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Browns manage just two field goals in another loss to Steelers
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Monday, Sep 15, 2008
CLEVELAND: While Kellen Winslow finished dressing, the Browns tight end was asked about the rest of the teams in the AFC North Division. But there was really only one he cared about.
The one he said the Browns are ''inches away from beating.''
With the wind gusting to 60 mph and intermittent rain swirling like snow, the conditions seemed unique. But the Browns' frustration against the Steelers remained constant, stretching to 10 consecutive losses as the Steelers escaped Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday night with a 10-6 victory.
Several Browns had called it a must-win, and General Manager Phil Savage had deemed the nationally televised game the biggest in his four-year tenure. But even with a more inspired effort on defense, the Browns could not stop the defending AFC North champion Steelers (2-0) from stretching their winning edge to 16 of
the past 17 against the Browns (0-2).
With 2007's prolific offense scoring just one touchdown in two games, the Browns must regroup for road trips to Baltimore and Cincinnati.
''It's a new year, we're a new team, we don't care about the streak,'' Winslow said. ''All we want to do is win the division. To win the division we know we've got to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. They're the bullies. They've got one on us, but we'll see them in the last game. We need to win these next two.''
The Browns' inconsistent offense stalled at the Steelers' 20 and was forced to settle for Phil Dawson's 38-yard field goal with 3:21 remaining. On third-and-7, receiver Braylon Edwards couldn't hang on to a catchable Derek Anderson pass that would have kept the drive alive.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel lamented the fact that the Steelers' lone touchdown was aided by two Browns penalties — a 15-yard face mask on defensive lineman Shaun Smith after he sacked Ben Roethlisberger for a 7-yard loss and a 5-yard offsides on defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.
''We turned the ball over [twice] and they took advantage of it and we had penalties on the drive that allowed them to score,'' Crennel said. ''Overall, it may be one of the best games we've played against Pittsburgh in a while, but we shot ourselves in the foot with turnovers and penalties. We screwed it up; that's the way I see it.''
The Steelers' only touchdown came with 6:26 left in the second quarter on Roethlisberger's 11-yard toss to receiver Hines Ward. Ward, who had dropped two prior passes, including one on the previous down, was left wide open by slotback Terry Cousin. After the score, Ward turned his back on the Dawg Pound and scuffed his feet, kicking up dirt in the rabid fans' direction.
''We progressed as a defense today, but we've got a long way to go,'' Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said. ''All the plays we gave up tonight were due to penalties and not playing smart football.''
Playing with a sore throwing shoulder that NBC announcer Al Michaels said was separated, Roethlisberger completed 12-of-19 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown. Steelers running back Willie Parker rushed 28 times for 105 yards. Anderson completed 18-of-32 passes for 166 yards with two interceptions, and running back Jamal Lewis managed just 38 yards on 19 carries.
The Browns' best possession of the first half ended with no points after Crennel opted not to attempt a field goal from the Steelers' 11 with eight seconds remaining. After taking their last timeout, Anderson tried to hit inexperienced receiver Syndric Steptoe', rather than throw into the end zone, and the pass was picked off by diving safety Troy Polamalu at the 3-yard line as time in the half expired.
''I should have come harder across instead of the angle I took,'' Steptoe said. ''I felt D.A. threw a good ball. I just have to help him out and get in front of the safety's face.''
Winslow said the end of the half incensed him.
''I was so mad, I had to control myself right there,'' he said. ''I knew that was going to be a big play. Even if we kicked it, that was a huge turnover, huge.''
Anderson had marched the Browns from their 18 and had completed all six of his pass attempts on the possession before the interception.
The Steelers tacked on a 48-yard field goal by Jeff Reed with 7:58 left in the third quarter. The Browns didn't get on the scoreboard until 1:25 remained in the third quarter, when Phil Dawson drilled a 31-yard field goal.
''There's nothing wrong with us; we're still the same team we were last year, we've just got to play catch,'' Anderson said. ''I've got to throw better and we've got to catch it.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
CLEVELAND: While Kellen Winslow finished dressing, the Browns tight end was asked about the rest of the teams in the AFC North Division. But there was really only one he cared about.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 06:46 AM, 09/15/2008
Romeo Crennel should be arrested for being an impostor as a head coach!
Alliance, Oh
Posted 07:02 AM, 09/15/2008
What a performance! Once again, a rotten excuse for a 2 minute drill before the half ends. Anderson is NOT a leader! He looks to the sideline for instructions. If he can't be a leader in that situation, get him OUTTA there! You can blame the coaches all you want, but there comes a time where your QB has to take over that situation. Right now, he is NOT the man! As far as all you Kellen Winslow lovers, they might as well put him at wide receiver and have Heiden as the tight end. He doesn't block anybody and gets an illegal motion penalty in the red zone taking it from 2nd and three to 2nd and 8. He might be tough, but right now at tight end, he's more a liability than an asset! I know the head coach is not good, but the players have to take over when the going gets tough and it doesn't look like that is gonna happen again this year. I guess Juriviscus is the reason Edwards blossomed. I don't think too many teams are worried about Sedrick Steptoe. He's a midget!
Wooster, Oh
Posted 07:09 AM, 09/15/2008
Confusion. Disarray. Questionable play calling. Injuries. A season of promise? On the positive side, 14 games left. On the other positive side, I can find many constructive things to do with my prime times other than become more disappointed and frustrated.
Posted 07:47 AM, 09/15/2008
Poor time management is poor coaching and poor leadership from the QB. One would think that they never heard of a two minute drill or running a play without a huddle! It was embarrassing watching DA look like a deer in the headlights. Not to mention our star studded cast of receivers who can't seem to catch anything in the clutch. We need a tough coaching staff and a leader in the backfield. Injuries can't be blamed.
Posted 08:03 AM, 09/15/2008
Did anyone replay the offside penalty against 92 Rodgers in the 2 quarter? What the ruling on the center allowing him to stand up and rock back before the snap??? Rodgers went on that move which looked more like a false start on the center.
Posted 08:06 AM, 09/15/2008
Glad to see the defense stepped up for the most part. Clock management was pathetic and so was the offense. Braylon Edwards needs to start doing his job and catching more passes than he drops.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 09:22 AM, 09/15/2008
10 in a row!!!!! Go Steelers!!!
Posted 09:53 AM, 09/15/2008
Paul, If the coaching staff has told DA to check with them on what to do (taking a TO, or running a play) that isn't his fault. I suspect that is why he checks with them. It may be partially his fault, but Crennel and the rest of the staff need to figure it out. He admitted to the sideline reporter that they screwed up in the first half. Of course I'm sure he'll say that the made the right call to go for the FG down by 7 with 3 minutes remaining in the game. Did he really expect his team to stop the Steelers, and have enough time left to have a scoring drive. Never mind that prior to that last drive they hand't done much at all in the second half. Poor coaching, it is really starting to show. The defense improved a lot. The offense was stymied by bad weather, a good and some more drops. But it is becoming clear that in a close game, this coaching stuff doesn't have what it takes.
Posted 09:57 AM, 09/15/2008
Nestle' candy company's CEO is in Cleveland today. He wants a marketing deal featuring Braylon Edwards for one of his products. Guess which one?
Posted 09:57 AM, 09/15/2008
Butterfinger!
Scottsdale, AZ
Posted 10:01 AM, 09/15/2008
When a TV viewer can see the obvious anger and bewilderment on the faces of the players over the idiotic play selection, you know the coach is NO GOOD. With their anemic offense and the worst clock management in the NFL is there ANYONE in the Browns' front office that thinks Crennel can really coach?
Posted 10:06 AM, 09/15/2008
On last post, when I said "He admitted on the sideline..." I was talking about Crennel. The reporter in the game had said that when she asked him about the timeout, and what went wrong that he said "we screwed up". Bottom line, while DA may have made some mistakes, the ultimate responsibilty falls on the coach. And if DA is doing something wrong, it is the coaches job to correct that.
Posted 10:48 AM, 09/15/2008
Crennel is an idiot, but Chud isn't looking like the offensive genius we pegged him to be. Why isn't Jerome Harrison in on more plays? Why was Winslow on the sideline to end the game? Why are running more than passing when there was only 5 minutes left in the second quarter when a TD was needed? Last night was a huge wast of my time and emotions. I think I'm starting to hate the Browns more than the Steelers.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 11:04 AM, 09/15/2008
''There's nothing wrong with us; we're still the same team we were last year, we've just got to play catch,'' Anderson said. ''I've got to throw better and we've got to catch it.''Keep deluding yourself there, buddy. There's a heck of a lot more wrong with this team than simple "pass and catch"! The rushing game has disappeared, and the team (on both sides of the ball) seems disorganized and dysfunctional. And don't get me started on the ongoing coaching blunders. I love the Browns, and always will, but this is almost getting to be too much to bear. As a fan, you can only smack yourself upside the head so many times before the pain forces you to stop. The Browns, at this point, are a painful team to follow. Period.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 11:05 AM, 09/15/2008
I wonder why the comments section won't accept simple HTML tags imbedded in the reader's comment. The PD comments section does. ;-D
Posted 11:10 AM, 09/15/2008
1. Chudzinski - jury out... 2. Crennel - vilage idiot - proven fact Make the coaching change now, not later...See what Chud can do this year... if he goes 7-7, I'd keep him...if not, make a change then. Another change: DA as a Pro Bowl QB year in year out is an illusion...as much of a mirage as RAC being Coach of the Year. Rac ain't no Belicheck and DA ain't no Tom Brady! Put Brady in now, so that when the Browns do put it together, he'll be ready!
Posted 11:14 AM, 09/15/2008
Where is Steve from Hudson and all the other loud mouths who ran their mouths about how great this team was and all the things they were going to do to the Steelers? When I predicted how the typical "Clowns" fan would be calling for the head of the coach, and for BQ to put in, your team is a joke! The Steelers have completely dominated the "Clowns" for years now. You can not even compare the two organizations period! You morons make it so much fun to be a Steeler fan. FIVE RINGS!!!
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 11:16 AM, 09/15/2008
BORING.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 11:22 AM, 09/15/2008
Gross Pointe Blank
Posted 11:35 AM, 09/15/2008
i flippen five year old knoes how to use timeouts why not the browns not one player called a timeout in the first have as the ran off 14seconds, and four seconds at critical times. even a field goal before helps the brown. and how long does it take to spot the ball.
Posted 11:43 AM, 09/15/2008
There is not enough time in the day to tell you what is wrong with the Browns.It starts with the coaching & ends with the coaching.THEY had a chance to get Bill Cowher,what do they do,they give Crennel an extension..Duh!!!!!This organization is going backwards fast.I followed the Browns for forty years..I give up,a loser is a loser.....
Posted 12:55 PM, 09/15/2008
Well, better luck next year.
woodridge, IL
Posted 01:03 PM, 09/15/2008
I know the Browns won't do it but if they want to salvage something of this season can Romeo. He is in way over his head. He benefited from a weak schedule last year and a QB who had a once in a lifetime season. It is embarrassing to hear national TV announcers berate stupid coaching decisions.
niles, oh
Posted 02:20 PM, 09/15/2008
til Crennel and Savage are gone the pain will remain, so will the silly 4quarter field goals. if you want change stay away from the games and stop buying Brown's gear money talks bullsh-- walks. I called what was going to happen here and on the pd site including the stupid field goal. the owner Lener needs to read and watch old flims of the real Browns of the 40's 50' and 60's maybe then he will learn what real football is and get off the stump and fire Crennel and Savage
Bethesda, MD
Posted 03:24 PM, 09/15/2008
Did the Browns fire Crennel yet? How about Wedge? Is he gone yet?
