Post-Game Thread: Raiders Fried by Browns, 23-9
by Chris Pokorny on Dec 27, 2009 4:59 PM EST
in General News
Email
PrintIn the match-up of Charlie Frye vs. Derek Anderson, Anderson came out victorious, albeit not overly impressive in comparison. There were some frustrations in the Browns' 23-9 victory over the Raiders, such as passing too often with Derek Anderson when our running game was effective or not being able to understand more often that Frye wanted to throw the quick slant when we blitzed.
For the second week in a row, Jerome Harrison carried the load. Once again, to the critics who felt Harrison was too small to be an NFL running back, he proved otherwise with 39 carries for 148 yards. He did have a fumble down near our red zone, but also had a touchdown run negated a few plays earlier when Michael Gaines had a silly block in the back penalty.
For the Raiders, Frye made some decent throws, completing 57.8% of his passes for 333 yards. Our defense got to him four times for a sack though, and his three picks were critical. The first pick gave the Browns an early 7-0 lead after a 17-yard touchdown run by Harrison.
Anderson looked like Anderson throughout the game with unnecessarily hard and inaccurate throws, but he did display some touch on a 17-yard floater/timing pattern to Mohamed Massaquoi at the end of the second quarter. That drive was possible after one of the most out-of-control possessions this season in football. A few 15-yard penalties canceled themselves out, but the Raiders were the team who couldn't keep their cool with two additional 15-yard penalties and an ejection that made our final drive of the half possible.
After starting the season at 1-11, the Browns have won three straight games and stand at 4-11. We can't finish worse than last season, and we could actually finish with a better record. Our draft position might be getting worse, but right now, I couldn't be happier that we're winning football games.
148 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
this is nice for a few reasons:
1. after the past 4 or 5 weeks and 3 straight wins, we’re not only not the worst team of all time, we’re even far from the worst team this year;
2. we have a win over the steelers;
3. some players have emerged that should be important cogs in the machine for years to come;
4. we have a great football mind in holmgren coming to town.
despite the record, i feel pretty decent about the direction of our team. things are definitely looking up for our brownies.
We have 11 draft picks. If we have a good draft and can finally find our QB, then things will definitely start looking up even more.
I think this is overhyped by many people, from casual fans to the professionals in the media/front office. Yes, we have eleven picks, but six of those are in the 5-7th rounds. Those extra pics don’t have a lot of value at all, either for selecting players that will actually be kept on the roster or as trading chips. Simply put, we’ve got a more or less regular draft coming up. Last year’s draft (with 3 second rounders) was much more of an opportunity to load up on quality starters.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
I don’t care who you talk to but draft picks are draft picks regardless of the round. If you’re able to be drafted in the first place, you’re a quality player.
You’re just being a pessimist to be a pessimist. That line makes sense, don’t question it.
by SpecialBrownie on Dec 27, 2009 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
Well, I am an avowed pessimist, in that I usually expect the worst (and it takes action to create good outcomes).
In any event, draft picks certainly aren’t draft picks regardless of the round. First of all, we can’t even mathematically keep all 11 players if we wanted to. Our 53 may be depleted, but it’s not 11 rookies depleted.
Obviously I’d rather have the picks than not have the picks. But the extra 5th, 6th and 7th is barely worth anything at all. They’re certainly not worth a 2nd round pick, and we had 3 of those last year.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Extra 5th, 6th, and seventh rounders (not to mention the extra third/second we have) allow us to trade up a number of times and grab player’s we’re interested in without trading away next year’s picks (ala Savage). A third and a fifth could mean the difference between Blount being the best back left on the board and being able to move into the first and grab Spiller (or whomever).
Dawgs By Nature -- where Hitler, apparently, 'did some good things'.
Increased picks also increases the likelihood of netting a good player. 4 picks increases the chances that you end up with 4 guys who won’t even be on the roster the next season (Rucker, Bell, Hubbard)
Don’t forget we can those picks to add picks for next season also.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 28, 2009 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Again, those picks don’t have much value, so the trading up they allow us is marginal. Maybe up a couple spots in the 4th or something. They certainly have no bearing on the first two rounds, and very very little on the third.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Your homeboy, Savage, valued a 6th rounder so much that he allowed Ozzie to trade up 1 spot to acquire Ngata in the 1st round
Which gave us an extra shot at Johnny Jolly, Jaromey Clary, Antoine Bethea, Kedric Gholston, Charlie Johnson, Courtland Finnegan, Jerrad Page, and Marques Colston — all of whom were still on the board when Savage took Babatunde Oshinowa with that 6th rounder.
Dawgs By Nature -- where Hitler, apparently, 'did some good things'.
by golanbatrac on Dec 30, 2009 10:26 AM EST up reply actions
Savage had already filled his 3-4 above average player quotient at that point though, so he didn’t need to do well with that pick.
Let’s stop the personal insults, guys.
by Buckeye Brad on Dec 31, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions
Nit-picking 6th and 7th rounders years later is cherry picking at its finest.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 31, 2009 1:39 PM EST up reply actions
Our scouts had Wimbley and Ngata rated dead equally, and the decision was left up to Romeo based on positional value. He wanted an OLB over a NT. Obviously the scouting was flawed, which can be pinned on Savage, as was the leaving the decision up to Romeo in the first place. Nonetheless, it’s laughable to think that this has anything to do with the value of a 6th. (And, in fact, dropping from pick 12 to 13 is actually worth a 4th rounder. Everyone knew the Browns were taking Wimbley and the Ravens were taking Ngata, he just sqeezed out a little something out of nothing.)
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
…draft picks are draft picks regardless of the round.
A 1st round pick is as good as a 7th round pick? Picking first in the 7th round (roughly 193rd) is as good as having the chance to select a player with only 31 taken from the pool?
You can disagree with Kwoog on the value of the later round picks, but don’t do that by making a silly, broad statement like that.
You are reading my signature.
he never said draft picks were equal regardless of the round, i don’t know why people are jumping down his throat about this. all that statement says is that a 7th round draft pick is still a draft pick, and as such has at least some value.
by notthatnoise on Dec 28, 2009 4:00 PM EST up reply actions
…but six of those are in the 5-7th rounds. Those extra pics don’t have a lot of value at all
I don’t care who you talk to but draft picks are draft picks regardless of the round. If you’re able to be drafted in the first place, you’re a quality player.
he didn’t outright say they’re equal, but based on Kwoog’s original comments and the reply, it’s as close as you can get. maybe 7th round draft picks are “quality players” in relation to their college peers, but they’re being drafted to play against pros.
picking on the 2006 draft, in which these guys should be in their 4th year, the 7th round had 47 total picks. 30 of those picks are not in the league in 2009, and the remaining 17 have started a total of 58 games (25 attributed to Finnegan and Colston, the two stars of this round) in 2009. that may be a poor way to define “quality”, but it’s a decent starting point.
saying a 7th round draft pick is still a draft pick is like saying a unicycle is still a vehicle. well, technically it is, but i’ll be damned if i’m going to get very far on one.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Dec 28, 2009 4:39 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
The point which was made before is that by trading away picks, you are severely limiting your chances on hitting on one of those later round picks even if they are few and far in between.
How many undrafted free agents become good players in the NFL? (Cribbs), with more draft picks you are taking those off the table that could sign with someone else.
http://prideofcleveland.blogspot.com/
by Red-Right-88 on Dec 29, 2009 8:52 AM EST up reply actions
That wasn’t the point I was making. The point I was making was that our extra picks aren’t very valuable.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Using the draft trade value chart, the combined value of our extra picks is in the range 184.4 (the 53rd pick in the draft) to 378.53 (the 81st pick in the draft). Were Braylon to hit the 55 catch mark, the combined value of our extra picks could put us in the lower half of the first round (pick 27 through pick 41 being the likely range).
Dawgs By Nature -- where Hitler, apparently, 'did some good things'.
by golanbatrac on Dec 30, 2009 10:20 AM EST up reply actions
1) Braylon’s not catching 22 passes this week, so thanks for the useless info. While you’re at it, what’s Quinn’s roster bonus if he plays 24 more quarters this year?
2) I never said anything about the extra 3rd. That’s a valuable pick. And it better be, since it was the biggest piece of the BE deal.
So, after responding to things that had very little/almost nothing to do with the points I’ve made, I’ll go back to what the rest of us were talking about. The extra 5th, 6th and 7th round picks are virtually meaningless. So the potential of our draft is very slightly above average, with an extra third. This pales in comparison to the potential of the 2009 draft, which by all accounts ManKok blew (pardon the appropriate imagery).
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
1) Braylon’s not catching 22 passes this week, so thanks for the useless info.
The Jets are still playoff eligible which means that the second rounder is still on the table. And anyway, is it 22 or 12? Did he need 55 with the Jets, or 55 for the season?
While you’re at it, what’s Quinn’s roster bonus if he plays 24 more quarters this year?
Quinn is on IR. He won’t be playing any more quarters.
I never said anything about the extra 3rd. That’s a valuable pick. And it better be, since it was the biggest piece of the BE deal.
The point I was making was that our extra picks aren’t very valuable.
Is that conditional pick from the Jets not an extra pick?
This pales in comparison to the potential of the 2009 draft, which by all accounts ManKok blew.
By all accounts? Haha. Your slip is showing, Phil.
Dawgs By Nature -- where Hitler, apparently, 'did some good things'.
by golanbatrac on Dec 30, 2009 11:42 AM EST up reply actions
Kwoog, surely as a Harrison fan you wouldn’t advocate judging the success of a pick before the first season even ends?
Not conclusively, but we have much, much more information regarding the likelihood of success now than we had in April.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
So after 2006, we could say we had much much more information that Jerome Harrison would not be any good in the pros after his 20 carries for 60 yards with one lost fumble?
Point taken, and I am being too hard on Robiskie and Veikune. However, I think there is a different scale for 2nd rounders (who should, the great majority of the time, become at least solid starters) vs. 5th rounders. The latter have far fewer opportunities in the beginning, I don’t care what organizations say about “everyone’s the same once training camp starts.”
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
It’s Roth! It’s Wright! it’s…the defense!!! Coach Ryan came to play today, and he had his boys ready to do their jobs. The passing yardage of Frye looked gaudy, but he actually did a good job of beating the blitz on occasion. Pressure looked great, and it really seems to be a product of Matt Roth and Coach Ryan beating the Raiders protection. Harrison looked like a starter in the second consecutive chance he’s received against a subpar rush defense. Anderson managed to not give the game away like usual, and Mo’ Mass demonstrated excellent ability on the ball. Go Brownies!! I am pleased.
Being a Browns fan isn't always fun but somebody's gotta do it
on an unrelated note, how do people feel about going after a guy like Boldin in the offseason? He looks like a great weapon to pursue
Being a Browns fan isn't always fun but somebody's gotta do it
i believe he’s just suspended, therefore in theory we’ll be able to get him back; probably up to holmgren whether or not he wants to deal with it though.
i am too. i think all he has to do is show some remorse and keep out of trouble until next season. and i think he’s already proven to be very remorseful. he would absolutely help our WR corps immediately.
I think he’s done the right things since the accident; as for his possible value, that’s another question. I’m sure evaluation would be in order.
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Dec 27, 2009 7:36 PM EST up reply actions
I would give him a shot too with how bad our WRs are. I would also draft Damian Williams in the 2nd round.
by TheRealSlimShady on Dec 27, 2009 9:01 PM EST up reply actions
He was a huge disappointment in 2008, 17 catches 170 yards. We do need to bring in a vet WR though.
http://prideofcleveland.blogspot.com/
by Red-Right-88 on Dec 28, 2009 7:42 AM EST up reply actions
you can’t show me a browns receiver who had a good 2008, and before that he had been at least a decent #2 guy his entire career
by notthatnoise on Dec 28, 2009 9:18 AM EST up reply actions
i would like to have him back
but he has to rework that contract
Vikings 4 the superbowl
If you look at his stats, he wasnt that impressive before we signed him.
http://prideofcleveland.blogspot.com/
by Red-Right-88 on Dec 29, 2009 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
he wasn’t a number one guy, but he was a decent NFL wide out, and we could use more of those
by notthatnoise on Dec 29, 2009 1:59 PM EST up reply actions
I would be very surprised to see Holmgren keep Stallworth around.
He didn’t sign him, why keep the headache around?
It’s not like he was good before the accident.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 27, 2009 7:11 PM EST up reply actions
I wouldn’t be so quick to call Stallworth a “headache”. Usually that term is in reference to players who are constantly causing distractions, be it on or off the field. As serious as his off-field infraction was, it’s not as if he has a long record of crimes on his resume.
I’d be for giving him a chance… not a starting role set in stone, but considering our WR corps… definitely a chance.
You are reading my signature.
I didn’t mean he was the headache.
I meant the added hoopla that Stallworth would have added to this team next season. The commish adding him, Browns choosing whether or not to keep him, what would his role be under Holmgren/Mangini/Ghost of Paul Brown?
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 28, 2009 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
i dont see holmgren keeping stallworth around either. did anybody here that bill cohwer is wanting to get back into coaching next season?? just heard it! i think eric should get another year but if bill does come back, i see the browns persuing him hard core!! also as much as i hate to say this, i know it would piss alot of fans off but i see the browns trading cribbs in the offseason to pick up some more early round draft picks in this years draft!
by findlaybrownslover on Dec 28, 2009 1:53 AM EST up reply actions
Why Trade Cribbs?
He is the reason we won 2 of the 4 games we’ve won this year.
"There's nothing that cleanses the soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." Woody Hayes.
as much as i love josh cribbs, a good first round draft pick could go a long way towards fulfilling a need for the foreseeable future…
that said, the draft is too much of a crap-shoot, that would be a very high-risk, high-reward situation
by notthatnoise on Dec 28, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
I love JC as much as anyone.
If we could get a first rounder, I would drive him to the airport myself.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 28, 2009 4:36 PM EST up reply actions
At some point the Browns need someone that the fans embrace, this team has only one such player and that is Cribbs. Who’s jersey do they buy? etc.
I think the Browns need to be very careful with their fan base. There is not a 46,000 waiting list like there is for the stillers…
A first rounder is intriguing tho.
http://prideofcleveland.blogspot.com/
by Red-Right-88 on Dec 29, 2009 8:55 AM EST up reply actions
i understand the browns fans need someone to embrace, they do have thomas and mack looks like he will turn out to be as good as thomas! but i think jc’s market value is good enough to get a first rounder from san fran., i believe seattle might have two firsts’ also, and posibbly get a later pick too! such as a third fourth or even a fith this year. i myself would also package a fifth, sixth, and seventh plus mcdonald for either a second or third rounder this year! but if we trade cribbs, there are people in the draft like Arenas or gilyard that we could choose to fill positions of need=cb, and a downfield threat receiver, that could also be used as a punt returner! so i think that trade has a lot of up value! and if the browns get rid of mangini, and if they dont persue cohwer next year, then who would they really persue to coach the team?
by findlaybrownslover on Dec 29, 2009 4:46 PM EST up reply actions
My irrational love for Cribbs would prevent me from agreeing with any trade deal.
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Dec 29, 2009 1:07 PM EST up reply actions
I think Mangini gets 1 more year. We’ve definitely shown improvement the second half of the season. I honestly thought we could go 0-16 at one point.
That will be the million dollar question.
Also, say the Browns win next week, there draft position slides, No Suh, No Berry. Do the Browns try to move down again? Please no McCoy from OKlahoma.
All I’ve heard about McCoy is this: overrated. So, no thanks.
From what I’m hearing about Holgren being an offensive guy first… I would not be surprised if we went with Clausen if Suh/Berry are gone.
It’d be nice to trade down and get CJ Spiller.
I am really starting to like Joe Haden the CB from Florida a lot.
Also Derrick Morgan from Georgia Tech is very underrated right now.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 27, 2009 7:16 PM EST up reply actions
A shut down corner is a must, I’m just not sure there are any in this draft class
by HenryDawg on Dec 27, 2009 9:00 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Derrick Morgan in a 3-4? Eh, no thanks. What position would he play?
by TheRealSlimShady on Dec 27, 2009 9:03 PM EST up reply actions
If Suh is available this could be a real possibility. Either switch to the 4-3 or move him or Rogers to an end. Either way, pairing those two together on a line would be a nice thing to see.
by The Grimace on Dec 28, 2009 12:11 AM EST up reply actions
I’m warming up to the idea of a 4-3, even without Suh. It would be good to bring a different look to the AFC North, and I think we’d only have to acquire one DE, whereas Roth/Wimbley/etc could hold down the fort on the other side. Maybe the guy from the Packers as a free agent, Kampman or something?
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Roth, maybe (though he played end his first three years in the league and was decidedly sub-par). Wimbley would get killed with his hand in the dirt.
If we switched to the 4-3 we’d leave Coleman, Rubin, Smith, Maiava and Bowens (who’s been our best defender this year) without a position (and still under contract). We’d also be taking DQwell out of coverage (his strength) and either moving Roth to a position in which he’s less valuable, or looking to sign 2 DEs.
Dawgs By Nature -- where Hitler, apparently, 'did some good things'.
Osi Umienyora (sp?) said last night something about playing his last game in a Giants uniform. He wasn’t even referring to it being the last game in that stadium, I think he is fed up with the team and wants to move on. He’d be a nice end in the 4-3.
I have a buddy who is a huge Giants fan and from what I’ve heard on tv and what he has told me, things have been going very well between osi and the team.
One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "
that interview after the game didn’t look like things are going very well
by notthatnoise on Dec 28, 2009 4:05 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t know if it the losing, I think it is about the playing time.
He only played 5 snaps Monday night.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 28, 2009 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
Come to Cleveland, help us get on the winning track and be a hero. Just like Holmgren!
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Dec 29, 2009 1:08 PM EST up reply actions
Berry still might be there, but if he isn’t I would definetly want to trade down. If we can’t trade down, then Joe Haden would probably be my pick.
by TheRealSlimShady on Dec 27, 2009 9:05 PM EST up reply actions
Have to agree on performance, although the other real question is how he and Holmgren get along. Time will tell!
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Dec 27, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions
Agree. emily, and I’m damn proud of those guys for doing what they did lately. That takes some stones.
by johnnyphoenix on Dec 27, 2009 6:50 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah this team could of phoned it in. Credit to the players and Mangini/staff
My only question is why the love for Jamal early in the season and Harrison did not get the ball? Misstep on Mangini.
Well, Mangini is the king of missteps, I admit…but the play of some of his Jets guys and the midseason pickups are really making me reassess a bit by this point.
by johnnyphoenix on Dec 27, 2009 7:10 PM EST up reply actions
It’s difficult to assess personnel decisions like these in the middle of the season. What may seem like missteps are just steps in an unexpected direction. Who knows what Mangini’s “master plan” is with Harrison? I think, however, the best time to judge Mangini’s decisions will be at the end of next season.
As the team’s performance has become respectable and consistent over the past 5-6 weeks, I look back to just how bad this team was at the end of last season and the start of TC. I have a friend who just had a bone marrow transplant and I could not believe how close the doctors took her to death; she truly had to live in a bubble for 3 weeks to avoid any infections while the doctors killed all of the cancer. Not to diminish the seriousness of her plight, the Browns were in a very similar situation to clean house. The organization needed to a lot of things that appeared very harmful and damaging for the longterm health of the franchise.
Therefore, before making judgments I want to see how this team performs next season. If anyone expected playoffs (or .500) this season, it is clear that this was the blind hope of being a diehard fan or lack of football knowledge.
When the top coaches and GMs talk about the football season, they refer to the season as 4 quarters, and just like in a game the later quarters are more “important” than the earlier ones.
So looking at the season, I’m pleased to see the results and how the team is finishing it. Therefore, it’s hard for me to look at Mangini’s decisions as mistakes. The team is currently 3-0 in the final quarter, which is a huge step in the right direction – and it’s not like this team is winning anything with superstars.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Dec 28, 2009 10:17 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I just noticed while watching a highlight reel that Rob Ryan got the Gatorade shower! That’s awesome!
I read that it’s unlikely he stays because of the schemes, 4-3 v 3-4.
Probably the only Cleveland Browns fan in all of Sydney, NSW.
i really don’t think holmgren will force his schemes on the team, especially on defense.
by notthatnoise on Dec 27, 2009 10:03 PM EST up reply actions
If it means keeping Rob Ryan, I’d like to keep the 3-4, but other wise I wouldn’t mind the switch to 4-3. Ultimately, I’d like which ever scheme that will make out defensive unit the best it can be.
Wow, no.
My “REALLY?!” comment was sarcastic.
I’m putting your comment up for most obvious of the year.
by SpecialBrownie on Dec 27, 2009 10:44 PM EST up reply actions
well the last sentence is obvious, but i would argue we shouldn’t switch, because we’ve already got players for a 3-4 but not a 4-3
by notthatnoise on Dec 27, 2009 11:06 PM EST up reply actions
Haha, I figured you we’re referring to my last sentence, but thought it would be funny to pretend you were addressing my first one.
by Simmsinns on Dec 27, 2009 11:29 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Browns Free Agents
Vickers and Roth are free agents after this season. Who else?
Pleasant Surprise...
…yes, we’re beating the Raiders and Chiefs, but after the first half of the season I was convinced they’d never win another game. Harrison has been a work horse the past couple of weeks.
I think this is the first game we should have won.
Why no Anderson/Russell comparison. What compelled them to field Charlie Frye?
Kind of a “meh” game to watch. Some good moments for high-fives but the bickering, dirty play and fighting seemed out-of-place in a game of this “importance”.
Pros
- I thought Massaquoi had a brilliant game with some excellent catches on some pretty miss-placed throws and great running after the catch.
- The Roth pick-up looks like one of the best personnel moves of the season.
- Harrison continues to impress but you have to hand a lot of his success to the O-line who opened up some pretty big holes for him at just about every possible position on the line. It seems like Jerome has crossed some kind of mental barrier.
- Moore is shaping up to be a decent possession TE with a knack for catching bad passes.
- Schizophrenic pass defense made some great plays to break up passes and the 3 INTs while… (see Cons)
- The Raiders rushing attack was held to around 75 yards.
Cons
- The O-line seemed to have a lot of problems with pass protection and defensive players penetrating into the backfield.
- Anderson looked rusty and inaccurate… or is this a Pro? (if he’d have had a stellar outing it might have clouded the picture for QB—better we confirm what we thing we have).
- Pass defense was extremely soft in the middle. Was this the game plan? Give away the middle to prevent something deep? The Pass D gave up 333 yards to Charlie Frye!
From the reaction on the field, especially by Thomas who is a pretty down-to-earth kind of guy, I’d say the Raiders were taking some cheap shots after the whistle. I liked Anderson’s moxie when he grabbed that Raider player and pulled him away from another Browns player. I like to see that kind of thing from a QB. Funny, I feel like I’m critiquing Pro Wrestling. I’m not sure what to take away from our 3rd victory in a row. It feels good to be winning but it also feels like a touchdown in garbage time. You find yourself asking “is this real or is the other team not trying very hard?”
Brownsyup
I am liking this recent streak, because we are winning using the style of football I like which is a run-first based offense and some stellar defensive games (despite the passing yardage allowed, something that needs to be addressed in the offseason.)
True. If the Browns can translate this (and I’ll call it “conservative” style) of play to the point at which they can beat better teams, then we might have something that will take us to post-season. I’m just not sure that can be done without significant upgrades to some of the offensive skill positions. Unless Harrison has crossed some kind of mental barrier. In my opinion, his success is somewhat suspect until he goes over 100 yards against a healthy Steelers or Baltimore team.
But I do like the usage of this particular contingent of players in the last few games. Could we finally have a coaching staff that plays a scheme and game plan that complements the actual talent on the team? Wouldn’t that be nice!
Brownsyup
Actually the Raiders have a very credible defense.
by HenryDawg on Dec 28, 2009 2:35 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
This conservative style offense that uses good run blocking lends itself to an interchangeable QB, which it looks like we have.
“Creap” should now be the official cross between “cheap”, “creep”, and “crap”.
by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Dec 28, 2009 9:49 PM EST up reply actions
The QB-irrelevant scheme works for a few games but it is rare that you get to the big show with a QB that can’t make big plays. Sure, we can look respectable against the likes of KC, the Raiders, and probably Jacksonville but I do not believe these creep or crap QBs would keep us in a game against a play-off-bound team. I know there are exceptions but more typical is the playoff team with a stingy defense AND a QB that can get it done.
Brownsyup
I guess the point is that you can’t pretend you have a good QB when you don’t. My point is that we don’t, and that we need to tailor the system until we do.
by Roger Dorn on Dec 28, 2009 9:54 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
and as soon as they stack 8 guys in the box and dare DA or BQ to throw…then we are in trouble. but i see the point.
http://prideofcleveland.blogspot.com/
by Red-Right-88 on Dec 29, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions
we are now 10th in rushing yardage.
http://prideofcleveland.blogspot.com/
by Red-Right-88 on Dec 28, 2009 10:56 AM EST up reply actions
wow thats actually pretty impressive, especially considering the division we play in.
by notthatnoise on Dec 28, 2009 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
wow thats actually pretty impressive, especially consideringthe division we play inJamal Lewis got almost 150 carries this season.
Fixed.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 28, 2009 4:41 PM EST up reply actions
I think that is a little miss-leading of a stat because we are 6th in the league in rushing attempts. We don’t have QBs that can throw the ball so we run more. This ends up, by default, making our run stats stand out against the more balanced teams. And it does not equate with goodness or playoff caliber play (as the Browns record shows). Look at Tennessee. They have about the same rushes per game as us and are ahead of us by about 600 yards in the season running stats. They are not going to the playoffs either. What we have in common is very questionable QB play which skews the run game stats. I will say that we have an average running game which is made to look better by a very poor passing game. I think we have some great offensive lineman whom, with a little help on the right could become one of the premiere O-lines in the league.
Brownsyup
The difference between us and Tennessee is that they have the best RB in the NFL.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 28, 2009 11:45 PM EST up reply actions
They also have a much better QB situation. I’d take Vince Young over any of our QBs, he’s still working out the kinks after sitting last year. He had a fantastic sting of games though, through weeks 8-12, and two more in weeks 14, 15. He’s shown a lot of potential for being the Titans’ QB of the future.
I think the Browns’ pass defense has had that soft underbelly all season. Somehow it didn’t hurt us as badly this time. Just looking at Frye’s numbers you would think that it was a successful bend-but-don’t-break defense, but I’m not sure it classifies as such with as many blitzes as (it seemed) were run. I’m so used to the bend-and-then-shatter defense of previous years that I don’t know what to make of this one.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Non-stop coverage of the team with the best fans in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns.
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
Follow DBN on Twitter
Browns Links
Local Media Sources
Official Browns Site
Orange and Brown Report
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Akron Beacon Journal
Browns Communities/Blogs
The Watercooler
Waiting for Next Year
Dawg Scooper
Dawg Talkers
Dawg Bones
The Browns Board
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Jim Irsay says he would welcome Peyton Manning back … at the right price
- Roddy White isn’t thrilled with Roger Goodell’s $20 million salary
- Could concussions actually kill football?
- J.T. Thomas arrested for possessing some marijuana
- Bucs hire Butch Davis as ‘special assistant,’ have no issue with his double-dipping
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
