Which team is real?
Posted September 17th, 2007 by Marla Ridenour
The Browns' first two games couldn't have been more disparate, which makes one wonder which is the real team? The one that managed 221 yards against Pittsburgh, still one of the toughest defenses in the league? Or the one that piled up 554 yards against Cincinnati, which has one of the NFL's most porous secondaries? My guess is that it's somewhere in the middle. But it was encouraging that the Browns playmakers finally made an impact. Braylon Edwards was diving for balls, Kellen Winslow was his usual consistent self, Joe Jurevicius was in the mix after inexplicably being lost, even in the preseason. Was it just the change in quarterbacks that made the offense click? Maybe so. But it was also the fact that Anderson quit trying to win the game by himself and started taking what the defense gave him. Plagued by interceptions even at Oregon State, Anderson may finally be figuring out that he doesn't need to force the ball into coverage when he has this many playmakers.
But the most encouraging thing about Sunday was the performance of the offensive line. Cleveland sank millions of dollars into Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach and it looks like it was money well spent. They've spent only two games together after Steinbach's preseason injury, which bodes well for the future. Browns fans have finally gotten their wish — an investment in the offensive line — and it looks like they were right all along in what the organization's priorities should have been.
September 18th, 2007 at 1:50 am
The offensive line dollars looks like it was money well spent? Odd, but I would have said exactly the opposite if the judgment was based upon the Steelers game. I doubt if the Bengals' defense is an accurate gauge of anything except what a big chunk of Swiss cheese might look like if it came with stripes and a fermented jockstrap. Let's see some real games against some real defenses before you start pumping the pom-poms for the offensive line.
September 18th, 2007 at 7:33 am
We also ran a lot of plays LEFT, towards the guys we spent all of the money on, instead of RIGHT, like we did against the Steelers.
September 18th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Before anyone could blink the Browns were down 3 scores against the Steelers. The running game didn't have a chance.
I'm sure you've also heard by now how many times Frye got sacked compared to how many times Anderson was sacked in that game. One of these quarterbacks gets rid of the ball on time. I'll let you guess which one.
It's not there yet. But they'll get Tucker back in week 5 and then perhaps Bentley someday.
September 18th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
This game was sweet… I had fun! Yes I am worried about the defense giving up points and maybe Cinci isn't the best D in the league! But we looked good in several areas that we haven't in a long time! JL is better then anyone I've seen running in awhile. We've had guys who would not have hit those giant wholes!! We're for now leading the league in runyrds per carry 5.9 and we have the longest TD run in the league w/66…. Everyone said Anderson could hit a broad sided barn well your all wrong, he the barn and some times it went throw the door… lets say 5 times in a single game. Does it mean he is the next Marino, not quite but was it fun to watch? did we win a game? Yes Enjoy everyone! There maybe a couple more of them.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:48 am
What in the world is a fermented jockstrap?…. I wanted them to draft Joe Thomas.. and I was very pleased that they signed Eric Steinbeck and Lecharles Bently.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
The offense will still need a little time. Oakland should be a good test after the first two games. We will see how the offense measures up against a good defense, and how the defense looks against what appears to be weak offense.
The O-line should get a little better in each game. It has only been together since week one.
September 20th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I don't think you can judge the O-line by the Pittsburgh game alone any more thatn you can go by just the Cincy game. The fact that the Steelers got so far ahead so fast allowed them to send extra bodies into the backfield, especially knowing that they could get to Frye before he could decide what to do with the ball. But this week should be a better measure of their ability. If they can give Anderson the time he needs then it will definitely prove to be money well spent. It will also help that the left side of that line will have been able to play and practice together more than they did before the first game.
September 24th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
BLITZ is a word that stuck in my mind. Why? Because I did not see much of it. Why? I don't know. There are many good players on both offense and defense. Offense needs some work , but defense really needs help. I would like to see more BLITZES GOING ON. Other than that I still think MY TEAM can improve over last years 4 and 12 season. Don't you? Go BROWNS………..