Browns defeated 10-6, lose Derek Anderson for the season

From www.examiner.com/cleveland By Cleveland Browns Examiner

The Browns lost more than just their pride this Sunday versus the colts, they lost Derek Anderson for the rest of the season. As ESPN's James Walker reports it could also kill any potential market value for Anderson during the off-season.
Anderson was sacked in the final minutes of an ugly contest and blew out his knee in the process. Anderson suffered a sprain to his knee ligament. The Browns lost 10-6.
This is another major blow to the Browns franchise which is now becoming a comedy relief show for all the league to laugh at.
Sunday the Browns lost another winnable game because they could not execute on the offensive side of the ball.Manning threw two interceptions and zero touchdowns as the Browns could only muster up six points. The defense finally stepped up while the offense could not execute and was, again, not aggressive enough at the end of the game.
This has Browns fans asking, can anything else go wrong?

Are Browns fans going to watch football this Sunday?

From www.exminer.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner


The feeling among most Browns fans is that of disillusionment. A season that once had a ray of hope has now turned into a free-fall into mediocrity. Yes, most die-hard fans will watch the game, but there may be some empty armchairs across America this Sunday.

Nonetheless, the Browns (4-7) now go onto face the Colts(7-4) Sunday at 1et, and hope to keep from falling into a deeper hole.

I was going to analyze this game but I feel we are far from analysis. You don't have to be an expert to know the Browns aren't favored. They are going to face Peyton Manning, one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Indianapolis' offense is starting to re-emerge with Joseph Addai getting healthy and Peyton getting back on track with his core receivers.

The Browns defense has the task of facing an offense that puts up close to 350 yards in the last four games. Watching the Browns the last three weeks or so, one can see that is about how much they give up per game.

The Browns Offense is another mess. These guys, as Colin Cowherd would put it, "are dumpster fire". Quinn is out of the lineup for the year, Therefore, we will all witness the legend of Derek Anderson as he resumes his starting role. Jamal Lewis doesn't feel he gets the ball enough, Winslow is complaining about the officiating, and Braylon Edwards has not demonstrated he can make three catches in a row. To say the least, things are looking awesome for the Brownies!

Honestly, even as I write I know that it really doesn't matter who wins or loses, it's how the Browns perform. Cleveland has to show the fans they have some sense of pride. Losing to the Colts isn't a far stretch but, again, it's how you play the game that matters.This sounds cliche' because it is usually true.

There are five games left in the season. The city and franchise needs momentum for next seasons sake. I hate to start talking about next year but I have to. These next five games may be a bigger factor in determining the future of the Browns franchise than the first eleven were. Will the coach stay? where will DA go? Is Phil Savage going to make it? Can the real Randy Lerner please stand-up?

These are all questions that will be answered with time, wins, and losses. Winning always makes things look better. The Browns are known for winning when they aren't supposed to and losing when they aren't supposed to. This could make for an interesting Sunday afternoon of pigskin.

Now, Brownies don't hurt yourselves.

Derek Anderson gets ready for return

From www.clevelandexaminer.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner


Mr. Anderson may be the happiest man in Cleveland. The once benched quarterback is now starting in place of Brady Quinn this Sunday versus the Colts. This occurred after Quinn found out he damaged his broken his broken finger during the Texans debacle.

Derek Anderson also may be the healthiest quarterback in the history of football(the guy just doesn't get hurt).

Cleveland fans unfortunately won't be able to see Quinn develop, at least this season. It will, however, be an opportunity for Anderson to redeem himself.

The strong-armed qb may be able do what the economy can't seem to do, get better. In doing so, he also could uplift his own stock for other teams in the NFL to see. Most feel that Quinn will be the face of the franchise starting next year leaving Anderson in the shadow.

The question is, will Anderson be on the field enough to even make a difference this Sunday? And will the Browns defense make some sort of effort to pressure Peyton Manning? Giving up over 500 yards of offense to the pass-happy Broncos a few weeks back is making a lot of Cleveland fans queasy.

All this and more on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

Brady Quinn is out for the season, welcome to Cleveland!

Breaking News from www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

In a fitting story to the Cleveland Browns season, FoxSports.com just reported that Browns quarterback, Brady Quinn, is out for the year.

The quarterback is not sure whether he will have surgery or not but it looks like his season is 100% over.

Dr. James Andrews, who gave Quinn a second opinion on his broken index finger, found out that the break had become worse and actually could further damage the tendons in the finger.

Well, Romeo Crennel got his holiday wish! His favorite player, Derek Anderson, will start against the Colts this coming Sunday.

This is the most recent tragedy in a Cleveland Browns season that could be pitched as a viable script for a gory Hollywood blockbuster .

As the great Marlon Brando once put it,"the horror, the horror"

Browns owner Randy Lerner speaks out about major changes ahead

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner

Cleveland.com's Tony Grossi reports Browns owner Randy Lerner is disappointed with the teams' performance this year.

When asked in an interview about the future of GM Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel, Lerner responded:

"That is at the core of the analysis. What happened? How do you go 10-6, play good football, have the NFL generally excited, get six prime-time appearances...how does all that happen and you struggle this way?"

Lerner also said that watching the Browns lose an awful game to the Houston Texans 16-6, in front of the home crowd, was "sickening".

He wasn't clear on whether he was going bring Savage or Crennel back for another stab at Browns success, but really didn't seem too elated with their progress this year either.

Mr. Lerner also denied rumors that he was selling the Cleveland Browns.

"I totally care about the team. I feel totally engaged. I will stay committed and focused. I have no plans to sell the team. I'm not prepared to throw in the towel at the age of 46 and say I can't get the job done."

Well, it's good to finally hear from the main man, who has been very reluctant to speak in the recent months. He is obviously upset and hopefully he can make some meaningful changes to a club that was expected to make a playoff run this year.

Here is another important question:

Who else, besides coaching, the GM, and players should be held accountable for the Browns failure? Could it be that Lerner himself will take a huge hit for his decisions?

Let the debate begin.

Now, we look forward to next year

Romeo Crennel not worried about his job, Cowher09.com thinks differently

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner.

The AP reports that Browns head coach Romeo Crennel isn't worried about his future with the Cleveland Browns.

That's funny, because he should be. If he is not, then there is something to say for Cleveland Browns management.

In my most recent column, I received many important and frustrated comments from Browns observers. Some agree with me and think Crennel should be gone, while others feel that the Browns problems go deeper than the head coach. Then there are the Cowher09.com chants from fans that want to see pride and fire brought back to Cleveland.

I want to clarify something that I had written after the game about Romeo Crennel. I don't just want the coached axed, I think his decisions have been so poor throughout the year, his firing shouldn't even be a question.

I was inspired to write that critical article after seeing Crennel bench Brady Quinn because of his poor performance. I believe it was a severe misjudgment by Romeo and it should be the final mistake that leads to his coaching termination . Some do not see it that way, but I must protest.

Giving Quinn the starting job, like it or not, was a very big decision for the Cleveland Browns. It meant starting over at the position and giving the leadership role to the new 'face' of the franchise. It was also a good business decision for the Browns because it kept people who aren't rabid fans interested in the Browns. It also kept butts in the stadium seats on Sunday.

For Crennel to "give up", and I mean literally give up on Quinn, clearly identifies that Crennel doesn't have the decision making skills of a head ball coach.

Crennel stated he was "looking for a spark".

Looking for a spark? From a guy (Anderson) who barely took reps during the week?

In turn, Crennel confused Quinn because he was not permitted to finish a game that was winnable. How relaxed will Quinn play next week knowing that he could be pulled anytime he makes a "rookie" mistake? I hope people see how detrimental this move was for our young Quarterback and our team. Now, nobody on the squad has any idea who the leader is and what to expect game to game. Whether you like Quinn or not, Crennel's decision making is "childlike".

Here is an example of terrible coaching observation:

The Browns are 11-1 (thank-you John) when Jamal Lewis carries the ball 20 or more times. Or course, Rod Chudsinki is the offensive coordinator but Crennel has the final say.

Think about it, if you saw that stat, would you at least try to feed Jamal the ball more than twenty times?

He's not a great back but just look at the numbers (11-1). It's just one more example of the lack of recognition by a Crennel led coaching staff. The same staff that finally realized that Quinn, Cribbs, and Harrison should be more involved in the offense more than halfway through the season.

The Cowher09.com crew is seen by some critics as radical, but maybe they see something that many people don't. Good coaches, like Bill Cowher, can change the culture of a football team.

Maybe it's time for that sort of change in Cleveland.

Now, bring on Bill Cowher?

Browns fans are on fire, Romeo must go!

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner


This Sundays game may have been the worst display of football from the Cleveland Browns all year. After a big momentum win in Buffalo last week, Crennel and his Browns were not prepared to play this Sunday--again. The Browns defense allowed almost 400 yards of offense against the"mighty" Sage Rosenfels and the Texans.

Brady Quinn, who played with a broken finger had his first "bad" performance and threw two interceptions.That wasn't all, Jamal Lewis had a costly fumble, Braylon Edwards had 5 drops, and Phil Dawson even shanked a field goal.

Edwards is obviously struggling and was probably the worst player on the field Sunday. His routes were not crisp and he gave up on plays. Many Browns fans, including me, think he should be bench for his awful performances.Yet, Braylon is just the tip of the iceberg for your 2008 Cleveland Browns.

Romeo Crennel in one of the worst coaching moves in Browns history, benched new starter Brady Quinn. Quinn had thrown two interceptions and was struggling and Crennel brought in his "man-crush", Derek Anderson.

Crennel said in his post-game comments, "I knew Brady was working through a finger issue, so I decided to make the change for a spark."

No Romeo, you made the move to save your job. You sir, compromised the confidence of a young quarterback for selfish reasons. You chose to play Quinn three weeks ago and that means he is your quarterback. Shame on Mr. Crennel.

The fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium booed Derek Anderson because they are smart fans. They knew, no matter how badly Quinn performed, it was wrong to bench him. Crennel will continue to blame Quinn's injury and won't ever say what he really means. He has disliked Quinn from the beginning.

Unless Quinn begged to come out of the game, there is no reason Crennel should have benched him. I don't care if he threw 10 interceptions, you don't bench him. Brady is a young quarterback who needs the support of his coaches. He is the same player who played his heart out his first appearance, while Crennel and "his" defense gave up 500 yards of total offense and left Quinn out to dry. Now, this is the sort of treatment Quinn gets?

Cleveland fans are sick and tired of Romeo Crennel and his lack of professionalism. Players, games, wins, losses, preparation, play-calling, all part of the coaches responsibility. Sorry big guy, that's the name of the game!

If Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer won't say it, than I will say what 99 percent of Cleveland Browns fans are thinking. Romeo Crennel should be fired.

Week after week Romeo and his team come out and under-perform. The worst part of this season is that we have a team that is capable of winning 11 or 12 games, and we are far from that. Yes, the players have to perform but this team doesn't lack talented players. It lacks a coach who can inspire that talent to play at a championship level.

You want proof of players and coaches being prepared to win football games?

The Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are 5-1 at home.

This team was left in shambles after the Michael Vick scandal and look how this organization bounced back. They started a rookie quarterback and are competing for the playoffs. Trust me, the Browns are just that bad. Cleveland fans are right to be angry. The Browns effort this Sunday was pathetic. They lost to a team that hasn't won a road game since November 4th 2007. The Browns are now 1-5 this year at home!

Phil Savage has been stern with everybody including rabid fans. Now is the time to flex his muscle and end the Browns relationship with Crennel.

Now, It is time for a change.

Is Phil Savage losing it?

From www.examiner.com/cleveland, Cleveland Browns Examiner:

In the most recent chapter of "Savage Existence",the story of the 2008 Cleveland Browns, Phil Savage has apologized to the fan to whom he sent a profanity riddled e-mail.

"Go root for Buffalo. F*** you.", wrote the Browns General Manager.

He since has made a public apology and is ready to move on from the incident.

"There had been previous e-mails from him over the months and enough was enough. We have both apologized to each other since", Savage explained.

Now, I have been a Savage supporter from the beginning--but this is just crazy. Why on earth is our General Manager responding to e-mails from crazy fans? Just think about it, he is corresponding with "Joe Blow" the angry Browns fan! This is supposed to be a professional sports team.

I understand a fan writing him a coherent contention on why he thinks Phil Savage or the Browns are bad. There is no reason, however, for him to respond to harassing e-mails consisting of statements calling Savage, "the worst GM in the NFL". Does he not have an assistant to filter through emails and documents? Sort of like an actor that has an agent who sifts through scripts, e-mails, and fan-mail.

If he does not, then I will go ahead and ask Mr. Savage personally, could you employ me to do that? Just let me know and I will send my resume to you.

By the way, don't be surprised if he actually responds to this column!

And what is with our head coach Romeo Crennel giving his two cents on the matter? Why is he giving explanations about how Savage handles his business? He should figuring out why his defense can't tackle. If they cannot, then Steve Slaton could slaughter the Browns this Sunday.

No matter what, if you are a Browns fan, this should be alarming. Every week this organization is becoming a punch-line for the NFL. I'm starting to wonder is Savage is losing it. As a professional, you just can't act like that.

Now, bring on the Texans!

Browns GM Phil Savage uses big 'F' bomb at angry Browns fan

From Examiner.com/cleveland


Word in C town is that Browns GM Phil Savage has a potty mouth.

Well, that's not all. Savage was responding to an angry fans email when he replied using the big "F" word. The profane response was reported at deadspin.com

Apparently a fan who had earlier appeared on the popular WKNR Tony Rizzo radio show, had emailed Savage during Monday evening when the Browns beat the Buffalo Bills 29-27.

Apparently Savage's last response to the fan was "Go root for Buffalo. F*** you."

Wow, a little fire from the front office. Well, if it takes a rabid fan to get this sort of excitment from somebody besides Brady Quinn, it's a good thing. Maybe he can take some of that anger and use it on an under-performing defense and a lackluster headcoach? Just a thought.
Never a dull moment in Cleveland
Now, bring on the Texans!

'Wide Right': Browns beat Buffalo Bills 29-27 in a Monday night thriller

From Examiner.com

Monday night ended with luck finally going the way of the Cleveland Browns. The Browns defeated the Buffalo Bills 29-27 at Ralph Wilson stadium on national television. They won on a Phil "awesome" Dawson field goal from 56 yards out.

The Bills Ryan Lindell missed a 47 yard potential game winner that went "wide right" and reminded Bills fans that Scott Norwood is alive and well. Trust me, Bilsl fan. You're not the only team with ghosts in your closet. You can look west along the shore of Lake Erie to find some comfort.

Cleveland had big plays from Jerome Harrison (yeah, the guy I've been hyping all year), Shaun Rogers, and of course Phil Dawson.

The Brownies had terrible performances from the rest of the Browns defense (see over a million missed tackles) and the special teams unit. After Harrison ran for a 71-yard touchdown the Browns gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown the very next play.

While the Browns defense did force four turnovers, they killed themselves with bad tackling and poor angles all game, allowing almost 200 yards rushing from Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Both running backs averaged 5 yards a carry.

Enough of the bad and more with the good.

Brady Quinn gets his first win as a Browns starter and played very efficient. He did what he was supposed to do in a poor offensive effort -- he managed the game. He went 14/36 for 185 yards and most importantly threw zero interceptions while moving the ball down the field to give Dawson a chance for the win. Dawson, one of the best kickers in football history, made this one count.

I have never been a big Phil Dawson fan, until tonight. His accuracy and clutch kicking has convinced me that he is one of the game's most consistent kickers. Dawson made five field goals Monday night and was the Browns MVP.

Jerome Harrison is a player that I have been talking about all year. He has been lobbying for more playing time and I can't understand what the Browns coaching staff is thinking.

As I commented in one of my first articles,"I have been raving about Jerome Harrison since the beginning of the season. He is an incredible change-of-pace back with, dare I say, Reggie-Bush-like game-breaking skills."

You heard it here first, folks.

Tonight, Harrison had three rushes for 80 yards and a touchdown. He had over 100 yards of total offense on only four touches! Imagine if you gave him the ball ten 10 or 15 times a game. If Cleveland could have utilized both Lewis and Harrison all year, Brady Quinn might not be the starter right now.

Attention Browns coaches! It's called giving your offensive attack a "dynamic."

The Browns have a lot of athletes that can can make our offense very dangerous but only until now do we see more touches for Harrison, Cribbs, and Quinn. This lack of talent evaluation should not be overlooked in light of this win. If I can see it and Harrison can see it, why can't professional coaches see it?

Cleveland improves to 4-6 and looks to possibly make a wild card playoff run. Most importantly, Cleveland came together as a team and won a game with Quinn as the leader. Now, they can take each game as a step forward to the future.

No matter what happens for the rest of the season, this could be a game the Browns build upon.

Now, bring on the Texans!

ESPN Ron Jaworski says Browns quit

From www.examiner.com/cleveland

In a new development in the Browns "quitting saga", ESPN's analyst and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski put his two cents in about the Browns.

When "Jaws" was asked after watching game film if he saw anyone quit. He responded,

"Yes.If you want to get players attention, mention the word quit. I saw it mentioned by some of the Browns players, so I looked at it very carefully. I don't ever use the word. I just say 'lack of enthusiasm to play the game".

"I'm not going to names because it's not my place to do that--but there were some guys that lacked enthusiasm play-in and play-out."

Jaworski went on to say he was going to have an eagle eye on the Browns this Monday night to see if there is any improvement.

This observation goes directly against what Romeo Crennel claimed to have seen this past Thursday against Denver. He even went on to say specifically that his players, "didn't quit".

So, now the question is, If Ron Jaworski can see some Browns potentially quit from his television screen, what the heck is Romeo Crennel looking at? You don't need an HD television to see how clearly dysfunctional the Browns coaching staff is.

Now, on to Monday night.

Top 5 Cleveland Browns QBs

To make this list, the quarterback has to have played at least three seasons as a Cleveland Brown. Wins, yards, interceptions, rating, and playoff appearances were all taken into consideration.

1. Otto Graham
From the years 1946 to 1955 the Cleveland Browns appeared in the Championship game every single year. Otto Graham was the quarterback every single one of those seasons. He led the Browns to 7 Championships in those 10 years. There has never been a Brown to win more Championships than Mr. Graham. Though his career numbers are not as fancy as some modern day quarterbacks, you have to take in consideration he played in a run first league. There is also the fact that he played before the Super Bowl was founded, so sometimes his impact on football is often forgotten. Graham posted a professional winning record of 105-17-4. He surprisingly won a championship as a professional basketball player with the Rochester Royals (Sacramento Kings) as well. Graham could be considered one of greatest winners in sports history.

NFL (AAFC) Career:

Passing yards: 23,584

Passing touchdowns: 174

Passing interceptions: 135

Rating: 86.6

Wins/losses: 107 (57 NFL)- 17 (13 NFL)- (1 tie NFL)

Championships/Super Bowls: 7 (1946, 47', 48', 49', 50', 54', 55' Cleveland Browns)

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Sports Illustrated

2. Bernie Kosar

Bernie Kosar is the most loved athlete in Cleveland sports history. Here is a guy who went to college at Miami , FL, then manipulated the college draft system so he could come back and play for his hometown team. Kosar, a local Ohio kid, led the Browns to five straight playoff appearances from 1985 to 1989. This included three Conference Championships, which were all lost in tragic fashion. Bernie performed brilliantly in two of the three contested games against the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had John Elway and his brother luck on their side. Kosar was treated terribly by new coach Bill Belichick and eventually was cut in 1993. That same year, Kosar won his first Super Bowl ring with the Dallas Cowboys. Bernie signed with the team to fill in for an injured Troy Aikman. During the 1993 NFC Championship game, Kosar replaced an injured Aikman, leading the Cowboys to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Though he never won a Super Bowl with Cleveland, he is still considered of one the greatest Browns quarterbacks.

"Bernie, Bernie...Super Bowl!"

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 23,301 (21,904 as a Brown)

Passing touchdowns: 124 (116 as a Brown)

Passing Interceptions: 87 ( 81 as a Brown)

Rating: 81.8 (81.6 as a Brown)

Wins/losses: 53-54 -1 tie) (53-51-1 tie as a Brown)

Championships/Super Bowls: 1 (with 1993 Dallas Cowboys)

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I

3. Frank Ryan

Frank Ryan's numbers are not as flashy as some modern day quarterbacks but he was a winner. This was most likely because he was handing the ball off to a guy named Jim Brown. Ryan played for Cleveland from 1962 until 1968. He led the Browns to their last Championship in 1964. They also made the Championship the following year, only to lose to the Green Bay Packers. The next year 1966 the Super Bowl was created, an event no Browns team has ever experienced. Ryan's rating and Championship win put him third on my board.

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 16,042 (13,361 as a Brown)

Passing touchdowns: 149 (134 as a Brown)

Passing Interceptions: 111 ( 88 as a Brown)

Rating: 77.6 (81.4 as a Brown)

Wins/losses: 57-24 -3 (52-22-2 tie as a Brown)

Championships/Super Bowl: 1 (with 1964 Cleveland Browns)

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4. Brian Sipe

Brian Sipe played for the Browns his entire career, which lasted from 1974 to 1983. He was named to the Pro Bowl one time in 1980, the same year he led the Browns to his only playoff appearance. The Browns were called the "Kardiac Kids" that year and Sipe was a fan favorite. Unfortunately, he was also an inconsistent quarterback. He is still the Browns all-time passing yardage leader but threw almost as many interceptions as touchdowns. He threw three such interceptions in the 1980 divisional playoffs against the Raiders, in the infamous "Red Right 88" game".

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 23,713

Passing touchdowns: 154

Passing interceptions: 149

Rating: 74.8

Wins/losses: 57-55-0

Championships/Super Bowls: 0

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5. Bill Nelson

After the first four quarterbacks, there aren't many left to choose from. I debated between four players to place as my number five pick, Vinny Testaverde (awful), Milt Plum, Tim Couch (look at the stats), and Bill Nelson. I picked Nelson for a couple of reasons. In his five seasons with the Browns he posted a convincing winning record. He also led the Brownies to three playoff appearances in 1968, '69, and '71, two of which ('68 and '69), were conference championships. Nelson rounds out the top five NFL quarterbacks in Browns history.

Who's next?

NFL Career:

Passing yards: 14,165 (9,725 as a Brown)

Passing touchdowns: 98 (71 as a Brown)

Passing interceptions: 101 (71 as a Brown)

Rating: 70.2 (72.1 as a Brown)

Wins/losses: 40-31-3 (34-16-1 as a Brown)

Championships/Super Bowls: 0