From 2007 to 2009, Derek Anderson's performance has clearly declined. He's always had the same weaknesses, but they've become more prominent this season -- to the point that he should be deemed as one of the worst starting quarterbacks of all time.

DEREK ANDERSON (FIRST 5 STARTS) - FROM 2007 to 2009

All of the categories have either gone up or down, but all of them have the same theme: a dropoff in production. Completion percentage has declined to an unimaginable 40%. The yards per attempt category, something you'd expect to be higher for a gunslinger like Anderson, is nearly half of what it was in 2007.

The number of interceptions has remained constant, but the touchdown differential has taken a major swing downhill.  Anderson's also fumbling the ball more often.

Can you believe there were hopes that we could trade Derek Anderson for a first-round draft pick after the 2007 season? If there was ever a time to sell, that was the time. With the eggs that Anderson has laid the past two years, I think teams would laugh if it were suggested they even give up a seventh-round draft pick.

More importantly, when looking at the past two years, this is the type of production that has kept Brady Quinn on the bench? Thanks again, Romeo Crennel.

Memo to Eric Mangini: although Quinn struggled to start this season, Anderson isn't going to get any better. At least give Quinn half a season to prove himself before such a drastic decision -- drafting a quarterback in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft -- is made.

The NFL has teamed up with Van Heusen and JC Penney for the first "Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Vote." Although the voting process will not have any effect on the actual Hall of Fame voting this year, it shows some added interest from the league to see what fans think.

Currently, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Cris Carter, Shannon Sharpe, and Otho Davis are at the top of the list. How far do you have to search for some candidates from the Cleveland Browns?

Continue reading this post »

What a wild morning it has been. After learning that general manager George Kokinis was fired yesterday, there were reports this morning that Ernie Accorsi would be the team's general manager and Bernie Kosar would be groomed for the future general manager position.

However, the Plain Dealer and WTAM are reporting that Accorsi has personally denied the reports that he will be the general manager:

Accorsi, who last served as general manager of the New York Giants, said he is "happily retired" and has not been in contact with Browns owner Randy Lerner regarding a consultant position.

We'll follow this story as it progresses.

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Cleveland Browns general manager George Kokinis is OUT.

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I don't think anybody saw this one coming.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Pro Football Talk, and other various sources, the Cleveland Browns have shown general manager George Kokinis the door after having the position for around nine months. Kokinis was reportedly escorted by security from the team's practice facility in Berea. The firing comes during the team's bye week, and more changes could be on the horizon. According to team owner Randy Lerner yesterday, firing head coach Eric Mangini will not be included in those changes.

The Plain Dealer had the following tidbit:

One league source said "Kokinis is a great guy who does not deserve this. He is taking the fall for the team's problems and it's not right.''

With Kokinis gone though, does this indicate that Mangini's chances of lasting past this season are somewhat slim? If you recall, Kokinis was hand-picked by Mangini to be the Browns' general manager. Mangini and Kokinis came as a package deal of sorts, and if one goes, the other might not be too far behind.

When Romeo Crennel was fired at the end of last season, many coaching candidates were available for the Browns. Not many people thought Mangini would be our head coach, and it was his "name" that first introduced the possibility of Kokinis as general manager. Here is a post from Dawgs By Nature back in January, when Randy Lerner was suddenly "so impressed" with Mangini's interview:

(January 6, 2009) - Link

Eric Mangini's interview with team owner Randy Lerner went over so well last week that the following has seemed to occur:

1. Scott Pioli, who seemed like a definite hire after the firing of Phil Savage, isn't even on the Browns' radar anymore, and is close to accepting an offer from the Kansas City Chiefs.
2. No other head coaches are being scheduled for interviews, and it doesn't sound as if serious inquiries have been made to Mike Shanahan or Marty Schottenheimer (two veteran coaches).
3. Despite only having three years of experience with the New York Jets as a head coach, Mangini will get the say on who our next general manager is -- Baltimore Ravens director of pro personnel George Kokinis.
4. Mangini would receive similar authority and/or respect that Bill Belichick has with the Patriots.

I'd love to hear just what in the world Mangini's sales pitch to Lerner was, especially since there were rumors after he was fired that many executives in the league considered him a "rat" due to Spy Gate.

How quickly things have changed.

Regarding Brian Daboll

According to the Plain Dealer, Eric Mangini indicated today that he will not relieve offensive coordinator Brian Daboll of his duties and believes he can still grow into his role. Instead, he'll allow quarterbacks coach Carl Smith to have more input on offense. Bummer. That doesn't mean Lerner won't overrule Mangini though, right?

We'll have more updates as they come along.

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

5 days ago: Chicago Bears safety Danieal Manning (38) picks up the loose ball after a fumble by Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. At left is Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (92), who forced the fumble. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-7)		WEEK 8		CHICAGO BEARS (4-3)
		VS.
6				30

As far as I'm concerned, the Chicago Bears played no better against the Cleveland Browns than they did against the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks ago when they lost 45-10. QB Jay Cutler supported my point that he's a tad overrated, but he was rewarded nonetheless with a rather easy 30-6 victory over the Browns.

Has a Browns team ever been so helpless on offense? I guess you could technically say we're at the same level as the Oakland Raiders, but that's not the type of competitive comparison I want to be making on gameday. The funny thing is that if our offense would've just taken a knee on every series this week, we probably only would have lost by a score of 10-3 (note: I realize that is not a reality, since the space-time continuum obviously would've resulted in different production for the Bears). Our defense played much better than last week and weren't rewarded for it; as far as the rest of the league is concerned, our defense is still a joke.

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

WEEK 8 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. CHICAGO BEARS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

GOAT OF THE GAME:

• Steve Heiden & Mohamed Massaquoi: Obviously QB Derek Anderson could go here every week, but it's only fair to spread the wealth. In the second half, when the Browns were actually showing some form of a threat, there were two cases in which Anderson made some of his best throws of the game -- one on a small pass to Steve Heiden, and another on a timing pattern to Mohamed Massaquoi.
  
  For whatever reason, both players coughed up the football. It wasn't even like they were hit by a blindsided poke at the football either; Heiden even seemed to wrap both arms tightly around the ball and it just...fell out. That's extremely frustrating, because Heiden is supposed to be our only "Mr. Reliable" left on offense. He also dropped a pass earlier in the game. For as in-sync as Massaquoi and Anderson looked against Cincinnati, that "chemistry" no longer exists.
  

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

• Kamerion Wimbley: Credit to defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for helping turn Kamerion Wimbley around. He's no DeMarcus Ware, but he's getting to the quarterback a lot more than his last two years under Crennel. With his sack Sunday, he surpassed his sack total from last season. He also delivered a punishing shot on QB Jay Cutler as he released a pass, resulting in a bloody mouth for Cutler (and probably a fine).

GENERAL THOUGHTS

Bears QB Jay Cutler was hit hard all day by the Browns defense, including here by LB Kamerion Wimbley.

1. In Stride: (Marks calendar) We are 8 games into the 2009-2010 NFL season, and for the first time this season, we finally saw a smart play design for Joshua Cribbs as a receiver (although the execution of it could have been accidental). Derek Anderson was pressured and then stepped up in the pocket.
   
   Before he got to the line of scrimmage, he turned and threw a route nearly parallel to the line of scrimmage at Cribbs, who had motioned out of the backfield and into the flat. Cribbs caught the pass in stride and ran up the sideline for a gain of 23 yards.
   
2. By the Numbers: The final line for Anderson is as follows: 6-of-17 for 76 yards and 2 interceptions. His QB rating was a lowly 10.5. Anderson's production level is getting worse and worse by the week. At this point, I think I'd be content going back to watching Quinn get sacked every play.
   
3. Applaud the Play Call, Hate the Statistic: The Browns scored their only touchdown of the game near the start of the second half. Taking advantage of a horrible punt by the Bears, Jamal Lewis pounded his way down to the one-yard line. The Browns failed to punch it in on 1st-and-goal from the one, so on second down, Anderson sneaked forward and used his tall frame to stretch the ball over the goal line for the score.
   
   I like the call on second down because we won't lose yardage on it, and if we fail to get in, we'd still have two downs remaining to go back to Lewis or do a small pass play. Afterward though, I was a little sick knowing that I'd still have to hear all of the play-by-play announcers say "the Browns do not have a single rushing touchdown from their running backs this season!"
4. Injuries Galore: There has to be a correlation between a losing season and the number of injuries that start piling on. After already losing LB D'Qwell Jackson for the season, LB Eric Barton and DB Eric Wright suffered shoulder injuries. Wright returned, but Barton will likely undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury.
5. Rob Ryan Fired Up: I appreciate the enthusiasm that Rob Ryan shows each week, and unlike our offensive coordinator, Ryan seems to know how to make adjustments after a letdown. Whereas the defense was brutal in giving up 31 points to the Packers, they had one of my favorite performances of the season in giving up 30 points to the Bears (23 when you don't include Anderson's pick six). After the Browns stopped Cutler on a 4th-and-1 from the 1-yard line, Ryan was out on the field jawing at Jay Cutler. I believe the defense is still playing hard because of him.
6. Wimbley's Knockdown: When Wimbley knocked down Cutler's fourth-down pass at the goal line, it was obviously a bad decision because an interception would've brought the ball out to the 20-yard line. Then, our offense wouldn't have been backed up into seeing Anderson throw a pick six from his own goal line. Granted, it's better that he knocked the ball down than let the receiver catch it, but he knocked it down as if it was a Hail Mary pass attempted from mid-field.
7. A Little Scared? I think punter Brad Maynard was a little scared of Joshua Cribbs. On 5 punts, Maynard averaged a quite pathetic 30.4 yard average. On the other side of the field, props to punter Dave Zastudil for recording a touchdown-saving tackle on punt returner Devin Hester early on.
8. Staying With the Play: Kudos to DL Kenyon Coleman for staying home when the Bears tried a reverse with Devin Hester. As Hester was handed the ball, Coleman shot at him like a cannon and took him down. How many times have we seen our defensive players be in position for a play like that, but end up whiffing?
When you see this on TV, chances are the pass is going to be picked.


9. Francies Sees Action: Finally, we got to see a little bit of Coye Francies. He was subbed in after Eric Wright went down with an injury. On Francies' first play (I think), the Bears ran the ball with Matt Forte, who sprinted to the edge for a 10-yard touchdown. Soon after that, Francies left with an injury of his own, forcing Hank Poteat into the game. (Sigh).
10. It's About Time: One-third of our payoff for the Braylon Edwards trade finally showed up today, as WR Chansi Stuckey made his first catch of the season as a member of the Browns. He made a few nice moves after the catch to stretch the play to an 11-yard gain.
11. The Other Third: With the more exotic blitz packages thrown at Cutler, the other third of the Edwards deal was more productive this week. Jason Trusnik sacked Cutler once and also led the team with 7 tackles.
12. Should've Been a Fumble: When Jay Cutler was hit and the ball came loose for about a 15+ yard loss, the play should've stood. I didn't see any indication that Cutler's arm was moving forward; it was moving laterally at best. His arm was angled that way due to a hit from a Browns defender too. Even with the overturn, who was Cutler throwing the ball to? It might have even hit his offensive lineman, which would be an illegal touch. In the end, the Bears had a comfortable 2nd-and-10 to work with.
13. Adams and Pool: Whatever the combination was, it seemed to work this week. It seemed like Mike Adams was in mostly on first- and second-downs, with Brodney Pool coming in on obvious passing downs. Pool recorded an interception when he dove to the ground after a tipped pass. As he tried to get up, he was rewarded by being drilled by two or three Bear linemen.
14. Inserting Quinn Late: The decision is still baffling to put Brady Quinn into the game when he did. We had literally no chance of coming back, and the substitution was made in a half where several offensive players had fumbled the ball. Why not make the change at half-time when Anderson was awful as usual?
15. Evaluating "the Other Guy": There's not much to fo on. His first pass was located well. He had the right idea on the second play -- getting rid of the ball quickly when they brought the house. A week ago, that's the similar adjustment that Aaron Rodgers made to Donald Driver for a long touchdown. The third down play was another dropped pass. Then, we punted. Booooooooo.
16. Lerner's Staredowns: I think fans would've rather watched Randy Lerner stare down and scold the players and coaches all game than watch the actual game. If someone has footage of Lerner doing this, it must be seen!
17. Bad Timing of Wildcat Plays: Yeah, let's run the Wildcat on a 3rd-and-19 play. There just doesn't seem to be a "method to the madness" of running the Wildcat formation. I agree with running it, but we never build off of it or use the formation to our advantage the following play.
18. Brownies: Welcome back Phil Dawson; you get to join the sad state of the team by having your extra point blocked...Joe Thomas registered two tackles in the game...safety Ray Ventrone had two special teams tackles...former Glenville High School and Ohio State product Ted Ginn Jr. had two kick returns for touchdowns to beat Braylon Edwards and the New York Jets.
    

Up next, the Browns have a Bye week before coming back home the following week against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. It should be an interesting two weeks though; let's hope that Randy Lerner comes through with some form of positive news, whether it be the firing of Brian Daboll or the hiring of a team president.

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

Is this season the end for RB Jamal Lewis?

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According to Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository, after the Browns' loss to the Bears, Jamal Lewis stated that he would be retiring at the end of the season. Doerschuk notes that Lewis can only take so much more, and a half season is the extent of it.

If you're Eric Mangini, shouldn't this be a sure sign that Lewis should be benched? The only purpose left to this season is development, and if Lewis isn't going to be with the team next season, there's really no purpose in having him play over Jerome Harrison. It hurts even more now that James Davis suffered a season-ending injury earlier in the season.

Doerschuk also had some interesting notes from when he was nearby owner Randy Lerner:

We bumped into owner Randy Lerner in the hallway. He talked at some length. He was quite animated, apologizing a few times during an off-the-record briefing as to being vague about what comes next.

He did say, "There’s a lot going on."

Jim Brown, one of the owner’s advisers, was nearby.

Finally, Doerschuk noted that Derek Anderson was "more angry than he had ever seen him" following the game. No word on who will start at quarterback in two weeks against the Baltimore Ravens.

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Browns head coach Eric Mangini is shocked that our offense isn't moving the ball. Newsflash: Derek Anderson isn't working...

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The Cleveland Browns defense had one of its better efforts of the season. You could even make a case that it was the best called game by defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. On top of that, Jay Cutler didn't have a very good game, finishing with a 66.7 QB rating that included no touchdowns and an interception.

The outcome? A 30-6 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Halloween might have been yesterday, but our offensive players obviously felt like giving a few treats to the defense. The Browns had five turnovers, and here is what each of those turnovers led to:

1. Anderson Picked in 1st Quarter: A 29-yard field goal by Robbie Gould
2. Anderson Fumbled in 2nd Quarter: A 32-yard field goal by Robbie Gould
3. Heiden Fumbled in 3rd Quarter: A 10-yard touchdown run by Matt Forte
4. Massaquoi Fumbled in 4th Quarter: Turnover on downs at the 1-yard line
5. Anderson Picked in 4th Quarter: Bears' Charles Tillman returns pick for 21-yard touchdown

Those plays resulted in 20 of the Bears 30 points. It's not that our offense is just bad; it's proving to be a liability to our defense. Then, after all five mistakes and weeks of the offense struggling, the Browns decided to throw Brady Quinn into the game. Seriously? The timing is just...ugh.

Credit to the Bears for getting the win, but I don't think I'd be too satisfied as a Bears fan. Against a team clicking on all cylinders, this game would've been a blowout before the end of the third quarter.

With the bye week coming up, we'll have plenty of time to evaluate what needs to change with this team, as well as all of the rumors of the position former Browns QB Bernie Kosar might hold.

The anticipation for a Browns game is close to reaching a new point. Even with the underdog teams of the past, you at least had a feeling that the Browns could pull off an "upset special." With the Bears coming off a 45-10 loss to the Bengals though, an "upset" isn't even crossing my mind. Why? We can't even score a touchdown if it doesn't involve special teams.

CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-6)		WEEK 8		CHICAGO BEARS (3-3)
		VS.

After this week, the Browns will head into their bye week before returning November 16 on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. Assuming Anderson struggles again this week, I hope we get to see Brady Quinn the rest of the season.

Let's start off this week's preview with the overall team statistics heading into Week 8...

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

CLEVELAND BROWNS		Position	CHICAGO BEARS
To make light of a situation, I would still take Derek Anderson over Trent Edwards as a starting quarterback. Har har.		QB		Jay Cutler might not have been able to pull the Bears above mediocrity, but he's far and above better than the Browns' quarterbacks.
Now the new regime is saying Jerome Harrison needs to work on his blocking. Just let him run the ball instead then?		RB		The ground game is struggling, but they have their running back of the future in second-year man Matt Forte.
Rookie Brian Robiskie was drafted in the second round and has 1 catch for 23 yards and 0 touchdowns.		WR		Rookie Johnny Knox was drafted in the fifth round and has 21 catches for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns.
If Anderson was struggling because he had only two seconds to throw every play, we could make excuses for him. He's having plenty of time.		OL		The Bears' offensive line has been a disappointment this season, although Cutler has gotten rid of the ball before taking would-be sacks.
For all of that bulk and experience we have on the defensive line, the unit isn't getting the job done.		DL		DT Tommie Harris, missing last week when Carson Palmer had a field day, returns this week to the starting lineup.
I'll have most of my attention focused on Kaluka Maiava this week to see how he improves over last week. More of David Veikune and Alex Hall still, please.		LB		It's pretty bad for our linebacker unit when the Bears lose both of their top inside linebackers, including Brian Urlacher, and are still ranked higher here.
I'm still confident in Eric Wright, but the rest of the secondary hasn't had a chance to shine due to other areas of the defense falling apart again.		DB		Charles Tillman was burned last week by Chad Ochocinco. We don't have a receiver right now who can burn anybody.
The return of Phil Dawson could come this week, which means we can finally attempt some longer field goals.		ST		The Bears have dangerous return men and a solid kicking game; this one could really be close to "even."

Creativity on offense. That's the only way I see the Browns having any chance of pulling off an upset. If the coaching staff says they should be using Cribbs more, then use him. I don't have faith in Brian Daboll to pour creativity into this game if he hasn't done it all season. Cutler will find the Browns' defense much easier to pick apart than the Bengals last week.

FINAL PREDICTION: Chicago Bears 27, Cleveland Browns 10.
CHRIS' RECORD IN PICKING BROWNS GAMES: 6-1
CHRIS' OVERALL NFL PREDICTIONS RECORD: 77-26

This is the official gameday thread for the Cleveland Browns in Week 8 as they take on the Chicago Bears. All comments regarding the game should be posted in this topic. Enjoy the game, and GO BROWNS!!!