First and 10: Oh what a win

First, a personal note: The Akron Beacon Journal taketh away and the Akron Beacon Journal giveth. I was informed this week that the layoff notice presented a few weeks ago has been rescinded. Thus I will stay with the Beacon Journal, at least until they get this layoff bug up their hind end again.

This may please some of you, and anger or disappoint others.

To those who wrote and offered support, I offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. It meant a lot.

On to the topics that really matter …

First and 10

1)      So that's what happens when you give Romeo Crennel an extra week to prepare.

2)      Ahem. Laugh if you will, but Crennel is now 3-1 after bye weeks. And the only one he lost came during Maurice Carthon's last game as offensive coordinator. Carthon was resigned the next week. Which some might count as a win. So he's 4-0 after bye weeks.

3)      In all seriousness, that was the most well-prepared and focused Browns team I've seen since 1999, which is when they returned to the field. The offense was outstanding on third down (9-for-13), it shrugged off penalty after penalty, the protection for Derek Anderson was outstanding and Derek Anderson was outstanding. The defense was pretty lenient on the run defense, but they did come up with three interceptions. Talk about vital. Eric Wright's return for a touchdown was the play of the game. Had the Giants scored there, who knows what happens. Point is they didn't, because Wright made a nice play on the ball and then did what he's supposed to do – take it to the house. That was some very impressive football played Monday night.

4)      The attitude shown by two guys who got significant playing time for the first time was significant to me. Steve Heiden played in place of Kellen Winslow and Ryan Tucker in place of Kevin Shaffer. Both were outstanding. And when both were asked about the win, both responded by saying: It was huge, but we have to follow it up. Tucker was asked if the Browns needed it, and he said, "Sure. Next week too. And the week after." That professional attitude was encouraging. If the Browns follow this with a bad game in Washington, they've taken a step back. If they want to make something of this season and eventually make a playoff push, they need to play to their potential every week and realize how hard it is to win and the effort and concentration needed to win. If they play like they did Monday night, nobody on their schedule is unbeatable. Not even Pittsburgh.

5)      I'm no expert on offensive line play, but Tucker must do something right because every time he joins the line it seems to play better. I've been a Tucker supporter since the first year he was with the Browns. He's just the kind of gnarly, do-anything lineman Cleveland loves. He was busted for steroids last year, which raises questions, but he's also been among the most stand-up guys on the team since he's been here as well. Bottom line: When he plays, the Browns are better. It would make sense that he's their right tackle for the rest of the season.

6)      There were problems. Way too many penalties, which remain inexplicable. Enthusiasm is great, but a cartwheel-aerial backflip during pregame introductions when a team is 1-3 is a bit much for me. Then there was Donte Stallworth, who saw a fade go through his hands as he dove in the corner of the end zone. Stallworth's immediate reaction was to call for the official to "throw the flag." Ridiculous. First, Stallworth was not interfered with. Second, if Stallworth wanted to get the ball he would not have let the guy interfere with him. Just make the catch.

7)      Ahem. Since blogs are among the most self-serving, navel-gazing, how-wonderful-am-I vehicles invented for pitiful writers who survive the layoff list every other year, I hereby declare No. 7 the "pat yourself on the back" item of the week. In last week's First and 10 I wrote this: "Given the Giants pass rush, Rob Chudzinski's game plan becomes vital this week. New York is tied for second in the league with 15 sacks, and they go after the quarterback with abandon. This means three things: The Browns need to run the ball, they need to use a quick passing game, and they need to keep adequate protection for their quarterback." Ahem … is this not exactly what happened? The Giants started the game rushing six, seven, eight guys. The Browns countered with quick slants, one that Braylon Edwards turned into a 49-yard gain. The Browns kept doing that until eventually they pulled the Giants out of the blitzes, which is when they ran the ball. Chudzinski also had many impressive playcalls. He used Jerome Harrison well. He used Josh Cribbs. He got Edwards open deep on man coverage. Overall, Chudzinski had one of his finest games.

8)      I kind of think that we'll see more and more of Heiden and more of Winslow being used in the slot. I'm as big a fan of Winslow as anyone, and what he brings to the team in terms of heart and desire are immeasurable. But it is starting to look like the constant work and toll on his knee has affected his ability to move, and affected his leverage in blocking. Heiden has always been a better blocker, but if Heiden has more strength in his legs – the key to blocking – the Browns may have no choice but to go to him more. This is not to trash Winslow, mind you. One good game by Heiden does not make Winslow yesterday's news, and there's no reason to think that Winslow would not have made the same catches Heiden did. I just think the Browns will start to be more judicious in how Winslow is used, and it will have this added benefit: By the end of the season last year Winslow was shot. Done. His knees would not allow him to do what he needed, and he admitted that. Using him more judiciously this year will keep him fresh for the stretch run, which will help the team (assuming there is a stretch run that matters).

9)      Conventional thinking states that the tough thing about this Sunday's game for the Browns is that it is on the road. It's very tough for a team to play on Monday night, then win the next weekend on the road. At least that's the thinking. So let's check the stats. This season five teams have gone on the road the Sunday after playing on Monday night, and those teams won all five times. Five-and-oh. So much for conventional thinking.

10)   Bottom line for the Browns: The Damn Yankees. Follow me on this one, now. If the Browns are to make something of this season and not have it end in the first quarter or half a la the Indians of 2008, they have to follow up in Washington. If they are the tin man, they lose. If they have heart, they win. Heard from a former Brown who was impressed with the win. He said: "If you have heart you follow it up and don't lay an egg." So perhaps the Browns new theme song should be the old "You Gotta Have Heart" from "The Damn Yankees." You know … miles and miles of heart … Musn't sit around and mope. … There's nothin' to it but to do it. … You've gotta have heart! All you really need is heart. When the odds are sayin' you'll never win, that's when the grin should start. … Damn Yankees. Wow, these flogs really are the ultimate forum for nothingness aren't they? Friedrich Nietzsche would be so proud.

You're an Idiot

Alan, my online posting buddy (does that sound strange?), continues to write about the lack of the "You're An Idiot" section.

"What, no ‘You're An Idiot' section yet again?" Alan wrote. "It was announced at the beginning of the season it would be a weekly feature, no holds barred. I had been looking forward to it.

With all the nuts out there in the world, I can't believe that nobody wrote ‘You're an idiot.' But here we are, and no ‘You're An Idiot' section."

It strikes me as odd that someone would want so badly to see another human being insulted, but Alan's letter is what it is.

I repeat an earlier statement: If nobody feels I'm an idiot and writes to tell me that, then there's not much I can do to concoct a You're an Idiot section.

So I'll let Rick, another online poster, address the situation.

He wrote to Alan: "Let's just say that from here on out you're the idiot. Anytime a ‘You're an idiot' section is not available, we all agree that it will be you. Anytime it is available, we still agree you're the number one idiot and Pat is a far-off number two idiot."

There you go Alan.

I am an idiot, albeit No. 2.

Three and Out

Dear Pat,

Is it me or is watching Monday Night football similar to listening in on the U.S. Senate floor? Hours of endless, meaningless chatter that has nothing to do with what is happening right before their eyes.

Chris
Rocky River

Dear Chris,

I think you've angered many members of the U.S. Senate.

The sight of an ESPN game behind the scenes at the stadium is just amazing. There are ESPN types crawling all over the place. They are everywhere. Carrying cables, walking with an air of self-importance, scurrying to catch a plane … the place is just overrun with ESPN people.

They're nice guys – especially Ron Jaworski – but there's just SO MANY.

Imagine the last Indiana Jones film and all those ants crawling around and you have a vision of the stadium the nights when ESPN decides to invade.

Dear Pat,

I enjoy your enthusiasm regarding a possible upset over the Giants this coming Monday nite. It is a pleasure reading "The Impossible Dream." I can remember when the 1965 Browns never had a chance and were to be blown away by the great Baltimore Colts team.

Now THAT was an exciting game!

Even Red Right 88 was an exciting game regardless of the outcome and the cold weather. But my favorite was the overtime win over the Jets – that was outstanding!

So, you may be right…it could be…

I feel that our current Brown's team, so far, lacks the excitement, enthusiasm and personality of past teams that have drawn so much interest.

Maybe it's the coach, maybe it's the players, or maybe it's the owner. Or, is it all of the above?

Regardless, its time for the team to step up and "come out of the closet." Show us what you are made of. Show a national audience what the real Cleveland Browns team is. Cover your man with passion. Show him your moves. Show him you are better than he is. Show us everything.

Leave nothing in the playbook. Leave it all on the field. Just like the 1965 Browns.

Alex Krysa

Dear Alex,

First, wasn't that the 1964 Browns team that beat the Colts?

No matter.

My real quibble is that the last thing any of us need is for the Browns to "come out of the closet" and show us their moves.

Call me a homophobe if you like, but that's not something I want to see from a football team.

Dear Pat,

The Browns win on Monday? What are you smokin'?

James (from a lengthier online comment)

Dear James,

Want some of what I was smokin'?

And a bonus fourth:

Dear Pat,

Wouldn't it be ironic to see the Browns, who left the preseason Monday night game with the Giants in shambles — leaving fans, media and sports experts to question the highly ranked Cleveland Browns for the first time – play the way they were originally expected to play?
After all, the first Monday night preseason game is what initially entered doubt into everyone's minds. That's when all of our injuries, penalties, turnovers and blunders began.

The Browns are where they were last year, when they shocked the NFL. They're the underdogs. Everyone has something to prove and the fourth quarter in Cincinnati is giving them hope and confidence and reassurance of their abilities.

The Browns are back Pat!

I can feel it.

Mark my words.

The Browns will be victorious on Monday.

It WILL happen!

John Reed

Dear John,

Evidently you stole a whole lot of the stuff I was smoking.

(Want to be recognized in "Three and Out"? It's a rare treat. Comment here or send an e-mail to pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com, and put "First and 10" in the subject line)