Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[billmac91]

I watched a Cleveland Browns show last night on TV and it was very interesting that Tony Grossi pointed out the fact that Anderson wore playcalling bands on both wrists. I have never seen a QB wearing bands on both wrists and neither has TG. I guess it brings up the fact that he could still be suffering a little from his concussion but I seriously doubt if they would play him if there was any indication of that but then why the two bands. Just doesn't make sense. Plus, he couldn't even throw the ball into the end zone from the 50 yard line and arm strength is supposed to be one of his biggest assets.

Also, I just don't understand what the Browns are going to do with Quinn and Anderson. If Brady was going to get a shot, it certainly would have been at the beginning of the second half this past Sunday. I would think that they really need to see what he brings to the table before the season comes to a close. I know there are 12 games remaining below both Romeo and Savage are stuck on Anderson. One of those guys will have to be traded at the end of the season because you could only have that type of situation for so long before things really start to get ugly with players taking sides. Granted, winning solves a lot of things but something still will need to be done with one of these two guys at the end of the season.

I don't know what two wristbands of plays mean? Maybe he just doesn't know the offense and has the entire playbook on both arms....one arm is run plays, the other is pass? Who knows, when I was in high school we did something similar (obviously much different than NFL ball, but you never can tell with Romeo)?

The 50 yard hail mary was thrown directly into the wind...is he talking about Pittsburgh here?? I still don;t think Derek has an arm-strength or physical incapability issue....the offense is predictable, and his teammates have made ZERO play for him. Yes, Derek has made some poor thorws on his own, but in large part, his forcing of passes has been a direct result of having to force throws once the team has dug utself a hole.

It's just, overall, a really bad team.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Browns have a week to get their bearings
Just what doctor ordered Victory over Bengals has players in better frame of mind as wounds heal and batteries recharge
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist

Published on Thursday, Oct 02, 2008
BEREA: NFL bye weeks are about two things: Getting healthy and getting your bearings.
The Browns will try to accomplish both this week, and they get to do it coming off a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.
It does not matter that it was not a pretty win or a well-played win. At this point, all that matters is that it was a win.
As they say, in the N-F-of-L any win is a good win.
Which means the Browns can get their bearings in a little better frame of mind. Sort of like a ship's captain. It's easier to get your bearings in calm seas than rocky ones.
Something like that.
As they look forward, the Browns' main challenge is their offense.
It is not close to the unit that was so prolific a year ago.
Derek Anderson's passer rating is a meager 49.9, and he has completed just 49.6 percent of his passes. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow have one touchdown each, and Jamal Lewis is averaging 3.4 yards per carry.
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[osugrad21]

CPD

Q&A for D.A.: Browns QB Anderson endures, but dismisses, questions about his health

by Tony Grossi Wednesday October 01, 2008, 7:36 PM


John Kuntz/The Plain DealerDerek Anderson on his health: "I'm throwing the ball well. My arm doesn't hurt me like you guys think it might. My brains are fine. I mean, we're digging pretty deep right now."
When you're a struggling quarterback with a 1-3 team ranked last in overall offense, everything you do, say and, yes, wear, is scrutinized. Thus, Derek Anderson's regular mid-week press briefing on Wednesday resembled an inquisition more than a Q&A give and take.
Arm strength, lingering effects of his preseason concussion, throwing mechanics, and a sideline spat with Braylon Edwards in Cincinnati all were subjects thrown at Anderson.
The line of questioning prompted Anderson on two occasions to good-naturedly exclaim, "We're digging deep on the bye week, aren't we?"
Anderson's 49.9 passer rating is last among NFL starting quarterbacks and his 49.6 completion percentage is next-to-last.
Coach Romeo Crennel's explanation is that Anderson is pressing too much to make plays downfield and the offense in general has not regained the cohesion lost by the spate of preseason injuries.
Anderson began training camp looking significantly improved from his Pro Bowl season in 2007. But everything changed after he suffered a concussion in the Aug. 18 preseason game against the New York Giants.
"I don't think so," Crennel said about whether the concussion may be affecting his play. "I think that the missed time has an impact on that. He missed games and missed practice time. He was cleared as far as the concussion goes, and I think his decision-making is still pretty good, he still commands the huddle, his verbiage involved in the offense, he's able to get that out.

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[osugrad21]

CPD

Bud Shaw's Sports Spin: Mixed signals from the Browns; baseball's power outage

by Bud Shaw Wednesday October 01, 2008, 7:05 PM


A Wednesday ESPN segment teased to the "inside scoop" on the Browns quarterback situation
What did it have? A figure in shadows? The barely visible outline of a ball cap? A fez?
None of that.
Apparently, ESPN didn't mean it in a Bob Woodward/Watergate kind of way. But the Browns have sent enough mixed signals to arouse suspicion that there's more than meets the eye.
Instead, the report said Brady Quinn told a ESPN reporter he took 20-25 percent of the snaps last week, which was more than usual. That's it?
It helps when you're presenting something as "inside" to use a NFL source, the more mysterious the better. And give that source a nickname. Maybe, "Deep Threat."

Tracy Boulian/The Plain DealerBrowns GM Phil Savage and the rest of the team's braintrust didn't cover themselves in credibility during Week 4's "will he or won't he" situation revolving around backup QB Brady Quinn.
I mean, Romeo Crennel announced his plan rather publicly to get Quinn ready should Derek Anderson falter in Cincinnati. Crennel is in charge of such decisions, right? ESPN probably felt the need to counter another national report claiming Quinn might've only had an extra snap or two.
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[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns notebook: Cleveland players say season isn't over
Thursday, October 2, 2008
BY STEVE DOERSCHUK
[email protected]

BEREA Willie McGinest assumed a writer had just asked him a question that was code for: The Browns might as well pack the pads and break out the golf clubs.

"You're talking like the season is over with," the 36-year-old linebacker said.

The Browns are 1-3 after going 10-6 last year. McGinest has seen worse.

He played for the 2001 Patriots, who were 1-3 after putting up a 5-11 stinker the previous season.

Four months later, New England beat the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

"That's what I'm saying," McGinest said.

He's saying the Browns aren't dead. That's all.

"We're not thinking playoffs," McGinest said. "I don't think a lot of teams are thinking playoffs at this point. It's too early. It would be na?ve."

It would be beyond na?ve to think 1-3 is anything better than 0-4.

The Bears, Bengals and Bears all were 1-3 last year. They all played .500 ball the rest of the way just to land at 7-9.
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[osugrad21]

DDN

A few reasons for optimism

By Sean McClelland | Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 02:47 PM
Even though their only victory has come against a bad team whose starting quarterback didn?t play, I?m optimistic about the Browns, and here?s why:
1. They don?t play this week. Now that wasn?t meant to be funny, it?s just that the bye week comes at a good time, allowing everybody to take a deep breath, regroup, put their heads together and figure this thing out.
2. The defense isn?t playing badly. Up front, the Robaire Smith loss looms large, but Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams seem to be doing the job. Rookie linebacker Alex Hall, a seventh-round pick out of St. Augustine, is looking like the steal of the draft and safety Sean Jones (knee surgery) should be back in a couple of weeks. Plus, it seems like Kamerion Wimbley is now out of the witness protection program.
3. I?m not giving up on the offense. And, yes, that includes quarterback Derek Anderson, who is nowhere near as bad as he?s looked. Sure, it was against the Bengals, but he actually seemed to be developing some sort of rhythm late in Sunday?s game, and a 17-point fourth quarter is not to be sneezed at.
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[osugrad21]

CPD

Impact hit: Hall's clutch sack heralds Browns rookie's growing role

by Mary Kay Cabot Thursday October 02, 2008, 7:18 PM


Browns/NFLBrowns rookie linebacker Alex Hall has impressed veteran teammate Andra Davis: "He's doing way more than what people expected out of him coming from a small college."
If not for rookie linebacker Alex Hall, the Browns might very well be 0-4 right now, scratching their heads and wondering what to blow up first. Instead, Hall made the play that sealed the Browns' 20-12 victory over the Bengals and calmed the troubled waters heading into the bye week.
With the Browns clinging precariously to a 17-12 lead in the fourth quarter and the Bengals driving, Hall blasted in from the left side on third down, grabbed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick by the leg, sacked him for a nine-yard loss and forced him to fumble. Corey Williams fell on the loose ball at the Bengals 19 and the Browns went on to kick a field goal that produced the final margin.
"They had just scored a drive earlier and were pressing to come back and a couple of guys were like, 'we've got to get off the field,'" said Hall. "So I just went out there did it -- tackled the quarterback."
It was the second time in two weeks that the wide-eyed rookie had a sack, the first coming during his first NFL start in Baltimore in place of the injured Willie McGinest (hamstring). On a third-down play in the fourth quarter, he was cut by fullback Le'Ron McClain, spilled to the ground, popped back up, leaped over McClain and smothered Joe Flacco for a 7-yard loss.
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[osugrad21]

CPD

The Browns' Derek Anderson does his part for furry friends: Animals in the News

Posted by Donna J. Miller/Plain Dealer Reporter October 02, 2008 09:46AM

Categories: Animals, Breaking News, Browns, Environment, FYI

John Kuntz/The Plain DealerDerek Anderson and Browns mascot Trapper play with a chocolate Labrador at the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Previous game story: Browns QB Anderson on short leash after 0-3 start


What television show makes Browns quarterback Derek Anderson sad? He says it's "Animal Cops," the Animal Planet show about humane officers rescuing dogs and cats from the streets and abusive homes. The soft-spoken football player revealed his soft spot for dogs and cats at a recent visit to the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Anderson said dogs and cats have been a huge part of his family life. He grew up with six dogs and "a lot of cats," he said, flashing a fond-memories smile. He and his wife are proud owners of Tiger the cat and Aspen, a chocolate Labrador.
Anderson visited the APL on Sept. 23 to kick off an adoption drive sponsored by the Iams pet food company. It includes a Dawgs versus Bengal cat competition between Anderson and Carson Palmer, the quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. Each time someone adopts from the Cleveland or Cincinnati shelters, Anderson or Palmer "score" points. And each time they complete a pass during games, they get a point and Iams will donate 10 pounds of food to the shelters. The off-field competition will end when the rivals square off in Cleveland on Dec. 21.
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[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns cornerback McDonald has come a long way from Memphis
Friday, October 3, 2008
BY STEVE DOERSCHUK
[email protected]

BEREA Time flies when you're covering Chad Ocho Cinco.

Two years ago, Brandon McDonald didn't even make first-team all-conference while playing at Memphis. Four games into 2008, he has covered world-class wideouts Terrell Owens and the former Chad Johnson.

At Cincinnati, the young cornerback faced Ocho Cinco more than the Bengals' other Pro Bowler, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who was somewhat neutralized by nickel back Terry Cousin.

Ocho Cinco made three catches for 28 yards. Houshmandzadeh produced six catches for a modest 50 yards.

"It was great to hold them to the numbers we held them to," McDonald said. "Chad is an exciting player. I look up to the guy.

"At the same time, when it comes down to having to compete, it's me against him."

McDonald's thoughts on T.O. vs. Ocho?

"Chad's a better route runner, a shifty guy who can get open and has great hands," McDonald said. "T.O.'s more of a stretch the defense type guy, a speed guy who tries to exploit zone coverage and find gaps

"I think Chad's a better receiver."

McDonald became the only option to replace traded Leigh Bodden as a starting corner after Daven Holly blew out a knee and the front office refused to shell out for a proven veteran.
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[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

At bye week, Browns' season isn't lost, but preseason optimism certainly is
by Tony Grossi
Saturday October 04, 2008, 6:43 PM

OBSERVATIONS

Let's get physical: Watching Baltimore take the Steelers into overtime on Heinz Field drives home the point that the Browns have to be more physical offensively and defensively to defeat Pittsburgh.

Being physical isn't taking out a defenseless receiver on a blind-side hit or pummeling a player to the ground with a block in the back. It's manning up on the line of scrimmage and stopping a run on third-and-2. It's pushing the defensive pile and running for a first down inside the 10.

Such an attitude adjustment can't be done overnight. It's a culture the Browns have not been able to create. You don't beat Pittsburgh with finesse.

It starts on offense, not defense: Derek Anderson's cannon arm is intoxicating to coaches. They can't resist building the offense around his passing. It's a mistake.

As last year proved, when Anderson's pretty passes are neutralized by harsh weather conditions -- or when he is obviously off the mark -- the Browns have nothing to fall back on. That's because they spend most of the year play-faking inside the red zone instead of hammering the ball and acquiring the toughness needed to control a game on the ground.
A case in point is the utter futility in spreading out fullback Lawrence Vickers as a decoy or as a fourth passing option. Vickers showed in Cincinnati that he can be an awesome lead blocker and short-yardage runner. Backup Charles Ali can do the same.

The fullback should be a staple of a Cleveland-based offense, not a diversion.

Going home again: Ryan Tucker could be rounding into shape just in time.
In training camp, offensive line coach Steve Marshall said of Tucker, "When healthy, [he's] the best we've got." When he returns, Tucker could wind up not at right guard but at his old right tackle spot, where Kevin Shaffer has struggled.

Every team wants to put its five best linemen on the field. So it comes down to who is better -- Shaffer or Rex Hadnot? The tandem of Hadnot and Tucker on the right would improve both the run-blocking and pass protection. And it would make the line more physical.

One of the raps on Brady Quinn coming out of Notre Dame was his passing accuracy, but he completed 63 percent of his passes his last two years and had only 14 interceptions in 917 passes. One of the raps on Quinn in preseason was that he dinked-and-dunked and didn't stretch defenses vertically.

Well, given the present state of the Browns receivers and the avowed commitment to the running game, Quinn's game might be a better fit for AFC North defenses and for Cleveland winters. He avoids turnovers by checking down to secondary receivers. Quinn's arm strength doesn't match Anderson's, but it certainly compares favorably with those of Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar, who won a lot of games in Cleveland.

Don't go there: Cornerbacks Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald are not the second coming of Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield.

The self-professed Corner Brothers of the late 1980s played a much more physical game at the corners. McDonald is close, but even Wright has said he plays the position with finesse.

Plus, until somebody racks up three interceptions in a game against a quarterback the caliber of Terry Bradshaw in his heyday (Dixon did it) or grabs two interceptions in an overtime period (Minnifield), let's hold off on the comparisons.

Where's Wimbley? Kamerion Wimbley finally got something going in the Cincinnati game, laying out Chris Perry for a fumble and sacking Ryan Fitzpatrick. An equally encouraging sign is the apparent realization within the team that Wimbley has to be moved around to maximize his effectiveness.

"Right now I'm not 100 percent convinced that he's going to be able to pass rush a left tackle 55 plays in a row and get [to the quarterback] that often," said General Manager Phil Savage. "So we've got to do some things to free him up."

It seems that one of the hallmarks of the best 3-4 defenses (Pittsburgh, Baltimore) is unpredictability. Until now, the Browns have been reluctant -- no, adamant -- in keeping Wimbley predictably at right (weakside) outside linebacker except in games against Baltimore.

3-4 vs. 4-3: Although the Browns currently are ranked 10th overall in NFL defense, the unit still doesn't kindle fear in offenses as do its 3-4 counterparts in Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Given the financial commitments to linemen Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers -- both of whom came from 4-3 defenses -- and the historical problems in stopping the run, could the Browns scrap the 3-4 entirely?

In a surprising admission, Savage said: "I would never rule out us changing back. I think it's a lot harder to go from a 4-3 to a 3-4 [rather than the other way around]. I'm sure it will be discussed and talked about at the end of the year."

The last part of this article is certainly intriguing to me. I think was what the Browns currently have on defense that their personnel is much better suited to play a 4-3 especially with the addition of Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers. Plus, Andr? Davis only has one year left that is contract so we will really only have 1 ILB coming back after this season. It would also give Tucker much more flexibility to call defensive blitzes or different types of packages IMO

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Timing good for Browns' bye week

By Tom Withers
Associated Press

Sunday, October 05, 2008
CLEVELAND ? Looking nothing like an expected AFC contender, the Cleveland Browns stumbled into their bye week with one win and the league's second-most penalties.
False start, indeed.
This was supposed to be the year the Browns put it all together. Instead, through four games, they've done little more than disappoint their loyal fans again. The leaves on the Buckeye trees have barely begun turning autumnal shades across Northeast Ohio, and already there's a fear that football season is as good as over.
As bad as it's been, the Browns (1-3) understand things could be much worse. They ended their 0-for-'08 losing streak last week with an ugly 20-12 win at Cincinnati, beating a Bengals team forced to start Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback in place of injured Carson Palmer.
Hey, a win is a win.
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[osugrad21]

Canton

Hall fills void at outside linebacker
Monday, October 6, 2008
BY STEVE DOERSCHUK
[email protected]

BEREA Antwan Peek is out until 2009. Willie McGinest sat out the Cincinnati game last week and is so old he doesn't even plan to play in 2009.

The Browns have been hurting at outside linebacker. Alex Hall has really helped.

The rookie seventh-round pick made the defensive play of the season Sept. 28 at Cincinnati.

With the Browns leading, 17-12, Cincinnati's offense had come alive, scoring quickly on its previous series.

On third-and-short, Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was trying to ignite another drive when Hall sacked him and caused a fumble recovered by defensive end Corey Williams just before the two-minute warning.

Hall beat fifth-year veteran Stacy Andrews, a right tackle who outweighs him by 100 pounds.

"I made a move. I got past him," the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Hall said. "That was it. I don't know. Sometimes it's just reaction."

Hall has played his way into a three-man rotation at the two outside linebacker spots. Kamerion Wimbley will get the most playing time. Hall will play enough to keep the 36-year-old McGinest fresh.

"I'm getting advice from a lot of people. Obviously, some from Willie," Hall said.

The best advice he has received?

"Something I already knew. Play hard. No matter what goes on in a play, finish the play," Hall said.
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[osugrad21]

ABJ

Upset would redeem Browns Preseason loss to Giants is where team fell apart
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008
BEREA: If the Browns' season of promise turns into one to forget, a seemingly meaningless loss in August could be the turning point.
More specifically, it might be a disastrous 3 minutes and 23 seconds in the Meadowlands on Aug. 18.
In that span, Cleveland gave up 16 points and lost starting quarterback Derek Anderson to a concussion and running back Jamal Lewis to a hamstring injury.
Scoring on a safety after a blocked punt, a free kick returned for a touchdown and a 95-yard fumble return of a muffed handoff in a span of 76 seconds, the Giants turned a 14-3 lead into a 30-3 advantage in the preseason game. Lewis pulled up lame giving chase on the fumble return. Then Anderson was knocked into the abyss on a sack, sending his confidence and the Browns' offense into a tailspin from which it has yet to recover.
''Everything went wrong early, and it was like, 'Boom,' '' linebacker Andra Davis recalled Monday. ''A pass interference, personal fouls, Sean Jones slipped and the dude caught the ball.
''It was crazy. They got plays off things that wouldn't usually happen. The first touchdown was a miscommunication on defense, half the guys were playing one coverage and the other guys were playing another. Sean slipped; that doesn't happen. Old boy ran the kickoff return back.''
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[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns are back from break with Giants next
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
BY STEVE DOERSCHUK
[email protected]

BEREA Back when the Browns still were waxing nostalgic about their 2007 season, they got hot-waxed by the New York Giants.

They've been mostly reeling since a 37-34 preseason loss Aug. 18 at the Meadowlands. The meat of the game, before backups took over, looked like Giants vs. Lilliputians.

If that Monday night was the day the music died, this Monday night can be the day the Browns get the party started.

The teams meet again, this time during the regular season and in Cleveland.

Derek Anderson came to his senses just in time, overcoming three dreadful quarters at Cincinnati to turn a 6-3 deficit into a 20-12 win.

Up to that point, Anderson's preseason-ending concussion against the Giants stood as a Browns metaphor for 2008.

Now that they finally have a win, center Hank Fraley is hardly getting carried away.

"We have not played one good game yet this year," Fraley said.

"Even our win at Cincy ... we didn't play our best game at all.

"We played a complementary game in all three phases, But we have yet to play a solid football game."
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[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns notebook: 2008 tough? '09 has it beat
Giants, Redskins are next
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
[email protected]

BEREA Romeo Crennel can be excused for trying to buck up his players by reminding them how well they did to go 10-6 in 2007.

"You look at last year's schedule," he said Monday as the Browns clocked back into the 2008 season after a bye week, "and it was a tough schedule."

Really? Tough like refrigerated butter maybe.

Wins came against Miami (1-15), St. Louis (3-13), the New York Jets (4-12), Baltimore twice (5-11), San Francisco (5-11), Buffalo (7-9), Cincinnati (7-9), Houston (8-8) and Seattle (10-6).

It was tough ? like Washington is tough on spending.

Losses came against Pittsburgh twice (10-6) and New England (16-0). The others were to relative creampuffs, Oakland (4-12), Arizona (8-8) and Cincinnati.

It was tough like the kiddy coaster.

Here's tough:

The Browns' first two games of 2008 were against Dallas (4-1) and Pittsburgh (3-1). The next two games are against the New York Giants (4-0) and Washington (4-1).
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