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Lack of defense, blown third-quarter lead make for a dismal day after
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Saturday, Nov 08, 2008
BEREA: The black shirt Romeo Crennel wore matched his mood and was fitting of the pall hanging over Browns headquarters Friday.
Making his living for 24 years in the NFL primarily on defense before he became a head coach, Crennel took the ultimate black eye in Thursday night's 34-30 home loss to the Denver Broncos.
For the second consecutive game, his team blew a big third-quarter lead, this time losing a 13-point margin after giving up a 14-point advantage Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
Adding to the insult was the Broncos' 564 net yards, the third-highest total given up by the Browns in 773 regular-season
games dating to 1950. It was the most yards gained by a Browns opponent since the Pittsburgh Steelers rolled up 606 in November 1979.
In the past two games, the Browns have surrendered a team-record 993 yards, the highest total in the league since the Cincinnati Bengals gave up 1,026 on Nov. 12 and 19, 2006, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
''After looking at the tape, it doesn't make you feel any better,'' Crennel said. ''When you lose, it's always disappointing. The way we lost it is more disappointing. We have to try to figure out what we can do to be a better defense in the second half. We are going to face some pretty good teams going down the stretch.''
The Browns (3-6) don't play again until Nov. 17 (Monday Night Football) at the Buffalo Bills. Remaining on the schedule are only two teams with losing records: the Houston Texans (3-5) and the Bengals (1-8).
Crennel gave the players Friday through Sunday off, but said the coaching staff will discuss personnel changes while they're gone.
''We have to look at everybody and see who is not carrying their load and who's not holding up their end of it and see if we have other people available to try to motivate them,'' Crennel said. ''Today, both sides of the ball are going to evaluate their personnel strongly and make some recommendations about what needs to be done.''
The Broncos' 447 gross passing yards by quarterback Jay Cutler was the second most allowed in Browns history, surpassed only by Tommy Kramer of the Minnesota Vikings with 456 in 1980.
''It happened so fast, it's almost remarkable,'' NFL Network analyst Cris Collinsworth said of the Broncos' comeback, fueled by three fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Cutler.
Beating himself up over his bad day was second-year cornerback Brandon McDonald. He slipped on Cutler's game-winning touchdown pass, an 11-yarder to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 to go, and got away with pass interference on Marshall on the previous play.
''It was a little slick out there, but I'm not going to use it as an excuse,'' McDonald said of the touchdown. ''They scored the game-winning touchdown on me, and I'm man enough to say that. We lost, and a big part of that was because of me.''
McDonald also missed a tackle near the Browns' 40 on rookie receiver Eddie Royal's 93-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and was beaten for a 34-yard pass to Marshall on the second series. He failed to come up with two balls he could have intercepted, one on the game's second play and the other on a pass intended for Royal in the Broncos' drive to take a 27-23 lead with 9:50 to go.
''When we get our hands on the ball, we're going to have to hold on to it because we dropped some interceptions that might have changed the outcome,'' Crennel said.
McDonald said: ''We didn't do what we were supposed to do as a team, and I didn't do what I needed to do as an individual. I just want to apologize to my fans and the team for the performance I put on tonight.''
McDonald outplayed second-year cornerback Eric Wright early in the season, but has regressed rapidly. McDonald gave up a 47-yard touchdown against the Ravens.
''It probably wasn't his best game,'' Crennel said of McDonald. ''We have to work with him; we have to practice and we have to talk about choices. I told him as soon as he came off that if he just makes that tackle [at the 40] then it's not a touchdown. If you just make the tackle instead of going for the interception, now you can still line up and play defense for half the field.
''When you give up those easy plays, a one-play touchdown, 93 yards, that's demoralizing to your team and probably the other team gets a lift,'' Crennel said.
He said part of the work with McDonald would emphasize proper technique and eye control.
The back-to-back, second-half meltdowns left nine-year veteran running back Jamal Lewis ''as frustrated as I've been in as many years as I've been playing.''
''This is the NFL, you can't call it quits until the game is over. But it looks to me like some people call it quits before that,'' Lewis said. ''Denver was down, but they didn't call it quits. They kept their heads up and they finished. We didn't do that two weeks in a row — at home.''
To that, Crennel said: ''I think guys are trying to do what they're supposed to do. They don't always do it at the level they need to get it done.''
Crennel seemed whipped by a week that included two disastrous losses, dropping the Browns to 1-4 at home after going 7-1 a year ago, and his benching of quarterback Derek Anderson for Brady Quinn.
''It's been a heck of a week,'' Crennel said. ''I think we can say we're going to go back to the drawing board.''
Injury update
Crennel said nose tackle Shaun Rogers (stinger) was ''pretty sore,'' and tight end Darnell Dinkins was being examined for a pulled muscle in his rib area. Left guard Eric Steinbach sat out with the same problem, but Crennel said he hopes Steinbach ''will be in the mix'' against the Bills.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: The black shirt Romeo Crennel wore matched his mood and was fitting of the pall hanging over Browns headquarters Friday.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 04:56 AM, 11/08/2008
Brandon McDonald looks like a lost soul one minute, and a future Hall-of-Famer the next. Inconsistency ain't even the word for him. Applies to the entire secondary, the defense, the offense, and the team, in that order.
Special teams are volatile by nature, so we won't count those.
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 05:16 AM, 11/08/2008
Black mood? Isn't that a little racist?
newport, NC
Posted 07:52 AM, 11/08/2008
That was NOT called for STEVE. Join the human race. Skinned out we all look the same...Stick with talking football.
Posted 08:09 AM, 11/08/2008
Back to the drawing board? By the time RC finds the board he will be gone!
Naples, FL
Posted 08:52 AM, 11/08/2008
Where are the safeties backing up the CBs? Isn't that why they are called SAFETIES? The pass defense has completely fallen apart since Sean Jones got back in the lineup. He is too often around the line of scrimmage. With young corners his primary duty must be to handle pass defense.
Posted 09:39 AM, 11/08/2008
The Browns lack leadership both on the field and off. They go through the motions in a befuddled,lackluster sort of way. They would be a below average minor league team if there was a minor league in football.
Posted 09:50 AM, 11/08/2008
This won't be a fun weekend for Romeo or the coaching staff for obvious reasons. I agree that certain players need to be evaluated and straightened out on defensive techniques especially TACKLING. Sometimes it looks like we think it is flag football out there. The other thing I'd like to see is different blitz packages thrown at the opponsing offense. When the Browns Blitz, good things happen. I don't understand why we don't blitz more. And once again, where was the help for Brandon McDonald on that 93 yard touchdown play? It seems to me like the players are not the only ones who have to revert back to the basic fundamentals of defense.
Akron, OH
Posted 09:51 AM, 11/08/2008
''We have to look at everybody and see who is not carrying their load and who's not holding up their end of it and see if we have other people available to try to motivate them,'' Crennel said. ''Today, both sides of the ball are going to evaluate their personnel strongly and make some recommendations about what needs to be done.''
Maybe Crennel should look in the mirror.
Posted 10:28 AM, 11/08/2008
LEWIS DID NOT MELT DOWN...
The whole problem is the design of the Offense and the Play calling...
1st. Half...Harrison to the outside..44 yards on 4 carries Cribbs also runs the outside...We stretch the defense...LEWIS goes up the middle for 48 yards on 10 carries....
2ond Half
Little Cribbs and even less Harrison...The try to turn the corner with our big NORTH SOUTH back Lewis
That sure as heck didn't put fear in the hearts of the Defense...THE BUNCH THE MIDDLE
Lewis gets about 2 yards per carry ...WE LOSE...
This is Coaching Dumbness at it's peak of Perfection....In the NY GAME we ran the Ends with Cribbs and Harrison...Ran a Double reverse even...NY was confused..Losened up in the Middle and Lewis had his best day of the year...Then NOTHING for two games just the Same old, Same old..Lewis up the middle...Then the first half of this game.... Great scoring...Because we stretched the Defense Horrizontally with Harrison and Cribs...Second Half..Back to lewis up the middle...
Chud has to be the Second Dumbest Coach alive (He should Thank God for Romeo)
Posted 10:34 AM, 11/08/2008
Professionals, in all walks of life, are focused on perfection and never take anything for granted. They know there is no room for lazy errors.
When competing against other professionals, this is magnified. You are not only competing on game day. Every day the challenge exists to work harder than the "other guy" in preparation for the upcoming contest. Working harder to improve physically. Working harder to learn the rules. Working harder to learn techniques for success in all situations.
That being said, when will Jamal Lewis learn how to consistently accept a handoff with proper technique? Arm which is toward the QB should be underneath the ball! Results in fewer fumbles, in case the Browns even care about that aspect of the game.
Posted 10:35 AM, 11/08/2008
Terminate the coach and get some real defensive backs!
Posted 10:39 AM, 11/08/2008
This Browns team plays with no guts. no heart, no passion.
Posted 10:45 AM, 11/08/2008
Cowher and Schottenheimer are both out there...this team has the talent to win now, they just need some direction. New coach with a high draft pick next year?
Posted 12:13 PM, 11/08/2008
The Steelers have been what they now are since Chuck Noll arrived more than 30 years ago. Once upon a time---ending about the time Noll was getting started and fellow former Brown Don Shula was constructing his dynasty in Miami---the Cleveland Browns were "the Yankees of Professional Football." A legacy was in place, a professionalism, a tradition of winning and strong fundamental play. Smart, tough, blocking-and-tackling typified Browns' football for decades of superior play.
Amazing to realize this is what that franchise now puts out there.
Posted 01:14 PM, 11/08/2008
I'm of the opinion that by benching anderson and refusing to trade quinn for a reported two #1s from Minnesota, the browns will not be the best team they could have been over the next ten years.
I've said all I care to say about Quinn's (alleged) value. Anderson's value is clear. He's competitive and has extreme downfield range. He takes risks, but usually on third or fourth downs.
The truly prescient move would have been to add more draft picks and ride this out with Anderson, who led the browns to the unbelievable 10-6 record last year.
Clearly this would have been too unpopular with Cleveland fans, who want to believe their impending football success comes with a side order of handsome.
I love the browns and always will, but i feel about them now as if they're being held back back influences unrelated to actually playing the game of football. I hope they can find players who can focus in this atmosphere, and coach's who can help them do the same - even though i believe that RAC and Anderson are two fine examples of such people.
chesapeake, VA
Posted 01:24 PM, 11/08/2008
I am about sick of hearing CRennel say "we're gonna have to look at the tape and then go back and TRY and figure out how to fix it" Exactly what tapes is he looking at and what is he trying to figure out because not a dang thing has changed. Just listening to Crennel talk is a good indication he has no clue. He just needs to go
niles, oh
Posted 04:21 PM, 11/08/2008
the pain will remain till Crennel and Savage are gone.
Posted 05:50 PM, 11/08/2008
We are not winning games because the Defense is giving up when we are up. We have to pick our posion with Blitzes because our corners are vunerable. Our offense will be more consistant with Quinn because he handles pressure better than D.A. I also think that our offensive cordinator has to little confidence and our defensive cordinator has to much confidence.and finally NO MORE LEWIS UP THE MIDDLE ON EVERY FIRST DOWN. THROW THE BALL, PLAYACTION, REVERSE SWEEPS, THESE ARE ALL LEGAL OPTIONS.
Posted 08:42 AM, 11/09/2008
RAC seems to be the master of understatement. Why doesn't he get real and say it like it is. Some cages need serious rattling! I'm sick and tired of his pussyfooting around problems. Get him out of here.
Posted 08:47 AM, 11/09/2008
RAC is deinitely the master of understatement. When is he ever going to address reality and do some serious a** kicking! He coddles his team and is about as menacing as a high school hall monitor.
He has to go -- and a new coach needs to be hired the day after the season ends. I also vote for either Marty or Cowher.
Hiram, GA
Posted 09:50 AM, 11/09/2008
Sad times in Cleveland.
Posted 01:35 PM, 11/09/2008
Fire Romeo! Hire Bill! Save the Browns!
Posted 02:22 PM, 11/09/2008
"That being said, when will Jamal Lewis learn how to consistently accept a handoff with proper technique? Arm which is toward the QB should be underneath the ball! Results in fewer fumbles, in case the Browns even care about that aspect of the game."
That's incorrect. The arm closest to the QB goes above the ball when accepting a handoff - as it 'opens the door' to the QB side.
See in the linked photo:
http://www.tmsaunders.com/images/army/Handoff.jpg
Posted 03:01 PM, 11/09/2008
"The truly prescient move would have been to add more draft picks and ride this out with Anderson, who led the browns to the unbelievable 10-6 record last year."
.....against unbelievably easy opponents - beating only one opponent with a winning record.
