Dawgs By Nature

Week 9 Open Game Thread for Browns Fans

2009-11-08T17:52:00Z

It's Week 9 and the Browns are on the bye this week. Use this thread to discuss all of today's games at your leisure. Check out yesterday's post for a list of games that might interest you this weekend.

Regarding the "DBN: Help Wanted" post, I hope to have my final decision(s) made by Monday or Tuesday. Thanks to all who applied!

ESPN reports that Lerner wants Holmgren

2009-11-08T16:24:56Z

Just a few minutes ago on NFL Countdown, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the man Randy Lerner wants to bring in Mike Holmgren, former coach of the Packers and coach/GM of the Seahawks, as President of the Browns. He wants Holmgren to play the role that Parcells has with the Dolphins as the top football man in the organization and face of the franchise. Shefter said that Lerner also wants to talk to Ernie Accorsi, Rich McKay, and possibly Ron Wolf, but it's Holmgren's job to lose. If Holmgren would come to Cleveland, he would hire a GM and then those two would decide on the future of Eric Mangini as head coach.

At least it sounds like Lerner has a plan going forward and he wants to bring in an experienced man to run the operations. I wish he would have done this last offseason, but it sounds like he's learned from his mistake and is trying to rectify the situation. I guess this gives us hope for the future, which is all we can have at the moment.

UPDATE: ESPN.com now has an article by Schefter giving some more details.

OBR's McBride responds to Protest

2009-11-07T21:17:20Z

OBR's McBride responds to Protest

Great post by Barry McBride at the OBR that highlights a lot of my feelings about the intentions of the protest.

With regards to Randy Lerner, he also hits the nail on the head. "Evil earns my hatred and wrath. Well-meaning failure does not."

Games to Watch on the Browns Bye Week

2009-11-07T19:41:34Z

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

Bengals WR Andre Caldwell catches the game-winning touchdown against the Ravens in mid-October, giving the Bengals a 17-14 win.

Browse more photos »

With the Cleveland Browns on a bye this week, it'll be one of the few weeks of the season where we can't ridicule our team. Instead, we can sit back and watch some other games, assuming you don't mind being a casual football fan at times. Here are a few games to note this week, including matches from the AFC North:

MORNING / AFTERNOON GAMES SEEN IN CLEVELAND

BALTIMORE RAVENS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS (CBS - 1:00 PM)

These two teams met earlier in the season in a very competitive game; one that legitimized the Bengals as a contender this season. A little under a month ago, Carson Palmer hit Andre Caldwell for a touchdown with 22 seconds remaining, giving the Bengals a 17-14 win. The real reason the Bengals won the game? RB Cedric Benson did the unthinkable -- he ran for over 100 yards against the Ravens defense. That snapped an amazing 40-game streak in which the Ravens had not allowed a 100+ yard rusher. Compare that to the Browns, who could probably make a run at giving up a 100+ yard rusher for 40 consecutive games.

Right now, the Bengals are leading the division with a 5-2 record. However, their competition is not too far behind. The Steelers are also 5-2, while the Ravens are 4-3. Cincinnati has a division win over all three AFC North opponents, but one loss to Baltimore could swing the momentum the other way. We don't like to cheer for divisional opponents, but I'll usually be more include to root for the Bengals against the Steelers or Ravens.

ARIZONA CARDINALS VS. CHICAGO BEARS (FOX - 1:00 PM)

Remember what happened the last time these two teams met? It was back in the year 2006.

After leading 23-3 in the fourth quarter and making QB Rex Grossman look pathetic all game, the Bears rallied thanks to defensive touchdowns and a return from Devin Hester in one of the most shocking comebacks in recent memory.

This time around, it's different players though. The Bears are quarterbacked by the overrated Jay Cutler, while the Cardinals are led by veteran Kurt Warner. The defending NFC Champions are coming off of an upsetting loss to the Carolina Panthers, while the Bears are coming off of a poorly-played victory blowout against the Browns.

Warner almost always bounces back from a terrible game with one in which he'll tear a defense apart. This week, I think the Bears' defense gets torched like they did two weeks ago against Carson Palmer.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS (CBS - 4:15 PM)

This is the first time these two teams will face off since the Eli Manning / Philip Rivers situation in 2004. That's when Manning did not want to play for the Chargers, so he was dealt to the Giants, which paved the way for Rivers going to San Diego.

After beating up on some easier opponents early on in the season, the Giants have lost three in a row to fall to 5-3 and third in their division behind the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Chargers have to smell opportunity. They gained ground on the first-place Denver Broncos last week and are in the hunt for a wildcard spot. When you're in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders, you could almost make a case that you're receiving a four-game handicap. With that said, the Chargers have not really "clicked" the past few years, as they've failed to move themselves from the "potential" category to the "elite category." The Giants need better production in too many areas. Ultimately, more production should be coming from Manning.

OTHER GAMES OF INTEREST

HOUSTON TEXANS VS. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: The Colts are the only unbeaten team remaining in the AFC, but they are running into the red-hot Houston Texans. After starting the season 2-3, the Texans have ripped off three straight wins. Quietly, QB Matt Schaub is having a breakout season, really proving why the Texans gave up what they did to get him from the Atlanta Falcons several years back.

MIAMI DOLPHINS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: The Wildcat formation has beaten the Patriots before, could it happen again? The Dolphins have started to flow better since Chad Pennington's injury, and I think it's the stronger commitment to the Wildcat.

DALLAS COWBOYS VS. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: The NFC East match-ups will always get prime time billing, but for good reason -- they are usually fairly competitive match-ups. Right now, the Eagles and the Cowboys are the two teams rolling in the East. The Cowboys have improved thanks to the emergence of WR Miles Austin. For the Eagles, will Michael Vick continue taking a limited role in the offense, or will it expand at some point this season? Sunday Night Football.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS. DENVER BRONCOS: I feel like I'm still not giving the Broncos any respect. After losing for the first time last week to the Baltimore Ravens, it won't get any easier against the Steelers' defense. The Steelers have won four straight and will be looking to capitalize on whichever team loses the Bengals/Ravens match. Monday Night Football.

The Regression of Derek Anderson, by the Numbers

2009-11-05T18:57:51Z

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

Year	Comp	Att	Yds	Y/A	Pct %	Int	TD	Sack	Fum	FumL	W-L
2007	88	156	1312	8.4	56.4%	7	13	5	2	0	3-2
2008	76	146	853	5.8	52.1%	6	5	8	5	0	2-3
2009	55	135	589	4.4	40.7%	6	2	8	5	3	1-4

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.

DBN: Help Wanted

2009-11-04T17:21:35Z

Do you love writing about the Cleveland Browns? Would you like to have your content on the front page of Dawgs By Nature, as opposed to having it shoved off to the side as a FanPost or the 600th comment buried in a thread? Now is your chance.

Purpose

Dawgs By Nature is looking to add to our team of writers -- after all, I'm sure rufio is getting a little tired of being the site's only "minion." ;) This is not a sign of me leaving or anything like that, but rather allowing this site to reach its fullest potential. Sometimes I'm busy or unforeseen issues come up, as was seen a few weeks ago, and there isn't enough front-page content to keep things going. Most SB Nation sites have multiple writers too, so in that regard, I've been "late to the punch" in terms of soliciting help.

Qualifications

Here is what we'll be looking for in applicants:

First off, you have to be interested because you want to do it as a hobby. This is not a paying position, although seeing the feedback you receive from your posts can sometimes be a worthwhile compensation in itself.
You have to post regularly, and right now I'm going to set that standard at at least 2-3 times per week. That might some easy to do, but it requires a lot of dedication nonetheless. Having a sense of creativity always helps in coming up with new topics or regular (weekly) features.
You must have good grammar and a good understanding of the English language. You don't need to be a masterful writer, but if there are punctuation and spelling errors every few sentences, it reflects more so on the credibility of the website than it does as a comment.

Contributing Ideas

Part of the writing process can also include ideas simple such as the following:

Weekly summary of power rankings. On Tuesday's or Wednesday's, recap where all of the major media sites have the Browns listed in their power rankings.
Morning link collections. Aggregate all of the morning's news from the newspapers and have them posted in the morning.
Quotes from players or experts. Find a unique player quote from the Browns or a media member talking about the Browns and post it as a FanShot to the front page.

These are all ideas I've wanted to implement, but haven't had the time to do. Also, with more writers on board, the odds of a "BREAKING STORY" going straight to the front page at a sooner time are more likely.

Get Involved

If you're interested in applying, send me an email at pokorny@pfcritics.com. If you're a regular member, it'll be easier for me to decide if your writing style fits in with what we're looking for. In your email, share some of the features you might like to run on a weekly basis.

If you are NOT interested in applying but WOULD like to see more weekly features, list what features you'd like to see. Thanks, and GO BROWNS!!!

-Chris Pokorny

Fans Choice Hall of Fame Voting - Which Browns Are On the List?

2009-11-04T16:31:09Z

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?

Please note that this is a sponsored post, but these days, what Browns fan wouldn't like to think back to some of the better days?

BROWNS CANDIDATES

#54 - LB Clay Matthews - The talented linebacker played for the Browns from 1978 until 1993. His son, Clay Matthews III, was drafted by the Green Bay Packers this season.

#61 - Owner Art Modell - It's a shame he's this high up the list. I don't think any Browns fans will be showing the beloved Modell any support.

#82 - DL Michael Dean Perry - The media-friendly defensive lineman played with the Browns from 1988 until 1994. How could you not vote for a guy who had a McDonalds sandwich named after him?

#94 - RB Greg Pruitt - Playing for the Browns from 1973 until 1981 and made four Pro Bowls with the team. He won a Super Bowl when he joined the Los Angeles Raiders. Wouldn't it be nice to have a running back in these days -- or any player for that matter -- be on the roster for nearly a decade?

#99 - DB Frank Minnifield - Those were some good times, having Minnifield and Hanford Dixon as the Browns' cover corners. Minnifield only played with the Browns, with his career going from 1984 until 1992.

#125 - RB Leroy Hoard - He was with the Browns from 1990 until 1995 when the franchise had to leave for Baltimore. He retired in 1999 as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

Feel free to relish in the history of these Browns players. There were a few players who only played a year for the Browns that I left off; if you see any "legendary" members that I left off the list, please let me know.

To support our Browns, go here to cast your vote. The results will be announced on the NFL Network hours before the official results are unveiled. Our players might seem far down the list, but that might be because the awareness factor of this voting process is low. If we show some support, a few of our players could quickly start to rise up the list!

Second Thing to Be Settled After GM Fiasco

2009-11-04T03:19:33Z

Put some damn stripes on those brown pants.

Let me tell you a little bit about my uniform ideals. Our home jerseys are great. They honestly can't get better. Congratulations Browns, it's the only consistency we really ever had in the last 10 years.

Now as for the away, I was an all white man. I saw the orange pants of the 90s. Atrocious. Yes, they were our identity but they were pretty bad. When we went all white I thought it was a great transition and also the only transition that seemed to work. Then I saw the brown pants in the preseason last year and I prayed they were never made mandatory.

Then this year happened. We made brown pants mandatory for away. I was disappointed and they really didn't seem to work. But they grew on me amazingly. Then I started liking them and disagreed with Kwoog; they needed stripes and they'd be perfect, as shown in this artist's rendition: (Thank you Paint.)

I hope you all agree. Here is living proof that stripes would complete this now great away jersey. Please Lerner, get mad about plain pants also.

Poll

Should the Browns put stripes on the brown pants?

Barton bulging disc

2009-11-03T17:58:57Z

Barton bulging disc

The season that keeps on giving.

Crazy Rumors Ensue Regarding Browns GM Position

2009-11-03T16:21:42Z

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.

Randy Lerner Wasn't Kidding; Reportedly Fires GM George Kokinis, but Daboll Staying

2009-11-03T01:47:18Z

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Cleveland Browns general manager George Kokinis is OUT.

Browse more photos »

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:

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.

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).

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.

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.

Angry fans to meet with Browns owner

2009-11-02T18:15:16Z

Angry fans to meet with Browns owner

More evidence that Lerner is taking the idea of the protest seriously, at least on a PR basis. It'll be interesting to hear what the organizers have to say after this meeting. Might they call it off if properly reassured?

Kamerion Wimbley and Browns Defense Play With Fire Despite 30-6 Loss to Bears

2009-11-02T17:49:25Z

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

7 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)

Browse more photos »

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.

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.
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.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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!
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.
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.

Midseason Report: the Cleveland Browns' Offense (Part II)

2009-11-02T02:54:31Z

In Part I, I broke down three plays that I felt exemplified the Browns' offensive woes this season. Here, I will break down two plays that did go our way.

The Browns may lack explosive playmakers who could allow us a good offense, but by studying exactly what it is that has (and hasn't) worked for us, a solid offensive coordinator could put together a competent offense without any personnel changes.

Play 1

After stopping the Packers on 4th and 1 midway through the first quarter, the Browns took over at their own 30 yard line. We lined up in a singleback formation with WRs Mohammed Massaquoi and Mike Furrey lined up to the left of the formation, along with TE Michael Gaines. Jamal Lewis is in the backfield, and TE Greg Estandia is on the opposite side of the formation:

I actually like what the coaching staff did with this formation for a couple of reasons.

First, it is hard to run a Cover-2 against a trips formation, so we should have already taken some of Green Bay's defensive options.

Second, double TE sets usually have a built in advantage against an odd front: they match up fairly well with 3-4 OLBs, and Daboll could play a cat/mouse game with Green Bay DC Dom Capers (alternating between keeping the TEs in to block the OLBs and then releasing them to catch passes).

Third, before TE Michael Gaines goes in motion, look at the right side of our line vs the left side of Green Bay's defense above. If we were to run to the right, we'd outnumber Green Bay 4 to 3 on that side. If we executed our blocks well, we could momentarily double-team NT Ryan Pickett, then have RG Rex Hadnot relase to block ILB A.J. Hawk at the second level. Jamal Lewis wouldn't face a potential tackler for 10 yards.

We do end up bringing Gaines in motion, and DA sees that Green Bay is once again in a Cover-1 look:

The motion not only reveals something about the coverage, it also causes confusion between LB Nick Barnett and S Atari Bigby:

Whatever switch Green Bay wanted to happen didn't happen. DA quickly notices that Gaines is wide open, and checks down with an accurate, easy to catch pass

The ball has some touch on it but is still thrown with enough zip that Gaines is able to catch it in stride with enough space between him and the sideline to secure the ball and turn upfield for a nice gain.

Play 2

Later in that same drive, we lined up in a strong I formation with Massaquoi and Robiskie at WR, Estandia at TE, and Vickers and Lewis in the backfield. Green Bay showed a Cover-3 shell before the snap (again), by walking CBs Al Harris and Charles Woodson back before the snap.

Green Bay was walking a safety up into the box all day and basically daring our WRs to beat them through the air. Anderson notices and makes a check:

After the snap Anderson, FB Lawrence Vickers, and RB Jamal Lewis all do a great job of selling a little play-action fake. It isn't a full on "stick it in his gut and pull the ball back out" fake, but with a quick twitch by DA and good salesmanship by Vickers and Lewis, Woodson bites.

Above, you can see Woodson take one false step, and that's all the Browns needed. DA sees that Robiskie has Woodson beaten, but he also notices FS Nick Collins coming over from his centerfield responsibility (out of screen) to cover Robiskie.

DA knows that with the free safety out of the picture, CB Al Harris is truly on an island against Massaquoi. He also knows that because GB is playing a Cover-3, Massaquoi should be wide open on his route, a slant/deep in.

DA throws a great ball, right on Massaquoi's numbers. 20 yards, a first down, and a facemask penalty for good measure.

After a very brief review of what is and isn't working for the Browns' offense, here are my reccommendations:

Simplify the playbook. There is too much wild experimentation, too many plays, and to little mastery of the plays we run. We need to establish some success in moving the ball, and then we can add wrinkles from week to week. Experiment, sure. But first and foremost make sure people know where they need to be and can play fast, "without thinking".
Use the Giants' "Omaha" call. We don't need to use the word "Omaha", but we should have a word that our QB uses to indicate that the snap count is live. Prior to saying the "hot word", whoever our QB is can use the hard count to try to get the defense to show their hand. We should use this at least 50% of the time. Eric Mangini wants to make this a disciplined, intelligent football team, so our strategies should reflect that. This would require our players to be more disciplined than the opposing defense, but could get us some real advantages.
Run when there are 7 in the box, pass when there are 8. The "Omaha" call would give us the upper hand as to determining this (see how those things go hand in hand and they aren't just randomly thrown together?). Far too often, we are trying to run with 8 in the box.
Run the same concepts from different formations. Yeah, it is a little "college offense-ish", but we might actually move the ball if we did it. If we run the ball with a Power O play, run the Power-O play with 2WR, 3WR, 4WR, and from the Wildcat. If we are going to run the Smash passing concept or the Slants concept, run it out of several formations. Have a few plays that work better against MOFO (middle of field open) coverages like cover-2 and cover-4, and some that work well against MOFC (middle of field closed) coverages. Build around the core concepts of the offense.
Find an identity. What exactly are the core concepts that we build around? If we had no idea what the defense was doing and we needed 4 yards, how would we try to get those yards? Run? Pass? Inside? Outside? Do we stretch the field horizontally? Are we looking to make big plays or take short, easy passes? Will we win with strength? Speed? Right now, I don't think we even know what we like to do.

Jamal Lewis Calling it Quits After the Season? Lerner Upset?

2009-11-01T22:51:18Z

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.

Post-Game Thread: Mistakes Are Plentiful Again Against Bears

2009-11-01T21:39:02Z

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:

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

Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears - Official Game Thread

2009-11-01T15:45:37Z

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.

Date:	November 1, 2009	Location:	Chicago, IL
Time:	1:00 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Soldier Field
TV:	CBS	Favorite:	Bears by 13½
Radio:	WTAM, 1100 AM	Over/Under:	40½
SBN Coverage:	Windy City Gridiron	Announcers	Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots

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

Category	Browns	Bears
Points Scored	10.3 (30th) = Push	21.5 (20th)
Passing	128.3 (31st) = Push	231.5 (16th)
Rushing	97.1 (24th) = -6	80.7 (29th)
Total Offense (yards)	225.4 (31st) = Push	312.2 (21st)

DEFENSE

Category	Browns	Bears
Points Scored	25.6 (27th) = -1	24.0 (22nd)
Passing	244.3 (24th) = -1	220.3 (16th)
Rushing	170.6 (31st) = -1	109.5 (18th)
Total Defense (yards)	414.9 (32nd) = Push	329.8 (16th)

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!!!

Browns vs. Bears Primer - Joshua Cribbs and Devin Hester

2009-11-01T04:29:40Z

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

2 months ago: Chicago Bears cornerback Zackary Bowman (35) celebrates an interception during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns in Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

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Here are some news, notes and nuggets as the Browns get set to take on the Bears on November 1st, 2009:

This will be the battle of the best kick returners, with Joshua Cribbs on one side and Devin Hester on the other side. Hester doesn't touch the ball on kickoffs anymore though after absorbing the duties of being the Bears' top wide receiver. Cribbs tried to make a similar adjustment to the receiver position, but his output (10 catches for 38 yards) has been far less impressive. Based on Cribbs' style, it makes sense why he's been more productive in the Wildcat formation on run plays.
Just which player is better at returning kicks? Quite honestly, I think it's unfair to compare the players' contrasting styles. Between the two, personally, I couldn't trade Cribbs for Hester.
The Bears do have a suitable replacement this season at returning kickoffs. Rookie Johnny Knox, who has also emerged as a decent wide receiver, is averaging 29.0 yards a pop in 18 attempts. Cribbs is averaging 28.9 yards a pop in 25 attempts, but also returns punts.
Almost all of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota will see the Browns vs. Bears game on CBS at 1:00 PM EST, according to the TV Distribution Maps. If you hated the announcing crew from the Steelers game two weeks ago (Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots), then I suggest you mute your television screen in advance this week.
People in the Cleveland area will also get to see the 49ers take on the Indianapolis Colts at 1:00 PM on FOX. I love watching Peyton Manning quarterback, and I rarely get to see him in non-prime time games, so I'm sure I'll be flipping channels throughout our game. Pretty much the whole country will get to see Brett Favre return to Lambeau to face the Vikings at 4:00 PM on FOX. That game is begging for a ratings grabber, and I can't wait to see it.
Kicker Phil Dawson looks ready to return as the Browns' field goal kicker this week. The team didn't release Billy Cundiff though, and there's a chance he might be active as well to continue handling kickoff duties this week. The Browns have not attempted a field goal longer than 31 yards since Dawson's injury.
With tight ends Steve Heiden, Robert Royal, AND Greg Estandia all on the injury report, expect Michael Gaines to continue seeing action this week.
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll indicated that Joshua Cribbs might be used more at running back moving forward. If that happens this week, I'll be both happy and upset. Happy that we went through with it, but upset that Daboll blew the potential surprise facing the Bears' defense.
Browns RB Jamal Lewis as struggled with a 3.4 yards per carry average this season, but Bears RB Matt Forte hasn't had much more luck with a 3.5 yards per carry average.
Chicago is set to have backup running back "The Other Adrian Peterson" return to action this week. He has been out since Week 4 with a knee injury.
A Browns wide receiver has still yet to catch a touchdown this season. After Carson Palmer torched the Bears for five touchdowns last week, will that change this week for Cleveland? You have to imagine that Derek Anderson will have his "beasting" game at some point...or not.
With D'Qwell Jackson out, the Browns' two leading tacklers this season are Eric Barton and Abram Elam, both former Jets.
Jay Cutler was picked 3 times last week; the Browns' defense has 3 picks all season.
The Browns will be facing their former teammate, RT Kevin Shaffer, who now starts for the Bears. Likewise, the Bears will be facing RT John St. Clair, their former starter.
Last week, Bears CB Charles Tillman struggled all day against Chad Ochocinco, yielding two touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving to the loud-mouthed receiver. CB Zackary Bowman also struggled, giving up an early touchdown to WR Chris Henry.
This is the second time the Browns are headed to Chicago this season. They played their on September 3, 2009 for their final preseason game.

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! Also, don't forget to change your clocks, otherwise you'll mis-time the start of the Browns game!

As Browns Take on Bears, is Chicago's Future Really in Good Shape?

2009-10-31T18:52:36Z

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

Jay Cutler could have been a Brown in the offseason, but I didn't lose any sleep in not acquiring him.

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Browns vs. Bears - Game Preview

I've never understood all of the hype surrounding QB Jay Cutler.

Sure, he has shown the potential to be a very productive quarterback. But there are other games where he'll make decisions throughout the game that prevent the offense from doing much of anything. For all of the potential he has had the past several years, he has failed to move on to the "next level", which is why I was thrilled when Cutler was not dealt to the Cleveland Browns early in the offseason. If you recall, the Browns were one of the teams reportedly interested in the former disgruntled Bronco. When Chicago landed Cutler, here's what they had to give up:

First Round Pick in 2009
Third Round Pick in 2009
First Round Pick in 2010

The Denver Broncos have the media to thank for always touting Cutler as a top-tier quarterback ever since he was drafted. Beyond their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bears, especially including Cutler, have struggled against contending teams such as the Green Bay Packers, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Cincinnati Bengals. As efficient as Carson Palmer was last week against the Bears' defense, Cutler threw three interceptions in a 45-10 blowout. Earlier in the year, Mel Kiper stressed Cutler being overhyped:

"This guy was overhyped at the combine, he was overhyped at Senior Bowl week, he’s been overhyped before he was drafted. The media, they love Jay Cutler. Jay Cutler can do no wrong. I’ve been saying he’s overrated since day one. Everyone’s been pounding their chests saying, ‘Oh, I love Jay Cutler, I’m a genius.’ They have egg on their face now."

-Mel Kiper

Part of the problem? Cutler is stubborn, on and off the field. His stubbornness in Denver helped lead to his dismissal, and on the field, even if a receiver didn't run his route correctly or isn't open, he'll try to force it right at "the spot he's supposed to be." The Broncos are 6-0 under Kyle Orton, and the Minnesota Vikings are 5-1 under Brett Favre. Cutler might have the potential to be better than both of them, but right now, Orton and, believe it or not, Favre, have been effective game managers.

The Bears have always been known for their defense, and acquiring Cutler was an attempt to have dominance on both sides of the ball. Maybe they'll find receivers to better complement Cutler next year, but by then, they're going to have to start worrying about their lack of youth defensively.

The Browns didn't face Cutler in the preseason; he sat out the fourth exhibition game just as Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson did. Odds are in Cutler's favor that he'll rebound from last week's "off" performance and light it up against the Browns. Until Cutler starts leading his team to victory against the contending teams though, I'd probably take at least ten quarterbacks on my roster before I'd take him.

This isn't meant to say that Anderson (or Quinn) outweigh Cutler by any means; it's becoming clearer and clearer that neither quarterback will be considered long-term answers. Considering what the Bears have invested in Cutler though, if the Browns are able to find a solid quarterback in next year's draft, I'm not going to wish we had Cutler on our team instead. Maybe that'll change in the future, but three years of hype has gotten old real quick.

Running Game & Tight End

Matt Forte has seen his carries go down from last season. After averaging nearly 20 carries a game last season, that figure has dropped to 15 carries per game. I expected Forte's carries to increase this season, with Cutler being efficient by picking his spots to move the ball down the field and utilize some of the speed Chicago has in Devin Hester and Johnny Knox. The Bears rank 29th in the league this season running the football.

Greg Olsen should be the target that Cutler utilizes more often. The Bears need to start utilizing him in areas that aren't near the goal line.

The Right Tackle Swap

Even though a trade wasn't involved, the Browns and the Bears essentially swapped right tackles during the offseason. On the Browns is veteran John St. Clair; on the Bears is veteran Kevin Shaffer. Take your pick between the two, because I really don't see how either player can be measured as an upgrade.

The Bears' Adewale Ogunleye will be matched up against St. Clair on Sunday:

"It's going to be fun going against him,'' Ogunleye said. "I'm just going to say that he tries hard. He's the kind of guy that goes in every game and busts his ass, excuse me, busts his tail. He's the kind of guy that you want on your team, so he's a good guy."

The Bears have been held without a sack the past two games. The offensive line has remained one of the lone bright spots for the Browns, with the right side of the line even holding its own in recent weeks.

Tommie Harris Returning

The Bears were without DT Tommie Harris last week, and his absence was noted. With linebackers Brian Urlacher and Pisa Tinoisomoa out for the season, the Bears were outmatched against the Bengals. Having Harris back should improve the other units as well.

Tonight, I'll have another small preview of the Bears/Browns contest. Don't forget to check out rufio's midseason analysis of the Browns offense.

Poll

Do you think Jay Cutler has been overrated (note: "overrated" doesn't mean he's a "bad" quarterback)?

Yes, Cutler is Overrated

169 votes

No, Cutler is a Top QB

139 votes

308 votes | Poll has closed

Midseason Report: the Cleveland Browns' Offense

2009-10-31T10:02:43Z

So far this season, our offense has scored 58 total points, for an average of 8.3 points/game. That simply isn't going to get the job done in the NFL.

At times, I have wanted to throw my TV out of my third floor window. At others, I have wanted to lace up my cleats to see if I can run a seam route better than Robert Royal.

Why exactly are we so bad? Where do we need to improve? Is there anything positive to take away from our offensive performance amidst the sea of ineffectiveness?

I finally got my hands on some game film, so I decided to take a look at this past Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. I will break down three plays that didn't work here, handing out blame to the guilty parties. Look for a breakdown of some plays we ran effectively to be posted Saturday night.

Play 1

This is a play we ran very effectively last year (check out my comment with screenshots). If all goes as planned, Josh Cribbs goes in motion and blocks down on a defender on the line of scrimmage, then LT Joe Thomas pulls around Cribbs, lead blocking along with FB Lawrence Vickers.

I love this play, as it suits our strengths. It allows Cribbs (a tough, physical player for his size who isn't afraid of contact) to catch someone off-guard and light them up. It allows Joe Thomas (a ridiculously athletic man for his size) get out into space and engulf a smaller defender. It allows Vickers (an above-average athlete at FB) to lead block in space, and it runs away from one of our offensive weaknesses; the right side of the line.

The problem with this play starts with the fact that we have RB Jamal Lewis in the game over RB Jerome Harrison. Harrison is much faster than Lewis. Sure, the defense might know we like to run outside with Harrison, but who cares what they know if they can't stop us?

The second problem is that for whatever reason, Cribbs isn't exactly sure who to block:

You can see him ready to block but not taking anyone on above. It was a bit of a weird front, as Green Bay had moved the FS Nick Collins up to the line of scrimmage bewteen ROLB Clay Matthews and RDE Cullen Jenkins. I have a feeling that Cribbs thought he was to block the SS, who TE Greg Estandia took on immediately after the snap.

In this situation, it is better for Cribbs to block the "wrong" guy, but to be wrong decisively. Instead he waits and waits, and even lets RILB A.J. Hawk run right by him...

...and make the tackle.

Who's at fault?

QB: hard to blame Anderson on this play, as it was a solid play call, and could have resulted in a solid gain if DA did everything exactly as he did above.
WRs: Cribbs needs to block someone. Even if he gets the "wrong guy", Vickers or Thomas can adjust an pick up whoever Cribbs lets through.
OL: every lineman pretty much did their job. The play could have resulted in a solid gain even if they did everything the same as above.
RB: I can't put the blame on Lewis for this play. A faster/better back could have gotten more yards, but when you are getting hit behind the line of scrimmage as a RB, someone else messed up.
Coaching: I know that if the coaches always used Lewis to run inside and Harrison outside we'd be predictable. But is this alternative any better? We simply don't have uber-versatile players right now, so why not put the players we do have in position to succeed? Harrison is good at running outside. Lewis is not. Put Harrison in for this play, and then if teams start catching on, throw the changeup.

Play 2

Early in the second quarter, we ran another play that epitomized what is wrong with our offense.

I like that our coaching staff tried something different, lining Hank Fraley up at Tight End. The problem with the personnel package we used, however, is that it failed to create the mismatches we wanted. Fraley does one thing as a TE, and that is block.

Green Bay knows the pass is less of a threat--especially to the bottom of the screen--with Fraley at TE. Because of this, they are able to walk their SS up to put 8 men in the box:

Against an eight man front, we only have seven blockers available (5 OL, 1 TE, 1 FB), which means the defense will have an unblocked player available to make the tackle even if we are able to make and sustain all our blocks. This is why Bernie Kosar always advocates throwing the ball against an 8 man front when he is the color man during our preseason broadcasts.

DA can reasonably suspect that Green Bay is in man coverage because CBs Charles Woodson and Al Harris are lined up directly over WRs Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi. Facing man coverage and an 8 man front, we should be in great position to pass the ball. DA can guess with some confidence that Green Bay is playing Cover-1, facing anywhere from a 4-6 man rush. So, DA checks to a pass:

Because of our substitution of Fraley at TE, we aren't in much better position to pass the ball. Green Bay is able to send 6 rushers while still playing man-to-man on all of our receiving options and having deep "centerfield" safety help.

After the snap, rookie WRs Massaquoi and Robiskie struggle to get off the line of scrimmage against press coverage. Further exacerbating the delay in getting open, both WR are running relatively slow developing routes. We are running the "switch" concept (see WRs X and Y, ignore the others):

When DA hits the back of his drop, the WRs are no where close to where they need to be. Instead of looking them off and checking down to FB Lawrence Vickers, who is open and could probably pick up a solid gain, Anderson continues to stare down the WRs.

Compounding the problem is the fact that DA doesn't have another player running a route because RB Jamal Lewis is pass blocking and our other eligible receiver is OL Hank Fraley, who isn't ever a threat to catch a pass.

After hesitating, DA fires a dangerous pass almost right to LB Nick Barnett. He was lucky this wasn't a pick 6.

Who's at fault?

QB: DA can not throw this high risk, low reward pass--at worst it should have been a throwaway over Vickers' head and out of bounds. He also probably shouldn't be checking to a pass with 6 OL in the game. Lastly, when he saw our WRs struggle to get open, he should have looked them off and checked down much sooner. Additionally; why is this a 5-step drop and not a 7- or even 9-step drop for such long-developing routes? If he knows the blitz is coming and that he has to get rid of the ball quickly, why is it not a 3-step drop with quicker developing routes?
RB: Lewis may have whiffed on his block. I can't tell if he was supposed to chip and then release in to the flat or not. Either way, he could have slowed the pass rush more.
WR: They need to get off the press. It doesn't look as bad real-time as it does in the stills, but they could still help Anderson out.
OL: they picked up the 6 man pressure fairly well.
Coaching staff: Why simply sub Fraley in the game at TE? It's a pretty clear signal that we are going to run. Furthermore, it's not at all versatile (something that the coaches want our offense to be) because Fraley is only in there to block. It takes our offense from 5 receivers down to 4. Why not go with an unbalanced line instead, leaving a TE on the field? Why not go with another TE instead of 2 WR, creating a mismatch (our power vs. their speed)? Why is there not a better "hot" route on this play, with the blitz looming?

Play3

We come out in a singleback shotgun formation with WR Mohammed Massaquoi at the top of the screen, and WRs Brian Robiskie and Chansi Stuckey, along with TE Greg Estandia in a trips formation at the bottom of the screen.

DA sends Estandia in motion across C Alex Mack, and then back to his original place in the formation:

This isn't just motion for the sake of motion; it is designed to tell us something about the coverage. Green Bay shows that they are playing man coverage on Estandia because LB Brandon Chillar follows Estandia in motion. This implies that the Packers are also playing man coverage on our other receivers.

Off the snap, Estandia stays in to block, but our protection scheme is such that he has to cross paths with RT John St. Clair to pick up the blitzing LB Chillar (who was trying to deceive us and is actually blitzing, not covering Estandia). Initially, I thought Mack blew our pass protection because he wasn't blocking anyone off the snap...

but Mack actually knew exactly what was coming, as Green Bay's rushers stunted. Anderson, knowing he has Massaquoi basically one-on-one, stares him down. Massaquoi has a step, but Stuckey seems to be getting open behind S Atari Bigby.

I have to blame the play design here. Against Cover-1, there is usually a LB or S playing a short zone in the middle of the field (a "robber"). To me, it's clear that if Stuckey were running an out or a corner route here, he would be open for the 1st down, as there is no help in those areas of the field.

In 2007 when DA was at his best, he was trying to fit balls in to tight spaces, and he was throwing some jump balls (high risk), but he was also taking shots downfield (high reward). He goes that route again here, but he makes a really weak effort. At this point, he has held on to the ball long enough that he knows he is probably going to get hit. Instead of stepping up into the pocket and taking that hit ("like a man"), he tries to avoid the contact...

...and because he doesn't step into his throw, he ends up grossly underthrowing Massaquoi...

...right off of Al Harris' foot. I don't need to talk about how bad of a throw that is, but it should be especially embarrassing because he wouldn't just take a hit for the benefit of the team.

Who's at fault?

QB: DA's arm is supposed to be his strengh. He needs to suck it up, step up, and take this hit.
WR: Stuckey is open, and Massaquoi has a step and a half on Al Harris. I can't see Robiskie's route after it's stem. A WR can always be more open.
RB: Jerome Harrison actually picks up a blitzing linebacker fairly well for a 210lb. man. He could have done a better job, but this play isn't on him.
OL: They could have done a better job, particularly RT John St. Clair. He does have to switch places with Estandia, making it tough to recover.
Coaching staff: I don't know if Estandia was supposed to stop his motion in the backfield and be lined up more like an H-back, but a switch like what happened shouldn't happen, especially on the right side where we are having enough problems pass blocking. K.I.S.S. Why is Stuckey running a square in/post? Here is another example of not putting our players in position to succeed; Harrison is the worst pass protecting back on our roster. Clearly, Green Bay was not worried about him catching the ball, so why put him in the game, only to have him do what he isn't good at doing? Why not have Lewis or Vickers in there to pass block?

Verdict

Here is where I place the blame, from least blame to most blame:

OL: At least in the Green Bay game, the pass protection wasn't bad. Maybe St. Clair really wanted DA to be the quarterback, because he didn't play anywhere near as bad as he used to with Quinn under center (see: Broncos game). He isn't the long-term answer, but I expect the line to continue to improve because of Mack and (hopefully) a healthy Rex Hadnot.
RB: Lewis certainly isn't what he used to be, but Harrison has shown he can be dangerous. Still, both our RB's weaknesses are being highlighted far too often, with their strengths being ignored or underutilized. I would love to be finding out what James Davis could do right now.
WR: Both Robi and MoMass will improve with time, and if they are going to excel in the NFL, they probably don't do so consistently this year. We lack a WR who can consistently get open against straight man or man-free coverage.
QB: He isn't getting much help from his wideouts or the play calling/play design, but DA looks like he is a step slow in reading the defense, he is forcing short throws that he shouldn't make, and he isn't utilizing his own strengths.
Coaching staff: Our players look undisciplined, confused, and out of position. Daboll looks like a jack of all trades but a master of none, his offense lacks any sort of coherence, and he looks like he is out-smarting himself. In my opinion, we should simplify our offense.

We should work three or four runs that we can run out of any formation and master them. We should take three or four passing concepts/route combinations and master those. Ideally, a few of the runs compliment a few of the passes (play actions with the same blocking patterns, etc,) and they'd compliment each other. Once we have the simple things down, then we can put in the wrinkles and the tricky pass protections and the counter punches. As it stands now, we have nothing to counter off of.