Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[Buckin' A]

Just on the news: Carthon Gone!!!!

What? What did they say? Dancing banana?

 

[BuckBackHome]

What? What did they say? Dancing banana?

Lerner and Savage spent the day convincing Romeo Carthon had to go. Donovan is speculating Jeff Davidson, o line coach and assistant o coordinator, will become the new o coordinator. I guess he was heading to the Jets last year until they convinced him to stay.

 

[Buckin' A]

Lerner and Savage spent the day convincing Romeo Carthon had to go. Donovan is speculating Jeff Davidson, o line coach and assistant o coordinator, will become the new o coordinator. I guess he was heading to the Jets last year until they convinced him to stay.

Did the Jets want him for thier OC?

 

[BuckBackHome]

Did the Jets want him for thier OC?

He did not say. Just that the Jets wanted him and they increased his responsibilities to keep him.

 

[NFBuck]

Lerner and Savage spent the day convincing Romeo Carthon had to go. Donovan is speculating Jeff Davidson, o line coach and assistant o coordinator, will become the new o coordinator. I guess he was heading to the Jets last year until they convinced him to stay.

The fact that it required convincing is concerning.

Regardless....
Though I will miss the FB sweep on 3rd down.

 

[NFBuck]

From the Plain Dealer...
Not good on RAC that the owner and GM had to step in and force his hand. His rope may be getting pretty short already.

Browns fire Carthon
11 p.m.

By Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer reporter

Embattled offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon was relieved of his duties by the Browns on Monday, the day the team?s anemic offense bottomed out at 32nd in the league rankings.

Carthon, who made controversial play-calls and questionable personnel decisions in each game this year, was informed of the decision by coach Romeo Crennel.

It was owner Randy Lerner and General Manager Phil Savage who forced Crennel to make the call, according to a report by Jim Donovan of WKYC Channel 3.

Despite public outcry over Carthon?s performance ? and internal grumbling in the Browns locker room ? Crennel was unable to pull the trigger on the decision during the team?s bye week.

After intense introspection and self-evaluation during their off-week, the Browns laid another egg Sunday in a 17-7 loss to the Denver Broncos. The Browns produced season lows in points, first downs, third-down efficiency, total yards and rushing yards while dropping to 1-5 on the season.

Under Carthon, who never was a team?s primary offensive play-caller until Crennel gave him the responsibility, the Browns were 32nd in points last year and 26th in overall offensive yards. Through six games this year, they were 26th in points per game and 32nd in offensive yards.

Carthon, a former fullback with the Giants, came under fire the first game this season when he gave the ball to sixth-round rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers on two crucial third-and-1 situations. Vickers failed both times. In the second game in Cincinnati, Carthon had tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. removed from the field on several third-down situations. A day later, Winslow lambasted the decision and said the coaches were not getting the ball in the hands of the playmakers.

 

[TGfan06]

ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!

But with no O-line, this might not do a whole lot. But it is a start!

 

[Smooth Olaf]

Thank LeBron. That TE Screen against Denver made me want to kick the T.V. Every week, he'd invent new and inovative plays that fell two yards short of a first down.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns fire Carthon

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Maurice Carthon was fired as the Browns' offensive coordinator Monday.
Carthon was told by coach Romeo Crennel in a late afternoon meeting that he was being relieved of his duties, said Jim Donovan of WKYC-TV, who first reported the story Monday night.
It's not clear who will take over for Carthon, but offensive line coach Jeff Davidson appears to be in line. He was given the title of assistant head coach to keep him from going to the New York Jets as offensive coordinator during the offseason.
The Browns are the league's worst-ranked offense, and Sunday against the Denver Broncos they scored just seven points and gained 165 yards -- after a bye week that gave them an extra week to prepare.
Carthon has been a lightning rod for criticism this season, dating to the third week of the season when tight end Kellen Winslow said some of the team's coaches had been holding the offense back.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns getting more offensive to suffering fans

By Terry Pluto

For Browns fans, it's getting harder to watch each week.
That's because so many of the games have a certain depressing sameness to them. The Browns seem to be playing hard, sort of staying close -- but down deep, you know they won't win the game.
Was there any point in Sunday's 17-7 loss to the Denver Broncos when you honestly believed the Browns would win? Not that they had a chance. Not that if a few breaks and bounces went there way, they might win.
No, were you sure they would win at any part of any game so far?
There hasn't been a game in this 1-5 season that would inspire any confidence from the fans. It's not that the Browns are being blown out. It's just that they seldom do enough to convince you that they can win.
Yes, they have played good teams this season, and the Broncos have a great defense. But it doesn't much matter. Unless the team wears a jersey of the Oakland Raiders, the Browns are not about to move the ball with any consistency.
It's discouraging that the Browns are the only team in the NFL not to score a touchdown in the first quarter this season. No doubt, the Browns are like most teams. They plot out their first 10 to 15 plays of the game, aiming for a quick strike, a long drive or something to get the ball in the end zone.
Dating to last season, the Browns have scored one first-quarter touchdown in their last 12 games!
In the NFL, bad teams often play decent first quarters because they find a weakness in the opponent. Then the superior team adjusts, and the offense shuts down.
But the Browns offense opens with a snooze, then often gets down to some serious snoring. No matter how the Browns try to explain it, the futile first quarters say nothing good about the coaching and preparation for the offense.
In Sunday's game, they were penalized for 12 men in the huddle. They had to burn a timeout to set up a fourth-and-one play that blew apart and failed. The opening play of the second half was a pass to blocking fullback Terrelle Smith. You come out of the dressing room with that?
Too often, you ask yourself, ``Just what are they doing?''
The Browns have a young quarterback who has started only 11 pro games. They have two receivers who are coming off injuries and are basically rookies in terms of experience.
But these kids do have ability. Kellen Winslow entered Sunday leading all tight ends in receptions. Braylon Edwards' production has not come close to matching his ego, but the receiver does have talent, averaging 16.2 yards per catch. Veteran Reuben Droughns ran for more than 1,200 yards each of the previous two seasons.
Charlie Frye has a chance to be successful if he can stay healthy enough to grasp the lessons a quarterback can learn only on the field -- and that's a real question mark. He's taking a terrible beating.
It's not just good defenses such as the Broncos or the Baltimore Ravens making the Browns offensive line look bad. It's nearly every defense. The offensive line doesn't protect Frye, nor does it create much room to run. Other than that, the linemen are having a nice year.
Let's hope the Browns realize the problems are much deeper than missing Pro Bowl center LeCharles Bentley.
The reason for picking on the offense is because the defense usually has some signs of life and a discernible game plan. It has been playing without its top three cornerbacks for much of the season. It has two rookie linebackers (Kamerion Wimbley and D'Qwell Jackson) and two veteran free agents really showing their age (Willie McGinest and Ted Washington).
But members of the defense are respectable. They hustle. They hide their weaknesses, accent their strengthens. They don't seem to have that much more talent than the offense, but they are a much better coached, more effective unit.
The Browns need to ask themselves why that's the case -- then do something about it. Because right now, the offense is relatively healthy, but it's getting worse instead of better.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Jurevicius taking radio heat
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER


BEREA - Joe Jurevicius took some hometown radio heat Monday morning, then spent part of the lunch hour explaining himself.
On Sunday, in an interview with WTAM-AM after a loss to the Broncos, the receiver said:
?I think we need to quit listening to outside forces ... start worrying about what we have inside these walls. Media, fans, criticism, um, to hell with ?em. Play football.?
Jurevicius was promptly ripped on a Monday morning show by WTAM?s Bob Frantz, along with some callers.
?It?s an unfortunate thing,? Jurevicius said in the locker room later Monday. ?It was taken out of context, the fact I said to hell with them.
?I came to Cleveland to play in front of Browns fans because I was a Cleveland Browns fan myself. The unfortunate thing now is that I?m painted as a villain.
?I?m talking about criticism. We have to have a steel wall between us and everything that?s negative now. That?s simply what I meant, and simply what I mean today.?
Jurevicius grew up near the eastern edge of Cleveland and played high school ball at Mentor Lake Catholic. Coming off a 10-touchdown year with Seattle as a free agent, he jumped at the chance to sign with his hometown team.
He elaborated on the theme of players? assuming a bunker mentality, with the team at 1-5.
?We?ve already got our backs up against the wall,? he said, ?so we?ve have to shield ourselves ... shun away all evil, if you will, and get back on track. If any Browns fan out there took that as me saying to hell with them, I?m sorry you took it that way, because I came here to become a Cleveland Brown, and that?s the truth.?
Jurevicius said anything that came out of his mouth in the locker room after the game was in the context of a frustrated veteran who had dropped two fourth-quarter passes. Fans are frustrated, too, and some inferred a slap in the face from Jurevicius.
?I understand it?s frustrating,? Jurevicius said. ?I was here for The Fumble, The Drive. I?m a Browns fan .. I?m a Browns player now.
?I don?t think you can call yourself a die-hard if you?re not with us. As soon as this thing gets turned around and we get that appetite for winning, all things are gonna be fine.?
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Baxter out for at least a year

The team for whom nothing seems to go right continued its trend of bad fortune as the Browns announced Monday that cornerback Gary Baxter tore the patella tendon in both of his knees.

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Baxter's devastating injury came in the 17-7 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday and was just the latest bit of bad news to come the Browns' way.
A serious injury like that to both knees clearly threatens Baxter's career. He is scheduled to have surgery today on both knees.
It also appears that center LeCharles Bentley's comeback from his torn patella tendon has been derailed, if only temporarily.
Bentley has contracted a staph infection, which forced him to be hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic. It's not known how serious Bentley's situation is, but staph infections can be life-threatening. He has lost more than 20 pounds.
Asked about Bentley, coach Romeo Crennel would say only: ``We will talk about LeCharles on Friday.''
That's when General Manager Phil Savage will address the media.
Pressed on Bentley, Crennel repeated the team would talk about him Friday. He did not deny Bentley has a staph infection.
On the field, the Browns are a 1-5 team that scored seven points coming off its bye week.
``There's adversity in everybody's life, and you have to deal with the adversity when it comes,'' Crennel said. ``If you can handle and deal with the adversity of today, then you can appreciate the success of tomorrow.
``I think that's the way you have to approach it. Otherwise you might throw your hands up and dive off a cliff.''
Baxter's double knee injury was the latest blow.
He was injured in the second quarter when he planted and turned to try to break up a deep pass to Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker. Baxter's feet apparently caught in the turf, and the torque of his body twisting ruptured both of the tendons that hold the kneecaps in place.
Rehabilitation will be one year at a minimum, and there is no guarantee that Baxter will be able to play again.
Crennel said he tried to call Baxter on Sunday night.
``But he wasn't in a talking mood,'' Crennel said.
The last player to suffer such a severe injury was Chicago Bears wide receiver Wendell Davis, who tore both patella tendons when his feet caught in the artificial turf in 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
Davis led the Bears in receiving yards the previous seasons but did not return until 1998 -- five years after the injury. He caught four passes after his knees were repaired.
Baxter signed a six-year, $30 million contract in March 2005 that included a $10 million signing bonus. He has played in eight games for the Browns the past two seasons.
A torn pectoral muscle ended his season after five games in 2005, and another torn pectoral muscle hampered him this season. He finally got back on the field and now faces a year of grueling and difficult rehab.
``There's obviously some heartfelt sorrow for him,'' teammate Joe Jurevicius said.
Baxter and Bentley were the plum free-agent signings for the Browns the past two years. Now both are sidelined.
``That's the things that we're up against right now,'' Jurevicius said. ``When a snowball gets going, it gets bigger.''

 

[Buckin' A]

It's not clear who will take over for Carthon, but offensive line coach Jeff Davidson appears to be in line. He was given the title of assistant head coach to keep him from going to the New York Jets as offensive coordinator during the offseason.

Seems like a logical chioce to me...but then again...this is the Browns.

 

[BuckBackHome]

I give Romeo credit for sticking with his guy. He needs to be able to call the shots on his staff, but it seemed like his was blind to the realities of their offensive ineptitude.

At this point how could anyone be worse than Carthon? This is a no lose situation for the new person as he cannot make the offense rank lower than last. I just hope he does not screw up our drafting position for next year. I want that #1 pick to trade down and grab a few top players.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

B R O W N S I N T R A N S I T I O N

Assistant Davidson runs offense

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

As Browns offensive line coach, Jeff Davidson presided over the most maligned unit on a 1-5 team.
Now he'll be calling the plays, too.
Davidson was handed full control of the Browns offense by coach Romeo Crennel to replace departed offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, who resigned under pressure.
Davidson, 39, was considered the coordinator-in-training when he was given the additional title of assistant head coach by Crennel in January. The promotion was made when new Jets coach Eric Mangini tried to lure Davidson as offensive coordinator.
Davidson's first game as play-caller comes, coincidentally, against Mangini and the Jets on Sunday in Cleveland Browns Stadium.
"I'm confident he'll give his best effort to organize this thing and try to be creative and resourceful in using the talent we have on this team," Crennel said.
Davidson will not formally add coordinator to his titles, but will function as such. Assistant offensive line coach Jeff Uhlenhake will assume more responsibility with the position group.
Davidson was on Bill Belichick's New England coaching staff with Crennel during the Patriots' run of three Super Bowl championships beginning with the 2001 season.
He actually preceded Belichick and Crennel with the Patriots, joining them in 1997 as tight ends coach under Pete Carroll. Davidson was assistant offensive line coach the following year and then held both positions for Belichick from 2002 through 2004.
Crennel said that Davidson ran the Patriots offense in the preseason of 2002 when then-coordinator Charlie Weis was recovering from complications from stomach reduction surgery.
As Browns line coach, Davidson had to deal with the musical chairs situation at center during training camp and preseason. Present starter Hank Fraley is the sixth player to hold the position since the beginning of camp in late July.
Once Fraley settled in, the Browns actually have been one of only 13 NFL teams to field the same five starters on offensive line through six games. Yet the Browns rank 31st in rushing offense and 28th in sack percentage.
There have been rumblings that Davidson and Carthon clashed over the team's offensive philosophy and at some point ceased communicating except when absolutely necessary.
Asked if their differences affected the line's performance, Crennel responded, "We'll find that out in the future because if they perform great now, you can say that was the case. But I don't think that was the case."
Crennel said that Davidson will have the freedom to imprint his own style on the offense over the remaining 10 games.
"Jeff is putting his thoughts together about what he thinks, and we'll see how it manifests itself," Crennel said. "I don't think you can realistically expect it to manifest as a wide-open offense over night. I think what he'll do is pick the things he likes and maybe dress them up here and there, and go forward each week."
Under Carthon, the Browns' offense ranked 32nd in total yards, 31st in rushing, 26th in passing and 26th in points per game. The team scored the fewest points in the league last year under Carthon's direction.
Crennel insisted that Carthon offered his resignation on Monday night and his ouster was not forced by owner Randy Lerner and General Manager Phil Savage, as universally reported.
Lerner and Savage have refused to comment.
Crennel said that he accepted the resignation of Carthon, a good friend, because it was best "for the organization and the fans of Cleveland."
He said when the two men discussed the situation Monday night, they agreed "it probably would get worse before it got better" and Carthon would be a constant target of criticism.
"Even if it got better for a game or two, he'd always be the guy at fault," Crennel said.
Carthon has been under fire from players, media and fans since Game 1, when he used rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers instead of feature back Reuben Droughns on two critical third-and-1 situations. In Game 2, Carthon drew the ire of tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. for taking him off the field on some third downs.
In Game 3, Carthon called for a pass into the end zone with a 14-12 lead against Baltimore and about three minutes left. The pass was intercepted and led to a game-winning Ravens field goal. In Game 5, Carthon called for a halfback option pass by Vickers on a critical third-and-inches situation.
In Game 6, after Carthon received a reprieve in a week in which two other NFL coordinators were axed, the Browns produced season lows in points, first downs, total yards and third-down efficiency - turning up the heat even more.
Crennel said he did not feel any more pressure in his job than when he accepted the position in 2005.
"When you take this job, it's like driving a new car off the lot," Crennel said. "When you drive it off the lot, it decreases in value. When you take this job, your chances of losing it are increased."
Roster move:
The Browns placed cornerback Gary Baxter on injured reserve and signed cornerback Mike Hawkins to fill his roster spot. Baxter had surgery Tuesday to repair torn patellar tendons in both knees. Hawkins, a fifth-round draft pick of Green Bay in 2005, played in 11 games that year for the Packers.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670