Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Michael Arace commentary: Cowher to coach Browns? Not so fast

Friday, September 26, 2008 4:44 AM
By Michael Arace


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


It is not new, this alluring notion that Bill Cowher is destined to coach the Cleveland Browns. The notion has hovered over the waters of Lake Erie for years. Only now, it has wafted ashore and intoxicated the inhabitants.
The Browns are 0-3. Surely, Cowher is on his way to save the franchise. Is he not available? Does he not want this? Let us count the ways.
Cowher played for the Browns from 1980 to '82, mostly on special teams. He was an assistant on Marty Schottenheimer's staff from 1985 to '88. He's as much a Clevelander as a Pittsburgh native can be.
During his 15-year tenure as Steelers coach, Cowher placed great import on beating the Browns and dominated the series. He has often let down his guard to wax poetic about both sides of the rivalry. He played or coached in 38 Steelers-Browns games and was on the winning side 30 times.

Continued........

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Working through the storm: Crennel accepts criticism as he labors to halt Browns' skid

by Tony Grossi Thursday September 25, 2008, 6:57 PM


Tony Dejak/Associated PressDuring an 0-3 start, Romeo Crennel believes in keeping an even keel: "In coaching, it is what it is. We know what business we're in. If you win, people like you more. If you lose, they don't like you as much."


The Browns' season of great expectations has started with three straight losses.
They are contemplating a quarterback change and everybody has an opinion. There's a lot of season left, and the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train of tough opponents.
These are the times that try a coach's soul.
On any given day, Romeo Crennel hears his general manager stressing the importance of winning the next game. Or Jim Brown saying that Brady Quinn can give the team a spark, if only the coach would let him. Or Internet-fueled rumors that Bill Cowher is buying a house in the Cleveland area in preparation of taking over the team.
Fans are in a dither, lashing out at Crennel for kicking field goals, for mismanaging the clock in crucial situations, and for not chewing out players for making dumb mistakes.

Continued.........

 

[LitlBuck]

Cowher to coach Browns? Not so fast

Yup, the big problem with the possibility of him coming to the Browns is that Savage would probably have to loosen, or almost give up, his control over all personnel decisions. Savage currently besides the total make up of the 53 man roster and makes all the draft decisions. When Cowher was with the Steelers, he did not control all personnel decisions but had a say in most of them.

 

[matz2]

Figured I would post this here as I know most of you fellow Browns fans can't stand this fucker, but how can this horsed-faced prick pull this trim:

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

Figured I would post this here as I know most of you fellow Browns fans can't stand this [censored]er, but how can this horsed-faced prick pull this trim:

...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Chudzinski shoulders blame for Browns' offensive woes

by Mary Kay Cabot Friday September 26, 2008, 7:21 PM

Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski took responsibility Friday for the team's free-fall from aerial wonder of 2007 to aerial blunder of 2008.


Heading into Sunday's game in Cincinnati, the 0-3 Browns are last or next to last in the NFL in just about every important offensive category, including total offense, passing and points per game. It's a far cry from last season, when they finished eighth in total offense, sixth in yards per play and eighth in points per game.

Continued.......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Sense of urgency goes with Browns to Cincinnati

by Mary Kay Cabot Saturday September 27, 2008, 9:08 PM

Cincinnati -- The Browns emerged from a players-only team meeting Monday, refocused and committed to saving the season with a victory today over the 0-3 Bengals.
"It's a situation where you can do two things as a team," running back Jason Wright said of the Browns' 0-3 start. "You can splinter, or you can come together. And we have veteran leadership on this team that immediately recognized the situation and brought us together.
"So if we weren't completely cohesive as a team, we certainly are now," Wright said. "We're focused in purpose, selflessness is pervading the locker room, and guys are willing to do whatever it takes to start winning."

Continued...............

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Around the League: Contract, coaching and quarterback issues ahead for Savage

by Tony Grossi [email protected] Sunday September 28, 2008, 8:13 AM

David I. Andersen/The Plain DealerIt's shaping up to be a long season for Browns GM Phil Savage.


Another losing season presents new challenges ahead for General Manager Phil Savage.

Besides obvious decisions about the head coach and quarterbacks going forward, Savage has some key contract issues coming up.
The most pressing involve safety Sean Jones, cornerback Daven Holly, linebacker Andra Davis and tight end Darnell Dinkins. Each player's contract expires after this season and each has different circumstances affecting future decisions.
The Browns wanted to see Jones step into the elite class of safeties this year, but recent knee surgery has him out for another couple of weeks.

Continued...............

 

[schwab]

I can't remember being so embarrassed as a Browns fan after actually winning a game.

 

[LitlBuck]

This article is right on the money. A Pee wee QB could have played the first half for the Browns.

PD

Against lowly Bengals, Browns overcome faltering offense, inflexible coach
by Bill Livingston
Sunday September 28, 2008, 6:45 PM

CINCINNATI -- The sweet reasonableness of a recalcitrant mule has little on Romeo Crennel. He is a loyal man, to a fault sometimes.


Fault for the Browns' 0-3 start is what everyone but the Browns coach wants to ascribe to Derek Anderson. Yet Anderson won a game as the Browns' starting quarterback Sunday, and he apparently has the job for as long as Crennel has his. Which means for the rest of the season, at least and perhaps also at most.


That's if you go by the evidence of Sunday's 20-12 victory over 0-4 Cincinnati, which was not using injured starting quarterback Carson Palmer, a former Heisman Trophy winner and a guy who has been to the NFL playoffs, but instead Ryan Fitzpatrick of Harvard, where he was presumably quite the handful for Dartmouth, Columbia and Brown.
The Browns, however, sicced their pass rushers and blitzers on the backup, sacked him three times, intercepted him three times, and seriously reduced the Bengals' chances unless the game somehow were to be decided by knowledge of where to get a really good bowl of clam chowder.

Anderson was better than in the first three games but still not really all that good -- 15-of-24, 138 yards, an interception, a touchdown pass, a sack.

The Browns had gotten away from the balance they showed last season when Jamal Lewis was running wild and Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow were setting team receiving records. Injuries to the receiving corps meant the passing attack is still a misfire at times. So the game plan Anderson was handed basically consisted of handing off to Lewis, who followed his line and the savage blocking of fullback Lawrence Vickers. Back-up Brady Quinn could have handled that. In all probability, at least in the early going, so could Ohio State freshman Terrelle Pryor.


At halftime, with the Browns down, 6-3, Crennel didn't make a change, nor when Anderson threw an interception on his first possession of the third quarter, nor when the Browns went three-and-out on their second possession of the third quarter. He said afterward, "DA was harassed a little bit, especially on one of his interceptions. I think if he wasn't harassed, that would have been a good play for our team. So I decided to give him another chance. He took advantage and finished out the game on a good note."

 

[billmac91]

I just don't think Brady Quinn is the answer for the Browns woes.

He wouldn't have made a difference against Dallas....and Anderson actually played decent in that game. Braylon couldn't catch anything.

Pittsburgh was brutal conditions, and awful coaching. I don't really see how BQ wins us that game.

The Ravens game was terrible. Can't defend that. Maybe Brady does make a difference in that game. The defense was awful against the run anyways, so I'm not sure good QB play makes a major difference.

Anderson wasn't even used today. Predictable play calling, and a VERY conservative offense. If they have that little faith in Derek, they should be playing BQ. Derek will not excell, ever, if they continue to utilize todays gameplan.

I still cannot figure out what happened to Winslow splitting the seams, Braylon catching passes deep, and Jamal having big games based on our ability to throw the football. It feels like Marty Schottenheimer has taken over Chud's body.

And maybe BQ is a better option at QB...that isn't what I'm debating. I just don't see how anyone would be successful in this disgusting thing we call an offense with a guy who doesn't know how to properly use a timeout.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I disagree that Alexander played decently, If he can't beat the bengals worse than he did he doesn't even belong in the league. 3 points in ,what, about 3 qtrs?

 

[billmac91]

I disagree that Alexander played decently, If he can't beat the bengals worse than he did he doesn't even belong in the league. 3 points in ,what, about 3 qtrs?

It's Anderson....and he only had 5 throws deep into the 2nd quarter. How does he put points on the board in the first half, when he isn't throwing the football?

 

[Best Buckeye]

See I told you I'm not a Browns fan :tongue2:.
they oughta hire me to clean house over there I'm good at it and it makes my face smile.

 

[IronBuckI]

See I told you I'm not a Browns fan :tongue2:.
they oughta hire me to clean house over there I'm good at it and it makes my face smile.

[office space]We're gonna be getting rid of these people here... First, Mr. Samir Naga... Naga... Naga... Not gonna work here anymore, anyway. [/office space]