Well this was certainly a tale of two halves...  The Browns led 14-3 at halftime, thanks in large part to excellent teamwork by two budding rookie stars.  QB Charlie Frye, getting his first start of the season, and WR Braylon connected on 2 TDs before halftime that had Browns fans beginning to envision what could be a high octane offense in the near future...  Of course, those those are putting the cart before the horse a bit.  Charlie still seems to be anxious in the pocket, but I was thoroughly impressed with his "pocket awareness" (including knowing when he's about to get creamed).  There was a run for a first down in the 2nd quarter that was of particular liking.

The Jags came up with guns blazing in the 3rd Quarter to score 17 unanswered points, putting them ahead for good.  While Greg Jones did eclipse 100 yards, noone else really did anything noteable offensively for Jacksonville.  I think I will put my broken record away on my turnovers & game clock preachings, though...  The Browns had ZERO turnovers and barely won the time of possession battle, but still came away with a loss...  What can I say?  It is a metric of success, but not foolproof I guess.

Congratulations go out to Reuben Droughns, who ended a 16 season / 20 year drought of 1,000 yard rushers in Cleveland.  A true bargain trade for a 4th Round pick, Droughns has found holes that past backs couldn't find and simply operates as a living pinball as he charges downfield.  While we would certainly be tempted to have an electric back in the LaDanian Tomlinson or Shaun Alexander or Reggie Bush mold, Droughns is perfect for THIS Cleveland team.  He also puts to rest any thoughts of drafting a RB in Rounds 1 or 2 of the 2006 Draft.  If a back like LenDale White is available come Round 3, though, sign me up!!

In some depressing news, we have learned that Braylon Edwards is now OUT FOR THE SEASON and possibly out part of next season with a Torn ACL.  When will this team's horrible luck with 1st Round picks end?  One thing is for certain, however...  Braylon will NOT be participating in the Kellen Winslow, Jr. stunt cycle rehab program.

The moment several Browns fans have waited for may finally be here...  Due to knee problems, Starting QB Trent Dilfer may be out for Sunday's game against Jacksonville.  That would mean that 2005 draftee Charlie Frye will get his first NFL start. 

After some solid showings in preseason, Frye has thrown only 12 NFL Regular Season passes (completing 6) and has 2 INTs in the process.  As mentioned in Monday's blog, Crennel has mishandled the Frye situation a bit and has been sending mixed messages.  Frye was brought into Sunday's game for 1 of 2 reasons.  A.) To save the day or B.) The game was already lost and he needed action.  In either case, 1 pass (even as an INT) was not enough time to give Frye any sort of confidence.

QUESTION: What do Mike Powell, Cal Ripken, Emmitt Smith, Wayne Gretzky, and this blog about the Browns season all have in common?

ANSWER: They are all associated with broken records.

In this case, my blog reviews of games are starting to sound like a broken record.  I can't tell you how sick I am of talking about turnovers and time of possession.  Yet another game where the Browns lose the turnover battle (-3 in this game) and the control of the game clock (5 minutes less).

It seems that the Browns should have taken a long look at a different quarterback this past offseason.  I know what you're saying, "DUH JIM".  Well, the star QB of this game was a guy that actually was available...  That quarterback is now 4-0 in replacement of Daunte Culpepper, Mr. Brad Johnson. Johnson is one of those guys that never gets a ton of respect as a starter, but seems to win anyway.  He's not glamourous, not flashy, not cannon-armed...  But, the old guy can still put together a nice game every now and then.  Speaking of nice game, how about Marcus Robinson???  3 catches and 3 TDs?  W-O-W!

Charlie Frye entered the game, promptly threw an interception, and saw no further action...  WAY TO GROOM YOUR QB OF THE FUTURE...  Yes, it was a bad pass, but what kind of message is this sending?  Crennel has very little confidence in any of the rookies as it is, but an attitude like this seems to be counterproductive to the learning process.  They were down 17-6 at the time, so Coach Crennel needs to stop sending mixed messages.  Are you sending in the guy to "save the day", or are you sending in the guy because "the party is over"?  Either way, Frye deserved more action.

Ethan Kelley continues to show that he may be a good fit as this team's NT.  Is he a game changer like Sam Adams once was?  Is he a game changer like Pat Williams was yesterday?  Maybe not quite that good, but he is certainly holding his own.  His emergence is making it appear less and less likely that the Browns will be pressured to grab Haloti Ngata or Rodrique Wright in the draft.  I'm still fairly convinced that the 2006 top pick will be AJ Hawk, Ahmad Brooks, Mario Williams, or one of the other top DEs or OLBs.  I'm extremely hopeful that the CB position will also be addressed, but through Free Agency (such as Nate Clements from Buffalo).

The Browns (4-6) may be catching the Vikings at a good time, a time with Viking QB Daunte Culpepper not available for play.

That's a good time, correct? Normally that's a good thing, right?

In this instance as the Minnesota Vikings (5-5) not only host the Browns, they also do so looking as though they are reborn in season without their star quarterback. It is former Buccaneer and 37-year old Brad Johnson, who has enjoyed the 3 game winning streak at quarterback for the Vikings.

One thing that Johnson hasn't been able to do in those three starts since replacing the injured Culpepper is throw for more than 200 yards, but he hasn't had to. Between a rushing attack with Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore, the Viking defense stepping up, things have been leveled to winning again.

The Browns, of course, have had a defensive issue with stopping the opposing running game, until a 22-0 win over the Miami Dolphins last week. The Browns defense performed much better against the Dolphins in holding Ricky Williams and rookie sensation Ronnie Brown to a total of 139 yards. The Browns passing defense all but eliminated the Dolphins passing attack in only allowing 28 attempts to go for a total of 67 yards.

As a result of the defensive performance, Browns linebacker Andra Davis was selected as AFC Defensive Player Of The Week.

Offensively, the Browns rookie sensation wide receiver Braylon Edwards grabbed six balls for 90 yards. The Browns hope that he can keep performing in what appears to be an on-field 2005 'missing persons' report with receiver Dennis Northcutt.

Browns running back Reuben Droughns also further exploded onto the Cleveland scene against Miami in toting the pill for 166 yards, which included a 75-yard touchdown run.

Droughns only needs 132 yards the rest of the way to become the first 1,000-yard rusher since the Browns historical days of Mack and Byner.

So, to beat the Minnesota Vikings, the Browns will need to continue on playing what are signs of improved 3-4 defense and relying upon a dependable offensive rushing attack. Performance in these two areas will give a needed shot-in-the-arm to a team that is still growing, but needing confidence that can be built on.

-Chuck-

It was a coming out party for a lot of people on Sunday...

1.) The Browns Defense showed its first signs of returning to any semblance of the once proud Dawg Defense tradition.  Def. Coordinator Todd Grantham and Head Coach Romeo Crennel admittedly had a near-bare cupboard when they jumped on board this team.  However, some coaches are good enough to "coach up" some of their players to be better than they might really be.  ILB Andra Davis had another stellar game, leading the team with 11 tackles.  Chaun Thompson had a sack, while Stewart and Crocker pulled down INTs.  Some very impressive 3rd and 4th down stops were made in the 2nd half which preserved the shutout.

2.) Charlie Frye got his first NFL action and we saw a few nice connections with fellow rookie standout Braylon Edwards.  Frye's footwork was noticeably horrible and he seemed to be struggling to stay standing when being chased.  It almost seemed as if his cleats were simply not good enough for the field conditions presented.  Frye did thrown 1 INT in this game, though.  Inexplicably, Crennel did a bit of musical chairs with Frye, bringing in Dilfer later in the game after having pulled him.  At 4-6, the Browns aren't really mathematically eliminated, but they are 3 games out of the race with 6 to go.  That's like the Mt. Everest of uphill climbs...  We need to see much more out of Frye before we can judge his future.

3.) It is safe to say that our top pick, Braylon Edwards will now start to see the field more.  He made at least 2 catches that no other Browns receiver could have made and finished with 90 yards on 6 receptions.

Droughns was basically the story of the day, chewing up both game clock and yardage in a 30 carry, 166 yard, 1 TD performance.  The 1 TD came on a 75-yard jaunt on the Browns' first play from scrimmage.  It is eerily familiar that Droughns wears #34, like one of the last 1,000 yard backs to sport the seal brown and orange (Kevin Mack).  They do have very similar running abilities.  Let's just hope that the only while line Reuben seeks is the goal line and the only hash he seeks are the hash marks.

FINAL SCORE: Cleveland 22, Miami 0

A nationally televised battle with our known nemesis, the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Trent Dilfer versus Charlie Batch...  Man, that amazing QB matchup just screams "WATCH ME" doesn't it?  Well, this one turned out to be the Hines Ward Show.  I gotta give Hines a bit of props, for passing John Stallworth as the Steelers' all-time leading receiver in pass receptions.  Don't think that I'm getting soft, though...  With receivers in their history named Lipps and Hines, the Steelers can still kiss my ass...

The Browns led at the end of the 1st quarter, thanks to Reuben Droughns' first TD with the Browns.  Unfortunately, the Browns didn't play ball in the following quarter and were down 17-7 at the half.  With Willie Parker and Ben Roethlis-spellcheck both inactive for the game, I thought the Browns might have been able to steal away this game.

Other than the Leigh Bodden blocked FG for a TD, there pretty much wasn't anything else exciting to write about in this game.  Ethan Kelley has also emerged as a formidable player at NT, so it will be interesting to see how the rest of his season develops.

FINAL SCORE = Pittspuke 34, Cleveland 21

Remember that flick "Clash of the Titans" with Harry Hamlin?  Man, that was one of my favorite flicks as a kid for some reason.  I think I was intrigued by the whole medusa, wizardry, robot owl, menataur thing back then.  I suppose I ought to find that on DVD someday...  Time Bandits was another goodie, but I guess this blog isn't really about movies is it????

This was the battle of the 31^st and 32^nd franchises to enter the NFL…  The fledgling Houston Texans entered the game 0-6 and found themselves facing their slightly older NFL brothers from Cleveland…  In theory, the Browns are supposed to be ahead of the Texans in their development and, with 1 playoff game to their credit, the “new Browns” could be considered “ahead” of the Texans.  You never want to be a struggling team's first win of the year...  But, it happened.

 

To put it bluntly, the result of this game is inexcusable, embarrassing, and a challenge to the manhood of every member of the Browns’ team, coaching staff, and front office.  Special teams play, particularly the Kick Return coverage, was horrid.  30% of this loss can be blamed on the fact that the Texans were constantly working with a shorter field, thanks to shifty returns by Jerome Mathis.  Also, just when I thought I couldn’t despise a punter more than Derrick Frost, we get that 10 YARD PIECE OF ART by Kyle Richardson in the early 4^th quarter.  They got really lucky that Kris Brown missed the ensuing Field Goal.

 

Another 40% of this loss can be blamed on the Browns’ approach to the final drive.  Rookie WR Braylon Edwards made a phenomenal 26yd catch just after the 2-minute warning that brought the Browns to the Houston 39 (A 56yd FG).  In a flat out clueless move, the Browns followed this play with a run by William Green.  WHAT THE HELL?  This pointless run on 1^st down was followed by a sideline pass to Northcutt.  Dennis is nearly the last guy I’d throw to in this situation, but there was a bigger issue with this play…  You could very clearly see Dilfer screaming at the sideline “What’s the play????”  After the play went incomplete, there was a camera shot of Carthon and he basically looked like a deer in the headlights…  So, on 3^rd down, the Browns’ Offensive Line suddenly decides to be as steadfast as a New Orleans levee and the defense easily engulfed Dilfer.  Which brings me to the final play…  It is now 4^th & 17 at the Houston 46.  A Field Goal is now WELL out of range and the Browns are put into “mid- to long-range pass” mode, or so we think!  Dilfer lines up under Center, looks to handoff a run to Green and FAAAAAAAAKKKKKEEE…  Oh crap!  PAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!  What a freaking surprise!!!!  Boy, that “play action” draw fools me every time…  Especially when it is 4^th & 17 with 50 seconds to go and my opponent is down by 3.  Unfortunately, I don’t play for the Texans and NOBODY bought into the play action.  The pass, heading for Antonio Bryant, is tipped by the defender at approximately the 5 yard line and never finds Bryant’s hands.

 

20% more can be blamed on Todd Grantham.  As the former Texan’s Defensive Line Coach, I would have expected TG to “bring the house” at Carr.  Getting 2 sacks against these guys is a flat out DISGRACE! 

 

My final 10% is blamed on extremely inopportune fumbles by Dilfer and Droughns on successive drives in the 3^rd quarter.  Turnovers kill you…  I don’t know the statistics, but I’d guess that about 75% of the time you will win the game if you win the turnover battle.

 

Now, I don’t want to be entirely negative here, so I will say one thing positive…  The burgers I made during the game were just incredible!  I strongly recommend a coat of McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak marinade as a final step to your burger grilling.  This can be in addition to your other spices.

 

But seriously, I did see a few positives.  They are as follows:

• Overall, the play of Chaun Thompson and Andra Davis was outstanding.  Thompson’s 8 yard Tackle for Loss on Domanick Davis was beautiful.  Adding one of the athletic LBs from OSU and a couple hogs up front on the D-Line can really make a difference for this team.
• Reuben Droughns continues to run really hard and almost always survives first contact to gain a few more yards.
• The Run after Catch (RAC) by Antonio Bryant on his 55-yard reception was a thing of beauty.  Dude was like a friggin’ pinball.
• Leigh Bodden is also filling in admirably on Defense and should be a tremendous Nickel CB for us long-term.

See you all next week after the Titans game.  My high school’s intra-city rival was nicknamed the Titans, so I can’t help but hate these guys…  Hopefully this train wreck has a few survivors after the Texans game.  If not, we should start seeing more of Braylon and Charlie Frye in the near future.

Any fans of Physics out there?

 

What happens when a “resistable force” (Lions Offense) meets a “moveable object” (Browns Defense)?  Surely this twist on the scientific paradox is more solvable than the more mainstream conundrum. 

 

Well, we Browns fans found out the answer to the above-listed question this past weekend and let me tell you...  The result was CRAP-TASTIC!!!  The “resistable force”, a Lions Offense that was in the Bottom 5 of the league, did just enough to slip by the “moveable object” (a Browns Defense that also ranked in the Bottom 5).  Adding insult to injury, a difference-making TD was scored by none other than Jeff Garcia.  Yes, the same purged QB from the 2004 edition of the Browns, who delivered more problems than promise in his 1-year tour.

 

Once again, the Browns found themselves severely on the short-end of the “time of possession” measuring stick.  Not only that, they were Minus 2 in the turnover battle because of 3 Dilfer INTs.  Reuben Droughns met the century mark in rushing for the first time this season and did so on only 19 carries.

 

Josh Cribbs finally got things going on Special Teams with a 90-yard Kick Return for a TD.  Unfortunately, that was the most excitement we’d see all day.

 

At this point, it really seems like a team that lacks identity.  This is easy to accomplish when your team is devoid of any superstar.  We can just sit back and hope that Charlie Frye, Braylon Edwards, and Kellen Winslow reincarnate the days of Kosar, Slaughter, and Newsome.  As much as I do like Reuben Droughns, I’m not entirely convinced that we could pass on an electric RB in the 2006 Draft… particularly if given an opportunity to draft Reggie Bush, Laurence Maroney, or DeAngelo Williams.  All three should be solid pros.  But, based on what I’ve seen from this defense, I’d be even more pleased with selecting a defensive standout such as:

 

• DE Mathias Kiwanuka (BC)
• LB AJ Hawk (OSU)
• DE Mario Williams (NC State)
• DT Halota Ngata (Oregon)
• LB Ahman Brooks (Virginia), or
• CB Jimmy Williams (Va Tech)

Perhaps a back such as USC’s LenDale White or Arizona’s Mike Bell (later in the draft) would still fill the need and allow the Browns to plug an important hole on Defense first?

 

*Note: Next up, our boys play the hapless 0-7 Houston Texans.  We simply CANNOT LOSE to a team like this…

Excuse me for being pretty pissed off about a missed opportunity.  The Ravens entered this game clearly as lost souls.  8-ball Jamal is a shadow of his former self, largely due to his abnormal offseason training program in the penitentiary.  This game may prove to be the beginning of the end of Jamal’s Ravens career.  He is clearly being outperformed by near-Brown Chester Taylor.  Kyle Boller-leaf remained on the injured list and NFL nomad Anthony Wright was behind Center.  With Wright as signal caller, I felt pretty confident that the Browns would steal a win from the Ratbirds of Crackimore (America’s STD capital)…  Damn, I hate being wrong!

 

Noteably absent from both the Bears and Ravens games was 2005 1^st Rounder Braylon Edwards.  Edwards remained on the shelf, after finding himself in the hospital fighting an infection in his arm.  Initial reports have Edwards out 4 to 6 weeks.

 

This flipping defense still can’t seem to consistently make the big play or get a good push when run-stuffing, nor can it put consistent pressure on the opposing QB on passing downs.  I can’t blame this on Crennel yet, though.  At this point, I’ve realized that the 2006 Defense needs approximately 5 new starters (e.g., 2 DL, 2 LB, and 1 CB).  At least 3 of those positions will need to be filled via Free Agency, since you generally can’t count on any more than 3 starters from a given draft.  Challenging my math?  5-3=3?  Well, I’m already considering that 1 2006 NFL draftee from Day 1 of the draft will be an Offensive Lineman.

 

Speaking of Offensive Line, LT L.J. Shelton appears to have regressed a bit (particularly from a penalty standpoint).  Shelton has proven himself versatile enough (as an Arizona Cardinal) to be a serviceable RG as well, so I’m actually leaning toward re-signing Shelton to play that position next year.  That would open the Browns up to acquiring a new LT in the draft.  However, if they could somehow pry Steve Hutchinson away from the Seahawks, I’d certainly welcome L.J. back as the 2006 Left Tackle.

 

I don’t know what the hell else to say about this ridiculous game, so I’m out…