Cleveland Browns 23, Tennessee Titans 17

by Chris Pokorny on Aug 29, 2009 11:27 PM EDT Comment 24 comments

The Cleveland Browns kept it close in the first half and then capitalized quickly in the second half on a few turnovers to defeat the Tennessee Titans 23-17.

The quarterback situation was difficult to evaluate early on because the Titans controlled the clock under quarterback Kerry Collins. After the Browns' defense forced a three-and-out on the first possession, Collins was able to move the chains threw the air, finishing the game 11-of-14 for 102 yards and a touchdown.

Both Browns quarterbacks played well against the Titans' tough defense, but RB Jamal Lewis found difficulty in the running game. Lewis had a preseason high 10 carries for just 23 yards. The Browns scored their first touchdown after the half when Brady Quinn fired a touchdown pass to WR Braylon Edwards, who did not have a drop in the game. Shortly after that, LB Eric Barton and DE Robaire Smith pressured Titans QB Vince Young, who tossed an interception to LB Alex Hall. Hall returned the pass for an easy touchdown, capping a sudden 17-0 run by the Browns.

Officially, here are the stats for the Browns quarterbacks:

Brady Quinn: 11-of-15 for 128 yards, 1 touchdown
Derek Anderson: 7-of-11 for 77 yards
Richard Bartel: 3-of-3 for 40 yards

Young rallied after that for a score, but the Browns maintained their second half efficiency on offense to hold on to the lead for the win. Stay tuned to Dawgs By Nature on Sunday for our full, in-depth recap of the game.

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I didnt see the beginning because I was at my high schools first game

" Of course Steroids should be allowed! I wanna see 700 foot home runs and 90 yard field goals! I litterally want to see someone's d**k get shoved in the dirt!"

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Aug 30, 2009 1:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Few things I’m concerned about (though I’ve mentioned it in the game thread)

1) Pass rush. Absent against first string offense. In any case, Chris mentioned that we went up against a high-class offense. So maybe I’m being pessimistic.

2) Running game. Lewis has woeful stats. I tend to blame the O-line more when it comes to holes, but I’ve no idea how the game went cause I didn’t watch it in its entirety (rather, 15 second screenshots)

3) Penalties. Argh!

In every other aspect we’ve shown improvement. And hey, a win’s a win. Love it. Two in a row. Who would’ve thought.

by skipkirk on Aug 30, 2009 1:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

frankly, at this point

its reasonable to expect lewis to start to fall off a little bit. he’s basically a pure power back at this stage in his career and he’s on the wrong side of 30. this was bound to happen.

"I know where you're at, man. You had it all, and now it's gone. It's torn a hole in your soul bigger than my Escalade. So you turned to the drugs, the alcohol. Pornography, free-basing with OJ, human trafficking, dog fights slash orgies... darkness."
-- Craig Robinson as Reg Mackworthy in Season 1, Episode 5 of Eastbound & Down

by jackmca on Aug 30, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Far to often you hear an announcer say “Lewis stutter steps at the line” because he does on nearly every run. He no longer bears down on the hole but stutters through it. My one hope this year is watching James Davis to be honest. Its all yet to be seen but the kid makes some Pro cuts and moves. Granted it was the Lions but the cut he made in the hole on that 82 yard scamper was tight and 2 lions players had angle on him but got burned by speed. I havent seen him go down without at tleast the 2-3 yards Jamal gets anymore. If Im wrong about Jamal Id be quite happy btw.

by Browns420 on Sep 1, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you really think “stutter-stepping” at the line is due to some Zoolander-esque (“not an ambi-turner”) defect in Lewis? As in he won’t be able to hit the hole hard this year, because he has to stutter-step?

by rufio on Sep 3, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jamal Lewis used to hit the hole like a bus is all Im saying. Its not some major defect it just looks to me like he is thinking at the line instead of blowing through it like he used to. He doesnt do it everytime but watch the plays he does and they arent very often good gainers. Could you say those are the plays that arent well blocked so he has to, perhaps. Its simply something that struck me how often I heard announcers say he was stutter stepping at the line over the end of last season and this preason.

by Browns420 on Sep 3, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought pass rush was decent against a good offense. They’re a hard team to defend and I they did good overall. Wasn’t expecting big numbers from Jamal. I think Alex Hall is earning the linebacker spot.
Mangini needs to announce a starter, it’s only taking away valuable time from the offense.

by The naome40 on Aug 30, 2009 12:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Pretty satisfied with that effort.

by Roger Dorn on Aug 30, 2009 12:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A Credible Performance (P.S. - Helmet Style?)

WIN NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF
This is the first credible performance I have seen under Mangini, certainly the best win we’ve had since the Giants game on MNF (which led to nothing) or the Buffalo game two years ago (the last time the Browns won a game that meant something). We moved the ball throughout the game, with however was in. Too bad this didn’t count.

Mental mistakes and miscues were still too frequent (especially when DA was at the helm), but I sensed some progress there. The celebration penalties really frost me – can’t we act like we’ve been there before?

BREAKS STILL TOO CRUCIAL
That said, we still needed a touchdown return from a back-up linebacker and a red zone turnover that was actually capitalized on to beat a team as good as the Titans. We’re not ready to dominate anyone just quite yet.

I LOVE JL BUT…
I’m afraid Jamal Lewis is out of gas. If he doesn’t break at least a ten yarder every so often, the Brown’s need to seriously reconsider his playing time. It’s a cruel world out there and I think it may have caught up with Jamal.

2 QB’s
Lastly, if we don’t trade DA for someone (very) worthwhile, he may actually be the prototypical back up QB for a team like the Browns. With his physical attributes and his go for broke style, he could be just what’s needed in small doses over the long weeks ahead. Both QB’s seem mature enough to co-exist, so if this ends up as the situation the team is in for 2009, we should be thankful.

Let’s not deal DA until the offer is simply too good to pass up and we send him to a team that desperately needs him to step in and play immediately. This won’t happen until someoneout there goes down with an injury, so let’s not lose patience.

P.S. Before the season starts, and more important issues take over, IMO, the one-white-stripe-white-numeral “throwback” helmet the Browns wore in a few games last year actually works better with the present uniform than the three stripe helmet the team wore last night.

The simplicity of the retro helmet just works better for the team that “needs no logo.” Plus the numeral shows up well in close up televised shots.

Does anyone out there agree that the team should make the single stripe version it’s regulation helmet?

by Cosmosmaster on Aug 30, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually NO!

eom

by vincefitz on Aug 30, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t agree with anything you’ve just said.

by SpecialBrownie on Aug 30, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

U think we should give DA away to clear the air? U think we played errorless FB? U think JL is holding back?

by Cosmosmaster on Aug 30, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s easier to read if you answer in the comment box rather than the subject line.

I agree with you on Lewis, he seems to be hesitating in the backfield.

by fwembt on Aug 30, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was more the way you wrote it that I had disagreed with. In a clear cut form though…

Good ball movement,

Penalties sucked

A touchdown is a touchdown, so don’t whine about it be defensivly.

Lewis is a little older yes, but he still has some gas in the tank,

DA is a good back – up, but trading him might give us more value (Backup QBs are a dime a dozen)

And the helmet line was just dumb.

-Interpret that any way you’d like.

by SpecialBrownie on Aug 30, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Out of gas ?????

No way.. J.L. is in PRE-SEASON , when the season starts, 31 will turn it on and will produce and be a productive both on and off the field ( teaching and leading) so dont sell him short at this early point of the season

by Jamals6082 on Sep 2, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re-watched some. I was impressed with both QBs tonight, thought they both made some nice throws. Quinn seemed to see the whole field pretty well, I liked his check down throws to the running backs, particularly the early completion to Lewis when the pressure was coming.

Alex Hall has some freaky proportions, hopefully he keeps developing. His wingspan is like an NBA player.

by Roger Dorn on Aug 30, 2009 3:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry that completion was to Cribbs not Lewis

by Roger Dorn on Aug 30, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you guys should put him in the backfield more

lewis would be better used in a comittee system at this point, IMO

by jackmca on Aug 30, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My instinct says Davis will be seeing a lot of carries pretty quickly. Cribbs will be used a lot all over the field.

by Roger Dorn on Aug 30, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree. I could see them using Davis every third series or something like that. It will be interesting to see how they distribute the backup RB carries between Davis and Harrison. Harrison has certainly shown in the past that he deserves some touches.

by Buckeye Brad on Aug 30, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was Davis ever hurt at Clemson? I am really not worried about RB, because Davis looks like he deserves some touches and Harrison clearly should get some once he is healthy.

I feel like even if Jamal was only a goal line/short yardage guy this year we’d be ok, but I would be worried if both Harrison and Davis went down with injuries and there was no one to spell Jamal.

by rufio on Aug 30, 2009 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don’t think so. I checked Davis’ stats at Clemson and he played 13 games every season (except his freshman year when he played 11) so I would guess not.

by Buckeye Brad on Aug 30, 2009 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

quarterbacks

I like how Brady looks right now…I think he’s ready to be the starter, and that his confidence will only increase as the weeks progress. I do think he will open it up once he gets more confident with plays, and eventually, will go down field with authority by week 3 or 4.

by psch811 on Aug 30, 2009 8:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs