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Ridenour: Browns are back but nothing has changed so far
Kosar would be wrong call as GM
Another wacky, crazy Browns week
Jamal Lewis will leave Browns on own terms
Legal battle could follow Browns' ouster of Kokinis
Browns talk with Marla Ridenour
Unhappy Browns fans meet with Lerner
Kokinis out as Browns' general manager
Most Read Stories
Unusual sports bar to be sold at auction
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
Family found dead in Ohio home
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Man gets 3 years in prison for having sex with horse
Bank helps more save their homes
Circle K on Brown Street robbed
Woman says clinic refused to help her get pregnant because she's not married
Blogs:
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Cats are trainable — and that's not a punchline
The Heldenfiles:
Monday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Time for Kokinis, Browns to agree and part ways
Akron Zips:
Zips tip off tomorrow
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – November 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.
Varsity Letters:
Walsh Jesuit’s Caponi commits to Duquesne
All Da King's Men:
If It Looks Like Islamic Terrorism…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dems Message To Women: Don't Enjoy The Sex
Akron Law Café:
Abortion Analogies
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record
Ridenour breaks down battle of the winless
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 05:32 p.m. EDT, Sep 27, 2008
1. Bengals receivers Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh vs. Browns cornerbacks Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright.
Ocho Cinco, formerly known as Johnson, greatly respected cornerback Leigh Bodden, traded to Detroit in the off-season. Now the task of covering the flamboyant Ocho Cinco falls to McDonald, in his first year as a starter, and Wright, in his second season in the lineup but being outplayed by McDonald thus far this season. No. 85 has just eight catches for 88 yards and no touchdowns in 2008. But in 14 games against the Browns in his career, Ocho Cinco has 73 catches for 1,043 yards (an average of 5.2 and 74.5) and eight touchdowns. In a 51-45 Browns victory on Sept. 16, 2007, he caught 11 passes for an AFC season-high 209 yards and two TDs. Houshmandzadeh leads the Bengals this season with 18 receptions for 180 yards and two TDs, including 12-146-1 last week against the Giants. He scored three times in two games against the Browns last year.
2. Bengals cornerback Leon Hall vs. Browns receiver Braylon Edwards.
The matchup of former Michigan Wolverines and first-round draft choices should favor Edwards by a landslide. But he's been plagued by dropped passes after missing three weeks of preseason with a lacerated foot. Edwards admitted he's been pressing and trying to do too much, but vowed to spend extra time with quarterback Derek Anderson to get back the timing they had early in camp and last year, when Edwards scored 16 touchdowns. Hall moved into the starting lineup in the second half of 2007 and tied a Bengals rookie record with five interceptions. Cincinnati has no picks this season.
3. Browns quarterback Brady Quinn.
While embattled coach Romeo Crennel decided to stick with Anderson as his starter this week, he said Monday he would ''definitely try to get the other guy ready to go.'' The other guy is Quinn, the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 draft who attempted just eight passes last season, all in the season finale. A Columbus native, Quinn is smart enough to say all the right things, but the Browns will have to choose between him and Anderson after the season. ''Last time I checked Derek is our starter,'' Quinn said. ''We have a must-win game right now. Nothing's really changed.'' It might change today before the clock strikes 00:00 if Anderson repeats his three-interception effort last week in Baltimore.
4. Bengals offensive line vs. Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer has been sacked nine times this season after going down only 17 times in 16 games in '07. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis didn't seem alarmed. ''That's about the same number we had early in the year last year, unfortunately,'' Lewis said, although the number was only four through three games. ''I think we'll get things sorted out. Last year we were able to get it righted and end up second lowest in the league again.'' Rogers has just one sack and one QB pressure, but has been the Browns' most fearsome rusher thus far.
5. Crennel.
While there does not seem to be a qualified successor on his staff, another blowout loss and a 0-4 start could spell the end for Crennel in his fourth season. Owner Randy Lerner won't care he gave Crennel a two-year contract extension through the 2011 season. More questionable decision-making, disorganization and a lack of offensive production (a league-low 26 total points and an average of 194 yards per game) may not be tolerated. Going into the weekend, Cleveland's 28 penalties were tied for most in the league with Carolina, Green Bay and Dallas. Presumably Crennel's decision to stick with a 3-4 defensive scheme despite sub-par play from his linebacking corps could also be questioned. By the way, 60 teams have started their season 0-4 since 1990, and only the 1992 San Diego Chargers made the playoffs.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
1. Bengals receivers Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh vs. Browns cornerbacks Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright.
Ocho Cinco, formerly known as Johnson, greatly respected cornerback Leigh Bodden, traded to Detroit in the off-season. Now the task of covering the flamboyant Ocho Cinco falls to McDonald, in his first year as a starter, and Wright, in his second season in the lineup but being outplayed by McDonald thus far this season. No. 85 has just eight catches for 88 yards and no touchdowns in 2008. But in 14 games against the Browns in his career, Ocho Cinco has 73 catches for 1,043 yards (an average of 5.2 and 74.5) and eight touchdowns. In a 51-45 Browns victory on Sept. 16, 2007, he caught 11 passes for an AFC season-high 209 yards and two TDs. Houshmandzadeh leads the Bengals this season with 18 receptions for 180 yards and two TDs, including 12-146-1 last week against the Giants. He scored three times in two games against the Browns last year.
2. Bengals cornerback Leon Hall vs. Browns receiver Braylon Edwards.
The matchup of former Michigan Wolverines and first-round draft choices should favor Edwards by a landslide. But he's been plagued by dropped passes after missing three weeks of preseason with a lacerated foot. Edwards admitted he's been pressing and trying to do too much, but vowed to spend extra time with quarterback Derek Anderson to get back the timing they had early in camp and last year, when Edwards scored 16 touchdowns. Hall moved into the starting lineup in the second half of 2007 and tied a Bengals rookie record with five interceptions. Cincinnati has no picks this season.
3. Browns quarterback Brady Quinn.
While embattled coach Romeo Crennel decided to stick with Anderson as his starter this week, he said Monday he would ''definitely try to get the other guy ready to go.'' The other guy is Quinn, the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 draft who attempted just eight passes last season, all in the season finale. A Columbus native, Quinn is smart enough to say all the right things, but the Browns will have to choose between him and Anderson after the season. ''Last time I checked Derek is our starter,'' Quinn said. ''We have a must-win game right now. Nothing's really changed.'' It might change today before the clock strikes 00:00 if Anderson repeats his three-interception effort last week in Baltimore.
4. Bengals offensive line vs. Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer has been sacked nine times this season after going down only 17 times in 16 games in '07. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis didn't seem alarmed. ''That's about the same number we had early in the year last year, unfortunately,'' Lewis said, although the number was only four through three games. ''I think we'll get things sorted out. Last year we were able to get it righted and end up second lowest in the league again.'' Rogers has just one sack and one QB pressure, but has been the Browns' most fearsome rusher thus far.
5. Crennel.
While there does not seem to be a qualified successor on his staff, another blowout loss and a 0-4 start could spell the end for Crennel in his fourth season. Owner Randy Lerner won't care he gave Crennel a two-year contract extension through the 2011 season. More questionable decision-making, disorganization and a lack of offensive production (a league-low 26 total points and an average of 194 yards per game) may not be tolerated. Going into the weekend, Cleveland's 28 penalties were tied for most in the league with Carolina, Green Bay and Dallas. Presumably Crennel's decision to stick with a 3-4 defensive scheme despite sub-par play from his linebacking corps could also be questioned. By the way, 60 teams have started their season 0-4 since 1990, and only the 1992 San Diego Chargers made the playoffs.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
Comments
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Posted 02:33 PM, 09/28/2008
If the Browns don;t start Quinn in the second half, they can WATCH me walk away from supporting them at all. Down 6-3. DA making stupid throws all over the place. Throwing the ball into the ground instead of at Heiden. He's gotta go!
