The Browns and Titans Should Trade Quarterbacks

Earlier this week, the Tennessee Titans announced that Vince Young will once again be the starting quarterback. Ordinarily, you would expect Young to be excited to get the opportunity for a second chance. I am sure he is excited to a degree, but he also has to be a bit apprehensive due to the circumstances.

It is well noted that owner Bud Adams wanted Young to play. Jeff Fisher believes in Kerry Collins and one player even said that coaches hands were tied in this. In other words, Young will start not because the coach or teammates believe he is the right guy, but because the owner wants him in there.

Is that a good situation for him to be in? I think we all know the answer to that and more importantly we all know how this story will end.

In a way, I can’t blame Adams for his position. He has alot invested in Young and wants to see a return on his investment.

I also don’t think players should change their preparation regardless of who is playing quarterback. Players get a little too loyal to one guy and don’t want to give a younger guy a chance regardless of how bad the team is with the other quarterback at the helm.

Just north of Tennesse, there is a similar story. Brady Quinn was drafted a couple years back to be the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, Quinn has never really been given a fair chance to grow into the position.

It seems that whenever he goes in, he is constantly looking over his shoulder. Coaches and teammates can never wait for any reason to put Derek Anderson in whenever Quinn stubs. Anderson gets chance after chance no matter how poorly he plays.

There was speculation when Quinn got his first start, it was Randy Lerner’s decision and not Romeo Crennel’s. Now Eric Mangini is the coach and just doesn’t seem to like Quinn at all.

The reality is that neither Kerry Collins nor Derek Anderson are the long term answers for their respective teams. The players and coaches on both teams know that deep down.

At the same time, neither team seems to think the prospect on the bench is the answer. That is not totally the fault of either Vince young or Brady Quinn; both have made mistakes. Young wanted to quit last year and Quinn held out as a rookie. Those moves rubbed teammates the wrong way.

I would think that at some point the players on the Titans and Browns would let it go and understand that young guys make mistakes. They also need to understand that young quarterbacks need time to grow on the field. Neither Young nor Quinn have gotten that from their teammates.

A change of scenery seems needed for both of them. I think trading Young for Quinn would be a trade that would benefit both the Titans and Browns next season.

Why Brady Quinn would work in Tennessee

Brady Quinn is really more of a system quarterback. I mean that as a compliment even though it is often looked down upon. A system quarterback is actually a good thing. It is a guy who can take a system that is in place and can run it efficiently.

The Titans seem to have a pretty good system in place. They certainly have runners like Lendale White, Chris Johnson, and Javon Ringer that will help a young quarterback.

Quinn has also been better whenever he has a good tight end. With Bo Scaife and Alge Crumpler, he has two.

Quinn is also good at hitting quick slants in stride. Therefore the Titans would need receivers that are good running after the catch.

Why Vince Young would work in Cleveland

This one is quite simple. The Browns lack playmakers. Although Quinn is a pretty good scrambler, he would never be mistaken for Michael Vick.

Young on the other hand can take a scrambling play that most quarterbacks would gain 10 yards on and turn it into a 30 yard gain. With a poor offensive line, no running game, and no real playmakers in the passing game, Young may be exactly what the Browns need.

Although the trade deadline has passed, this is something the Titans and Browns should look at in the off season. The Titans have to remember that Quinn had a great game against them in the pre-season.

This trade would make sense because the Titans really need a guy that can run a system more so than another playmaker and the Browns have no system so a system quarterback won’t work;they need playmakers.

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All This Quinn Fan Is Asking For

After the Browns’ loss to the Packers on Sunday, Eric Mangini said that he never considered putting in Brady Quinn. He said that he was comfortable with D.A. (Derek Anderson) as his starter. Mangini also noticeably dodged any questions that involved making a change back to Brady Quinn.

Let me make one thing completely clear. I do not want Brady Quinn going back in at this point. He has no chance to succeed with this team. The team is completely outmatched every week. Changing quarterbacks will not fix that.

I haven’t been around much lately in the Browns section. The team just wore me out. I have seen fans want Quinn in one day and Anderson in the next. I have also seen guys call Mangini the next Belichick one week and want him fired the next.

This is a very indecisive city. I may disagree with 90 percent of what Paul Mongera says, but at least he has been consistent in his position. I respect him for that.

Yes, I wasn’t a true Browns fan. I have never hid that. I became a Browns fan the day they drafted Brady Quinn. Although the Browns were never my team, I was happy to see my all-time-favorite college quarterback go to the team he always wanted to play for.

I know that some are wondering how I felt in 2007 when Anderson was having a great year.

At the time, I thought it was the best thing for Quinn. Nothing kills a quarterback’s career more than coaches playing them too early. I thought it was good for him to watch and learn.

So yes, I was rooting for the Browns back when Quinn wasn’t starting. More importantly, I was rooting for Anderson. Of course, some of my friends would say, “But if Anderson continues to play this well, isn’t it bad for Quinn?”

I replied that it was good for Quinn to watch and learn. It would be good for him to watch a team and be up close and personal with a team making a playoff run. Even if it meant he got traded, it would have been good for him to see how a playoff team operates.

The reality is, I liked Anderson when he was playing great. In fact, I voted for him to make the Pro Bowl. I regretted that vote the next day.

Anderson went into Cincinnati and threw four interceptions and cost the Browns a trip to the playoffs. I immediately began disliking him.

His poor performance planted a seed of doubt in the organization and the fans. His performance in the Pro Bowl created even more doubt.

Since that time, Quinn’s career has been held hostage by this organization.

Sure he has had minimal opportunity to play, but the coaches looked for any reason to get him out and Anderson back in.

Yes, Quinn struggled against the Vikings and Broncos. Tom Brady and Tony Romo also struggled against the Broncos. The Vikings have been one of the top defenses in the league. Those two teams’ are a combined 12-1.

For whatever reason, Mangini thinks that Anderson gives them a better chance to win, despite lesser stats against lesser defenses. That is fine with me at this point. I don’t want Quinn’s career taking any more of a hit because he is playing on this team.

I realize that Quinn’s best value to the Browns is as trade-bait. However, for the Browns to get a fair trade for him, other teams must see that there is something to trade for. Although I don’t want to see Quinn play in this situation, I would like him to play in the last three games.

Why the last three games? Because they’re against the Chiefs, Raiders, and Jaguars.

I figure it is the fairest way to see what he can do as a quarterback in this league. Since the Browns stink and those three teams stink, the talent level will be about even. Then we will see what Quinn can do on an even playing field.

In those games, which is really a three game audition for another team, the Browns must allow Brady Quinn to be Brady Quinn. What I mean is, call rollouts and bootlegs. Also, let Quinn call the plays at the line of scrimmage. He is at his best in the no-huddle. If you don’t believe me, ask Charlie Weis.

Even if Quinn isn’t as great calling plays at the NFL level as he was in college, I am quite sure he can do better than Brian Daboll.

 

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All This Quinn Fan Is Asking For

After the Browns’ loss to the Packers on Sunday, Eric Mangini said that he never considered putting in Brady Quinn. He said that he was comfortable with D.A. (Derek Anderson) as his starter. Mangini also noticeably dodged any questions that involved making a change back to Brady Quinn.

Let me make one thing completely clear. I do not want Brady Quinn going back in at this point. He has no chance to succeed with this team. The team is completely outmatched every week. Changing quarterbacks will not fix that.

I haven’t been around much lately in the Browns section. The team just wore me out. I have seen fans want Quinn in one day and Anderson in the next. I have also seen guys call Mangini the next Belichick one week and want him fired the next.

This is a very indecisive city. I may disagree with 90 percent of what Paul Mongera says, but at least he has been consistent in his position. I respect him for that.

Yes, I wasn’t a true Browns fan. I have never hid that. I became a Browns fan the day they drafted Brady Quinn. Although the Browns were never my team, I was happy to see my all-time-favorite college quarterback go to the team he always wanted to play for.

I know that some are wondering how I felt in 2007 when Anderson was having a great year.

At the time, I thought it was the best thing for Quinn. Nothing kills a quarterback’s career more than coaches playing them too early. I thought it was good for him to watch and learn.

So yes, I was rooting for the Browns back when Quinn wasn’t starting. More importantly, I was rooting for Anderson. Of course, some of my friends would say, “But if Anderson continues to play this well, isn’t it bad for Quinn?”

I replied that it was good for Quinn to watch and learn. It would be good for him to watch a team and be up close and personal with a team making a playoff run. Even if it meant he got traded, it would have been good for him to see how a playoff team operates.

The reality is, I liked Anderson when he was playing great. In fact, I voted for him to make the Pro Bowl. I regretted that vote the next day.

Anderson went into Cincinnati and threw four interceptions and cost the Browns a trip to the playoffs. I immediately began disliking him.

His poor performance planted a seed of doubt in the organization and the fans. His performance in the Pro Bowl created even more doubt.

Since that time, Quinn’s career has been held hostage by this organization.

Sure he has had minimal opportunity to play, but the coaches looked for any reason to get him out and Anderson back in.

Yes, Quinn struggled against the Vikings and Broncos. Tom Brady and Tony Romo also struggled against the Broncos. The Vikings have been one of the top defenses in the league. Those two teams’ are a combined 12-1.

For whatever reason, Mangini thinks that Anderson gives them a better chance to win, despite lesser stats against lesser defenses. That is fine with me at this point. I don’t want Quinn’s career taking any more of a hit because he is playing on this team.

I realize that Quinn’s best value to the Browns is as trade-bait. However, for the Browns to get a fair trade for him, other teams must see that there is something to trade for. Although I don’t want to see Quinn play in this situation, I would like him to play in the last three games.

Why the last three games? Because they’re against the Chiefs, Raiders, and Jaguars.

I figure it is the fairest way to see what he can do as a quarterback in this league. Since the Browns stink and those three teams stink, the talent level will be about even. Then we will see what Quinn can do on an even playing field.

In those games, which is really a three game audition for another team, the Browns must allow Brady Quinn to be Brady Quinn. What I mean is, call rollouts and bootlegs. Also, let Quinn call the plays at the line of scrimmage. He is at his best in the no-huddle. If you don’t believe me, ask Charlie Weis.

Even if Quinn isn’t as great calling plays at the NFL level as he was in college, I am quite sure he can do better than Brian Daboll.

 

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Message To Browns Fans: Watch Tom Brady

Just when I thought I was done writing about the Browns a couple of things happened to bring me back for at least one more. John Flyte of Brady-Quinn.org (a site I didn’t even know existed) sent me a message, and I realized that there still are people out there who see what I see. 

A two-of-17 performance by a quarterback who is supposed to be better than Brady Quinn, also encouraged me to come back. I am not here to bash Derek Anderson. Doing so would make me no better than those who bash Quinn. Instead, I am going to reiterate a point I have been making since Quinn was benched.

There is not a quarterback past, present, or future that could quarterback this team. The reason is that this team stinks. My contention to those who said Quinn was afraid to go downfield was that his receivers were covered, and he had no time.

I didn’t see the game today but my guess is that many of Anderson’s incompletions were because of hurried throws. These guys, who Eric Mangini brought in to improve the line, are even worse than the guys they replaced. He really sounds like a Mangenius.

A game I did watch today was New England and Denver. It was outstanding. Both teams have quarterbacks that make safe decisions with the football. They will check down to a screen if it is not open downfield. Does that sound like a quarterback we know?

Well, Tom Brady and Kyle Orton both think that way as well. Orton looks to be on the verge of a breakout year, and we all know what Brady can do. So why does this approach work so well for Brady in New England, and Quinn was unable to move the ball in Cleveland?

It really doesn’t take a Mangenius to figure that one out. When Brady wants to go deep, the line usually him gives time to do so. The guy on the other end of it, is this guy by the name of Randy Moss. Last I checked, that guy is pretty good.

Quinn’s best deep threat was Braylon Edwards. I love Edwards, but he cannot go up and take a ball away from defenders the way Moss does.

When Brady checks down to a screen, Kevin Faulk or Wes Welker make great runs after the catch. Let’s face it, Mike Furrey is no Wes Welker. Robert Royal is no Benjamin Watson. Jamal Lewis (at this stage of his career) and Jerome Harrison, can’t even compare to Sammie Morris and Fred Taylor.

I mean no disrespect to Tom Brady by comparing him to Brady Quinn. I am a huge Tom Brady fan, and there is no comparison at this point. All I am saying is watch Brady next week. You will see that they are more similar than just in name.  Both mentored by Charlie Weis, their footwork and mechanics look almost identical.

The difference is that one guy has the talent around him to make it work, and the other guy doesn’t. One guy also has a coach who believes in him, so the team will rally around that guy. If you are skeptical on this assessment, just watch Tom Brady next week. Then come talk to me afterward.

This is all on Mangini. He held this team, and city, hostage with this prolonged quarterback controversy, which I am sure will heat up again this week. Instead, he should have named his guy, and put the right players around him to make the system work.

Anderson and Quinn are totally different types of quarterbacks. While Quinn is a Brady type, Anderson is more of a Jay Cutler type. That is why I wasn’t shocked when Josh McDaniels tried to trade Cutler the first time. He didn’t fit the system.

I am giving both Quinn and Anderson passes on what has happened this year. Neither was properly prepared, and neither has the right players to fit their talents. This is all on Mangini.

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Eric Mangini and Cleveland Browns Ruining Brady Quinn’s NFL Career

In all likelihood, this will be my last article about the Browns. What’s going on in Cleveland just isn’t right and I can’t root for this team as long as Eric Mangini is the coach.

Yes, I am a Brady Quinn fan, and always will be no matter what he does in the NFL.

I am a college fan first and Quinn was a great quarterback at Notre Dame. Whatever he does in the NFL is a bonus. I’m okay with him failing as long as he gets a fair chance and the failure is without excuse.

What has happened this year is anything but fair in my opinion. For one, you have to give a guy more than two-and-a-half games to develop. When I see a coach pull the plug that quickly, it makes me thankful for the patience of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis.

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen was awful his freshman year. Two years later, he is a legitimate Heisman candidate.

Quinn, right now, reminds me of Clausen in his freshman year.

He had poor line-play and a lack of playmakers. To me, no quarterback can produce consistently on a team like that. That is why JaMarcus Russell has looked awful in Oakland and Matthew Stafford has had his struggles in Detroit.

Therefore, I don’t think a couple of games is a fair chance.

I’ve heard a few things about what went on behind the scenes. The more I hear, the more I think that Mangini deliberately set Quinn up to fail.

I know some will shake their heads when they hear this. But to me, there are some things that just aren’t adding up.

I also know not to believe everything I hear. However, it’s a fact that about five players have filed grievances against Mangini. The way he does things does appear to be very questionable.

Where do I begin?

Some have claimed they had inside information that said the coaches knew before the first preseason game that Quinn would start the season. This was evidence that Mangini wanted Quinn to succeed.

All it tells me is that he knew he would have to give in to public pressure.

Since he didn’t really want Quinn out there, Mangini would never give him the vote of confidence as “the guy.” The team never gravitated toward him because they didn’t know who “the guy” was. Quinn had to split reps in training camp and was never able to develop chemistry with his receivers.

Then Week 1 comes and Quinn starts, but Mangini tried to keep it a secret. He never publicly said that Quinn is the guy the team will rally around. It created more doubt about whether Quinn really was going to be the guy all year.

In case you’re not buying this, take a look at the games last year.

When it was announced that Quinn would start, former coach Romeo Crennel did give him the vote of confidence and the team did rally around him. The team looked like a well-oiled machine.

Of course, Quinn had his security blanket in Kellen Winslow who Mangini conveniently traded away.

If he wanted Quinn to succeed, why would he do that?

This year, Quinn looked a lot less sure of himself. In all my years watching him, I have never seen him like this.

That tells me that there is probably something going on behind the scenes with him and Mangini that just isn’t right.

People are wondering why Quinn looks afraid to go downfield with the ball. There are a lot of factors.

For one, Cleveland’s pass protection hasn’t been great and the quarterback often has to check down due to lack of time.

Also, Jon Gruden said Friday on Sirius Radio that when watching film, all he sees is covered receivers. Quinn was making the best read he could. Marty Schottenheimer later agreed and said that he would take Quinn, Joe Thomas and Joshua Cribbs.

Proven coaches are going to bat for Quinn while an unproven coach in Mangini has lost confidence in him.

Scratching your head?

Looking at Sunday’s game versus Cincinnati, Derek Anderson had a decent game.

That is all I will call it.

Sure, the offense did produce points with him at quarterback. However, he also displayed his weaknesses: inconsistency, turnovers and not producing with the game on the line.

He started the game 3-of-11. Then he heated up late in the second quarter and played well in the third despite throwing an interception in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter and overtime, the offense did nothing.

It was Cleveland’s most positive game offensively. Was Anderson the difference?

I don’t think so.

The way the entire team played was.

On Wednesday, Mangini named Anderson the starter and the team rallied around him because the coach gave him the vote of confidence that he never gave to Quinn.

After the game, Cribbs said that Mangini gave his most inspirational speech before the game.

Is it coincidental that he waited until Quinn was out of the lineup before he gave that speech?

Another thing that stood out was the extended opportunity and great performance of rookie wideout Mohamed Massaquoi.

Why wasn’t he playing when Quinn was in?

Finally, Brian Daboll finally started to call some real plays, unlike the conservative crap he was calling when Quinn was in.

Yes, Quinn struggled. But he was set up to fail by his coach.

Whether it was with malicious intent or simple incompetence, it doesn’t matter. There have been reports of questionable actions from Mangini before in New York and Cleveland.

Roger Goodell should get involved and investigate if foul play was involved.

I am not advocating for Quinn to go back in. These incompetent coaches will never develop him.

I am advocating for Quinn to get out of the town that ESPN’s Colin Cowherd calls “Loserville.” After seeing fans get excited over an overtime loss to the Bengals, the nickname seems appropriate.

Wherever Quinn goes I will root for him. With the right coaches and team, he can be very good. I know some are already calling him a bust. And while I respect their opinions as they are entitled to them, I put more value on those of Gruden and Schottenheimer.

So this is my goodbye to the Browns section on Bleacher Report.

Daniel and Sam, I love you guys. Eric, I will still see you in the Notre Dame section. Paul and Michael, congratulations on getting your guy in.

Now, enjoy the mediocrity and inconsistency.

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Cleveland Browns: Changing Quarterbacks Will Make No Difference

The current state of the Cleveland Browns is an ugly one at that. This team is 0-2 and the mighty Ravens are coming to town. Off the field, there is turmoil too.

Rookies can’t take pranks. Players are getting fined for stealing bottled water. The team is just a real mess.

Among the problems for the Browns have been offensive production. They have just one touchdown in the last 11 games. As expected, that has brought some negative feelings toward the quarterback. As a result, some are calling for Brady Quinn to be replaced by Derek Anderson.

That makes me laugh, because I know that move would have absolutely no impact on the offense.

One comment I hear is: Look at Mark Sanchez with the Jets. He is just a rookie and is already getting it done.

Well, first off it really isn’t a good idea to make comparisons to other teams in the league unless you are doing it in a productive manner. By that, I mean look at the Jets and determine what Sanchez has that makes him successful.

For starters he has an established offensive line and receiving corps. More importantly he has defense and a running game to help him out.

Can anybody honestly say that Quinn has all that in Cleveland? His best receiver has a reputation of dropping passes. His tight end is in Tampa and the best runner is way past his prime.

On top of all that, all these guys that Eric Mangini brought in on the offensive line have seriously laid an egg. The defensive additions have done nothing either.

I don’t want to make excuses, but how can any quarterback succeed in conditions like this? I look at that game last week with Denver and I saw an offensive line get demolished.

I saw the same thing in the earlier game between the Patriots and Jets. The Jets totally controlled the line of scrimmage. As a result, a rookie looks great and a league MVP looks unsure of himself. Go figure that one out.

Getting back to Cleveland, changing quarterbacks would make no sense. For one, didn’t Quinn just beat Anderson out for the starting job. I know, Quinn won’t go downfield.

Well, I saw a few plays where Quinn looked like he wanted to go deep but he had to dump off because of the pressure.

I do think what would Anderson do. He would force it into double coverage and get the ball picked off. I don’t mean that as an insult to him. If it is third and long, an interception is really no different than a punt.

Quinn dumps it and gives his guy a chance to make a play, if not they punt. So there is really no difference.

Imagine this scenario, the running game gets more production on first and second down. That makes the third down more manageable.

Or what if the runner makes a long run after an incompletion. What if the line gives him time to go downfield? What if when Quinn has to dump it short, the receiver breaks a tackle and picks up the first down?

Can you imagine that? Mark Sanchez can.

Therefore, the best thing to do is stay with Quinn and let him gain game experience. That is the only positive that will come out of this.

Browns fans have run a few talented quarterbacks out of town in recent years. It will eventually come back to haunt them if they continue this.

If Quinn is run out of town, here is a real scenario I can see. He will back up Tom Brady in New England and the first time the Patriots need him, he lights the world on fire.

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Brady Quinn’s Rough Day Does End On a Positive Note

Brady Quinn had been waiting his whole life to be the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns. It has always been his boyhood dream to be the quarterback of the Browns. After a stellar career at Notre Dame, he had to wait when he got to Cleveland. He did get a taste of action last year before getting hurt.

On Sunday, he got his first opportunity to start the season as the starting quarterback. As you might expect from a young quarterback, he definitely had his struggles. For much of the game he did look as though he was still getting a feel for the offense and still developing rhythm with the rest of the unit.

His day did get off to a promising start though. The offense did march down for a field goal on the opening drive. Then he had a touchdown on a deep out to Braylon Edwards reversed on a challenge. That was weird to me because the replay showed that Edwards was forced out then came back in. The rule seems strange, but that is how it is.

That put the ball at the 6 and then Eric Mangini really took the ball out of Quinn’s hands and tried to get it in with Joshua Cribbs running the wildcat. They had to settle for three.

Then in the second half, Quinn did what young quarterbacks do. He turned the ball over twice. The first was on a long pass where he threw outside but Edwards went inside. It was obviously a miscommunication. That is totally on the quarterback, but that should get fixed once Quinn and Edwards become more familiar with each other.

The second turnover was a fumble in which he was scrambling and then tried to throw. That is something where he needs to learn to play it on another down. I mentioned the other day that Browns fans have to be patient. He will make mistakes. Whether or not he succeeds will depend on how much he learns from them.

Looking around the league, Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions and completed less than 50% of his passes. Mark Sanchez did have a pretty good day, but he has a defense and a running game. He will go through growing pains as well at some point this year.

Even Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco made these kind of errors last year. The difference is that they didn’t stand out because the defenses bailed them out.

Unfortunately for Quinn, the Browns defense does still have a lot of holes as evident in the second half today. They did play inspired defense at first, but as the game wore on, it became apparent that the Browns defense doesn’t match up to the top offenses. Therefore, when Quinn makes a mistake it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Although the day was pretty rough for Quinn, it did end on a positive note. Since this is clearly a rebuilding year, the Browns have to look for positives. Quinn put together a long drive that ended in a long touchdown pass to Robert Royal. Yes it was when the game was out of reach, but it was still something positive to build on.

FOX’s Brian Billick was quick to point out that the touchdown was a big deal because they hadn’t scored one in seven games. Billick reminded us that they went through four quarterbacks due to injury. I wanted to tap him on the shoulder and whisper in his ear that Quinn was the quarterback the last time they scored as well.

Billick’s other point was that when you are trying to change a culture, there are walls you have to break down.

In conclusion, I think most will agree that Quinn did show some positive signs but has to learn from his mistakes. If I were giving him a grade, it would be a C-.

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Now I Am Convinced That Eric Mangini Is Clueless When It Comes To QBs

Earlier this week, I suggested that Eric Mangini sit Brady Quinn out of the final pre season game against the Chicago Bears. He did, so I should be happy, right? Wrong. He has once again showed that he is way too indecisive when it comes to picking a quarterback.

I know he is trying to show that he learned from the master Bill Belichick. Belichick does play mind games, but has never done that at quarterback. He knows what a quarterback controversy can do. That is why he traded Matt Cassel instead of opening a competition.

The reason I thought Quinn should sit is because Mangini should have named him the starter due to better performances during the preseason than Derek Anderson. I thought Anderson should get the first quarter to get a little more work in before the season started.

Instead, Mangini sits both of them out and fans still don’t know. Some think it is all strategic. I say it is because he is completely clueless when it comes to quarterbacks. Seriously, if he doesn’t have enough information to make that decision now he is a dufus.

I am not saying he is a bad coach altogether. I just think that when it comes to quarterbacks he really doesn’t know what he is doing. The sad part is that it really doesn’t take a football mangenius to figure this one out. About 80 percent of the city of Cleveland can figure it out quite easily.

This is the same guy that couldn’t even figure out that Chad Pennington was better than Kellen Clemens. Seriously, was that really a hard one to figure out? I think most coaches would have needed about one practice to figure that out.

Last night’s game was a perfect demonstration of how Mangini really doesn’t know quarterbacks. He made it a point to acquire Brett Ratliff in the blockbuster draft day trade. He built this kid up  very high. Well as it turns out Ratliff is not even as good as Richard Bartel who clearly outperformed him in the preseason.

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Cleveland Browns: I May Be No Mangenius, but Brady Quinn Should Be Named Starter

I give up on trying to figure Eric Mangini out.  I really thought he would have named Brady Quinn the Opening Day starter after his performance last Saturday against the Tennessee Titans.  Instead, he has chosen to drag the battle out for another week. Nobody can honestly figure out why.

I personally would like to know a couple things: 1) What more does Quinn have to do? and, 2) what will the last preseason game tell us?  The answer to the second question is nothing.  The starters will play very little for both teams.

Who really cares whether Quinn or Derek Anderson perform better against guys that will either barely make the team or get cut?  Those performances will only give a skewed picture.

Although I am no mangenius and Eric Mangini will do it his way, I still want to tell you how I would approach that final preseason game against the Bears.  For starters, I would have named Quinn the starter and would have him start preparing now for the Minnesota Vikings.

I wouldn’t even have him suit up for the Bears game.  I know Brian Urlacher and company will probably play a couple series and will want to make a statement to end the preseason.  The Browns don’t need Quinn out there taking hits from them.  I also wouldn’t suit up Braylon Edwards or Jamal Lewis.

I would give Anderson the first quarter.  If all goes well, he won’t see game action for a long time against NFL starters.  Therefore, the Browns would have to give him some here.

Also, this could showcase Anderson to the rest of the league.  I know having a quality backup is important, but the Browns have too many holes on defense.  Besides Brian Griese is still on the market.

For the rest of the game I would have Brett Ratliff and Richard Bartel battle it out for the third-string spot.  It has been kind of assumed that Ratliff would be No. 3 and Bartel would be the practice squad quarterback.  However, I thought Bartel looked good in the Titan game and Ratliff has been a little disappointing.

I know Mangini does things his way, but that is how I would do it.

Brady Quinn: Now the Decision Should be Easy

Yesterday I thought that in the Tennessee game that nothing would be resolved in the quarterback competition. The reason is that I thought that neither Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson would be able to produce much against that Titan defense. They are among the league’s best defenses and clearly outmatch the Browns offense on paper.

Fortunately,the game is not played on paper. I was pleasantly surprised to see that both Quinn and Anderson performed well against the Titans. Quinn was 11-15 for 128 yards and 1 touchdown. Anderson was 7-11 for 77 yards. Even Richard Bartel was 3-3 for 40 yards. It was a very good night for all the quarterbacks.

Since all the quarterbacks did well, Eric Mangini will still have trouble naming a starter, right? Wrong, although all have done well Quinn really outperfomed Anderson last night and has put up more consistent numbers in the Preseason.

For the whole pre season Quinn is 21-31 (67.7%) for 225 yards. He has 1 TD, 1 INT and a rating of 86.08. The offense has produced 13 points with him at the helm. We all know that his numbers should be even better if not for a dropped TD and penalties in the Detoit game.

Here is what Quinn’s stats should be, 24-34 for about 250 yards with 2 TDs and 0 INTs. That leaves very little to complain about for Quinn. He was consistent and solid throughout the whole preseason.

Although Anderson was solid last night, he has not shown the same consistency. The Green Bay game was ugly. Against Detroit he started strong but threw a bad pick at the end that gave the Lions points. His numbers for the whole pre season are 15-26 for 207 yards. He has 0 TD passes, 2 INTs and a rating of 51.28.

Even looking beyond the numbers, Quinn was just terrific on that first half drive. Mangini wants a ball control offense. Well, Quinn and the offense started deep in their own territory and moved it down the field for a score. The best part was that they took 7 minutes off the clock. You don’t get much more ball control than that.

Also, you have to remember that this wasn’t the Lions. The Titans are one of the premier defenses in the league. Granted they did lose Albert Haynesworth, but he was just one player on a really good defense. That 7 minute drive came against the ones.

His touchdown pass came when many of the twos were filtering in, but it was an impressive throw. He hit Braylon Edwards in stride with a strike.

So now I really don’t see how starting Derek Anderson is even an option. I will say that he made Quinn work for it and he will be a good back up if he is needed at any point.

Some may still feel that Anderson gives the Browns the best chance to win because he is more experienced. Generally, a more experienced guy gives a team the best chance to win. I don’t think that is the case here but I will humor myself for a minute.

The Browns could acquire Tom Brady tomorrow and they won’t win more than 8 or 9 games. The reason is that the defense is still horrible. They might(and I stress the word might) have stud linebackers in Kamerion Wimbley and D’Qwell Jackson. They don’t have a great pass rusher or a legitimate shutdown corner.

The reality is that this defense can’t stop anybody. They showed that against the Packers and last night were very lucky that it was only 7-3 at halftime. Anybody who watched the game knows that. A blocked field goal and a blown oppotunity for a touchdown kept points off the boards for the Titans.

Since this defense still has too many holes for the Browns to win, they might as well go with Quinn on offense and let him grow and develop. He will have his struggles like any other young quarterback, but if the Browns stick with him he will grow into a quality Quarterback.

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