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Receiver says connecting early is key to getting back on track
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Friday, Oct 24, 2008
BEREA: Last year, when he was setting Browns' single-season records with 16 touchdown catches and 1,289 yards, receiver Braylon Edwards raved about offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
On Thursday, when Edwards has half as many drops (10) as catches (20), he lumped Chudzinski in with himself and quarterback Derek Anderson as those struggling on the Browns' 30th-ranked offense.
''I don't think anybody's in a groove,'' Edwards said. ''I don't think me, I don't think Derek, I don't think the offensive coordinator. He has a couple of games where I only got three passes a game, so we all have to find a way to get in that groove. Be it me catching the ball consistently, be it D.A. making passes, be it the offensive coordinator calling the plays to get us going.''
In the good old days of a 10-6 season in 2007, Edwards more affectionately called Chudzinski by his nickname ''Chud.'' Now Edwards is copying the style of coach Romeo Crennel, who usually refers to Dave Zastudil as ''the punter'' and backup quarterback Brady Quinn as ''the other guy.''
Going into Sunday's game at the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3), the Browns (2-4) have scored eight offensive touchdowns and are on pace for 21 this season. Last year, when the Browns ranked eighth in the league in offense (351.3 yards per game as
compared to 255.5 in 2008) and in scoring (402), they totaled 42 offensive touchdowns.
Edwards knows the importance of striking quickly, like he did with first-half catches of 49 and 70 yards in a 35-14 upset of the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
''If we come out against Jacksonville and make some plays early, like we did against the Giants, it gives Derek confidence, it gives myself the swagger I like to have and it gives the offensive coordinator the ability to say, 'OK, these guys are on, I'm calling this, I'm calling that.' So we all just have to connect early in this game and try to get us going.''
Edwards also wondered why Chudzinski has been hesitant to call the deep pass, even though there are extenuating circumstances. No. 2 receiver Dont Stallworth missed the first four games with a pulled quadriceps, so Edwards drew extra attention.
''For whatever reason, we're not playing well and we're not calling the kind of plays we did last year,'' Edwards said. ''We're not going after teams like we did. I think we're slow, struggling, trying to get guys involved. We've just got to come out and make plays.
''I'm a big target. I like going deep. I would like every route to be a go route or a deep post or a deep comeback. But I'm worrying too much about that and I'm not playing football. That's what the great ones do. They play and they let the game come to them.
''Regardless of what's going to happen, the game is going to come to your playmakers. It's going to come to Kellen Winslow, it's going to come to myself. So I have to play within the game until the game comes to me, and then I'll be better for this team.''
Stallworth, in his first season with the Browns, knows the affect his friend Edwards can have.
''He's a game-breaker,'' Stallworth said. ''When he's doing well, the team's doing well. You definitely need a guy like that. We need to make sure, and he needs to make sure, we all come out on the same page and we're all in sync. When he gets started early and he's playing well, that does nothing but help our offense and our team.''
Edwards, who only has two touchdowns and 307 receiving yards, said the pressure of living up to last year, when he made his first Pro Bowl, is not the problem.
''I'm pressing too much,'' he said. ''I'm trying to have 150 [yards] every game, I'm trying to turn every catch into a 70-yard gain instead of letting things happen, letting third-and-2 become a first down. I have to go back to having fun and playing each play at a time.
''I had 1,289 yards last year and I had a great time doing it. Now I'm trying to get that 1,289 every game as opposed to playing out a 16-game season. We've got 10 games left. That's a lot of time. We're 2-1 in my mind in the season we're in now. We've just got to keep playing.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Last year, when he was setting Browns' single-season records with 16 touchdown catches and 1,289 yards, receiver Braylon Edwards raved about offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 07:35 AM, 10/24/2008
They were on Monday Night Football what happened?
Posted 08:17 AM, 10/24/2008
Maybe you could just attempt to catch the football and things would be a lot better. We probably shouldn't expect anything but dropped footballs from a Michigan player.
Wilmington, NC
Posted 09:03 AM, 10/24/2008
He has been saying for 4 weeks he's "pressing too much". When will he take his own advice to relax and be happy with 8-12 yard plays? We all know he's a good player, but this season he is stat-happy.
Posted 09:03 AM, 10/24/2008
What now...Edwards gets suspended for criticizing the offensive coordinator?
Bluffton, SC
Posted 09:09 AM, 10/24/2008
Hey Braylon,
Shut your pie hole ! You have no right to criticize anybody or anything. You are a poor excuse for a wide receiver and don't deserve to be wearing a Cleveland Browns uniform. You make yourself look like a fool every time you open your mouth. D.A stinks but your like following a garbage truck on a hot summer day !
Bluffton, SC
Posted 09:14 AM, 10/24/2008
Hey Braylon,
Shut your pie hole ! You have no right to criticize anybody or anything. You are a poor excuse for a receiver and don't deserve to be wearing a Cleveland browns uniform.
Posted 10:01 AM, 10/24/2008
"I"-- "I" --"I" do you see how many times he refers to his self? He thinks he is bigger then the program. Thats where the problem is. It's Cleveland Browns not the Braylon Browns!!
Peolpe are ready to through DA under the buss because he has had a bad start to this year.
Braylon droped passes last year too and DA gave us the best year of any QB the browns have had in years and some of you want to kick him out of Cleveland for a guy that has not proved anything.
I bleed orange and brown and most of you are fair weather fans. Stand up and support this team or become a Steelers fan.
akron, oh
Posted 11:10 AM, 10/24/2008
catch the balll #17
akron, OH
Posted 12:05 PM, 10/24/2008
how many balls have you guys caught in the NFL?
i'll give you the answer not one damm ball.
edison, NJ
Posted 02:07 PM, 10/24/2008
what a joke ! by the time they find their "groove"
they will be at 4 and 12.
Port Saint Lucie, Fl
Posted 03:47 PM, 10/24/2008
KISS! Yes,"keep it simple stupid.!!Go back to basics;block,tackle,and know what your assignment is,that's all.
Posted 06:20 AM, 10/25/2008
hey, let's drag an OSU QB out of the AFL or CFL or out of a broadcasting booth in columbus (because they can't get a job anywhere else) and start them in place of DA. then we'll know for sure why the offense will SUCK.
especially if we play a game in SEC territory.
