Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears - Official Game Thread
by Chris Pokorny on Nov 1, 2009 10:45 AM EST
in General News
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PrintCleveland Browns at Chicago Bears, Nov 1, 2009 1:00 PM EST
The anticipation for a Browns game is close to reaching a new point. Even with the underdog teams of the past, you at least had a feeling that the Browns could pull off an "upset special." With the Bears coming off a 45-10 loss to the Bengals though, an "upset" isn't even crossing my mind. Why? We can't even score a touchdown if it doesn't involve special teams.
| CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-6) | WEEK 8 | CHICAGO BEARS (3-3) | |||
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VS. |  |
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| Date: | November 1, 2009 | Location: | Chicago, IL |
| Time: | 1:00 p.m. ET |
Stadium: | Soldier Field |
| TV: | CBS |
Favorite: | Bears by 13½ |
| Radio: | WTAM, 1100 AM | Over/Under: | 40½ |
| SBN Coverage: | Windy City Gridiron |
Announcers |
Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots |
After this week, the Browns will head into their bye week before returning November 16 on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. Assuming Anderson struggles again this week, I hope we get to see Brady Quinn the rest of the season.
Let's start off this week's preview with the overall team statistics heading into Week 8...
OFFENSE
| Category | Browns |
Bears |
| Points Scored | 10.3 (30th) = Push | 21.5 (20th) |
| Passing | 128.3 (31st) = Push | 231.5 (16th) |
| Rushing | 97.1 (24th) = -6 | 80.7 (29th) |
| Total Offense (yards) | 225.4 (31st) = Push | 312.2 (21st) |
DEFENSE
| Category | Browns |
Bears |
| Points Scored | 25.6 (27th) = -1 | 24.0 (22nd) |
| Passing | 244.3 (24th) = -1 | 220.3 (16th) |
| Rushing | 170.6 (31st) = -1 | 109.5 (18th) |
| Total Defense (yards) | 414.9 (32nd) = Push | 329.8 (16th) |
| CLEVELAND BROWNS | Position | CHICAGO BEARS | ||
| To make light of a situation, I would still take Derek Anderson over Trent Edwards as a starting quarterback. Har har. |
QB |  |
Jay Cutler might not have been able to pull the Bears above mediocrity, but he's far and above better than the Browns' quarterbacks. |
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| Now the new regime is saying Jerome Harrison needs to work on his blocking. Just let him run the ball instead then? |
RB | |
The ground game is struggling, but they have their running back of the future in second-year man Matt Forte. |
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| Rookie Brian Robiskie was drafted in the second round and has 1 catch for 23 yards and 0 touchdowns. |
WR | |
Rookie Johnny Knox was drafted in the fifth round and has 21 catches for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns. |
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| If Anderson was struggling because he had only two seconds to throw every play, we could make excuses for him. He's having plenty of time. |
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OL | The Bears' offensive line has been a disappointment this season, although Cutler has gotten rid of the ball before taking would-be sacks. |
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| For all of that bulk and experience we have on the defensive line, the unit isn't getting the job done. |
DL | |
DT Tommie Harris, missing last week when Carson Palmer had a field day, returns this week to the starting lineup. |
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| I'll have most of my attention focused on Kaluka Maiava this week to see how he improves over last week. More of David Veikune and Alex Hall still, please. |
LB | |
It's pretty bad for our linebacker unit when the Bears lose both of their top inside linebackers, including Brian Urlacher, and are still ranked higher here. |
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| I'm still confident in Eric Wright, but the rest of the secondary hasn't had a chance to shine due to other areas of the defense falling apart again. |
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DB | |
Charles Tillman was burned last week by Chad Ochocinco. We don't have a receiver right now who can burn anybody. |
| The return of Phil Dawson could come this week, which means we can finally attempt some longer field goals. |
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ST | The Bears have dangerous return men and a solid kicking game; this one could really be close to "even." |
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Creativity on offense. That's the only way I see the Browns having any chance of pulling off an upset. If the coaching staff says they should be using Cribbs more, then use him. I don't have faith in Brian Daboll to pour creativity into this game if he hasn't done it all season. Cutler will find the Browns' defense much easier to pick apart than the Bengals last week.
FINAL PREDICTION: Chicago Bears 27, Cleveland Browns 10.
CHRIS' RECORD IN PICKING BROWNS GAMES: 6-1
CHRIS' OVERALL NFL PREDICTIONS RECORD: 77-26
This is the official gameday thread for the Cleveland Browns in Week 8 as they take on the Chicago Bears. All comments regarding the game should be posted in this topic. Enjoy the game, and GO BROWNS!!!
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Comments
And just think Shady McCoy went after all of our second round picks. I was yelling at the TV to take the guy. Veikune was taken at 52, McCoy at 53. Just crazy.
There was a third round corner taken by the Jaguars that has looked like a future pro-bowler. I wish we could draft well
by TheRealSlimShady on Nov 1, 2009 1:53 PM EST up reply actions
I wish we coulddraftdo anthing well
Fixed.
by Bernie19Kosar on Nov 1, 2009 1:54 PM EST up reply actions
Im not giving up on them, but its not good when you havent played on snap on an awful team
by TheRealSlimShady on Nov 1, 2009 5:20 PM EST up reply actions
Goodness gracious Brad, is there anything that is not off limits for you. I wanted the Browns to draft McCoy who plays and is doing decent. Veikune can’t even get on the field so you think just maybe McCoy could help our team.
Not complaining, just stating my opinion and I am sure I am not far off on the assessment. But of course how could I ever go against the so called grain here and ever offer my take on the draft because it is obvious I don’t know shit.
Just please tell me that Veikune will produce soon like McCoy is.
14 point dog on the road, a must win for the Bears. 31-6.
After the bye week Quinn will finish the season, bonus averted.
Hallucinogenic drugs 1 – golanbatrac 0
by Dawg Nuts on Nov 1, 2009 11:32 AM EST up reply actions 5 recs
Man, I’ll probably lose consciousness from shock if I see our team score 31 points today.
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Nov 1, 2009 11:33 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks, I fixed it now. Trying to pull up all the team stats and then odds numbers in different browser windows, I’m bound to forget to change something in the template!
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
by Chris Pokorny on Nov 1, 2009 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
31-28 Bears but it could go the other way.The reason I’m so confident is because we are playing at home and the Bears are pretty good at home.
lol, 31-28 Bears doesn’t really warrant a “the reason I’m so confident” deceleration ;)
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
by Chris Pokorny on Nov 1, 2009 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
I like Chris’ prediction in this one. I’d go 23-6, Bears.
by Western Reserve on Nov 1, 2009 12:09 PM EST reply actions
I’ll predict 34-10 Bears. DA has a good day, 1 TD / 1 INT / 1 fumble, 12 completions.
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Nov 1, 2009 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
You rock. I, OTOH, failed to properly think the worst of DA.
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Nov 1, 2009 7:06 PM EST up reply actions
fantasy question… should i pick up shonn greene or chris wells? and should i drop felix jones, or keep him in case he bounces back?
GAMEDAY INACTIVES
Browns declared RB Jerome Harrison, K Billy Cundiff, RB Chris Jennings, DB Anthony Madison, TE Greg Estandia, TE Robert Royal, DB Gerard Lawson, and OL Billy Yates inactive for Sunday’s tilt against the Bears.
Lots of surprises with today’s inactive list.
Harrison inactive? Jennings also inactive? I think we might actually be in for a dose of Cribbs at RB today, since J. Lewis is the only “pure” RB position player active.
Interesting that Brett Ratliff is NOT on the inactive list. Could that mean we play on using him before the fourth quarter?
Cundiff is inactive, so Dawson is back and will kick the whole game.
Royal and Estandia are out, but Steve Heiden is back.
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
LINEUP CHANGES
The OBR reports the following changes in the starting lineup:
-David Bowens will start at ILB instead of Kaluka Maiva
-Jason Trusnik will start at OLB instead of David Bowens
-Mike Adams will start at S instead of Brodney Pool
-Rex Hadnot will start at RG instead of Floyd Womack
-Steve Heiden will start at TE instead of Robert Royal
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
by Chris Pokorny on Nov 1, 2009 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
Why are we benching a rookie? Why are we benching Pool?
by Bernie19Kosar on Nov 1, 2009 1:28 PM EST up reply actions
Sportsline says Maiva got fined and benched for the game.
"This season has been everything most of us feared it would be[.]"
Mike Rutherford, Card Chronicle
http://www.cardchronicle.com/
We bench a LB for a late hit, but we keep running DA out there?
How does this make any sense?
by Bernie19Kosar on Nov 1, 2009 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
HARRISON CHANGE
I got the inactive list from RotoWorld at first, but that appears to be inaccurate now. The OBR indicates that HARRISON is active, while RATLIFF is inactive. That would seem to make much more sense.
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
by Chris Pokorny on Nov 1, 2009 12:29 PM EST up reply actions
Thankfully. Our only chance of winning involves some long runs by Harrison.
by Buckeye Brad on Nov 1, 2009 12:51 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t think we’ve ran one like that yet, if my memory serves correct. Which is disappointing, considering it seems to be the most effective Wildcat play. Having the O-line:
TE – G – C – G – T – T – TE
is also vital, but I’m not sure we’re doing that either.
You can effectively run the wildcat without the unbalanced line. You can block from that formation just like any other.
Disagree, when you pull the guard and you have at least one talented and athletic tackle (i.e. Jake Long, or Joe Thomas?), you end with really good blocking often down field.
I’m very confident in saying that is one of the primary reason Miami can run it effectively.
I loved his huge windup and then throw below the waist to big TE that just turned around and is no more than 5 yards away from him.
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
by Chris Pokorny on Nov 1, 2009 1:13 PM EST up reply actions
If they “overturn” this, and it is a “forward pass” then they have to call a penalty for intentional grounding. BUT you can’t add a penalty to the play.
your right it should have been intentional grounding
by The Brown Note on Nov 1, 2009 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
What a horrible overturn; the pass itself was a lateral it seemed.
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
How can we be getting so much better pressure this week than last week, when the Packers’ o-line was supposed to be no better?
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
I have a youtube video of Miami and the Wildcat with a balanced line, but youtube isn’t working for me for some season.
They definitely did originate it with the unbalanced line, though.
I see. Perhaps it is less vital than I thought. I still think it can help to have that much power blocking down field on one side.
Is there a way that I can get this on internet radio? (glutton for punishment)
I know how men in exile feed on dreams of hope. (Aeschylus, Agamemnon)
by portland, oregon on Nov 1, 2009 1:40 PM EST reply actions
World Bible Translation Center? OK, I know that this team will only win by divine intervention but . . .
I know how men in exile feed on dreams of hope. (Aeschylus, Agamemnon)
by portland, oregon on Nov 1, 2009 1:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Not that it would make any difference when you have a stale offense, and a coordinator who doesn’t know the end zone from his elbow, should out Quinn in. That way everyone will truly see how out of control this team is. Mangini’s system seriously needs work.
by dmbshn41 on Nov 1, 2009 1:41 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Jay Cutler is showing why I’m not very fond of him.
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
Brian Daboll
I really hate this guy. Everytime I see this guy on the sideline with his baseball hat and goatee, I get this uncontrollable sense of anger, that thankfully is averted when I see Rob Ryan’s silver locks. (As I quickly do once shortly after a couple of Daboll plays.)
by Terrible Terry Tate on Nov 1, 2009 1:43 PM EST reply actions
I’ve already seen the bye week joke thank you.
by SpecialBrownie on Nov 1, 2009 1:46 PM EST up reply actions
so DA has not trade value now if we put Quinn in and he does bad we might lose any value he has as well maybe we just keep DA in so Quinn doesn’t lose value
Y’know, for some reason I thought of you when I saw that sign, emily. :)
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Nov 1, 2009 7:16 PM EST up reply actions
why, he has more yards than the entire team, thats called production. would you rather see harrison make a 25yd run and then fumble it?
Jamal! DA!
I know how men in exile feed on dreams of hope. (Aeschylus, Agamemnon)
by portland, oregon on Nov 1, 2009 1:49 PM EST reply actions
If the front office doesn’t want to play Quinn because of the bonus, fine. Why can’t we see Ratliff? Can he be any worse?
Does everyone remember the end of last year when Dorsey and Gradkowski and Bartel were taking shots left and right, 3-4 INT a game??? Thats what youll get with Ratliff. He has no decision making skills, no arm, no pocket presence.
Couldnt agree more. DA is playing horrible ball, and Quinn has shown in the past that he wasnt much better being as he was removed. I blame the coaches and front office whole heartedly for not having this team ready. We all know DA has played better than this multiple times, BQ has played better than he did, but how can they be this bad all of a sudden.
Daboll just sucks.
Ryan is doing a good job, and I am lukewarm on Mangini, as it is harder to hold him directly accountable for the product on the field. Daboll has been just terrible so far, which is evidenced every week in the offense.
Did you miss last week? We are getting that now.
by Bernie19Kosar on Nov 1, 2009 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
i would like to see what he can do as an every down QB
by The Brown Note on Nov 1, 2009 1:59 PM EST up reply actions
That would be interesting. Bye week next week, maybe we should try it and if he takes a beating he can rest up still.
One would think there would be a problem with knowing all the plays and defensive looks, the things a QB studies.
Then again, looking at DA…
by DisplacedBuckeye on Nov 1, 2009 2:01 PM EST up reply actions
On the other SB nation sites they would
by TheRealSlimShady on Nov 1, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
for whatever reason, when we ran it against Buffalo they kept covering the reverse. It actually opened up holes for Lewis.
hmm yea missed that game … just got the sunday ticket … so i dont have to watch all these lame cali teams … starting to regret that o well such is the life of a cleveland fan
I’m thinking we might see a change at halftime. Or we switch to an all rushing attack.
"This season has been everything most of us feared it would be[.]"
Mike Rutherford, Card Chronicle
http://www.cardchronicle.com/
Harrison. But we might as well use Cribbs as well. A Lewis, Cribbs, Harrison backfield.
"This season has been everything most of us feared it would be[.]"
Mike Rutherford, Card Chronicle
http://www.cardchronicle.com/