Dawgs By Nature

Browns Get Leveled by Ravens in Pitiful 16-0 Monday Night Game

2009-11-20T17:31:20Z

by Tony Dejak - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

GOAT OF THE GAME:

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

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

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

GENERAL THOUGHTS

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

Short Throws All Day: It became annoying that the fans behind me kept bringing this up, but they were right. The only pass plays we were looking for all day were ones that were right at the line of scrimmage. On our first drive or two, I was excited about this -- the Ravens were playing a little off, and the throws played to Quinn's strengths.

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

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

GOT NUMBERS? Analyzing the Detroit Lions vs. the Cleveland Browns

2009-11-19T23:00:14Z

More photos » by Jeff Wheeler - AP

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

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

I'll repeat my explanation from last week:

A quick note about the stats I'm going to use in this regular column. The full explanation can be found here. Basically, Football Outsiders uses the data from every play and finds the league average (adjusting for yards gained in the redzone, touchdowns scored, and the down and distance- so a 3 yard TD run on 3rd-and-1 from the 3 means a lot more than a 3 yard run on 3rd-and-15 from your own 20.) Then it rates players and teams based on their relation to this league average. The result is meaningful rate stats. They are akin to league adjusted stats in baseball, like OPS+ and ERA+. DVOA is the most common stat they use and 0.0 is exactly league average. A 10.0% DVOA for a QB means a QB that is 10.0% better than average. -15.0% DVOA means 15% below average for a QB. For defensive numbers they are reversed, so negative numbers are better.

Got all that? No? Well, then trust me when I say, higher positive numbers are good for offensive players and lower or negative numbers are good for defenses. 0.0% is always average.

Going forward, I'll just link the Football Outsiders explanation of their stats. Also, see my waiver/caveat about using these stats here.

Now onto the Battle of Lake Erie: Regular Season Edition.

When you think of the 2009 Detroit Lions, you think of Calvin Johnson, a rookie QB, and a bunch of crap. This makes me wonder, what do the Lion fans say about us? Probably "Shaun Rogers, Josh Cribbs, and a bunch of crap." Let's see what the numbers say.

Detroit is pretty awful on offense, their offensive efficiency is 30th in the league, with a DVOA of -29.0%. They are really bad in the passing game (-36.2%, 30th in the league). Matthew Stafford and his 6 TDs and 12 INTs are struggling through his rookie year (-33.1 DVOA, 36th among the 40 QBs with over 75 attempts. In case you wondering Derek Anderson is 38th and Brady Quinn is 39th by this measure, only better than JaMarcus Russell). The bad QB play has meant a down year for star Detroit WR Calvin Johnson. His 52% catch rate is very average and his DVOA is a really bad -21.2% or 69th among qualified WRs. I do think that DVOA stats for WRs are skewed by the quality of QBs throwing these passes and I'm sure Johnson is getting safetys rolled his way and outright double teams pretty consistently. But whether it is a failure of the coaching staff, the QB play, or Johnson himself, someone that talented needs to have more than 1 TD. After a pretty solid week, the Browns defense now ranks 26th against the pass in DVOA at 20.3%. However, we have struggled specifically in defending passes to TEs (31st in the league with a DVOA 36.2%. So look out for TE Brandon Pettigrew, who doesn't have great numbers, but is a rookie who may be improving. Just two weeks ago he had 7 receptions for 70 yds and a TD. A weakness to exploit is getting to Stafford. The Lions' allowed sack rate is 10%, 30th in the league. The Browns are ok at getting to the QB (6.3% sack rate good for 21st in the league).

The Lions have fared a little better running the ball (-6.1% DVOA, 23rd). Still, Kevin Smith has taken a step back from his rookie year, where he ran for a league average-y 8 TDs, and 4.1 YPC and -0.5% DVOA. This year he has just 3 TDs, 3.4 YPC and an awful -15.0% DVOA- 31st in the league. The Browns have struggled against the run though (29th in the league at 12.5% DVOA) so, even a bad running game could find holes. It seems like those holes are more apparent when the defense wears down after long drives and in the second half due to our offense's ineptitude.

Detroit's defense is bad. They rank 30th in the NFL at 20.2% DVOA. Their pass defense is the real problem, ranking 31st in the NFL at a very bad 34.5% DVOA. However, they are actually better than average and, dare I say, good at defending passes to #1 WRs (11th in the league at -6.0%). So I guess if the Browns are going to have success through the air (ha), it will probably be to Robiskie (!), Furrey, or the TEs/RBs/FBs. Not that the Browns are good at doing any of that. Though Brady Quinn did seem to have a little rapport with slot receiver Mike Furrey. One thing though, Quinn should have a little more time to make decisions: The Lions rank 30th in adjusted sack rate at 4.5%. (The Browns pass protection is 22nd in the league). The Lions are better against the run, -1.5% DVOA. So Jamal Lewis' break out game will have to wait another week... or lifetime.

Special Teams. After a bad week, the Browns fell to 2nd overall (to the Vikings) in special team efficiency. Now without Zastudil and perhaps Cribbs, the strength of this team has turned into another big question mark. The Browns are still 1st in punt returns and 4th in kickoff returns in DVOA. The Lions are awful. They are 30th overall and 31st in kick coverage. So hopefully some good field position for our terrible offense is possible.

It'll be an ugly game. But it should be evenly matched. Mangini needs some good news, and the Lions might be just what the doctor ordered. But if the Browns lose, it could be the nail in his coffin. If the Browns suck on offense, the calls for Daboll's head will reach new levels.

My prediction: Browns 17 Lions 9. Most scoring will be set up by the defenses. Quinn should have a little time and look better. The defense has been playing pretty well, and should be able to shut down Stafford and Co. Maybe they can even score a TD.

All DVOA numbers and rankings are thanks to Football Outsiders.

A "Brownie" For Your Thoughts - The UFL: Who In The NFL Should Make The Switch?

2009-11-19T05:40:43Z

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

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

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

Now, in today's edition of A "Brownie" For Your Thoughts, we'll be looking at personnel in the NFL that should be giving the UFL a serious consideration in the coming years. I'll be naming five personnel of various positions that I think should transfer leagues. The 5th spot is least likely where as the 1st spot will be most likely.

Excluded from this list are rookies, first year starters and high double - digit season personnel (number of seasons will vary). Mainly though, we'll be looking at personnel with starting seasons from at least two years.

5. Reggie Bush - Bush will never go to the UFL due to his status and notoriety. Now, with the way the New Orleans Saints use him, Bush is not a bust nor a UFL player. But for his position in general, he's a bust. He's injury prone as well. He's listed as their starting RB but he's really just their fancy PR/KR. He's guaranteed over $25 million to be a PR/KR. Can the Saints live without him? Yes. Look at the stats you must, or look stupid do I...

Over 3 1/2 seasons or 47 total games, he's amased 1,827 yards rushing or 39 yards a game. As a receiver, he's amased 1,806 yards or basically 38 yards a game. For both positions, that's not a good game. His yardage averages from 2006 increase from 3.6 to 3.7 to 3.8 but with only 473 attempts, most averages will look decent to good. He has 13 career fumbles in just 3 1/2 seasons. As a RB or a hybrid RB/WR, his numbers don't preach well for him. He was a #2 overall pick; those are not #2 overall pick numbers. For that, he is UFL ready.

4. Lovie Smith - Were you reading carefully? I hope you were. If you noticed, I've been using the term personnel, not player. Personnel, in my book, is anyone who receives a paycheck from the NFL. A coach receives a paycheck, right? Now, I'm not saying Smith has to make the transition to UFL coach this season. What I am saying is though, is that if he keeps following this trend, he may want to consider. Don't agree? Check out the stats...

As "starting" head coach of the Chicago Bears for five full seasons, Smith has coached up a rollercoaster of mediocrity. Out of his five seasons, three have been winning seasons. Out of the winning seasons, only two were double - digit win seasons. Their last double - digit win season ended in a 2007 Super Bowl trip loss to the Indianapolis Colts. After the Super Bowl trip, the Bears went (9 - 7), (7 - 9) and now are presently at (4 - 5). Smith is just nine losses from a .500 career win record as a head coach at 49 - 40. This year is turning out to be a bust even with the biggest trade of the offseason in Jay Cutler. Most likely, I think the Bears finally cut their losses after this year with Smith. He may stay in the NFL but the UFL is going to be right there in his face.

3. Vernon Gholston - "But SpecialBrownie, he's only been in the league since 2008!" And this ignorant line somebody would have said had I not caught them, is completely correct. Sadly, it's been two years of straight crap. Stats people, look at the stats!...

Gholston came out of OSU as one of the most promising OLBs coming out of college. He was picked #6 overall in the 2008 draft by the New York Jets. In 23 total games with the New York Jets, Gholston has only registered 24 tackles, 11 of those assisted. He has no sacks, no interceptions, no deflections, the list of zeros go on. Now, why wouldn't you sit him if he's not producing? Gholston is guaranteed over $20 million from the Jets. If the Jets were to sit him, they'd be wasting money and would be completely embarrassed. I understand he's only been in the league for two years, but shouldn't he be producing by now? He is just BARLEY over one tackle a game. And he's a starting OLB! I don't want to believe this, but this former buckeye might be calling the UFL his home by his 6th season.

2. The Raiders Franchise - Oh Al Davis, the butt of so many NFL jokes. Do you deserve it? Absolutely. You're freaking crazy man. In 5+ years, you've had some huge questionable moves. The Browns FO might trump yours in ineptitude right now, but if one of these franchises had to move to the UFL, it'd be yours. And remember guys, this isn't the Raiders' first year in the NFL and I said double - digit seasons could vary, so they're fair game for this list. Note: Nnamdi Asomough can stay in the NFL but only if he's traded to the Browns. S! T! A! T! S! Stats! Stats! Stats!...

Davis has moved the team twice in the Super Bowl era, causing uproars and legal matters. In over a decade, the Raiders have had six head coaches, only two of which had any playoff appearances or winning seasons.Their current head coach, Tom Cable, has been accused of breaking the jaw of an assitant coach and has had past discretions of domestic violence. Also, on the day of his hiring, Davis (alledgedly) stated he had no clue who Cable actually was.He has the Raiders currently at (2 - 7). They have an enept starting QB with JaMarcus Russell (who has now been replaced by Bruce Gradkowski!). Russell, currently, has the lowest QB rating of starting QBs at 47.7 (since DA was knocked off the block, Russell gets to be at the bottom of the cellar.) The whole team is really in shambles. Davis has also been controversial in his high draft picks as of late for not being smart and thorough about who he picks. Heyward - Bey? Were you just trying to start something with the Blackhole? Honestly, this team needs a fresh start in an easier league.

1. Derek Anderson - Is anyone really surprised? What tipped you off? The picture? The bolded name? Or did you just know? Well, it's true and it's only fair. While he was replaced for MNF, he's still considered for this list because of his starts this year (He was already written in at my personal press time for this article also). He was on pace to have one of the worst possible seasons by a QB and he didn't even start the season! We don't need stats for this one since we've seen them countless times. This time, I'll be comparing his last 5 1/2 start stats with a starting UFL QB's last five NFL start stats. That QB is J. P. Losman. (By the way, that half game helps DA in no way, so I figured I'd just keep it in. You can't find 2009 stats without it included.)

Comp/Att - DA: 66/154; Losman: 63/104
Comp Pct. - DA: 42.9; Losman: 63
Yards - DA: 681; Losman: 584
Yards/Gm - DA: 113.5; Losman: 116.5
TDs - DA: 2; Losman: 2
INT - DA: 9; Losman: 5
Rating - DA: 36.2; Losman: 62.3
Somebody is in the wrong league. Wanna trade straight up for Losman? Yeah, I don't think they'd do it either (If interleague trading was allowed of course).

Now, as most can assume, the UFL is filled with misfit back - ups, not starting personnel or bad NFL franchises. Bad starters usually drop out of the NFL with enough guaranteed money to retire or become commentators. Back - ups don't have that luxury. Bad franchises move or get better. Most likely, none of these personnel will move to the UFL, I just took that approach to bring up ones that should if they ever finally lost it in the NFL. But it's not uncommom, as Losman shows, that starting personnel of the NFL can go to the UFL.

So do you guys agree or disagree? Let me hear your lists of personnel. Include stats if you want, but obviously it's not as important for you guys to include numerical evidence. Thanks for reading the second edition of "Brownie Thoughts" and tune in next week! Same Dawg place, same Dawg channel!

Browns place TE Steve Heiden and P Dave Zastudil on IR; Claim two players off waivers.

2009-11-19T03:06:21Z

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Week 11 Power Rankings - I'll Give You 32 Guesses...

2009-11-18T02:24:46Z

...what the Browns' average position is.

Key: Ranked Position - Linked Website

Quote from above website

32 - ESPN.com

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

32 - Fanhouse.com

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

32 - FOXsports.com

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

32 - CBSsports.com

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

32 - Yahoo!sports.com

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

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

*ADDED SITES*

32 - BleacherReport.com

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

32 - OBR.com

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

32 - SBNation.com

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

Post Game Thread: Baltimore @ Cleveland

2009-11-17T04:45:06Z

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Oh Crap! (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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

Discuss.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns - Official Game Thread

2009-11-16T18:35:37Z

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

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

Date:	November 16, 2009	Location:	Cleveland, OH
Time:	8:30 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Browns Stadium
TV:	ESPN/FOX 8	Favorite:	Ravens by 11
Radio:	WTAM, 1100 AM	Over/Under:	39
SBN Coverage:	Baltimore Beatdown	Announcers	Jon Gruden, Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski

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

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

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

OFFENSE

Category	Ravens	Browns
Points Scored	25.8 (9th)	9.8 (32nd) = -2
Passing	242.1 (14th)	121.5 (31st) = Push
Rushing	116.1 (14th)	99.6 (25th) = -1
Total Offense (yards)	358.2 (11th)	221.1 (32nd) = -1

DEFENSE

Category	Ravens	Browns
Points Scored	19.2 (9th)	26.1 (28th) = -1
Passing	225.8 (17th)	238.6 (25th) = -1
Rushing	94.9 (6th)	170.5 (31st) = Push
Total Defense (yards)	320.6 (12th)	409.1 (32nd) = Push

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

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

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

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

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

Browns Add Punter Reggie Hodges to Roster

2009-11-15T22:00:35Z

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

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

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

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

Browns Need Efficient Play from Brady Quinn Moving Forward

2009-11-15T04:38:30Z

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trust the Protection: In Quinn's 2.5 games, he was sacked 10 times. Granted, he faced tough defenses (Minnesota, Denver, Baltimore), but his issues weren't a result of the pressure getting to him to early. If Quinn saw any form of pressure, he seemed to panic and fall to the ground or get rid of the ball too quickly (to the inappropriate receiver).

This remained Anderson's only bright spot -- he trusted the protection. Of course, he ended up trusting it so much that he felt he could roll out in Shotgun to Joe Thomas' side for some reason without telling anyone, but that's beside the point.

John St. Clair seemed to struggle a lot more with Quinn under center, whether it be false starts or letting a free man get to the quarterback. Most of those problems came when we were already so behind that the defense knew we had to throw the football. Since Quinn's departure, St. Clair's play has improved dramatically. Hopefully that has more to do with getting comfortable than it does with the person under center.

If Quinn trusts his protection, he will be protected. This is not a Tim Couch offensive line; this is a line that could probably give a few of the contending teams' lines a run for their money.
First Down Passing: A big reason for the Browns' struggles is that the formula on offense is usually the same. Run it with Jamal Lewis on first down. Incomplete pass on second down. Incomplete pass on third down.

Quinn's game supposedly takes advantage of what the defense gives him on short routes. Set up the a single back formation on first down with Lewis in the backfield and pass it on first down for 6-7 yards every so often. The first-down runs haven't been amounting to much, so even if we do have an incompletion on first down, I'd feel more comfortable feeling that we took the chance to set up a second-and-short run play for Lewis to run effectively. Later on in a game, those types of plays can take advantage of the playaction pass, and with Quinn's mobility, he can find the open receiver that rolls with him. It might seem too hopeful, but mixing the play calling up can go a long way no matter who the receivers are, as long as the protection is decent.
The Screen Play: Again, this plays into Quinn's short passing attack. The Browns screened teams to death in the preseason with success. In the regular season, the screen plays have been far and few between. It doesn't matter who we run the plays with -- Lewis, Harrison, or even Lawrence Vickers -- the screen pass should be an integral part of the gameplan week in and week out. For all of the times we have Robert Royal and Joshua Cribbs in the game, the Browns should be taking advantage of their blocking abilities.

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

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

Scouting from the Couch: College Games to Watch on Saturday

2009-11-13T19:38:24Z

More photos » by DAVE WEAVER - AP

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

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

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

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

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

West Virginia @ Cincinnati Friday, 8 PM, ESPN2: Are the Cincinnati QBs just a product of the system? I'm always skeptical of that criticism, but I've also seen enough of Cincinnati QB Tony Pike to think he has at least a chance at making in the next level. Provided he can stay healthy and add some bulk. Also watch: Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard- good routes, but enough speed/size?

Georgia Tech @ Duke, Saturday NOON, ESPN2: I love Georgia Tech this year. I don't know when the last time I saw a dedicated triple option offense run so effectively with such good athletes. Georgia Tech RB Jonathan Dwyer is bigger and stronger than someone like CJ Spiller and still pretty fast. I'm a big fan of multiple talented RBs on a NFL team, and Dwyer with Harrison and Davis seems too awesome to be true. I've seen him anywhere in the top 3 rounds. Also watch: Duke DT Vince Oghobaase, who would be a NT in our scheme, and Georgia Tech S Morgan Burnett and DE Derrick Morgan have been as high as mid first round on some mock draft boards.

Iowa @ Ohio State, Saturday 3:30 PM, ABC: I'll be honest, I'll be watching this game as a crazed fan of Ohio State. But I will try to notice how Ohio State S Kurt Coleman fairs after a couple quiet weeks. He should be there for the Browns in the 2nd or 3rd round if they don't land Berry or Mays in round 1. Also watch Iowa OT Bryan Bulaga as he will be tested by the best defensive line in the country (watch Gibson and Heyword- if they leave OSU early, they'll be taken in the first two rounds) and the Browns could use a young upgrade at the RT position to go with Alex Mack and Joe Thomas.

Alabama @ Miss St., Saturday 7:00 PM, ESPN: The SEC has been tough to figure out. I know the defenses are good, but these offenses look flat out bad this year, and that includes Florida and Bama. If these games were played in the Big Ten it would be considered bad football, but since its in the sunny south, they say it is tough football. That critique aside, this game is filled with defensive NFL draft picks from Alabama. I don't know a lot about them, but they include LB Rolando McClaim, DT Terrence Cody (Shaun Rogers long lost brother?), CB Marquis Johnson, and S Justin Woodall.

Games I'll flip to on Saturday:

Notre Dame @ Pitt (8PM ESPN): Can Jimmy Claussen and his talented WRs look good against a good defense?

Tennessee @ Ole Miss (NOON CBS): Ole Miss DE Greg Hardy is supposed to be a freak and among the best in the country. Tennessee S Eric Berry is a DBN favorite, but I haven't seen him much yet.

Nebraska @ Kansas (3:30 PM, ABC): Suh.

GOT NUMBERS? Analyzing the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Cleveland Browns

2009-11-12T13:00:28Z

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

View full size photo »

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

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

A quick note about the stats I'm going to use in this regular column. The full explanation can be found here. Basically, Football Outsiders uses the data from every play and finds the league average (adjusting for yards gained in the redzone, touchdowns scored, and the down and distance- so a 3 yard TD run on 3rd-and-1 from the 3 means a lot more than a 3 yard run on 3rd-and-15 from your own 20.) Then it rates players and teams based on their relation to this league average. The result is meaningful rate stats. They are akin to league adjusted stats in baseball, like OPS+ and ERA+. DVOA is the most common stat they use and 0.0 is exactly league average. A 10.0% DVOA for a QB means a QB that is 10.0% better than average. -15.0% DVOA means 15% below average for a QB. For defensive numbers they are reversed, so negative numbers are better.

Got all that? No? Well, then trust me when I say, higher positive numbers are good for offensive players and lower or negative numbers are good for defenses. 0.0% is always average.

Now to the Ravens' Defense. Overall, the defense has a -5.7% DVOA, meaning they are 5-6% better than average. That number is good for 10th in the league. Solid, no doubt. But not scary. They are very average against the pass (2.2% DVOA, 12th in the league) and better against the run (-14.8%, 9th in the league). Specifically, they struggle with passes to the number 1 WR on the other team (12.6% DVOA, 26th in the league) and passes to the RB (15.6%, 24th in the league). Problem is, we don't really have a #1 WR and our RBs don't catch a lot of passes. Our best bet is probably getting the ball in the hands of Jerome Harrison through some screens and dump-offs. Harrison has a solid 75% catch rate (catching 18 of 24 targets) and while he has only turned those targets into 111 yards, we know that he has the speed to break one at any time.

How bout the offense of the fightin' ~~Satans~~ Modells? Well, they are really freaking efficient. Even after a bad game against the Bengals, they rank 6th in Offensive efficiency with a 21.2% DVOA. They are 11th in passing efficiency, but the 3 headed monster at RB of Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le'Ron McClain are thrashing defenses. They rank 3rd in rushing efficiency. In fact, Ray Rice is the best back in the league this year on a per play basis (29.1% DVOA) thanks, in part to 5 TDs and a cool 5.3 YPC. This could spell doom for our defense. As much as I have liked what I have seen from Rob Ryan's unit, they really have struggled. (Overall we are 29th in defensive efficiency with a DVOA of 18.2%). Especially against the run, where we are 30th in adjusted-DVOA 15.0%. Now that we are down two of our best tacklers and the center of our defense in Eric Barton and D'Qwell Jackson, things could really get ugly. So look for the Ravens to run the ball down our throats. That said, they were equally as successful through the air and actually passed more in our first match-up.

As you could have probably guessed, if we have any shot in this game, it is because of our special teams. We are first overall in Special Teams (with a 10.9 DVOA). Each of our special teams units are above average, but it is our punt returns that have separated us from the league this year with a league-leading 12.8 DVOA. This matches up well with Baltimore. Their average Special Teams unit is particularly bad at punting/punt coverage (-4.4% DVOA). Their best ST unit is the kick off coverage. So if you are looking for a big Joshua Cribbs return, you better hope we can force some punts.

Of course, this all doesn't look very good. By the numbers, the Ravens are a little better than I thought. On the other hand, they are unsurprisingly number 1 on the spectrum of evil. Maybe the forces of good, with a little help by Josh Cribbs and the Special teams can shock the world.

Hope you enjoyed my first official post.

Week 10 NFL TV Distribution Maps

2009-11-12T01:14:02Z

Week 10 NFL TV Distribution Maps

This week, the Browns are playing on Monday Night Football. If you have ESPN, then you should have no problem seeing Monday's game against the Ravens. If you're without ESPN but live in Northeastern Ohio, the game can be seen on Channel 8. If the game is blacked out due to not selling out, well, then those not attending the game are kind of screwed unfortunately.

On Sunday, here are the games you can enjoy:

1:00 PM Games
-Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings (FOX)
-Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (CBS)

4:00 PM Games
-Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers (FOX)

8:20 PM Games
-New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (NBC)

Brady Quinn is IN, Derek Anderson is OUT as Browns Starting QB

2009-11-11T16:36:27Z

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

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

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

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

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

Link, ClevelandBrowns.com

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

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

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

A "Brownie" For Your Thoughts - "Rookie" Post

2009-11-11T05:52:51Z

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

11 days ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford leaves the field after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Seattle Seahawks' Josh Wilson in the fourth quarter during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 32-20. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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Welcome to a whole new segment on DBN, appropriately titled, A Brownie For Your Thoughts. This is a segment that will be ran once or twice a week and will talk about more off topic football stories. An example would be my uniform fanpost of a week or so ago. I will talk about an idea that has ran across my ever free flowing imagination, speak my own opinion on the subject and ask for all of yours in the comments. I hope you all enjoy it and receive it well!

Now, the title Rookie Post, is an allegoric title. While this may be my own rookie post, it is also a post on how rookies should be brought up in the NFL. Should rookies be thrown in or should they be taught on the sidelines for a period of time? Maybe there is no control when a rookie starts in a NFL game. I'll examine the possibilities...

I have thought of three ways a rookie can be brought up in the NFL, but only two of them can be considered valid choices by a head coach. "Plug and Play" Rookie starter, "Apprentice Rookie starter and "Injury Forced" Rookie starter.

1. "Plug and Play" Rookie Starter - A "Plug and Play" starter, or PaP for short, is what I consider to be when a coach decides to start a rookie in the very first game of the season. Examples of this can be seen with Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions or Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets. A lot goes into a PaP starter. How well did they perform in college? How desperate is the team for production and notoriety? Will the rookie get injured?

To save space, we'll just use Matthew Stafford for example purposes.

How well did Stafford perform in college?

Stats Overview	Passing
YEAR	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YPA	LNG	TD	INT	SACK	RAT
2006	135	256	1749	52.7	6.83	53	7	13	12	108.99
2007	194	348	2523	55.7	7.25	84	19	10	15	128.92
2008	235	383	3459	61.4	9.03	78	25	10	17	153.54

Check.

How desperate is the team for production and notoriety? Detroit Lions 0 - 16 in 2008. Check.

Will the rookie get injured? Stafford missed two games due to a knee injury. Sadly, Check.

PaP conclusion: Essentially, Stafford matches every boundary for a PaP starter, which he was amazingly. The Lions however, are 1 - 7. Stafford has a 5/12 TD to INT ratio and has a 55.9 rating. Now, many other factors play into this but ultimately, a PaP is a high risk/ high reward starter. So far, Stafford has not played out for the Lions. Then again, it is only Week 9 of the 2009 season. Personally, I've never been one for a PaP starter. I feel like you're throwing them to the "Lions" (Do - Do - Do - Chzzz). I agree more with the next type of Rookie starter...

"Apprentice" Starter - This one is short, sweet and opinionated. An "App" starter is one who sits by on the sidelines, learns from successful or smart veterans and is inserted into a starting role when prepared or at least more knowledgeable than a PaP starter. How can this be proven? It really can't; this is a low risk/ high reward approach. You don't know if any factors will change from a PaP starter but what's it going to hurt? Your rookie learns NFL experience before he experiences it. It can only help.

Let's look at Josh Freeman, another 1st Round rookie QB starter. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 0 - 7 until Freeman was named the starter for Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. The first game Freeman was named starter, the Bucs won for the first time in the 2009 season! Freeman has a 3/1 TD to INT ratio and has a satisfying 83.2 rating. It's only been one game though so, really, who knows. Freeman seems to prove my un - provable point though.

App conclusion - LOW RISK/ HIGH REWARD. While you really don't satisfy the fan base or FO by holding back a high profile rookie, you let them learn from seasoned veterans who already know how to handle themselves in a NFL game. I see no real negatives to this approach all except for the negative notoriety. That will change though, once that studying rookie starts winning games.

"Injury Forced" Starter - This one can't be controlled by anyone. More specifically, this type of starter comes about when the starter above them goes down with an injury for at least one game, forcing the 2nd string rookie to start. This type can't be proven either since it can't be chosen. This one won't have a conclusion, just an explanation and example. It's basically a spontaneous split of the two "coach option" starters. As the 2nd string rookie, you're an App Rookie. Once the veteran above you goes down, said rookie morphs into a PaP Rookie, you have to go in regardless of knowledge or preparedness.

We'll use Kaluka Maiava for this example. Maiava had to come in for D' Qwell Jackson during the Pittsburgh Steelers game and started against the Green Bay Packers the week after. In both games combined, Maiava had a total of 10 tackles and one forced fumble. For an inside linebacker, those are decent stats for a span of two games. But who knows if he was even ready for the unexpectedness of Jackson's injury (he shouldn't have been, unless he planned it.) Maybe he'll get better challenging fellow rookie LB David Veikune for a starter spot or working beside veteran David Bowens. Who knows.

Well, there you go. My first ever post on my new segment. If you want, tell me how I did, critique me so the next post can be better. But please, above all else, TELL ME HOW YOU FEEL. Do you agree with these three types of rookies? Are there more types? Less? Please argue, agree and discuss. Thanks for reading and... GO BROWNS!

P.S. I will also be running the Power Rankings post which collects the Cleveland Browns power rankings from notable websites around the internet. It will usually be posted on Tuesdays or Wednesdays with "Brownie Thoughts" usually on Thursdays or Fridays.

Eric Barton Goes on Injured Reserve

2009-11-11T02:37:38Z

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

UPDATE (9:55 PM):

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

Clark Judge Interview with Mangini

2009-11-10T21:08:10Z

Clark Judge Interview with Mangini

I must say I found this article absolutely fascinating. A must read for any Browns fan.

Hooray for the Promotion of Youth! Marcus Benard Added to 53-Man Roster

2009-11-09T18:11:36Z

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

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

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

Quinn or Anderson? Quarterback Decision Set to Come on Wednesday

2009-11-09T17:41:28Z

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

Quinn or Anderson? Make a decision already!

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

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

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

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

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

Browns Drop Lower During Bye Week

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

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

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

Recapping Our Next Opponent - The Ravens

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

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.