Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[osugrad21]

Canton

Building with Browns
Saturday, November 4, 2006
By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

BEREA Canton people know the Bill Belichick staff model as well as they know Josh McDaniels, the former McKinley quarterback.
The young coaches Belichick keeps tend to have been brilliant school students whose passion is the science behind football. Non-workaholics need not apply.
McDaniels, 30, is applying these traits as Belichick's offensive coordinator on a 6-1 Patriots team.
Jeff Davidson, 39, is like that.
He grew up in Doylestown and moved to Westerville for his high school years, getting A's and not just in cake courses along the way.
He was a good enough lineman to punch a ticket to any university, but the only ones that flipped his switch had strong engineering programs. He considered Notre Dame, UCLA and Southern Cal. Earle Bruce persuaded him to play for Ohio State, and Davidson was good enough to land in the NFL for a while during the 1990s.
He tried coaching and liked it, working for Jim Mora in New Orleans and Pete Carroll with the Patriots. Belichick replaced Carroll. Davidson stayed and got to know Romeo Crennel while they won three Super Bowls together.
Davidson moved to Cleveland as Crennel's offensive line coach in 2005. Last week, Crennel promoted him to offensive coordinator.
"Engineering is on hold," he said Friday with a laugh.
His career has been slower to develop than McDaniels', but Davidson is one up in a joking way. He's undefeated as a coordinator, based on beating another classic Belichick-type Sunday, Eric Mangini and his Jets.
No, Davidson is not talking about why the Browns rushed 43 more yards in their win under him than they averaged in going 1-5 with Mo Carthon as coordinator.
"Things that have gone on in the past are simply in the past," Davidson said. "I prefer to not to talk about them. Last week, we stressed starting over. At that point, it was a 10-game season.
"A lot of our players play video games. ... We hit the reset button."
The Jets are one of the league's worst run-defense teams. Davidson's second game will be a better indicator of whether his act beats Carthon's. San Diego has the NFL's third-ranked defense, although it will be without superstar linebacker Shawne Merriman.
Davidson's approach to Game 2?
"When I learned this offense under Charlie Weis," he said, "we tried to find the plays that worked best. We wanted to find more ways to run those plays with multiple personnel groups.
"We're trying to simplify the plays and multiply the looks."
Carthon oversaw a version of New England's offense until he was replaced last week.
"This offense was implanted in us over the last two years," Davidson said. "We are taking the same calls and plays and trying to create our own energy."
Davidson said Carthon practiced some "concepts" he "was not used to." The plan for the rest of 2006, though, is to manage the current system better and postpone talks of an overhaul until winter.
"It's not like I can go in there and say that I don't like it," Davidson said. "These players have a feel for what these plays are right now. A few of them will be changed each week.
"I can't go into detail, but you will see a different direction, and it will be clear in the game.
"It is an evolving process."
Charlie Frye will be at the controls as long as Frye is healthy. How good a quarterback does Davidson have?
"Charlie is a good player, and I have a lot of confidence in him," Davidson said. "I'm trying to make sure Charlie is feeling comfortable in the offense and feels confident with what he's doing.
"That holds true for every position. If the players understand and feel good about the things they are doing, they play faster. That's really what I would like my push to be."
Carthon called plays from the sideline. Davidson is operating upstairs in the booth.
"When I was the assistant offensive line coach in New England," he said, "I sat in the booth. I'd see the play as it played out. I would call out the pressure or blitz. I could see what the entire defense was.
"Secondly, with the all the papers I need to put in front off myself ... I need a little space."

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

NFL NOTES
Browns ink Cribbs for 6 years


Associated Press

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Joshua Cribbs, an undrafted free agent who has become one of the NFL's top kickoff returners, signed a six-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns on Friday.
A star quarterback at Kent State, Cribbs set a Browns franchise record with 1,094 yards on kick returns as a rookie last year. He also finished second on the club with 19 tackles on coverage teams
This season, Cribbs has been the Browns' primary kick returner and his role has been expanded to wide receiver. He won the AFC's special teams player of the week award in early October.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Davidson plans to keep it simple

Coordinator lets game dictate Browns' style

By George M. Thomas

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Before he had a chance to sit down, warm his seat and greet the media Friday morning, recently anointed Browns offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson invoked the name of Charlie Weis, the mastermind behind the New England Patriots offenses that won three Super Bowls.
For Browns fans who have looked for any semblance of a pulse on the offensive side of the ball, that alone might conjure optimism.
Last week in a 20-13 win over the New York Jets, Charlie Frye and Co. looked more cohesive than at any other point during the season. Davidson's first game at the helm produced a balanced attack and allowed running back Reuben Droughns to enjoy his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.
It didn't take long for Davidson to grasp his new situation.
``I would say that I got to a comfort level. I'm an easily excitable guy, so I would say that I put undue pressure on myself,'' Davidson said. ``I think I was more comfortable as the game went on.
``Although I say that I'm easily excitable, I'm also a focused guy. When I saw that kickoff come to us, I knew that the first play was coming up and my tunnel vision kicked in.''
While the Browns' offense often appeared to lack an identity under former coordinator Maurice Carthon's tutelage, Davidson, a Doylestown native, isn't ready to label his unit a running or passing team.
``When I learned this offense under Charlie Weis, we tried to find the plays that worked best. We wanted to find more ways to run those plays with multiple personnel groups,'' he said. ``I think the strength of this offense is trying to simplify the plays and multiply.''
Some might assume that given Droughns' production last week against the Jets, the Browns' starting running back will see the ball a lot more in coming weeks.
``We go in with a game plan. As the game goes on, there is a certain flow,'' Davidson said. ``If we can create a certain movement and direction for our team at that time, it might be more runs this week and more passes next week. We have to make that determination as the game is going on.''
What Davidson -- a man who looks as if he would be at home swinging an ax in a forest as well as protecting a quarterback from defensive linemen -- displays is a degree of flexibility when it comes to calling a game.
``To me, that's the biggest thing I've taken part of in this offense. As you watch the game go, there are things that may happen exactly how it plays out in your mind,'' he said.
``I have a script in my head with the plays that we are going to run. I think I have a good feel for the direction they go in. If they don't go in that direction, I'm going to make a change.''
After the team's 1-5 start, coach Romeo Crennel adopted the philosophy that the Browns were playing a 10-week season. That's a party line Davidson backs strongly, saying that the team collectively has pressed a reset button.
During the course of that time, he expects the offense to grow with him and he expects to grow with it. That evolution will come with expectations and accountability, he said.
``There are two major stress points the staff discussed when we got together as an offense. Two words that came to mind were `precision' and the group being `cohesive.' '' Davidson said.
``Those two words we tried to use over and over again. Everyone is responsible for their own actions in the play. If one guy does something wrong, the whole play is messed up. They have to be accountable for that.
``Secondly, they all have a piece in the play and I want them to understand where their `fit' is. We talk about what plays we are running and the different reads.
``Every receiver on the field knows what he is supposed to do. Again, they are equally accountable for knowing what they have to do.''
Davidson knows that cohesion starts with Frye, a University of Akron graduate who has his full confidence.
``I'm trying to make sure Charlie is feeling comfortable in the offense and feels confident with what he's doing,'' Davidson said. ``That goes true for every position on the field. If the players understand and feel good about the things they are doing, they play faster.''
That feeling of being in sync is something that critics and fans said the Browns lacked during the first part of the season, but Davidson, who was a four-year letterman at Ohio State, prefers not to criticize his predecessor.
He chooses to dwell on the positives of the current situation. One of the things on that list? He's home.
``I grew up listening to the radio at my house or watching the Browns on TV at a friend's house. I was a Browns fan growing up,'' he said. ``This is a dream come true to be here as a coach, regardless of what my realm is as a coach.''
Cribbs extension
Special teams player Joshua Cribbs' six kickoff returns of more than 40 yards each so far this season have not gone unnoticed -- or unrewarded -- by the Browns.
The team signed Cribbs, who came to them as an undrafted free-agent quarterback out of Kent State last season, to a six-year extension, through 2012.
Cribbs ranks third in the NFL, with a 27.7-yard kickoff return average. He also excels in special teams coverage.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Injury update
Right tackle Ryan Tucker, who has been battling an undisclosed illness, will miss the game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. He had been held out of practice all week.
The team upgraded cornerback Jereme Perry to probable. Guard Joe Andruzzi (knee), cornerbacks Leigh Bodden (ankle) and Daven Holly (illness), linebacker Willie McGinest (ankle), wide receiver Dennis Northcutt (ribs), defensive lineman Orpheus Roye (hamstring) and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. (knee) are listed as questionable.
For the Chargers, linebacker Shaun Phillips (calf) is listed as questionable. Defensive end Igor Olshansky (knee), safety Clinton Hart (hip) and safety Bhawoh Jue (knee) are probable.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Frye gets general assignment

Davidson plans to give QB more leeway on field

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter

New Browns offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson gradually will untie quarterback Charlie Frye's hands and give him more freedom to call audibles.
"That's part of our offense," Davidson said Friday on the first day he addressed the media. "I can't really get into how or when it will happen, but it's something we'd like to evolve to."
The clamps placed on quarterback Trent Dilfer last season under former offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon are a major reason Dilfer is gone - and the picture improved only slightly for Frye this season. He was only able to make minor adjustments.
The reins will be loosened significantly as Davidson goes forward, because he believes the QB needs to be the field general.
"What I've told [Frye] is that whether he's in the huddle or taking a snap from center, he's our coach on the field," Davidson said. "Once he enters the huddle, he's the only one that talks and that's the way our offense wants it to be.
"I think that's important. He's the guy that controls everything on the play, whether it's an exchange with the halfback or throwing the ball downfield."
Frye was not available Friday, but backup quarterback Ken Dorsey said it's evident that Frye will have more leeway.
"Charlie's the type of guy that can do stuff like that," Dorsey said.
"He's so intelligent on the field and makes great decisions, so he's building that confidence with the coordinator."
Davidson said he thinks Frye is a good player and that he has confidence in him.
"I'm trying to make sure Charlie is comfortable in the offense and feels confident about the things that he's doing -- and that goes true for every position on the field," he said.
Davidson also said he's not running his own offense yet, the one he won three Super Bowls with in New England under then coordinator Charlie Weis.
"I don't want to talk about Maurice, but the bottom line is this: The offense we have is Maurice Carthon's offense," Davidson said. "It's what was implanted in us over the last two years. So we're using the same calls, the same plays, but trying to create our own energy, our own focus on what we think is best for us."
Will he scrap it and start over next season with his own offense? It's expected he will, but Davidson wouldn't say.
"I wish I could say I've gotten that far down the road," he said. "Right now as a staff, we're trying to live in the here and now."
In the meantime, he's taking parts of Carthon's scheme and adapting them.
"Under Charlie Weis, we found the plays that worked best and ran them with multiple personnel groups," he said. "I think the strength of this offensive is trying to simplify the plays and multiply the looks."
He acknowledged that Carthon's plays are different from his own. His players went further last week, saying Davidson had great ideas that went ignored.
"When you look at the concepts, there were some things that I'm not used to," Davidson said. "And it's not like I can go in there and say, I don't like this, get rid of that.' The players have a feeling for these plays as they are. A few of them will be changed each week."
He said he hopes to get all the playmakers involved.
"When we put a pass play in, we don't tell Charlie that he has a two-man progression," Davidson said. "We're trying to make sure he has a lot options irregardless of what jersey numbers they're wearing."
Davidson was born and raised in Akron, grew up a Browns fan and remained one while playing at Ohio State. He had a chance to join New York Jets coach Eric Mangini before the season began, but is happy here.
"This is a dream come true to be here as a coach," he said. "I'm happy here in Cleveland and I'm happy with what I'm doing here."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

<H1 class=red>NFL

</H1>

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Mary Kay Cabot

Plain Dealer Reporter

The Browns have six more years to think of new and innovative ways to use Joshua Cribbs' many talents on the football field.
On Friday, they signed Cribbs, 23, to a six-year contract extension through 2012. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
It was a huge leap for Cribbs, a returner/receiver who was signed as an undrafted free-agent last season out of Kent State, where he played quarterback.
"This is a dream come true for me," Cribbs said in a statement released by the team. "I love the city of Cleveland, our fans, and I'm excited that I'll be here for the long haul."
The Browns gave Cribbs a chance when most other teams overlooked him. They convinced him he could make the team as a kick returner and make a name for himself after he was on the roster.
Cribbs set a franchise record with 1,094 kickoff return yards in 2005 - including a 90-yard return for a touchdown against Detroit - and is off to a rousing start this season.
He's third in the NFL with a 27.7-yard kickoff-return average, and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 4 following his 65- and 53-yard kickoff returns in Oakland that helped lift the Browns to a 24-21 victory.
Cribbs already has five kickoff returns this season of 40 yards or more.
He also has five punt returns for 46 yards (9.2 average), nine receptions for 81 yards, and is third on the team with nine special-teams tackles.
Cribbs has the same agent as San Diego tight end Antonio Gates (Andre Colona) and credits his fellow Kent alum with his quick adjustment to the NFL.
"[Gates] helped me a great deal," Cribbs said. "When I was a rookie, he gave me advice on how to approach being a wide receiver and what I had to go up against with these NFL defensive backs and linebackers. He also helped me with what was in store for.
"He's a Pro Bowler and you can only learn from the best."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

BROWNS INSIDER
Browns cook up new tight-end spread on offense


Friday, November 03, 2006


One of the most visible changes in the Browns offense made by new coordinator Jeff Davidson was the use of three tight ends. The team might expand on the package in weeks to come.
Unofficially, the Browns used three tight ends on 17 of 64 plays against the New York Jets. Two of the plays were in goal-line or short-yardage situations, which shouldn't count as a change.
On the 15 other plays on which they lined up three tight ends, the Browns gained 89 yards - for a 5.9-yard average. That success, while minimal, should merit further use of the package.
"Depending on how productive we are, it can be a big factor," said Darnell Dinkins.
Dinkins is the beneficiary of the package because it gets him, the third tight end, on the field. He signed here as a free agent this year knowing he would be typecast as a blocking tight end. He's so good at it that teammates call him "The Enforcer."
But the formation doesn't necessarily tip off a run.
"Having K-2 [Kellen Winslow Jr.] out there with two other tight ends, he ends up being virtually a receiver," said quarterback Charlie Frye. "All three tight ends can catch the ball, and Dinkins is especially a force blocking in the running game. It's a formation that we like and we think we can expand on."
The Browns passed six times from the formation, including the first play when Frye play-faked and threw deep for Braylon Edwards. Frye had completions of 20, 7 and 8 yards, and also scrambled once for 17 yards.
Reuben Droughns loves the personnel grouping. He ran eight times for 37 yards, not counting the goal-line (2-yard touchdown) and short-yardage package (6 yards).
"We get some bigger guys on the field," he said. "Receivers don't have to try to block strong safeties. Plus, the defense doesn't know whether we're running right or left. And we can diversify [out of that formation]."
Another advantage, pointed out Frye, is that not many other teams employ a consistent three-tight end offense.
"Nobody else practices it," he said. "So it's tough to game plan against."
The negative: It leaves room for only one wide receiver.
Another new wrinkle:
Edwards liked the play on which he lined up as the only player in the backfield. Frye threw a swing pass to Edwards, but the play failed to gain the needed 3 yards for a first down.
"I thought it was interesting," Edwards said. "It can cause some confusion on a defense. There was one part of that play we actually missed, or the play goes for a little bit longer. If we can continue to cause some confusion, we'll be doing better."
Secondary news:
Cornerback Daven Holly remained in the Cleveland Clinic with an undisclosed illness. Head coach Romeo Crennel said Holly asked for privacy until doctors could make a conclusive diagnosis. Crennel confirmed Holly did not have a staph infection. He's virtually out for the San Diego game. . . . The window is closing on rookie cornerback DeMario Minter's season. The Browns have to determine on Tuesday whether Minter is capable of joining the full squad in practice. If so, they would have three weeks to activate him. If not, which is more likely, Minter would be out for the year. He had knee surgery prior to training camp.
Catching up:
Droughns said he was sore for two days after rushing 33 times for 125 yards (his career high with Cleveland).
"I'm a lot better now," he said. "You've got to expect that when you get 33 carries. You just work through it."
The season-high rushing total left Droughns on a pace for 873 yards. To get to 1,000 for the season, Droughns would have to average 68 yards a game the rest of the way. To get to 1,200, he would have to average 91 yards a game.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

New coordinator sets sights on task at hand

Saturday, November 04, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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New Browns offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson has every reason to be overjoyed by his performance last week, but he remains grounded and steadfast on moving forward.
Just five days after taking over for the departed Maurice Carthon, the Westerville native called plays for the first time in an efficient game plan that beat the New York Jets 20-13. The offense featured several new formations and relied heavily on running back Reuben Droughns, who set season highs with 33 carries for 125 yards.
Davidson will have a stiffer task Sunday against the San Diego Chargers and their second-rated defense.
"Right now as a staff, we are concentrating on ?here and now,? " Davidson said. "We have one game to play this week and each week we truly hit the reset button. We get rid of what happened, good or bad, and we move on to the next game."
Cribbs gets extension

Second-year receiver and kick returner Joshua Cribbs signed a six-year extension that will keep him with the Browns through 2012.
Cribbs, a former quarterback at Kent State, made the team as an undrafted rookie and quickly found his niche on special teams. He is third in the NFL with a 27.7-yard kickoff return average and has nine receptions for 81 yards.
As a rookie, Cribbs set a franchise record with 1,094 kickoff return yards.
Lookalikes

Nearly one-third of NFL teams use a 3-4 defense or variations of it. The Browns, who are one of those teams, will face a similar 3-4 defense for the second week in a row when they play the Chargers.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel and Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer have been proponents of the 3-4 defense during their lengthy careers. With the success of teams such as the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, more coaches and teams are buying into the system.
"Well, a lot of guys that are converting have some 3-4 in their background, whether it was in college or whether they worked with somebody who believed in a 3-4," Crennel said. "With today?s offenses that try to spread you out and make you adjust, the 3-4 allows you to be more adaptable."
Cleveland?s offense had few problems last week against the 3-4 defense run by the Jets, who are coached by Crennel disciple Eric Mangini. Crennel said his vast experience with the defense helps, but execution on offense is still the key.
"We know where there may be some soft spots, but finding the soft spots and then exploiting the soft spots at the correct times, that becomes the issue," Crennel said.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

TALKIN' BROWNS
Carthon excuses over
? Besides trying to win more games, one of the Browns' major reasons for replacing Mo Carthon with Jeff Davidson as offensive coordinator is -- in the words of General Manager Phil Savage -- ``No more excuses.'' There had been so much complaining about the play-calling, the lack of communication and the problems with formations -- how the blocking schemes didn't match the plays called.
? With an offensive line coach now calling the plays, there are no excuses for confusion. The linemen can't complain that they were not given a chance to block properly, because they were in the wrong scheme. The New York Jets game showed the team can look more organized. It helped to play the 29th-ranked defense, but there were other differences.
? In the final games of the Carthon Era, the team was breaking the huddle with eight to 12 seconds left before having to snap the ball. Last week, it was 18 to 20. That gives the team a chance to get set, the quarterback more time to study the defense. It does matter.
? Carthon used to call the plays from the field. Davidson is in the press box. Most teams have offensive coordinators upstairs. ``I don't care where the guy is, I just want it to work,'' Savage said.
? The setup has Davidson in the booth, being assisted by receivers coach Terry Robiskie. Davidson makes the play call to quarterback coach Rip Scherer, on the headset. Then Scherer tells Charlie Frye the play. The idea is to keep the voices in Frye's head to a minimum. It's Scherer who talks to Frye throughout the game.
? The Browns are using the last 10 games -- starting with the Jets game -- to make a complete evaluation of the offensive line. With the confusion between Carthon and Davidson eliminated, the line has no one to blame if it has bad games.
? Center Hank Fraley had his best game of the year against the Jets, grading highly. The Browns would love for LeCharles Bentley (knee surgery, staph infection) to come back strong in 2007, but they know they can't count on him -- or at least, they want depth at the position. So they are interested in Fraley, who has six years of experience.
? Kelly Butler had a strong game at right tackle, replacing Ryan Tucker (undisclosed illness). Since no one knows when Tucker will be back, developing Butler is a key. He started 15 games last year with the Detroit Lions. Savage has liked Butler for a few years.
? The Browns believe between Kevin Shaffer, Butler and Tucker (assuming he returns), they have some depth at tackle. The area of concern is guard, where Cosey Coleman (86 starts) and Joe Andruzzi (95 starts) have a lot of wear and tear. Coleman is only 28, Andruzzi is 31. Both have played with a lot of injuries through the years, but they have stayed in the lineup.
? When Andruzzi went down Sunday, Lennie Friedman took over at guard and did a decent job, nothing special. What impressed the front office is the Browns played without starters Tucker and Andruzzi for most of the game and allowed only two sacks. One of them was when running back Reuben Droughns failed to pick up a blitz. They also ran for 147 yards, which made the line feel very good.
? San Diego is a much tougher challenge, the Chargers' defense being among the league's top three in several categories. With Chargers star sacker Shawne Merriman out (failed drug test) and linebacker Shaun Phillips possibly out with an injury, the Browns believe that they can protect Frye reasonably well. Phillips and Merriman have combined for 14 sacks this season.
? When Sean Jones was coming off knee surgery before the 2005 season, some Georgia coaches told Savage that he should be patient with the former Bulldogs safety. They mentioned how Jones had been recruited as a high school quarterback. It took him almost two years to make the switch to safety, where it began to feel natural. He left Georgia for the NFL after his junior year. Their point was Jones is a late bloomer, and a gifted athlete who can really make an impact in time. Fans are starting to see that was the case.
? The Browns say rookie Kamerion Wimbley and Jones have played consistently the best of anyone on defense. Wimbley has quickly adjusted from defensive end in college to outside linebacker, and they love how he never gives up on any play. Wimbley has six tackles for loss, three more than anyone on the team. His seven quarterback pressures also are the most.
? Leigh Bodden might be the best defensive player; the cornerback just needs to stay healthy. He wasn't 100 percent against the Jets, but he was still effective even with a sore ankle. Andra Davis delivers a solid, passionate effort every week. The Browns also have been pleased with rookie inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who is second on the team (behind Davis) in tackles.
? The Browns have praised veteran safety Brian Russell for his leadership, ``a coach on the field,'' Savage said. Russell has helped hold the secondary together with all the injuries to three starting quarterbacks. Russell's experience and the sudden leap forward of Jones have made Brodney Pool a third safety. The Browns say Pool (who is a strong tackler) will continue to play more, he has been on the field for 15 to 20 snaps the past few games.
? Savage said he'll only be concerned about the drop in production of Braylon Edwards (seven catches, 56 yards) in the last three games, if it continues. The Browns were so intent on establishing the run, they didn't look long for Edwards against the Jets. ``It's just a matter of time before he starts to break some big plays like he did early in the season,'' Savage said. ``He just has too much talent.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns miss a big chance

Passing on Tomlinson in draft a bad decision by Davis in 2001

By Patrick McManamon

BEREA - A former Browns player was describing how he was stretching in the fieldhouse in December of the dismal 2000 season.
Then-coach Chris Palmer walked up, and the two started talking about the team's needs.
``Well one thing we'll take care of in the draft,'' Palmer said, according to the player. ``We are going to get a back.''
``Who?'' the player asked.
``This guy from TCU,'' Palmer said. ``I've watched him a lot and so have our scouts. This guy is the real deal.''
That ``guy'' was LaDainian Tomlinson, who will face the Browns today at 4:15 p.m.
Obviously that set-in-stone intention changed when Palmer was fired and Butch Davis hired.
That change led to the Browns bypassing Tomlinson in favor of Gerard Warren.
It led to years of frustration with the team's running game, and years of wonder about what might have been had the Browns taken Tomlinson instead of Warren.
Davis' choice -- which he now admits he wishes he could have back -- was based on two factors: He was a defensive coach who wanted to draft defense, and he thought that Tomlinson's college success came in a veer-option system that would not translate to the pros.
``This guy may be the next Emmitt Smith,'' Davis said at one predraft meeting. ``But he's an option back who doesn't fit what we want to do and we need to help our defense.''
Jaws dropped, but Davis was in charge. The focus turned to the defense.
The Browns wound up treating Tomlinson as if he had a communicable disease.
They did not invite him in for a visit, rarely talked to him or his agent and didn't even interview him at the combine -- a place where dozens of college players are interviewed.
They took Warren with the third overall pick, and Tomlinson went fifth to the San Diego Chargers.
As it turns out, Davis might have been right about one thing: Tomlinson might indeed be the next Emmitt Smith.
Tomlinson's 8,017 yards in five-plus seasons have him on target to challenge Smith's NFL record of 18,355 yards.
Too bad he wouldn't have fit in the Browns' system.
To be fair, any draft pick can be second-guessed. There's always another option that would have been better.
But some decisions affect football teams for years, and they wind up smacking the team right in the face again and again.
To think that the Browns ignored Tomlinson -- a fact he stated this week that was confirmed by a former Browns front-office type -- goes beyond mind-boggling.
The guy wasn't exactly a secret.
Tomlinson was just the second player in college football history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and 5,000 in a career. His 5,263 rushing yards ranked sixth in Division I-A history, and he led the nation in rushing in his final two seasons.
The fact that he was ignored speaks to the way the Browns operated in the past, and the team's status today.
Davis often blamed the Palmer-Dwight Clark drafts for his struggles, but his face once went blank when he was asked why he had not drafted an impact player.
From 2001-2004, Davis and the Browns selected 29 players.
Five are on the team -- Andra Davis, Chaun Thompson, Ryan Pontbriand, Kellen Winslow and Sean Jones. One is a long snapper. One player, Davis, is left from the 2001 and 2002 drafts.
It does not seem to be a matter of preference, either. Most of these players are either out of the league or backups.
Browns scouts knew of Tomlinson -- otherwise Palmer would not have known -- and player personnel director Joe Collins favored the TCU back.
Davis clearly favored players he had either recruited, coached or coached against, which made it easy to dismiss Tomlinson as a ``system back'' and take James Jackson of Miami in the third round.
The next year, the Browns had to take William Green in the first round, because they didn't take Tomlinson in 2001.
There's a lot of reasons the Browns are struggling right now.
Clearly not all of them are the fault of Davis.
But he sure didn't help the team's long-term future with some of his decisions.
Bypassing Tomlinson for Warren ranks up there as a doozy.
Today's game
San Diego folks shoot off this cannon after every score at Chargers' home games, and the cannon might get a workout today.
The Chargers are loaded on offense, especially with Tomlinson -- and the Browns have trouble stopping the run.
Which makes safety Sean Jones a key player.
Jones will have to venture ``into the box'' on defense, giving the Browns eight against the run.
The danger, then, is that might free Antonio Gates down the field -- if he can get by Jones.
Jones faces a tough task, but if he wants to go to Pro Bowls, he has to come through in this kind of game.
Brownies . . .
? Josh Cribbs said Gates showed up at a couple of football practices at Kent State. ``I never saw him again,'' Cribbs said. ``His coach got to him.''
Presumably that would have been Gary Waters or Stan Heath.
? Cribbs on Gates' success in the NFL: ``I am not surprised at all. Great athlete. Great footwork. Size. Fast. He just had the makeup of a great football player.''
? Tomlinson goes by ``LT,'' but Browns coach Romeo Crennel said: ``I coached the original, so it's tough for him to be an original.'' That would have been linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
? Braylon Edwards said that changes in the offense under Jeff Davidson will continue to be subtle. ``(They're) things we agree with, I can tell you that,'' Edwards said.
? One of the ``subtle'' changes Davidson made was to eliminate the pulls and traps for offensive linemen. Davidson just had them zone block and let Reuben Droughns pick his holes.
? The thinking: Browns linemen are strong, but not agile. Asking them to pull was asking them to do things that are not their strength. Let 'em just be big and block.
? Mike Perreira gave a pretty half-hearted defense of the official's call that Chris Baker was out of bounds at the end of Sunday's win over the Jets. Perreira said he won't comment on judgment calls, then said something to the effect of ``you can see it -- so you can judge.''
? There are growing whispers that Edwards' routes have not been the most precise run by a receiver this season.
? The Browns' road record the past two years is 4-15. Two of those wins are in Oakland.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Davidson: Expect more change

Sunday, November 5, 2006

SUNDAY SPECIAL BY TODD PORTER

No one inside the Browns complex wants to discuss what happened when Maurice Carthon was the offensive coordinator. Jeff Davidson, who already had the title of assistant head coach, has the play-calling responsibility now.

Davidson didn?t want to get into the problems with Carthon, either.
?Things that have gone on in the past are simply in the past,? Davidson said Friday. ?I prefer not to talk about them.?
OK, but we hear that Davidson and Carthon butted heads so much that the two were barely on speaking terms the last month. We also hear that veteran offensive line man Joe Andruzzi had a verbal confrontation with Carthon that nearly turned physical.
It?s no wonder most of the players in the huddle didn?t play hard when Carthon was calling the plays. Things sure looked different last week.
Davidson is calling plays in a system that is not his. This is still Carthon?s offense ? a riddle within a riddle ? but Davidson is tweaking it to make more sense to Cleveland?s ability.
?I don?t want to talk about Maurice, but the offense we have now is his,? Davidson said. ?It?s what we learned, and it?s what was implanted in us over the last two years.?
The system and terminology may be the same, but the ideology is different. Davidson is going into a given week with less plays, but more personnel groupings to run those plays.
Last week, the plan was to use three tight end sets, essentially using an eight-man offense line and overloading the side of the line where the play was to go. It worked for more than 120 yards for Reuben Droughns, a season high.
?This week?s game is going to be different,? Davidson said. ?It?s hard for me to go into detail with what those things are. There will be a clear direction that you will see, and it will be clear in the game.?
GRANTHAM LEAVING?
There is speculation in the college coaching rumor mill that Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will be a candidate at Michigan State. The school announced last week that Head Coach John L. Smith will resign at the end of this season.
Leaving for Michigan State wouldn?t be a good idea.
Former Niners coach Steve Mariucci is said not to be interested in the MSU job, which would include coaching alongside friend Tom Izzo. Mariucci sold his Michigan home, and the Lions owe him $6 million in salary next year, too. Mariucci has a gig on the NFL Network, which looks like the place where bought-out coaches go to make a little more money.
Grantham was an assistant in East Lansing for three seasons in the mid-1990s.
NOT DOGGING CARTHON
Davidson, whose parents graduated from Alliance High School, remained classy and didn?t criticize Carthon.
?There are different plays, and that?s the easiest way to say it,? Davidson said. ?When you look at the concepts, there were some things I was not used to.
?This week, we have a few of them changed, and if I have the opportunity to be here next week, we want to make some changes as well.?
MARTY?S FUTURE
Former Browns Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer is having fun in San Diego. But Schottenheimer isn?t getting any younger. He is 63, the third oldest in the league behind Bill Parcells and Joe Gibbs.
?I go at it year to year,? he said. ?I really have no end point in mind at this juncture. If I can continue to be healthy, I?ll keep doing it. I love what I do. I enjoy the interaction with the people.
?I enjoy the day-to-day interaction with all of the people I come in contact with.?
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED POINT
In a story about Browns fans in the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated, the magazine pointed out the last time something good happened to the team was the win against the Jets in the playoffs following the 1986 season. A roughing-the-passer penalty on Mark Gastineau helped lead the Browns a 23-20 double overtime win.
The point to this is, has it really been 20 years since something good happened to the Browns?
Yep. ?People don?t recognize the difficulty of even getting to the playoffs in this league,? Schottenheimer said. ?It is hard to do. The teams that we had in Cleveland, we had the right people at the right time. We were able to put it together.?

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns at Chargers preview

Sunday, November 5, 2006


Kickoff 4:15 p.m., Qualcomm Stadium, capacity 70,000, grass.
TV CBS (Channel 19) with Gus Johnson, Steve Tasker.
RADIO Brown Radio Network (WHBC-AM 1480, WQKT-FM 104.5, WAKR-AM 1590, WMMS-FM 100.7, WTAM-AM 1100, WJER-AM 1450) with Jim Donovan, Doug Dieken and Andre Knott.
Line Chargers by 12 1/2.
Suit up The Chargers will wear replicas of the ?power blue? jerseys they donned in the 1960s in honor of Alumni Day. Alums expected to attend include Hall of Fame TE Kellen Winslow, whose son has made a few waves as a Brown.
Browns vs. Chargers No. 31 run offense (79.4 yards a game) vs. No. 3 run defense (84.7); No. 27 pass offense (168.9) vs. No. 6 pass defense (180.9).
Chargers vs. Browns No. 2 run offense (157.7) vs. No. 28 run defense (136.1); No. 15 pass offense (212.6) vs. No. 5 pass defense (180.3).
Chargers in 2007 (5-2) Won at Oakland 27-0, beat Tennessee 40-7, lost at Baltimore 16-13, beat Pittsburgh 23-13, won at San Francisco 48-19, lost at Kansas City 30-27, beat St. Louis 38-24.
That was cold The Browns? loss to the Chargers in 2004 was one of the most embarrassing of the expansion era. The Chargers? offensive linemen, not Cleveland?s, came out in short sleeves on a brutally cold day. In comparison, some of the Browns dressed like Eskimos. The warm-weather team won, 21-0. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
L.T.?s escort Tomlinson has rushed for 656 yards and nine TDs behind lead blocker Lorenzo Neal, who is playing in his 200th straight pro game. Tomlinson has scored an NFL-best 11 TDs, eight in the last three games. He ran for 183 yards last Sunday against the Rams.
Phil vs. Frye Chargers QB Phillip Rivers, the No. 4 pick of the 2004 draft, had thrown only 30 pro passes before replacing Drew Brees this year. Rivers is likened by some to Dan Marino; he was 6 of 9 for 101 yards on third downs last Sunday against the Rams. Charlie Frye, who is listed as probably with an unspecified thumb injury, can improve to 3-3 as a road starter.
Old hands Keenan McCardell, 36, has given the Chargers 22 catches for 251 yards, well off the pace of his 817-yard, nine-TD 2005. McCardell caught 56 passes for the Browns in 1995, the year before they became the Ravens. ... Joe Jurevicius gave the 2005 Seahawks 10 touchdowns. He has given the 2006 Browns just 10 catches. Jurevicius? 90 receiving yards stand below backup tight end Steve Heiden?s 98.
Son of a Bum Chargers Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips, a 30-year NFL veteran, is a master adjuster. His unit has shut out three 2006 foes in the second half. Phillips? father, Bum, was a colorful Houston Oilers head coach.
The juice The Chargers haven?t lost in November since 2003. ... They have outscored opponents by 107 points, a scoring differential second only to the Bears? 152. ... They haven?t allowed a 100-yard rusher in their last 18 home games, and are 14-4 in that stretch. Four-sigh The Browns play at Atlanta next Sunday before a three-game home stretch against the Steelers, Bengals and Chiefs.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Tight ends taking stage

Sunday, November 5, 2006

By STEVE DOERSCHUK


SAN DIEGO - ?And I?ll prove it,? Kellen Winslow Jr. declared in Ohio, as to ruling today?s ?heavyweight fight? billed by his truly as ?Winslow vs. Gates.?
Winslow dubbed himself the NFL?s best tight end, while praising two he thinks rank behind him, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Thus began a ping-pong of pronouncements setting the side stage for today?s Browns-Chargers game.
Here?s what the Chargers? All-Pro told San Diego reporters:
?I just have a problem with a guy who disrespects guys who?ve done it over a decade, like a Tony Gonzalez. To feel like you?re better than a guy who has basically been doing it since you were in high school, I just have a problem with him not embracing the game enough and respecting guys who?ve proven themselves.
?For you to play in seven straight games and decide you?re the best tight end in the league, I don?t think that?s appropriate. ... He?s not a person I would be worried about. He hasn?t played long enough.?
Now, the rest of the story.
?Yeah, I heard what he said,? Winslow said Friday. ?I didn?t disrespect Tony Gonzalez. All I did was praise him.
?At the same time ... I feel I?m the best in this business. And if you don?t feel you?re the best in the business, you shouldn?t be here.?
Verbal sparring seems to get Winslow ready to fight.
?It does,? he said. ?Have you seen the movie, ?Troy?? ?
?You know the story of Troy, right? Achilles vs. Hector, and I?m Achilles. ... I compare it to that.?
The quickie version: Achilles lead the Spartans against the city of Troy, killing Hector and then celebrating in a way that would leave penalty flags over all the chariot tracks, if officiated by ancient Tagliabueans.
So, this is ?Kellen of Troy,? or something like that.
It makes for better theater than a joust between the 5-2 Chargers and 2-5 Underdawgs.
Of course, there?s the threat LaDainian Tomlinson will play the role of Paris, who shoots Achilles in the foot.
Tomlinson is in just his sixth NFL season but is a running back of mythical proportions.
?I spent a couple of years here saying he was the best,? Chargers Coach Marty Schottenheimer said. ?The more I was around him, the more I became convinced that he is the best that I?ve ever seen.?
The Rams made some hay on offense last week but overdosed on L.T, who rushed for two touchdowns and scored on a pass to lift San Diego, 38-24.
Cleveland has had one 1,000-yard rusher in the last 20 years, Reuben Droughns with 1,232 last season. Tomlinson rushed 1,236 yards as a rookie, then has had years of 1,683, 1,645, 1,335 and 1,462.
He could have been a Brown had Butch Davis not been in love with Gerard Warren. Davis picked Warren at No. 3. The Bengals grabbed Justin Smith at No. 4. The Chargers hit the L.T. jackpot at No. 5.
?If I would have gone to Cleveland,? Tomlinson said, ?I think I?d have had a successful career. I still would have worked hard at doing everything it takes to be good.?
Tomlinson doesn?t seem to line up in the same place. Quarterback Philip Rivers? has two of the sport?s best options in Tomlinson and Gates.
?You see Gates making one-handed catches, accelerating away from defenders,? Browns Coach Romeo Crennel said. ?He?s is a bigger, bulkier tight end, but he runs well and he?s hard to bring down.?
Gates played basketball at Kent State when Joshua Cribbs quarterbacked the football team. Cribbs dreams of being the Kent State guy with the bigger impact on today?s game. The kick return ace and receiver is energized by a contract extension that keeps him with the Browns through 2012.
Jeff Davidson will try to improve to 2-0 as the Browns? offensive coordinator. He says Browns fans can expect to see new wrinkles each week.
Quarterback Charlie Frye isn?t sorry he won?t see pass-rushing beast Shawne Merriman, who began a four-game suspension this week.
Ranked No. 2 in total defense and No. 3 in total offense, the Chargers are well fortified.
?This year?s team is the one I?ve liked the most,? Tomlinson said. ?This could be our year.? Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Tomlinson in elite crowd
Chargers tailback will be the focus of Browns defense

Sunday, November 05, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




BEREA, Ohio ? San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenhiemer has seen a lot of great running backs in his 30 years in the NFL. He has coached against Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith, and he remembers watching Jim Brown.
But Schottenhiemer says Brown is the only running back comparable to Chargers All-Pro LaDainian Tomlinson. The Browns (2-5) will see if Tomlinson is as good as advertised today when they face San Diego (5-2) in Qualcomm Stadium.
"The more I was around him, the more I became convinced that (Tomlinson) is the best that I?ve ever seen," Schottenheimer said. "My timeline goes back to probably Jim Brown. I imagine that there were some terrific backs before that, but Jim Brown was the guy that I always viewed as being the best all time. Certainly, you can make an argument for it either way."
Tomlinson?s statistics back up Schottenhiemer?s opinion.
In his five-year career, Tomlinson has put together five straight seasons with at least 1,200 rushing yards and has at least 50 receptions and 10 touchdowns in that span. This year, he?s on pace for 1,499 rushing and 693 receiving yards, backing up his reputation as the NFL?s most dominant and best all-around running back.
Tomlinson says he?s taking all of the high praise in stride. He knows longevity is something the greats have and Tomlinson has yet to win a playoff game in his career, much less a Super Bowl.
"I?m in my sixth year and I have a long way to go," Tomlinson said. "I want to be considered as one of the greatest to play the game. To be honest with you, I really don?t think of anything like that. I know I have to go out and prove it to my opponents who are trying to shut me down."
It will be interesting to see what game plan Browns coach Romeo Crennel can devise to slow Tomlinson. Few coaches have been successful through the years and the Browns are ranked 28 th in the league in run defense.
Ironically, Tomlinson is one of the most significant names the Browns have skipped on draft day since re-entering the NFL in 1999. In 2001, they used their third overall pick to select defensive lineman Gerard Warren.
San Diego gladly took Tomlinson with the fifth pick.
"I knew they needed a running back badly," Tomlinson said of the Browns. "I thought with me being available, there was a good chance of me coming to Cleveland. I never went to Cleveland for a visit and I don?t think I talked to the team at the NFL combine. I don?t think there was any interest at all."
There certainly will be a lot of interest from the Browns in Tomlinson today. Slowing the three-time Pro Bowler will help determine the outcome of the game.
[email protected]

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

LT lifts Chargers over lowly Browns

11/5/2006, 10:03 p.m. ETBy BERNIE WILSON
The Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) ? Whatever Marty Schottenheimer said at halftime was all it took to snap LaDainian Tomlinson and the rest of the San Diego Chargers out of their funk.
After all, trailing the lowly Cleveland Browns isn't the ideal place for a team that would like to think it ranks among the NFL's elite.
Tomlinson had another monster game, scoring three touchdowns late in the second half and finishing with 172 yards on 18 carries to lift the Chargers to a sloppy 32-25 win Sunday.The Chargers also got a big effort from several defensive backups who were filling in for players missing due to injuries and, in outside linebacker Shawne Merriman's case, a four-game suspension for a positive drug test.
Schottenheimer "gave us a mouthful, a tongue-lashing," Tomlinson said. "We deserved it, though. I'd be lying if I told you we weren't getting frustrated because we were. But we kept our poise when we needed to."
The star running back had a whopping 9.6 yards per carry, gaining 47 yards on his first nine carries and 125 on his last nine.
Tomlinson had consecutive 100-yard rushing games for the first time this season. Last week he ran for 183 yards, had 57 yards receiving and scored three times in a win against St. Louis. He has three 100-yard rushing games this season, plus 14 touchdowns.
With Cleveland's offense sputtering against a defense missing its two best pass rushers, Phil Dawson kicked a club-record six field goals ? from 37, 20, 42, 30, 36 and 35 yards.
The Chargers (6-2) were trailing 12-10 when Tomlinson broke a 41-yard touchdown run with 1:08 left in the third quarter. The Chargers had great field position after pinning the Browns on their 2 and forcing them to punt.
"Give me a little hole I can squeeze through into the secondary," said Tomlinson, who scored on runs of 7 and 8 yards in the fourth quarter. "Once I get into the secondary, things could get very interesting."
Browns coach Romeo Crennel said the Chargers kept freezing their inside linebackers.
"I thought they wore us down," he said.
Tomlinson's big day helped offset the Chargers' 12 penalties for 113 yards.Until Tomlinson's first TD, the Chargers hadn't scored on offense since Nate Kaeding kicked a 29-yard field goal on the game's opening drive.
"I knew we were far better than that," Schottenheimer said.
They did get a defensive touchdown when Marques Harris, making his second start in place of injured outside linebacker Shaun Phillips, recovered Charlie Frye's fumble in the end zone in the second quarter.
On the way back to the bench, Harris did a cartwheel and a backflip to celebrate his first NFL score.
"It's hard, at 240 pounds, doing that, especially with a helmet and shoulder pads on," Harris said. "But when you're excited, you can do a lot."
At one point, the Chargers had four backup linebackers on the field.
"That shows the strength of our defense, the guys who can step up and come in and actually do a good job and not just be out there taking up space," Harris said. "A great team has good depth. The game's not going to stop for certain players."
The Browns (2-6) finally scored a TD with 1:11 left when Braylon Edwards caught a 4-yard pass from Frye.
Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow was booed every time his name was announced at the same stadium where his Hall of Fame father of the same name starred for the Chargers from 1979-87, and some fans cheered when he got hurt late in the game. He returned a few plays later.
During the week, Winslow hyped his matchup with Chargers All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates as a heavyweight match, then went on to say he was the best tight end in the NFL.Winslow and Gates talked and shook hands while both offenses milled around during a long review in the second quarter.
Winslow had 78 yards on a career-high 11 catches, which tied for second-highest in franchise history. Gates had two catches for 22 yards.
The Browns were trying to win consecutive games for the first time in more than three seasons. For a while, it looked like they might succeed.
The Browns led 12-10 after a first half that was as wacky as it was tedious, with five field goals and only one TD.
Dawson kicked his fourth field goal of the half, from 30 yards, with 1 second left. It came at the end of a frantic two-minute drill that began when San Diego's Keenan McCardell fumbled after a catch.
San Diego had taken a 10-6 lead on Harris' fumble recovery. With the ball on the Browns 18, Frye dropped back, was hit by Randall Godfrey, stumbled and lost the ball. Harris went to pick it up and kicked it toward the end zone, where he jumped on it.
"I thought we were going to come out and win," said Frye, who injured his thumb in practice late in the week. "Mistakes ? they're going to kill you."
The Browns came right back and pulled to 10-9 on Dawson's 42-yard field goal.
Notes:@ Dennis Northcutt had an 81-yard punt return to set up Dawson's second field goal. ... Browns CB Leigh Bodden reaggravated an ankle injury and LB Leon Williams also injured an ankle.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns? defense tires, offense bogs down
Monday, November 6, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

SAN DIEGO How long could a defense playing without Orpheus Roye, Willie McGinest and its top three cornerbacks keep making the power-plant Chargers look like week-old chopped liver?
Answer: Only long enough to take a lead deep into third quarter before LaDainian Tomlinson showed off those fabulous, always-fresh legs.
Tomlinson ran for three late touchdowns Sunday that lifted San Diego from a tight spot to a 32-25 win.
?I?ve said it before, and I should be more creative,? observed Chargers Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer, ?but LaDainian is the best that I have ever seen.?
It had figured the Browns would need a shootout number to pull the monster upset.
It didn?t figure an offense that looked promising in Jeff Davidson?s first game as coordinator would revert to its Mo Carthon look ? against a defense running without All-Pro Shawne Merriman and fellow starting linebackers Donnie Edwards and Shaun Phillips.
Charlie Frye had one of his worst games ? shaded by a sore thumb and a crowd that sounded like a well-lubed Raider mob.
His final numbers were OK ? 25-of-43 for 236 yards ? but his radar was clearly off.
?There were a couple he overthrew,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. ?When guys were open, you?d like to see him make some of those.?
RED ZONE PROBLEMS
Tomlinson finished with 18 carries for 172 yards. The super Charger produced a a tale of two nines. On his first nine carries, he ran 47 yards. On his next nine, he cranked out 125.
?We were more disciplined in the first three quarters,? Browns linebacker Matt Stewart said. ?We were in our gaps more. We built walls better.
?We broke down. They got some momentum.?
A dumpster-sized dose of Phil Dawson, who came into the game with eight field goals and kicked six more, was not enough.
?I felt better last week after missing a 26-yarder and winnng the game,? Dawson said.
The Browns failed to produce a touchdown in their first six trips inside the 20. That was another thing that didn?t figure. The Chargers had ranked last in the NFL in red-zone defense, allowing 12 touchdowns in 16 stands.
The Chargers burned up half the first quarter driving to a 29-yard field goal.
Just when the Browns? first series seemed spoiled by procedure penalties against linemen Cosey Coleman and Kevin Shaffer, Frye ducked a rusher, rolled right and unloaded a 52-yard completion to Joe Jurevicius, who improvised while Frye was scrambling.
That set up a 3-3 tie via Phil Dawson?s 37-yard field goal with the first quarter almost gone.
CHARGERS STALLED
The Browns got a stop that allowed the NFL?s most amazing punter, Mike Scifres, to do his thing.
Scifres? coverage unit, though, didn?t have time to get to Dennis Northcutt at the end of a 58-yard moon shot. Northcutt made two quick moves up the middle to find open field and set sail on an 81-yard return to the 10.
The result was just a 20-yard field goal that went through even though rusher Derreck Robinson got a hand on the ball.
The Browns led, 6-3, in the opening moments of the second quarter.
Northcutt?s first return might have put thoughts in Scifres? head. His next punt was straight up and straight down and set the Browns up at midfield.
The Browns instantly gave the advantage away. On first down, Frye fired too high over the middle. Braylon Edwards got his hands on the ball but got drilled while in the air. The ball came out and was picked off by Donnie Edwards.
Yet, Cleveland?s defense set a tone by forcing a third straight Charger punt ? and then a fourth.
One of the NFL?s great offenses was under attack by booing fans.
The Chargers also have one of the great defenses. It already had Frye off-center when the Browns started deep in their own territory. On second-and-7, linebacker Randall Godfrey had a clean shot at Frye off a blitz. Frye would have been better off going down on the initial hit, but he kept his feet long enough to bobble the ball and drop it. It squirted into the end zone, where Marques Harris cherry-picked a touchdown.
?I saw the ball on the ground,? Harris said. ?I kicked it a little bit, and when it passed the goal line, I jumped on it.?
Harris did a back flip to celebrate a 10-6 lead.
POOL?S BIG PLAY
A long kick return by Joshua Cribbs was momentarily wasted when Dawson missed a 54-yard field goal. A quirky timeout-related penalty gave the Browns a gift first down that brought Frye back on the field at the 22 with 3:59 left in the half.
?(Rookie) Antonio Cromartie called a timeout when we had just called a timeout,? Schottenheimer said. ?There is no way in the world the young man would ever know that rule.?
It cost the Chargers 15 yards. Dawson came through on a second chance, from 42 yards, and it was 10-9 with 2:44 left in the half.
The Chargers were driving when safety Brodney Pool made his biggest play in 24 games with the Browns. Keenan McCardell was advancing a completion into field-goal range when Pool caught him from behind and tomahawked the ball loose.
?They teach us to always go for the ball,? Pool said. ?We were fired up. It?s sad we didn?t finish the game.?
The Browns took over after a replay challenge with enough time for Frye to work a two-minute drill featuring Kellen Winslow Jr.
Four completions to the tight end set up a short Dawson field goal that ran out the half with 10 1/2-point underdog Cleveland up 12-10.
TOMLINSON TAKES OVER
The Browns tried but couldn?t get a running game going in the third quarter, leading to progressively better field position for San Diego.
Late in the third quarter, the Chargers took over at their own 41, handed the ball to Tomlinson and watched him blow through a hole on the right side for a touchdown. He caught the Browns in a blitz, with the safety, Jones, vacating a would-be tackling position.
?He?s quick as a cat,? Jones said. ?In the first half, we contained him. In the second half, we gave him those holes and ... he only needs one.?
The Chargers took a 17-12 lead into the fourth quarter.
Two 15-yard penalties ? one on which Frye got clocked by the 289-pound Robinson on a play blown dead ? set up a 36-yard Dawson field goal. It was 17-15 with 14:19 left.
?I heard the whistle and my body relaxed,? Frye said.
?I?m sure he was probably a little woozy,? tight end Steve Heiden said.
The Chargers threw a one-two knockout punch with drives of 77 and 86 yards.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]