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Do IT this week: Layering
Crennel goes against advice, picks Anderson
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Sep 25, 2008
BEREA: With his neck already on the chopping block, Browns coach Romeo Crennel extended it another few inches Wednesday.
Crennel conceded that he ignored the advice of Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown and named Derek Anderson the starting quarterback for the battle of winless teams Sunday against the Bengals in Cincinnati.
''We decided going through the week without making a decision is not going to be good for anybody, so we've decided Anderson is the starter and [Brady] Quinn will be ready,'' Crennel said.
''I'm not going to go into the what-ifs, the whens, the wheres, how long or anything like that about this decision. The decision is made, and that's what it's going to be.''
If Anderson was relieved, he didn't show it.
''There wasn't ever any uncertainty in my mind,'' he said. ''I'm preparing like a normal week for me.''
Since Sunday, Crennel has sounded more emphatic than he has in his four seasons with the Browns. He seemed to shrug off the comments made Monday by Brown, the team's executive adviser, on a radio show called Pro Football Central. Brown said the organization was in agreement that it was time to go to backup Quinn, the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 draft.
''If they don't, I don't know what will happen,'' Brown said on the show. ''I've been in meetings all day. I've met with coach, the president of the organization, team captains, individual players, we all seem to be in one accord. But it's up to the coach to make the final decision on his lineup this week. If he makes the right decision, I think we can be out of this terrible slump we're in.''
When the show's host mentioned Quinn's initials, Brown said: ''I don't want to look like I'm choosing one or the other, but if it is, no one's going to cry. We don't have a superstar quarterback; we have two quarterbacks with tremendous potential. One has played a lot more than the other has, successfully, and also had some failure.
''If we try Brady this week, it's a change of pace. Why not have a change of pace that might bring you a spark? And if he doesn't cut it, we can bring the other guy back.''
Crennel said Brown told him the same thing in the past few days, but Crennel is sticking with Anderson, who threw 29 touchdown passes in 2007, went 10-5 as a starter and earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl. After suffering a concussion Aug. 18 that kept him out for two weeks, Anderson has tossed two touchdown passes and five interceptions, for a passer rating of 43.5 this season, second-worst in the league. Only Tyler Thigpen (38.3) of the Kansas City Chiefs trails him.
''[Jim] said it was up to the head coach to make the decision, and he said it was my decision,'' Crennel said. ''Jim has been speaking out ever since I got here. Jim has an opinion just like everybody else has an opinion. I sat down with Jim, and he told me the same thing. That's the way he feels. I am not saying it's right or wrong, it is what it is.''
He might have appreciated Brown's support, but Quinn handled Brown's remarks diplomatically.
''Everyone's entitled to their own opinion,'' Quinn said. ''Jim also talked about it being the coach's decision. That's the biggest thing right now. It's one voice we all follow. Right now that's the decision Romeo wants to make and that's what we're going to go with.''
While uncertainty reigned Monday, players seemed supportive of Anderson two days later.
''[I'm] not listening to it,'' right guard Ryan Tucker said of the controversy outside Berea. ''What scrutiny? As far as I know, Derek's the starting quarterback.''
Center Hank Fraley doesn't believe that Anderson's confidence is shaken. Although Crennel said Monday that Quinn would get more reps with the first team and could possibly start, Fraley doesn't think that fosters more doubt.
''I don't think so,'' Fraley said. ''We play our hearts out so [a change] really doesn't have to happen.''
Receiver Braylon Edwards, plagued by dropped balls since he returned from a foot laceration, said Crennel's decision was what he expected.
''Derek is our guy,'' Edwards said.
''Just because we had a bad three games, we can't turn away from him or abandon him. We have had a bad three games, not just him specifically. We're behind him 100 percent, and we're going to get better. He and I are going to work through this after practice, at home, do some extra things.''
Asked if he was fine with Edwards calling him at home, Anderson said: ''Always. Whatever it takes for us to get going. A little communication here and there never hurt anybody. He doesn't live far away, so I'll just drive to his house.''
Edwards thinks that the solution is to rely on running back Jamal Lewis, who has 44 carries for 156 yards (3.5 average) in three games, including 12 carries in the 28-10 loss Sunday against the Ravens at Baltimore.
''What we've got to do now is run the ball, get Jamal involved,'' Edwards said. ''You know, 12 carries, he needs more. Jamal is a guy who can carry a lot of the load. We give him the ball, we alleviate some of the pressure off Kellen [Winslow] and myself and we're able to do what we did last year, which was keep people guessing.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: With his neck already on the chopping block, Browns coach Romeo Crennel extended it another few inches Wednesday.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 07:14 AM, 09/25/2008
Please fire Romeo and find a coach with nads
Kent, OH
Posted 07:50 AM, 09/25/2008
We should put RC on an incentive program. If the Browns win, he gets to eat regular food for the week, but if they lose, it's nothing but oatmeal.
Posted 08:06 AM, 09/25/2008
Romeo - it was nice knowing you, give my best to Bill when you get back to New England!
Posted 08:16 AM, 09/25/2008
Good bye Romeo after Sunday you'll be history - where is Phil and Randy Lerner in all of this - hello is anyone HOME in Cleveland and Berea - do you not see what ROMEO is doing to our team!!!!!!!
Posted 08:37 AM, 09/25/2008
If Cranial had his way Maurice Carthon would still be calling plays. That shows his offensive brilliance.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 08:42 AM, 09/25/2008
Go Bengals!!!
Posted 08:43 AM, 09/25/2008
This guy is as dumb as a box of rocks,"Hey Romeo,you suck like vacuums"!!!!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 09:06 AM, 09/25/2008
Romeo is about to give a new meaning to the phrase "Bye Week." MadTiger Entertainment "Have Fun!"
Posted 09:27 AM, 09/25/2008
If/when the Browns lose on Sunday, Crennel is gone Monday. He is putting his coaching career in DA's hands. Not smart.
edison, NJ
Posted 09:34 AM, 09/25/2008
how embarrasing is that monday night game going to be against the giants ! browns won"t sniff a prime time game after this season for a long time. and they truly deserve it.
Stow, OH
Posted 10:01 AM, 09/25/2008
Putting your job in the hands of a guy like DA is not smart. DA has proven time and again that he cannot handle pressure.Bringing in Quinn in the 4th quarter to try to salvage a game that Romeo and Anderson bungle ? My teenager asked me yesterday "Dad ,have the Browns ever been good ?" Man that says it all. This franchise is god awful !
akron, oh
Posted 10:15 AM, 09/25/2008
browns are going 13and 3 baby
This Place, 32
Posted 10:26 AM, 09/25/2008
That would be 13 losses with 3 wins, right?
Posted 11:47 AM, 09/25/2008
0-5 for sure!
Posted 12:08 PM, 09/25/2008
I remember when the Browns let DA hit the free-agent market for about two hours this year. I was jumping up and down until they resigned him after he recieved no other better offers.
Posted 12:10 PM, 09/25/2008
Please put Quinn in now and not in the fourth quarter in the middle of another Derek Anderson mess.
akron, oh
Posted 12:45 PM, 09/25/2008
WE ARE GOING TO LOSE AGAIN!!! TO THE BEAGLES THATS SO SAD
edison, NJ
Posted 01:40 PM, 09/25/2008
read jason whitlock"s column today on the nfl now site about romeo crennel. it says everything you need to know about rac.
Posted 02:55 PM, 09/25/2008
Anderson and Quinn are too inexperience for the job, and should have never been hired to play on the Brown team. The NFL are full of talented players who are over looked for various reason. Oh well!!!!
Posted 03:10 PM, 09/25/2008
Here is hoping the Browns get blown out, which I feel they will in this game. Im tired of Romeo and his in ability to be a man and lead by making a decision that may be hard to make. Why not start Brady? Give him some time so he is not starting over after the bye week when Romeo will no longer be coach of the Browns and DA will be the backup. *hoping* I honestly have nothing against DA but he is simply not getting the job done, nor is Crennel
akron, oh
Posted 04:52 PM, 09/25/2008
Please open your eyes and not put in DA. We need to win or your gonna lose more fans. They still play like a bunch of girls. High School football is alot better than the Browns. At least they have heart to play, not the money.
Akron, oh
Posted 05:38 PM, 09/25/2008
Any truth to the rumor that Bill Cowher recently purchased a home in Strongsville? Is there a light at the end of this tunnel? One can only hope. RIP RAC
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 08:06 PM, 09/25/2008
Romeo Crennelephant will be lucky if he makes it the next 3 games.
