Browns and Seahawk wins (GASP),the Ohio State loss and some insight on the Devils overtime loss in what was a literal stinker in Philly.
Bear with me, quite a bit of stress at work and I just didn't feel like blogging yesterday.
Anyone want to hire me to do this full time???
The Cleveland Browns would not be the Cleveland Browns if they did things the easy way.
In a game that had one heart jumping until the final play,the Browns staggered out of Jacksonville with a 23-17 win that saved the paper thin hopes of a playoff bid alive.
The Browns have a chance to even their record at 4-4,catch the Ravens for second in the division next week with a home win over "Mumblin" Ray "I am all about God" Lewis and the rest of his Baltimore compatriots in Cleveland......
Shawn's Thoughts
1) If anyone out there actually reads this damn thing,help me get something clever named for some of these thoughts!
2) The next to last pass that bounced off Matt Jones hands twice along with a doink off Nick Sorenson's helmet almost sent me to the Cleveland Clinic!
Nothing spells out Browns football like last second losses after blowing chances to put teams away.
3) I remember Sorenson as a backup QB for Michael Vick at Virginia Tech.
Never dreamed his helmet would eventually be the difference in a Browns win.....
4) What a game of dominance for Shaun Rogers.
Rogers was the difference between the two teams-nine tackles,a sack and a blocked field goal for a defensive tackle?
Now that is dominance!
If Rogers is not the AFC Defensive player of the week,something is wrong....
5) The offensive play of the game came with the game tied in the fou
rth,when Syndric Steptoe grabbed a pass that should have been a 15 yard gain and turned it into a first and goal after a 53 yard effort.Breaking tackles and running away from other defenders might have earned the Arizona product some extra passes his way.
6) The downside?
The goal line play calling.
Anderson forced a ball to Braylon Edwards twice in the course of the game instead of walking into the end zone.
On one of the drives,the Browns eventually scored a TD,but the fourth quarter misfire was a Field Goal drive.
I know Edwards is supposed to be the star and all that,but he was covered!
Anderson needs to make the smart play.
7) The offense needs to mix up the run calls as well.
Jamal Lewis is a between the tackles runner and that plays to his strength,but a off tackle run on short yardage to keep the defenders honest would help on 3rd and one.
But,hey it beats last year when the Browns kept using Lawrence Vickers in those situations and had nothing but punts to show for it.
8) Steve Heiden deserves a kudo for his 51 yard catch on a 4th and one call.
Now on that call,credit is due to a good play call,most would have expected a Lewis run up the middle and this caught the Jaguars off guard.
Anderson often botches these types of passes (short),but he was on the money on this one....
9) Finally,the Browns got a small bit of mileage from their abbreviated 2008 draft when Beau Bell forced the ball loose on the kickoff after the field goal from Phil Dawson that gave the Browns the lead.
The resulting field goal from Dawson forced Jacksonville's hand on their final drive.
We hope to see more of Bell on defense as the season ages....
10) Bell would be a welcome addition to a linebacking corps that other than D'qwell Jackson looks to be either a step slow (Andra Davis),145 years old (Willie McGinest) and someone impersonating a first round pick (Kamerion Wimbley)
Bonus Rounds
The Browns secondary looks pretty sharp when Sean Jones and Brodney Pool are healthy.
The Jones and Pool tandem adds so many things to Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker's arsenal.
Tucker can send them on safety blitzes,can mix coverages around and more.
Mike Adams is a decent nickel back,but simply is not the caliber of athlete that Jones and Pool are......
Donte' Stallworth only caught three balls for 13 yards,but one was for his first TD as a Brown.
Finally,some production for his money!!
Joshua Cribbs may not be the electrifying kick returner of last season,but the way he still flies all over the field on special teams makes him my pick for the teams high intensity player.
If you don't like Cribbs effort-you don't like football!
Until tomorrow,when we will look at the Buckeyes loss to Penn State.
Photo Credits for all photos-John Kuntz-Cleveland Plain Dealer
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