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Giants inspire Cleveland team with comeback, win last year
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 09:12 p.m. EDT, Oct 08, 2008
BEREA: Browns receiver Braylon Edwards' R&B-dominated music collection departed from the norm this week with what could have been a special download for his teammates.
On Wednesday, strains of Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York wafted through the locker room from Edwards' compact stereo.
''All right, I've been waiting for some Sinatra all day,'' said backup quarterback Brady Quinn, just a few stalls away.
After going 10-6 a year ago, the Browns (1-3) hope to live up to great expectations and turn their season around when they host the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants (4-0) Monday night. And for inspiration, they need look no further than the team on the other sideline in sure-to-be raucous Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Last year the Giants became just the fourth team to start a season 0-2 and reach the Super Bowl and the third to win it. They finished 10-6, the first six-loss team to reach the Super Bowl since the 1988 San Francisco 49ers and the first with a home losing record (3-5). They set an NFL single-season record with 11 consecutive road victories (seven in the regular season, four in the postseason) despite a minus-nine turnover margin that was the worst of 12 playoff teams.
''It inspires the entire league,'' Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said of the 2007 Giants' turnaround. ''Everyone talks about it. The way they started and the way they finished gives everybody hope.
''They're a mentally tough team, and it starts with [quarterback] Eli [Manning]. He controls it all.''
The Giants' roll has continued this season. Their average winning margin is 19.5 points, and they steamrolled the Seattle Seahawks 44-6 Sunday. While some say their competition has been suspect, also beating the Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals and St. Louis Rams, the Giants lead the league in yards per game (431), rushing yards per game (181.3), yards per carry (5.8), first downs per game (24.3) and points per game (31.7).
Last season the Giants had only one Pro Bowler — defensive end Osi Umenyiora — and he's out for the year with a knee injury. While they have stars in Manning and receivers Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, Manning is overshadowed in New York by Jets quarterback Brett Favre. The majority of Giants coach Tom Coughlin's team is made up of unheralded hard workers.
Jackson said their secret to success is simple.
''You know who the [big] guys are and those other guys are great complementary players,'' Jackson said. ''They play well together. Their offensive scheme is not difficult at all. They just execute. The basic power plays, the basic counter plays, play action off the power and counter plays. It's a simple ballgame, similar to New England.
''They won a Super Bowl and it's hopefully what we can do. If we can cut down on the penalties and execute, we give ourselves a chance.''
In New York, the Giants' turning point last year is regarded as a goal-line stand in Game 3 at Washington that preserved a 24-17 victory. They trailed 17-3 at halftime and the Redskins faced first and goal at the Giants' 1 with 58 seconds remaining and failed to score.
''Nobody gave them a chance,'' Edwards said of the '07 Giants, which still include his ''best friend in the league,'' Reuben Droughns. ''Even when they started playing well, they still didn't get a chance.''
Browns running back Jamal Lewis has friends on the Giants and gives the players credit for regrouping. He has tried to assert himself as a veteran leader to do the same in Cleveland.
''Just pulling together as a team and doing what you're capable of doing,'' Lewis said. ''I know a couple of those guys over there and I know their mentality and their mind-set. When you're down, that's what shows what kind of team you are when you can overcome that adversity and suck it up and get back going.''
Winslow sidelined
Browns tight end Kellen Winslow missed practice with an unspecified illness. Also sitting out were defensive lineman Shaun Smith (hand surgery) and safety Sean Jones (knee surgery). Limited were defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (shoulder), left tackle Kevin Shaffer (concussion) and running back Jason Wright (right knee). Full participants were receiver Donte' Stallworth (quad) and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker (hip surgery).
Sitting out for the Giants were right tackle Kareem McKenzie (concussion) and linebacker Antonio Pierce (quad). Limited were receiver Domenik Hixon (concussion) and defensive end Jerome McDougle (knee).
Brownies
With the induction of Eric Metcalf, Warren Lahr, Paul Wiggin and Walter Johnson to the Browns Legends this weekend, the team will wear uniforms from the 1957-59 seasons Monday. Changes include three-inch brown numbers on both sides of the helmet, a single white stripe down the middle of the helmet, a thinner brown stripe surrounded by two orange stripes on the side of the white pants, no shoulder numbers on the jerseys and socks with brown, white and orange stripes. . . . While he watched a 37-34 preseason loss to the Giants from home with a lacerated foot, Edwards didn't totally diss the brown pants that made an inauspicious debut in the Meadowlands. ''They're doable,'' Edwards said. ''We gotta work on that next year, though.'' . . . Singing the national anthem will be Firestone High graduate Melina Kanakaredes of the television series CSI: NY. . . . Receiver Steve Sanders cleared waivers and was signed to the practice squad.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Browns receiver Braylon Edwards' R&B-dominated music collection departed from the norm this week with what could have been a special download for his teammates.
On Wednesday, strains of Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York wafted through the locker room from Edwards' compact stereo.
''All right, I've been waiting for some Sinatra all day,'' said backup quarterback Brady Quinn, just a few stalls away.
After going 10-6 a year ago, the Browns (1-3) hope to live up to great expectations and turn their season around when they host the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants (4-0) Monday night. And for inspiration, they need look no further than the team on the other sideline in sure-to-be raucous Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Last year the Giants became just the fourth team to start a season 0-2 and reach the Super Bowl and the third to win it. They finished 10-6, the first six-loss team to reach the Super Bowl since the 1988 San Francisco 49ers and the first with a home losing record (3-5). They set an NFL single-season record with 11 consecutive road victories (seven in the regular season, four in the postseason) despite a minus-nine turnover margin that was the worst of 12 playoff teams.
''It inspires the entire league,'' Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said of the 2007 Giants' turnaround. ''Everyone talks about it. The way they started and the way they finished gives everybody hope.
''They're a mentally tough team, and it starts with [quarterback] Eli [Manning]. He controls it all.''
The Giants' roll has continued this season. Their average winning margin is 19.5 points, and they steamrolled the Seattle Seahawks 44-6 Sunday. While some say their competition has been suspect, also beating the Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals and St. Louis Rams, the Giants lead the league in yards per game (431), rushing yards per game (181.3), yards per carry (5.8), first downs per game (24.3) and points per game (31.7).
Last season the Giants had only one Pro Bowler — defensive end Osi Umenyiora — and he's out for the year with a knee injury. While they have stars in Manning and receivers Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, Manning is overshadowed in New York by Jets quarterback Brett Favre. The majority of Giants coach Tom Coughlin's team is made up of unheralded hard workers.
Jackson said their secret to success is simple.
''You know who the [big] guys are and those other guys are great complementary players,'' Jackson said. ''They play well together. Their offensive scheme is not difficult at all. They just execute. The basic power plays, the basic counter plays, play action off the power and counter plays. It's a simple ballgame, similar to New England.
''They won a Super Bowl and it's hopefully what we can do. If we can cut down on the penalties and execute, we give ourselves a chance.''
In New York, the Giants' turning point last year is regarded as a goal-line stand in Game 3 at Washington that preserved a 24-17 victory. They trailed 17-3 at halftime and the Redskins faced first and goal at the Giants' 1 with 58 seconds remaining and failed to score.
''Nobody gave them a chance,'' Edwards said of the '07 Giants, which still include his ''best friend in the league,'' Reuben Droughns. ''Even when they started playing well, they still didn't get a chance.''
Browns running back Jamal Lewis has friends on the Giants and gives the players credit for regrouping. He has tried to assert himself as a veteran leader to do the same in Cleveland.
''Just pulling together as a team and doing what you're capable of doing,'' Lewis said. ''I know a couple of those guys over there and I know their mentality and their mind-set. When you're down, that's what shows what kind of team you are when you can overcome that adversity and suck it up and get back going.''
Winslow sidelined
Browns tight end Kellen Winslow missed practice with an unspecified illness. Also sitting out were defensive lineman Shaun Smith (hand surgery) and safety Sean Jones (knee surgery). Limited were defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (shoulder), left tackle Kevin Shaffer (concussion) and running back Jason Wright (right knee). Full participants were receiver Donte' Stallworth (quad) and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker (hip surgery).
Sitting out for the Giants were right tackle Kareem McKenzie (concussion) and linebacker Antonio Pierce (quad). Limited were receiver Domenik Hixon (concussion) and defensive end Jerome McDougle (knee).
Brownies
With the induction of Eric Metcalf, Warren Lahr, Paul Wiggin and Walter Johnson to the Browns Legends this weekend, the team will wear uniforms from the 1957-59 seasons Monday. Changes include three-inch brown numbers on both sides of the helmet, a single white stripe down the middle of the helmet, a thinner brown stripe surrounded by two orange stripes on the side of the white pants, no shoulder numbers on the jerseys and socks with brown, white and orange stripes. . . . While he watched a 37-34 preseason loss to the Giants from home with a lacerated foot, Edwards didn't totally diss the brown pants that made an inauspicious debut in the Meadowlands. ''They're doable,'' Edwards said. ''We gotta work on that next year, though.'' . . . Singing the national anthem will be Firestone High graduate Melina Kanakaredes of the television series CSI: NY. . . . Receiver Steve Sanders cleared waivers and was signed to the practice squad.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
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