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Browns looking for upset over Super Bowl champs
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Monday, Oct 13, 2008
BEREA: Browns receiver Braylon Edwards' most vivid Monday night memory comes from 1995, when he was a 12-year-old San Francisco 49ers fan growing up in Detroit.
Edwards' father, Stanley, got them tickets when the 'Niners visited the Pontiac Silverdome. The youngster figured there was no way his beloved team, undefeated and the defending Super Bowl champion, could lose to the 0-3 Lions.
Edwards went home upset, as the Lions prevailed 27-24.
The situation seems similar for the injury-plagued and underachieving Browns (1-3), as they host the New York Giants (4-0) in the Browns' first appearance on Monday Night Football in five years. The Giants have won 12 consecutive games away from home, including playoffs and the Super Bowl, and all signs point to the continuation of that streak.
The Browns' 32nd-ranked offense, struggling to click all season, will probably be without Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow. The four-year veteran was released from the Cleveland Clinic on Sunday after being hospitalized for three nights with an undisclosed illness, but he was downgraded to doubtful. He would be replaced by 10-year veteran Steve Heiden.
Also doubtful are right tackle Kevin Shaffer, who suffered a concussion two weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals, and defensive end Shaun Smith, who underwent hand surgery during the Oct. 5 bye week. In place of Shaffer, Ryan Tucker could see his first action of the season after May hip surgery, while Louis Leonard might fill in for Smith.
The Browns must find a way to cope as they try to turn around a season of high expectations that thus far has been a huge disappointment.
''Even if we were undefeated right now, we'd still be underdogs,'' Edwards said. ''I think that actually puts us in a better situation, because some of the expectations are down. We're back to where we were last year as the underdogs.''
If Smith is unable to play, it could defuse a potentially volatile situation with Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, 10th in the league in rushing going into the weekend.
The Browns believe Jacobs nailed strong safety Sean Jones with an illegal block in the Aug. 18 preseason game in the Meadowlands, which prompted Browns players to retaliate. Jacobs also took offense to Smith's constant chatter that evening. Another comment by Smith last week — ''I had no problem when I tried to take down Jerome Bettis, so I'm not worried about trying to take down Jacobs, either'' — also did not go over well.
Browns defensive end Corey Williams fanned the feud when he said last week, ''There ain't nothing physical'' about the Giants' offensive line, and said his key to stopping Jacobs was, ''I'm going to try to knock his head off . . . Once you go putting wood on him, he's a totally different running back. He'll start tiptoeing, shutting it down.'' Those remarks landed Williams on the back page of the New York tabloids Friday and carried sensational headlines in other major newspapers.
''What was said was said,'' Williams said Saturday. ''I don't care to read papers. I don't keep up with that type of stuff. I'll just get ready for Monday night.''
The Browns didn't seem ready when they last played on Monday Night Football on Dec. 8, 2003, against the St. Louis Rams. The Rams jumped out to a 23-7 halftime lead as starting quarterback Kelly Holcomb threw two interceptions in the second quarter, one returned for a touchdown, before being replaced by Tim Couch.
The Holcomb-Couch scenario could repeat itself, if the performance of Derek Anderson doesn't improve. After throwing 29 touchdown passes and going 10-5 last season en route to his first Pro Bowl, Anderson is suffering from a crisis in confidence and nervousness in the pocket. He could be lifted in favor of Brady Quinn, the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 draft who has played just one career series, that in the '07 finale.
The Browns are making the first of three appearances on Monday night this year, also taking the big stage Nov. 17 at the Buffalo Bills and Dec. 15 at the Philadelphia Eagles. They have already lost on Sunday night (to the Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6) and will play on a Thursday night (Nov. 6 at home against the Denver Broncos). In nine previous prime-time games since the franchise returned in 1999, the Browns are 1-8.
''We've been getting our butts kicked in prime-time games,'' Edwards said. ''We have a lot to prove to the outside world as well as to ourselves.
''A lot of us come into the league and it's a dream to play on Monday Night Football, to have three or four touchdowns. But somewhere after that first or second drive, you have to say, 'Hey, now that's over with,' and just play.''
Few will remember how to handle it from the 2003 season. Remaining from that team are just five Browns: Tucker, Heiden, linebacker Andra Davis, kicker Phil Dawson and long-snapper Ryan Pontbriand.
Pro Bowl returner/receiver Joshua Cribbs had no idea how long the Browns' Monday night drought had stretched.
''Wow. Five years. Wow,'' Cribbs said. ''It's about time to get some recognition.''
Even though they want to prove they deserve prime-time exposure, the Browns must keep their poise. They also will try to regain their home-field advantage, 0-2 this year after going 7-1 in 2007.
''You don't want to go out there and lay an egg,'' Anderson said. ''We've done it a few times.''
Even in the middle of last week, the Browns' excitement was palpable.
''Everybody's going to be watching. The lights are on,'' third-year linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said. ''If you want to proclaim yourself as a superstar or that big-time player, Monday is the time to do it.''
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' most vivid Monday night memory comes from 1995, when he was a 12-year-old San Francisco 49ers fan growing up in Detroit.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Naples, FL
Posted 06:37 AM, 10/13/2008
A tip for Braylon...If you are fortunate enough to get a TD pass tonight, and focused enough to actually catch it, please make Cleveland proud and abstain from an embarassing "air-guitar" demonstration and instead, do a " Jim Brown" impersonation. Give the ball to the ref and walk off the field knowing its no big deal because you'll be back again!
Posted 07:57 AM, 10/13/2008
The Browns are lucky they won against Cincinnati...it will be the only one.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 08:29 AM, 10/13/2008
The Clowns are going to get there butts stomped tonight.
Akron, OH
Posted 10:26 AM, 10/13/2008
That air guitar thing was cool.
Geoffrey - Lame
Posted 10:48 AM, 10/13/2008
We have the tools to put together a great offense...Our Offensive line is better then the Giants or Big Running back is Better then their Big running back...Our Receivers are as good with Stallworth coming back..
Unfortunately many of our tools are left in the tool box Harrison, or rarely used Harrison and Cribbs....
Our Offense Coach has said that he can't play Harrison and Lewis in the same backfield...Hay Pittsburgh had no problem playing The Buss and fast willy in the same backfield.....The Giants have no problem playing Jacobs with several speed backs.
Fact is Neither Jacobs nor Lewis can be effective if you don't threaten the Corners with speed ...Harrison can do that running or taking dump passes out of the backfield...
But..But... Roy who will block ...Lewis is a 250 lb man and quick enough to pass Block...Harrison is a little small to be much of a run blocker but is a pretty effective pass blocker because he is quick enough to get a shoulder on the blitzers (something Vickers does not do well unless the rusher is coming right at him.) He also slows down the rush by being a threat to take the dump off pass in the flat.
I had great hope for CHUD but now realize he seemed good only by comparison to CARTHON. THE GUY HAS NO CREATIVITY...
What will we see tonight..Lewis up the middle...Over and over again...and another loss..
God help Harrison if he does get in and makes a good play...The last two times he did that with swing passes they jerked him out of the game Never to return.
Green, OH
Posted 01:33 PM, 10/13/2008
If only Braylon Edwards were as good with his hands as he is with his mouth. Totally agree woth Roy about Cribbs. Cleveland has turned a multiple-threat guy into a one-trick pony.
Kent, Oh
Posted 08:22 PM, 10/15/2008
Hey Matt! Who is the clown now? Go back to Pittsburgh where you belong. Way to go Browns!
