Box Score - 11.23.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	7	6	3	0	16
	0	6	0	0	6

Maybe Brady Quinn shouldn't have played after all against the Houston Texans. After the game, it was revealed that due to playing and practicing with a fractured finger, his injury had worsened to the point where he will miss the remainder of the season.

Even with Quinn's injury, it wasn't a legitimate excuse for the egg the Browns laid against the Texans. For the first time this season, I didn't feel depressed after the game -- I just felt empty. That's a telling sign when you know the season is over.

Let's get started with the goats of the game for Week 12, and there was one player who was especially deserving of one...

Goats of the Game (Hang Your Head)

WR Braylon Edwards cannot hang on to a pass in the end zone from QB Derek Anderson. The catch would've made it a 16-13 game with enough time left to play.

1. Braylon Edwards: This was perhaps the worst of them all. He has been dropping passes in every game this season, but the problem was really dangled in front of our eyes Sunday when Rob Chudzinski called for every pass play to go his way. I believe the official statistic stated that he was targeted 17 or 18 times, with about 3 or 4 drops. It was worse than just those drops though -- a poor effort on Brady Quinn's second interception, and a possible momentum-changing jump ball touchdown dropped, just to name a few.
   
2. Jamal Lewis: With Quinn having an injury to his finger, I blame Chudzinski for not giving Lewis more touches. However, Lewis lost two fumbles against the Texans (Anderson was credited with the second one, officially). It has been a long time since Lewis has put the ball on the ground, but his turnovers certainly didn't swing the momentum our direction.
   

Awarding Game Balls (Solid in Defeat)

1. Shaun Rogers: Consistently neglected in the game ball section this year, it's time for Rogers to receive another one. He has been the most consistent player on the 53-man roster, with another high-impact game against the Texans. He blocked his second field goal of the season, and although he didn't record a tackle, his presence was felt regularly.
   
2. Brodney Pool: The defense didn't look "great", but they kept fighting. Pool intercepted Sage Rosenfels early in the third quarter to set the Browns up with great field position. It was negated two plays later though, when Quinn threw his first interception.
   

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

1. Thomas' Lowlights: In round two, Mario Williams had the edge on Joe Thomas. It wasn't the typical shutdown game for Thomas, who allowed Williams to knock down our quarterback several times.
   
If you were frustrated by the Browns' effort this season, here is some good news: you'll get to watch Derek Anderson for the rest of the season!

2. Quinn the Starter? We'll See: Exactly why was Brady Quinn named the team's starting quarterback or 2009 already? Don't get me wrong -- I have no problem with the "decision". However, after Romeo Crennel benched Quinn in an attempt to get a "spark" from someone else, how can he justifiably act like this was "all part of the plan"?
3. Poor Performance: There are some things I liked about Quinn's game, but it really kills me that he didn't get more opportunities to prove himself this season. In the end, Quinn didn't do enough to show that he can immediately take charge of the offense next season. Sure, the fans might be behind him, but the same may not be true for whoever our head coach is.
   
4. Anderson Slinging: Prior to the game, I said we shouldn't be surprised if we saw Derek Anderson (not on the sidelines, but in the game). His entrance came under unexpected circumstances, but he played nonetheless. I thought he actually did provide a spark with several nice throws to Braylon Edwards.
   
5. J. Wright is Bad Luck: If I'm Anderson, I never want to throw the ball to Jason Wright again. The last two times that Anderson has attempted a pass to Wright, it has been intercepted. Not that it is necessarily his fault, but I'm just tired of Wright being involved in the offense -- I wouldn't mind dumping him in the offseason.
   
6. Dawson's Shank: All kickers have them every now and then, as Phil Dawson shanked a chip shot field goal in the fourth quarter that would've drawn the Browns to within one possession.
   
7. Tackling Pays Off: We played back a little more. We were a little tentative in taking risks. The reason? We were focused on tackling. This was without question the best game this season our defense had from a tackling sense, as everybody, including Terry Cousin, made fundamentally sound tackles. Maybe next season, we can be like every other defense in the league and not look like we're learning how to play the game of football on the fly.
8. Secondary Affected: Our cornerbacks were affected the most by the tackling aspect, as Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter pretty much shredded Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright. Credit Sage Rosenfels on the first and only touchdown of the game though, as he threw a perfect pass to Walter in the corner of the end zone.
   
The Browns should have run the ball more with Jamal Lewis, if for nothing more than to take pressure off of Quinn.
9. Harrison Involved More: This may sound greedy, but even though Jerome Harrison had a season-high eight touches, I wanted more. Not just from Harrison, but from Jamal Lewis too. As I explained earlier in the goats section, it made little sense to throw it 32 times and run it 20 times when we were never even behind by more than ten points.
   
10. Welcome Back, Vickers: One player who had a quiet, but nice, game in return was fullback Lawrence Vickers. I thought he really opened up the holes well for the few times Lewis did carry the ball early in the game.
11. Winslow's Pass Interference: This has got to change too. We've already missed Joe Jurevicius' presence on third downs this season, so when we do execute them, it's a relief...that is, until you see a yellow flag down with the officials calling offensive pass interference on Kellen Winslow. 
12. Really Got Under My Skin: This one really made me irate, so here goes a rant: in the fourth quarter, Joshua Cribbs received the ball and rolled out to the right. He suddenly pulled up ready to throw the ball, but quickly saw that nothing was there and tucked it for a short gain on the ground. Are you kidding me? We have been waiting for Cribbs to throw the football for about two years, but the play has never been called. Cribbs throwing the ball should be the "dagger" type of play when we are up by ten points, or the "shock" type of play in the second or third quarter when we are down by three. Why would you run the play late in the fourth quarter when we are down by two possessions? That is the best time Chudzinski could think of to call a Cribbs pass? Not against the Steelers? or Ravens? Sickening.
13. Wimbley's Pursuit: Although he was "let free" on the play, I'd credit Kamerion Wimbley's sack on Rosenfels as his best one of the season. The Browns need to do a lot more of what happened on that play -- spread Wimbley out further so that someone else occupies the left tackle.
14. Brownies: It was a frustrating game defensively if you were watching on television, but you couldn't tell based on the box score...we held Steve Slaton to 3.5 yards a run, intercepted Rosenfels twice, and held the Texans to just 16 points, their third-lowest total of the season.
    

The game was a dud, plain and simple. I tried to avoid talking too much about Romeo Crennel's decisions in this game, because it's obvious that what he did was just as bad as what Andy Reid did with Donovan McNabb against the Baltimore Ravens.

Against Indianapolis, we'll be facing one of the hottest teams in the AFC. We've only won one game at home this year, but it's not time to throw the towel in. We defeated Peyton Manning's brother, Eli Manning, and the New York Giants earlier this year, proving that wonders can happen on any given Sunday (unless you're the Detroit Lions). Also, I haven't forgotten about last season. And neither should you have. What needs to be in store this Sunday for the Browns?

Revenge.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported this morning that cornerback Travis Daniels could replace struggling starter Brandon McDonald this Monday against the Buffalo Bills. While Daniels has seen minimal playing time this season, the move might not be a bad one.

I am still intrigued with giving McDonald more starting opportunities this season. However, he is coming off two of the worst games in his career. After being burned that much, opposing teams will continue to attack. Putting McDonald as the nickel back this Monday could take away some of the pressure facing him, allowing him to regain any confidence he has lost.

Either way, whether Daniels starts or not, he will at least split reps with McDonald.

"[Coach Romeo Crennel] made a decision and I support it," McDonald said. "I'm not going to be angry about it. I love T. Daniels. I love what he brings to the game. I know he can come in and help us, so I'm not really aggravated about it. But I am aggravated at myself and how I've been playing the last couple of weeks."

Daniels has started 25 games during his NFL career, including five last season with the Miami Dolphins. Since joining the Browns this season, he has been shelved behind veteran Terry Cousin, forcing him to play exclusively on special teams.

Crennel also reports that there will be more linebacker and safety rotation on the defensive side of the ball. Hopefully that means more Leon Williams and less Andra Davis. What about rookie linebacker Beau Bell?

He added that rookie linebacker Beau Bell has been making good progress, "but just finding the chance to get him up and active is an issue."

Ummm...what?

Box Score - 11.6.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	7	3	3	21	34
	7	13	3	7	30

Show hope. Insert dagger. Twist.

There hasn't been a more painful stretch in a span of five days since the Browns returned to the NFL. After having a two-possession lead in two home games late in the game, we came away with two losses. Our record should be 5-4, right in the thick of the wildcard and divison playoff race. Instead, we're 3-6, with our only playoff hopes coming down to going undefeated the rest of the way. That isn't going to happen.

The offense played very well in the debut of Brady Quinn as the team's starting quarterback. Considering the fact that we played a conservative gameplan and scored 30 points, that definitely adds to the excitement he'll provide this team in the future. Right now, the concerns shift back to the defensive side of the ball. They are at the forefront of this week's goats...

Goats of the Game (Unbelievably Bad)

1. Brandon McDonald: It's beginning to become a little more evident as to why McDonald was a fifth round draft pick last season. That may be a little too harsh of a statement after he played "well" over the first stretch of the season. Over the past two weeks though, he has not faired well against Mark Clayton, Eddie Royal, Brandon Marshall, or anybody else that he has covered. When the potential "makeup" plays came his way, McDonald dropped an interception. Our defense as a whole deserves just as much blame, but McDonald was attacked the most and therefore shoulders the blame.
   
2. Kamerion Wimbley: I planned on listing Kellen Winslow here, but because he deserved a game ball and a goat award at the same time, I am cancelling them out (and will discuss him in the general notes section). Wimbley had a sack on Jay Cutler, but never mind that. The play that stands out to me came when he was basically carried several yards by Broncos fullback Peyton Hillis to the sidelines on a running play. That, coupled with the fact that we consistently saw rookie linebacker Wesley Woodyard make sure-tackles against us, just drove me nuts.
   

Awarding Game Balls (Gold Stars to Put on Their Locker Door)

1. Joshua Cribbs: After returning to form last week against the Ravens, Cribbs kept his antics up for he second game in a row. He averaged 27 yards per kick return, but you could just tell on each of them that he was a shoe string tackle away from taking the kick another 20-30 yards. Then, on offense, the Browns utilized him more than any other time in history. It was only three times, but it paid off as he carried the ball 3 times for 48 yards.
   
   Quinn has an impressive debut but came away with a loss.
   
2. Brady Quinn: His worst drive was probably his last drive. Overall, it was a great game for Quinn. I could sit here and nitpick on a few other throws, but that would really be unfair. This was Quinn's first career start in the NFL, and he played very well. His first touchdown throw to Winslow was threaded perfectly. And, although it was called back due to offensive pass interference, his rollout throw in the fourth quarter to Braylon Edwards shows the extra dimension he adds to the offense. Next time, we'll see if the team allows him to sprinkle in some deep bals.
   

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

1. Jamal Fails to Reach 100: For most of the game, I agreed with the play calls of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, an upgrade over the past few weeks. Jamal Lewis was on pace early on to go over the 100-yard mark for the first time this season with ease. Instead, he didn't even get close. He totaled 60 yards on 19 carries, as he was mostly stuffed at the line of scrimmage after the first quarter. With how porous Denver's defense is, that should not have happened as often as it did.
   
2. Not Working, Use Harrison: This was the problem I had offensively against Denver. Jerome Harrison and Jamal Lewis each got some carries early, and both were very effective. Then, Lewis couldn't find room to run, and it appeared to be because he wasn't quick enough to make a move to the open area. Why not insert Harrison back into the game, make him stretch the defense to the outside again for positive yardage, and then attack inside with Lewis again? Instead, we tried to go inside and outside with Lewis (on pitch plays). It failed.
3. The Touch: A returning Donte Stallworth had an effective game. In particular, I enjoyed watching his first reception, in which Quinn threw a perfect touch pass over his shoulder, allowing him to pick up yards after the catch. Derek Anderson might have completed that pass too, but it would've been a rocket at his hip. That would've stopped Stallworth's momentum, allowing the defense to come up and stop him just shy of a first down. Those differences can go a long way.
   
4. What's the Deal?: Although McDonald was a goat, there was no excuse for constantly allowing him to be in single coverage. The only reason Denver didn't score more early on is because Marshall dropped a few passes in which he was wide open. In the fourth quarter, full-well knowing that Cutler was going to heave the ball over and over again, we left McDonald out on an island on a 93-yard touchdown pass. On the inevitable game-winning touchdown, Marshall easily beat McDonald on the play, with no safety help. On the previous play, Denver ran the same exact play and we had the same exact defense. We were lucky they didn't score the first time, and yet we let them try it again one play later. 
   
5. Good Winslow: The good Kellen Winslow caught 10 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns, all season highs. I said it earlier this season -- Winslow would not start performing this season until Quinn was under center, because the frustration between him and Anderson just seemed to be too high.
   
   Late in the game, Winslow had three critical miscues.
   
6. Bad Winslow: The bad Kellen Winslow showed up three times in the fourth quarter. Each time contributed to the loss, because twice it put our struggling defense back on the field, and the third time it prevented us from moving the chains on our final drive.
   
7. Kind of Embarrassing: I think the approach that Jay Cutler took against our defense was smart -- throw it up and let my guy muscle it our of the air. When he was able to use that philosophy not once, not twice, not three times, not four times...heck, I could keep on counting. When he was able to use that philosophy so many times, it tells you two things:
8. Reason 1 - Linebacker Coverage: Our linebackers are horrible in pass coverage. How do you allow a hobbled tight end, Tony Scheffler, to find the comfort zone between four defenders? There's such a thing as being aware of where the quarterback is planning on throwing the ball before he throws it. Our linebackers are just standing somewhere for the sake of standing there.
   
9. Reason 2 - Not Physical: We weren't physical enough. When Mike Adams had a shot for an interception down at the goal line, he quickly went down because of offensive pass interference. He needs to take charge and make that play happen. With so many jump balls, Denver's receivers should have been telling Cutler, "hey, I don't like all these jump balls...you're hanging me out to dry against an oncoming defense". Instead, not only were the Denver players not getting hit, they were coming away with the football. We had one good hit -- from Willie McGinest -- and that broke a play up.
   
10. Missed Opportunities: What happened to the defense that was able to feed off of the home crowd against the Giants? For every opportunity late in the game against Denver that the defense had, we blew it. I already mentioned McDonald's drop. On a tipped pass by Corey Williams, D'Qwell Jackson also failed to come away with an interception. When the Broncos ran it with their fullback on fourth-and-one, he was driven back by our defensive line getting a push up front. Instead of our linebackers coming from the side to make a clutch tackle, Hillis just shifted to the side and dove forward for a first down.\
11. Get Back Soon: This message goes to fullback Lawrence Vickers. All of these flat passes to fullback Charles Ali are too reminscient of when Maurice Carthon would get the ball to Terrelle Smith in the flat. The results are always the same -- no gain with the risk of a fullback getting stripped.
12. Brownies: Again, Seth McKinney wasn't great, but he did okay filling in for Eric Steinbach...I do wish we would've taken a more serious crack down field to Braylon Edwards...Steve Heiden came away with a few more Jurevicius-like catches...Phil Dawson is again money from beyond 50 yards, and opposing teams still cannot field his kickoffs.

The Brady Quinn era should not have started with a loss. In post-game press conferences, he played the leader role by taking the blame, but everyone knows that the defense was atrocious. We've got the Buffalo Bills up next after what ends up being a "second bye week", and we'd like to make some changes on the defensive depth chart. But...what can you really change?

Terry Cousin over Brandon McDonald?

Nice depth. Oh, yeah...and real playoff contenders -- the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets -- just signed DeAngelo Hall and Ty Law, respectively.

Box Score - 11.2.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	10	3	7	17	37
	7	6	14	0	27

Last season, the only game I chose not to do a game review for was the season finale, a game in which the Cleveland Browns defeated the San Francisco 49ers. All of the anticipation following that game was on the Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans contest -- and after how depressed Cleveland fans felt after seeing the Colts roll over and die in that game, it didn't feel worth going back and analyzing our game.

Similarly, I didn't really feel like analyzing the loss to the Baltimore Ravens this past Sunday for several reasons. First off, its a short week, and we need to get prepared for tomorrow's game against the Denver Broncos. Second, with the team announcing QB Brady Quinn as the team's new starting quarterback, the direction of the team from the Ravens game should be much different than the direction of the team against Denver.

Nonetheless, I'm sure some of you were still looking forward to a review. With it being a little more brief than usual, let's get started with the goats this week...

Goats of the Game (We Hate Them This Week)

Browns DB Sean Jones had a rough game. Here, he is seen missing Ravens RB Ray Rice.

1. Braylon Edwards: A perfect , momentum-changing play was right in Edwards' hands to be made, and he dropped it. The drops have plagued Edwards all season long -- this isn't the type of thing the Texans worry about with Andre Johnson or the Cardinals worry about with Larry Fitzgerald. A quarterback change might help Edwards catch softer passes up close, but it won't help him catch balls such as this one. If he makes that catch, you can almost be assured that Anderson would be set to quarterback Thursday. If you really wanted Quinn to play, maybe to some fans this was a blessing in disguise in terms of still being "excited" for Browns football this year.
   
2. Sean Jones: This was one of the worst games I've ever seen Jones play. I was thrilled to have him active before the game, but obviously his knee injury still had some lingering effects. He was the culprit for several of the Ravens' big plays, something our secondary usually prevents.
3. Rob Chudzinski: I have to go with a third goat this week, because it is a tagline in the article name. "Prevent Offense". Ugh. More on this in the general notes section.

Awarding Game Balls (Gold Stars to Put on Their Locker Door)

KR Joshua Cribbs was unstoppable against the Ravens, as he returns a kickoff here for a 92-yard touchdown.

1. Joshua Cribbs: It took him long enough, but Cribbs finally had his first complete special teams performance of the season by looking like the Cribbs of old on return duties. With the Browns trailing 10-0 early on, Cribbs returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. He also had a punt return for 32 yards, which allowed Anderson to be in position to fire a touchdown pass to Edwards on the first offensive play. After the Ravens kicked a go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter, Cribbs had a 38-yard return to put us at the 40-yard line. Despite the loss, Cribbs' effort will not be overlooked -- this is a big reminder that the team will need to rework his contract in the offseason.
   
2. Phil Dawson: The special teams unit gets both of the game balls, eh? After a well-executed two-minute drill (with much less time than that) in the first half, the Browns were in position for a 54-yard field goal. Dawson had missed two 50+ yarders already this season, but he drilled Sunday's attempt with so much power and accuracy that it definitely would've been good from 60 yards. He also had a crafty kick towards the sideline that almost resulted in an onside kick recovery for Cleveland.
   

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

1. Run, Run, Pass: This is the path to doom when you're facing the Baltimore Ravens defense. Sure, I respect the fact that Jamal Lewis wants his carries. But...facts are facts -- Baltimore's secondary was playing poorly, but up front, they still have the No. 1 run defense in the entire league. And yet, in the fourth quarter, run, run, pass was called on two consecutive possessions while we had the lead. On the third possession, we still ran the ball on first down despite it not having worked on the previous two drives.
   
2. Why Such a Bad Idea: This season, Derek Anderson can barely complete 50% of his passes. With the Browns facing 3rd-and-long situations and the Ravens' defense definitely expecting the pass, that completion percentage is going to be even lower. The gameplan was nothing but a setup for failure, and Rob Chudzinski absolutely deserves the blame for not understanding that beforehand.
3. Declining the Penalty?: While he is a solid veteran kicker, I'm sure everyone will agree that Matt Stover is past his prime. Expecting him to connect on 40+ yard kicks is a risk in itself, and 50+ yarders turn the odds in your favor. Facing a 41-yard field goal, Romeo Crennel had the option to accept a 10-yard holding penalty. Sure, the Ravens would've re-played third down, but it would've been something like 3rd-and-21. Maybe they run a draw play and still get enough to kick a 41-yarder. But, maybe they don't. It just didn't make sense to decline the penalty unless you truly have no faith in your own defense.
   
4. Defensive Collapse, Too: It wasn't just Chudzinski's horrendous offensive calls that cost us the game: Mel Tucker deserves his share of the blame too. After we build a 14-point lead in the third quarter, our defense was extremely fired up and had the Ravens backed up to their own 15-yard line facing a 3rd-and-16. Much like the secondary had given up all day though, Joe Flacco fired a 20-yard strike to receiver Derricterk Mason. My best friend, Terry Cousin, appeared to be in coverage on the play. After that, the Ravens just kept on running draw play after draw play after draw play for positive yardage.
   
QB Derek Anderson watches as the Ravens put the nail in the coffin in regards to the game and his starting quarterback role.

5. Screen Pass, Picked Off for TD: Another sign of the horrid game called by Chudzinski was the fact that he didn't call a screen pass until late in the fourth quarter. And, on top of things, it was Jason Wright in the game as opposed to Jerome Harrison. As much blame as I'd also put on Wright on the play, the fact is that Anderson still had the option to throw the ball away and hope for a fourth down play. Even a failed conversion on fourth down would've kept us in the game, but a pick six removed all hope. What a shame.
   
6. Winslow Back and Focused: For as much off-the-field trouble he had two weeks ago, Kellen Winslow will never have a problem catching the football. His catch to prevent a possible interception (which was called offensive pass interference) represents the type of effort every player on this team needs to give.
   
7. Flacco Was Okay: I usually don't review other teams' players, but I'll make an exception here. Joe Flacco played a solid game against the Browns. The reason he was more successful than Anderson was in the end? The offensive playcalling. Everything the Ravens ran offensively made sense to counter our defensive approach.
8. Steptoe Ineffective: When Syndric Steptoe fumbled, it ended a three-game span in which the Browns were turnover-free. Donte Stallworth has taken a lot of heat from Cleveland fans, but I think some fans have attacked him the wrong way. He is not a "pussy" or "weak" player because he isn't out there playing. Some people are injury prone, and it's a shame that they can't do anything about that. The correct way to go about it is to just be frustrated that the Browns invested so much into a guy who had a history of injuries.
   
9. Jamal Lewis: 19 carries, and a Browns loss. For some reason, I don't think we would've won if we had given him one extra carry in this game (referring to the commonly mentioned 20-carry theory). Again, that goes back to the frustration with Chudzinski.
10. Too Much Commitment: I love the safety blitz, but what is with bringing nine men against Flacco late in the game? He just pitched the ball quickly to Mason again, who only had to make one move for a walk-in touchdown. Why can't our linebackers be trusted to drop back into coverage after a fake blitz?
11. Brownies: In limited time, Seth McKinney filled in well for Eric Steinbach...Shaun Rogers, though not mentioned elsewhere in the review, was our defensive MVP again...the cornerbacks played way too far off the Ravens cornerbacks for the first half of the game.

The Derek Anderson era is over for now -- and I do say that as somewhat of a cliffhanger, because starting quarterbacks go down with injuries all the time. Quinn is the new leader of this team though, and I'm sure he's ready to inject some life back into the offense.

Box Score - 10.19.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	0	0	3	8	11
	0	0	7	7	14

After Sunday's loss to the Washington Redskins, clearly there is only one man to blame: Phil Dawson. Only kidding, of course, as it was clearly the underachieving offense that cost us yet another football game.

Just think about that -- the Browns, potential-wise, are supposed to have one of the best offenses in football.

We held one of the AFC's best teams, Pittsburgh, to just 10 points. Result? Loss.

We held one of the NFC's best teams, Washington, to just 14 points. Result? Loss.

This week, it wasn't the playcalling that was the problem. The adjustments that Rob Chudzinski has made over the past several weeks were still on display. However, if you can't even execute a screen pass to a receiver at the line of scrimmage, you can't move the chains to set up the remainder of your gameplan as a coordinator. The goats of the game this week are back again, and although a major case can be made for two of our players on offense getting the award, I'm going to substitute one of them for a defensive player.

Goats of the Game (The Reason We're Not .500)

"We're only tugging onto each other because we couldn't hear the play call from the sideline!"

1. Derek Anderson: For as many steps forward as he appeared to take against the New York Giants, he took a lot of those steps back against the Redskins. I wasn't too surprised due to all of his road woes last season, but I was certainly discouraged. I don't think he's lost the right to his job yet. Right now we're 2-4 and still far from the season being over.
   
2. Terry Cousin: I was flabbergasted when I read that Mike Adams would be inactive for the game. Although the defense played well, Cousin was Ralph Brown-esque. I believe I remember most of Jason Campbell's success coming on crossing routes over the middle. Each time, including Santana Moss' touchdown, Cousin was in on the coverage.

Awarding Game Balls (Fewer Than Last Week)

1. Eric Wright: He has really made amends for fumbling an interception against the Bengals several weeks ago. After intercepting an Eli Manning pass for a touchdown last week, he came up with a huge strip on Clinton Portis when it looked as if we were dead and buried. Credit Wright for hustling on the play when Portis was already a step ahead of him.
   
2. Jamal Lewis: He may still be averaging under 100 yards in most of these games, but he is fulfilling his duties by running for over four yards a pop. His effortless hurdle in full stride for a 22 yard gain was a sight to see. Not being able to punch it in down at the goal line with several cracks was discouraging, but that's where you also need the threat of a capable quarterback.

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

  "1/8 from the one-yard line is a high percentage in my book. So much, that I won't throw the red challenge flag."

1. IN for the TOUCHDOWN?: Forgive me if I have missed confirmation that shows otherwise, but a major factor in this game came with about a little over 8 minutes to play. Derek Anderson dumped a screen pass off to Jamal Lewis, and Lewis followed lead blocker Rex Hadnot down the field. Lewis was ruled down at the one-yard line...but why? On replay, it looks like Lewis merely stumbled while trying to use Hadnot as a shield, and tripped himself down at the one-yard line. Still untouched though, his momentum carried his body and the ball into the end zone, where a defender then touched him.
   
2. No Red Flag: Remember when we used to complain so much about Romeo Crennel wasting challenges? Well, apparently he's gone into a shell now, because through six games, I don't even recall him throwing it once. Had he thrown it in this instance and if the play had been ruled a touchdown, we would've had a lot of time left to come back and win. Granted, failing to get the ball in with four attempts is no excuse, but neither is missing this call.
3. Running Wild: The Redskins might just have the best running back in the league. Clinton Portis dazzled once again, rushing for 175 yards on 27 carries against the Browns. The high yardage count is still attributable to some of our defensive shortcomings, but overall he just deserves props on being one of the best, and perhaps most underrated, players in the game.
   

"Damn."

4. Still Missed It: I joked in the opening line that Dawson was to blame for this loss. In all fairness, he does deserve a share of the blame. He showed tremendous leg strength in the preseason, connecting on a couple of 50+ yarders. Last week's miss from beyond 50 yards didn't have as much relevance because we ended up winning big. But, in Dawson's first pressure kick opportunity of the season, he failed to come through. Remember, we won at least two more games last season because of late kicks by Dawson (Seattle and Baltimore).
5. Eight Punts: From no punts to eight punts. At least Dave Zastudil didn't show much rust, as he booted the ball well throughout the game.
   
6. Late Defensive Stop: One of the most surprising things this season came on the Redskins' final "true" drive of the game, when they had a chance to run out the clock. After running all over the Browns all game and only needing a first down, I thought our depleted defensive line would be toast by the second carry. To my surprise, the unit reached down deep and played their hearts out until the final whistle, fighting through fatigue and the misery of watching a crappy [Browns] offensive effort.
   
7. Kellen Winslow: The friction between Winslow and the team is not good for overall team morale. Staph infections remain a huge problem, and it's getting laughable to try to accept that all of the infections with Cleveland players specifically are merely a coincidence. Whether his suspension is lifted or not for next game though, right now, we are a better football team when Steve Heiden starts for several reasons -- blocking, chemistry with Anderson, and having more respect from the coaching staff.
8. By the Way: Did we draft Martin Rucker and Beau Bell just to sit them all season? Just wondering, because right now our starting tight end is at odds with the team and Andra Davis remains invisible.
9. Sean Jones & Ryan Tucker: With the positive news of Sean Jones returning, there was the negative news of Ryan Tucker being listed as inactive for the game, and possibly for the near future as well. Jones played "ok" and led the team with ten tackles, but he seemed to be a beat off. After having a game's worth of live action under his belt again, I expect the rust to have worn off by the Jacksonville contest.
   
10. Offensive Line: Anderson was hit a lot more against Washington than he was against the Giants, but that isn't an excuse. On many of his throws, including the failed one to Braylon Edwards right before our field goal attempt, he had plenty of time to make the appropriate throw. 
11. Harrison's Involvement: Several users complained about the team not using Jerome Harrison earlier in the game, but would that have really made a difference? Lewis was running the ball fine, and the real problem were things like Anderson overthrowing Donte Stallworth on a screen pass, or Edwards completing missing the hot slant route on a Redskins blitz. I think fans were automatically thinking "Harrison = Spark". In truth, the plays were called all had "Spark" written all over them, with a little asterisk * mentioning the failed execution. Bottom line: I felt Harrison was intended to be used correctly for the third game in a row -- it just didn't come off that way.
12. Cribbs' Hit: Cribbs showed a lot of toughness by returning to the game after taking a huge blow earlier in the contest. Credit goes to Gerard Lawson though, who had arguably our best kick return of the season in place of Cribbs -- a tough, bounce-off-defender return for 43 yards.
13. Slight Steps Forward for Wimbley: I saw a few things I liked from Kamerion Wimbley, particularly once when he almost had an interception dropping back in coverage. Wimbley needs to drop back more often to mix up the play calls and leave the opposing team's left tackle wondering whether or not he's actually going to come.
    
14. Brownies: While only having two catches for the second week in a row, I thought Donte Stallworth opened up the offense again...Steve Heiden was heavily underutilized in this game...although Edwards had several drops again, most of them would've netted minimal yardage...can the team clone Shaun Rogers?
    

Believe it or not, the Redskins game was losable. It kills me that we didn't seize the advantage and get back to .500, but we still showed that we can compete with a very good football team, even on the road, until the final seconds.

The bigger game comes this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Why were we left out of the postseason last year? Because we had a horrible conference record in comparison to Tennessee.

Right now, we're only one game back of a tie for the wildcard. One game! That is no reason to give up hope. The Jaguars will be competing for one of those wildcard spots though, so if we can take them out this weekend, that will be a huge step forward in getting our season back on track.

Box Score - 10.13.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	0	14	0	0	14
	3	14	3	15	35

On September 28th, 2008, the Browns picked up their first victory over the season. That came against arguably the worst team in football, the 0-6 Cincinnati Bengals.

On October 13th, 2008, after a long bye week, the Browns picked up their second victory of the season. This time, it came against the undefeated and defending  Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

I was extremely fortunate to have witnessed the game in person. Although the stadium was jam-packed, I can't help by chuckle at the fans who, before the game, stated that they would not be attending (in fear of seeing the Browns getting blown out). Who could've blamed them though? Since returning to the league in 1999, the Browns have rarely beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers, and we have never defeated "the team to beat" during the regular season. We finally accomplished that.

This week, I'm going to do things a little different in reviewing the game. Because there were so many positives, I'm giving out more game balls than usual, and I'm cutting out the goats of the game altogether. Any negatives will be addressed in my general comments section.

Awarding Game Balls (Everyone Could've Gotten One)

DB Eric Wright's interception for a touchdown sealed the game.

1. Derek Anderson: It took five games, but Anderson is finally getting his first game ball of the season here on Dawgs By Nature. Despite beating the Bengals, he had to be under a lot of pressure. He hasn't played a solid football game dating back to part of last season and was going up against the line that knocked him out with a concussion back in the preseason. Anderson still had a few shaky throws, but that's Anderson -- he's not a 70% completion passer. What counted is that he was about to hit his throws down the seams, check off to several reads, and get rid of the ball before the Giants could even touch him.
2. Steve Heiden: I am so happy the Browns didn't place him on the injured reserve in the preseason. With a surplus of tight ends (and Martin Rucker healthy at the time), it could've been an "easy" way out to keeping an extra guy like Darnell Dinkins (who we kept anyway). Heiden proved exactly why we don't even really need Rucker to catch the ball -- he can do so just as well, and he can block very well too. The help he gave in taking on defensive end Justin Tuck was incredible.
3. Eric Wright: What was the stress point all of training camp and the preseason? "Our secondary is so thin." Well, it still is. If we need to start Terry Cousin or Travis Daniels, we're probably in trouble. With the starters we have now, even minus one starting safety, we are making things happen. Wright baited Eli Manning into a quick throw late in the game, when the Giants were marching to try and cut the lead to six. Wright picked off Manning's throw, and then just barely got by him for a clear path 94-yard touchdown return. Ballgame. Being at the game, this was by far the loudest the crowd had gotten all night -- first when Manning was picked off, and then quickly taken over by Wright passing up Manning on his way back.

  WR Braylon Edwards can celebrate now: he finally looked like the Pro Bowl receiver he was last season.

4. Rob Chudzinski: Here's one for the coach (offensive coordinator). The personnel packages he inserted reminded me of last season, begging the question -- why wasn't he calling these things for the first several weeks? I'm talking about using guys like Joshua Cribbs under center, Jerome Harrison having plays designed for him, and Syndric Steptoe in the slot. (see continuation of this discussion, as I answer my own question in the general notes section below)
5. Ryan Tucker: First game back? Domination. Before the game, I still favored having Kevin Shaffer at right tackle and Ryan Tucker at guard. Now, I want Tucker to stay at right tackle the rest of the year. What do we do with Shaffer then? He can spell Tucker and help in goal line situations, where we can use three tackles (instead of always shifting Joe Thomas to the right).
6. Braylon Edwards: 5 catches, 154 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 two-point conversion. The first thing I thought? Fantasy points! Seriously, it was the breakout game Edwards needed to get him back in the right direction. I think it was more critical that he had this type of a performance in front of a home crowd too.

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

1. The Underrated Stallworth: I asked earlier why Rob Chudzinski's playbook suddenly expanded, and I truly believe that it all points to having Donte Stallworth in the lineup for the first time this season. Without him in there, everybody else was "out of place". Steptoe was starting, when he's a barely a slot receiver. Kellen Winslow was kept in the game more often to try and make up for Stallworth's absence, taking away the thought of having the "hidden" elements of Steve Heiden or Darnell Dinkins in the game. Stallworth only had two catches, but he was targeted a lot more, and from the stands, you could definitely tell that the defense was giving him respect on any given down. When the defense treats the No. 2 receiver seriously, everything else just...opens up.
   
2. Just Wait...: ...until we get Joe Jurevicius back now.
3. Running Tough: He didn't have over 100 yards rushing, but that's not what defines success for Jamal Lewis. Anyone who watched the game against the Giants saw that he was just as significant of a contributor as everyone else was. Even at first contact, he was fighting for that extra inch every single time. He also had a sick cutback move on his second-quarter touchdown.
   

  RB Jamal Lewis knows how to make defenders miss, as he runs through DB Kenny Phillips.

4. Take a Seat: Brandon Jacobs is a beast -- the power he showed when plowing into Mike Adams for a 7-yard touchdown was impressive. There is a very ironic statistic though: remember how Corey Williams discussed how to stop Jacobs? Jacobs ran for 67 yards against the Packers last postseason. He ran for 67 yards against the Browns' defense Monday.
5. No Punts: I was bummed that I didn't get to see Dave Zastudil punt the ball in-person. Who am I kidding -- that was a tremendous feat for the offense, showing how well we controlled the clock and executed our gameplan.
   
6. Dawson Misses: Dawson missed a field goal attempt just over 51 yards. In pregame, from that side of the stadium, Dawson was having some problems. If the kick had been on the other side though, he would've had a crack at a 60-yarder. You could probably infer that on television by the fact that his kickoffs were going way out of the end zone on that side too.
7. The Bad: Besides the atrocious announcing by the Monday Night Football guys (we have to hear them two more times this year, ugh), the penalties were again a problem for the Browns. Sure, we ended up somehow going 117 yards for a touchdown on a second-half drive, but that type of execution following mistakes is a rarity. When we made mistakes on our first drive of the game, we were held to a field goal. Rex Hadnot deserves some of the blame, as I heard his number called a few times.
8. Annoying Lady: I just have to get this one off my chest -- some lady in a bright red leather jacket kept was sitting in the middle of our row of seats (I was on the end). I'm not joking here -- she got up and went by us literally 15-18 times during the game, with several of the occurrences happening as the Browns were running a play. Most of the time, she was on her cellular phone. Why the hell would you keep coming back to the middle of a row if you're just going to get up and leave again two minutes later? Had to vent a little there.
9. Bad Eli: I was very surprised by the performance of Eli Manning. Sure, he's human, but his interceptions, while great plays by our secondary, involved questionable decisions that I just didn't expect to see from him. After the two deep throws, I thought..."Really? That's happening to another team and not us? Sweet!" The Giants, towards the end of the game, would've been better off sticking with the draw plays down by the goal line, instead of having Manning throw a pass that Wright could jump.
   

QB Derek Anderson has silenced critics for another week.


10. Heiden Open: I'm not sure if it was seen on television or not, but in the second half, Anderson threw a route towards the sideline to Darnell Dinkins, but the pass was incomplete as Dinkins went to the ground to try to get it. On the play though, fans groaned a little as Anderson missed seeing a wide open Heiden down the field on a post route. Heiden's man was fooled, and he probably would've walked in for a long touchdown.
11. Love the Double Reverse I loved the double reverse to Jerome Harrison. The defense completely soled out on the first handoff and never saw the second one coming. I'm fairly convinced that Harrison got the maximum possible yardage on the play, but on replay, I do wonder if there was a chance he could've taken it the distance if he had just continued running straight as opposed to trying to fake out an oncoming defender.
12. Why Review the Play?: I'm still unclear as to why the referees were reviewing the play before the end of the first half where Eli Manning fumbled. Because illegal contact was called on the Browns and the Giants accepted the penalty, what was under review? Does anybody know? I know everyone in the stands around me sounded confused too.
    
13. Brownies: Again, major props to Brodney Pool and Brandon McDonald. Amani Toomer was held without a catch, and the "feared" Domenik Hixon only caught one pass...Phil Dawson's first kickoff attempt was perfectly executed -- we almost got there in time to recover the kick ourselves... chalk up another sack for Alex Hall -- and that was hilarious seeing Manning in the middle of that huge takedown pile...dating back to last season, we're 2-0 in impressive fashion when wearing our "throwback uniforms" at home...we need some more production out of LB Andra Davis.
    

Against the Bengals, I closed the recap by saying the following:

"A win is a win. The next step is looking good in victory. You can't expect that to happen against the New York Giants, but you can certainly prepare for it to happen. With several players slated to return from injury, if this Browns football team is in sync in all aspects of the game, there is no reason we can't be in the game until the final whistle."

We didn't expect it to happen, but based on what everyone across the country saw, we certainly prepared for it. It paid off.

The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2008-2009 with high expectations. With a successful offense returning, a much-improved defensive line, and the fans more excited than ever about the team, anything short of a playoff berth will be a disappointment.

Now, let's take a look at this year's official season preview, brought to you exclusively by Dawgs By Nature.

Note: Due to page-width issues, click the link below to read the full preview. Also, please use the "Yahoo Buzz" feature in the top-right corner to help promote this piece!

Continue reading this post »

Readers: I refrained from using "Sanders gets shot", this time.

Vingt! Monday marked the twentieth day of training camp -- a session that was only open to the media. Thanks to some of Cleveland's great local media coverage -- including the OBR, the Plain Dealer, and the official site -- there is news to be told. The news starts with the man who was promoted to the first team in place of Braylon Edwards, at least for now...

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 20 (8/11/08)

1. Hailing from East High: That's right: Steve Sanders saw the majority of his playing time with the first team on Monday, ahead of the likes of Joshua Cribbs, Travis Wilson, and Syndric Steptoe. The local media is reporting that the team is very pleased with Sanders' development, and could actually be giving him a legitimate chance to make the team. He reportedly caught just about everything that came his way on Day 1. Granted, I envision Travis Wilson being ahead of Sanders on the depth chart come Week 1, but I'd also love to see Sanders receive the opportunity to start against the New York Giants this Monday.
East High graduate WR Steve Sanders is working with the first team in camp now. Is he simply a placeholder, or he is finally being given his chance to shine?
2. Speaking Of Wilson: I completely disagree with Maria Ridenour's suggestion that the team has seen enough of Travis Wilson (in a turned off way). I still believe that the team is very pleased with his progression as the team's slot receiver, and they don't want to disrupt that by suddenly throwing the No. 1 or No. 2 receiver playbook at him (after all, it took him three years to get the No. 3 down pat).
3. Injury Front is Positive: Guess who participated in team drills on Monday? Seth McKinney. Steve Heiden. Kellen Winslow. Lawrence Vickers. Heck, if Edwards hadn't gotten hurt, we'd have just about a full squad right now. Still, the lone duck having to sit out is Kevin Kasper, whose roster odds are slipping by the second.
4. Tucker & Peek: The news is positive with Ryan Tucker and Antwan Peek as well. Tucker's rehab has progressed smoothly, and he could return to camp around the fourth preseason game. Peek is still scheduled to be ready for the season opener against Dallas.
5. Baxter Could Return: Via Tony Grossi and Sirius Radio, Gary Baxter asked for his release so that the team didn't have to place him on the injured reserve. Now, he can rehab by himself, and if he's ready around Week 2 or later, he can either give it another go with the Browns, or another team. He made it clear that he is not retiring.
6. Winslow Throws TD: The play of the day was the first one in the 11-on-11 session, according to the OBR. Derek Anderson stepped back and threw a lateral pass to Kellen Winslow, who then turned and threw a perfect spiral to a wide open Jamal Lewis for a touchdown.
7. Second Quarter: As expected, head coach Romeo Crennel confirmed that the starters will play into the second quarter against the Giants on Monday Night. Remember: the Browns play the Giants during the regular season, so we might be overly cautious with the plays we call (as teams often are anyway in the preseason).
8. Adams > Cousin: Grossi also reports that DB Mike Adams continues to appear to have the edge on DB Terry Cousin for the nickel back job since he is lining up in the position ahead of him.
9. Slot for Steptoe: Along with Wilson, Syndric Steptoe saw action in the slot with the starting team and performed well. Right now, it looks like Edwards, Stallworth, and Wilson are locks. Assuming Joe Jurevicius is out several weeks and Kevin Kasper doesn't make the team due to being out, then the fourth and fifth receiver jobs could definitely go to Sanders and Steptoe..."how about that..."
10. Pool's Athleticism: Andre Knott of WTAM is impressed with the athleticism of safety Brodney Pool, as demonstrated in a highlight play today in which he flew across the field to wrestle a pass away from TE Darnell Dinkins.

Here is your link collection for the information above:

Sanders relishes chance to play with first team (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Edwards' foot injury doesn't worry Crennel (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Training camp log: Day 20 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Berea report: McDonald's loving it (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Camp news and notes (Official Site, King)

Day 20 of camp practice (WTAM, Knott)

The Browns have their final two-a-day scheduled for Tuesday -- everything after that will either be individual sessions or sessions that are closed off to the public. Your chances of heading to Berea are dwindling down, so head out there before it's too late if you've wanted to go!

NEW YORK JETS (1-0)		GAME #1		CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-1)
		VS.
24				20

After the craziness of a one-hour lightning / heavy thunderstorm delay in the first quarter, the Browns lost their first preseason game to the New York Jets by a final score of 24-20 Thursday night. I always like to look at what happened when the starters were in the game though, and from that perspective, the Browns won with a 7-0 advantage.

It didn't take long on Friday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a hated rival that we'll be playing in a little over a month, to make a statement of their own. It took the Steelers eight plays to travel 80 yards down the field for a touchdown, as QB Ben Roethlisberger connected with Ohio State product Santonio Holmes. I think Roethlisberger still has his flaws as a top-level quarterback in the league, but he can make defensive backs pay on the deep ball by buying just a little bit of time.

Why did I bring up the Steelers in this review of the Browns / Jets contest? Because I'm stressing that if anything happens to our starting cornerbacks, it won't matter how improved our defensive line is: we're going to be ripped apart. Here are my bullet points from the first preseason game...

PRESEASON GAME 1 - JETS vs. BROWNS (GENERAL THOUGHTS)

1. Defensive Lackfield: Here is the line for second-year wide receiver David Clowney against the likes of A.J. Davis, Mil'von James, Steve Cargile, and Nick Sorenson: 4 catches for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns. On both of Clowney's touchdowns, all it took was a simple playaction fake for him to be as open as you can get on a deep pattern.
Jets WR David Clowney kept getting past the Browns' safeties on playaction fakes. Credit: Associated Press


2. To be Fair: On both of Clowney's touchdowns, it seemed like it was the safeties that dropped the ball by not staying home on the playaction fake. Sorenson isn't going to make this team as safety depth, so he'll have to rely on his special teams abilities again. As far as Cargile goes, he'll probably be an early roster casualty.
3. Back to the Beginning: I liked what I saw on our first defensive series. The run defense was getting an excellent push against the Jets' much-improved offensive line. Shaun Rogers was just fun to watch, and I can't wait to see the unit at full strength when Corey Williams receives his regular reps. We saw how much Kamerion Wimbley will be a beneficiary from the defensive line this year when he chase down Thomas Jones across the field after the line had clogged things up.
4. Wright and McDonald: I think the biggest difference between Wright and McDonald and the undrafted free agents is clear: Wright and McDonald understand our bend-but-don't break philosophy. Everything was kept in front of them, and although it allowed the Jets to pick up a good amount of yardage, when they needed to come up with a big play, McDonald made an outstanding man-to-man tackle to stop a receiver just shy of a first down.
5. Fullback Handoff? C'mon: What's why all of the complaining about the Browns not stopping the Jets' first-drive handoff to FB Tony Richardson? You can't expect the defensive line to crush everything; sometimes you give the opposing teams their props for executing.
6. Working in Stallworth: I was correct in my training camp battles preview that Derek Anderson would focus exclusively on throwing the ball to Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth on the first drive. I definitely liked what I saw early on from Stallworth, but the plays designed for him aren't the ones I was envisioning -- ones with a defender right on top of him.
7. Getting Cleveland Excited: If you weren't excited about this team's potential heading into the game, or were keeping a reserved attitude, then I don't see how you could've kept calm after seeing Braylon Edwards one-hand a two-yard touchdown pass from Anderson. The throw, the catch, the celebration, the fans...all of that combined resembles what Cleveland fans hope this season is all about.
8. Wilson Locking Up: I think Travis Wilson has pretty much taken the key for the third receiver role and thrown it away to a place where no one else can get to it. He looked very smooth on the three passes he caught, most of which were in tight coverage.
9. Mixed on Rucker: I was a little surprised at how well-received Martin Rucker's performance came off on message boards and such, because I thought he showed that he still needs to be a little more polished. Yes, I'm excited about the plays he made. However, I'm not excited about him letting a ball go through his hands in the end zone -- a play that most times would end up in an interception. He also dropped a fairly open pass earlier in the game with Ken Dorsey in at quarterback. Not a bad game overall for Rucker -- who had 5 catches for 70 yards -- but I think we need to watch his progression over the next three weeks before deciding on whether or not he can be a reliable gameday contributor by Week 1.
10. Negative on Hubbard: Mixed on Rucker, but negative on rookie receiver Paul Hubbard. I did mark out on his awesome-looking 44-yard reception in the fourth quarter, but I was very frustrated by his inability to haul in two would-be touchdowns on the last drive. He doesn't seem to know how to use his size to his advantage at all yet, though maybe I'm just too spoiled with what Edwards can do.
11. Screens From Hell: Another year, a lot of practice, and yet the same failure rate when it comes to screen plays still exist. On the first series, I'm not in favor of running a screen play to Jamal Lewis often. When Ken Dorsey was in the game, the offensive line didn't hold their own too well, but Dorsey didn't help matters by telegraphing the throws from a mile away.
QB Derek Anderson and WR Braylon Edwards celebrate after their two-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Credit: Associated Press

12. Bernie Rules: All hail Bernie Kosar again for his beautiful work in the announcer's booth Thursday night. His constant bashing of the Jets' plays, intelligence on plays that were/should be run, and all-around wit made the game worth watching until the final seconds. One thing though: his man-crush on Ken Dorsey remains, even though the guy went 0-for-12 in his last 12 attempts and was sacked numerous times in between.
13. Wright / Harrison: Another thing I was surprised with was people on other message boards saying they thought Jason Wright did better than Jerome Harrison did. I don't think either players did anything worthy of mentioning, but I'm still a fan of Harrison's ability to run to the outside. Travis Thomas didn't look very impressive to me though -- not enough burst on his touches, and he really blew a blocking assignment once that resulted in a sack I believe.
14. Ali a Keeper: With how much the Browns utilized Charles Ali in the first preseason game without putting another player (like Kolo Kapuni) back there, I think his roster odds just improved dramatically. We're not going to allow an in-season injury to Lawrence Vickers to deter a gameplan: having Ali available is a must.
15. Cousin Check: Early on in the game, Terry Cousin did a nice job breaking up a third-down pass to force a punt. If that's what he can do consistently for us, then I'll be a happy camper.
16. Leonard Making Bid: After having a relatively quiet camp thus far, Louis Leonard was in on a team-leading four tackles. Four defensive linemen already have roster spots locked up, and Leonard may have the early lead on being the fifth.
17. Quinn's Day: Overall, I thought it was an average day for Brady Quinn. He still shows a lot of timidness when it comes to throwing deep; I'd love for a reporter to get his reasoning for that. Some people are blaming Syndric Steptoe for his interception, but I place the bulk of the blame on Quinn. Rocketing a short pass right where it's crowded and ahead of the receiver is not ideal.
18. Dorsey was Dorsey: I wasn't surprised with what I saw from Ken Dorsey's play: he's not mobile and therefore gets brought down often with third stringers in front of him. However, I loved the fact that he was really trying to win the game. Sure, a lot of that had to do with the plays that Rob Chudzinski was calling in, but Dorsey did seem to have a reserved fire in his eyes as he led the team to two decent drives, one of which ended in an interception and the other being the incompletion that ended the game.
19. Favre on the Sidelines: I think this will be a much better Jets team with Brett Favre as their news starting quarterback. I initially stated that it would've been nice for our defensive backs to face Favre in the first preseason game, but I take that back now. I liked that the starters weren't forced with the burden of being almost in awe of the whole Favre situation.
20. Bad Containment: What happens on a punt return when the coverage gets down their in time, only to stop, believing that the runner will have no where to go? Well, the returner just runs right by all of those stationary players. I'm sure Ted Dashier has something to work on during the week now.

Now, bring on the New York Giants. The Browns don't play for awhile again -- until next Monday to be specific. Against the defending Super Bowl champions, it'll be a better test to see our starters get a quarter and a half to a full half of action.

In the coming days, I'm going to compile my first "projected 53-man roster" list, based partially on what I saw in the first preseason game. Of course, that list will go under weekly revisions if necessary, as I've done in the past.

For what seems like the first time since the Cleveland Browns returned to the NFL in 1999, the quarterback position is not up for grabs (or in question) heading into the team's Week 1 preseason game. Heck, not a single one of the starting offensive positions are up for grabs.

This week's position battles detail the guys that are competing to be the first guy to spell a starter -- or the guy who represents depth even though he'll be inactive regularly on gameday.

(Pokorny's Projected Winner in Red)

1. Travis Wilson vs. Joshua Cribbs - No. 3 Receiver

At least for this week, Cribbs is involved in the competition for the third receiver. With Kevin Kasper (hamstring) scheduled to be sidelined, it's really Travis Wilson's chance to shine. The first-string offense will see one quarter, the second-string offense will see two quarters, and the third-string offense will receive the final quarter (if you're counting, that adds up to a dollar, or one complete football game).

Ideally, you have to imagine that while Wilson is trying to lock down the job, Derek Anderson would rather test his chemistry with Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth against a non-Browns secondary. I expect those two guys to be the only targets for Anderson (excluding tight ends) for at least the first series. If the starters receive a second series and end up down near the red zone, I'd like to see how Wilson matches up one-on-one on the right side of the field, just like he did at family fun night when catching a touchdown.

On the same note, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Cribbs, who is listed ahead of Wilson on the "official" (though arguably meaningless) depth chart released in advance to the game.

2. James Lee vs. Isaac Sowells - Backup Left Tackle

For the record, Cliff Louis could be included here as well, but I'll keep things simpler. Sowells is the underachieving fourth-round draft choice who has consistently looked bad in training camp and bad at the family fun night. On the other side, you have James Lee -- a guy that absolutely nobody in the media paid attention to until the Sirius NFL Radio crew kept bringing his name up during their training camp tour.

Since then, Lee has been at the forefront of discussion amongst many fans as a consideration for backup left tackle. Now, I'm dying to see what he really has to offer. When it boils down to the competition, I'm still projecting Sowells to win the roster spot. Why?

Sowells: Still considered a project and former investment (fourth rounder), I do not believe he is practice squad eligible anymore. He's also had several years, reliable or not, to get familiar with the Browns system at both guard and tackle.

Lee: He was a left guard for two years at South Carolina State before becoming a right tackle in his senior season. He has shown enough athleticism to stick around, but he has the option of going on the practice squad.

We're thin at tackle behind Joe Thomas and Kevin Shaffer, so if one of them goes down, you need two people ready, not just one. We thought Nat Dorsey had no shot to make the club last season, but he did -- and the same should hold true for Sowells this year. And, when Ryan Tucker comes back, our options will expand and we can consider other alternatives.

It'll be an intense three-