The Browns Table: A Jacksonville Victory and Ratbird Revenge

Welcome to The Browns Table, a season-long look at the 2008 season for the Cleveland Browns from the point of view of the Browns fans here on Bleacher Report.

This discussion is not just meant for the contributing Browns fans. Please feel free to comment on any of the questions or any of our answers below.

We welcome any comments and an open discussion about the Browns below. If you would like a seat at the table leave me a note on my profile and we will try and get you in the rotation.

As always thanks to Browns fans The Coop and Eric Lawhead and Michael Taylor for their contributions this week.

The guys and gals give their thoughts on the Kellen Winslow Saga, the Browns win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, an off-season acquisition and the upcoming showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.

Without further ado, let’s talk Browns football…

The Kellen Winslow situation... What are your thoughts? Who do you feel is to blame? Where do he and the Browns go from here?

The Coop:
When the story first broke, I was one of the few people defending the organization. Winslow's comments to the media were completely inappropriate. Regardless of whether Winslow was right in expressing his concern for problems with staph, publicly criticizing the organization is never the right thing to do. (Incidentally, Winslow later stated that his illness had nothing to do with football.) I applauded Phil Savage for his swift decision to suspend Winslow, based solely on his comments.

Now that all of the details have come out and we know that a PR-staffer told Winslow to keep the staph infection quiet, my anger towards Winslow has softened. In light of the obvious error in judgment by the PR group, I was very impressed to hear that Randy Lerner and the rest of the organization took the heat and rescinded the suspension. This was the best resolution to a messy situation, and I do believe Winslow when he says he's "ready to move on."

With the Browns 2-0 without him, Kellen Winslow clearly needs the Browns more than they need him. It will be interesting to see how his contract situation is handled, especially given that he and Braylon Edwards will become free agents at around the same time. I've always thought the Browns would sign Winslow and let Edwards walk, but now that might not be option given the hurt feelings that will probably still linger for years to come.

Eric Lawhead:
I believe that Winslow was wrong for "airing the Browns dirty laundry." I do feel that the Browns were to blame in the feelings that Winslow felt in regards to how the Browns management handled the situation. I would expect my boss, like me or not, to call or visit me in the hospital. The Browns and Winslow need to really sit down, some how without the virus, Winslow calls an agent, and really figure out what is going to happen. The Browns have the upper hand here, they still sign the paychecks. If Winslow wants the big money he feels he deserves with either the Browns or any other team for that matter, he needs to still play and produce and if he keeps getting suspended for running his mouth that isn't going to happen.

Jeff Smirnoff:
The Browns organization as a whole and both parties themselves handled the situation horrible. The Browns come off badly because it appears that they were trying to hide the staph issue when it has been common knowledge for some time that they have had a recent history of infections. If someone in fact asked Kellen Winslow to keep it undisclosed, that is totally unprofessional.

Phil Savage did an awful job of addressing the issue by coming off as defensive and abrasive. He hung Romeo Crennel out to dry by not having a press conference and overreacted by handing out a punishment that did not fit the crime. He deserve a fine but not a game suspension.

Winslow was unprofessional in not attempting to have a sit down with either Savage or Crennel in house. Instead he chose to publicly bash the organization, its leaders and the team (indirectly). He should know by now that this is a business and that no matter how good you are most teams will not baby you.

Michael Taylor:
My mind has been spinning over this whole mess. The more I thought about it, I am madder at the Browns and how they can let this problem grow into such a distraction. I mean, the man had staph and because it has been rampant in the Browns locker room they want to conceal the problem? I understand that Winslow should have came out with this in a better manner, but at the heart of it, I am concerned for why it had to be concealed in the first place. This is a growing problem. Move on, play football, and find a way to fix it.

The Browns topped the Jaguars, 23-17, despite being outgained in almost every offensive category. What did you think of the offense's performance?

The Coop:
They managed the game, and sometimes that's all you need. They played the field position game pretty well. Having no turnovers and no offensive penalties also usually makes up for being outgained by the other team. Anderson looked comfortable in the pocket, distributed the ball well using many different receivers, and Jamal Lewis continues to be a beast.

Still, the Browns need to develop a killer-instinct on offense. Settling for two field goals in the 4th quarter when they had a fantastic opportunity to finish off Jacksonville is good but not great, and they will not get away with this most weeks. Both the play-calling and play-making need to have a sense of urgency that says, "This game is over." Every game they win going forward is going to be a tight one. They've got to learn to put teams away.

Eric Lawhead:
They were playing a very tough defense, and we all knew that going into the game. No matter what the stats are, a win is a win. At the beginning of the season, I had this and the Giants game as losses. It's a great win, against a tough team. Maybe this will spring board them going forward.

Jeff Smirnoff:
The Jaguars don’t look to be as good as they were last year but they are still a quality ball club. Any road win in the NFL is a good one. The offense sputtered a bit in the second half but they were in a groove and efficient in the first half and were able to hold on for a win. A very good effort, but it would have been nice for them to put the game away earlier when they had the chance.

Michael Taylor:
I unfortunately was unable to see the game due to a family function, so I cannot comment on the efficiency of the offense. Looking at the stats, it looks like DA again had some problems with his accuracy, but he did not turn the ball over giving the Browns a chance to win a tight game. I still would like to see J-Lew get a few more carries a game.

It seems like every time the Browns face a big game with expectations they come out flat and scattered. It seems when they have nothing to lose they come out and just play good football. What do you attribute this to?

The Coop:
They managed the game, and sometimes that's all you need. They played the field position game pretty well. Having no turnovers and no offensive penalties also usually makes up for being outgained by the other team. Anderson looked comfortable in the pocket, distributed the ball well using many different receivers, and Jamal Lewis continues to be a beast.

Still, the Browns need to develop a killer-instinct on offense. Settling for two field goals in the 4th quarter when they had a fantastic opportunity to finish off Jacksonville is good but not great, and they will not get away with this most weeks. Both the play-calling and play-making need to have a sense of urgency that says, "This game is over." Every game they win going forward is going to be a tight one. They've got to learn to put teams away.

Eric Lawhead:
It's just like most people. When your back is against the wall and everything is stressing you out, a majority of the time you will falter. They need to be able to come into games loose and with little to think about. They weren't picked to win that game nor the Giants game. They played loose and took them down.

Jeff Smirnoff:
Coaching. This is the big issue that I have with the Browns. They have a decent amount of talent. It is the coaching staff’s job to have this team ready to place from the opening kick every week. The defense has overachieved (kudos Mel Tucker) and the offense has been impacted by injuries but every NFL team goes through that. The Browns have enough talent to hang with any team in the league but it is the coaching staff’s failure to have them ready to go each week.

Michael Taylor:
I think that they have played pretty good football since the bye week, even in Washington. That was one of those games that happen, and they played a very tough team. They have rallied after that embarrassing start to the season to prove that they are still competitive. The test will now be if they can bring this momentum home against Baltimore and win to get back to .500.

Shaun Rogers had 9 tackles (all solo), a sack and a blocked field goal versus Jacksonville. He came from Detroit with some baggage and was rewarded with a nice new contract. What are your thoughts on his play to date?

The Coop:
The guy is a monster and a difference-maker. Phil Savage needs to be commended on this acquisition. People thought the Browns were giving up too much to get him, but Leigh Bodden has done nothing for Detroit and he's playing far-better than you could expect a third-round draft pick to play as a rookie (which is also what they gave up to get him).

I don't think it's a reach to say that he is the team's defensive MVP so far this year. He is a major reason why the defense has played better than any of us expected. Sure, they give up big yards, but he's only one (okay, more than one) man, and he makes big plays when the Browns need them. He brings a phyiscality and nastiness that the Browns just haven't had.

And, with his play and good attitude, he has completely erased any concerns about that "baggage." He deserves a lot of credit as professional, but I believe the organization and specifically Romeo Crennel deserve credit for getting 110% out of him every week.

Eric Lawhead:
He's a big man. He does help clog some holes on the defensive line. It's taken some getting used to for him early, but he will continue to grow and help us out a lot. I expect him to make big plays down the stretch and carry that D-Line.

Jeff Smirnoff:
Exceeding expectations. Yes, he is a past Pro Bowl selection but he has been playing without Robarie Smith and Shaun Smith. Corey Williams is still picking up the system. He is doing it with Louis Leonard and Santonio Thomas playing along side with him. Maybe just getting out of Detroit, which is one of the few franchises that has been worth than the Browns, gave him a new lease on his career. He has been motivated and playing hard all season long.

Michael Taylor:
He is a beast! He may be the best acquisition by the Browns since rejoining the league. I can't remember any Brown charging through the line as consistently as he has done.I hated to lose Leigh Bodden, but Rogers is totally worth it.

The Browns screwed the pooch in Baltimore in Week 3. What do they have to do in Week 9 to come out with a win and even their record at 4-4?

The Coop:
Offensively, the Ravens can be thrown on. DA is going to have to step up and make the throws, and the receivers are going to have to catch it. They need to use the pass to set up the run and effectively manage the game. But they must also mix-in some gadgets and wrinkles that keeps Baltimore off balance. I want to see Joshua Cribbs very active in the shotgun, under center, on reverses, whatever, many times. Chud has got to open up the playbook once again.

Defensively, they've got to pressure Flacco. Baltimore's running backs are good, but they are nothing like the RBs the Browns have faced over the last 3 weeks (Brandon Jacobs, Clinton Portis, Fred Taylor / Maurice Jones-Drew). They can give up yards in the run game if they constantly harass Flacco, bringing him to the ground and giving him no throwing lanes.

But more than anything else, they need to realize that even with all the adversity they've faced - injuries, inconsistency, people calling for the head coach to be fired, the QB to be benched - the prospects for this season significantly change with a win. At 4-4 they will be tied with the Ravens for 2nd in the AFC North, potentially just 1 game behind Pittsburgh with a Steeler loss at Washington this Monday.

Baltimore is not a better team than the Browns. The Browns need to go out, truly KNOW that they are going to win, and refuse to lose, period.

Eric Lawhead:
Stop the run and hit Joe Flacco. They don't need 50 sacks. They just need to knock him down, or put a hand on his chest every time he drops back to throw. Make him know they are always around him. Make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket and try and get him to make some mistakes. Willis McGahee could gain some yards but they need to limit his yards. They should be fine. After this win, I've got great confidence in the defense and the Anderson, yes Anderson, led offense is starting to come around. Browns 24-10.

Jeff Smirnoff:
Stop the Ravens’ three headed monster on the ground of Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain and make Joe Flacco beat them. Flacco has been better than average for a rookie but his play on the road has been much worse than at home. Baltimore passed way too much in the first meeting and they won’t make that mistake again unless the Browns force their hand.

On offense they have to play their game. Creative play-calling with some shots down the field is key. It is tough to run against the Ravens but Jamal Lewis is always motivated against his former team. If the Browns can get a decent lead at some point it will be difficult for the Ravens to keep pace with them.

Michael Taylor:
I believe that if they come back out with the passion and desire in their eyes that they have of late, that the Browns will win this game. Baltimore as we all know has a stout defense, but the Browns' 'D' has improved since the last meeting and I believe that a big day by Jamal Lewis is in order against that tough run defense. Lewis had a good game averaging 4.7 yards per carry the first meeting, but only had 14 attempts as the Browns had to pass coming from behind.

Browns Jack Jaguars, 23-17

If you were going to use the movie “Major League” to paraphrase the Cleveland Browns last two performances last week versus the Washington Redskins would have used the quote, “These guys ain’t too (expletive) good.” But with the way the Browns’ season has been going, is it any surprise that this week versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, “Who the (expletive) are these guys,” was more fitting as the Browns looked like a major league football team in defeating the Jaguars, 23-17, to improve to 3-4.

It was interesting to see how the game would unfold after the tumultuous week for the Browns as they dealt with the Kellen Winslow saga that unfolded after last week’s loss. Winslow ripped the team for asking him to not disclose that he had a staph infection that occurred during the Browns’ bye week and kept him out of the Week Six game versus the New York Giants.

The Browns suspended him without pay for a week for conduct detrimental to the team, saying that they were only following Winslow’s request for privacy and that he unprofessionally went out of his way to bad mouth the organization.

However, late Saturday night the Browns’ lifted the suspension, but enforced a $25,000 fine for Winslow’s comments, when it was discovered that someone in the Browns’ Public Relation Department has texted him asking to not disclose his illness. But with Winslow in San Diego and unable to practice all week, he was inactive for Sunday’s game.

On their first series, it appeared that the Browns that have been around in most of their losses this season were making another appearance. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Derek Anderson ran into Lawrence Vickers while handing off and Vickers was stuffed for no gain and the Browns were forced to punt.

Jacksonville faced a 3rd and 9 from their own 12 yard line on their first series on the game and an old friend reared his ugly head. Dennis Northcutt, former Brown and noted scissors-hands, converted the third down on a 13 yard catch out of the hand from David Garrard. The Jaguars converted another third down when Maurice Jones-Drew swept the right side for three yards on 3rd and 2. But the Browns’ defense stiffened and forced a Jacksonville punt.

With the ball back in their hands, the Browns offense awoke as Anderson took control and drove the team down the field. The Browns got creative as Vickers rumbled with a flat pass for 13 yards. Jamal Lewis then burst up the middle for 19 yards and Vickers followed up with a 10 yard run of his own. Anderson then hit Braylon Edwards and Steve Heiden, starting for Winslow, to put the ball on the Jaguars’ 5 yard line. On third and goal, Anderson found Donte Stallworth in the endzone for a 7-0 advantage.

Jacksonville answered on the very next series behind the legs of Garrard and the hands of Matt Jones. On a 3rd and 10 from the Jaguars’ 37, Garrard busted the pocket for a 24 yard scramble after D’Qwell Jackson whiffed on an easy sack. This after Garrard had already converted a 3rd and 2 earlier in the drive. Jones caught two passes on the drive and would end the afternoon with eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. That put Garrard into position to find Reggie Williams in the endzone for the tying score after a 13 play, 74 yard drive.

But the Browns would not roll over and showed some intestinal fortitude. After being stopped short on 3rd and 2 from their own 46, the Browns faced a 4th and 1. Romeo Crennel roll the dice and won, as Derek Anderson faked an hand off and rolled right and found a wide open Heiden. Heiden rumbled 51 yards down to the Jaguars’ 2 yard line when Jamal Lewis rammed the ball in for a touchdown and 14-7 Browns lead.

The Jaguars faced a 4th and 1 of their on the ensuing possession, but Shaun Rogers (9 tackles, all solo, 1 sack, one blocked FG) stuffed Greg Jones and the Browns took possession at their own 37. Anderson hit Edwards for 43 yards but the drive stalled and Cleveland had to settle for a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal and a 17-7 halftime lead.

Garrard and the Jaguars wasted no time in the second half as they passed the ball effortlessly on the opening drive. Williams, Matt Jones and Mercedes Lewis all got in on the action as Jacksovilee drove to the Brwons’ 10 when they faced a 4th and 1. Jones-Drew took the pitch swept right and converted as he outran the Cleveland Defense. Garrard hit Jones from eight yards out on the next play to cut the margin to 17-14.

Jacksonville looked poised to tie the score at 17 when Josh Scobee trotted out to attempt a 38 yard chip shot field goal. But Rodgers busted through the line, blocked the kick and recovered the football keep the Browns lead at 3. But it was short-lived as on their next possession, Scobee connected on a 53 yard field goal to knot the game at 17.

The Browns then pounded Jamal Lewis four straight times for two first downs but faced a 3rd and 7 from their own 46 yard line. Anderson hit Syndric Steptoe on a perfectly timed crossing pattern and it was off to the races. With the help of a Braylon Edwards block, Steptoe jetted 53 yard down the sideline only to be forced out at the 1 by Reggie Nelson.

It looked as if the Browns’ lost a golden opportunity as they were unable to score a touchdown and had to settle for a 20 yard Dawson field goal and a 20-17 lead. But on the ensuing kickoff, rookie Beau Bell forced Brian Witherspoon to fumble and Josh Cribbs recovered on the Jacksonville 25. But the Browns were unable to gain a single yard on the drive. Dawson added a 42 yard field goal to push the lead to six, 23-17.

Both teams then traded three and outs before the Jaguars took over at their own 30 with 1:51 remaining with no timeouts. Garrard hit Northcutt for 12 yards but Browns’ safety Brodney Pool answered with a sack on the next play. Jacksonville converted a 4th and 3 with 27 seconds left but was pushed back 15 yards after a late hit by tackle Tony Pashos.

Matt Jones hauled it a pass in the middle of the field in Jaguars territory but broke a tackle and ran 35 yards, dragging two Cleveland defenders with him, and got out of bounds at the Browns’ 26 with 16 seconds left. Garrard misfired to Jerry Porter before lofting a pass to Matt Jones in the back, left corner of the endzone.

It bounced off his hands twice and Nick Sorenson came in to apply the hit and the ball bounced off his helmet incomplete with one second remaining. One second and one incompletion later, the Browns found themselves sitting at 3-4 with a 23-17 victory.

The Browns won for the third time in the last four games and did not commit a turnover for the third consecutive game. Add to that the fact that they only had one accepted penalty for 15 yards and held Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor to 29 and 24 yards, respectively, and there were a lot of positives to take from the game.

Jacksonville outgained the Browns, 380 to 327, and also held the ball for 35:05 to the Browns’ 24:55. The Jaguars ran 71 plays to the Browns 51, had 23 first downs to the Browns’ 15 and they converted 11-20 third downs compared to 3-12 for Cleveland. But in the end, the Browns led 23-17 on the scoreboard and that is all that matters.

The Browns head home for a stretch of four homes games in five weeks. The start that off with a rematch with the hated Baltimore Ravens (4-3), fresh off a 29-10 thumping of the hapless Oakland Raiders. It is a prime opportunity for Cleveland to make up some ground in the AFC North as the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) fell to the New York Giants today.

The Ravens beat the Browns, 28-10, in Week Three at Baltimore and the Browns would love nothing more than to even the score. But with the way this Browns season continues to unfold, who knows what to expect next Sunday on the shore of Lake Erie.

The Browns Table: Capital Punishment

Welcome to The Browns Table, a season-long look at the 2008 season for the Cleveland Browns from the point of view of the Browns fans here on Bleacher Report.

This discussion is not just meant for the contributing Browns fans. Please feel free to comment on any of the questions or any of our answers below.

We welcome any comments and an open discussion about the Browns below. If you would like a seat at the table leave me a note on my profile and we will try and get you in the rotation.

As always thanks to Browns fans Dustin Haley, Eric Lawhead and Michael Taylor for their contributions this week.

The Browns followed up their Monday night beatdown of the defending champs by laying a giant egg in the Nation’s Capital. The guys examine play-calling, quarterback play, coaching, the defensive performance and look ahead to Week 8 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Alright gentlemen, let’s talk Browns football…

The Browns lost a nail-biter to the Washington Redskins, 14-11. The offense didn't seem to get into any sort of rhythm until the 4th Quarter. What did you think offensive play-calling and game plan?

Dustin Haley:
I didn't notice anything particularly wrong with the offensive strategy. I felt Chud called a pretty consistent game based on our strengths; he stuck to what usually is his winning formula, if you will.

I felt he called all our running plays at good times, as we never took any negative yardage in the run game. The receiver’s had been getting open and getting into positions to make plays, unfortunately they were looked over. We didn't see as much of Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison as we might have wanted to see, but the over use of them will also lower their effectiveness.

All in all the strategy used gave us the most probable chance to win.

Eric Lawhead:
No matter the play calling, when you have a quarterback who goes 14-37, nothing can help. I'm not saying Romeo's standard lackluster game plan doesn't hold some of the blame but come on. 236 total yards in a game against a much smaller, less physical defense than the team you just dropped 35 on the week prior.

Jeff Smirnoff:
I thought it was awful. No creativity, no chances taken and no shots downfield like versus the Giants. The Redskins are a good, not great, team. They had injuries in their secondary. They had not generated an inordinate amount of pressure on QBs all year. So we come out with a ton of short passes with a quarterback who struggles with accuracy and take ZERO changes downfield all game. The red zone calls were the worst. First and Goal on the 1 on two separate occasions and one time we don't score and the other time it takes us three times and we burn precious time. There was no focus or approach to the Browns' offensive game plan. What were they trying to establish or exploit against the Redskins defense? There is no answer to that question.

Michael Taylor:
I actually wasn't that upset by the offensive game plan. This was a tough defense to go up against, and if the Browns would have been able to execute, they had this game won. But they just couldn't do it. Maybe it was the short week, maybe it was an emotional letdown.

Bad Derek Anderson showed up on the road, again. He looked great on Monday night but when you go 3-14 for 17 yards in the first half, and look bad in the third quarter, shouldn't you be pulled? Do you think DA should have been pulled and do you think there are any reasons why this regime seems to resist putting Brady Quinn into the game?

Dustin Haley:
I feel the inconsistent play by Derek Anderson is having the largest negative effect on the offense as a whole. He made some really bad throws, and I mean REALLY BAD. I understand that bad throws are going to happen, but with DA, it’s happening a lot and it’s affecting everyone.

The Browns feel they have a team they should win with; inserting Quinn doesn’t guarantee anything and may do more bad than good. Assigning a new starting QB is a process that has many elements. Main thing is, you don’t want any unnecessary pressure or hype on the young player. Ideally you want him to be comfortable and attempt to ease him in. Doing so in the first half of a bad season adds unnecessary pressure and is disruptive to offensive timing and consistency; therefore it is unlikely that a new QB is going to save a season. (I know, our offense is already disrupted, but it could get worse.)

Keeping DA as the starter has nothing to do with his market value, or the perceived notions that Anderson is Crennel’s “guy” he won’t come off of, and everything to do with timing. The Brady Quinn era is quickly approaching, but it’s not going to happen this year as long as there is still a chance to save the season with DA.

Eric Lawhead:
This is Anderson's team. DA showed last week why we paid that man his money. Sure this year he has been bad more than good, but it's not "Brady Time" just yet. With the schedule they have this season, it's Anderson's to lose. Putting Brady in this year or this early will only inhibit him from progressing as a passer and a great quarterback. He will get his shot, probably this season, but let Anderson take the lumps now and wait until we're completely out of it to let Quinn take the reigns. For now, let him drink his Myoplex, and eat Subway with Jared.

Jeff Smirnoff:
He absolutely should have been pulled. It's not just the numbers the team looked lifeless and completely off. Sometimes you need a change-up to kick start things. The Redskins were struggling too and maybe a change earlier by the Browns would have gotten them going sooner. There weren't a ton of penalties, there wasn't a ton of pressure in Anderson's face and he just looked out of sync. Just like it the Cincinnati game, if you aren’t going to go to your back-up QB then, when are you?

I honestly think that the Browns think if they pull DA during a game for Brady Quinn that there is no going back to DA ever. I disagree, Quinn is an unproven commodity. You paid a high price for him but he is still the back-up. Back-up QBs are paid to be ready to play; you can make the move during a game and go back to DA if you see fit or if Quinn struggles. It isn’t an ultimatum on Anderson's career.

Michael Taylor:
I am ready to pull what little hair I have on my head out. I am usually the last one to start clamoring for the backup Quarterback, but it was obvious Sunday that DA just didn't have it. Even last week I was upset early in the game when he was still throwing behind receivers, and that was his supposed breakout week. One more week coach Crennel. We lose that one and there is no reason why the Browns should not start the Quinn era and get rid of this cloud of doubt that hangs over the organization. There needs to be a direction set now.

They didn't have a lot of procedural penalties this time but the Browns came out flat and lifeless. This team continues to fail to have any consistency. What does this coaching staff need to do to change this?

Dustin Haley:
Consistency can be preached, but is it really a coachable area of the game? Consistency and concentration go hand in hand. Other than the handful of concentration drills that exist for players, I suppose the only thing that a coach can do is remain consistent in the manner in which they coach, teach, and practice. That’s a tough area to improve, especially mid season.

Eric Lawhead:
Well for starters get the lifeless blob off the sidelines. Someone should get the poison out for Romeo, because it's time to end it. Romeo is done at the end of this season. The Brown's are not going to make the playoffs. He has done nothing to progress a young star in the making in Anderson. He will leave, they need to hire a young fireball and start a new mindset in Cleveland. The team will not get up against a Redskins team on Sunday afternoon. They may get up for their two remaining Monday games, but consider this team as pumped as their blob of a coach.

Jeff Smirnoff:
I don't know. If that is a cop out so be it. Ultimately, it is Romeo Crennel's job to have this team ready to play every week, which he has failed to do. It is Rob Chudzinski's job to ensure that he has a game plan in place that gets the team off to a fast start and he has not done that on a consistent basis. I have been impressed with what Mel Tucker has done on defense with injuries on the line, a poor linebacking corps and only two decent cornerbacks.

Bottom line, it's been almost four years and this continues to plague the Browns. If they haven't figured it out yet, I don't know if they will.

Michael Taylor:
Hell, maybe we should have more procedure penalties, at least then the lineman were eager to get after it and make some blocks. Seriously though, I don't know. These guys are professional players who should know how to give their all each week. I have no way to explain Braylon dropping balls, or DA's inaccurate arm, or the O-line's inconsistent play, other than it is a lack of focus. How to change that with this coaching regime? It has yet to happen and likely won't.

The defense held the Redskins to 14 points and once again came up with a crucial turnover but they did get gashed for almost 200 yards rushing. What do they Browns need to do to stop the run on regular basis?

Dustin Haley:
I wouldn’t expect the run defense to improve much, this year. Mel Tucker has a sort of give-take defense; we will give you some running room in order to shorten your passing game. This is obvious by how little the linebackers press the line of scrimmage and attack the run (i.e. filling run gaps, run blitzes). Instead the defense is allowing the play to develop in front of them and then react to the play. It is a good strategy to have to keep the “big play” from happening.

In my opinion, our opponents rushing attacks have looked good in the box score, but have been anything but impressive. As long as we remain at the top of the league in the points against statistic, I don’t see any reason to drastically change our defensive strategy against the run.

Eric Lawhead:
Draft better. So they've taken the draft picks to get good on offense, and we've all seen what they can do when they're at their best. They never really took a look at good defensive linemen or linebackers. You can't just think that getting guys other teams don't want is going to work. Football is not a game where taking another team's trash will make your treasure. Take this next draft and draft defense, defense, defense. It's really the only way you're going to get better. There isn't the cap room so much anymore to buy talent, so Savage has to make some.

Jeff Smirnoff:
Get better linebackers. Our linebackers are horrible. The defensive line is fighting and playing hard despite the loss of Robaire Smith and Shaun Smith being out a few games. Shaun Rogers has been a beast at nose tackle. This leaves the linebackers to make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage, which they can not. D'Qwell Jackson is quick and plays hard but is too small. Andra Davis is smart but is too slow. Leon Williams seems to be a specialty player. Willie McGinest is D-O-N-E, done. Kamerion Wimbley has not evolved. Alex Hall has a lot of potential but is raw. Injuries have nullified Beau Bell's season. Until the Browns have the playmaking linebackers that the Steelers, Ravens and Patriots have they will continue to struggle.

Michael Taylor:
Get better players. Shaun Rogers can only do so much, and I am sick of watching Kamerion Wimbley running behind a play and piling on a tackle at the end of the play. I swear every time I look up Wimbley is chasing a ball carrier and jumps on the pile after the fact. I know that the Browns have invested a lot in him, but the time is passing to call him a big bust.

The Browns face another tough road test, heading to Jacksonville to face of the Jaguars. The Jags are coming off their bye and feature a monster running attack and tenacious defense. What do you expect from the Browns and Jaguars in Week 8?

Dustin Haley:
It’s going to be a hard fought game for both teams. The Jags will find success on the ground with Taylor and Jones-Drew rushing and Garrard creating plays on the run. Mel Tucker is going to have to dial up some nice blitzes to attack Garrard were he’s most comfortable, scrambling. If we don’t let Garrard get comfortable, we will be able to control this offense.

If the Browns offense doesn’t get going early, it will be a long day against the balanced defense of the Jaguars. I suspect the Browns offensive woes will continue, Jags win 21-17.

Eric Lawhead:
I would like to think that the offense just got a wake up call. They know they can beat a good defense, because they did it in the Monday Night game against the Giants. They just need to open up the playbook a little bit and let Anderson throw more down field. It will open up the running game for the guy who could win us the game in Lewis. They need a real nice 120 rushing game from him if they want to have any chance of winning. Their defense will give up some yards. They have one of the best dual back, backfields in the NFL in Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor (if he is alright after leaving last weeks game against Denver with a head injury). They need to contain the pass and just slow down the run. It's one of those times where you won't just be able to stop it, just slow it down. My heart says Browns 24-21 my brain says Jags 24-10. I would like to believe my heart.

Jeff Smirnoff:
This does not look good on paper. Jacksonville is coming off a bye and will be healthy. Jack Del Rio will commit, and stay committed to, the run so we will get a steady dose of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Their tall receivers may present a little bit of our problem for our corners. The game is on the road versus a physical, aggressive defense and that does not bode well for Derek Anderson. The Browns will have to play an efficient, disciplined game to stay in the game and have a chance to win. That is a daunting task for them.

Michael Taylor:
Same old story Jeff, same old story. The Browns never match up well against teams like this, just look at our "rivalry" against Pittsburgh. It will be a long day of Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. Their defense is actually ranked down a bit this year, allowing 340 yards per game, but we should know better. The Jags will control the clock and the game.

Bipolar Browns Wake Up Too Late, Fall to Redskins 14-11

Just when you thought they were over the hump, they rolled back down the hill. In the arduous fashion that they only can, the Cleveland Browns fell to the Washington Redskins 14-11 as Phil Dawson’s 54 yard field goal attempt sailed wide right at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. The Browns wasted the effort of their over performing defense by a putrid showing, minus the final two drives, by their much maligned offense.

The less said about the first half, the better. Both teams struggled to get anything going as they ended the half deadlocked, emphasis on dead, at zero. The Browns had six possessions in the first half and Dave Zastudil punted six times. This following a game on Monday night when his services were not needed.

Derek Anderson looked horrible, to put it kindly, and you have to wonder if he hadn’t had a stellar performance on Monday if we wouldn’t have seen Brady Quinn. How does one define horrible? How does 3 of 14 for 17 yards, including 1 of 8 for 6 yards in the first quarter, work? Or leading the offense to just 59 total yards, four first downs and an awful 2 for 8 on third down? Factor in that three of the six drives were three and out and horrible may be an understatement.

The Redskins didn’t fair much better as they also punted on their first five possession of the first half. But they at least generated some semblance of an offense. They were able to move the ball for 154 yards and eight first downs, more than doubling the Browns’ efforts. Clinton Portis ran wild for five yards a carry with 75 yards on 15 carries.

The Redskins drove to the Browns 19 with five seconds left in the half, but Shaun Suisham pushed a 36 yard field goal attempt short and right as it bounced off the right upright, no good. It was a fitting end to an embarrassing, offensive first half for both teams.

The second half did not start much better as both teams traded punts to start the half but the Redskins capitalized on their next drive by riding the legs of Portis, the NFL’s leading rusher. Portis had runs of 7 and 4 yards sandwiched around a 35 yard pass from Campbell to Santana Moss and 13 yard pass to Antwaan Randle El. Portis then hammered it in from 3 yards out for a 7-0 Washington lead.

The Browns were able to answer, albeit mildly, by pounding their own stud running back Jamal Lewis. After Lewis moved the chains, Anderson finally hit a tangible gain on a pass when he connected with Braylon Edwards for 19. Lewis followed that up with a 22 yard scamper but the drive stalled and the Browns had to settle for a Phil Dawson field goal and a 7-3 deficit.

The Redskins and Browns traded punts once again with Washington ending up on the good side of the field position by starting a drive at the Cleveland 49. The Redskins wasted no time as Portis ran for 4 and 27 yards, respectively, on the first two plays to put the ball on the Browns 18. After a timeout, Campbell hit Moss on a simple out at the expense of Terry Cousin, who was picked on constantly again, and Moss spun away from two tacklers for a touchdown and a 14-3 Redskin lead.

The Browns drove valiantly to the Redskins 1 behind the running of Jerome Harrison and catches by Edwards and Steve Heiden. Anderson hit Lewis on a nifty swing pass that got the Browns to the 1. That when the Browns vanilla play calling came up to bite them. Lewis was stuffed for no gain on first down. On second down, Anderson then hit back-up fullback Charles Ali in the flat, for minus 2 yards. Anderson threw a pass on third down that should have been a Pick 6 for a Washington touchdown, but thankfully it just ricocheted away.

So down, 14-3, with just under six minutes left in the game, Romeo Crennel was faced with his most feared decision: to field goal or not to field goal? A field goal would make it 14-6 and a one score game, but the Browns struggled against the run all day and the Redskins may run out the clock. By going for it, the Browns could cut the lead to 5 or 3 but a failure would still leave the score 14-3.

Crennel chose to roll the dice and on Fourth and Goal at the 3 Anderson pass was batted down and the Browns still by 11. But fate would intervene as on the Redskins first play from scrimmage Eric Wright forced Portis to fumble and Brodney Pool recovered on the Washington 29.

A 20 yard strike to Edwards and an 8 yard pass to Kellen Winslow once again put the Browns on the Washington once again. The Browns went vanilla, again, as Lewis was stuffed, twice, running precious time off of the clock. Anderson then hit Josh Cribbs for a 1 yard touchdown and Edwards for the two-point conversion to make the score 14-11 with 2:44 left.

Crennel then faced another kicking decision on the ensuing kick-off, kick deep or attempt an onside kick. The Browns lined up for an onside kick, but kicked it deep. The Redskins got the ball on their own 36 with 2:47. The Browns made that decision pay off as they stuffed Portis three times for 3, 2 and 2 yards and used their two timeouts and the two minute warning to get the ball back with 1:51 remaining.

Anderson hit Donte Stallworth for 18 yards on a deep out to the Cleveland 47 and stop the clock. Anderson then connected with Winslow for 9 yards and subsequently sneaked the ball for a first down at the Washington 36 with just over a minute remaining. But Anderson’s inaccuracy reared its ugly head once more as he threw 3 consecutive incomplete passes, including missing a wide open Edwards on third down at the Redskins 20, and the Browns were forced to settle for Dawson’s 54 yards field goal attempt.

The Browns’, and Anderson’s, road woes continue as they once again came out flat and lifeless and could never make up for it in the end. Anderson finished 14 of 37 (37.8%) on the afternoon for 136 yards and a touchdown. That is 3.7 yards per attempt and 9.7 yard a completion as the Browns were completely unaggressive with play calling all day due to Anderson’s struggles. Lewis put in another workmanlike day with 80 yards on 19 carries.

The defense played well all afternoon, holding the Redskins to just 14 points and forced a crucial turnover for the second game in a row. But they continue to get gouged by the run, yielding 193 yards on the ground, 175 to Portis, for a 5.4 average. Campbell was a mediocre 14 of 23 for 164 yards but him ability to get into somewhat of a rhythm before Anderson definitely benefited Washington.

So the Browns fall to 2-4 on a day that both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens won to improve to 5-1 and 3-3, respectively. They find themselves playing catch up with not one, but two teams in the AFC North. The gap is actually larger when you consider that the Browns have already lost to both teams once in 2008.

After what looked to be a reawakening versus the New York Giants the Browns came crashing back to Earth, unable to put together some semblance of consistent play in consecutive games. Until they can do so, the Browns will not be serious contenders to anything but the doormat of the AFC North. Thankfully, the 0-7 Cincinnati Bengals have a stranglehold on that distinction, but there are still ten games left to give them a run for their money. If the Browns do not find some sort of cohesion or identity as a football team that’s what they will be playing for in December.

The Borwns Table: Monday Night Magnificence

Welcome to The Browns Table, a season-long look at the 2008 season for the Cleveland Browns from the point of view of the Browns fans here on Bleacher Report.

This discussion is not just meant for the contributing Browns fans. Please feel free to comment on any of the questions or any of our answers below.

We welcome any comments and an open discussion about the Browns below. If you would like a seat at the table leave me a note on my profile and we will try and get you in the rotation.

Muchas gracias to Browns fans Samantha Bunten, Dustin Haley, Scott Miles, and Michael Taylor for their contributions this week.

The real Cleveland Browns, we hope, finally showed up on Monday Night Football and smacked the defending World Champion New York Giants, 35-14, on national TV. The table looks back at the game, ahead to the showdown with the Washington Redskins, and at the throwback uniforms the Browns wore.

Without further ado, let’s talk Browns football…


Well the Browns stunned the football world and got a little bit of revenge on the Giants in the process. I don't think anyone thought it would play out as a 35-14 Browns win. What impressed you most about the Browns performance?

Samantha Bunten

What ultimately struck me as the most impressive part of the performance was the way the Browns' defense controlled New York's formidable offense. The Browns entered this week ranked last in the NFL in defense. Monday night, the previously hapless Cleveland D yielded no points in the second half and forced three interceptions.

Obviously giving up 373 yards wasn't exactly ideal, but it only resulted in two scoring plays. For the first time all season, they played what I would call offensive defense, meaning the D used a proactive approach to generate opportunities for itself instead of just reacting to the opponent's offense.

For example, two of the three interceptions by the Browns' defense were the result of Cleveland players proactively making a turnover happen rather than simply reacting to an error by the opposing QB. It's easy to pick off a bad pass; Pool and McDonald picked off good passes. It wasn't bad offense. It was good defense.

The pick by Eric Wright was the one interception that was the product of a mistake by Manning. Not that I want to discredit Wright, considering he returned it 94 yards for a TD.


Dustin Haley

There were so many great aspects to the game that it's hard to pick out a single aspect of the Browns play that stood out above the others. Overall, it was the team coming together and playing as a unit that was the most impressive.

Offensively, it was great to see the OL perform so well, especially against the Giants' defense. Their improved play led to DA being more comfortable in the pocket, and in turn, allowed Jamal Lewis to do his thing.

The return of Donte Stallworth gave the defense another established receiver to worry about. Steve Heiden was outstanding; he has always been solid, but it's good he can get it done when called upon. I love the "Flash" Package, Rob Chudzinski, keep calling that formation.

Defensively, we came up with big plays at key moments of the game. The secondary is proving that they had been underrated coming into the season. They have the D-line to thank for that. Wimbley even managed to be effective, probably due to the emergence of Alex Hall as a pass rusher.

All in all, the game should give us Browns fans hope, but it's still a long season and that level of play needs to be kept up.


Scott Miles

How about this: The fact that we out-scored New York 18-0 in the second half. Not only did our defense shut them out, but it also generated points, with Eric Wright's interception return for a touchdown and Brandon McDonald's interception on the first play of the half to set up a field goal.

Here's another great stat: Zero sacks. ZERO. Zip, zilch, nada, nothing. It really goes to show what a quarterback can do when he has time to throw the football. That was one of the biggest reasons Derek Anderson had struggled thus far—the offensive line, to put it simply, didn't play well. But not only did Anderson have time to throw for 310 yards, the Browns also rushed for 144 yards against the NFL's third-rated defense.

So what impressed me the most? A complete team effort by a franchise that isn't used to getting one. I'm still feeling giddy.


Jeff Smirnoff

That they held their own, physically, and dominated, at times, the Giants. For the first three-and-three-fourths games, the team seemed to not "punch back" when things didn't go their way, but in the fourth quarter of the Bengals' game, and all night Monday, the Browns did punch back.

Whether it was all the stupid procedural penalties, both times the Giants scored to cut the lead or just a sequence of plays; the Browns always answered and looked cool and calm in doing so.


Michael Taylor

Energy....This was not the same team that I saw play the first four weeks of the season. There was desire and a full-on dedication to proving themselves again. I was thoroughly impressed. I admit that I get very pessimistic at times, and no matter what my beliefs may be for the rest of the season, wasn't this one fun?

Also, watching early in the game, when the Browns were shooting themselves in the foot, costing themselves points, I was on Anderson for again being erratic with his passes, as he threw behind numerous receivers, but he showed me something. He stepped it up when needed.

The gameplan obviously was working from the opening snap, and when Anderson settled in with that big pass to Edwards, it was like a big burden off of his back and the Browns took control of the game.


The offense finally showed up in full force in 2008. What do you think the key is for them to have continued success the rest of the campaign?

Samantha Bunten

At the start of season the Browns offense sure looked good on paper, even with all the QB issues. Unfortunately, good on paper has proven to be an astoundingly poor predictor of sports success.

Ask the Detroit Tigers.

The Browns appeared to be headed the same way until Monday night, when the offense finally showed up and looked as good on the field as it did on paper. Well, maybe not quite that good. But the Browns played smart football Monday and made few mistakes, proving they aren't the disaster they looked like the first five weeks of the season.

This rescued them from being the potential laughing stock of the league, and it may even have been enough to beat a surprisingly inept Giants squad Monday night.

But the Browns didn't just beat New York, they dominated them, and the reason they dominated them is also what I believe to be the key to their success going forward: coming up huge in critical and high pressure situations.

Until this week, the Browns have collapsed under pressure any time things got intense. The bigger the moment, the worse they were. Monday it was the opposite. Anderson and company converted 9/13 times on third down. Heiden and Dinkins stepped up their play to compensate for the sidelined Winslow. The Browns had multiple plays result in 30+ yards from scrimmage.

Before Monday, they didn't have a 30+ yard play from the line all year. If the Browns continue to execute big plays in big situations like these, they will be able to make up for other shortcomings.

Dustin Haley

OL play, consistency, and playcalling. All three will go hand in hand. As I stated, improved OL play allows our backs and QB make plays. Allowing the two to get into a rhythm leads to being able to consistently move the ball. Doing so, then allows us to open up the playbook and run some of our more exotic plays.


Scott Miles

Start clicking early. We scored 17 points in the first half Monday night after only scoring 20 points in the first halves of games one through four. Braylon Edwards set the tone early by breaking free on that slant and turning it into a huge play. That seemed to give the team a much-needed jolt to get it going early, and to follow it up with the 70-yard bomb...You need your stars to make plays, and Anderson and Edwards did that in the first half.

Then you look at what we did running the ball. How about 30 rushing attempts and 29 pass attempts? Terry Pluto of the PD pointed that out in his column after the game. That kind of balance had been non-existent for awhile. And it was a good balance, too, as we rushed for 4.8 yards per carry, which is a great total.


Jeff Smirnoff

First, keep being physical up front on the offensive line and continuing to run the ball effectively to set up the big play via the pass. Ryan Tucker is very underrated. With Rex Hadnot on the right side they become the tough-minded ying to Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach's finesse yang (with Fat Hank Fraley tying them together). He makes the offensive line versatile and allows the playbook to open up because of it.

No offense to Kevin Shaffer, but there is a reason I call him "The Human Parking Cone." The Tuckster is better than The HPC.

Second, use ALL of their weapons. Maybe Donte Stallworth being on the field opened it up a little for Braylon Edwards and maybe he didn't, but he did play a role. Rob Chudzinski seemed to find the perfect balance of run versus pass and mixed in just the right amount of Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison. They don't need an excessive amount of gimmick plays, but they do need to utilize everybody to keep the defense off balance.


Michael Taylor

Maintain the blocking up front. Anderson had time to throw the ball, and Lewis had some massive holes on the left side of the line to bull rush through. I do not believe it was only because of getting Ryan Tucker back, but the line had been a disappointment this season.

This game may be the re-emergence of the line we witnessed a season ago, which if you ask me, was the biggest reason for the offensive explosion a year ago. This must be maintained for any run of success.

The Browns defense gave up 373 yards on the night and over seven yards per rushing attempt. Yet they were able to buckle down and make plays when they needed to, even with key players missing. What area of the defense has surprised you the most and which area still needs to step it up?

Samantha Bunten

Again I feel the need to give credit to the secondary for pleasantly surprising me by playing proactive, stellar defense. This is particularly satisfying given that before the season I had serious concerns that we had a weakness at CB so potentially severe that it alone could have caused our demise.

Obviously stopping the run is the biggest thing our defense needs to work on, evident even in Monday's big win. The edge pass rush wasn't an issue in this game, but it is a problem.

We also have to be pressuring the QB much more than we have been. To be fair, I won't judge too harshly on the pressure issue with regard to Monday's game, as the Giants have an outstanding O-line, maybe the best in the league. They only completely failed Manning once, though Shaun Rogers certainly made that one hit count.

Most O-lines are not as impenetrable as New York's though, so the Browns have no excuse going forward not to start successfully executing aggressive blitzes. Cleveland is an abysmal 28th in the league in sacks, but that's just one piece of the greater issue at hand: They have been giving QBs entirely too much time to get rid of the ball on a fairly consistent basis.


Dustin Haley

The secondary. Brodney Pool is playing well coming off of his concussion, and I don't suspect he's going to decline his ability any time soon. Mike Adams has been solid in his fill in role. B-Mac and Eazy...I love the fact that they gamble.

At times it seems like they don't know what they are doing, but they always manage to impress me somehow every game. They are developing into two very solid corners.

The linebackers. D'Qwell has made a lot of tackles, but I would like to see more of them wind up behind the line of scrimmage. Andra Davis hasn't really made any noise and I suspect that is why Leon Williams has been seeing more snaps.

Alex Hall is going to get a pass because of the fact he's played so well from so little time with the organization. He's done well so far and is looking like a nice complement to Wimbley and replacement for McGinest.


Scott Miles

How about the play of our secondary? And it's not just the interceptions by Wright, McDonald, and Brodney Pool. It's Mike Adams and Nick Sorensen stepping up and making some plays—yes, Adams got trucked by Brandon Jacobs on the TD run, but overall both were solid in stepping up and supporting the run.

And they held Eli Manning to less than 200 yards passing after he hadn't thrown for less than 260 yards in each of the last three games.

Flat out, the much-maligned secondary made plays when it needed to make them, and the defensive backs were a critical part to us coming away with the victory.


Jeff Smirnoff

The defensive line. Shaun Rogers has been a beast, which is expected, but with Robaire Smith out for the year and Shaun Smith out for a few weeks, Corey Williams is starting to round into form and Louis Leonard has been a pleasant surprise. Yes, they still can not stop the run (I blame the LBs more for that) but they are creating pressure and wrecking some havoc in the backfield from time to time.


Michael Taylor

I don't call it a surprise, but I certainly see a developing stud at corner in Eric Wright. He leads the team in interceptions, is fourth in tackles as a corner, and is really covering some of the better receivers in the league quite well.

On the flip side, the Browns linebacking core still is depressing to me. As impressive as the secondary has been without the support of a consistent pass rush, the linebackers have failed to hold up their side of the coin.

The Browns are giving up 4.7 yards per rush. 4.7! You cannot remain competitive in the long term giving up that amount of yardage on the ground. Shaun Rogers has been a beast on the line, and if you ask me, the linebackers need to step it up for this 3-4 defense to work.

There is no rest for the weary. The Browns head to my neck of the woods, Washington DC, to face off against the 4-2 Redskins, a team similar to the Giants. The 'Skins are fired up after losing to the winless Rams. What do the Browns have to do to sustain momentum and come out on top in the nation's capital?

Samantha Bunten

Psychologically, the confidence boost from Monday's win will be huge. The Browns proved to themselves and their fans that they can soundly defeat a good team, and thus they won't be intimidated by having to face another one. Washington on the other hand, should be very nervous.

I have a feeling their scouting reports on the Browns look very different than they did a week ago. I'm not saying the Redskins suddenly have to deal with the best team in the league when they had been thinking they would be facing the worst, but even subtle adjustments are tough, and the Browns have made more than a subtle improvement.

On the field, Cleveland's defense has to overcome the aforementioned weakness in ability to stop the run in order to beat Washington. The 'Skins' ground game is excellent all-around, and even defenses good at stuffing the run can't stop Clinton Portis. The Browns' offense needs to take advantage of mismatches between our receivers and Washington's weak CBs.

Cleveland's offense should be able to exploit Washington's shaky secondary, with the lone exception of rookie SS Chris Horton, who has three interceptions already. Finally, the Browns face the disadvantage of coming off a short-rest week. Cleveland will need to be particularly efficient in executing plays to keep players from getting too worn down to be effective late in the game.


Dustin Haley

We're going to have to play a lot like we did on Monday. This 'Skins team is no joke, as they are in the top of the league statistically, offensively and defensively. Jason Campbell has improved his play. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are both threats on the ground. London Fletcher is always solid and comes to play. Lastly, rookie Chris Horton has been surprising in the secondary.

Offensively, Jamal is going to have his hands full trying to run against this stout rush defense, ranked third in rush yards against. Regardless, we need him to run like he did against the Giants, powerful and smart.

In my opinion, Smoot and Landry are not exactly top notch corners but are experienced and smart in their play. I'm thinking Braylon is poised for another big day facing these guys.

Defensively, we need to get after Campbell. To date, he has not thrown an interception, and he has faced defenses much more stingy than ours. Mel Tucker is going to have to dial up some pretty nice blitzing schemes to affect this guy. Shutting down the pass will be a key because these two backs are going to get their yards.


Scott Miles

Well, first of all, my roommate is from Bethesda, MD, about 15 minutes outside DC...So needless to say, the tension has been building all week. Although, he is pretty happy we were able to knock off the Giants and keep the 'Skins within fighting distance.

The Browns need to keep the same offensive game plan as they did against New York. Get Anderson in a rhythm by having quick, three-step drops. Get the ball to Braylon early. Take a few shots deep. And keep mixing in guys like Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison to keep the defense off-balance.

Defensively, we need to slow Clinton Portis. Jason Campbell has played really well so far, but we need to try to make the Redskins one-dimensional and throwing the football, because Portis is the heart and soul of that offense.

Shaun Rogers has to have a great game again, and I think he will—Casey Rabach, Washington's center, has really been struggling with penalties the last few weeks, and it won't get easier for him having to try to slow Rogers.


Jeff Smirnoff

Same things they did against the Giants. The Redskins are a very similar team. Clinton Portis loves to run between the tackles, Jason Campbell doesn't make mistakes and they have an aggressive defense. The Browns need to control the ball on offense, just like they did Monday, and have a balanced attack.

On defense, they are not going to stop Portis, but they need to keep generating pressure to force Campbell into mistakes. The one difference is that the Redskins do not have the tall receivers the Giants do, but Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El can outrun you to death. If the Browns be aggressive, play their game, and force Washington to play that way, they can beat the 'Skins.


Michael Taylor

Stop Clinton Portis and make Jason Campbell beat you. As I said, the Browns' linebackers must step up and get pressure, not only on the quarterback, but getting to the running backs quicker. Also, just find a way to keep doing what they did offensively. That talent never went away, it just took a little longer than expected to surface.

For the first time this year it was actually a fun week, so that calls for a fun question. The Browns wore a version of their uniforms from 1957-1959. What did you think of them and what, if any, changes and tweaks would you like to see in the Browns unis?

Samantha Bunten

I would not change a single thing about them. The Browns are one of the few teams in professional sports whose uniform and logo (or lack thereof) are completely free from even a trace of the gimmicky trends that have become more and more commonplace in team apparel.

The purpose of a uniform is to distinguish one team from another, not to serve as a marketing ploy to sell tickets to 12-year old girls. I'm sure teams outfitted in unis with glittery detailing, cartoonish logos, and purple jerseys sell more merchandise. To the same people who only follow the team when it makes the playoffs.

The Browns' uni, in all its unmarketable glory, is both an excellent visual representation of the essence of Browns football and an excellent bandwagon fan deterrent.


Dustin Haley

I'm not really a fan of those throw backs. I don't like the single white stripe, nor do I like the numbers on the helmet. It's a nice classic look, but we already have a nice classic look. If I were to tweak anything, I would switch back to the white face masks.


Scott Miles

Any uniform that results in a 35-14 butt-whooping of the defending Super Bowl champs on Monday Night Football, I'm a fan of. Let's wear 'em every week.


Jeff Smirnoff

I like the throwback unis, kind of simple, yet a nice little change of pace, but not permanent. It's weird to see anything on that beautiful helmet, but I'll take numbers over a logo any day.

I am all about the orange pants with the white, away uniforms. I think that is a sweet look that is under appreciated.


Michael Taylor

I was discussing this with my wife, and how I loved them. I understand our history with no logo on the helmet, and am all for keeping it that way, but if there were to be any changes, adding the number on the sides with the white stripe down the middle looked really good.

I also would like a rebirth of the elf logo in some fashion. Certain NFL teams have brought back some of the old style unis and bringing that logo back into the fray in some fashion would be welcomed by me, even if just as the logo for promotion instead of using the helmet.

Browns Turn Tables, Pound on Giants, 35-14

Instead off trotting out some horrible, brown pants the Cleveland Browns instead put their 1957-1959 throwback uniforms on display for Monday Night Football. The look, and the result of the game, was much better than that of their pre-season meeting with the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

In the pre-season the Browns saw themselves behind, 30-3, after only 16 minutes of play and their season looked to be permanently derailed. But after a dramatic 4th quarter in Cincinnati, a bye week and an additional week of preparation the Browns turned back the clock to early 2007 when their offense was firing on all cylinders and the Giants looked lost and turnover prone. The end result was a 35-24 beatdown of the previously unbeaten Giants at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards revered back to their 2007 Pro Bowl form with Anderson producing a gaudy 18 for 29 night, 310 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Edwards caught five of those passes for a career high 154 yards including an 11 yard touchdown grab. The two even hooked up on a two point conversion to give the Browns their final 21 point margin of victory.

Anderson looked crisp and, dare I say, accurate all night as he connected with eight different receivers on the evening. This included an incredible 9 for 13 on third downs, including a dart to Syndric Steptoe for 20 yards. This preceded a 22 yard touchdown pass to tight end Darnell Dinkins, his first catch of the season.

With starter Kellen Winslow out, Dinkins took advantage of his opportunity as did Steve Heiden. Heiden often a forgotten man due to Winslow’s brilliance also pulled in five balls like Edwards, only for 59 yards, but many on third down. Many forget that when Winslow missed almost two full years in 2004 and 2005 Heiden caught 71 passes and is a great asset in the run blocking scheme.

Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski also reverted to his 2007 form, showing some creativity and tricks in his play calling. Josh Cribbs lined up twice in the shotgun as quarterback and ran two option plays. Jason Wright only touched the ball twice, but both on third down, and produced first downs on a draw and a screen pass. Jerome Harrison added a 33 yard run on a true reverse and a big 18 yard grab on a wheel route. Heck, even Donte Stallworth suited up, played, caught two passes and didn’t get hurt.

All this kept the stout Giants defense off balance and let Jamal Lewis do what Jamal Lewis does best, pound the football. The 88 yards on 21 carries may not look glamorous but they were all physical bruising runs that wore down the New York defense, kept the Browns in manageable third down situations and did not let the Giants pin their ears back and blitz Anderson to death. Ryan Tucker proved to be an upgrade for injured Kevin Shaffer at right tackle and Heiden and Dinkins provided the physical, edge blocking that Winslow does not.

In the end, the Browns ran it 30 times and passed in 29, an almost perfect balance on an almost perfect night. They held the ball for 32:25 and overcame 10 penalties, eight of them for false starts or procedural fouls. Coming into the league dead last in yardage and points per game they put up 454 and 35 on the Giants. But it was two zeros that summed it up best. Zero punts and zero sacks allowed.

On defense, the stat lines may not have been pretty but in the end the Brwosn made the plays when they needed to. Derrick Ward ran the ball only ten times, but for 101 yards, and Brandon Jacobs added 67 on 14 carries and a touchdown but they had to work for every yard. Steve Smith seemed to be open all night torching the defense for nine catches for 94 yards but the longest play the Brwons defense allowed was a 25 yard pass to Plaxico Burress.

But the Browns were able to pressure and harass Eli Manning all game and clamped down on him when they needed to most. The Browns only notched one sack, by rookie Alex Hall, but hit Manning all game long. He came into the game with only one interception in the Giants first four contests of the season but he didn’t leave Cleveland that way.

Brodney Pool picked Manning on the Giants’ opening series of the game on a post route to prevent a score. Brandon McDonald picked him off on the opening play of the second half and returned it into Giants’ territory that set up a Phil Dawson field goal. But it wasn’t until Eric Wright stepped in front of Armani Toomer, with the Giants’ driving to cut the lead to six, and returned the pass 94 yards for a touchdown and a 21 point advantage to for the Browns that the game was officially over despite the time left on the clock.

The Giants still accumulated 373 yards and were able to move the football, sometimes at will, against the Browns but when the Browns needed the big play, whether the timely sack or the three picks, they made it and the Giants did not. This was without Antwaan Peek or Robaire Smith who are on IR for the season or the inactive Shaun Smith and Sean Jones. It may not have been pretty but in the end, their replacements stepped up just enough, and at the right times, to get the job done.

The previously unbeaten Giants fall to 4-1 while the Browns improve to 2-3. It’s off to Washington, DC for the Brown and Orange to face the 4-2 Redskins who just lost to the previously winless St. Louis Rams. The Redskins present another big, similar challenge for the Browns just as the Giants did. They sport a physical running game with Clinton Portis, a mistake-free quarterback in Jason Campbell and an aggressive defense.

So two months later the Browns finally turned the tables on the New York Giants after the Giants send them into a free fall. No awful, brown pants, no Monday night debacle and a glimpse of what the Browns were in 2007; a talented football team with the chance to knock off any team at any given time. Time will tell if they can consistently do that on a weekly basis, but for now, as the old Klingon proverb says, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” 35-14 over the undefeated, defending Super Bowl Champs is downright frigid.