First and 10: Why not Cribbs at QB?

First and 10

1)      Derek Anderson asked if we were on crack when someone suggested to him that Josh Cribbs play quarterback for the Browns this Sunday in Tennessee. Ahem. For the record, crack has never once been the drug of choice on my kitchen table. And to be quite frank, anyone who followed Kent State when Cribbs was there knows the guy can flat out play. He might not be the prototype NFL quarterback, but in the situation the Browns find themselves they may need to find something new and unique.

2)      Cribbs might not be ready to run a full set of the "game plan," but he sure can be ready to run 20 or 25 plays. And they don't all have to be runs. To this point, every time Cribbs lines up in the "wildcat" he's run the ball. Or handed off. Pretty much the same play every time. And it's gone nowhere. It's time to expand his responsibilities and try something different and clever.

3)      Here's the thing with a lot of NFL coaches: They go by what a guy is supposed to do. A quarterback is supposed to be tall with a strong arm so he can throw the "out." He's not supposed to run, because the other guys are supposed to be bigger and faster. And he's supposed to spend hours and hours watching film and studying breakdowns both at work and at home. In fact, he's not supposed to have a home life, because he's supposed to spend it all studying and thinking about nothing but football. That way when he gets on the field he'll be programmed to do nothing but what he's been told to do. Eliminate athletic ability, instincts and the ability to react … just do what you've been "coached up" to do.

4)      This is not to make fun of the coaches, now. The Browns have some excellent ones who work hard and do all possible – if fans could see the looks of anguish on their faces after these last couple games they might tone down the anger a bit – to win games. There are several coaches on the Browns staff I would like on mine were anyone stupid enough to hire me. But difficult times call for a different approach and a different thought. And this is one of them.

5)      Start Ken Dorsey, of course. Let him take the first few snaps. Perhaps he can get into a rhythm, and perhaps the defense can play like it did against the Colts and keep the Browns in the game. But use Cribbs as well. Let him run, let him throw, let him improvise and let him be a football player. If the Browns are smart about it, it can work. And anyone who watched Cribbs play at Kent State is aware how well it can work. For crying out loud, try something.

6)      As for those who have commented on this crog or e-mailed to say the Browns should not play Cribbs to protect him from injury, I say this: Poppycock! Yes, that's a word you don't see too often, just like you hardly ever hear "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" played on the radio. Guys sign contracts to play the game. It's what they do. They practice and prepare to compete on Sunday. If there's a guy in the locker room who does not want to play in the game on Sunday, he shouldn't have a signed contract.

7)      Someone needs to explain to me how Sage Rosenfels can look so calm and poised in the pocket against the Browns one week and then how Peyton Manning can look so confused the next. Isn't one a future Hall of Famer?

8)      Honest question: Is there an NFL game right now you'd set aside time to watch? Think of the Thanksgiving games. I gotta think Sunday's Dolphins-Rams game had the TIVOs working overtime.

9)      Is there a much bigger free agent bust than Donte Stallworth? Yes, he has the potential to turn things around in future years, but this year … wow.

10)   That Bengals-Browns season finale should be a tough ticket to come by. Of course at some point in the third quarter, the Browns will announce 73-thousand-whatever "tickets distributed for today's game" in the press box. As opposed to actual attendance, because of course stating how many people actually showed for the game might indicate the number of people who did not come. Because of course when anyone is at the game they can't see the empty seats. Heck with it … let's look for one bright side for Sunday. In 2001, Ken Dorsey had an outstanding season for the University of Miami. His offensive coordinator that season was Rob Chudzinski. So if anyone knows Dorsey well and what plays he can run and what plays he can't, it's the guy calling plays for the Browns now. Call me nuts, but I've gone from thinking the Browns have no chance on Sunday to thinking if they are smart with their use of Dorsey and clever with their use of Cribbs, they might just pull off an upset.

Three and Out

Dear Pat,

A couple of points about your Monday article — www.ohio.com/sports/mcmanamon/35298334.html

Let me ask you, what is Rob Chudzinski supposed to do?  If he doesn't run it enough, Lewis complains.  If he doesn't pass it enough, Winslow complains.  And everybody complains to the press who are just giddy to get a story about how someone is not happy.

Let's talk about the running game.  Having seen the Browns on TV every game this year (and this game in person), haven't you or somebody notice that Lewis is not hitting the holes the line gives for him because he's just too slow?  But if Harrison or Wright are put in too many plays, Lewis will start to complain to the press.

As far Shaffer is concerned, is it Savage or Crennel's fault that Tucker was hurt the whole year?  Pro-Bowl right tackles don't grow on trees do they?

And as far as the loss on Sunday, if Steve Heiden makes the catch for a first down, the fumble/touchdown play (what came the play after) doesn't happen.  Did Marla or yourself write an article about that? Or the illegal procedure play he also had?

I just want the press to be fair. I think it's a fair criticism that Crennel has not melded the offense to buy into a "team concept" in which, whatever the game plan is that day, the team buys into it. If that mean Winslow gets twenty passes, he gets twenty passes. I think it's a fair criticism that Savage has missed with draft picks (Travis Wilson comes to mind) and personnel moves (Donte Stallworth).

I guess the question Marla and yourself have to ask is, "If Lerner implements Marla's ‘Plan A' or ‘Plan B,' do you really think we're going to win the Super Bowl in 2009?"  Didn't we have the same conversation back in 2005 during Butch Davis' last year?  Oh, and I forgot, the owner needs to sell the team now right?

Thanks for reading my email.

Pete Podnar

Hobart, Indiana

Dear Pete,

Thanks for writing your e-mail.

I'll go in reverse order. Quite frankly, I had forgotten about Heiden's drop. Because everyone will drop one now and then. It's when the drops and mistakes keep happening, especially at key situations, that they become bigger issues. I think that's what you have found with Braylon Edwards (drops) and Winslow (pass interference penalties and the key plays against Denver).

Shaffer is not anyone's fault, it's just that he was the guy who was involved in a key play. Guys can be bull rushed, I get that. And when a smaller guy bull rushes a big guy the way Robert Mathis did to Shaffer, the smaller guy also has leverage. Mistakes happen, but it's our job to write about them. To his credit, Shaffer "manned up" after the game and talked about it.

Regarding Jamal Lewis, I have started to wonder the past couple games. When a back loses it, it goes in a hurry. But I also thought the same thing about Lewis at times last year. He's the kind of guy a team needs to keep using. The first quarter the gains might be two, three yards, but when he keeps pounding the defense those gains are six, seven, 12 yards in the fourth quarter – provided the team is winning.

As to all the guys complaining and the team concept, you may have hit a key point. When guys are more interested in their numbers the team suffers. If guys are interested in winning, the team benefits. That's why character and maturity are considerations as important as talent when selecting players.

Good e-mail.

Dear Pat,

I agree – the Browns should give Cribbs a chance at quarterback.  Like he could do worse than throw passes to someone's feet from less than ten yards away.

I'm curious about the charge that fans cheered when DA got hurt.  I've heard from people at the game that they didn't cheer when he got hurt, they cheered when he got up and was coming off the field.  But I wasn't at the game and the TV announcers never said anything about fans cheering the injury.

What's your take on that?

John Brodie

Galt, CA

Dear John,

I know that Anderson talked about this after the game, but I have to be honest and say I did not notice derisive cheers or boos when he got hurt. If anything, I thought the crowd showed respect. They cheered as he left the field, and many stood. It seemed to be part the traditional show of respect for an injured player and part recognition that they may have been seeing the last of Anderson, and they appreciated his efforts for the Browns.

That was my take at least.

Dear Pat,

With 12 games behind us, this is late to be asking this but I wonder how many yards receiving Braylon Edwards would have if he actually received instead of waved at the ball as it falls to the ground?

I can't forget the air guitar celebration when he finally caught one …

Eddie Vidmar

Dear Eddie,

That air guitar thing was quite a sight, wasn't it?

As to your question, I'm not sure where to find the exact stat, but I did go to footballoustiders.com to check Edwards' performance through their unique stats.

Edwards ranks 74^th in the league in DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement). This values the player's performance compared to the average, so Edwards is well below average.

He is 68^th in DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average). This represents a player's value, per play, compared to the average receiver.

All this means he's well below average in his performance.

Edwards is 10^th in the league with 106 passes thrown his way. He's caught 42, dropped 16 (first in the league) and not caught 64 (also the highest number in the league).

Talk about wasting some amazing talent …

Dear Pat,

Even with this disappointing season becoming more absurd every day, there are still a few things that Browns fans can be thankful for:

*The name on the door is still Cleveland – not Cincinnati or Detroit.

*Since 1999 the Browns have as many playoff wins as the Dallas Cowboys.

*None of the Browns have accidentally shot themselves with their own guns.

I know it's not much, but being a Cleveland fan means having to find joy where you can.

Thomas Moore

Stow, Ohio

Dear Thomas,

Ho ho ho!

It's just amazing to me that more of us don't shoot ourselves with our own guns, but perhaps we're just lucky.

(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)

Tagged as: Cleveland Browns, Josh Cribbs, Romeo Crennel