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Cornerback draws silly 'look-at-me' penalty
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Sunday, Aug 23, 2009
CLEVELAND: Hope lives.
So does Derek Anderson.
And that certainly makes things a lot more interesting for the Browns the rest of this preseason.
The Browns eliminated a lot of the stench from the awful practice-season opener in Green Bay with a strong first-half performance Saturday night against the Detroit Lions.
They did it by playing like a real team — one that got into the end zone, carried out plays, read defenses and played defense.
The evidence: A 20-3 halftime lead.
If the Browns left the impression they were a disorganized, listless crew in Green Bay, the Great Lakes Classic brought them back to life.
As only it can.
It was against the Lions, yes, and the Lions looked like a team that went winless last season and hired a new coach and started a rookie quarterback. Which is what the Lions are.
But in preseason, the opponent matters little. What matters is that the team plays professionally and well, and in the first half Saturday when the starters were in the game, the Browns played well — with one abject lapse in professionalism by one player.
Josh Cribbs made a contract statement by scoring both times he touched the ball on returns.
Cribbs returned the opening kickoff return for a touchdown, but a holding penalty on Abe Elam brought it back.
No matter, Anderson led the Browns on a touchdown drive after the penalty.
Yes, it ended with a touchdown.
As in a Browns player got into the end zone with the ball with no penalty to negate the score and with six points going on the scoreboard.
If ever a team needed a score in the preseason, it was the Browns. They got it.
As for Cribbs . . . he returned the first punt he touched for a touchdown as well.
Cribbs is a football player, plain and simple. The Browns can try to make him into a receiver all they want, but he is without question one of the most dangerous return men in the league.
Anything else he provides is gravy.
Anderson's blemish was an interception in the two-minute drill that tipped off the hands of running back James Davis.
His positives were many.
There was a 24-yard throw to Mohamed Massaquoi on the game's first play from scrimmage.
A 20-yard throw to Cribbs on third-and-9.
A lovely read and throw on a 34-yard completion to Braylon Edwards.
And a 20-yard throw to Steve Heiden.
All told, Anderson had four completions worth at least 20 yards, which is a very good sign. It was against a bad defense, but so what. He took advantage.
In the first quarter, Anderson threw for an impressive 119 yards.
Brady Quinn did nothing to hurt himself, mind you. He played the second quarter prior to the two-minute drill and threw the ball very well.
One of his best throws was negated by a penalty, and Quinn looked comfortable and confident.
On his first pass, he stepped forward to avoid the rush and made a strong throw to Brian Robiskie for 24 yards.
At long last, it looked like the practice and work the Browns have put in was paying off.
There were good plays, long gains, good work in the return game and much more confident play from the quarterbacks.
Trying to pick the leader in the competition might be impossible.
And that's probably just fine with Eric Mangini. The Browns' coach is the kind who might want to keep the Minnesota Vikings guessing right up until the Sunday of the opener.
Anderson, though, made the biggest stride from the first game to the second.
Whether that stride was long enough to take hold of the job is up to the coach, but that stride sure made things a lot more interesting as the preseason continues.
Which is pretty much what everyone wanted all along.
One player who might need the special attention of the coach is cornerback Eric Wright.
Wright made a very nice play to intercept rookie Matthew Stafford on the Lions' first play, then danced around and under and through a lot of Lions to nearly score a touchdown.
But Wright followed a nice play by turning oafish.
He took an exaggerated bow to the crowd in the end zone, then tried to jump into the stands.
This sort-of-Lambeau Leap came after a play when he did not score.
The absurdity resulted in a 15-yard penalty that moved the Browns from the 5-yard line to the 20.
The Browns ''settled'' for a field goal.
Perhaps Mangini should institute a new lap rule — that an egregiously silly and unprofessional ''look-at-me'' penalty results in one lap per yard and point lost.
Aside from that pointless move by Wright — who carries himself on the field like he's been in several Pro Bowls — the Browns had a lot to like about Saturday night. Including some very impressive running from Davis.
That it's been a long time coming made it no less welcome.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohio.com/mcmanamon/. Follow Pat on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/patmcmanamon.
CLEVELAND: Hope lives.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 07:38 AM, 08/23/2009
The Man-Genie is taking care of business.
Berlin, OH
Posted 07:43 AM, 08/23/2009
Where I'm from - a good Amish team could beat the Browns anytime! Don't get your hopes up, it's preseason, and they played the worst team in the league with a bad defense, so the Browns have got a long way to go to have any respectability.
Grandstanding by Wright is just another example of the attitude of this team - it stinks! Just play the game!
Canton, OH
Posted 08:33 AM, 08/23/2009
I believe in the ManGenius. .
akron, oh
Posted 08:38 AM, 08/23/2009
It was a cool win
Naples, FL
Posted 09:05 AM, 08/23/2009
Mangini should have had Wright take a penalty lap in front of the whole crowd while the game was being played.
Lorain, oh
Posted 11:24 AM, 08/23/2009
agreed Wright needs to shut up and just play, I think everyone is happy we scored and got the W, but I'm not getting my hopes up
akron, oh
Posted 11:28 AM, 08/23/2009
Good for the Browns for doing what they were supposed to, beating the worst team in the league who roster was decimated.
What a difference sobriety makes, Bernie good for you brother.
hickory, pa
Posted 11:46 AM, 08/23/2009
OK a touchdown, wow whats next. Its still preseason and playing against the only team that they could probably beat right now. I thinks it time to end the qback controversy. This team needs to have a leader.
Kent, Oh
Posted 12:52 PM, 08/23/2009
That's the best the Browns have looked since they beat the Giants last year on Monday night. How bout that Josh Cribbs?! The whole team looked good.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 01:12 PM, 08/23/2009
Funny, most fans have known for seasons now that Josh Cribbs is the most valuable player on this roster. If other teams had their pick of just one Browns player...who do you think it would be? Josh is the total package. Shame the Browns didn't see the same potential in Edelman. What a great 1-2 punch they would've made.
I'm about as sick of the QB talk as I can be. Please, can we stop the D.A. nonsense and get BQ all the reps with the players he'll be lining up with on opening day? He may not realize it, but Mangina is hurting the team with this farce, and will lose early games because of his stubbornness.
kent, oh
Posted 01:41 PM, 08/23/2009
The Browns need to quit screwing around and SIGN CRIBBS!
Akron, OH
Posted 01:57 PM, 08/23/2009
Dear Browns Bashers:
Here's a site where your endless negativity and utterly worthless comments will be enjoyed by all:
http://tinyurl.com/steelers-forums
Please go there as soon as possible.
Sincerely wishing you the best in your new home,
Browns Fans
Posted 02:38 PM, 08/23/2009
Yes,it should be BQ and yes,it would help the team to settle at QB;But maybe management is trying to get DA's trade value up. Also,give Cribbs a raise--he is the MVP of this team and has been since he got here,no matter where he plays. There were a lot of good things to take from last night,but the tackling for me was the brightest spot.
Posted 10:23 PM, 08/23/2009
I love it how all the negative people mock the Browns for the Green Bay game saying they're absolutely horrible....
Then the come out and do what they're supposed to do and that's beat up on a bad team, and the same negative people say.. "Well it's just pre-season, who cares if they played good."
The Green Bay game was "just pre-season" too.
Also, another observation of the Green Bay game, GREEN BAY IS A PRETTY DARN GOOD TEAM FOLKS. They just dismantled Buffalo's first team last night too.
Pre-season game 1 isn't a big deal, I'll get worried if the 1st teamers play a terrible pre-season game 4.
akron, oh
Posted 11:05 PM, 08/23/2009
Er..Cribbs is under contract, he wants to renegotiate the terms.
Also, as good as Cribbs is as a return specialist there he must have some flaws when it comes to other aspects of the receiving game. Its pretty simple you want your best players on the field to make plays.
