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Dolphins' formation wins two. Will Cribbs take role for Browns?
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 08:22 a.m. EDT, Oct 12, 2008
BEREA: Jamal Lewis' eyes lit up at the mere mention of a direct snap to a running back.
What caught the interest of the Browns' veteran was the Miami Dolphins' new ''Wildcat'' offense, which features the single wing devised by Pop Warner in the early 1900s.
To maximize the talents of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, the Dolphins have used the formation in their past two games to stun the New England Patriots 38-13 and the San Diego Chargers 17-10.
Operating behind a line with two tackles on the same side, Brown has been taking the shotgun snap with the option to run, throw or hand off to Williams as he comes in motion for what looks like a possible full-speed collision with Brown. Quarterback Chad Pennington lines up at flanker, his first time in a receiving position since the seventh grade.
Against the Patriots, the Dolphins used the ''Wildcat'' six times and scored four touchdowns — on runs of 2, 5 and 62 yards by Brown and on a 19-yard Brown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano. The other two plays were runs by Williams of 3 and 28 yards.
Against the Chargers, Brown took the direct snap 11 times and rushed for 49 of his 125 yards, including the winning touchdown.
Some might think Lewis would favor convention since he loves getting 25 carries a game. But what he loves more is a team that schemes to use all its weapons, even if the last one in the NFL to run the single wing with regularity was reportedly the 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers.
''That was cool,'' Lewis said last week of the Dolphins' new plan. ''It showed the offensive coordinator changing things up a little bit, using what they've got, which is two great running backs I respect a lot. Not a lot of running backs around the league will get my respect, but those two can.
''That shows the offensive coordinator's mind-set in getting his playmakers the football and doing it in a different style way, which is nice. I kind of like that.''
No one expects Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski to unveil the single wing Monday night — even if the NFL is the ultimate copycat league — but this would be the perfect time to start thinking outside the box.
A loss to the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants would drop the Browns to 1-4 with the potential for more misery ahead. They then go on the road for games at Washington (4-1) and Jacksonville (2-3). There is ample time for teams to turn around or nose-dive, but only four of the Browns' remaining 12 opponents are under .500.
The Browns' version of Ronnie Brown would be receiver and Pro Bowl returner Joshua Cribbs, the former Kent State quarterback.
Their build and skill sets are somewhat different. Brown, 6-foot, 232 pounds, ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash before he became the second overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was also drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of high school in 2000. Cribbs, 6-1 and 215 pounds, went undrafted out of Kent State, where he passed for 55 touchdowns and rushed for 38 as a four-year starter. He was one of two players in NCAA history with 1,000 yards passing and rushing in two seasons. In four years, he's already set Browns' career kickoff return records for returns, yards and touchdowns (four).
Finally healthy after suffering a high ankle sprain in preseason Aug. 18 against the Giants, Cribbs hinted that there could be some wrinkles in store Monday. The Browns practiced a ''Flash'' package for him extensively in training camp.
''I feel like [the offense] is loosening up,'' he said Friday, more tight-lipped than usual about his role.
To call a few special plays for Cribbs would probably require the same two things that Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, a Browns assistant in 1999 and 2000, said make the ''Wildcat'' work so effectively.
''First of all, the decision-making by the guy who handles the ball the most,'' Sparano said last week. ''Ronnie makes good decisions. Secondly, the execution. We're well aware we have to make adjustments. I think we try to do that as much as we can on the sideline or at halftime.''
The fact that the Browns haven't been able to execute their base offense could throw a wrench into that equation.
But the Dolphins' plan, devised when they were 0-2, showed great collaboration between Sparano and quarterbacks coach David Lee, who had worked together from 2003 to 2006 with the Dallas Cowboys. Lee did three stints at Arkansas, where the formation had been used at least three times in the past 10 years, most recently with future first-round draft choices Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.
''[Lee] and I would talk about it all the time,'' Sparano said. ''When he was at Arkansas and I was in Dallas [in 2007], I would actually kid him and say, 'You have both of those great backs. Why don't you hand him the ball instead of worrying about snapping the ball and doing all these other things?' It helped us at a time where we thought we needed some help.''
Sparano said he and Lee picked the name out of a hat, going with ''Wildcat'' because the Razorbacks' package was called ''WildHog.''
It may seem like a wild hair to the rest of the league, including the Browns. But like the Dolphins, they are just as desperate for a ''Flash'' of some sort, and have talented players ready and willing.
Lewis is all for unleashing the hounds, er, dawgs.
''Being around as long as I have, you see pretty much the same things,'' Lewis said. ''You see people go from inside zone to outside zone, from middle zone to different stuff. Putting two backs in the backfield and snapping it to them shows the new wave of the game. You never know who might use it next.''
Brownies
Defensive tackle Shaun Smith (hand) and right tackle Kevin Shaffer have been downgraded to doubtful for Monday night's game against the New York Giants.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Jamal Lewis' eyes lit up at the mere mention of a direct snap to a running back.
What caught the interest of the Browns' veteran was the Miami Dolphins' new ''Wildcat'' offense, which features the single wing devised by Pop Warner in the early 1900s.
To maximize the talents of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, the Dolphins have used the formation in their past two games to stun the New England Patriots 38-13 and the San Diego Chargers 17-10.
Operating behind a line with two tackles on the same side, Brown has been taking the shotgun snap with the option to run, throw or hand off to Williams as he comes in motion for what looks like a possible full-speed collision with Brown. Quarterback Chad Pennington lines up at flanker, his first time in a receiving position since the seventh grade.
Against the Patriots, the Dolphins used the ''Wildcat'' six times and scored four touchdowns — on runs of 2, 5 and 62 yards by Brown and on a 19-yard Brown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano. The other two plays were runs by Williams of 3 and 28 yards.
Against the Chargers, Brown took the direct snap 11 times and rushed for 49 of his 125 yards, including the winning touchdown.
Some might think Lewis would favor convention since he loves getting 25 carries a game. But what he loves more is a team that schemes to use all its weapons, even if the last one in the NFL to run the single wing with regularity was reportedly the 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers.
''That was cool,'' Lewis said last week of the Dolphins' new plan. ''It showed the offensive coordinator changing things up a little bit, using what they've got, which is two great running backs I respect a lot. Not a lot of running backs around the league will get my respect, but those two can.
''That shows the offensive coordinator's mind-set in getting his playmakers the football and doing it in a different style way, which is nice. I kind of like that.''
No one expects Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski to unveil the single wing Monday night — even if the NFL is the ultimate copycat league — but this would be the perfect time to start thinking outside the box.
A loss to the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants would drop the Browns to 1-4 with the potential for more misery ahead. They then go on the road for games at Washington (4-1) and Jacksonville (2-3). There is ample time for teams to turn around or nose-dive, but only four of the Browns' remaining 12 opponents are under .500.
The Browns' version of Ronnie Brown would be receiver and Pro Bowl returner Joshua Cribbs, the former Kent State quarterback.
Their build and skill sets are somewhat different. Brown, 6-foot, 232 pounds, ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash before he became the second overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was also drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of high school in 2000. Cribbs, 6-1 and 215 pounds, went undrafted out of Kent State, where he passed for 55 touchdowns and rushed for 38 as a four-year starter. He was one of two players in NCAA history with 1,000 yards passing and rushing in two seasons. In four years, he's already set Browns' career kickoff return records for returns, yards and touchdowns (four).
Finally healthy after suffering a high ankle sprain in preseason Aug. 18 against the Giants, Cribbs hinted that there could be some wrinkles in store Monday. The Browns practiced a ''Flash'' package for him extensively in training camp.
''I feel like [the offense] is loosening up,'' he said Friday, more tight-lipped than usual about his role.
To call a few special plays for Cribbs would probably require the same two things that Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, a Browns assistant in 1999 and 2000, said make the ''Wildcat'' work so effectively.
''First of all, the decision-making by the guy who handles the ball the most,'' Sparano said last week. ''Ronnie makes good decisions. Secondly, the execution. We're well aware we have to make adjustments. I think we try to do that as much as we can on the sideline or at halftime.''
The fact that the Browns haven't been able to execute their base offense could throw a wrench into that equation.
But the Dolphins' plan, devised when they were 0-2, showed great collaboration between Sparano and quarterbacks coach David Lee, who had worked together from 2003 to 2006 with the Dallas Cowboys. Lee did three stints at Arkansas, where the formation had been used at least three times in the past 10 years, most recently with future first-round draft choices Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.
''[Lee] and I would talk about it all the time,'' Sparano said. ''When he was at Arkansas and I was in Dallas [in 2007], I would actually kid him and say, 'You have both of those great backs. Why don't you hand him the ball instead of worrying about snapping the ball and doing all these other things?' It helped us at a time where we thought we needed some help.''
Sparano said he and Lee picked the name out of a hat, going with ''Wildcat'' because the Razorbacks' package was called ''WildHog.''
It may seem like a wild hair to the rest of the league, including the Browns. But like the Dolphins, they are just as desperate for a ''Flash'' of some sort, and have talented players ready and willing.
Lewis is all for unleashing the hounds, er, dawgs.
''Being around as long as I have, you see pretty much the same things,'' Lewis said. ''You see people go from inside zone to outside zone, from middle zone to different stuff. Putting two backs in the backfield and snapping it to them shows the new wave of the game. You never know who might use it next.''
Brownies
Defensive tackle Shaun Smith (hand) and right tackle Kevin Shaffer have been downgraded to doubtful for Monday night's game against the New York Giants.
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 08:02 AM, 10/13/2008
Are you kidding? That would be like the Browns offense going from elementary math to calculus...
