.
He chose Kent State over big ger schools for a chance to play quarterback - and led the team to its first winning season in a decade as a freshman. He met Maria that year, and they mar ried soon after. Cribbs went on to become the Michael Vick of the Mid-American Conference, rush ing and passing his way through the record books. Folks were talking about an NFL career.
Then the arrest.
"I figured I had thrown every thing away with one stupid mis take," he said.
A couple of times, he woke up in jail, thinking it was just a nightmare.
When Cribbs was released, he lived with then-coach Dean Pees for two weeks because of a re straining order. "I had to sneak around to see my wife and daughter," Cribbs said.
The domestic violence charges were dropped, and Cribbs was re united with his family, but he still faced up to a year in prison on the drug charges. "I felt the police made a big deal out of it because of who I was," he said.
Cribbs, who originally told po lice he thought about selling the pot but never did, wanted a trial to clear his name. Instead, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony drug possession and was sentenced to 20 hours of community service and three years' probation.
Suspended from the team for winter and spring practices, he slipped into a funk and lost 15 pounds. He once sat near two girls in class who pointed at his picture on the front page of the paper and snickered. He avoided going out in public and hid be neath a hood.
Kelly was impressed with Cribbs during their interview and vice versa. "The first thing all of the other scouts asked me about was the incident," said Cribbs. "But [Kelly] focused on me coming in as a kick returner and making the team."
At the Classic, Cribbs tried re ceiver for the first time, and Kelly thought he was a natural. "We could've picked running back, and I believe he would've made it," said Kelly. "But I chose re ceiver because I thought it would give him more chances to get the ball in space."
Kelly had a strong feeling Cribbs would go undrafted and recommended him to the Browns as a priority free agent. "Who was going to have the guts to draft a guy out of position?" said Kelly. "Plus, he wasn't from a powerhouse and had the blemish on his record."
On draft day, the phone never rang, and Cribbs was upset. He thought his hometown Redskins, who had him in for a locals try out, were going to draft him as a quarterback. He also thought teams shied away because of his arrest.
The Redskins did try to sign him as a free agent, but his agent had already made a deal with the Browns. "He convinced me I had a better chance to make it with the Browns on special teams," said Cribbs.
Cribbs vowed to make the team in camp and never let up. "Failure was not an option for me," he said.
He was also reminded daily of his ordeal. "I had to meet with my probation officer as a rookie and register as an out-of-town felon when we went on the road," he said.
He made the roster as a spe cial-teamer and, three games into his rookie season, returned a kickoff 90 yards for a TD. He went on to set the franchise re cord for most kickoff return yards in a season with 1,094 and dazzled the Browns with his tackles.
"Show me a better kickoff cover guy in the NFL right now," said Kelly. "If you want a clinic on how to cover kicks, watch No. 16."
Said Cribbs: "When I'm run ning down there, I'm angry. I have a chip on my shoulder."
Cribbs sees himself as a Pro Bowl player on special teams but has loftier goals.
"I envision myself having suc cess no matter where they put me," he said. "I see myself play ing quarterback, running back and catching the ball out of the backfield. I want to have the game and the ball in my hands."
He's willing to be patient.
"I'm indebted to the Browns for giving me a chance no one else would," he said. "I don't know if I'd be putting my life on the line every play for anyone else."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

We are undefeated for over a week...

 

[Buckin' A]

I can honestly say that I have no complaints about Maurice's play calling this week.