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By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:42 p.m. EDT, Oct 29, 2009
BEREA: When Derek Anderson slipped across the goal line on a broken play against the Cincinnati Bengals in Game 4, few knew the Browns quarterback was stepping into the dead zone.
Going into Game 8 Sunday against the Chicago Bears, that remains the Browns' only rushing touchdown.
But surprisingly, they are one of 12 NFL teams that have totalled three or fewer touchdowns on the ground this season. The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs have none, and the Buffalo Bills match the Browns' one, although it came from running back Marshawn Lynch. Only three teams — the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints — are in double digits in that category.
It seems to be a tree in the forest of dubious distinctions; the Browns rank last in the league in red-zone percentage at 26.67, far below the NFL average of 52.2. In 15 trips inside the 20, they've scored four touchdowns. They've added eight field goals and have turned it over three times.
Anderson said there have been a variety of breakdowns.
''Making sure we're getting push and if we can get push, our backs are good and they'll find a way to get in,'' Anderson said. ''But we've had fumbled snaps, assignment errors, missed throws, miscommunication. It has been a mix of everything really.''
The 31-3 home loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday showcased two red-zone opportunities blown.
In the first quarter, the Browns faced first-and-goal at the 5 and had to settle for a field goal. Jamal Lewis ran for 3 yards, Anderson fumbled and recovered the snap and his pass to Mike Furrey into triple coverage fell incomplete.
''We had a play that I think had a real good chance to get home and we had that [fumbled] exchange,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said.
In the third quarter, new tight end Michael Gaines came up with a beautiful fingertip grab for a 21-yard gain to the Packers' 1. Lewis was stopped for a 2-yard loss, Anderson threw incomplete to rookie receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and Lewis picked up 2, but a fourth-down throw to Massaquoi was short and broken up by cornerback Al Harris.
''We felt confident last week that we could run it in and we did call two or three plays there to do that,'' Mangini said. ''I think we had a shot, moreso on the first [possession] to get it in. It wasn't a question of not having confidence, it was just the fumbled exchange hurt us.''
Mangini said during the time he worked in New England, the Patriots used defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Dan Klecko at the goal line.
''It's a different world, though,'' Mangini said. ''Everybody wants to be back there. You get back there and it gets noisy, especially on the goal line. Even though you're used to hitting someone with the blocking, it's different.''
But Mangini said both Seymour and Klecko were injured playing fullback role, which changed his mind about the idea.
So with no chance of using nose tackle Shaun Rogers to help, left tackle Joe Thomas said the Browns must clean up the details in the red zone.
''Defenses get paid, too. Sometimes they make nice plays and get the stop,'' Thomas said. ''Other times it's maybe one guy doesn't make the block or doesn't make the catch. It's not usually an across-the-board thing, it's usually one thing. Down on the goal line, inches are what matters, so all 11 guys have to be doing exactly the right thing.''
Fullback Lawrence Vickers caught a 1-yard touchdown pass at Pittsburgh, one of just four offensive touchdowns scored in 81 possessions this season. He didn't think it was a slap in the face that Anderson has the Browns' lone rushing touchdown.
''For me it doesn't matter how we get it in, as long as we get it in,'' Vickers said. ''It all depends on: 'Is it a mistake made that's causing you not to get it? Or is it a mistake made that that you got it?' It's a 50-50 chance.''
Tight end woes
Tight ends Steve Heiden and Greg Estandia missed practice with knee injures. Heiden, who underwent reconstructive surgery in December, has been inactive for the past two games. Estandia was apparently hurt in practice this week. Robert Royal (hamstring, finger) practiced on a limited basis after sitting out Sunday.
Reporter for a day
Keegan Kohorst, 7, from Mount Pleasant, Iowa, attended Mangini's news conference and met his favorite player, Brady Quinn, after winning an essay contest through the Browns' Kids Club.
Keegan's father, Keith, a sports writer at the Mount Pleasant News and sports information director at Iowa Wesleyan College, was 40 when he died in February 2007 of a massive heart attack after working out on a treadmill. Fans of Notre Dame, Keegan's mother, Jennifer, said they have followed Quinn for seven years.
Mangini recognized Keegan at the end of the session and coaxed him into asking his question.
''Coach Mangini, if you could have any player in the NFL, who would it be and why?'' Keegan said.
Mangini joked that he wasn't expecting it to be such a hard one and answered, ''I really like the players I have.''
Brownies
Upset with his team's poor tackling, Mangini sent the Browns out in pads again Thursday, the first time they've worn them on back-to-back days for at least a month. . . . Mangini said the Browns are minus-56 in points they've scored off takeaways versus points opponents have scored off giveaways.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.
BEREA: When Derek Anderson slipped across the goal line on a broken play against the Cincinnati Bengals in Game 4, few knew the Browns quarterback was stepping into the dead zone.
Going into Game 8 Sunday against the Chicago Bears, that remains the Browns' only rushing touchdown.
But surprisingly, they are one of 12 NFL teams that have totalled three or fewer touchdowns on the ground this season. The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs have none, and the Buffalo Bills match the Browns' one, although it came from running back Marshawn Lynch. Only three teams — the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints — are in double digits in that category.
It seems to be a tree in the forest of dubious distinctions; the Browns rank last in the league in red-zone percentage at 26.67, far below the NFL average of 52.2. In 15 trips inside the 20, they've scored four touchdowns. They've added eight field goals and have turned it over three times.
Anderson said there have been a variety of breakdowns.
''Making sure we're getting push and if we can get push, our backs are good and they'll find a way to get in,'' Anderson said. ''But we've had fumbled snaps, assignment errors, missed throws, miscommunication. It has been a mix of everything really.''
The 31-3 home loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday showcased two red-zone opportunities blown.
In the first quarter, the Browns faced first-and-goal at the 5 and had to settle for a field goal. Jamal Lewis ran for 3 yards, Anderson fumbled and recovered the snap and his pass to Mike Furrey into triple coverage fell incomplete.
''We had a play that I think had a real good chance to get home and we had that [fumbled] exchange,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said.
In the third quarter, new tight end Michael Gaines came up with a beautiful fingertip grab for a 21-yard gain to the Packers' 1. Lewis was stopped for a 2-yard loss, Anderson threw incomplete to rookie receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and Lewis picked up 2, but a fourth-down throw to Massaquoi was short and broken up by cornerback Al Harris.
''We felt confident last week that we could run it in and we did call two or three plays there to do that,'' Mangini said. ''I think we had a shot, moreso on the first [possession] to get it in. It wasn't a question of not having confidence, it was just the fumbled exchange hurt us.''
Mangini said during the time he worked in New England, the Patriots used defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Dan Klecko at the goal line.
''It's a different world, though,'' Mangini said. ''Everybody wants to be back there. You get back there and it gets noisy, especially on the goal line. Even though you're used to hitting someone with the blocking, it's different.''
But Mangini said both Seymour and Klecko were injured playing fullback role, which changed his mind about the idea.
So with no chance of using nose tackle Shaun Rogers to help, left tackle Joe Thomas said the Browns must clean up the details in the red zone.
''Defenses get paid, too. Sometimes they make nice plays and get the stop,'' Thomas said. ''Other times it's maybe one guy doesn't make the block or doesn't make the catch. It's not usually an across-the-board thing, it's usually one thing. Down on the goal line, inches are what matters, so all 11 guys have to be doing exactly the right thing.''
Fullback Lawrence Vickers caught a 1-yard touchdown pass at Pittsburgh, one of just four offensive touchdowns scored in 81 possessions this season. He didn't think it was a slap in the face that Anderson has the Browns' lone rushing touchdown.
''For me it doesn't matter how we get it in, as long as we get it in,'' Vickers said. ''It all depends on: 'Is it a mistake made that's causing you not to get it? Or is it a mistake made that that you got it?' It's a 50-50 chance.''
Tight end woes
Tight ends Steve Heiden and Greg Estandia missed practice with knee injures. Heiden, who underwent reconstructive surgery in December, has been inactive for the past two games. Estandia was apparently hurt in practice this week. Robert Royal (hamstring, finger) practiced on a limited basis after sitting out Sunday.
Reporter for a day
Keegan Kohorst, 7, from Mount Pleasant, Iowa, attended Mangini's news conference and met his favorite player, Brady Quinn, after winning an essay contest through the Browns' Kids Club.
Keegan's father, Keith, a sports writer at the Mount Pleasant News and sports information director at Iowa Wesleyan College, was 40 when he died in February 2007 of a massive heart attack after working out on a treadmill. Fans of Notre Dame, Keegan's mother, Jennifer, said they have followed Quinn for seven years.
Mangini recognized Keegan at the end of the session and coaxed him into asking his question.
''Coach Mangini, if you could have any player in the NFL, who would it be and why?'' Keegan said.
Mangini joked that he wasn't expecting it to be such a hard one and answered, ''I really like the players I have.''
Brownies
Upset with his team's poor tackling, Mangini sent the Browns out in pads again Thursday, the first time they've worn them on back-to-back days for at least a month. . . . Mangini said the Browns are minus-56 in points they've scored off takeaways versus points opponents have scored off giveaways.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 07:32 AM, 10/30/2009
"In the third quarter, new tight end Michael Gaines came up with a beautiful fingertip grab for a 21-yard gain to the Packers'"
Isnt it sad that the guy who shows up a week after being with the browns looks to be the most consistant receiver?
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 07:57 AM, 10/30/2009
The Clowns suck!!!
Carnation, Washington
Posted 09:44 AM, 10/30/2009
I have been around football a long time...and I know why we don't score in the red zone...SPECIFICALLY inside the 5....
We always go to a Baby Bull Setup with two tight ends ...Vickers and Lewis....Both slow to the line...
We have no speed in the backfield to threaten the corners so the Defense stacks inside and our relatively Small Offensive line Just Can not move them...and worse yet without speed to the outside we are outnumbered inside....
We rarely pass...There is no creativity...A guy like Harrison does have speed to the out side and he is very quick to the line so he can hit a very small crease before the defense comes off the block..But Still.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO..Spread the Offense...put out a wide receiver and a guy in the slot and sometimes throw the Tight End Fade on the other side ..Run Lewis and Harrison together..at least give some illusion of a threat outside...Fake to Lewis and toss it out to Harrison or just run Harrison off the corner..
Jerome Harrison...has had one chance to show what he can do this year...He carried 29 times for 126 yards against Cinn...(5th. in the NFL against the run) He ran mostly inside the tackles...and yet we NEVER use him inside the 5.
It is a disgrace to the Offensive Coordinator that we doesn't use Harrison more ...
Our current Offensive doesn' t stretch the Defense Horizontally or Vertically The play calling is just terrible...
Daboll is just not ready to be the Offensive Coordinator....or ...the guy that calls plays...
and I don't think he uses his personal well at all....
Take Cribbs and the Wild Cat....It is a one trick pony...Direct snap and Cribbs left or right...If Daboll was just smart enough to watch a Miami Film? But apparently he is not....His Offensive schemes Suck....His Play Calling is a disaster...and his use of personnel is a disgrace..
C-town, Oh
Posted 10:50 AM, 10/30/2009
The Red Zone isn't the only thing that vexs the Browns. About the only thing they have going for them is Josh Cribbs.
Paradise, Oh
Posted 12:37 PM, 10/30/2009
They still haven't invented the word that fully describes the odor that comes from the Cleveland Browns.
San Antonio, TX
Posted 11:10 PM, 10/30/2009
I think that it's apparent that they're saving money with the Quinn situation (mistake), and playing for a high draft pick. We obviously aren't playing to win with Anderson in there.
