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By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 07:20 p.m. EST, Nov 22, 2008
1. Texans' pass rush.
The Houston Texans have 17 sacks, and defensive end Mario Williams, the first overall pick in 2006, has eight of them. He also leads the team with 18 pressures and three forced fumbles. ''He has been exceptional, but we have got to get him some help,'' Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. ''Last week he played 79 snaps and that's unheard of. He has become a big-time player, which we had no doubt he would. He weathered the storm early in his career, he is very tough mentally and physically and he has a very bright future.'' The Texans' defensive line also boasts first-rounders Travis Johnson and Amobi Okoye, who has been inactive the past two games with an ankle injury. Against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, Browns quarterback Brady Quinn constantly had left tackle Marcus Stroud or blitzing linebacker Kawika Mitchell in his face. Mitchell was coming up the middle untouched, and Stroud was overpowering right guard Rex Hadnot. ''They timed up the blitzes right,'' Browns center Hank Fraley said. ''It's a game of chess out there, and they had the right move.''
2. Texans running back Steve Slaton.
The Browns' run defense ranks 28th in the league and the poor tackling allowed Marshawn Lynch of the Bills to pick up 119 yards on 23 carries (and a touchdown) and catch 10 passes for 58 yards Monday. That's good news for Slaton, a 5-foot-9 rookie from West Virginia selected in the third round. Slaton has 701 yards (5.1 per carry) and six touchdowns, including a 71-yarder. Last week at Indianapolis, Slaton gained 156 yards on 14 carries. ''What he's doing right now is pretty special,'' Kubiak said. ''You get lulled to sleep sometime with these young guys. He's third in the AFC in rushing and he's in the top 10 in the NFL. That's hard to do. He's a hard worker and a very classy kid.''
3. Brady Quinn's finger.
Making his second career start at Buffalo, Quinn suffered a small fracture on the tip of the index finger on his throwing hand when he hit it on a helmet. Coach Romeo Crennel did not seem to give any thought to going with backup Derek Anderson, but CBS analyst Rich Gannon felt the injury was significant. He said in a radio interview last week that the finger is the last one that touches the ball during the throw and is important for accuracy. Asked whether Quinn's injury would affect him, Texans quarterback Sage Rosenfels said: ''It might a little bit. It doesn't help, that's for sure. The best finger to break would be your pinky. That's the finger that's probably the least on the ball. The worst one is the thumb . . . because you can't squeeze the football.''
4. Familiar faces.
Receiver Andre' Davis, who spent 2002-04 with the Browns, is expected to return after missing four games for surgery on a dislocated ring finger on his left hand. ''I threw him about 25 or 30 balls,'' Kubiak said Thursday. ''He probably thought I was crazy, but I was just testing him out and I was impressed.'' Davis is also the No. 1 kickoff returner. Against the Bills, the Browns were gashed for 246 yards on seven kickoff returns, including 185 yards (on three returns, including a 98-yard touchdown) by rookie Leodis McKelvin. Kevin Bentley, with the Browns in 2002-04, starts at strong side linebacker, and Chaun Thompson, who spent 2003-07 with the Browns, is a backup linebacker. In addition, backup cornerback Antwaun Molden, a third-round pick in 2008, is a Cleveland Glenville product. All will show up on special teams — Bentley has a team-high 14 tackles; Molden, 13; and Thompson, six.
5. Texans receiver Andre Johnson.
The Browns will have their hands full with the 6-foot-3, 223-pound Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowler (a starter in 2007) and former teammate of Kellen Winslow at the University of Miami. Johnson leads the league in receiving yardage with 955 (13.5 average) and is third in receptions with 71, but has only three touchdowns. But 49 of his 71 catches have gone for first downs, second most in the AFC. He and Anquan Boldin of the Arizona Cardinals are the only receivers in the league's top 10 in first downs.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
1. Texans' pass rush.
The Houston Texans have 17 sacks, and defensive end Mario Williams, the first overall pick in 2006, has eight of them. He also leads the team with 18 pressures and three forced fumbles. ''He has been exceptional, but we have got to get him some help,'' Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. ''Last week he played 79 snaps and that's unheard of. He has become a big-time player, which we had no doubt he would. He weathered the storm early in his career, he is very tough mentally and physically and he has a very bright future.'' The Texans' defensive line also boasts first-rounders Travis Johnson and Amobi Okoye, who has been inactive the past two games with an ankle injury. Against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, Browns quarterback Brady Quinn constantly had left tackle Marcus Stroud or blitzing linebacker Kawika Mitchell in his face. Mitchell was coming up the middle untouched, and Stroud was overpowering right guard Rex Hadnot. ''They timed up the blitzes right,'' Browns center Hank Fraley said. ''It's a game of chess out there, and they had the right move.''
2. Texans running back Steve Slaton.
The Browns' run defense ranks 28th in the league and the poor tackling allowed Marshawn Lynch of the Bills to pick up 119 yards on 23 carries (and a touchdown) and catch 10 passes for 58 yards Monday. That's good news for Slaton, a 5-foot-9 rookie from West Virginia selected in the third round. Slaton has 701 yards (5.1 per carry) and six touchdowns, including a 71-yarder. Last week at Indianapolis, Slaton gained 156 yards on 14 carries. ''What he's doing right now is pretty special,'' Kubiak said. ''You get lulled to sleep sometime with these young guys. He's third in the AFC in rushing and he's in the top 10 in the NFL. That's hard to do. He's a hard worker and a very classy kid.''
3. Brady Quinn's finger.
Making his second career start at Buffalo, Quinn suffered a small fracture on the tip of the index finger on his throwing hand when he hit it on a helmet. Coach Romeo Crennel did not seem to give any thought to going with backup Derek Anderson, but CBS analyst Rich Gannon felt the injury was significant. He said in a radio interview last week that the finger is the last one that touches the ball during the throw and is important for accuracy. Asked whether Quinn's injury would affect him, Texans quarterback Sage Rosenfels said: ''It might a little bit. It doesn't help, that's for sure. The best finger to break would be your pinky. That's the finger that's probably the least on the ball. The worst one is the thumb . . . because you can't squeeze the football.''
4. Familiar faces.
Receiver Andre' Davis, who spent 2002-04 with the Browns, is expected to return after missing four games for surgery on a dislocated ring finger on his left hand. ''I threw him about 25 or 30 balls,'' Kubiak said Thursday. ''He probably thought I was crazy, but I was just testing him out and I was impressed.'' Davis is also the No. 1 kickoff returner. Against the Bills, the Browns were gashed for 246 yards on seven kickoff returns, including 185 yards (on three returns, including a 98-yard touchdown) by rookie Leodis McKelvin. Kevin Bentley, with the Browns in 2002-04, starts at strong side linebacker, and Chaun Thompson, who spent 2003-07 with the Browns, is a backup linebacker. In addition, backup cornerback Antwaun Molden, a third-round pick in 2008, is a Cleveland Glenville product. All will show up on special teams — Bentley has a team-high 14 tackles; Molden, 13; and Thompson, six.
5. Texans receiver Andre Johnson.
The Browns will have their hands full with the 6-foot-3, 223-pound Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowler (a starter in 2007) and former teammate of Kellen Winslow at the University of Miami. Johnson leads the league in receiving yardage with 955 (13.5 average) and is third in receptions with 71, but has only three touchdowns. But 49 of his 71 catches have gone for first downs, second most in the AFC. He and Anquan Boldin of the Arizona Cardinals are the only receivers in the league's top 10 in first downs.
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 04:21 PM, 11/23/2008
First a f o r e m o s t that each team might play,(as Paul Harvey would giggle and laugh)... .football!
God Game !!!!!
Posted 05:16 PM, 11/23/2008
To Phil Savage:
When are you going to start managing? It is obvious Crennel can't coach the offense line is non existant Edwards should be benched and the defense just showes up. browns fans deserve more than what this pathetic excuse of a pro team is giving us. Do what yourpaid to do and get coaches that can coach and players that want to play. If you don't there will be no fans left and you can play to empty seats.
