Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Forced turnover dooms Browns in loss to Colts

Sunday, November 30, 2008 11:26 PM
By Bill Rabinowitz


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CLEVELAND?The Browns held a Peyton Manning-led offense to three points.

Should be enough to win, right? Not today, not in this lost season.​

Despite that stout defensive performance, Cleveland lost to the Indianapolis Colts because its 305-pound Pro Bowl left tackle couldn't hold off a bull-rush by a 268-pound defensive end.​

The fumble that resulted was returned for a touchdown, giving the Colts a 10-6 victory in Cleveland Browns Stadium and effectively ending any hope of an improbable late-season playoff run.​

A year after going 10-6, the Browns must win their remaining four games to avert a losing season.​

Making matters worse, Cleveland appears likely to have lost backup quarterback Derek Anderson only a week after Brady Quinn's season ended. Anderson suffered a knee injury thanks to another hit caused by a bull-rush.​

For more than 3 quarters, the Browns (4-8) played the kind of game they needed to against the explosive Colts (8-4). They gave the ball to running back Jamal Lewis and moved the chains with a short passing game.​

A gritty defense kept the Colts out of the end zone, highlighted by a goal-line stand at the end of the first half that kept the Browns ahead 6-3.
Cont...​

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Crennel is a good guy with bad team

Monday, December 1, 2008 3:16 AM
By michael arace





CLEVELAND -- It is hard not to like Browns coach Romeo Crennel. His team is not winning, which makes him the target of intense criticism from tens of thousands of fans, not to mention the bloggers. Yet Crennel remains above the fray, unflappable, unchanged. There is a stoic grace about the big teddy bear. Yesterday in Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Browns pulled another loss out of their magic bag of horrors and fell to the Indianapolis Colts 10-6. It was like watching traffic for two hours and being lulled into a sleepy trance -- until the inevitable accident.
In this case, the accident was a reverse Statue of Liberty play. With just under 10 minutes left, Browns quarterback Derek Anderson dropped back, set himself and cocked his arm. Just then, Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney arrived from the blind side and knocked the ball out of Anderson's hand. The other DE, Robert Mathis, took it from there.
"When I saw the ball on the ground, it looked like a pile of gold," Mathis said. "I saw the field in front of me. I had to score. This was the first time I have ever run with the football."
The man is a natural. He rumbled 37 yards and scored the only touchdown of the game. It was all the Colts (8-4) needed to win and maintain pace in the woolly AFC playoff race. As for the Browns (4-8), they have lost two in a row and four of five. They have gone nearly nine quarters without scoring a touchdown.
Asked what was the problem with the offense, Crennel said, "We were unable to get in the end zone."
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Browns notebook
Defense knows how to slow Colts

Monday, December 1, 2008 3:00 AM
By Bill Rabinowitz


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Phil MasturzoAkron Beacon Journal
Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald, right, intercepts a Peyton Manning pass intended for Colts receiver Reggie Wayne in the third quarter.


CLEVELAND -- If the Browns could face Peyton Manning every week, they might have a top-ranked defense. Winless perhaps, but at least elite statistically. Though Manning may light up NFL defenses weekly, the Browns seem to have his number. In Indianapolis' 10-6 victory yesterday, Cleveland held Manning to 125 passing yards and intercepted him twice (once on a Hail Mary at the end of the first half). His longest completion was for 17 yards.
"We disguised well on the back end and gave him some problems," said cornerback Brandon McDonald, who made a nice interception in tight coverage on Reggie Wayne on Indianapolis' first possession of the third quarter.
The Browns didn't let the Colts get deep and took their chances against the NFL's lowest-ranked run game.
"(Defensive coordinator) Mel (Tucker) had a great game plan and the guys did a great job of executing it," inside linebacker Andra Davis said.
The signature moment for the Browns defense was a goal-line stand at the end of the second quarter. Cleveland stuffed Joseph Addai just short of the end zone on third down. Manning tried to sneak in on fourth down, but safety Brodney Pool knocked the ball free. Though Colts tight end Dallas Clark fell on the ball in the end zone, the touchdown was disallowed because a teammate can't score on an advanced fumble recovery.
"There wasn't any quit, wasn't any thinking of quitting anywhere in our mind," defensive end Corey Williams said. "That goal-line stand really showed us, showed the coaches and showed a lot of the fans that we're not going to give up."
Cont...

 

[SparkyOSU]

Anyone heard of any substantial evidence of a Cowher interview? I saw a blip yesterday on ESPNNEWS and now I cant find squat...

 

[LitlBuck]

Anyone heard of any substantial evidence of a Cowher interview? I saw a blip yesterday on ESPNNEWS and now I cant find squat...

I am not sure if they can even interview now without lining up some minority candidates to also interview because of the Rooney rule. I know that they can't hire without doing that first even if it would only be a token interview. Also, do not get your hopes up on that hire:(

 

[schwab]

I am not sure if they can even interview now without lining up some minority candidates to also interview because of the Rooney rule. I know that they can't hire without doing that first even if it would only be a token interview. Also, do not get your hopes up on that hire:(

Can we use Romeo's exit interview to satisfy the Rooney rule? I mean, it is an interview...

In all seriousness, teams such as Cleveland, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, NY Jets, Minnesota, Oakland, etc... should be cut some sort of slack in this department, when they decide to change coaches, when the coach leaving is a minority.

 

[jlb1705]

I have no problem with the Rooney Rule, and I think it's a good thing that teams will still be required to interview qualified minority candidates even when the outgoing coach is a minority.

I would have a problem however with the Browns interviewing somebody who isn't willing or capable of kicking some ass in the locker room - regardless of pigmentation.

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cleveland Browns confirm QB Anderson will miss remainder of season
by Mary Kay Cabot
Monday December 01, 2008, 4:36 PM

BEREA -- Quarterback Derek Anderson will miss the rest of the season with a torn left medial collateral ligament, the Browns announced today.
Anderson will not need surgery but will be in a brace for about 4-6 weeks. He will be placed on injured reserve soon.

Ken Dorsey will replace Anderson in the starting lineup and Josh Cribbs will serve as the second quarterback.

The Browns might also bring in a veteran quarterback, according to coach Romeo Crennel.

Dorsey, who's gone 2-8 as a starter, will face the 11-1 Titans on Sunday.

Kellen Winslow will also sit out the Titans game with a high left ankle sprain. He'll be in a walking boot for up to a week. It is not known yet whether or not he'll play again this season. Fellow tight end Darnell Dinkins missed last week with a high ankle sprain, but it responding well to treatment. It means rookie Martin Rucker will see more action.

Well, at least you won't have to have surgery so far. I just wonder how much this is going to affect his trade value. I think we probably lost a #1 or even a #2 draft choice because of this injury. I hope I am wrong but other teams don't like damaged goods.

 

[NFBuck]

Cleveland.com

Well, at least you won't have to have surgery so far. I just wonder how much this is going to affect his trade value. I think we probably lost a #1 or even a #2 draft choice because of this injury. I hope I am wrong but other teams don't like damaged goods.

Nobody was giving up a #1 or #2 pick for him after the way he's played this season anyway.

 

[billmac91]

Cleveland.com

Well, at least you won't have to have surgery so far. I just wonder how much this is going to affect his trade value. I think we probably lost a #1 or even a #2 draft choice because of this injury. I hope I am wrong but other teams don't like damaged goods.

we'll be lucky to get anything more than fifth rounder....if that even. Most teams probably aren't convinced DA is worth the money he is being paid. I still think he could have been productive had the receivers held up their end of the bargain. Not a good season by any means, but his problems were quadrupled when players couldn't catch the good throws.

 

[tsteele316]

1. Anderson could have fetched a late 2nd rounder. AJ friggin Feeley netted a 2nd.

2. 4-6 weeks for a MCL is not a big deal and won't scare off any teams. the only way it damages his trade value would be in the fact that he was going to get all the snaps for the rest of the season. but given the upcoming schedule of tenn, pitt, et. all, it's probably for the best.

3. DA will likely garner a 3rd round pick this year, and Cleveland should be happy to get it.

 

[tsteele316]

we'll be lucky to get anything more than fifth rounder....if that even. Most teams probably aren't convinced DA is worth the money he is being paid. I still think he could have been productive had the receivers held up their end of the bargain. Not a good season by any means, but his problems were quadrupled when players couldn't catch the good throws.

charlie frye netted a damn 6th rounder. give me a break.

 

[schwab]

The Browns lost their chance to get anything of value in return for Anderson when they decided in the offseason to sign him to a multi-year deal and 'let the situation work itself out'.

If Phil had been slightly more pro-active, he could have looked one year down the road and had the same starting QB he has currently heading into the 2009 season, to go along with more draft picks. The only down side was if D.A. went somewhere else and absolutely tore it up. I think in the back of everyone's mind, that was a long shot.

And so here we are, 4-8 again... looks like the more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[toby34a]

This injury has taken DA from a first and third rounder last year to a fifth this year. I don't think we'll get any more for him, and he's too expensive to keep. Hell, we may even have to cut him.

All I can hope for is that the Browns fire RAC, ditch DA, and draft either Malaluga, Laurinitis, Jenkins, or Vontae Davis.

 

[billmac91]

charlie frye netted a damn 6th rounder. give me a break.

Trent Green traded for 5th round pick.

Randy Moss traded for 4th round pick.

Kelly Holcomb traded for conditional pick.

Willis McGahee traded for 3rd and 7th round pick.

Jake Plummer traded for conditional round pick.

Does DA have a ton more value than Charlie Frye at this point? After his last 5 games of 2007, and a completion percentage hovering around 50% this year? I just don't see a team giving up a lot in compensation to take on a risky contract.