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Running back picks up total of 79 yards plus touchdown
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Monday, Sep 29, 2008
CINCINNATI: Jamal Lewis might wish offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski doesn't take him so literally next time.
After a loss in Baltimore on Sept. 21, Lewis called his 12 carries ''pathetic.''
So Sunday's game plan against the Cincinnati Bengals was no surprise. The Browns ran Lewis 25 times and he picked up 79 yards and a touchdown in a 20-12 victory at Paul Brown Stadium.
It was his most attempts since the 2007 season finale against the San Francisco 49ers. Lewis notched six carries for 36 yards on the first possession, a drive to a 25-yard Phil Dawson field goal.
''I haven't felt like this since last year, and the offensive line feels the same way. I'm beat up from pounding it up in there,'' Lewis said. '' 'Chud' kind of surprised me, running it as many times as he did early. We set the tempo and played physical.''
Lewis managed only 24 yards on 13 carries in the second half.
''It was tough sledding later on. I know Marvin. I knew he was not going to let me get away with what we got away with the first series,'' Lewis said, referring to Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore when Lewis played there.
Lewis followed a block by tight end Darnell Dinkins and scored on a 1-yard run with 11:06 to go to put the Browns ahead 17-6.
''That's my old boy from Baltimore. We've kind of got a little patent there,'' Lewis said of Dinkins.
Steinbach starts
Browns left guard Eric Steinbach, who sat out last week's game against the Ravens with a right shoulder sprain, was a surprising starter Sunday. He has missed only two games in his six-year career due to injury.
When someone said they were surprised to see him out there, Steinbach said, ''So was I.'' He said he had added motivation to face the Bengals, with whom he spent his first four seasons.
''I busted my butt all week in the training room. You wake up today and a little adrenalin will help,'' he said.
Teammates lauded Steinbach's effort.
''To get Steiny back was huge,'' quarterback Derek Anderson said.
''He has fortitude and will,'' wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. ''This is a guy we need. This is a Pro Bowl-caliber left guard. To have him out there meant a lot for us. We have a bye week; he'll get healthier.''
Lewis said he didn't think Steinbach would be available early last week.
''I saw him in his playbook last night and I was like, 'Oh, he's playing,' '' Lewis said. ''It showed great effort and how smart of a player he is, to come out after not practicing for two weeks. He's a professional.''
The line was not totally intact. Left tackle Kevin Shaffer suffered a concussion with 3:38 left in the third quarter and was replaced by Isaac Sowells. Shaffer was playing with a cast on his right hand because of a break near his ring finger.
Huge recovery
One of the biggest plays of the game came with 11:41 remaining when left tackle Joe Thomas emerged from the bottom of a pile with a fumble recovery. Anderson had muffed an exchange to Lewis.
''That was pretty tiring,'' Thomas said. ''That was like a big tug-of-war for a minute and a half. I didn't know it was a fumble because I was pulling through the hole. All of a sudden I hear, 'Ball. Ball.' The ball's right there and there's about eight hands on it. You're just trying to pull it toward you. You don't know whose hands they are, whether they're your guys' or the other guys'.''
Anderson said of Thomas, ''I love Joe for getting on that for us. Love him. I think I hit it on [Lewis'] elbow just trying to put it in his stomach.''
Staving off Quinn
At halftime, someone could have made a case that Browns coach Romeo Crennel should have lifted Anderson and replaced him with backup Brady Quinn. Anderson had completed 4-of-10 passes for 27 yards and a 47.9 rating.
Then early in the third quarter Anderson gave Crennel more reason to think about it when his pass intended for Joshua Cribbs was picked off by safety Chinedum Ndukwe at the Bengals' 12. Anderson had another pass picked off by cornerback David Jones late in that quarter, but it was nullified by a penalty on Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom.
''You have to get a gut feel as this thing goes along,'' Crennel said. ''D.A. was harassed a little bit, particularly on one of the interceptions. If he was not harassed, that would have been a good play for our team. So I decided to give him another chance. He took advantage of it and finished the game on a good note.''
In the second half, Anderson completed 11-of-14 for 111 yards and a touchdown. His rating for the game was 74.7. For the season, it went up to 49.9.
Asked if he thought about being pulled, Anderson said, ''Nope. Don't go there,'' and he smiled. ''I stayed in the game. You're not going to score on every single drive. The interception happened. It was a little miscommunication, but it's not the end of the world.''
Lewis said, ''It was great to see him out there getting the job done and throwing it around a little bit. It felt like he was getting into his mold.''
Wimbley's first sack
Third-year linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, the first-round draft choice in 2006 who had been invisible in the first three games, got his first sack of the season with 1:03 left in the second quarter. After setting the Browns' rookie record with 11, Wimbley totaled only five in 2007.
''I put a lot of pressure on myself, way more than the press could,'' Wimbley said. ''I've been hampered by injuries with the groin. I was able to make some plays.''
Wimbley also forced a fumble with 12:55 left that safety Mike Adams recovered at the Bengals' 24, setting up a touchdown. The Browns turned five Bengals turnovers into 10 points.
''Kamerion made the big hit,'' Adams said. ''I was coming on a blitz and [the runner] slid over and ran away from me. Kam made the big hit and I just pounced on the ball. That was a great read, because he came from the opposite side.''
Sins continue
Chudzinski said the Browns call stupid penalties ''self-inflicted negatives,'' and they had at least six against the Bengals.
The offenders were defensive lineman Louis Leonard (two offsides), linebacker Alex Hall (offsides), linebacker Andra Davis (illegal block in the back on Adams' interception return), defensive end Corey Williams (offsides) and Edwards (unnecessary roughness on safety Marvin White). Edwards' came after Lewis had rushed for a first down. It resulted in a second-and-6 and the Browns later were forced to punt.
''We were lined up in the neutral zone trying to get to the quarterback,'' Crennel said. ''Sometimes our guys will look down and think they are OK. But then as soon as they get down, their helmet is in the neutral zone. The official tells them, but they don't believe what they are telling them. We had to talk to them and explain that if the official is calling it that way, you have to back up because the penalties aren't worth it.''
Bottle hits Vickers
Anderson said fullback Lawrence Vickers was hit in the left eye with a beer bottle on Lewis' touchdown run. ''I was a little frustrated somebody hit him in the face with a beer bottle,'' Anderson said. ''He's kind of our guy. He did a great job.''
Brownies
So much for getting ''the other guy'' ready. Jay Glazer of Fox reported that Quinn got two extra reps in practice last week. . . . Crennel praised Cribbs for a 44-yard kickoff return to the Bengals' 48 to start the third quarter. ''I felt that gave us momentum. Let them know I'm still here,'' Cribbs said. ''We kept them honest, so they would stop crashing on the edges.'' Cribbs has been working his way back to form after suffering a high ankle sprain Aug. 18. . . . Rookie linebacker Alex Hall has a sack in each of the past two games, including the game-saver Sunday that forced a fumble with 2:04 left. ''It's good for a young guy like that to make an impact play. He works hard, he's a good young man, very quiet,'' Crennel said. ''I think he's going to be a good player for the Browns.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
CINCINNATI: Jamal Lewis might wish offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski doesn't take him so literally next time.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 08:41 AM, 09/29/2008
Thank you so much for actuallly writing about the game instead of poking fun at our home team or making ridiculous comments directed at how bad the Browns are playing. All the readers want is facts about thhe ame and comments from the players. Great job, you put that hack Patrick Mcmahon (who cares how you spell it) to shame.
Posted 11:49 AM, 09/29/2008
"Anderson said of Thomas, 'I love Joe for getting on that for us. Love him. I think I hit it on [Lewis'] elbow just trying to put it in his stomach.'"
I've posted about this for weeks now, going back to the pre-season. The Browns do not have knowledgeable coaches available to teach them how to accept handoffs. And Lewis should have learned how to accept handoffs back in pee-wee league!
The runner is to position his hands and arms like this: The top elbow is to be positioned AWAY FROM THE QB while taking the handoff. This minimizes the possibility of that elbow getting in the way and leading to fumbles (of which Lewis has at least three this season that I recall).
And here, Anderson admits that the ball was fumbled because of Lewis' elbow being in the way!
When will the Browns be hiring new coaches? Anyone know? I'd like to apply.
As Lewis stated after last week's loss - pitiful!
akron, oh
Posted 02:00 PM, 09/29/2008
you been posting it and you been wrong the top elbow is up
Posted 06:30 PM, 09/29/2008
1) Does anyone believe we would have won if Palmer had played. 2) Everyone on every message board I have seen called for more running plays and more chances for Harrison...Well we did run a LOT more... 3) If we paired Both Harrison and Lewis in the Backfield we would threaten the inside and outside...Hard to have a good pass rush when you have to stop Lewis up the middle and worry about Harrison turning the Corner. 4) I think Romeo is a Terrible head coach....I am beginning to think CHUD is no better...No creativity at all... 5) Does anyone think Harrison should get a lot more touches... 6) Does anyone think Brady Quinn is at least as good as Anderson and MIGHT BE BETTER.... 7)Am I the only one who thinks there has been some real improvement in the Defense?
Posted 08:27 PM, 09/29/2008
Gong! Mike's wrong. Same as the Browns' coaches.
akron, oh
Posted 11:42 AM, 10/04/2008
right so the ball can slip right thought. qb slms the ball in and the top elbow comes down. go watch a pee wee practice but thanks for showing your ignorance
