Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[osugrad21]

Canton

Putting a lick on Vick
Monday, November 13, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

ATLANTA Sunday's 17-13 upset of the Falcons still leaves the Browns in a 3-6 hole.
Yet, it brightens their spirits considerably heading into the first of two games against Pittsburgh.
It gave wideout Braylon Edwards a platform for recalling a Christmas Eve crater the Steelers left in Cleveland.
"It's not a situation where you say the past is the past, the hell with it," Edwards said a while after catching a tone-setting touchdown pass. "You don't beat somebody 41-0 at their own house. I mean, we're coming for the Steelers. That's point blank, period."
Edwards' catch Sunday gave the Browns a 14-0 lead. Much later, the walls were caving in before Phil Dawson kicked a 43-yard field goal for the Browns' only points of the second half.
Dawson is the only original expansion-era Brown on the active roster. He had just helped beat a winning team on the road. He hasn't seen many of these.
"We had a west coast trip last week," Dawson said. "A lot went into that game. We had a chance to win on the road against a playoff-bound team, and we played well but lost.
"To make that long trip home and pick ourselves back up ... this is definitely one of the biggest wins."
FATEFUL FUMBLE
The Falcons (5-4) were on the Cleveland 17 with 2 1/2 minutes left before Willie McGinest, back from an injury, whipped tight end Eric Beverly off a block and got held. Comically, McGinest lobbied for a flag while chasing Michael Vick.
"(The official) didn't throw it until I started whining," McGinest said.
The penalty changed Vick's approach on second-and-20. Needing a big play, he dropped the ball on the run, dove for it, and couldn't see it as it wiggled behind him and his helmet popped off.
Vick's headgear and the football wound up right in front of young cornerback Jereme Perry's nose.
"I seen it come out," Perry said. "I didn't see where it went. Then it popped out and I jumped on it."
Perry smothered the ball just before the two-minute warning, with the Falcons out of timeouts.
The Browns hung on.
"I don't feel like we're un-stuck ... we're still only 3-6," Edwards said. "But we took a huge step in the right direction. We saw what we can be."
WINSLOW'S KEY CATCH
Jeff Davidson's offense struggled for most of the second half against an Atlanta defense that had been porous even before reaching an injury-ravaged state.
Sitting on a 14-3 lead, the Browns got 30 yards and three punts out of the third quarter.
Atlanta used progressively better field position to get a 12-yard touchdown catch from former Ohio State receiver Michael Jenkins.
Kellen Winslow Jr. (five catches, 90 yards) made the catch of the day, whipping 5-foot-8 Allen Rossum for a 36-yard gain. Dawson drilled a 43-yard field goal with 5:35 left to give Cleveland a 17-13 lead.
The Falcons took over on a punt with 3:31 left, and survived a 55-yard bomb to Roddy White when Vick fumbled.
"The picket fence is their pass defense," Vick said. "It is how they guard the end zone. Their only hope was for us not to score a touchdown."
Vick (seven carries, 74 yards) intended to run from the moment he took the fateful snap.
"Those guys practically knew what we were running," Vick said. "They were calling out the play before the snap. I just tried to make a play.
"The guy (Leon Williams) sat in the A gap and I tried to bounce it outside and lost the ball."
SURPRISING LEAD
Early on, Romeo Crennel took a nothing-to-lose attitude, going for it on fourth down from the 1 in a scoreless tie.
"Our special teams coach was sending his guys out," Edwards said. "I begged 'RAC' (Crennel) to go for it."
Reuben Droughns followed a power formation in which Winslow was used as a blocking back, and blasted over right tackle Ryan Tucker for a score.
The attitude also applied to the first play of the series, a 40-yard bomb to Winslow.
The Browns took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.
The defense had Vick bottled up and kept forcing punts. The offense found a rhythm, getting just enough from Droughns to open up the passing game.
The Browns took a 14-0 lead on a 19-yard touchdown strike over the middle to Edwards.
"That was sweet," Frye said. "He ran a seam route. We ran it all week, and we hit it all week. I had Braylon stay after practice and we hit it three more times. Just from watching film I knew it was gonna be open."
The two-TD lead was shocking. At similar points in previous road first halves, the Browns trailed 14-0 at Cincinnati, 21-3 at Oakland and 10-6 at San Diego.
HANGING ON
The defense kept playing well, to the point the fans were booing their own team, and Browns captain Andra Davis was egging them on.
Steve Heiden made the kind of play that wins games, blocking a punt, but Droughns made the kind of play that loses them, an unforced fumble in field goal range.
"My eyes got big," Droughns said. "I saw the end zone. I was kicking myself."
The Falcons drove to a 44-yard field goal by 46-year-old Morten Anderson. The lead shrank to 14-3 at halftime.
The defense held Vick to 9-of-22 passing and a 34.1 rating in the first half. At that point, Frye was 9-of-11 with a 137.5 rating.
The Falcons had the Browns on their heels in the third quarter, at one point losing a replay challenge that saved Frye from a safety.
Moments after the challenge, with the ball butted up to the goal line on fourth down, Dave Zastudil's low punt gave Allen Rossum room for a return to the 12.
The TD pass to Jenkins made it 14-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
By the time Frye was sacked to force a quick punt, the crowd had turned from passive to plugged in.
The Browns were backed up after a punt when Winslow was nailed for a roughness penalty. Again, Zastudil punted out of a hole. The electric Vick made a long run to set up a 41-yard field goal by Andersen.
It was 14-13 with nine minutes left.
Frye stayed poised and drove the Browns 52 yards. Dawson's late 43-yard field goal was a rocket shot, sealing one of those wins that have been so slow to come.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Fry shows smarts
Monday, November 13, 2006
By TODD PORTER

ATLANTA After the longest week of his professional life, guess what Charlie Frye did Sunday?
He didn't hide. He didn't cower. He didn't hand off. He didn't look like a deer in headlights. He looked like the headlights.
Frye wanted the game on his shoulders. That is a giant step for a young quarterback trying to find his way in the NFL and figure out how to navigate a tough season.
When Sunday's game against Atlanta was on the line, Frye passed his team down the field. He found mismatches and exposed the Falcons' weak pass coverage. Maybe the most important play of the game, in terms of this team's growth, wasn't the incredible Kellen Winslow Jr. catch. It wasn't even a complete pass.
It was Frye backing away from Atlanta linebacker Demorrio Williams and heaving the ball out of bounds on third down. As Romeo Crennel tried to make him understand a week ago, sometimes throwing the ball away is a good play. Sometimes it's the best play on the field.
It was, Sunday in the fourth quarter, with the ball at the Falcons' 26.
That is why Head Coach Romeo Crennel could barely contain his smiling face. "This team," Crennel said, "grew up a little bit today."
Frye preserved field position. He protected points. He promoted kicker Phil Dawson, who drilled a 43-yard field goal that forced an anemic Atlanta offense to score a touchdown to win.
Cleveland got in that position because of Frye, not in spite of him.
"Before that on the sideline, Braylon and me were talking and he said, 'It's on your shoulders now, nine,' " Frye recalled, Edwards referring to him by his number. "I said, 'All right, man.' "
He completed 4-of-7 passes in that drive for 52 yards. He recognized a mismatch on Winslow and threw the ball over a 5-foot-8 cornerback and Winslow did what Winslow does: He made a spectacular 36-yard reception.
The line provided protection. Even away from the ball, receivers ran crisp routes.
That's progress.
"That (drive) was pivotal for me," Frye said. "We were able to move the ball passing it. If we go another three-and-out, who knows what happens? That was a big step for this offense."
This offense was on the road. They were in a loud stadium. They played a team that desperately needed a win after giving one away in Detroit last week.
And the offense ponied up.
And the Browns won, 17-13. It wasn't pretty, but at 3-6 style points aren't even part of the equation.
It was fitting the young players Crennel has been waiting on to grow facial hair - Winslow, Braylon Edwards, Sean Jones and Brodney Pool - stepped forward and veteran linebacker Andra Davis played his best game to date.
Edwards ran a perfect weak-side post route past a linebacker for his 19-yard TD catch, his second in as many weeks.
In the NFL, winning and losing games still comes down to the quarterback most weeks. Frye grew from his San Diego experience.
He knew what people were saying. He knew fans questioned his ability to play in this league. He knew his head coach, for the first time in two years, was slightly critical.
"You've got to be a man and step up," Frye said. "When the offense is not performing, they're going to look at me. You've got to stand up and put it on your shoulders. I'm not saying we won this game because of me."
At least no one is saying the Browns lost it because of him. And this team isn't good enough to win despite any one.
Sunday was the first game of the second half of the season. It was the start of a stretch in which Cleveland plays eight beatable teams after playing some of the best in the NFL for eight weeks in a row.
Cleveland can salvage this season. It may not be playoff kind of salvage, but c'mon, that wasn't the plan this year.
The plan was growth. The plan was hope. The plan was to win seven or eight games. The plan was for Frye to step forward and earn a starting position that was long ago handed to him. The plan was to mix young and old and meld it together.
No one in Cleveland's locker room talked about a fresh start. No one talked about hard luck.
"You'd like to think we're better than the numbers indicate, but we are what we are," Crennel said. "We've won three, and lost six."
He had a bit of a smile on his face, like a good poker player who knows something no one else in the room knows.
If the players believe they're better than also-rans at 3-6, prove it. That's what Crennel is saying. It's time to challenge this team.
Frye and the rest of the team answered ... for one week. How long will it be like this?
Crennel didn't need time to think about it.
"Until we are a good team."

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Frye holds his own in matchup vs. Vick
Monday, November 13, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

ATLANTA Two men in the Georgia Dome press box were addressing a question they knew sounded stupid.
With whom would you rather go into the future? Michael Vick? Or Charlie Frye?
Frye has a 5-9 record as an NFL starter.
Vick has a borderline LeBron aura and is, in the words of Browns linebacker Andra Davis, "LaDainian Tomlinson playing quarterback."
Not that any sane general manager would prefer Frye, even after Sunday, but there was some interesting new evidence to chew on.
There was the fact Frye's team beat Vick's, 17-13, in Vick's house.
To no one's surprise, Vick skunked Frye as a runner, carrying seven times for 74 yards to the slower man's four for 28.
As a passer, though, Frye was clearly better. Both men completed 16 balls, but Frye had only six incompletions. Vick had 24.
Vick led 197-165 in passing yardage, but he threw two interceptions and was lucky another ball went off safety Sean Jones' hands. Frye wasn't picked off, and his passer rating was a robust 109.1. Vick's was 43.4.
In the big picture, Vick still has amazing talent. But he's in his second straight disappointing season. There are indications Vick lives somewhat on an island, as a superstar who knows that's what he is.
Frye is just one of the guys, with the world still in front of him.
The last man in the Browns' locker room Sunday was veteran guard Joe Andruzzi, who won three Super Bowls blocking for Tom Brady in New England.
How sold is Andruzzi on Frye?
"Very sold," he said.
Why?
"Charlie is a great student of the game," Andruzzi said. "He spends extra time on the field, extra time in the meeting rooms, extra time with the O-linemen, trying to get on the same page with the blocking schemes."
Andruzzi wasn't finished.
"Extra time with the receivers. Extra time with the coaches. He's trying to get a better understanding all around.
"He's there late every night trying to get on the same page with everybody. If it's not right, he stays and works on it a little more."
Frye said he called two impromptu meetings with the offensive line after practices last week.
"We had some miscommunication the week before," he said. "I just wanted to solve that."
Braylon Edwards said he wants to get in on one of those "amigos" acts, "like Peyton Manning has with the Colts." He thinks Frye can be a very good amigo.
"He took a huge step today," said Edwards, who had a touchdown catch. "I mean, we had a heckuva week of practice.
"It's just subtle progression. You noticed Charlie gettin' rid of the ball on a couple plays today.
"He made things happen. We knew where we were supposed to be. We knew where he was going, because of that extra work."
What did the Falcons see in Frye?
"He loves to run around when he gets pressure in his face," defensive tackle Justin Babineaux said. "We tried to make him do that. We did a good job making him throw on the run."
Vick wasn't thrilled about losing to Frye and Friends.
"These are the games you are supposed to win," he said.
Whereas Atlanta was happy to flush Vick out of the pocket, the Browns were intent on keeping Vick there.
"We were aware Michael Vick could beat us with his feet," cornerback Ralph Brown said. "We know he's not known for throwing great passes."
For a moment, at least, Charlie Frye can be known as a guy who beat Michael Vick.

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

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

BROWNS WON IT HERE
Monday, November 13, 2006


It sure looked like the Browns were finding a way to lose another game on the road. The Cleveland offense had seven straight empty possessions (two fumbles, five straight punts) from the end of the first half through the fourth quarter. By then, a commanding (for the Browns) 14-0 lead turned into a 14-10 lead and momentum shifted to the Falcons. QB Charlie Frye completed a 7-yard pass to Steve Heiden on second down. He went back to Heiden to get a first down. At the Cleveland 35, Frye noticed that 6-foot-4 TE Kellen Winslow Jr. was covered by 5-foot-8 CB Allen Rossum. Winslow made a great catch for a 36-yard gain to the Atlanta 29. On third down, Frye got pressure and didn't take a sack. He got outside the tackle box and threw it away. Phil Dawson kicked a 43-yard field goal and the Browns had a 4-point cushion. A struggling Falcons offense needed a TD to win. Frye completed 4-of-6 passes (not including the throwaway) for 52 yards. He grew up.
THEY said it
"Normally, I would say they didn't respect us, but Chris Crocker played with us last year. He knows how hard we play. If he was smart, he told their guys how hard we play, and if they were smart, they listened."
- Browns LB Andra Davis.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Where is this offense without Winslow? Limping along. Winslow is a catalyst, love him or hate him. He makes plays that help his team win. Frye hooked up with Winslow for a 40-yarder early in the game that led to a TD. Then Winslow made the best catch of the season to date in the fourth quarter. That led to a key Dawson field goal. Winslow leads NFL tight ends in catches. He caught five more for 90 yards Sunday. There were at least two other times Winslow was open that Frye didn't get him the ball. He is a tough assignment for any defender.
COMING ON & FALLING APART
n For the first time this season, Frye did not turn the ball over. His passer rating was a season-high 109.1, the second best of his career. Vick fell apart. He tried to force passes, was impatient for routes to develop and pressed to make plays. That led to all three Atlanta turnovers.
n Cleveland defensive captain Andra Davis was all over the field, didn't miss many tackles and pressured Vick. Asked if it was his best game as a pro, Davis said he believed it was.
n Former second-round draft picks Sean Jones and Brodney Pool are proving themselves worthy of being first-day picks. Each picked off a pass Sunday and they have combined on seven interceptions this season.

EXTRA POINTS
n Cleveland's 14-0 lead in the second quarter was the team's largest margin that early in a game this year.
n As good as the offense was in the first half, Cleveland had just 30 yards on 12 plays in the third quarter. Atlanta got back in the game with 87 yards in 16 plays.
n Steve Heiden partially blocked a punt in the second quarter that set up the Browns at the Atlanta 36 with 2:32 left in the first half. Cleveland could have made it 21-0 with a TD. But Reuben Droughns fumbled two plays later and the Falcons recovered.
n The Browns will try to win consecutive games for the first time since 2003.

GRADING THE OFFENSE
UGLY B
There are times when an ugly B is better than a pretty A. Cleveland's offense punted 10 times, converted just 2-of-14 third downs and gained just 236 yards. But the Browns were efficient. Their only turn over was Droughns' fumble. After five straight punts in the second half, they put together the most important drive of the game, an 8-play, 52-yard march that ended with a Dawson field goal. The running game is a concern. Droughns finished with 54 yards. But it seemed like the coaching staff was protecting and preserving Frye when the team was backed up with poor field position much of the second half. They didn't want Frye's confidence ruined with a game-altering interception.
GRADING THE DEFENSE
A
Forcing Michael Vick into three turnovers, frustrating WRs into dropped passes and not giving up big plays were the ingredients to winning on the road against an Atlanta team with a 5-4 record. Kamerion Wimbley sacked Vick once. Andra Davis pressured him and DL Leon Williams gets a game ball for spying Vick and knocking down one of his passes. Give up 13 points on the road, and you won't lose many games in the NFL.
GRADING THE COACHES
B-PLUS
Offensive Coordinator Jeff Davidson brought this down to a B. Sure, there is something to be said (we haven't quite figured it out) for conservative play-calling inside the your own 15 with an inexperienced QB. It almost came back and bit the Browns on the butt. Cleveland moved the ball through the air against an Atlanta team that had a beat-up secondary. Why not pick on the DBs? Why not build Frye's confidence? If Frye couldn't beat this secondary, there aren't many he can beat. Todd Grantham and Romeo Crennel came up with a flawless defensive game plan. They got a lineman to shadow Vick and matched up Brodney Pool on TE Alge Crumpler, who was held to four catches.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Travels with Charlie Frye
Monday, November 13, 2006


This week's rating of Browns QB Charlie Frye:
Positives Frye made the most out of one play when he had a chance to scramble on third down, but instead flipped a first-down pass to Kellen Winslow Jr. The play led to a touchdown, on which Frye threw a strike to Braylon Edwards just in front of the goal line. Frye proved his willingness to lead when he barked at veteran fullback Terrelle Smith, who got away with a late hit that could have killed a TD drive. He smartly threw the ball away a couple of times. He stayed poised and threw accurate passes on a fourth-quarter field goal drive.
Negatives Frye's ball security can be alarming. On an innocuous heave-it situation on the final play of the first half, Frye scrambled himself into a fumble, then had to sweat while the Falcons broke into a Stanford band-style lateral drill. Sometimes, Frye's penchant for keeping plays alive kills them. Nursing a 14-3 lead in the third quarter, Frye held the ball too long in the end zone and was lucky a sack wasn't a safety.
WEEK9 RATING 7

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Help from unlikely source
Monday, November 13, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

ATLANTA The cornerback from Whoville. Jereme Perry knows what he is. He knows opposing quarterbacks probably look at the game film, see No. 31 and say, "Who's that?"
He is the guy who worked at Quiznos before the Browns signed him to a rookie free-agent contract.
All Cleveland's long-shot undrafted rookie from Eastern Michigan didn't want to be known as was goat Sunday at the Georgia Dome. As quickly as Falcons quarterback Michael Vick tied a set of horns atop Perry's head, he laid them at the All-Pro's feet.
Perry gave up a 55-yard pass from Vick to Roddy White with less than three minutes left in Sunday's game. The pass moved the ball from Atlanta's 28 to Cleveland's 17 and put the Falcons in striking position to take the lead for the first time all afternoon.
"I didn't want to be the one to lose the game for the rest of the team," Perry said. "We played so hard the whole game."
Perry getting beat deep was the start of what looked like an ugly defensive series for the Browns. On the next play, Vick scrambled for 12 yards to Cleveland's 5.
But Cleveland linebacker Willie McGinest was held by tight end Eric Beverly. McGinest gave chase to Vick and begged the official for holding at the same time. Eventually, the flag was thrown, and the Falcons were moved back to the 27.
Two plays later, Vick scrambled again. This time his thigh jarred the ball loose, and Vick fumbled. The ball rested against Vick's back, the quarterback in a seated position on the field.
Perry pounced on it, and the Browns were on the way to their third win of the season.
"It's just the character of this team," Perry said. "Sometimes they're going to make plays. We can't put our heads down. When they had to score a touchdown to win the game, our character came out."
Perry might have more character than anyone else on the field. Cleveland gave him a one-day workout in Berea before training camp. The Browns told him to bring his own shoes.
Not that he didn't have talent, he lacked experience. Perry missed much of his college football days at Eastern Michigan when he ruptured his spleen in 2001. The injury cropped up again in 2002, and he had to have surgery.
Browns Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham was impressed with Perry's recovery from giving up the pass play. But he wasn't surprised.
"The big thing we talk about is play the next play," Grantham said. "It doesn't matter what happened the last play. You can't control that. Guys have bought into that with the way they play every play."

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns report
Monday, November 13, 2006


Mum on Michigan State
Browns Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham covered a wide range of topics in a short amount of time following Cleveland's 17-13 win over Atlanta.
One topic he avoided was the vacant head coaching position at Michigan State. Grantham is rumored to be a candidate to replace John L. Smith, who will step down at the end of this season.
Grantham, considered one of the better defensive coordinators in the NFL, didn't deny his interest. Asked if he could say anything about the job, he offered a polite, "No."
The topic had to come up, right?
"I know you had to ask it, and I had to not talk about it," Grantham said.

A little color
Atlanta wasn't much warmer than Canton on a chilly walk to the Georgia Dome on Sunday. Fans were lukewarm toward the Falcons.
This isn't any great football town. The Falcons are a contender, but the upper deck was more than half empty at kickoff.
"They definitely have a dome advantage," said Browns left tackle Kevin Shaffer, who played in Atlanta from 2002-05. "But as soon as you get ahead of them, the fans just shut down."
The echoes were weird in this joint. The national anthem sounded like it was sung under water.
During player intros, 10 Falcons got one puff of fire apiece from a machine at the tunnel. Michael Vick got two puffs.

Brown for Bodden
Cornerback Ralph Brown got his second start as a Brown in place of injured Leigh Bodden.
Head Coach Romeo Crennel and Grantham seemed to have a good scheme for dealing with Vick.
"I think we did get in (Vick's) head a little bit," Brown said. "The passes he was throwing weren't getting completed, and he really didn't have a lot of places to run. I think he was getting frustrated.
"We played a lot of zone, a lot of man. We made it look the same. They actually didn't know for sure."
Neither Brown nor the other starting corner, Daven Holly, was with the team before mid-July. The two mostly held up well, with support from young Jereme Perry, who wouldn't be on the team without an injury mess at the position.
"It was just amazing how we put it together out there," Holly said. "It worked to perfection.
"(Grantham) called a great game. He always does. He puts us in places to make plays. He hangs his hat on the secondary.
"We play a lot of man coverage back there in man situations. When everybody does their jobs, we play well."

Extra points
n RB Jerome Harrison was inactive for the third time in five games. The rookie Round 5 pick who lit up the preseason has 12 carries for 39 yards and eight catches for 41 yards in the real games. Rookie Round 3 pick Travis Wilson likewise was inactive. The young receiver hasn't been on the field on Sunday since Sept. 24.
n The Falcons played without RB Jerrious Norwood, CB Jason Webster, LB Ed Hartwell and DE John Abraham, key men out with injuries. The Falcons lost one of their best players, defensive lineman Patrick Kerney, to a chest injury. Kerney missed the second half.
n Special teams and defense were excellent early on in establishing field position. Atlanta began its first three series on its 15, 10 and 5-yard lines. This led to the Browns starting their third series from the Atlanta 46. A long completion to Kellen Winslow Jr. set up a touchdown.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Another big game for Winslow
Monday, November 13, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

ATLANTA Call it a double knockout for K2.
On a deep completion to Kellen Winslow Jr. in Sunday's first quarter, the precocious tight end got up quickly and flipped the ball to an official, but cornerback Allen Rossum and safety Chris Crocker both were shaken up and stayed down for a while.
The catch set up an early touchdown, just as Winslow's 36-yard catch in the fourth quarter set the stage for the field goal that created the final score, 17-13.
Winslow had another strong day, catching five passes for 90 yards. For a second straight week, he outproduced a big-name tight end - Atlanta's Alge Crumpler caught four balls for 37 yards.
A pass aimed at Crumpler turned into safety Sean Jones' fifth interception.
"Crumpler likes to run a lot of over routes,'' Jones said. "I just let him come up in my face a little bit. I read the quarterback and jumped it.''
In the fourth quarter, Jones nearly added his second pick of the day.
"Almost had it,'' he said. "(Michael) Vick was trying to throw a comeback.''
Winslow wasn't ready to talk when writers approached him. The media crowd flowed to Charlie Frye, and by the time Frye was through, Winslow was gone.
He leads NFL tight ends with 56 catches.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail:

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

At last, Browns get a break
Vick?s fumble in final minutes seals the deal in upset win
Monday, November 13, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Browns linebacker Willie McGinest puts a big hit on Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who was held to 197 yards passing.
ATLANTA ? The Cleveland Browns have failed miserably when taking the field with lofty expectations, but yesterday they looked quite comfortable in the low-pressure role of spoiler.
Behind an early two-touchdown lead and a defense that never let up on Michael Vick, the Browns started the second half of the season on a positive note with a surprising 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome.
The road upset was the biggest win of the season for Cleveland (3-6), which won in typical Romeo Crennel fashion.
They took an early lead, played strong defense throughout and ran an efficient offense that made key plays in the fourth quarter.
"I think this team grew up a little bit today," said Crennel, the Browns? coach. "In this NFL it?s always tough. You never know what can happen and what?s going to happen."
The Browns became one of the few teams to make Vick look ordinary this season, and they did it by controlling the perimeter of the field while using a player in the middle of the defense to shadow the Falcons quarterback.
When Vick struggles, the Falcons (5-4) usually follow suit. Vick gained 74 yards on the ground, but the bulk of his production came on carries of 30 and 20 yards in the second half.
Otherwise, Cleveland contained him and hit him at every opportunity. Vick was knocked out of the game for one play in the second quarter and struggled with his passing, completing just 16 of 40 attempts for 197 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Vick began to find his rhythm in the fourth quarter, but with the Falcons driving and trailing by four points, his fumble with 2:28 remaining sealed the Falcons? fate.
"There?s a scouting report that says he has small hands, so sometimes when he tries to scramble he always holds it in one hand," said cornerback Jereme Perry, who recovered the fumble. "I think he (fumbled the same way) earlier this year, too. So you always have to be on your p?s and q?s, because it may pop out."
For the first time all season, the Browns had the offense and defense clicking in the first half.
The defense gave the offense a short field, and it paid off when the Browns scored on a Reuben Droughns 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. It was the Browns? first first-quarter touchdown this season, and it came on the Browns? third possession, after a Dave Zastudil punt pinned the Falcons at their own 5-yard line and the defense forced a three-and-out.
The Browns capitalized on good field position again when a Sean Jones interception set them up at the Atlanta 41. Quarterback Charlie Frye (165 yards, one touchdown) threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Braylon Edwards five plays later for a 14-0 lead.
Atlanta kicked a field goal to trail 14-3 at halftime, and neither offense could find traction in the third quarter.
At one point, the Falcons sacked Frye inside the Cleveland 1. Atlanta challenged the call, believing Frye had been in the end zone, but the spot was upheld.
Allen Rossum returned the ensuing punt to the 12, and the Falcons scored two plays later.
Atlanta put up 13 straight points to cut the deficit to 14-13, but a spectacular 36-yard reception by tight end Kellen Winslow led to a Phil Dawson field goal, and just when it appeared the Falcons were going to strike, Vick lost the football.
"These are games we are supposed to win," Vick said. "This is disappointing. I could have done more. I take full responsibility on the offensive side of the ball. Maybe I could have made more plays."

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

BROWNS NOTEBOOK
Winslow puts best foot forward again
Monday, November 13, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

ATLANTA ? Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. has found a way to shine when the spotlight is at its brightest.
In two games opposite topflight tight ends, he has put together two of the best games of his young career.
One week after having 11 catches against San Diego and Antonio Gates, Winslow was clutch yesterday, catching five passes for 90 yards in a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Falcons All-Pro tight end Alge Crumpler was held to 37 yards on four receptions.
Winslow, who declined to speak with the media, saved his best catch for last.
With Cleveland hanging on to a 14-13 lead, he made a 40-yard grab over cornerback Allen Rossum. The pass was slightly underthrown, but Winslow adjusted his stride and made a break on the ball to outfight Rossum.
"That was a great catch, and Kellen is a fiery guy," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "He gets excited and he wants the ball all the time, but in this instance when the ball came his way, he made the play."
Back to basics

Browns middle linebacker Andra Davis, who had nine solo tackles, said he sees the second half of the season as a new start, and he?s looking at the rest of the year with renewed focus.
Davis admitted that he?s not having the type of individual season he had hoped. He said the five-year contract extension he signed at the end of last season added some pressure to perform.
"I had a long talk with one of my old coaches, and he was telling me to just go back to being the old me," Davis said. "Don?t get caught up in the money that I make now and trying to be Superman. Just do what got me to where I am.
"I took that to heart, because the first half of the season I don?t feel like I played well. I played solid but not well."
Get a grip

Running back Reuben Droughns fumbled two minutes before halftime, a mistake that nearly came back to haunt Cleveland.
With the Browns up 14-0 and in field-goal range at the Atlanta 27-yard line, Droughns was hit from behind and lost the ball. Atlanta recovered and drove for a field goal that cut the deficit to 14-3.
The Falcons went on to outplay the Browns in the second half.
"My turnover didn?t help us out," said Droughns, who finished with 54 yards and a touchdown. "We had the chance to put a dagger in them early.
"I just have to hold on to that ball and make something happen."
Brownie points

Former Browns safety Chris Crocker, in his first game against his former teammates, got into heated exchanges with Winslow and fullback Terrelle Smith. ? Former Ohio State receiver Michael Jenkins caught a touchdown pass for Atlanta in the third quarter. He had two receptions for 17 yards. ? Browns backup defensive back Justin Hamilton suffered a back injury in the first half and didn?t return.

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Monday, November 13, 2006

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Win boosts spirits of Browns

Crennel says victory over Falcons should help, hopes for carryover as rival Steelers head to town

By George M. Thomas

Beacon Journal sportswriter

• Audio | Listen to Romeo Crennel's press conference after the Falcons game

BEREA - Almost everyone else in the Ohio football universe has eyes cast south toward Columbus, but the Browns have their gaze fixed on the impending arrival of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Fresh off a 17-13 victory against Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons, coach Romeo Crennel said that the win will ultimately help the Browns against their rivals.
``Winning this game makes us feel better about ourselves heading into Pittsburgh. The alternative would have been losing and there would have been questions about what we can do,'' Crennel said. ``By winning the game, there is a certain confidence level about the way we played and the way we hung in there on the road. Hopefully, that will carry over into the next game.''
Given the comments wide receiver Braylon Edwards had for the Steelers after the Falcons' game, it will have to. Edwards, apparently still remembering the 41-0 drubbing at the hands of the Steelers last season, had some choice words for them.
``This is not a situation where they say the past is the past,'' Edwards said. ``No. The hell with that. We're coming after their (butt). You don't beat somebody 41-0 at their own house. We're coming for the Steelers. Point-blank, period.''
Crennel downplayed the comments but acknowledged that last year's beating provides an added incentive for the Browns.
``I don't know exactly what he said. We were embarrassed the last time we played them and we want to have a much better showing,'' he said. ``(Braylon) was part of that embarrassment and he understands it. We all want to play a lot better and that's what we are going to try to do.''
Judging from Sunday's game, there will be plenty for the team to build upon.
Defensively, the Browns held running back Warrick Dunn and the Falcons' Superman incarnate -- Vick -- in check, holding each less than 100 yards rushing and harassing Vick much of the game.
``I thought the defense played scrappy all game. We started off well against (Warrick Dunn). He had one or two runs that went for 20 yards, but for the most part we were able to contain him. (Michael Vick) is a different story and you don't really stop him,'' Crennel said. ``We tried to contain him and for the most part we did a good job at that. We did let him break out in the second half and he ran one which changed the field position dramatically. Overall, we tried to contain him and I think we did a good job.''
He offered some praise for Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, who played within himself, completing 16-of-22 passes for 165 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Frye also added a couple of gutsy scrambles for gains.
Crennel said the lack of an interception on Frye's part pleased him most.
``It's been a point of emphasis all year, make the decisions and the fact that an incomplete pass is not necessarily a bad play,'' he said. ``Not having any interceptions is a big plus. That is a huge step for us. We will continue and go forward along those same lines.''
He credited the second-year quarterback with putting in some extra time with teammates to get on the same page.
``Charlie has put in extra time all along. He spends a lot of time over here by himself. I think he came to the determination that if he could get these linemen on the same page, things might operate a little more smoothly. He did the same thing with the skill guys. He did all of that on his own.''
Grantham watch
Rumors have swirled that Michigan State likes what they see in Browns' defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and will pursue him as its next coach, replacing John L. Smith, who was informed that he would not be retained.
Crennel wouldn't say whether the school had contacted Grantham.
However, given his ties to the Michigan State program -- he served there as defensive line coach from 1996-97 before moving up to assistant head coach/defensive line coach in 1998 -- Grantham is a logical choice.
``I think he's a good football coach and he's good for us,'' Crennel said of Grantham. ``I like him a lot. I think it depends on what he wants for his future and aspirations.''
Pro Bowl talk
Crennel was coy when asked about the Pro Bowl prospects of two of his star players -- Sean Jones and Kellen Winslow.
``If Sean keeps intercepting balls, he'll probably be considered for a Pro Bowl spot. I don't get to vote for guys on my team so I have no decision in that,'' he said with a grin. ``If Kellen keeps catching balls, he'll probably be considered for a Pro Bowl spot. I can't vote for him either.''
Injury update
Frye had X-rays on his hand after the game and they were negative. Defensive back Justin Hamilton is suffering from back spasms. There were no other major injuries to report.

 

[Smooth Olaf]

Ohio State/TSUN on Saturday. Cleveland/Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Damn...what a weekend.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

41-0 enough to spur Browns

Memory of Dec. 24 loss is a major motivation as Steelers game looms

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - A color flier sat on the chairs in the locker room at the Browns training facility on Wednesday
It was an advertisement for a commemorative Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl championship book.
``That's in every locker,'' Joshua Cribbs said.
Cribbs added that a photograph of Steelers linebacker Joey Porter was on the podium in the team meeting room. Porter is posing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, wearing pads but without a shirt.
These small motivational tools are signs that people in Berea are starting to grasp the significance of the Browns-Steelers rivalry.
Thing is, the props might not be necessary this year.
Not with the memory of the last time the Browns played the Steelers still fresh in many minds.
``It was the most embarrassing thing football-wise that I've been a part of,'' safety Brian Russell said.
``I don't think it's a game that will be forgotten around here for a while,'' tight end Steve Heiden said.
``A terrible feeling,'' linebacker Andra Davis said.
That feeling was caused by a 41-0 defeat, a Christmas Eve shellacking that had reindeer hiding their faces in shame.
``I was humiliated,'' Russell said. ``We were humiliated.''
The Browns were drubbed so badly in front of their home crowd that by game's end, the only people left in Cleveland Browns Stadium were waving Terrible Towels -- and Russell said he understood.
``I don't know that I'd stay to watch a team lose 41-0,'' he said.
Last season, Browns players tried to say that the Steelers game was just another game and had no special significance.
The tone this season has changed. Players seem to understand the meaning of the rivalry, and how special it is to the city.
And the Christmas Eve drubbing combined with fan uproar about the ``any other game'' mentality may have done something about that.
Braylon Edwards started things Sunday in Atlanta, saying that the Browns were coming after the Steelers.
``Point blank, period,'' he said.
Wednesday, a couple of Steelers responded.
``I don't fear anybody over there on that team,'' linebacker Porter said. ``So I don't care who they got talking or what they say, I've just never been afraid of Cleveland.''
``I lost to Cleveland one time in five years,'' linebacker Larry Foote said. ``So us coming down there ain't really scaring me.''
Foote pointed out that Antonio Bryant talked last year (he said no Steelers back could cover him one-on-one) and ``he ended up sleeping in the third quarter.''
Like Edwards, Foote went to Michigan.
``I was with him there one year,'' Foote said. ``Coach (Lloyd) Carr keeps us under the radar. Now you get money in your pocket, driving a big car, you know, you start smelling yourself.''
Foote called Edwards ``a young boy'' who had only faced the Steelers once.
``Against us he hasn't done anything, so I'm not going to pay too much attention to that guy,'' Porter added.
Russell said the Browns started talking about the Steelers in the locker room in Atlanta. The Steelers shrugged about last season.
They can afford to shrug, though. They won in Cleveland, then went on to win the Super Bowl.
The Browns have not won two games in a row in three years, and have lost 11 of the last 12 games to the Steelers -- including five in a row.
``It's a rival game,'' special teams standout Mason Unck said. ``But let's be honest -- it hasn't been that big of a rival because they've been beating us. I was talking to some players and we were saying, `We got to make it a rivalry again.' ''
There's really only one way to do that, and that's by winning.
The last time that happened was actually the last time the Browns won two in a row -- in October 2003. That 33-13 win in Pittsburgh was the high-water mark of the Tim Couch era.
The Browns have gone 16-36 since, a won-loss percentage of .308.
And the low point of that time clearly was the Christmas Eve debacle of 2005.
``They got the better of us,'' Cribbs said. ``That might be an understatement. But it won't repeat itself.
``It won't repeat itself.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns notebook

Droughns hurt, might miss game

Sprained foot makes running back questionable

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - The Browns might face the Pittsburgh Steelers without running back Reuben Droughns.
Droughns was in a walking boot Monday because of a sprained foot and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game.
Droughns finished the game in Atlanta. The team did not know he was hurt until he phoned Monday. (Coach Romeo Crennel had given the players the day off).
``I think it swelled up on him,'' Crennel said. ``He called the training staff and said his foot was a little sore.''
Droughns missed the Baltimore game Sept. 24, and Jason Wright started for him. Wright gained 31 yards on 15 carries in that loss.
Injury report
Charlie Frye wore a soft brace on his left wrist. Frye bruised the wrist in Atlanta, but X-rays were negative. He was listed as questionable.
Joining Frye and Droughns as questionable are cornerback Jereme Perry (ankle), tight end Kellen Winslow (knee), cornerback Leigh Bodden (ankle), kick returner/wide receiver Joshua Cribbs (thumb), safety Justin Hamilton (back), linebacker Willie McGinest (ankle) and linebacker Leon Williams (ankle). Cribbs and Frye practiced. The others missed the team part of the practice.
Polamalu practices
Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu left the win over New Orleans with a concussion, but he practiced Wednesday and is expected to play Sunday.
Brownies ...
Steelers linebacker Larry Foote said Michigan will beat Ohio State 17-3. The weekend, he said, will be a tough one in Ohio. ``All day,'' Foote said. ``Saturday, Sunday, all weekend.''