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Game in Cincinnati will prove if Cleveland is peaking at right time
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Friday, Dec 21, 2007
BEREA: Jamal Lewis has rushed for 569 yards in the past five games. Safeties Sean Jones and Brodney Pool, severely criticized in September and early October, now are silencing the doubters. Last week, the Browns defense posted its first shutout in two years — and coach Romeo Crennel didn't care if it came in a blizzard.
There are signs the Browns might be, dare we say, peaking?
That suggestion came from 14-year veteran linebacker and co-captain Willie McGinest after Sunday's 8-0 victory over the Buffalo Bills. It might be heresy were it not from the mouth of McGinest, who owns three Super Bowl rings.
''We're trying to give our city and ourselves something to be proud of,'' McGinest said. ''It took some time. We've got a
new system, new coaching staff and a lot of new players, but we're starting to jell. If we're going to start peaking, this is the time. We want to do it in December, when it counts.''
The Browns (9-5) can clinch their first playoff berth since the 2002 season with a victory Sunday at the Cincinnati Bengals. They are 2-1 this month, with two games remaining. Tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North, the Browns still have a chance to win the division.
Not surprisingly, Crennel hesitated to endorse McGinest's notion.
Asked whether the Browns are jelling, Crennel said, ''I think the team understands the position that we're in. There is more focus, more intensity from everybody to do what's right, to try to make the right choices and right decisions so that we can give the team the best chance to win.''
With the Browns on their third coach, sixth starting quarterback and seventh offensive coordinator since the team returned in 1999, he will admit continuity might finally have taken a foothold.
''I think that the continuity that we've brought to the program is beginning to pay dividends by showing up in the win-loss record,'' Crennel said. ''If that continuity can continue, hopefully we'll get better.''
Crennel's players hope for the same. The offense has building blocks for the future in left tackle Joe Thomas, left guard Eric Steinbach, receiver Braylon Edwards, tight end Kellen Winslow and either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn at quarterback. It exploded out of the box in Anderson's first start of the season, a 51-45 triumph over the Bengals in Week 2.
The defense, while still short on star power, needed time to develop cohesion because of the addition of defensive linemen Robaire Smith and Shaun Smith and linebacker Antwan Peek, Pool's elevation to starting free safety, a new nose tackle in Ethan Kelley and rookie Eric Wright taking over at cornerback.
''Everybody's getting more comfortable with each other,'' Jones said. ''We're all on the same page toward the latter part of the season and that wasn't happening in the beginning. If this team stays together over the years, we're going to be that much better.''
Edwards has noticed the improvement on the other side of the ball.
''The defense has tightened it up and come together as a whole,'' Edwards said. ''You've got a lot of new guys over there. Guys know each other now and understand who they're playing with. It's making it a lot easier.''
Peek said the defense has shown improvement, even though the stats don't bear it out. The Browns remain last in the league, giving up 378.4 yards per game.
''Every time we touched that field, we got better as a defense, no matter if we gave up points or whatever,'' Peek said. ''As far as believing in each other, I don't think it's changed any.''
Peek said the coaches' decision to simplify the game plan has played a role in the improvement. He said that of late, the Browns have been trying things in practice and throwing out what doesn't work.
''We're taking out some things that cause confusion on the defensive side and it's making it easier for us to just go out there and play,'' Peek said. ''Whatever's looking good in practice . . . if it's too much, we take a little bit out. I think that was important, especially having a lot of young guys.''
Robaire Smith said: ''They made things a little easier for us so we don't have to do so much thinking. Once we cut off all that thinking, we've got a lot of good athletes and we let that take over.''
No war of words
Robaire Smith didn't seem taken aback by quarterback Carson Palmer's comments that the Bengals (5-9) would come out firing Sunday with nothing to lose.
''They feel they can get in the end zone on us. They don't have anything to lose, so why wouldn't they?'' Smith said.
Asked whether Palmer's remarks fired up the Browns, Smith said: ''I think when we heard the comment, it did. But I don't think we need any extra motivation. Guys know what's at stake.''
Brownies
Crennel worked as an assistant under coach Bill Parcells with the New England Patriots and New York Jets in 1993-99. Asked how he felt about his old boss taking over as the Miami Dolphins' executive vice president of football operations, Crennel said: ''If that's what he wants to do, I'm happy for him. I think he'll look at it as a challenge and he'll try to get that program turned around as quickly as possible.'' Does Parcells, 66, dislike retirement? ''He likes competition,'' Crennel said. . . . Browns cornerback Leigh Bodden missed practice with a tight back, but Crennel hadn't considered what he would do without Bodden because the problem has flared up before. Peek (ankle) and defensive linemen Orpheus Roye (knee), Robaire Smith (back) and Shaun Smith (back) were limited. Bengals running back Rudi Johnson (hamstring) missed practice for the second consecutive day and cornerback Deltha O'Neal sat out with an illness.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Jamal Lewis has rushed for 569 yards in the past five games. Safeties Sean Jones and Brodney Pool, severely criticized in September and early October, now are silencing the doubters. Last week, the Browns defense posted its first shutout in two years — and coach Romeo Crennel didn't care if it came in a blizzard.
Get the full article here.
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