Big Ten Champions!

Three straight Big Ten titles.
Two outright championships in a row.
Four consecutive wins over Michigan.
Six wins in seven tries agaist the school up north.

And now, almost certainly, a trip to Pasadena.
This never gets old. Congratulations to the Buckeyes.

For Obvious Reasons

GO BUCKEYES!

Heroes & Zeroes: Week 10

The Browns lost to a better team on Sunday. The Browns were robbed by the refs. The Browns’ playoff hopes could endure a loss. However you rationalize it, it’s still the Steelers, and anytime the Browns snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it still hurts.

On paper, this game shouldn’t have been close. The Steelers out-gained the Browns 401 to 163. But two Joshua Cribbs kickoff returns and an interception allowed the Browns to carry the lead deep into the fourth quarter, and there’s no way around the fact that they squandered a golden opportunity to defeat the Steelers for the first time in nine tries.




This Week’s Zeroes

Five Demerits: Romeo Crennel
Sunday’s game was a reminder why many still don’t think that Romeo Crennel is the right man for the job.

With 3:13 left in the game, Ben Roethlisberger found Heath Miller for a 2-yard go ahead touchdown. While considering whether or not to challenge the play, the Browns called timeout. According to Crennel, a player on the field was worried that the Steelers would snap the ball for their extra point attempt before Crennel could challenge, and that unnamed player called timeout.

Crennel then challenged the catch, which was upheld, and the Browns forfeited their second timeout. If the Browns had simply challenged initially, they would have only lost one timeout, and they might have been able to get close enough for Phil Dawson to tie the game.

The problem here is that Crennel, his staff, and his team once again were out of sync with their clock management in a pressure situation. The player who called the timeout should have known better, and Crennel deserves some of the blame for the miscue.

Furthermore, the Browns went into an offensive and defensive shell in the second half. Honestly, didn’t the second half defensive strategy of Crennel and Grantham feel eerily similar to the prevent scheme that Butch Davis and Foge Fazio instituted when the Browns fell to the Steelers in the 2003 playoffs?

Instead of staying aggressive on both sides of the ball to put the Steelers away, the Browns fell into the cliché trap of “playing not to lose.” Against a talented team like the Steelers, that’s the wrong strategy.

Four Demerits: Derek Anderson
Anderson was solid in the first half, posting three touchdowns against zero turnovers. Although the Browns were given a short field twice (90 yard Josh Cribbs kickoff return, Brodney Pool interception), Anderson still deserves credit for leading the offense to paydirt.

It was clear that the Steelers hoped to neutralize that Browns’ vertical passing attack, especially deep routes to Braylon Edwards, and to a lesser extent, Kellen Winslow. Anderson responded and took what the defense gave him, attacking the Steelers with short, quick passes. DA finished the first half an efficient 10 for 16, passing for 80 yards.

The second half was a different story. Derek Anderson jogged into the locker room at halftime, and when he returned, he was the flustered quarterback of the preseason.

The contrast was incredible, as Anderson lost all semblance of touch passing, became gun shy, and began to bird-dog the dump off receiver. Before the final drive of the game, the Browns had not earned a single first down in the second half, as each drive ended with a punt or turnover.

For once, the offense hung the defense out to dry, as the offense’ inability to sustain a drive of any significance kept the defense on the field nearly the entire second half. In fact, in the second half, the Browns had possession for less than seven minutes.

The difference was palpable. In the first half, the defense was sufficiently rested, and stood up three times in the red zone to hold the Steelers to field goals. But forced to play nearly 80 percent of the second half, the defense caved, allowing 22 points.

This is hardly an indictment of Anderson, as Sunday was only his 11th NFL start and it came against a defense that is ranked number one in every major statistical category. Just as it was imprudent to deify Anderson in weeks prior, it would be foolish to let his struggles in Pittsburgh overshadow what remains a very impressive campaign.

The only thing that last week’s loss confirmed was that Derek Anderson is mortal, and like every other quarterback in the NFL, subject to an off day. Given how impressive Anderson’s overall performance has been thus far this year, he’s certainly earned a mulligan or two.

Three Demerits: Jamal Lewis
Going into the Pittsburgh game, many were talking up Lewis’ experience as a major positive for the Browns. Some touted the fact that Lewis has “run in big games” and knew how to run against the Pittsburgh defense. Apparently, Jamal is still learning.

Lewis fumbled twice (one lost) while carrying 16 times for 35 yards (2.2 YPC), and adding three catches for a paltry eight yards. Lewis didn’t have much running room, so the low YPC average was excusable, but the fumbles were not.

Having played against the Steelers numerous times, Lewis shouldn’t have been surprised that Pittsburgh’s top priority was, and remains stripping the football from running backs. The Steelers punch, pull, and pry at the pigskin whenever the opportunity presents itself, but Lewis didn’t secure the ball accordingly. Lewis’ third quarter fumble jump started the Pittsburgh comeback.

Honestly, with the exception of goal line scenarios, the Browns are not worse off with Jason Wright in the ballgame. Wright has progressed as a blocker, and remains an excellent receiving back, one of Lewis’ weaknesses.

Lewis looked tired against Pittsburgh, which leads me to believe that a two back system might benefit the offense. Unless a team possesses a rare, premier talent at running back like San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson, I’m a huge proponent of the two back system. Both running backs are well-rested, and the defense is continually shown a different look.

It’s time for the Browns to consider instituting a “thunder and lightning” platoon, taking advantage of both Lewis’ power, and Wright’s speed and quickness. With Lewis nursing a bum foot and looking fatigued, giving Wright double digit touches every game might be just what the doctor ordered.

Two Demerits: NFL Officials
Usually, I’m completely against blaming officials for losses in any capacity. I’m breaking my rule for one week.

The Browns were hosed twice in the game’s final minutes, both on Crennel’s challenge of Heath Miller’s touchdown catch, and the phantom holding call on Darnell Dinkins.

The recently amended NFL rules might state that Miller’s catch was legal, but the rules committee may have out-thought themselves on this decision. If the receiver catches the football in the air, hit’s the ground without getting two feet down, and ground helps the receiver gain possession of the football (i.e. the ball was clearly on the turf), it shouldn’t be a catch. Until the day I die, that was not a catch.

As for the holding penalty, it was difficult to get a good look at a replay. That said, the “penalty” took place away from the play, didn’t have any effect on the play, and wasn’t blatant enough to be obvious in real time. With the game hanging in the balance, a few yards were the difference between Phil Dawson sending the game into overtime and the Browns losing to the Steelers for the ninth straight time. With all that in mind, it would have been an excellent no-call.

Instead, the Browns lost about 20 yards that they desperately needed for Dawson’s field goal, and a few more valuable seconds. That penalty ultimately cost them a chance to beat the Steelers in overtime. It’s always unfortunate when the officials dictate the outcome of the game, and Sunday was no different.

One Demerit: Willie McGinest
Willie McGinest is simply too slow to start in the NFL at this point. McGinest was burned on a play where he missed a tackle on Willie Parker, the pursued Parker, and appeared to running in quicksand.

On one of the game’s most crucial plays in the fourth quarter, McGinest wasn’t quick enough to stop Ben Roethlisberger from scrambling for 10 yards to convert a third-and-nine in the Cleveland red zone. Roethlisberger would throw the controversial touchdown pass to Heath Miller two plays later.

Don’t the Browns have anyone more worthy of playing time? Do I dare ask for Chaun Thompson?

McGinest deserves credit for taking responsibility for his poor performance this week, calling it “[his] worst game as a Cleveland Brown.” Considering that McGinest has delivered sub-par games by the boatload since his arrival in C-Town, that’s a bold statement.

I like Willie McGinest; he is one of the all-time great linebackers, the consummate professional, and a high-character guy. The world needs more Willie McGinests. Unfortunately, the Browns need fewer Willie McGinests. Barring some miraculous turnaround down the stretch, McGinest, who is due approximately $4 million next year, should be jettisoned in the off season.




This Week’s Heroes

Five Dog Bones: Joshua Cribbs
Joshua Cribbs gives the Browns a tremendous advantage on kickoff returns. A solid 6-1, 215 pounds with sprinter’s speed, Cribbs is a lock to reach the 30 yard line, and is a serious threat to take it to the house every time he returns a kick.

Cribbs’ returning skills were on full display against the Steelers, as he had kick returns of 90 and 100 yards, the latter for a touchdown. Quite frankly, Cribbs came pretty darn close to beating the Steelers on his own.

Cribbs is now has two touchdown returns and is averaging an intimidating 32.4 yards per return; both stats place him second in the league among kick returners (with 10 or more returns). Let’s face it, the upside of the Browns allowing 30-plus points on a weekly basis is that opposing teams have to kick to Cribbs each time they score.

While his kick returning prowess is obvious, Cribbs makes other special teams contributions that often go unnoticed. Cribbs is an excellent gunner, and he’s always in the mix on kickoff coverage, having recorded seven solo tackles (eight total) on special teams. It doesn’t end there.

Dennis Northcutt’s departure, though welcomed by most, left the Browns with a major hole in the punt return game. The Browns didn’t go out and sign anyone to replace Northcutt, but elected to let Cribbs and seventh round pick Syndric Steptoe battle for the job in camp. By the end of the preseason, Cribbs had won the job, allowing the Browns to save a roster spot by letting Cribbs fill the roles of both punt and kick returner.

Cribbs hasn’t blown the doors off on punt returns, but he’s developed into an average returner. Considering how Cribbs struggled mightily with punt returns late last season, it’s obvious that he worked hard to improve and his progress is admirable. Cribbs’ north-and-south running style still isn’t ideal for punt returns, but Cribbs’ development into a competent punt returner is has helped the Browns at a position that could have caused them considerable grief this season.

Four Dog Bones: Offensive Line
During the first game against the Steelers, the Browns allowed six sacks. On Sunday, the Browns yielded no sacks to their rust belt rivals.

Of course, it isn’t quite that simple. Some of the sacks the Browns gave up in September were due to poor quarterback play, and part of the reason the Browns blanked the Steelers in the sack department this time around was that Anderson was predominantly taking three step drops. Even so, six sacks is a huge disparity, and it speaks to the progress the line has made.

Derek Anderson isn’t a quarterback who handles pressure well, but his pass protection has been stellar so far this year. The line still has a long way to go with their run blocking, but that should improve as they develop more chemistry.

The Browns face the Ravens this weekend, so the line will once again be tested by a blitz-happy defense. Ray Lewis or not, at this point there isn’t a defense out there that can get to Anderson at will, and given the atrocious line play we’ve seen for nearly a decade, that’s cause for celebration.

Three Dog Bones: Eric Wright
Wright was something of a goat the first few games, as he was welcomed to the NFL with trial by fire. But Wright has quietly matured into a very promising young defensive back, and if the Browns can develop anything even remotely akin to a pass rush, the league will quickly learn that this kid is for real.

When Phil Savage pulled the trigger on a trade to draft Wright, it was a controversial decision due to Wright’s collegiate problems with the law. Savage reassured fans that Wright was simply guilty of one youthful indiscretion, and that his character wouldn’t be an issue. Low and behold, we haven’t heard so much of a whisper of malfeasance from Eazy-E. Pacman Jones, this guy is not.

The future is bright for the Browns secondary, which is loaded with three day one draft picks. In particular, the tandem of Wright and Bodden at cornerback should give offensive coordinators fits for years to come.

Two Dog Bones: Lawrence Vickers
Vickers is the best fullback the Browns have had since their resurrection. In addition to being a sound and powerful blocker, Vickers is faster than most traditional fullbacks and is a capable receiver. Vickers also has a habit of scoring against the Steelers, against whom he’s scored the only two touchdowns in his career.

Vickers deserves around five touches per game on offense, as he’s a strong runner who’s uncharacteristically fast for a 250 pound fullback (he looks faster than his NFL Combine 40 time of 4.75). I really like Vickers’ versatility, and he may have potential as a goal line back in the future, a la Mike Alstott.

One Dog Bone: Rob Chudzinksi
Chudzinksi once again showcased why he’s building a reputation as a top-notch play caller. Two of Derek Anderson’s three touchdown passes were the result of play fakes where the Steelers took the bait.

Chud’s inventiveness near the goal line is a breath of fresh air, especially considering that the offensive line still has a ways to go as a run blocking unit. Chudzinski is one of the three core coaches under contract through 2009 (Crennel and Grantham are the other two), so unless another team tries to pry Chud away from the Browns for a head coaching position, expect him to keep playing the Browns offense like a piano in the foreseeable future.


Standings

Dog Bones
Offensive Line---26
Derek Anderson---14
Braylon Edwards---13
Joshua Cribbs---12(t)
Kellen Winslow---12(t)


Demerits
Romeo Crennel---18
Defensive Line---16
Derek Anderson---13
Todd Grantham---10
Andra Davis---8


Playoff Picture
The Browns are now 5-4 and two games back of the Steelers. Their chances to win the division were definitely dealt a big blow with this loss, because not only do the Steelers lead the Browns by two full games in the standings, they also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. In order to win the division, the Browns will have to make up three games on the Steelers in the only seven weeks, which is extremely unlikely.

If the Browns make the playoffs, it will be via the Wild Card. Presently, the Browns are trailing both the Jaguars and the Titans, who are both 6-3. The Browns are tied with the 5-4 Bills, which could make the Browns/Bills showdown in week 15 a huge match up.

The Browns are now into the weaker portion of their schedule, and only one team with a winning record (Buffalo) remains. If the Browns can get to 10-6, they have a good shot at the Wild Card, but if they can get to 11-5, a Wild Card birth is a virtual lock. It’s time for this team to put up or shut up.

Up Next: 10/18, At Baltimore, M & T Bank Stadium, 1:00
All of the games from here on out are big, but this game is huge. The Browns can move two games above .500 while realistically ending Baltimore’s season with a win.

There won’t be a much better time to catch Baltimore. They are coming off of two embarrassing losses to divisional foes (Pittsburgh, Cincinatti), and they can’t seem to move the football. Starting cornerback Samari Rolle is out, while Chris McAlister, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs are all questionable.

Kyle Boller will start at quarterback, replacing the painfully inadequate Steve McNair. Here’s a team that the Browns defense should hold under 30 points.

We know the Browns can score on the Ravens, as they burned the vaunted Baltimore defense for 27 points in week four, even with a conservative approach in the second half. With the Ravens defense battered and bruised, the going should be even easier.

My Call: Browns 23, Ravens 13

A-Fraud

Wait, I thought he was leaving?

Unfortunately, the Yankees are obviously a better team with A-Rod than without him. Still, with the way the whole thing worked out, at least it was nice to see Scott Boras' figurative nipples twisted a little bit.

Wait, did I just mention Scott Boras' nipples?

Random thoughts

- I read an article today wherein Browns coach Romeo Crennel defended his "decision" to spend two timeouts to challenge the Steelers' final touchdown this past Sunday, a decision that essentially everyone in Northeast Ohio with a television set knew instantly was the wrong one and one that may have cost the Browns a chance to win.

Crennel seems like an honest guy, one you'd expect to stand up and take responsibility for mistakes, so this defensive position is strange. If ever a situation warranted a coach simply admitting that he and his staff handled the situation badly and made errors in judgment, this is the one.


- Congratulation's to the Tribe's CC Sabathia, taking home a well-deserved AL Cy Young Award for his performance during the 2007 season. He got 19 of the 28 first-place votes, while runner-up Josh Beckett got eight from confused voters who don't understand that the playoffs don't factor in and John Lackey got one from, presumably, an extremely drunk writer.

Somehow, someway, some idiot left Sabathia out of his top three entirely. This is another prime example of why the balloting should be open - this person should have to justify such a ridiculous decision, especially if he's the same loon who voted for Lackey, in which case he should never be allowed to vote again. For anything.

I hope Tribe fans can appreciate CC's selection for this award - no, it's not the trophy we wanted, nor is it what CC would have preferred, but it's still something to be celebrated. I'm a tad bit disappointed that Tribe fans seem to be focusing more on how this affects contract negotiations with CC rather than simply enjoying the moment. Obviously it's important to think about the organization's future and long-term health, but sometimes the present is good, as well.


- Nice work by the CaVs to finish a difficult early-season West Coast roadtrip at 3-3, very nearly pulling out a 4-2 voyage but falling to a tough Utah team along with tough Suns and Nuggets squads. Apparently, their play was enough for ESPN resident Cav-naysayer Bill Simmons to revise his pick of Los Caballeros not making the East playoffs (as if), bumping them all the way up to 3rd in the conference in his forecast.

Tying this note into the previous point, it's interesting how many Cav fans worry incessantly about LeBron moving and about what the team will be like in a few years, etc. Hey, we're the Eastern Conference Champions - things are pretty good right now. Enjoy it.


- As long as I'm making a point about Cleveland sport fans' sometimes farsighted perspectives, let me mention a few Browns items, namely the situations of rookie left tackle Joe Thomas and QB Derek Anderson.

Thomas, in his first year, has solidified what most observers regard as one of the truly important positions in football, playing at a Pro Bowl level at a position that the Browns have been absolutely horrible at ever since rejoining the league and, dare I say, establshing himself as a legitimate rookie of the year candidate, if linemen won such things. So why are so many people debating whether they should have picked Adrian Peterson, a running back who is now injured? Can't we just be happy that we drafted an outstanding player at a position of need who will probably be among the league's elite for many years? Isn't that good enough? Even knowing what we do now, would anyone in their right mind do anything differently on draft day? I would not.

The situation with Anderson is different, but with some common themes. He's played very well this year - even his off game against Pittsburgh featured three TD passes and zero interceptions. So why so many articles about how/why/whether to get rid of him? Again, I know it's interesting and fun to speculate on the future, and you should read Nick's earlier piece on the subject, but why not just enjoy the Browns' high-scoring offense and leave the Quinn/Anderson talk for the off-season?


I don't mean to sound overly critical, but I wish sometimes Cleveland sports fans would simply focus on the games and live for the moment, especially now, given the unprecedented current situation where all three clubs in town are, to varying degrees, good. I'm reminded of Yoda talking about young Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back - the old Jedi master delivers a scathing third-person assessment of Skywalker as if Luke's not sitting right there next to him, saying "All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing."

For now, I'm happy to have my mind on where the Browns, Indians, and Cavs are. Hmm? What they are doing.

Hot Stove Quick Hits

Sabathia wins AL Cy Young Award
Sabathia definitely deserved the award, and he beat Josh Beckett decisively. However, this surprises me solely due to the East coast bias in the media (ESPN effect) and lack of exposure for Sabathia. It's nice that CC won, but it can do nothing but hurt the Tribe's chances of re-signing him.

Tigers acquire Jacque Jones from Cubs for Omar Infante
Detroit just keeps improving. Jones is a solid defensive outfielder who's a very average hitter, but he's a good depth guy, not unlike Jason Michaels for the Indians. Jones, who can't hit lefties worth a lick, will probably be involved in a platoon with Cameron Maybin, the Tigers' (right-handed) star prospect.

Tigers re-sign Todd Jones for 1 year, $7 million
This could be a mistake, but it's only for one year. Jones' WHIP has risen over the last three years, from 1.03, to 1.27, to 1.42 last year, which might suggest he's about to go off the deep end.

Yankees re-sign Posada for 4 years, $52 million
Posada hit .338 last year, but he's 36 so that kind of year probably won't happen again. $13 million is a ton of money to be paying a guy who will soon be 40, and catchers usually don't age gracefully. Re-signing Posada was probably a mistake.

Yankees offer Rivera 3 years, $45 million
I'm done predicting a dropoff for Rivera because the guy obviously has found the fountain of youth. This is a no-brainer move for the Yankees, although it's too much money. I know this isn't a done deal yet, but nobody else is going to offer Rivera $15 million. It's funny that some thought Torre's departure would prompt guys like Posada and Rivera to leave. Nothing's different; the Yankees still have money, and money talks.

Andy's second post!

A quick summary of this past Sunday's Cleveland Browns football game:

Pittsburgh? Again?

Andy's first post!

A quick summary of this past Saturday's Ohio State Buckeyes football game:

Illinois? Really?

NFL Picks: Week 10

STEELERS (-9.5) vs. Browns
Andy: Browns
Nick: Browns

TITANS (-4) vs. Jaguars
Andy: Titans
Nick: Jaguars

SAINTS (-11.5) vs. Rams
Andy: Rams
Nick: Rams

PANTHERS (-4) vs. Falcons
Andy: Panthers
Nick: Panthers

CHIEFS (-3) vs. Broncos
Andy: Chiefs
Nick: Chiefs

RAVENS (-4) vs. Bengals
Andy: Bengals
Nick: Bengals

CARDINALS (-1) vs. Lions
Andy: Lions
Nick: Cardinals

GIANTS (+1.5) vs. Cowboys
Andy: Giants
Nick: Cowboys

DOLPHINS (+2.5) vs. Bills
Andy: Bills
Nick: Bills

REDSKINS (-2.5) vs. Eagles
Andy: Eagles
Nick: Eagles

PACKERS (-6) vs. Vikings
Andy: Packers
Nick: Packers

RAIDERS (+3) vs. Bears
Andy: Bears
Nick: Bears

CHARGERS (+3.5) vs. Colts
Andy: Chargers
Nick: Chargers

SEAHAWKS (-10) vs. 49ers
Andy: Seahawks
Nick: Seahawks

Heroes & Zeroes: Week 9

What a game! A 15-point comeback, 58 first downs, over 850 total yards of offense, a game-tying field goal as time expired, and a Phil Dawson walk-off winner in overtime. Sunday’s game was not for the faint of heart, and it was the biggest win of the year for the Browns, who are now 5-3 and in the thick of the playoff hunt.

This season has been a trip to the Bizarro World. Think about it: the Browns can score at will, multiple Browns are having Pro Bowl caliber seasons, and the team is receiving high praise from the national media. Don’t pinch yourself too hard, because you might wake up.


This Week’s Heroes

Five Dog Bones: Kellen Winslow
Winslow was clearly banged up on Sunday, still bothered by knee and shoulder pain. Nevertheless, Winslow came up huge with 11 catches for 125 yards. In the second half K2 dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone, but he deserves a mulligan for what was otherwise a terrific effort.

As Browns fans, we’re privileged to watch a guy like Winslow each week. Winslow never takes a play off, plays through injuries, and always plays inspired, passionate football. As a fan, particularly a Browns fan, how is possible to dislike this guy?

Even the media is changing their tune on Winslow, whose “soldier” rant had turned him into a football version of Howard Dean. Remember Winslow’s motorcycle accident? ESPN’s talking heads seemed to revel in it.

Winslow was featured on ESPN’s E60 this week, as reporter Michael Smith (of Around the Horn) revealed that Kellen Winslow is, in fact, not the Antichrist. Even Jim
Rome, who for years periodically blasted Winslow, complimented K2 for his competitive drive and the incredible commitment it took to recover from his devastating motorcycle crash.

It’s amazing how winning can alter poorly-formed perceptions.

Four Dog Bones: Derek Anderson
After throwing an interception early that made fans scratch their heads, Anderson could have crumbled. Instead, he showed a remarkable resiliency that’s quickly becoming the defining characteristic of this Browns team, as he brought the Browns back from a 15-point deficit.

For the first time this season, Anderson didn’t record a touchdown pass, but to be fair, he was the victim of several end zone drops. Plus, Rob Chudzinski wisely elected to run the football inside the Seattle 5-yard line.

Touchdowns or not, DA threw for a career-high 364 yards against a good Seattle secondary. Note that the Seahawks were clearly working to neutralize Anderson’s favorite target, Braylon Edwards, who had only five catches for 67 yards. DA responded by looking for Winslow early and often, in addition to completing four passes to both Joe Jurevicius and Jamal Lewis.

It’s still too early to be completely sold on Derek Anderson, but he led a stirring comeback against a good defense, as he continues to blossom right before our eyes. DA’s success is beginning to look less like a mirage, and more like reality.

Three Dog Bones: The Fans
In my many trips to Cleveland Browns Stadium, Sunday was the loudest I’d ever heard it. The Browns are winning again, the prospect of making the playoffs no longer sounds all that far-fetched, and we can all feel it in our bones.

On the way out of the stadium, complete strangers were hugging, Cleveland’s finest were giving fans high fives, and many declared an unmitigated hatred for all things Pittsburgh. Browns football is alive and well in Cleveland, Ohio.

Two Dog Bones: The Offensive Line
The revamped offensive line is the most significant reason for the Browns’ marked improvement this season. Over the last seven games, the line has allowed only seven sacks.

Starting right guard Seth McKinney injured a shoulder against the Seahawks, but reserve Lennie Frieman filled in admirably. For once, the Browns appear to have quality depth on the line.

McKinney probably won’t play this week against the Steelers, and he’ll likely be replaced by a platoon of Friedman and Ryan Tucker, who last played guard in the late ‘90s with St. Louis.

Left guard Eric Steinbach strained his back on Wednesday and did not practice Thursday, but it seems likely that Steinbach will play on Sunday.

Pitted against the Steelers, the offensive line will square off against a defense that manhandled them in week one, when they allowed six sacks. The line has come a long way since the opener, and hopefully that progress will show during Sunday’s crucial showdown in the Steel City.

One Dog Bone: Jamal Lewis
Although Jamal was criticized in this column last week, he proved a valuable asset against Seattle, especially as a goal line back. Lewis pounded the Seahawks for four short yardage scores.

In spite of the touchdowns, Lewis’ biggest play came during the overtime period, when he turned a screen pass into a 34-yard gain. Lewis had an opportunity to duck out of bounds, but he stayed in bounds and picked up an extra 15 yards as a result, pretty impressive for a back who isn’t known for his receiving abilities.

Although Lewis played well this week, I still don’t think he has a future with the Browns beyond this season. The numbers simply don’t bode well for running backs in Lewis’ age bracket. Guys like Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin, both of whom played well into their 30’s, are the exceptions to the rule. Awarding Lewis a long-term extension would be equal parts short-sighted and foolish.

If the Browns want to throw cash at a running back, they should pursue a back who’s coming into his prime, like San Diego’s Michael Turner, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this off season.


This Week’s Zeroes

Five Demerits: Todd Grantham
Grantham appears determined to keep the Browns from giving up big plays. That’s all well and good, but it’s allowing the opposition to march up and down the field at their leisure.

Grantham dropped eight men into coverage far more than he should have, giving Matt Hasselbeck time to make his own wacko Seattle low carb mocha latte cappuccino, watch an episode of Frasier, and film one of his lame Chunky Soup ads, all before completing a pass to Bobby Engram without breaking a sweat.

Grantham’s obviously afraid of getting burned, but playing a perpetual prevent is not going to get the job done against quality opponents. Eventually, the Browns are going to have to roll the dice and experiment with this new “blitzing” fad.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Browns caught a break when a 25-yard Seattle completion was wiped out due to an illegal formation penalty on the Seahawks. The very next play, Hasselbeck found Bobby Engram for a 26-yard gain. And who was covering Seattle’s number one receiver? None other than Willie McGinest. Somebody, stop the insanity.

Last year, the Browns gave up 22.3 points per game. This year, that figure has increased to 29.1 PPG. Part of the increase can be attributed to the fact that opponents now actually have to score in the second half to defeat the Browns, whereas 14-21 points was sufficient to down the Browns last season. However, does that account for allowing an extra touchdown every game?

The Browns made defensive upgrades in the off season by bringing in Robaire Smith, Shaun Smith, Antwan Peek, and Eric Wright, while losing only one key player, Brian Russell. If anything, the Browns should be better defensively, not worse. Grantham deserves at least some of the blame for the Browns’ regression.

Eventually the Browns are going to have to hold a good team under 30 points in order to win. But with what we’ve seen so far, does anyone really have confidence that Grantham’s defense can accomplish even such a pedestrian feat?

Four Demerits: Defensive Line
This group is awful. At least it’s encouraging to know that for the remainder of the season we won’t have to watch Ted Washington’s patented “hold your hands up and stand still” method of rushing the passer. Good grief.

Nobody’s expecting a prevent-heavy scheme to yield dozens of sacks, but if the defensive line could at least make the quarterback think that he’s at risk for a sack, maybe that would break up his rhythm a bit. Unfortunately, the front three looks older than Lou Holtz, and slower than, well, Lou Holtz.

I’ll stand by my claim that Phil Savage should have drafted Haloti Ngata in 2005. That’s not to say Kamerion Wimbley isn’t an excellent player, it’s just that stud nose tackles are far more rare than “tweener” athletes who can rush the quarterback. It makes me sick to know that Ngata will anchor Baltimore’s front three for the next half decade.

Three Demerits: Stadium Security
A friend of mine was hassled by stadium security for no good reason. He wasn’t smuggling beer into the stadium, starting fights, or even using four letter words. (Don’t even get me started on the pat downs at the gate, which may or may not be illegal, and exist for the sole purpose of preventing beer smuggling.)

My friend Chris carved a pumpkin into a half-helmet and meticulously painted the brown and white stripes on top. Needless to say, when placed on his noggin, it was the most original fashion item of the week. Stadium security made him throw it away at the gate.

Obviously they were worried that he would throw the pumpkin, but if that was his goal, why take the time to paint it? As we learned back in 2001, anything can be thrown (onto the field or otherwise). Let the man have his pumpkin.

Stadium security should concentrate on fans who are causing actual problems (e.g. fighting, stealing, etc.), instead of fans who are trying to enjoy the game without bothering anyone.

Two Demerits: Punt Coverage
Nate Burleson’s second quarter touchdown on a punt return really took the wind out of the Browns’ collective sails, and left them with a 15-point deficit late in the second quarter. Frankly, it was strange to see another team get the best of the Browns on special teams, which is one of Cleveland’s strengths.

Dave Zastudil put solid hang time on his punt, which actually caused the Browns to over-pursue in coverage. It’s a mistake that the coverage team should learn from.

One Demerit: Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore is finished. Yes, they’re 4-4, but they’re done.

The first half of their schedule was pretty soft, with a collective winning percentage of .354, while the balance of their schedule is playing at a .569 clip. Baltimore needed to mop up against their first eight opponents, and they failed to do so.

The Ratbirds have already lost more games than they did last season, when they were 13-3. The Ravens have a broken down quarterback who can’t get the ball downfield, a defense that no longer dominates, and a coach who thinks he’s Nostradamus with sunglasses. They’re all but mathematically eliminated.

Regardless of whether or not the Browns ultimately qualify for the postseason, we can take solace in the fact that we won’t have to see those hideous purple uniforms next January, unless it’s on the clearance rack.

Standings

Dog Bones

Offensive Line---22
Derek Anderson---14
Braylon Edwards---13
Kellen Winslow---12
Romeo Crennel---8


Demerits

Defensive Line---16
Romeo Crennel---13
Todd Grantham---10
Derek Anderson---9
Andra Davis---8


Playoff Picture
I’m not afraid of ghosts, goblins, gremlins, or the “p-word”. Let’s talk playoffs.

The Browns are currently 5-3, and there are five other AFC teams with the same record or better. With their schedule on the verge of weakening, the Browns are a few wins away from controlling their own destiny.

The Steelers are still the overwhelming favorite to win the AFC North, and if the Browns want to give them a run for the division, they’ll have to win this week’s game in Pittsburgh. The Browns probably have a better shot at a wild card birth.

Last Sunday’s win was huge, as it put the Browns in a great position heading into two tough divisional match ups. If the Browns can just split the next two road games (Pittsburgh, Baltimore), they’ll be 6-4, and their last six games don’t include a single team with a winning record. There’s a very real possibility that the Browns will be playing football in January.

Up Next: 10/11, At Pittsburgh, Heinz Field, 1:00
The excitement is building for the first meaningful Browns/Steelers clash in years. Since 2000, the Browns have beaten the Steelers only twice, and they’ve now lost eight consecutive match ups with their rust belt rivals.

Although the Browns can put up scads of points, it seems unlikely that they’ll end their losing streak this season. It’s just tough to envision the Browns stopping the Steelers, who have a very balanced and potent offensive attack. Willie Parker will get the nod early and often for Pittsburgh, and the Browns can only hope to contain him.

The key for the Browns might be preventing Pittsburgh’s big plays. Ben Roethlisberger is at his best when he’s rolling right to buy extra time for a deep ball to one of the his pesky receivers: Hines Ward, Nate Washington, or former Buckeye Santonio Holmes.

Monday night’s game against Baltimore was a perfect example of why you can’t let Big Ben roll right . Roethlisberger does a great job keeping his eyes downfield when he’s rolling out, and the Browns need to make a concerted effort to keep him in the pocket, or at least force him to scramble to the left, where he’s less effective.

On defense, the Steelers aren’t blitzing as often as they used to, but they’ve been just as effective. This high octane Cleveland offense can score on anyone, but the Steelers should be capable of slowing them down a bit. The Browns can’t win this game if the defense doesn’t step up with some big stops.

Until the Browns prove they can beat the Steelers or at least keep the score within a touchdown, there’s little reason to expect a different result this time around. Nothing would thrill me more than to be wrong.

Like Agent Mulder, I want to believe…

My Call: Steelers 27, Browns 20