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Now that's more like it

Anderson finds groove, Browns hush naysayers with big upset

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008

BEREA: While observers and fans were speculating whether Monday night would be Derek Anderson's final game as Browns starting quarterback and if coach Romeo Crennel really would yank him on national television, Anderson was holed up watching the History Channel's MonsterQuest series on Bigfoot.

Anything to avoid the overanalysis of the Browns' matchup against the undefeated Super Bowl champion New York Giants, which would include his disappointing start. A Pro Bowler who threw 29 touchdown passes in 2007, Anderson came in with a quarterback rating of 49.9, lowest of any NFL regular.

But even while Anderson was trying to think about other things, an us-against-the-world feeling was building within him and his team.

''Guys during pregame were talking about it,'' Anderson said. ''They said nobody was giving us a chance. They said our offensive line wasn't good enough.''

So after Anderson threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns and the 71/2-point underdog Browns emerged with a stunning 35-14 victory, center Hank Fraley encouraged him to enjoy the moment. The Browns (2-3) hope the triumph turns around the season.

''I was excited for him. I was telling him, 'Go out there and pump up the fans,' '' Fraley said. ''He had a heckuva day. I don't know his numbers, but I know he had a lot. He was throwing that ball great and the receivers were doing a great job.''

Anderson might have been mimicking the old greeting of Crennel when he stepped to the microphone in the interview room shortly after midnight.

''Good morning,'' Anderson said. ''Truly good morning.''

Crennel wouldn't say Tuesday if he felt vindicated after Anderson completed 18-of-29 passes without an interception and notched the fourth 300-yard passing day of his career. Crennel had said that he would ''get the other guy ready'' after the Browns started 0-3, making a switch to backup Brady Quinn seem more likely sooner rather than later.

But with Anderson hitting Braylon Edwards on passes of 49 and 70 yards on the first three series and throwing for 225 yards in the first half, the ESPN crew didn't have to waste its breath on that subject for long.

Anderson's rating against the Giants, considered to have one of the best defensive lines in football, was 121.3, his third-highest in 26 NFL games.

''I take satisfaction in the fact that my team played good and we were able to win,'' Crennel said Tuesday. ''I always say it's never one guy because D.A. can't do it by himself. He has got to have help from everybody. That's what we had last night.''

Fraley knew what it meant for Anderson to play well on the national stage.

''Quarterbacks are always on the hot seat, especially when you're not winning. They're the first ones to get pointed at,'' Fraley said. ''We never pointed our fingers at him. We weren't doing our thing as a team.''

It was only the sixth time in 20 starts for the Browns that Anderson did not throw an interception. He hit eight receivers, with Edwards catching five for a career-high 154 yards, a touchdown and 2-point conversion. With tight end Kellen Winslow idle with an undisclosed illness, Steve Heiden pulled in five passes and Darnell Dinkins caught one for a touchdown.

Asked if something was different for Anderson, Heiden said, ''I can't speak for Derek, but there's a lot of things that go into that quarterback thing. It's not just him. It's his receivers, timing, the offensive line blocking for him. You can't just pinpoint Derek for the things he does or doesn't do.

''He obviously played well, but we all knew he could do that. [The thinking that a quarterback change was imminent] is the outside perception; that's not the perception in this locker room.''

Receiver returns

The Browns had No. 2 receiver Donte' Stallworth in the lineup after missing four games with a strained quad. Ryan Tucker, seeing his first action since hip surgery in May, replaced right tackle Kevin Shaffer, who was out with a concussion.

''The last time I was in there, it was the same, exact feeling we all had,'' said Tucker, who hadn't started since the 2007 finale. ''I wasn't in there at the beginning of the season, so I don't know what was going on in that huddle. But I know what was going on in there tonight. It was awesome.''

Anderson didn't say if he was in a ''zone'' because, he said, ''Guys were wide open.'' But he said he and Edwards had a special, almost unspoken chemistry.

''I had a really good feel of what [the Giants] were going to do,'' Anderson said. ''The safeties, Braylon and I would look at each other, he knew what I was doing, what they were doing, where they were rolling, the coverages they were playing, we had a pretty good bead on that.''

Fraley said Anderson and the receivers had been working extra after practice. Anderson admitted he felt like he had been ''hitting his head against the wall'' when the time he put in didn't get results.

He downplayed a crisis in confidence that most analysts thought was plaguing him.

''I never doubted, ever,'' he said. ''It was the same guys who made plays last year all season. I wouldn't say the confidence wasn't there. But to have Donte' back was big. I probably should have hit him for a touchdown in the third quarter.

''When we can throw it and run it and be balanced like that . . . This is us and we're going to keep fighting.''

 

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.

 

BEREA: While observers and fans were speculating whether Monday night would be Derek Anderson's final game as Browns starting quarterback and if coach Romeo Crennel really would yank him on national television, Anderson was holed up watching the History Channel's MonsterQuest series on Bigfoot.

Get the full article here.


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KBADM11

Posted 07:47 AM, 10/15/2008

Great - all is well - here's to another win or two before the romeo is fired at seasons end.


notohp2002

Posted 08:06 AM, 10/15/2008

D.A. had his bullet arm working again. I think the big difference this week was his receivers. That catching practice paid off. Practice especially for pro-atheletes always pays off. So guys keep practicing and keep the coach HAPPY.

I think the Giants were ready for the game, but they were thinking about the last game where the Browns had no deep coverage, and that helped the Browns, since the deep coverage also improved, and no Giant receivers were running loose.


gator4life

Posted 08:40 AM, 10/15/2008

again, 1 good game out of five does not make anyone a good QB or a good coach. They are still a 2-3 football team going no where with the current regime at coach and QB. Brady is the future of this franchise, the naysayers have not gone anywhere as they shouldn't. This is a poorly coached team who had a very good night on Monday.


Big mike 34

Posted 10:06 AM, 10/15/2008

HARRISON FOR THE SEASON SO FAR:

7 Run attempts for 63 yards...9 per carry

5 Receptions for 73 yards.....14.6 per catch

Do you think it would be a good idea to play him a little more?
---------------------------------------------------

HARRISON 07

Runs 23 for 142 yrds...6.2 per carry
Catches 2 for 19 yards 9.5 per catch..

Do you think we could use this guy on a more regular basis?....

The guy has been almost super human in making every one of the few chances pay off..

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FINALLY PROVE YOURSELF AND GET TO CONTRIBUTE ON A REGULAR BASIS?




Carbunkle

Posted 10:07 AM, 10/15/2008

Tucker said "I wasn't in there at the beginning of the season, so I don't know what was going on in that huddle. But I know what was going on in there tonight. It was awesome."

Remember a few games ago, when a member of NFL films told Jaworski (I think it was Jaworski) that they had a microphone on one of the Browns and that you wouldn't believe the stuff that was going on in the Browns' huddle?

And now, Tucker says everything is great?

What has changed? Oh wait! That's right. Winslow didn't play Monday night. He and his divisive crybaby antics were on the sidelines, not in the huddle.

And Heiden played in his place, so the Browns had a fellow out there who can actually block and catch passes.

Speaks volumes. Grow up, Mr. Winslow. Be a team player. Be a leader by showing respect to your quarterback and teammates by shutting your mouth and playing the game.


Steve

Posted 10:28 AM, 10/15/2008

I see the naysayers are still here, or back. A big win over a very good team. The Browns can turn things around. The schedule is not easy, but if we can beat the Giants in Cleveland, we can beat just about any team home or away. Don't forget the Steelers also have a very tough schedule remaining. They beat the Texans big, and won 3 close games against Browns, Jags & Ravens but lost to the Eagles. They are not that good, and are not a lock to win this division. Other than 2 games against the Bengals, the remainder of the Steelers schedule is pretty tough (NYG, @WAS, IND, SD, @NE, DAL, @BAL, @TEN, CLE).

KBADM11:
So what happens when the Browns fire Crennel? Do we automatically go to the SB the next year. Who is going to be the savior? Cowher? He won't come here unless Savage is fired as well (because he wants total control, and no GM agrees to that.) Firing coaches is not always a solution.

Ronald: Don't be so sure about Brady being the future of the team. He is unproven, could be a bust like Ryan Leaf, or he could be an All-Pro like Peyton Manning. We don't know yet, and we have no indication that he is better than DA. If the coaches really thought he was better, he'd be playing already. The BQ lovers just think he is a star because of his commercials, going to a big name school (ND) and getting drafted in the first round.

All of you people that want to blow up a team that is finally playing well don't understand that just sets the team back another few years as new systems and players are put in place. By then Lewis will be too old. Braylon, Winslow and others could be gone. Thank god the coaches and management ignore fans like that.


Big mike 34

Posted 01:53 PM, 10/15/2008

Getting rid of Romeo is not blowing up the team...

A new coach coming in now would have an opportunity to work with the current coaches, and get to know the players ...So even it there wasn't a major improvement this year a quality coach would be fully prepared for next year..Not only that he would know what the teams needs are..be able to work with Savage to fill those needs in the draft next year.

Both Chud and Turner Had markedly different game plays then they have ever had before...I think they decided to go counter to Romeo and it really paid off. Just one example...Romeo doesn't like to Blitz the passer. Turner turned the Guys lose on Monday.


eugene
The Great City in, OH

Posted 02:17 PM, 10/15/2008

Posted by Ronald 05:40 AM, 10/15/2008

again, 1 good game out of five does not make anyone a good QB or a good coach. They are still a 2-3 football team going no where with the current regime at coach and QB. Brady is the future of this franchise, the naysayers have not gone anywhere as they shouldn't. This is a poorly coached team who had a very good night on Monday.
___________________________________________________

For the record Ronnie, that should read "Two games out of five"


Big mike 34

Posted 02:35 PM, 10/15/2008

Ronald

I think it was a well coached team for the first time in 5 games.

The changes in both the Offensive and Defensive approaches were obvious..

It will be horrible Coaching if Turner and Chud don't continue what they started against the Giants. I have always thought it was Romeo that was meddling in the Defense and Offense and by doing so held back what those Coordinators could accomplish if given their Freedom to do what they thought should be done.


Daniel

Posted 08:38 PM, 10/15/2008

Quit your crying Matt! The Browns won the Browns won the Browns won the Browns won the Browns won the Browns won! I said they would be 13-3 and you can check this. Way to go Browns! Also would you please stop repeating what I'm saying. 13-3. Don't repeat me this time boy.
















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