The Browns looked woeful again in losing to Baltimore. Still think the coach deserves another year?
But … the game ended bizarrely, with Josh Cribbs on the ground after having been run into by Dwan Edwards on one of those goofy lateral plays.
This hit did not appear intentional. Edwards was running to get into the play and ran headlong into Cribbs and appeared to catch Cribbs in the throat. He lay on the ground for several moments before being taken off on a cart and board. Coach Eric Mangini said Cribbs had feeling in his body and that he was taken off on a cart for precautionary reasons.
You almost wonder why the Browns ran that play, and if the injury was as much their own fault for running it in that situation. It started with three seconds left, and the Browns were down 16. Even had they scored the Browns would have gotten nothing for it but a loss. Running it did nothing but put players at risk, and Cribbs took the shot. It was an unnecessary call, and the result was an unnecessary injury.
The Ravens, though, will be plenty steamed about Brady Quinn throwing himself at the knees of standout defensive end Terrell Suggs during an interception return in the third quarter. Chris Carr was returning a pass Quinn intercepted when Quinn threw himself at Suggs' knees when Suggs was not looking. The Pro Bowler wound up leaving the game with a sprained knee and could miss several more weeks.
To his credit, Quinn apologized to Suggs and the Ravens. But the damage was done. This will not go over well in Baltimore, nor should it go over well in New York when fines are assessed this week. Quinn acted like he was blocking Suggs — and Baltimore had the ball.
LATE ADDITION: Said Robert Royal of Cribbs: "He was cracking jokes down there, so that was a good sign. He was waving his limbs. We don't know the extent of the injury, but at the same time we think he will be all right."
{ 35 comments }
Cribbs injury was the Browns fault? What should they have done, knelt down? I don't see anything wrong with trying to accomplish something on a night when little went right. The was a freak injury. He wasn't even hit while he had the ball. It looked like it could have been a cheap shot.
When I die, please don't let Robert Royal be a pallbearer at my funeral. He'll drop the casket.
Oh, and Joe, this wasn't California vs. Stanford. After 85 laterals, nobody was going to be running through the marching band on the field and plowing over the tuba player on their way in for the winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. Much like the guys who ruin their careers during Mangini's "voluntary" extra practice, that last play was pointless. Senseless. Delonte West running through a maze trying to find a piece of cheese.
PFT is reporting that Cribbs was being treated for a possible concussion…one that never should have happened because the Browns were allowed 4 time outs in the second half by the refs.
Hey, Pat….you are as big a cheap shot artiste as Quinn. Do you really think this mess is all Mangini's fault? This team is a wreck, it has been a wreck, and Mangini wasn't going to change that in one year. Mangini is going to need at least THREE years to fix this steaming pile of crap. Why do you think Mangini did the exact oppostie of what the wonderkid Savage did? Why do you think Mangini stockpiled 11 draft picks for next year? You think that this team had anywhere near the talent needed to compete on a professional level? Not even close. It has become painfully clear Pat, that your writing is nothing more than your display of an axe to grind with the Browns organization and the coach. Nothing more than that. It's actually quite pathetic…..
You give Mangini two more years to fix this, BF, and you'll end up with half the team in traction. There will be more spinal injuries than touchdowns.
The Browns are averaging 9.75 points/game this year. Last year through 10 games (before D.A. and Quinn both were hurt), the Browns averaged 20.1 PPG. In 1999, the Browns averaged 13.6 PPG. In the first 6 games of 2006 (up until Maurice Carthon was forced to resign), the Browns averaged 14.2 PPG.
The saddest thing about the game is that the coaches had two weeks to prepare an offensive game plan…and THAT is what they came up with?
If we have to put up with 2 1/2 more years of this, Browns fans will be lining up to jump off the 480 bridge (or throw Mangini off it).
On a brighter note…next week we play Detroit for the GLC Barge – and this time it counts!
Milk it Josh – don't play this week and take care of yourself. I don't care if it is the Lions (and sorry Brian – the Barge isn't up for grabs this time, that's only a preseason gimick – its just for pride!)
Ha ha… I think the Browns could play for pride. Oh I crack myself up…
I do love the fact that Quinn got that shot in. I'm pretty sure that Suggs hasn't played the extent of his career without one. What's worse: the hit or who it came from?
Alright, I'll put my snarkiness aside for second and ask a simple question: how in the world can Brian Dabol keep his job? And a follow-up: why is St. Clair on any NFL roster?
Brownstown:
Take a deep breath. Now-Mangini traded away the offensive playmakers. Let's assume he did it for good reasons. Still, Mangini had a duty to replace those playmakers. He thought he did. He was wrong. He replaced the right side of the O-line with guys who are worse. He cannot evaluate talent. Mangini brought in 10 Jet backups making us a team with 18 players over 30. Again, the players he brought in have made zero impact. He inherited two qbs who are now much worse than they were before. 40% of this roster are Mangini's selections but the best players are ones that were already here. And YOU want to give Mangini a raise and a vote for coach of the year. Oh, and most of those 11 draft picks are in later rounds. Mangini must go.
I know Elizabeth, but they gotta have something to play for because pride has left the building.
Bill, Bowens did have a good game last night.
Brownstown Frown (err, Mrs. Mangini), your comments are insipid and no one, NO ONE, agrees with you. You want this guy to coach your team, good…go create a team and hire him. And good luck with that.
How many more weeks of embarrassment will Mr. Lerner put up with before he realizes that the roster ERIC MANGINI personally put together to compete…is as limp, lifeless, untalented, unmotivated, unprofessional and impotent as any NFL roster in history. That's a lot to accomplish in just a few months–but Eric DID it! He took mediocrity, and turned it into an abomination. Well done, coach, well done. You have one fan (see above). The rest of us want you GONE.
The offensive line sucks so bad there's really no way to know if the team has "playmakers." Until the final drive, Quinn only dropped back to pass from a pocket about three times last night, and every time the floodgates opened. It is obvious the coaching staff has no confidence in the line, thus the bizarre playcalling and gameplan.
The defense played very well, however. If the Browns can get the OL straightened out they'd be close to competitive.
hey brownstown frown, mangini's bad decisions tacked on two of the three years you're talking about.
i had no idea cribbs got hurt until this morning. at the time of that play i couldn't believe they were trying something that stupid. but mangini is the coach, so i guess i should have expected it.
nice work eric. get the only guy capable of making a play hurt on a pointless play. hey brownstown frown, maybe we should sign this guy up for life?
eric mangini forever!
I guess I feel a little better about things… nine games in and people are starting to realize our offensive line is horrible and could possibly be part of the problem.
And people say girls don't know anything about sports…
Keep whining everybody, it does absolutely no good. Did anybody notice the 10 yard pass policy they used. If you throw the ball downfield the defense is stretched. The problem is not the players, although more talent would be nice, the offensive gameplan was a joke. Who to fire? how about the offensive coordinator. If you want to give up why don't you root for the Steelers like the rest of the band wagon jumpers.
ky……..the brand of jelly you prefer?
Which "playmakers"? Kellen "motorcycle", who spent more time OFF the field than on it? Braylon "can't catch a cold because I hate Cleveland" who intentionally dropped most of the passes thrown his way? Both of who were on the FIRST plane out of Cleveland at the end of the season? Or did he screw up by not trading that great playmaker, BQ, who showed last night WHY they can't design a play for him to throw down the field….something to do with accuracy and even being able to keep the ball in the field of play???
This team has been devoid of talent from the minute it was resurrected. if you believe that there was actual "coachable" talent anywhere near Cleveland, you don't know much about football. There were a ton of fans who thought that after the 10-6 2007 season that the Browns were Super Bowl contenders the next year. They could not see what was plainly in front of them: 10-6 because of a very soft schedule. remember how many teams over .500 we beat that year? When the Browns played a schedule that included the upper eschelon of teams in the NFL, look what happened. 2008 was not an abberation. it was a fact based on what this organization has had to work with over the past ten years. And after last year, it was "all the coach and/or GM's fault". Fired Romeo and Savage, brought in Mangini, and we are all pissed because Mangini's style and vision for this team that does not include the likes of a Kellen Winslow or Braylon Edwards? Nope…I don't think Mangini is wrong in what he is trying to do. I do think that Browns fans want so bad for something to believe in that they will delude themselves into thinking that this group of misfits wearing Browns uniforms had or has any talent.
"Nope…I don't think Mangini is wrong in what he is trying to do."
this is the perfect slogan for an anti glue sniffing campaign.
BrownsTown Fan, our only response to you is this: WHO gutted the roster and assembled this rag-tag bunch of talentless bodies? Oh yeah. Your guy.
So now we're supposed to blindly trust this BallBoy who badly botched last year's draft, in addition to the complete annihilation of the roster, with a future draft? Uh, I don't THINK so. What are you smokin'?
Marc, who did Mangini get rid of that was WORTH keeping? Huh? Mangini is going to try to build something for the future. Problem is, unlike many of you wanted to believe, there are only two or three players on the entire roster (one of them is a punter, for Christ's sakes!) There is NOT a professional level NFL QB on the Browns roster today. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Mangini is trying to build for the future of this team through the draft. That's the only way he is going to accomplish anything. So where exactly did Mangini screw up the draft? Sanchez? The Browns were already on the hook for not one, but TWO quarterbacks who would have made signing a THIRD top pick QB impossible. Mangini was not sure what he had with EITHER QB that was on the roster…. and neither turned out to be worth anything. So Mangini got a center who can become one of the building blocks on this team as time goes on. MoMass? Robiski? You really think that the two prima donnas were going to stay in Cleveland at the end of the season? You really think that? Or was Mangini supposed to play them, and let them walk for nothing at the end of the season? This isn't Pittsburgh, New England, Indy, or any other market where team continuity, coaching, talent, and ownership is so far above the rest of the pack that players WANT to go there.
Brownstown Frown, Mangini selecting Rey Maualuga instead of Robiskie would have been a good start.
And Michael Oher at right tackle would have been a better pick than Mack.
wow brownstown, didn't think there was anyone as delusional as you still around. this is the worst incarnation of the browns team that I have ever witnessed as long as I've been watching this team, with a historically bad offense (having to go back to the 1933-34 Cincinnati Reds as pointed out on the program yesterday). Yet you claim Mangini deserves more time? And building for the future makes sense if you have some way to evaluate talent, but clearly Mangini doesn't. alex mack does not strike anyone as an all-star center at this point, and his two second round picks are nothing more than slot WRs at best (hurray for more Mike Furreys). He can't build for the future when he's responsible for the present disaster.
Brownstown:
Take another deep breath. Ready? Last year I attended a Monday night game in which the Browns destroyed the Super Bowl Champion Giants. DA lit it up, BE was terrific, and the defense made big plays at tough moments. Now Brownie concentrate real hard. After Mangini has made all these personnel changes could the Browns play to that same level again this year after adding free agents and draft choices? If the answer is no, then it's on Mangini. Who did we replace Winslow and BE with? That's the issue. Mangini thinks Robert Royal is Kellen and that Massaquoi is BE. Do you? Mangini must go.
Bill. Try to think real hard. That Browns team last season. What was its record? How did it look at the end of the season?
According to another sports writer, they put the short passing game plan in to capitalize on Quinn's strengths of making quick decisive throws. The down side of that is if there is nothing there, Quinn will take a sack. Every time he plays we see this game plan…very quick short throws. We saw some downfield throws late in the 4th. If I were an opposing teams Def. Coordinator. I'd single up the receivers and rush 8 every time. There can't be any respect for Quinn's ability to throw deep…not at this point. If Quinn is being sacked at a rate of 12 sacks per 12 Quarters and DA sackes 9 times per 22 Quarters….YES some of the blame can be assessed to the line…but something is wrong when a guy cannot get the ball past 10 yards downfield. I say KEEP Quinn in. I do want to see what he can do before this or the next regime decides to invest 20-40 million in gauranteed money in another QB. If we see more of this short passing game…the question must be asked can this formula win long term even WITH a running game because teams will just stack the box and force Quinn to throw long.
Larry D.
You think hard also. Which team is better-last year's or this year's? not even close-this team beat the Giants on Monday night? LOL. And Mangini brought his guys in to make it worse. I'll take last year's team over these guys 100% of the time. How's that for thinking hard?
last year's team was decimated by injuries at key positions in the end. this year's team doesn't have that excuse.
Hey, Bill…remember who was also "absent" from that game, when the blind squirrels found the nut? Remember who returned after that game and everything went back to the status (losing) quo'? Remember who (even though he played "terrific" in ONE game) still was among the league leader in DROPS last year? It would be fine if you could have pointed to the Giants game last year as the "norm" instead of the "exception". But you can't. Did you not believe that this team was going to have to take a few steps backward, retool, and regroup in order to move forward? Or were you one of those who believed that all members of the Browns are perrenial Pro Bowlers who would start on any other team?
As for Mangini's ability to see "talent". I saw the "talent" that Mangini put at QB last night….again. Only differences were the colors of the jerseys…….
Brownie:
This year the Browns will have more Pro Bowlers than wins. You can drink all the Kool-Aid you want that we had to have this disaster to move forward. We didn't. Last year's team, as bad as it was, could have won 6 games if not decimated by injuries. Now we are beyond awful. I live in New York with 3 years up close with Mangini. He cannot be his own GM and personnel director because he can't identify talent. He really thinks he can trade Winslow and throw passes to Robert Royal. That you can trade BE and throw passes to Massaquoi who is most effective as a #2 receiver. He thinks that's ok. You seem to agree. Well, good luck-but Mangini must go.
Bill:
IN THE FUTURE who was going to be throwing the passes? BQ? No one knew. DA? Guess we found out. Do you think that this team really needed another year of Kellen Winslow? Do you think that Kellen Winslow was going to even stick around? BE gave up on the Cleveland Browns ….let's see….about TWO YEARS AGO. Do you think that having BE to throw to last night was going to make a difference? Do you think that having Kellen Winslow to throw to last night was going to make a difference? And last year's team winning six games??? Against who? Sorry, but St. Ignatius, Lakewood, and Cleveland Benedictine weren't on our schedule last year. Accept this year as what it is: a complete rebuild, complete with a learning process. Give it another year and see how MoMass and Robiskie respond to a year of pro ball under their belts, and with a REAL NFL QB (there is NOT one on our roster today!!!!) throwing to them. BQ played the exact hand he was dealt last night…look over the field for a second and throw to the receiver that is closest to you. That was all Quinn. When he rolls out and is staring at his back coming into the pattern and WAITING for the back to look for the ball, Quinn had NO intention of throwing anywhere else. When Quinn dropped back and WAITED for Furrey or MoMass to make a break in the pattern and WATCHED them the entire way, he had no intention of throwing anywhere else. How many sacks did Quinn TURN into last night? Yep…this is nothing more than a lost season, with many new players (Quinn included) LEARNING the pro game at the pro level. Anyone who had visions of a divisional or super bowl contender was either toked up or drinking heavily.
Brownstown, I don't know if you're arguing for the sake of arguing, or if you actually believe the stuff you're writing. Probably a lot of both. The plain fact of the matter is Mangini gave away what little talent they had. Just gave it away.
It's an idiotic argument to make that they wouldn't have won anyway even if they had Winslow and Edwards and/or adequate replacements for them which equaled value for value. It took two years of two drafts to get two playmakers. Playmakers are rarely found hiding underneath a rock in the middle rounds. That's where you find your role players to surround the playmakers. It will literally take years to replace Winslow and Edwards.
And I'll tell you what, if they had Winslow and Edwards (or somebody else's extremely talented bad news to replace one or both of them), at least they wouldn't have been shut out.
brownstown, you are wasting valuable keystrokes on eric mangini. save your fingers for someone more worthy.
FIRE MANGINI NOW.
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