Poll: Should WR Jordan Norwood Handle Punt Return Duties?

by Chris Pokorny on Dec 10, 2011 9:33 PM EST

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 08: Jordan Norwood #10 of the Cleveland Browns returns a punt against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on December 8, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Browns' special teams unit has definitely taken a big step backwards this year in pretty much all facets. That includes the punt return game, where the Browns rank 21st in the league. It's tough to say whether the lack of a spark in the return game is Joshua Cribbs' fault, the fault the of the players blocking in front of him, or a combination of both. Personally, it has seemed as though Cribbs is not as quick to make his decisions as he used to and he hasn't been able to make defenders miss either.

The truth is that Cribbs never really made his mark as a punt returner, but rather as a kickoff returner. Many teams in the NFL keep those duties separate; in fact, when Cribbs first arrived, he only handled kickoffs because Dennis Northcutt was still the punt returner. Cribbs is great, but he doesn't compare to Northcutt when it comes to punt returns.

When Jordan Norwood had to fill in for Cribbs this past Thursday against the Steelers, I loved the shiftiness that he brought to the table. His first return went for 13 yards, and his second one went for 14 yards. I wouldn't say that either play had gimmie yards on the table, and I imagine that this year's Cribbs would've gotten less production on those returns. Norwood showed the risk of playing him though on two of his returns; he muffed (but recovered) the ball on his second return, and he didn't call a fair catch on another return and basically got hammered as soon as he caught it. You have to learn some time though -- when Cribbs first took on punt return duties, he looked very awkward at receiving the punts. Now he looks like a pro when it comes to fielding them.

With Norwood's potential as a punt returner, should a decision be made to allow him to return punts over Cribbs? I think it would be the right coaching decision, but I think it would also piss off Cribbs royally. The guy is already upset about how he's being used on offense.

What do you think?

Poll

Should Jordan Norwood be the punt returner over Joshua Cribbs?

Yes, Norwood over Cribbs

381 votes

No, you can't take Cribbs out of that role

124 votes

505 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Id put him back on both Punts and Kick returns. Cribbs has slowed down considerably.

by Justin Kowalczyk on Dec 10, 2011 10:10 PM EST reply actions

I don’t think that. I think it is as stated above, the blocking is just not the same. All thoigh i think we should have norwood back there because it would benifet both, cribbs gets more of a break, and norwood, a young man out to prove, gets more time.

by lightninmcqueen on Dec 10, 2011 10:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Have you watched the games? Cribbs is being consistently tackled by the first man down the field. He isnt accelerating past anyone and isnt hitting the holes with the same vision he did 2 or 3 years ago. Which isnt a shock. A KR shelf like isnt very long and the guy isnt young anymore.

by Justin Kowalczyk on Dec 11, 2011 12:43 AM EST up reply actions

Because the guy us 5 feet in front of him compared to the 15-20 feet 2-3 years ago.

by lightninmcqueen on Dec 11, 2011 2:05 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Watch any Cribbs return and he never had 20 yds. Not to mention on Kick Returns the biggest difference im seeing is that Cribbs is trying to take the ball from 5+ yds deep in the endzone.

Also what would you say was Cribbs best KR of his career? Im guessing the Steelers return right? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt37YqxnTnU

Theres 5 guys within the first 5 yds and he makes them all miss. He doesnt have the speed, the elusiveness or the vision he has had in the past. And again its not shocing because he is getting older and has had injury issues the past few seasons.

Not to mention he has really only had 2 above average seasons as a returner.

Since he started as a KR in 2005 these are his ranks in terms of AVG KR
2005: 12th
2006: 15th
2007: 1st
2008: 16th
2009: 3rd
2010: 35th

Not surprisingly he bitched about his contract after 07 and 09.

by Justin Kowalczyk on Dec 11, 2011 3:48 AM EST up reply actions

Damnit meant feet and not yards at the beginning of my post.

by Justin Kowalczyk on Dec 11, 2011 3:48 AM EST up reply actions

I agree. It seems Cribbs is heavier then in the past years. Just my take. His speed is not the same, his explosiveness is not the same.

by Grockcubs on Dec 11, 2011 8:52 AM EST up reply actions

It still hurts to watch that play. It’s still so ridiculous that after all that happened in that game we still lost.

by BuenosAires_Dawg on Dec 11, 2011 9:26 AM EST up reply actions

The football gods were trying to give us the game on Thursday as well, but the Browns refuse to take handouts.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
— Winston S. Churchill
I have the best wife - ever.

by JustBob on Dec 11, 2011 11:31 AM EST up reply actions

Norwood really looked to bring a start at PR. Si I vote for him and leave KR to Cribbs.

Cribbs is still a great gunner on ST.

....just need a guy called Byner to play RT...

by LondonBrown on Dec 10, 2011 10:42 PM EST reply actions

Put Norwood in as the punt returner, but keep Cribbs in on punts so he can block. I think that would be the best combination: Norwood using his speed and shiftiness while still utilizing Cribbs as a sort of punt return fullback.

Dawgs By Nature: Holy Joe Thomas we suck

by Adrock2099 on Dec 10, 2011 11:34 PM EST reply actions

I like this idea. Cribbs could give him advice about when to call a fair catch, throw up some awesome blocks and catch the short punts when they are trying to keep it out of Norwoods hands.

by crazyL80 on Dec 10, 2011 11:42 PM EST up reply actions

We don’t seem to go for the block, so I think having two guys deep isn’t a bad idea. It can allow for shorter punts to be returned or even ones directed away from the primary returner. I would always drop an extra guy back in Madden for blocking, so there’s a good chance Shurmur does it since that appears to be where he gets his coaching strategy from.

Even Doug Dieken admits Joe Thomas is the real #73

by Doc's Kid on Dec 11, 2011 10:05 AM EST up reply actions

That pissed me off that we didn’t go for the block on the last play of the half. We should have had nobody back to return and sent everyone.

by HenryDawg on Dec 11, 2011 11:59 AM EST up reply actions

I like this idea along with what London said about keeping Cribbs as the KR and gunner. And I’ll throw in WR until we get someone who can beat him out of that position.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
— Winston S. Churchill
I have the best wife - ever.

by JustBob on Dec 11, 2011 11:34 AM EST up reply actions

I’d go with this as well.

In Cribbs, Dawson and Thomas we trust. All others must pay in Ws.

by RelapsingDawgCatcher on Dec 11, 2011 11:38 AM EST up reply actions

The more we get Norwood the ball the better.

by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 11, 2011 12:09 AM EST reply actions

I don’t know how well he does in all aspects of WR duties (routes, hands, run blocking) but so far he looks like our best WR.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
— Winston S. Churchill
I have the best wife - ever.

by JustBob on Dec 11, 2011 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

Just as a matter of curiosity what do you think we could get for cribbs if we traded him? He’s not the player he used to be and while we realise that, perhaps many in the league still view him as a star. Could we still cash-in?

by JohnW81 on Dec 11, 2011 4:38 AM EST via mobile reply actions

No one is going to trade for Cribbs. He is an average player whose worth was inflated by a fanbase desperate for stars.

by Justin Kowalczyk on Dec 11, 2011 2:25 PM EST up reply actions

I see fumbled punts regularly in Norwoods future, he had one Thursday so no, i want sure hands back there..and this is the least of our worries.

"There's a gleam men, there's a gleam!" Marty

by Red-Right-88 on Dec 11, 2011 6:03 AM EST reply actions

You have to learn some time though — when Cribbs first took on punt return duties, he looked very awkward at receiving the punts.

It’s not as if a muffed punt at this point is going to keep us out of the playoffs.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
— Winston S. Churchill
I have the best wife - ever.

by JustBob on Dec 11, 2011 11:38 AM EST up reply actions

Cribbs should be the kick returner, and Norwood the punt returner. It’s a different skill set, and like Chris said, Norwood’s shiftiness is a definite bonus on punts. I agree that Cribbs should continue his gunner duties and have a new blocking role on punt returns.

by chitown browns fan on Dec 11, 2011 9:56 AM EST reply actions