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.

If you didn't see the update a few days ago, tonight's game against the Baltimore Ravens will not be blacked out locally, thanks to several organizations and media outlets "buying out" the unsold tickets. That's good news for die-hard Browns fans, so hopefully we see some improvement in the offense after the bye week.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-4)		WEEK 10		CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-7)
		VS.

The Browns lost to were destroyed by the Ravens earlier this season. Brady Quinn started that game but was pulled at half-time and replaced by Derek Anderson. At the time, the change was surprising, but understandable. Our offense was terrible under Quinn, and much of that seemed to have to do with his lack of confidence in the pocket.

After so many 2-of-17 for under 100 yards and 2 interception type of games for Anderson though, it was clearly time to go back to Quinn. Quinn now has a chance at redemption -- both against the Ravens, and at proving himself capable of being a starting quarterback in the NFL again.

Let's start off this week's preview with the overall team statistics heading into Week 10...

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

BALTIMORE RAVENS		Position	CLEVELAND BROWNS
Joe Flacco has been solid this season except in his two matches against the Cincinnati Bengals.		QB		Remember my three keys for Quinn: Trust your protection, more first down passing, and more screen passes.
Ray Rice's production has changed Baltimore's three-man committee into a one-man wrecking machine.		RB		Jamal Lewis will have one last chance (if he stays true to his word) to have a good game against his former team.
How fortunate are the Ravens that Derrick Mason decided to come back for another season after all?		WR		Chansi Stuckey has been on the injury report, but with his experience, he really should be the receiver who steps up.
The Browns weren't able to get to Flacco much in their first encounter, and the line does a fine job blocking for the run game late.		OL		I'm giving the Ravens the edge here for one reason: our offensive line wasn't as good for whatever reason under Quinn. Hopefully that improve tonight.
It's expected that the Ravens will have Haloti Ngata back on the field, as the Ravens missed him against the Bengals last week.		DL		I'm finding it difficult to rate the performance of our defensive line again this year. We don't have a "young stud" on the line, but the problems still seem to be at the LB position.
The Ravens are still trying to fill the void left by Bart Scott in the offseason at the other inside linebacker position. If Quinn wants the short passing game to work, look towards Tavares Gooden.		LB		I'd be real excited if Marcus Bernard received some playing time tonight, even if it meant he was ahead of David Veikune. I won't get my hopes up though ahead of time.
If starting cornerback Fabien Washington can't go, then Lardarius Webb, a 3rd rounder, will make his first career start.		DB		Will S Mike Adams start in place of Brodney Pool again? Against the Bears, it paid off as Pool was able to contribute better in spot situations.
The Browns deserve at least one favored category.		ST		You've had two weeks to rest, Joshua Cribbs. Put on a show for the country.

If Randy Lerner had stood back and done nothing during the bye week, I'd be less optimistic about this game. Thanks to the ruckus that was made though, I find it hard to believe that nothing will change on the offensive side of the ball. Our offense will be banking on the level of confidence that Brady Quinn has. It won't be enough to produce a win, but hopefully it's enough to prevent another embarrassment.

FINAL PREDICTION: Baltimore Ravens 27, Cleveland Browns 17.
CHRIS' RECORD IN PICKING BROWNS GAMES: 7-1
CHRIS' OVERALL NFL PREDICTIONS RECORD: 102-41

This is the official gameday thread for the Cleveland Browns in Week 10 as they face the division rivaled Baltimore Ravens. All comments regarding the game should be posted in this thread. Enjoy the game, and GO BROWNS!!!

*Note: I will be at tonight's game, and will not be able to comment during the game (I might try once via the mobile site). Please keep the discussion going as you guys have done all season!

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 Gail Burton - AP

about 1 month ago: Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn leaves the field after the Browns' 24-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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According to the Plain Dealer's Twitter feed, Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini has named QB Brady Quinn as the team's starting quarterback for this Monday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

This is the second time this season that Quinn has been named the team's starting quarterback. Quinn was the team's opening day starter, but was removed during Week 3's contest against the Baltimore Ravens and replaced by Derek Anderson. Anderson had started every game since then, reaching a new level on ineptitude.

"Brady has done a nice job in practice," Mangini said. "I expect that. That's what I asked him to do. I look forward to him taking advantage of this opportunity and playing well the rest of the season.

Link, ClevelandBrowns.com

The decision might not be enough to fill seats this Monday, but I'm sure it'll add a greater level of enthusiasm for some Browns fans. And, as bad as this season has gone, Randy Lerner and company have responded with an attempt at changing things:

• The firing of general manager George Kokinis.
• Listening to the concerns of the fans (Note: granted, this one seemed awkward).
• The announcement that quarterbacks coach Carl Smith would have more input on the offensive playcalling as Brian Daboll "grows."
• The shift back to Brady Quinn as the team's starting quarterback.

Will these changes result in a better product on the field though?

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

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The Browns placed veteran inside linebacker Eric Barton on the injured reserve today, putting an end to his season. Barton had a bulging disc in his neck from before the bye week against the Chicago Bears. LB D'Qwell Jackson's season ended a few weeks ago due to injury.

It has already been confirmed that former starting outside linebacker David Bowens will start at one of the inside linebacker positions. It is likely that rookie Kaluka Maiava will start at the other one.

With the move, the Browns are back to having two open roster spots.

In practice squad moves, WR Darnell Jenkins' run with the team didn't last too long as he was released to make room for RB Thomas Brown. Here is what the OBR says about Brown:

Brown, originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round (172^nd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft, was waived by the Falcons on September 5, 2009. A four-year letterman at the University of Georgia (2004-07), Brown ranks fifth in Bulldogs history with 2,646 rushing yards. He also recorded 23 rushing touchdowns. Born on May 15, 1986, the 5-8, 200-pounder is a native of Tucker, Georgia.

My guess is that if we haven't already promoted two players from our practice squad to take our open roster spots, we'll probably sign two free agents from other teams (or grab two players from other teams' practice squads).

Pro Football Talk reported that per a league source, the Browns worked out LB Rocky Boiman today. Boiman was originally a fourth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans back in 2002. Boiman saw the most action of his career last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, when he played in 11 games and registered 73 tackles. Boiman also has a Super Bowl ring from his days with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Cleveland Browns signed rookie LB Marcus Benard to the 53-man roster on Monday, according to the OBR. If you recall, Benard was the linebacker who shined twice during the preseason -- once against the Green Bay Packers and once against the Chicago Bears. He actually made the 53-man roster to start the season, but was released prior to the season opener. He's been on the Browns' practice squad ever since. The other candidate to take a roster spot was LB Titus Brown. He will remain on the team's practice squad for the time being.

After waiving K Billy Cundiff and DB Anthony Madison last week, the Browns had two open roster spots. After signing Benard, one roster spot still remains open. That number could jump back up to two if the team decides to place veteran LB Eric Barton on the injured reserve in the coming days.

The OBR also reports that moving forward, it appears that LB David Bowens will continue to start at inside linebacker with LB Jason Trusnik starting at outside linebacker. The combination doesn't sound very flashy, but Rob Ryan's system worked against the Chicago Bears in using the tandem to help generate pressure.

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

Quinn or Anderson? Make a decision already!

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It's already been made clear that the majority of Cleveland Browns fans would prefer to see QB Brady Quinn back under center when the team takes on the Baltimore Ravens next week on Monday Night Football. Granted, neither quarterback appears ready to revive our offense all of a sudden, but Anderson has worn out his welcome after failing to show results the past several games.

While it seems obvious to yank Anderson, head coach Eric Mangini has seemingly had something against Quinn in the same way Romeo Crennel didn't want to put the "kid" out there. Mangini announced that he knows who will start, but will not unveil his decision until Wednesday:

"I know where I'm headed, but we'll talk about that on Wednesday,'' he said. "I haven't talked to the quarterbacks about it yet, so that's part of it.'

This is the second time this season that Mangini has delayed the declaration of who the team's starting quarterback is. In Week 1, he withheld the information to gain a "competitive advantage" over the Minnesota Vikings. Now, after a bye week, he's waiting quite awhile again to name who the quarterback will be.

One of the big issues this season on offense has been the lack of chemistry between the quarterbacks and the receivers. So...if Mangini hasn't told the quarterbacks which of them is starting yet, does that mean we just wasted two weeks worth of practice for a particular quarterback to get more in-sync with the receivers? Eek.

Browns Drop Lower During Bye Week

Despite our pathetic team this season, at least we could "brag" that we weren't necessarily worse off than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This week, the Buccaneers upset the Green Bay Packers, and what an uplifting game it was for them. This is what happened:

1. Rookie QB Josh Freeman made his NFL debut, leading the Bucs to a game-winning drive.
2. The victory came at home, with the cannons blasting after every score.
3. Members of the Buccaneers' young defensive line wrecked havoc on QB Aaron Rodgers.

All of the sudden, it seems like the Buccaneers could be on the upswing. Who else is starting to come alive? The Tennessee Titans have won two straight games since switching to QB Vince Young. The Rams also picked up their first victory two weeks ago (they had a bye this week). The team that is looking as "sad" as the Browns right about now? It's the Detroit Lions again. If the Browns/Lions game later this season doesn't draw national audiences, then I don't know what will.

Recapping Our Next Opponent - The Ravens

The Ravens lost for the second time this season to the Cincinnati Bengals, who are definitely for real. Baltimore was run all over by Cedric Benson again, and the Bengals' defense made Joe Flacco look like a turnover machine. If the Browns are somehow able to deliver the dagger in the Ravens' hopes of coming back for a wildcard spot in the division, under the (hopefully) direction of Brady Quinn, with potential rumors of someone like Mike Holmgren coming on board as team president, then maybe our spirits can be lifted just like the Buccaneers fans' were.