Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns motivated by Steelers' stomping

TOM WITHERS

Associated Press

BEREA, Ohio - Like black-and-gold Grinches, the Pittsburgh Steelers stormed into Cleveland last Christmas Eve and stole much more than a football game. They left town with a 41-0 victory - and the Browns' dignity.
"It was the most embarrassing thing football-wise that I've been a part of," Browns safety Brian Russell said Wednesday. "It ruined my holiday. But it wasn't just a loss. It wasn't just a case where we didn't get the job done.
"I was humiliated. We were humiliated."
By the closing seconds of Pittsburgh's Dec. 24 demolition, Terrible Towel-waving Steelers fans easily outnumbered the few Cleveland diehards who stayed until the end of a miserable afternoon.
Leigh Bodden only stuck it out only because he had to.
"That's the most lopsided game I've ever played in," the Cleveland cornerback said. "It was unbelievable. In the third quarter, I don't even remember what the score was, but I was like, 'Man, we've still got two quarters left?' It's kind of hard to play hard when the score's like that."
The Browns (3-6) trailed 20-0 at halftime and 34-0 after three quarters. They were outgained 457-186 and rookie quarterback Charlie Frye was sacked eight times and flattened numerous others.
However, even Frye wasn't treated as rudely as one upset and intoxicated Cleveland fan who stupidly ran onto the field and got body slammed to the turf by Steelers linebacker James Harrison.
Cleveland has spent the past 11 months waiting for payback. The Browns get their first chance at some revenge on Sunday when they host the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers (3-6), their bitter rivals who haven't been themselves all season.
Pittsburgh's blowout, which improved the Steelers record to 12-3 vs. Cleveland since 1999 - triggered huge ripple effects along the shores of Lake Erie.
In the immediate aftermath, a front-office power struggle pitting team president John Collins and general manager Phil Savage erupted. Savage, who had been on the job for barely a year, eventually prevailed as Collins resigned.
The Steelers went on to win the championship, and it wasn't long after they hoisted another Vince Lombardi Trophy that the Browns underwent a philosophical shift about their personnel decisions.
Savage wanted players who could not only stand up to the Steelers, but beat them. As he prepared for the NFL draft, Savage said he was looking for players who could "go toe-to-toe with a Joey Porter and Ben Roethlisberger" and bring the Browns up to speed with the guys from the Steel City.
"We've tried to put the most emphasis on Pittsburgh because they were the team that beat us the worst last year," Savage said in April. "We competed in a fairly equal way in certain respects with the other teams in our division. Pittsburgh blew our doors off on Christmas Eve. We don't want to see that happen again."
The Browns didn't spend much time extra time celebrating last Sunday's 17-13 win in Atlanta.
Before he was even dressed in the locker room, wide receiver Braylon Edwards was thinking ahead to this week's game. Edwards didn't dress for last season's debacle as his rookie year was ended by a torn knee ligament three weeks earlier. But he watched as his teammates were overrun, overpowered and overmatched.
"It was embarrassing," Edwards said. "Anytime you lose like that especially in a rivalry game, it was terrible. I vowed when I came back that wouldn't happen. I can't win a game by myself, but I can do everything I can to ensure it won't happen. We definitely will not lose like that again."
Perhaps for the first time in their post-expansion era, the Browns have players who understand the significance of the Cleveland-Pittsburgh rivalry and its importance to fans in both blue-collar cities.
Coach Romeo Crennel was on Cleveland's staff as an assistant in 2000 before spending four seasons with New England. He said that unless a player grew up or went to college in the area, the Steelers-Browns matchup was nothing special.
"In 1999, you have guys from all over," he said. "They knew very little about the Browns history. It takes time for some of these guys to understand and get it. I think the guys understand that it is an important game for not only Cleveland, but us. And we're going to play good."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

41-0 loss not forgotten
Browns fuel preparation for Steelers by recalling Christmas Eve shellacking
Thursday, November 16, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> Charlie Frye couldn?t escape the Steelers, and neither could the rest of the Browns, during a 41-0 debacle last season.

</IMG>


BEREA, Ohio ? Coach Romeo Crennel will not need a motivational speech when the Cleveland Browns play host to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
"All you have to do is say 41-0 and that is pretty good motivation," Crennel said.
It?s not just another game for the Browns. It?s a matter of pride, respect and retribution. The last time the teams met, on Christmas Eve, the Steelers ruined the Browns? holiday by pounding them 41-0 at home in one of the most lopsided games in franchise history. It has been a sore point for Cleveland players and a reminder during the offseason to get better. General manager Phil Savage went as far as to say he was looking for players who can help beat Pittsburgh.
After the Steelers won the Super Bowl, the Browns continued to let the memories fester from the loss.
"It was hard. It was embarrassing. ? It was terrible," said receiver Braylon Edwards, who missed the game because of a knee injury. "I vowed when I came back that wouldn?t happen. Obviously, I won?t be the sole reason and I can?t win a game by myself, but I can do everything I can to ensure it won?t happen. We definitely will not lose like that again."
With the Steelers (3-6) suffering a Super Bowl hangover, the Browns (3-6) say it?s the perfect time for payback. The Browns lost 10 games last season, yet this is the one that is still talked about inside the locker room.
The players remember one postgame scene in particular: Thousands of Pittsburgh fans remaining in the stadium to wave Terrible Towels and rub in the victory as the Browns went into the tunnel.
"It was crazy," cornerback Leigh Bodden said, "because it was 41-0 and I guess our fans left. But the Steelers fans, they were still there waving those towels, and it just felt bad. I don?t want to feel like that anymore, and I know a lot of guys that were here last year don?t want to feel like that either."
Pittsburgh has owned the series of late, winning 11 of the past 12 meetings and five straight. Still, the Steelers are playing it neutral this week and leaving all of the talk about last season?s game to the Browns.
"Last year was last year," Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher said. "We aren?t living in the past. We know what we are dealing with right now, and this is a very important game for us. When you look at Cleveland, they have so many new players that didn?t even play in that game."
The Browns brought in veteran free agents such as receiver Joe Jurevicius, linebacker Willie McGinest and nose tackle Ted Washington in an attempt to catch up with their division rivals.
They also drafted current starters Kamerion Wimbley and D?Qwell Jackson, and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. is back after missing last season because of a knee injury. On paper, Cleveland has a much better team than the last time it took the field against Pittsburgh. The Browns think they?ve closed the talent gap. But have they? "We?ll find out," Crennel said. "That is why we are going to line up and play. Really, you aren?t going to be able to say until you play the game." [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Edwards begs to attend The Game
Thursday, November 16, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



BEREA, Ohio ? The loud banter for the Ohio State--Michigan game began early in the Cleveland Browns locker room yesterday.
Former Ohio State defensive end Simon Fraser was holding court with reporters, explaining how the Buckeyes will beat the Wolverines on Saturday, when former Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards interrupted with a bold prediction.
The two Browns view the game differently: Fraser picks the Buckeyes 17-10; Edwards takes Michigan 29-17.
"Twenty-nine to 17; I didn?t stutter," Edwards said.
Fraser said he will watch the game alone in his apartment "so I can yell and scream as loud as I want without embarrassing anybody else."
Edwards said he has a sideline pass ready, and he is pleading with coach Romeo Crennel to allow him to attend The Game .
The game?s 3:30 p.m. start would make getting back to Cleveland for the team?s Saturday night meetings, which usually begin about 8:30, a tight squeeze. The Browns? curfew is 11 p.m.
"Just a little bit of leeway, man; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Edwards begged. "I?ve never been a selfish guy. I?ve never put anything in front of my team, and I would never do anything to have my teammates look at me in a negative way or have my coaches think that I wasn?t worried about the Steelers game first and foremost.
"But if (Crennel) does give me the opportunity, I would definitely take it."
Fast Willie
Pittsburgh tailback Willie Parker is coming off a huge game against New Orleans. He ran for 213 yards on 22 attempts.
"The thing that they do with him is they continue to give him an opportunity for it to work," Crennel said. "As you look at the last game, those runs that came up came in the second half. ? Now, as soon as a weakness shows up in the defense, boom ? he can hit it and go a long way with it."
Injury report

The Browns have five starters with significant injuries.
Quarterback Charlie Frye (wrist), tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. (knee), linebacker Willie McGinest (ankle), cornerback Leigh Bodden (ankle) and running back Reuben Droughns (foot) are all listed as questionable.
Winslow and Frye are expected to play. Frye banged his nonthrowing wrist in a win Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, but X-rays were negative.
Bodden, who is still wearing a boot for precautionary reasons, said that he was unsure about his playing status.
Droughns also is a concern. The team?s leading rusher sprained his foot and is struggling with swelling.
Wright ready

If Droughns cannot play, his replacement will be Jason Wright, who practiced with the first team yesterday.
Wright, a third-year pro from Northwestern, has had little playing time, rushing for 39 yards on 18 attempts. But he says he will be prepared because Droughns has missed practice time.
"The good thing is we get a lot of reps," he said.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

No worries for Steelers

With history on their side, game against Browns not anything to be feared

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - A couple of the Pittsburgh Steelers talk like riding the merry-go-round at Cedar Point might cause them more worry than a game against the Browns.
It wouldn't be fair to say that the Steelers were trash-talking the Browns, but they certainly treated a trip to Cleveland with a dismissive attitude.
Consider:
? Joey Porter: ``I don't fear nobody over there on that team so I don't care who they got talking or what they say. I've just never been afraid of Cleveland.''
? Larry Foote: ``I lost to Cleveland one time in five years, so us coming down there ain't really scaring me.''
? Hines Ward said the Steelers know the Browns are improved, but added that Cleveland Browns Stadium is ``home away from home.''
Whether it is the Steelers just knowing they've been better over the years or another reason, it's not exactly a great sign of respect for the Browns.
``I can't say anything,'' fullback Terrelle Smith said. ``They won the Super Bowl. I personally don't like them, but what can I say? If they win, they win.
``That's probably why I've been so humbled this week. Because they beat us.''
It would be nice, though, if the Browns had some sort of edge in their home stadium against the Steelers. Kellen Winslow said that when he was at the University of Miami, teams were intimidated before the game started.
``Like (Muhammad) Ali said, `Gotta win before the fight,' '' Winslow said.
There's a very unfine line in the NFL between fear and respect. Players will respect an opponent even if they don't like them, but will never admit to being scared.
``I don't fear anything about them coming to Cleveland,'' tackle Ryan Tucker said. ``Nobody is ever going to admit that they're scared of anybody.''
``You shouldn't be scared no matter who you're playing,'' linebacker Willie McGinest said. ``There shouldn't be any fear.''
Any team that starts a game scared is destined to lose.
After winning five in a row in the series and 9-of-10, with the last a 41-0 embarrassment, the Steelers don't have much reason to be shy. That's why they collectively seemed to shrug when Braylon Edwards said the Browns were coming after the Steelers.
``He hasn't even been in this rivalry that long,'' Foote said.
``I don't know too much about Braylon,'' Porter said. ``I never really got a chance to play against him really. I think I might have played against him that first game, but against us he hasn't done anything, so I'm not going to pay too much attention to that guy.''
Porter did the same thing in the Super Bowl when he dismissed Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens. Porter thought Stevens had insulted him, so Porter railed against Stevens all week. Stevens caught a touchdown pass but also had a couple of big drops.
Porter's key point in his ramblings was that Stevens did not have the right to talk because he hadn't achieved anything. In the NFL, teams know they have to earn respect.
``You got to go out and beat them,'' center Hank Fraley said. ``You got to win. That's how you get respect in this league. Until you start doing it, teams don't fear you.''
You'll find a lot of Browns angry about the Steelers' win last season, but you won't find many who will argue with the Steelers' right to hubris, at least as it comes to the Browns.
``It's up to us to be aggressive and physical so when they come here they know they'll be in for a fight,'' McGinest said. ``You gotta win to get respect. They got a right to feel that way.''
``To be fair, they've (had) our number the past couple years,'' Fraley said. ``Most teams would be a little more confident when you have their number.''
Both of those guys have only been in Cleveland this season. They haven't lived through years of losing to the Steelers like Orpheus Roye has.
``I just want us to get to a point where we can go dominate a game,'' Roye said. ``If you can dominate, that can show intimidation.''
Tucker has been around, too, and he and some of his teammates seem to be taking the talk a little more personally. In part because of the Christmas Eve massacre.
``All we thought about in the offseason was that butt-kicking we got last year,'' Tucker said. ``Just the way they were celebrating the whole game. Basically rubbing it in. The whole team.
``But who wouldn't? Hopefully we can be put in that situation and we're doing the same. And if it is that situation, we will be doing it, I promise you.''
Tucker continued.
``I hope they do dismiss us,'' he said. ``They got three great wins. Good for them. We have three great wins. Good for us. What I look at is we're even. I don't give a damn what you did last year.
``It doesn't matter what you did yesterday. The only day you have to face is tomorrow.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns notebook

Player's heart in Columbus

Former Wolverine Braylon Edwards has his mind changed

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Braylon Edwards had planned to lobby his coach so he could go to the Michigan-Ohio State game in Columbus on Saturday.
Romeo Crennel said Edwards, a former Wolverine, changed his mind.
``Well, Braylon mentioned that he might want to go to that game,'' Crennel said. ``But after consultation with some veterans, he decided that it is probably best that he stayed here and get ready for the game on Sunday.''
That game Sunday would be against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Don't count out Edwards' will to be there, though.
Defensive end Simon Fraser, a former Buckeye, said he doesn't want to go to Columbus.
``I'll be in my apartment watching it on my own so I can yell and scream as loud as I want without embarrassing anyone else,'' Fraser said.
Injury report
Reuben Droughns was not dressed for the portion of practice open to the media.
It's looking more likely that Droughns will not play Sunday. Crennel, though, said Droughns could miss practice and play if he showed he was healthy.
``Willie McGinest was able to sit all week and then pick up on Sunday (in Atlanta),'' Crennel said. ``These guys are professional football players. They still go to the meetings and listen to the coaches. They are behind the huddle getting their reads.
``It might be tougher for a younger player to do that and then hit on all cylinders. Because of his experience, a veteran player has a better chance of doing that and being successful.''
Droughns, cornerback Leigh Bodden and linebacker Leon Williams missed practice.
Minus the Bus
The Steelers have lost their power running game with the retirement of Jerome Bettis. That's the opinion of Orpheus Roye, at least.
``They are more of a speed running-back team,'' Roye said.
He said he would rather face the power back.
``Those little guys are too fast,'' Roye said. ``I like the bigger guy coming right at you. They have speed in the backfield, so it will be a challenge to contain him.''
Willie Parker had more than 200 yards last week for the Steelers, including two runs longer than 70 yards.
Bodden hobbled
Bodden probably will be sidelined with his sprained ankle. He admitted that injuries have this year feeling like a lost season.
``When I get back on the field I'm going to let it all out,'' Bodden said. ``I don't know when that game is going to be, but I'm definitely going to get back out there.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns-Steelers: Pain of 41-0 still lingers
Thursday, November 16, 2006
By Steve Doerschuk repository sports wRITER

Steelers at Browns

Sunday, 1 p.m.
Cleveland Browns Stadium
TV Channel 19


BEREA You wonder why Bill Cowher doesn't buy a house on Pearl Street.
He could put it on his Steelers expense account.
From the second floor of a certain house with two pumpkins on the porch, one of his spies could command a useful view of Browns practice during Pittsburgh week.
The last Pittsburgh week turned out to be a disaster here. The Steelers romped, 41-0, on Christmas Eve.
It was as if Cowher had a spy house on Pearl Street.
Now, the Browns and Steelers are getting ready for their first meeting since the 41-0 fiasco.
Cowher talked Wednesday as if nothing worth remembering happened that day.
"There's no comparison," Cowher said as he built up the 3-6 Browns, "to the team we're playing Sunday and the team we played a year ago."
Technically, a year ago was November, not Dec. 24. In Game 9 at Pittsburgh, the Browns lost 34-21 to sink to 3-6.
Technically, it's the Steelers who are in "no comparison" mode. They won a Super Bowl in February. They come to Cleveland at 3-6.
The Browns, meanwhile, talk of Dec. 24, 2005, as a day that lives in infamy.
"All you have to do is say 41-0," Romeo Crennel said, "and that's pretty good motivation."
Crennel is 9-16 as head coach of the Browns. None of the other 15 losses was anything like the 41-0 game. The other losses have ranged from 1- to 17-point margins - nine of those 15 by 9 points or less.
"I think we're gonna play a lot better this time," he said.
As bad as it was, it could have been worse. The Browns fumbled five times but lost only one of them. Charlie Frye dropped back 47 times and took eight sacks.
"We got embarrassed," Frye says now. "I think everybody in this locker room feels that way."
In the aftermath, during their run to the Super Bowl, some of the Steeler defenders, notably Joey Porter (three sacks) said Frye never had a chance. He was too green, in just his fourth NFL start.
Even Frye says, "by late last year, they were playing at a different level than everybody else."
Now, the Steelers are coming off a game in which they gave up more than 500 yards to the Saints. Frye is heading into his 15th NFL start.
"I think I'm a lot different guy than I was back then," he said. "I'm looking guys off, putting the ball where I want it, just the little things."
Maybe Frye has a point. In his last three games of 2005, he had passer ratings of 69.5, 64.4 and 71.8. In his first three games under new coordinator Jeff Davidson, he has ratings of 81.8, 71.5 and 109.1.
Frye is 0-4 against Ben Roethliberger. Three of the losses came when they were Mid-American Conference rivals. The other one was the the 41-0 game.
"That was last year," Roethlisberger said in a clipped conference call Wednesday. "It's not something we're gonna dwell on."
From a Browns perspective, the blowout dwells on them.
Two dark images from the game come back.
In the fourth quarter, a fan ran onto the field and got body-slammed by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.
By the final minutes, Browns fans had walked out. Thousands of Steeler fans remained, immersing Cleveland Browns Stadium in a creepy aura.
For a while, at least, the people on Pearl Street must have been disgusted with the neighbors. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Browns QB is changed man
Steelers expect different Frye this time
Friday, November 17, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

DENIS POROY ASSOCIATED PRESS Charlie Frye faces pressure from the Chargers earlier this month. He can expect another rush job Sunday from the Steelers.

BEREA, Ohio ? The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers agree: The Charlie Frye who will take the field Sunday will be improved from the quarterback who looked confused last year in a 41-0 loss.
"I?m a lot different guy than I was back then," Frye said. "That was a year ago; I have some more starts under my belt, more confidence and experience. I?m improving every week and that?s my goal, just to get better with looking guys off and putting the ball where I want it."
When the Steelers handed out one of the worst beatings in Browns history on Dec. 24, perhaps no player felt it more than Frye. It was the fourth start of his career and the first against a Pittsburgh team that eventually won a Super Bowl.
Pittsburgh?s defense relies on aggressiveness and deception, and Frye looked baffled throughout the game. He completed 20 of 39 passes and was sacked a career-high eight times.
The Browns nearly had to peel Frye off the ground after the game. He fumbled four times after being hit, although the team recovered three. There were some protection problems, but Frye?s inexperience and penchant for holding onto the football made him an easy target.
"I think he was a young player and we were able to make a few plays early in that game," Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher said. "I don?t think we were that much better. Again, if you look at this year and compare him to that game last year, it?s night and day. He is a more experienced player who is comfortable in the system and has a lot of playmakers around him."
Frye?s career, and Cleveland?s success, eventually will be tied to how the team fares against teams in its division. In some ways, the loss to Pittsburgh served as a turning point for Frye. Since that game, he is 4-6 in 10 starts, including victories in two of his past three games.
"That?s how you really grow at this level is playing games," Browns tackle Ryan Tucker said. "You can practice as much as you want to, but if you don?t get in games and see it firsthand, it?s hard to improve. But he?s been out there, he?s been growing each and every week, and we?ve all seen improvement since the first game up until now. We?re very confident with him, and there?s no question that he knows what to do."
Frye grew up in Willard, Ohio, as a Browns fan and naturally disliked the Steelers.
Losing to his rival was not fun. It was the Steelers? fifth straight win over the Browns and 11 th in 12 games.
"I think we got embarrassed last year; everyone in the locker room feels that way," Frye said. "Some guys are from different areas and may not realize how important the rivalry means to the city (of Cleveland) and to Pittsburgh. I think a lot more people understand it."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Steelers unfazed by talk from Cleveland

Friday, November 17, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




BEREA, Ohio ? The Steelers say they are not afraid of coming into Cleveland on Sunday despite the tough talk coming from the Browns this week.
In the Steelers? minds, why should they be?
The last time Pittsburgh entered Browns Stadium, it posted a 41-0 victory that turned into one of the most embarrassing defeats in Cleveland history. The Steelers also have won five straight in Cleveland.
"It?s kind of the next home away from home, I guess," Steelers receiver Hines Ward told the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette this week.
Linebacker Joey Porter said, "I don?t fear nobody over there on that team, so I don?t care who they got talking or what they say. I?ve just never been afraid of Cleveland."
To re-create the rivalry, the Browns will have to gain the Steelers? respect by winning, particularly at home, where the team is 1-3 this season.
"So we need to develop that winning tradition by winning games, then people will be concerned about coming to Cleveland to play," coach Romeo Crennel said.
Access denied

Second-year receiver Braylon Edwards will not get his wish to attend the Ohio State-Michigan game Saturday.
Edwards, a Michigan alumnus, received a sideline pass from the school but needed approval from the Browns to travel to Columbus less than 24 hours before their game.
The 3:30 p.m. start made it too tight for Edwards to return in time for team meetings and curfew Saturday night.
"Braylon mentioned that he might want to go to that game," Crennel said. "But he said after consultation with some veterans that he decided it?s probably best that he stay here and get ready for the game on Sunday."
Brownie points

Running back Reuben Droughns missed portions of practice for the second straight day because of a strained foot. Crennel said he will be a game-time decision. ? Cleveland is 4-1 when Droughns runs for more than 100 yards. ? Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is questionable because of a concussion but has said he expects to play.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Back not running from the Steelers

Droughns returns, hopes to get revenge Sunday

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Reuben Droughns was on the field for practice Friday, giving a hint he might try to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers after all.
Droughns missed Wednesday and Thursday with a sprained right foot but was in uniform, though not working with the starters, for the portion of practice open to the media.
``It's gotten a lot better,'' Droughns said. ``Hopefully coach can make that decision (to let him play). Whether it's today, tomorrow or Sunday.''
Few are as motivated to play as Droughns.
He took the Christmas Eve massacre last season personally.
At the Akron Browns Backers Banquet, where Droughns was honored as the team's player of the year, he vowed: ``41-nothing. That won't happen again.''
When training camp started, he had a video ready to show his teammates from that game.
``Just all Pittsburgh's plays,'' Droughns said. ``Then at the end it said 41-0.''
Given the 41-0 drubbing, Droughns said he will do all he can to get on the field Sunday.
``That's the best way to put it,'' he said.
Whether Droughns is effective remains to be seen. The Steelers always have been strong against the run, and this season is no different. They give up 98 yards per game rushing, 10th in the league.
The Browns rank 29th in the league in rushing. They are averaging 81 yards per game.
Droughns' per-carry average is 3.1, a paltry figure for a guy who averaged 4.0 yards per carry for the Browns last season and 4.5 for the Denver Broncos in 2004.
``Bad,'' Droughns said of the 2006 statistic. ``That's a challenge to myself, the fullback and the offensive line. That's one of those things that we have to get better.''
Droughns earned the Steelers' respect in the two games the teams played last season.
``I think we took him for (granted) the first time,'' Steelers linebacker Joey Porter told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ``We didn't know he would run as hard as he did. I don't think we gave him the respect he deserved. We didn't have it in our minds he was going to be a tough runner.
``Then, when he broke the tackles that he did and got the runs that he did, he got our attention real quick.''
Jason Wright got most of the work with the starters during practice, but coach Romeo Crennel said Droughns could play even if he missed practice all week.
Droughns said the foot felt a little sore Sunday and flared up Monday morning. He since has been in rehab.
While Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was cleared to play after being sidelined with a concussion, the best that Droughns could do was hope to play.
``It's very frustrating to have some kind of nagging injury, or whatever it is,'' he said. ``It's not fun. You want to come out there, especially in a week like this.
``You don't want it to seem like you're running from a game like this.''
More prepared
Quarterback Charlie Frye talked last Christmas Eve as if the Steelers' defensive approach was a mystery to him.
He conceded that he didn't expect a lot of what the Steelers did, and he said he spent a lot of time in the offseason looking at their tapes.
``I spent a lot of time on a lot of different things, especially the teams in our division. So I got a good look at them,'' Frye said.
``I got to study them, so I think we feel a lot better about their scheme going into this game.''
On Grantham
Crennel was coy when asked a question related to rumors Michigan State is interested in hiring defensive coordinator Todd Grantham as head coach.
``I know that he has a contract with us,'' Crennel said when asked if Grantham would finish the season with the Browns if Michigan State were to hire him. ``We expect him to fulfill his contract. There have been some other situations where coaches have received a college job and fulfilled their professional contract before leaving.
``He has a contract with us and we expect him to fulfill that.''
Crennel said he has not talked to Grantham about Michigan State because that would take away from talking about the Steelers.
With the New England Patriots, then-offensive coordinator Charlie Weis held his signing-day news conference for Notre Dame media from the Super Bowl.
Brownies . . .
Steelers center Jeff Hartings missed the past two games but practiced all week and is expected to start.... Steelers linebacker James Harrison (Coventry High School, Kent State) was upgraded from doubtful to questionable.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Davis, McGinest help energize young corps
Saturday, November 18, 2006
By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER


BEREA- The locker room was full of laughter Friday.
Heading into Sunday?s Pittsburgh game, it was as if the Browns were sitting on a big secret weapon. Or maybe they?re just growing confidence. Maybe they simply know there?s some juice on a team that has won two of its last three.
No unit has more potential to lead a strong home-stretch run than the linebackers.
There?s depth and talent in a group led by Andra Davis and Willie McGinest, energized by high draft picks Kamerion Wimbley and D?Qwell Jackson, and made deep by veterans Matt Stewart and Chaun Thompson.
The Browns don?t seem overly worried about running back Willie Parker, who gave the Steelers 213 rushing yards in Sunday?s 38-31 win over the Saints.
?If we can contain Vick,? McGinest said, ?we can contain anybody.?
Davis added, ?(Parker) is good, don?t get me wrong, but he?s no L.T.?
Davis, who was talking about LaDainian Tomlinson, is coming off his best game of the year. His 11 tackles set a tone in stuffing Warrick Dunn. He also flattened Michael Vick on a blitz on which the Atlanta quarterback unloaded the ball as if it were a live grenade.
?Before that game,? Davis said, ?I was pressing, trying to go out there and get a whole bunch of tackles.?
He was pressing because he finally has real money as a fifth-year pro, having signed a $20 million contract extension. He was pressing because he?s a captain, and because he was supposed to thrive playing inside linebacker behind nose tackle Ted Washington.
?With big Ted in front of me and better players around me, I felt like I had to go out there and get 300 tackles,? Davis said. ?... Last week it was just making the plays that came to me, and I had a lot of fun.?
For a while, Davis seemed more uptight than the other inside linebacker, Jackson, a rookie second-round pick.
?It?s amazing how fast D?Qwell picks things up,? Davis said. ?If he tells me he sees something, I trust what he says.?
Confidence is never an issue with McGinest, a key man on three New England teams that won Super Bowls. The difference on the Browns without McGinest at San Diego and with McGinest at Atlanta was striking. Ask Bill Cowher. In McGinest?s last five games with the Patriots against Cowher?s Steelers, New England was 4-1.
?Willie is strong at the point of attack. He is an outstanding pass rusher, and he is very smart,? Cowher said. ?He brings invaluable experience and is a great role model for Kamerion Wimbley, who has a really bright future himself.
?To have a guy like Willie to teach him the ropes ...?
Wimbley shapes up as the brightest playmaker of the Browns? expansion era. He leads the team in sacks (5.5), tackles for loss (six) and quarterback pressures (nine).
That gives him 20.5 credits in those three categories. The next closest Browns are end Orpheus Roye with 11 and McGinest and end Alvin McKinley with seven.
The top backups, Stewart and Thompson, have a combined 89 NFL starts. Thompson has two sacks and a tackle for loss. Stewart has one mark in each category.
Over the years, Pittsburgh?s linebackers have set the tone for its defense. That has begun to happen in Cleveland.
?Right now,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said, ?we?re not where we need to be. There is some potential there.
?If we can get better, improve and be a dominant unit all of the time, then you can say they are pretty special.
?In each game, we try to learn something new, and we make plays that we didn?t think we could make. When you have the instincts of a D?Qwell Jackson and the ability of a Kamerion Wimbley, good things can happen.? Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

BROWNS REPORT
Saturday, November 18, 2006


Injury update
Head Coach Romeo Crennel says Reuben Droughns (sprained foot) will be a ?game-time decision.?
Droughns rushed 27 times for 92 yards in two games against the Steelers last year and has been a disappointment in 2006. Still, his toughness would be missed. Everyone remembers the 41-0 Christmas Eve game in Cleveland, but the Browns got beat up in Pittsburgh, too. In that road game, Droughns was looking for Steelers to hit and knocking them backward.
?Reuben is a bigger back who can run through some arm tackles,? Crennel said. ?The other two guys (Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison) are going to have to rely more on quickness to gain yardage.?
Wright said he expects Droughns to play, and Droughns seems hopeful. Droughns got some practice work in Friday.

Extra points
n Kellen Winslow Jr. is on a Pro Bowl pace, leading NFL tight ends with 56 catches and ranking second among tight ends in receiving yards (561, behind Tony Gonzalez?s 588). ?I probably won?t make it,? Winslow said Friday, ?because we?re not that much of a televised team. I?m just trying to help this team win.?
n The Browns? other top Pro Bowl candidate is safety Sean Jones, who is tied with Champ Bailey for second in the NFL with five interceptions. Rashean Mathis is first with six. Jones is trying to bring the Browns the kind of juice Troy Polamalu gives Pittsburgh. ?Polamalu is on a different level right now,? Winslow said. ?I?m sure Sean Jones will get there.? STEVE DOERSCHUK

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

BROWNS-STEELERS MATCHUPS
Saturday, November 18, 2006
1 p.m. Sunday; Cleveland Browns Stadium TV WOIO, Channel 19

QUARTERBACKS

The players Ben Roethlisberger was the passer from another planet before 2006 (27-4 record, including 5-1 in the postseason). The No. 11 pick in the 2004 draft has come back to Earth, although Bill Cowher claims the kid has mostly played well. Charlie Frye was 0-3 against ?Big Ben? in college and is an ugly 0-1 in the NFL. Winning Sunday would do a lot more for Frye than the other guy.


The edge Steelers ... Roethlisberger has passed for more than 250 yards in three straight games; the Steelers have scored 38 or more points in three of their last five.
RUNNING BACKS
The players In two 2005 games against Cleveland, Jerome Bettis, Verron Haynes and Duce Staley totaled 214 yards and four touchdowns. Bettis is gone, Haynes is hurt, and Staley doesn?t have a 2006 carry. Fast Willie Parker (847 yards, 4.6 average) produces, but not in the smash-mouthed Steeler style. Big Najeh Davenport at least gives Pittsburgh a hint of ?Bus? fumes.


The edge Steelers ... In the last three weeks, Parker has rushed 366 yards; Reuben Droughns has rushed for 194.

WIDE RECEIVERS
The players Check out this Ohio State vs. Michigan surprise. Rookie Round 1 pick Santonio Holmes, an ex-Buckeye, has given the Steelers 17 catches for 307 yards over the last five games. Ex-Wolverine Braylon Edwards has given the Browns 19 catches for 190 yards in that span. Kellen Winslow Jr. (51 catches, 471 yards) gives Cleveland an edge over Pittsburgh?s fine young tight end, Heath Miller (19, 232).

The edge Steelers ... Hines Ward, 30, has caught a second wind, with 28 catches for 465 yards and five TDs over the last four games.

OFFENSIVE LINE
The players This unit, traditionally the pride of the Steelers, hasn?t brought the customary joy. There?s a Hall of Fame type (Alan Faneca) at left guard, a decent left tackle (Marvel Smith), an erratic right guard (Kendall Simmons), an injury situation at center (Chukky Okobi in for Jeff Hartings) and an average right tackle (Max Starks). Still, the Steelers are churning out 375 yards a game, the highest average for the franchise since Terry Bradshaw?s final Super Bowl season.

The edge Steelers ... Droughns should be gaining more, and Frye should be getting hit less behind Cleveland?s collection of veterans.

DEFENSIVE LINE
The players Both teams use three-man fronts, but the Steelers play mostly a one-gap system, whereas the Browns rely on a two-gap approach. There?s an ability gap between veteran end Kimo von Oelhoffen, who left as a free agent, and replacement Brett Keisel, a seventh-round pick in 2002. End Aaron Smith, 30, has missed two starts in seven years. Orpheus Roye has grown old as a Brown (seventh season) after growing up as a Steeler (four years).
The edge Steelers ... Comparing nose men, Cleveland?s Ted Washington isn?t his old self, but Pittsburgh?s Casey Hampton has taken half a step backward at age 29.

LINEBACKERS
The players Larry Foote, Clark Haggans and James Farrior all forced fumbles against New Orleans. Joey Porter has missed two games with a hamstring problem but still has kicked up some dust. He scored on an interception against Miami and had two sacks at Oakland. Porter, in his eighth year but only 29, has 21.5 sacks over the last three years, more than any linebacker but Adalius Thomas (25), and just ahead of Haggans? 19.5.
The edge Steelers ... But the balance is shifting, and Kamerion Wimbley could tip it the other way as early as Sunday. Andra Davis is coming off his best game.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
The players Neither the Browns nor Steelers have gotten what they wanted out of 2005 breakthrough cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Ike Taylor. Both became rich men with contract extensions, but Bodden has been banged up, and Taylor has regressed. Browns safeties Sean Jones, Brian Russell and Brodney Pool are playing well.
The edge Steelers ... This changes if Troy Polamalu?s concussion limits him; if not, as Winslow put it, ?He?s really the best safety I?ve ever seen.?

SPECIAL TEAMS
The players Chris Gardocki had a punt tipped last year, but his NFL record for boots without a block survived and stands at 1,145. Holmes gives Pittsburgh a threat on both punt and kick returns. A practical joker in the Steeler locker room, Jeff Reed doesn?t have a hot foot, missing three of five field goals beyond 40 yards.
The edge Browns ... Phil Dawson was steady already, but he?s having a career year. The Joshua Cribbs-Dennis Northcutt tag team is a steady knockout threat.

STRATEGY
The coaches The only NFL head coaches to win at least eight division titles have been Don Shula, Chuck Noll, Bud Grant, Tom Landry ? and Cowher. Old master Dick LeBeau?s attacking 3-4 scheme put Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl in February, but Offensive Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt is outperforming LeBeau this season.

Steve Doerschuk The edge Steelers ... Todd Grantham has done a nice job with the Browns? defense, and Jeff Davidson is 2-1 since his promotion, but almost everyone takes it on the chin against Cowher?s credentials (156-97-1).

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BROWNS NOTEBOOK
Coach won?t be let out of contract
Michigan State might offer Grantham job during season

Saturday, November 18, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio ? Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel said he expects defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to finish the season with the team, regardless of whether Grantham is offered the Michigan State coaching job within the next week or two.
Rumors are swirling that Grantham could be the top candidate to replace John L. Smith after the Spartans play their final game today. Grantham has been in the running for the job for several weeks, and the university reportedly wants Smith?s replacement in by the end of November.
That could put the Browns in a bind with seven games remaining. They?ve already replaced an offensive coordinator this season and wouldn?t want to go through the same process on the defensive side.
"I think it might depend on what their contract situation is," Crennel said. "I know that he has a contract with us. We expect him to fulfill his contract. There have been some other situations where coaches have received a college job and fulfilled their professional contract before leaving. He has a contract with us and we expect him to fulfill that."
Safety competition

Sean Jones said he wants to be compared with some of the better safeties in the NFL. Now he gets to share the same field with a proven top-flight safety in the Pittsburgh Steelers? Troy Polamalu.
Polamalu was upgraded to probable yesterday after he suffered a concussion last week in a victory against the New Orleans Saints, and all indications are pointing toward him playing Sunday.
In his third season, Jones is putting up Pro Bowl-type numbers with 49 tackles and five interceptions, which is tied for second in the NFL. But playing for a 3-6 team can make it difficult to get the proper recognition.
"It?s kind of hard, especially because this is my first year (playing at a high level)," Jones said. "It?s hard for a guy to come out and get selected to the Pro Bowl in his first season. If I get it, that would be great. If not, I?m not worried about it too much."
Hampton factor

The matchup against Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton was one of the major reasons Browns general manager Phil Savage spent $36 million to get free-agent center LeCharles Bentley.
But because of Bentley?s season-ending knee surgery, it will up to replacement Hank Fraley to neutralize Hampton, who anchors the Steelers defense in the middle.
"I think Casey is a great nose tackle," Fraley said. "He plays hard and he?s strong. He?s the point of attack in their run game. I played him a few times and played him during the preseason as well. It?s going to be a challenge for me, and they also have (backup) Chris Hoke who comes in as well. You don?t get a break when he comes in."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Last year's 41-0 loss to Steelers still stings

Browns tired of bullying, but is resolve enough?

By Patrick McManamon

CLEVELAND - If anger and resolve mean anything about winning, the Browns should be double-digit favorites today against Pittsburgh.
Never before in the days of the expansion era has there been this much fuming in the Browns' locker room.
Losing 41-0 on Christmas Eve will do that to a team. The way that loss to the Steelers went down late last season only added to the mood.
``Just the way they were celebrating the whole game,'' tackle Ryan Tucker said. ``Basically rubbing it in -- the whole time.''
Tucker was quick to say he would have done the same were he on that side of the score, but it doesn't lessen the feelings watching it done to your team.
That game seemed to be an offseason point of emphasis for the Browns. GM Phil Savage even addressed it before the draft, when he talked about what kind of players the Browns were seeking.
``Do they have the right kind of demeanor?'' he asked in April. ``What is this player's reaction going to be when he goes to Heinz Field as a Cleveland Brown? How is he going to respond? Is he going to shrink up or stand tall and go toe-to-toe with a Joey Porter or Ben Roethlisberger?''
Seems the Browns are tired of being bullied.
There seemed to be a little different feeling in the locker room this week.
Players seemed to get that last season they didn't ``get it'' about the Steelers rivalry.
They seemed to get that the Steelers rubbed them in the dirt.
They seemed to get that they let themselves, and the fans, down.
Reuben Droughns made a tape of the game for his teammates.
Coaches put a flier in the locker of every player advertising a Steelers Super Bowl book.
A photo of Joey Porter was on the podium in the team meeting room.
Will it do any good?
``That's their motivation?'' Porter asked.
He then addressed whether the Browns are better this year.
``From what I've seen on film, they're a little better in certain situations,'' he said, ``but they have the same makeup of their team. The way I look at it (is) as far as the quarterback position, the running back position and the weapons they have at wide receiver. I break a team down like that -- how many superstars they have at those positions as far as it's going to hurt us.
``For the most part, we did well against Reuben Droughns. Braylon (Edwards) hasn't played against us, and this will be our first time playing when they have Kellen (Winslow). And tight ends really never hurt us that bad except for the (Alge) Crumpler game (against Atlanta).''
Lot of respect there.
Those comments sum up the Steelers' attitude toward the Browns. They know it's an NFL game, but they've won so many times that the Browns to them are like a game against Buffalo.
It's a game against a city that lies in close proximity, but not exactly an opponent that forces extra time in the film room.
Pittsburgh has the same 3-6 record as the Browns, but it also has a host of players with playoff experience and Super Bowl rings.
When the Browns talk of running the table to reach the playoffs, it sounds like a pipe dream.
When the Steelers talk that way -- as Porter did -- it sounds like a challenge, and a doable one.
This rivalry may be regenerating, but it pretty much resides in the ``in other games'' section of USA Today -- right before the wrap-up of the Lions-Cardinals and Buffalo-Houston games.
And until the Browns do something about it, that's right where this ``rivalry'' will continue to reside.
Turnover time
``We have to win the turnover battle.''
Coaches say that so often, you figure they've got it on an index card, right behind the ones that read, ``We're only looking at this week'' and ``It's a business trip.'' (What does that mean?)
Today, it might actually be true.
The Steelers have turned the ball over 24 times this season. Those have led to 76 points for the opposition. All 76 of those points came in the Steelers' losses. In their three wins, turnovers led to zero points.
``The turnover bug is something we've had a hard time overcoming this year,'' Steelers coach Bill Cowher said.
The Browns haven't been much better. Charlie Frye has thrown 12 interceptions and the offense has lost the ball on fumbles 10 times.
The teams are two of the three lowest-ranked teams in the league in turnover margin. Only Oakland is worse.
Duck
Charlie Frye kind of looked like a kid playing backyard football last season when Pittsburgh was in town. He had trouble holding the ball, and was sacked eight times by the Steelers' relentless rush.
Things are a little different this season for Pittsburgh.
In the past five games, the Steelers have 10 sacks. Six came against Oakland. The past two games, the Steelers have two sacks.
The reason: Teams are using a lot of quick throws and going ``max protect'' against the pass rush.
Max protect.
Only in football do they come up with terms like that.
Memories
Browns coach Romeo Crennel remembers the end of the game last season when the only people left in Cleveland Stadium were waving Terrible Towels.
``It wasn't a good feeling,'' Crennel said.
Said Cowher: ``It's really a matter of perspective.''
Brownies . . .
? The Browns must be some kind of medical salve to other teams. Pittsburgh was without center Jeff Hartings for two weeks. He'll play today. Linebacker James Harrison also is expected back, and Troy Polamalu will not miss any more time to the concussion that sidelined him last Sunday.
? Things change so quickly in the NFL. A few weeks ago, folks were ready to tar and feather the Browns. With a win today, they're ahead of the Steelers in the standings and possibly tied with the Bengals in the AFC North.
? Porter: ``This doesn't need a guarantee. They know what it is. We don't too much care for them; obviously they don't care for us. We'll go down there and see what happens. We're looking forward to it. I know I am.''
? Willie McGinest is one Brown who can say he has a history with the Steelers worth remembering. The Patriots beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh a couple of years back in the AFC Championship Game. In training camp, McGinest wondered what the Steelers had to talk about, since New England beat them all the time. Maybe McGinest should talk to the team before the game.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

View from Pluto

PRETEND IT'S PLAYOFF Browns should view two Steelers games as major test of team

By Terry Pluto

? Romeo Crennel probably won't like this idea, but the Browns' coach should turn the two Pittsburgh Steelers games this season into the 2006 version of the playoffs for his team. Make these games into a big deal, insist that today at Browns Stadium is not just NFL Sunday, this game is a major test of where the Browns are as a team and individuals.
? It doesn't matter that both teams are 3-6. The Steelers remain the defending Super Bowl champs. They are 12-3 vs. the Browns since the return in 1999. Most of the games have been embarrassments, the last being 41-0. Crennel needs to tell his team, ``Enough already.'' It's time to truly compete with the Steelers, especially if youngsters such as Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Frye, Kamerion Wimbley and the rest are going to indeed become the future of this team.
? General Manager Phil Savage came up with the idea of a ``second season'' after Maurice Carthon was fired as offensive coordinator. The Browns are 2-1 since. ``We're not great,'' Savage said. ``But we are starting to look more like a legitimate football team. I want to see how we do against Pittsburgh. When they beat us 41-0, it was like they dropped a slab on us. These are important games. We have measured ourselves against them, and I really believe we are better than last year. But what matters is what happens on the field.''
? Steelers coach Bill Cowher is 19-5 vs. the Browns. It's 7-2 vs. Bill Belichick, 2-2 vs. Chris Palmer, 8-1 vs. Butch Davis and 2-0 vs. Crennel. For Cowher, the current streak is five in a row and 9-of-10. You would think the Browns would be sick of losing to this coach, who knows how to prepare his team for big games.
? Coaches say Ryan Tucker had perhaps his best game of the season when he returned after missing two games because of an undisclosed illness. Tucker seemed quicker and stronger at right tackle. His previous game was against the Denver Broncos, and coaches said it might have been his worst ever with the Browns. It appears Tucker is refreshed and expected to finish the season.
? Andra Davis also might have played his best game of the season in the victory against the Atlanta Falcons, according to the coaches.
? The Browns aren't saying much about it, but there is major disappointment with Reuben Droughns. He has gained only 472 yards and averages 3.1 per carry. His longest run is 22 yards. He doesn't seem to run as hard as in the previous two seasons, when he gained more than 1,200 yards. You don't see him consistently dropping his shoulder and running over tacklers. His status for the game today is questionable because of an ankle injury.
? The Browns know that Droughns has been hurt. He had a shoulder problem early, now the ankle. Is that the reason for the drop-off? Or is it the new long-term contract, the first of his career? He also has had legal troubles with a domestic dispute; charges eventually were dropped. The Browns know only that he has not been the same guy on the field -- and they have to be asking themselves if he's the long-term answer at running back.
? Another player having a so-so year is veteran fullback Terrelle Smith, who might soon be losing some playing time to rookie Lawrence Vickers unless he improves. One of the reasons Davis signed Smith was to play against physical teams such as the Steelers.
? Savage said that while some fans have been down on Willie McGinest, the veteran has been ``solid'' when he has played. Problem is, he has battled injuries all year -- first the calf, now the ankle. He demands attention from the offense, because he still can rush the quarterback. ``What I really like is how he's taken care of Wimbley,'' Savage said. ``One of the reasons that Kamerion has come along so fast is Willie, who has helped him adjust to outside linebacker. When we have Willie and Kamerion at the outside linebackers -- like we did in Atlanta -- we're pretty good on defense.''
? Wimbley is at 5 ? sacks. The record for a Browns rookie is six by Michael Dean Perry in 1988. This kid has a chance to become the impact pass rusher the Browns have been searching for ever since they drafted Courtney Brown in 2000.
? One of the differences in play-calling has been new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson sticking with the run, no matter what. In his three games, the Browns have had 39-28-27 rushing attempts. In the first six games with Carthon, the Browns had only one game of more than 23 carries. Three times, it was 20 or fewer. Trying to run the ball chews up time on the clock, lets the defense rest and gives the back and linemen a chance to develop some momentum -- even if success is spotty.
? Davidson wisely usesWinslow as a receiver first, blocking tight end later. Winslow's body is beaten up. Blocking was never his strength, even when 100 percent. He has a chance to become a great receiver, so Davidson puts him in position to do what he does best. Steve Heiden does a lot of the heavy blocking duty at tight end, and Davidson likes to play them both.
? There is a feeling the Browns should throw the ball early in the game to Edwards, just to get him feeling involved. He tends to drift mentally -- typical of some inexperienced pros -- when he senses he's not part of the game plan.