by Tony Dejak - AP

3 days ago: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs is carried on a backboard after suffering an injury on the final play of the Browns' 16-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-4)		WEEK 10		CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-8)
		VS.
16				0

When I went to the Giants vs. Browns game Monday Night, the excitement running through my veins throughout the game was a euphoric feeling.

When I went to the Ravens vs. Browns game on Monday, there was a completely different feeling: emptiness. Since we're out of contention, I'm beyond the point where I feel "crushed" after a loss. I was very pleased with the performance of the defense, but the continued inept performance by the offense just left me blank.

Let's get to another sad review of the game...

WEEK 10 - BALTIMORE RAVENS VS. CLEVELAND BROWNS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

GOAT OF THE GAME:

• Brian Daboll: Seriously? That was the game plan you came up with in two weeks of preparation? The Ravens' defense, particularly due to their secondary, hasn't been great this season, and we didn't try testing them until there was less than 20 seconds on the clock. Instead, every play we ran played right into the strengths of the Ravens' defense.
  

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

• Rob Ryan: To the opposite side of the spectrum, the game ball goes to Ryan. The Ravens had a decent drive early on when they missed a field goal, but after that, the Browns' defense really only gave up one touchdown. Part of that had to do with the Ravens not looking very impressive on offense either, but the Browns brought enough pressure throughout the game to rattle Joe Flacco, and Ray Rice didn't have a breakout game against us for once.

GENERAL THOUGHTS

"Take it! I don't know what the hell to do with it!"

1. Short Throws All Day: It became annoying that the fans behind me kept bringing this up, but they were right. The only pass plays we were looking for all day were ones that were right at the line of scrimmage. On our first drive or two, I was excited about this -- the Ravens were playing a little off, and the throws played to Quinn's strengths.
   
   Then, as we started to run the same plays throughout the rest of the game, the Ravens kept creeping closer and closer to the line of scrimmage. No adjustments. Not a single one.
   
   
2. Furrey Stumbling: I know that Mike Furrey isn't supposed to be a "catch and run" receiver, but there were two or three plays where he actually had some space to work with and he just stumbled to the ground. On a day where we couldn't do anything right, it became more frustrating to see us slip even when the Ravens finally were out of position.
   
   
3. Running the Wildcat: I don't know how this came across on television, but every time we ran the Wildcat formation, the safeties were almost right on top of the line of scrimmage -- even closer than when Quinn would throw the ball. I guess it's asking too much in that situation to have Cribbs stand in the pocket and deliver a deep throw to someone like Mohamed Massaquoi, who would've had one-on-one coverage.
   
4. Inside Linebackers: With both of our starting inside linebackers done for the year, Kaluka Maiava and David Bowens looked pretty good together. Bowens provided the pass rush, and Maiava made two tackles that stopped a receiver shy of a Ravens first down, which is something I didn't expect from the rookie.
   
   
5. Production Means Nothing: So, I guess we're back to having a head coach who puts too much into the fact that Jerome Harrison isn't a great blocker. The 100+ yard performance he had against the Bengals this season, arguably our best offensive game of the season, doesn't factor into the mix. Not that I'm against Chris Jennings -- yet -- but I'm getting pissed that Harrison is getting the shaft yet again.
   
6. Ray Rice's Pass: The Ravens picked the right time to do a passing play with RB Ray Rice. As soon as he was handed the ball, I knew a pass was coming because the whole offensive line rolled out but made sure they weren't beyond the line of scrimmage. The receiver was wide open, but Rice took an extra second before releasing the ball, allowing our defensive backs to catch up and break up the play.
   
7. What Did the Shifts Accomplish? There were so many times during the game that our team would line up in one formation, and they we'd suddenly have three guys quickly shift to different positions. I guess that's what our offense worked on during the bye week, because it's the only thing we did effectively, albeit with no results, all game.
   
8. Snap the Ball? After our shifts were occurring, the Ravens shifted their whole defense as well. There were times where we could've quickly snapped the ball to catch someone out of position, but that never happened.
   
9. No Huddle Presence: Another thing the Browns -- or both teams rather -- implemented was the "no huddle approach." I don't mind the approach necessarily, but if you're play calling is atrocious and you still take awhile to snap the ball, it's not really accomplishing anything unique. Sure, maybe the Ravens can't substitute, but it's not like they were chasing us down on 20 yard gains every play.
   
10. Reverse to Massaquoi: I haven't checked how it came off on television, but one of the few play calls I liked was the reverse to Massaquoi, because it tried to catch the defense off guard when usually it's just Cribbs who runs the ball. The Ravens read it perfectly though and were right up at the line to stop Massaquoi. Of course, that leads more to the point about Cribbs throwing the ball...
    
11. The New Punter: Our new punter didn't shank any punts, which was a good thing. He doesn't have a great leg though, so if when we're backed up throughout the rest of the season, I'm expecting the scores to become even more ridiculous in favor of the opposition.
    
12. Very Good Kick Coverage: I was impressed with how the Ravens handled their special teams duties of stopping Joshua Cribbs. They had their players quickly down the field, and usually pinned Cribbs in a situation where he had no where to go. On Cribbs' only good return of the day, Brady Quinn blew it with a pick.
    
13. Quinn's Performance: The performance by Brady Quinn was very disappointing, but again I bring the problems back to the horrific playcalling. Why is it that when Derek Anderson plays, he gets to chuck it into the defense? Quinn should have the same "privileges." If he throws an interception, then fine -- at least we'll see evidence that he's not capable of it.
    
14. Leveling Cribbs: Besides the hook-and-ladder play making no sense when we were down by two 8-point possessions, Joshua Cribbs was on the receiving end of a cheap shot. I didn't get a good look at the play live, because after I saw him lateral the ball with nobody but Robert Royal in the area, I had just stood up to make sure I had my gloves and hat with be before I left. Thankfully Cribbs appears to be okay, and the coaches are indicating he might play this Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
    
15. Brownies: Where was Brian Robiskie again? The fans behind me kept saying "WE SHOULD GET THE BALL" after the Ravens' penalty on special teams, but they failed to realize that the five-yard penalty would not have netted a first-down for us. Last year, half the crowd stood the whole game due to all of the exciting plays. This year, the crowd was still standing, but it was because we would attempt a deeper throw, even if it looked god-awful.
    

Up next, the Browns will face the lowly Detroit Lions. I have no faith in the Browns offense, but the defense could very well deliver a performance similar to the Buffalo game for a win. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford has been prone to mistakes, and if our defense creates turnovers, a 6-3 type of game might be enough to win again.

More photos » by Jeff Wheeler - AP

Let's hit Stafford like this!!! (AP Photo/Star Tribune, Jeff Wheeler)

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Ugh.  According to Advanced NFL Stats, the Browns are 32nd in total team efficiency and the Lions are 31st (Football Outsiders actually has the Lions 32nd, Raiders 31st, and the Browns 30th).  This will be a game played by two of the most terrible teams in the NFL.  Is this year's version of the Browns the worst in team history?  That sounds like a post I might write during the offseason.  For now, we get to preview an awful football game. 

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More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

Sadly DA, your fate may be worse than 2nd string. It may be the UFL. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta )

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The United Football League. Officially starting in 2009, the UFL took over the "unofficial" minor league football spot from the bankrupt Arena Football League. It's basically a four team league filled with NFL misfits who just couldn't play up to par in the NFL. Familiar names you might recognize in the UFL are DB Tra Battle and OL Brandon Braxton.

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More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Cleveland Browns Punter Dave Zastudil will miss the rest of the season. He may have been the MVP of the Buffalo win. And the injury might have cost Dave a trip to the Pro Bowl. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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The Plain Dealer is reporting that TE Steve Heiden and P Dave Zastudil have been placed on the IR.

Heiden hurt his ankle in Monday Night's game against the Ravens.  Zastudil has been battling an injury for several weeks and had to sit out Monday Night's game. Reggie Hodges assumed the punting duties and probably will keep the very demanding position for the rest of the season. 

Heiden had 10 catches for 73 yards and a rare Browns' TD.  Pride of Ohio University, Zastudil already had 25 punts downed inside the 20 (out of just 49 punts!) and was averaging 44.7 yards per punt.

Replacing them on the roster are two players claimed off waivers:

- Pittsburgh LB Arnold Harrison. Has 7 tackles this year for the Steelers and 30 tackles in his 3 seasons, all with the Browns' Rival.  He was undrafted out of Georgia.

- Green Bay WR Jake Allen.  I can't find much about him, except it appears he was on the Packers practice squad all of 2008 and 2009 until being signed and active for 1 or 2 games.  He had no catches or stats in those games.  He was undrafted out of Division III Mississipi College (where he was a D-III All American).  He is 6'4" 198 lbs.

...what the Browns' average position is.

Key: Ranked Position - Linked Website

Quote from above website

32 - ESPN.com

It's hard to imagine Eric Mangini ever fixing this mess.

32 - Fanhouse.com

Here's some good news about the Browns: Their defense wasn't half-bad against the Ravens on Monday night. Shaun Rogers looked particularly spry and he's the kind of player that can make offenses miserable. Unfortunately, we've yet to find a defensive player who doesn't make the Browns offense miserable.

32 - FOXsports.com

The offense has scored four touchdowns, all season. Wow. They've been held under 10 points in six of nine games. Double wow. They've also been restricted to under 200 total yards six times.

32 - CBSsports.com

That offense is as bad as I've seen. I mean ever. They can't even attempt passes down the field. What an eyesore.

32 - Yahoo!sports.com

Chance to see just how bad they are against the one-win Lions.

I'll update as the week goes on. Some other football sites haven't posted their Week 11 rankings yet.

*ADDED SITES*

32 - BleacherReport.com

QB Brady Quinn got the start on Monday Night Football against the Ravens and to say he played miserable would be an understatement.  Quinn was 13-31 for 99 yards and two interceptions, one which was returned for six and was sacked four times.  There are some bad teams in the NFL but it’s a pretty safe bet the Browns are the worst.  They have no running game and absolutely no talent or depth at wide receiver.  They most likely will have the first pick in next year’s draft.

32 - OBR.com

The quarterback switch came a few weeks too late for this team to have any chance to be competitive. Needs Still to be Filled: WR (depth-speed), LT (depth), RT (depth), ILB (veteran depth), OLB (pass rusher), CB (veteran depth).

32 - SBNation.com

Josh Cribbs's agent was none too pleased with his player being knocked out on a meaningless play with three seconds left in last week's 16-0 beatdown at the hand of the Ravens. To be fair, hasn't every Browns play been pointless this season?

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Oh Crap! (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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Browns lose.  16-0.  Defense played very good.  Not sure what the offense did with the extra week.

Discuss.

Cleveland Browns punter Dave Zastudil was listed as questionable on the team's injury report with a knee injury. According to reports today, the team signed veteran punter Reggie Hodges.

Hodges entered the league back in 2005 as a 6th round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams. He only lasted a year with them, as he had a below average 38.0 yards-per-punt average on 22 attempts, with only one punt being downed inside the 20.

Hodges didn't see action again until 2008 when he played 12 games with the Jets. In 2009, he played four games with the Titans. His career average of 40.1 yards per punt isn't ideal for a Browns team that needs to pin teams back often to compensate for our lack of offense. Zastudil was averaging 44.7 yards-per-punt with the Browns this season.

This isn't a guarantee that Zastudil will miss Monday's game, considering the team still had a roster spot open. Two weeks ago, Phil Dawson played but Billy Cundiff was still on the team's 53-man roster at the time.

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Brady Quinn took some shots earlier this season, but he needs to trust his protection moving forward.

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Besides the two-game stretch against the Bills and the Bengals earlier this season, the Browns have been destroyed in pretty much every game. The blame can be laid on many different players or coaches (receivers dropping balls, cornerbacks getting burned, no pressure on the quarterback, poor use of the Wildcat).

Despite the problems listed above, the Browns have shown the ability to be effective on the defensive side of the ball. There are instances in which the Browns are torched (against Aaron Rodgers), but then there are instances in which Rex Ryan fires back with gems (against Trent Edwards and Jay Cutler). We've lost both of our starting middle linebackers for the season, but veterans David Bowens and Jason Trusnik appear capable of picking up the slack while Kaluka Maiva and David Veikune hopefully start to develop more over the second half of the season.

The Wildcat hasn't been used enough, but we have the right player to run it (Joshua Cribbs - 19 carries, 131 yards). RB Jamal Lewis has a 3.6 yards-per-carry average this season, and he's made it clear over the past two weeks that he's frustrated. Considering how poorly our quarterbacks have played, Lewis has made the most of his opportunities. He clearly doesn't hit the hole very fast anymore and seldom breaks tackles as he used to, and maybe that is because he's tired throughout the Browns' "physically-demanding practice week." That's where Jerome Harrison should be the team's starting back, with Lewis seeing plenty of action as well (8-10 carries per game).

At the receiver position, there are no excuses for dropped passes that are in your breadbasket. When you're wide open for a touchdown and drop it (Robert Royal), or when you're coming free across the middle and you let it bounce right out of your hands (Chansi Stuckey), that's the receivers' fault. For the most part though, more of the blame falls on the inefficient play of our quarterbacks. Quinn generally went with a "safe" approach in his first few games and would fold unbelievably quick any time any form of pressure surrounded him. For the rocket arm that Anderson had, he couldn't even use it to his advantage. Any time he went deep the pass was over- or under-thrown. Any laser over the middle was read easily by the defense for a break-up or an interception. And forget the short passes -- let's wind up and throw a rocket short to a receiver, also leaving them exposed to the defender who is keying in on him.

Besides Derek Anderson's one "miracle" game (which wasn't all that great to begin with) against the Bengals, the Browns have failed to see efficiency at the quarterback position this season. If Brady Quinn can play efficient the second half of this season, then maybe, just maybe, the rest of the pieces to the puzzle won't appear so "weak." The quarterback could be the first domino that causes everything else to come crashing down.

Here are three keys that the Browns need Quinn (and Brian Daboll) to follow to have efficiency at the quarterback position against the Ravens this Monday and the rest of the season:

1. Trust the Protection: In Quinn's 2.5 games, he was sacked 10 times. Granted, he faced tough defenses (Minnesota, Denver, Baltimore), but his issues weren't a result of the pressure getting to him to early. If Quinn saw any form of pressure, he seemed to panic and fall to the ground or get rid of the ball too quickly (to the inappropriate receiver).
   
   This remained Anderson's only bright spot -- he trusted the protection. Of course, he ended up trusting it so much that he felt he could roll out in Shotgun to Joe Thomas' side for some reason without telling anyone, but that's beside the point.
   
   John St. Clair seemed to struggle a lot more with Quinn under center, whether it be false starts or letting a free man get to the quarterback. Most of those problems came when we were already so behind that the defense knew we had to throw the football. Since Quinn's departure, St. Clair's play has improved dramatically. Hopefully that has more to do with getting comfortable than it does with the person under center.
   
   If Quinn trusts his protection, he will be protected. This is not a Tim Couch offensive line; this is a line that could probably give a few of the contending teams' lines a run for their money.
   
   
2. First Down Passing: A big reason for the Browns' struggles is that the formula on offense is usually the same. Run it with Jamal Lewis on first down. Incomplete pass on second down. Incomplete pass on third down.
   
   Quinn's game supposedly takes advantage of what the defense gives him on short routes. Set up the a single back formation on first down with Lewis in the backfield and pass it on first down for 6-7 yards every so often. The first-down runs haven't been amounting to much, so even if we do have an incompletion on first down, I'd feel more comfortable feeling that we took the chance to set up a second-and-short run play for Lewis to run effectively. Later on in a game, those types of plays can take advantage of the playaction pass, and with Quinn's mobility, he can find the open receiver that rolls with him. It might seem too hopeful, but mixing the play calling up can go a long way no matter who the receivers are, as long as the protection is decent.
   
   
3. The Screen Play: Again, this plays into Quinn's short passing attack. The Browns screened teams to death in the preseason with success. In the regular season, the screen plays have been far and few between. It doesn't matter who we run the plays with -- Lewis, Harrison, or even Lawrence Vickers -- the screen pass should be an integral part of the gameplan week in and week out. For all of the times we have Robert Royal and Joshua Cribbs in the game, the Browns should be taking advantage of their blocking abilities.

Sound simple? It is. With the pathetic excuse of a playbook that Brian Daboll seems to have had all season though, "simple" is what the Browns need to try to manage a score or two and then play defense en route to hoping for a close game in the fourth quarter. Maybe quarterbacks coach Carl Smith will help implement some of the basics, or maybe we'll see the same product we've seen all season. With the serious heat that the coaching staff was under heading into the bye week though, it would take some serious guts to go out there and willingly have the same exact method of playcalling that led to the team's 1-7 start. Something should change this Monday against the Ravens, for the better.

I tried to stay simple in my "three keys" for more efficiency at the quarterback position. Do you agree with my assessment? Do you have different "keys" to the Quinn's success (deep ball, Wildcat, running game, etc)? If so, sound off in the comments section!

More photos » by DAVE WEAVER - AP

Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh tells the media that he will squash NFL Quarterbacks just like he has squashed the tiny Quarterbacks of the Big 12. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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I love college football.  I don't need any excuse to watch the Central Michigan Chippewas vs. the Toledo Rockets on a random weekday night.  One fun part of catching college games is projecting the most talented individuals' career path.  Are they NFL caliber? Where will the fall in the draft?  Do I want them on the Browns? 

Now, I have refused to join these conversations on DBN and elsewhere for the first half of the NFL season.  Partially, because I wanted to focus on this years' Browns, this years' Buckeyes, etc.  Mostly, the 2010 draft was too far away.  Too much could happen.  The no-doubt #1 pick, a QB, could have a severe shoulder injury.  Some big DT could go from a late day one pick to a clear top-3 player based, in part, on one of the most dominating games every by a player at his position.  The Browns could win a couple games and change their draft position from top 3 to top 12. There was too much speculation, not enough information, and I just wasn't mentally prepared to discuss the draft. 

Well, now the Browns are clearly a bad team.  They are 1-7, the bottom of just about every power ranking, and even with a very soft second half schedule, it is impossible to see them winning enough games to fall out of the top 10 in the draft.  So, now that it is the second half of a bad Browns season and the stretch run of the NCAA season, draft talk seems inevitable. 

So here are a few college games I plan on watching this weekend and the players that I will be keeping an eye on.  I look forward to hearing your suggestions on other players or games to keep an eye on:

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AP

There is probably still good reason to fear Ravens LB Ray Lewis off the field, but on the field the Browns should be more concerned with Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27). Hopefully, we can get him to fall down often, like this. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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Another new regular feature here at Dawgs by Nature will take a look at some of Football Outsiders' useful "innovative stats" and see how we match-up against our opponent of the week.

This week's opponent?  The evil purple team from Maryland: The Baltimore Ravens.  It is still widely assumed that the Ravens defense is dominant and scary, largely because Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are still cheating and killing people making most of the tackles and interceptions in Baltimore.  And that the offense is led by aging WRs, a "hard-nose running game" (as opposed to the unpopular "soft-nose" running game), and an inexperienced QB.  But do the facts and numbers match up with what we think we know, or what some ESPN guy told us?  Let's find out.

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