Packers-Browns Preview: Green Bay’s Offensive Line in Disarray

If there was ever a game that the Cleveland Browns could pull an upset, this is it.

 

The 3-2 Green Bay Packers come into Cleveland with an offensive line decimated by injuries. Both starting tackles, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, along with center Jason Spitz, could miss Sunday’s game. Tauscher is listed as out, while Clifton and Spitz are listed as doubtful with ankle and back injuries, respectively.

 

The Packers also have a showdown with Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday, so this is definitely a trap game for them.

 

T.J. Lang could replace Clifton at left tackle, with Scott Wells filling in for Spitz at center. Allen Barbre will continue to man the right tackle spot.

 

The Packers will also be without slot receiver Jordy Nelson, who has seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. James Jones and his five receptions for 113 yards and a score will replace Nelson.

 

If quarterback Aaron Rodgers finds enough time to throw, he will have a couple of impressive receivers to find.

 

Long-time Packer Donald Driver, who is now first on Green Bay’s all-time receptions list, has 25 catches for 395 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Greg Jennings, who has recently expressed his frustration with not being involved in the offense enough, has 17 catches for 304 yards and a score.

 

The Browns need to establish running backs Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison. Green Bay is giving up 105.4 yards per game on the ground this season.

 

Mohammed Massaquoi and whoever starts opposite him, will have a tough time gaining separation from Pro Bowl cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson. Between the two veteran corners, they have picked off five passes, one for a score. They have also broken up three passes apiece.

 

Cornerback Eric Wright survived a serious car accident early Friday morning when his Mercedes flipped three times on the highway. He is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury but is expected to play.

 

A life-changing event such as this could prevent Wright from being 100 percent focused on the game. Backup Mike Adams needs to be ready to fill in for Wright or McDonald, who apparently was playing flag football last weekend against the Steelers.

 

Rookie David Veikune will get his first chance to show how far he’s come along as he fills in for D’Qwell Jackson, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

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Packers-Browns Preview: Green Bay’s Offensive Line in Disarray

If there was ever a game that the Cleveland Browns could pull an upset, this is it.

 

The 3-2 Green Bay Packers come into Cleveland with an offensive line decimated by injuries. Both starting tackles, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, along with center Jason Spitz, could miss Sunday’s game. Tauscher is listed as out, while Clifton and Spitz are listed as doubtful with ankle and back injuries, respectively.

 

The Packers also have a showdown with Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday, so this is definitely a trap game for them.

 

T.J. Lang could replace Clifton at left tackle, with Scott Wells filling in for Spitz at center. Allen Barbre will continue to man the right tackle spot.

 

The Packers will also be without slot receiver Jordy Nelson, who has seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. James Jones and his five receptions for 113 yards and a score will replace Nelson.

 

If quarterback Aaron Rodgers finds enough time to throw, he will have a couple of impressive receivers to find.

 

Long-time Packer Donald Driver, who is now first on Green Bay’s all-time receptions list, has 25 catches for 395 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Greg Jennings, who has recently expressed his frustration with not being involved in the offense enough, has 17 catches for 304 yards and a score.

 

The Browns need to establish running backs Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison. Green Bay is giving up 105.4 yards per game on the ground this season.

 

Mohammed Massaquoi and whoever starts opposite him, will have a tough time gaining separation from Pro Bowl cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson. Between the two veteran corners, they have picked off five passes, one for a score. They have also broken up three passes apiece.

 

Cornerback Eric Wright survived a serious car accident early Friday morning when his Mercedes flipped three times on the highway. He is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury but is expected to play.

 

A life-changing event such as this could prevent Wright from being 100 percent focused on the game. Backup Mike Adams needs to be ready to fill in for Wright or McDonald, who apparently was playing flag football last weekend against the Steelers.

 

Rookie David Veikune will get his first chance to show how far he’s come along as he fills in for D’Qwell Jackson, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

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Could D’Qwell Jackson Loss Be Blessing in Disguise?

At 1-5, and another double digit-loss season imminent, the loss of linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is not as devastating to Cleveland Browns as it would have been if the team was 5-1.

 

There’s no question Jackson is one of the best defenders on the Browns. At 6’0”, 240 pounds, he is undersized for a 3-4 inside linebacker, but is always seen around the football and is the leader of the unit.

 

Before he got injured against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jackson was well on his way to another 100-tackle campaign. The fourth-year veteran out of the University of Maryland had 59 tackles and a forced fumble.

 

With the season quickly slipping away, this is a golden opportunity for rookies David Veikune and Kaluka Maiava to show what they can do.

 

This season, Veikune has yet to record a tackle, either on special teams or on defense. Maiava has produced 10 tackles and has also forced two fumbles.

 

Two of Maiava’s former USC teammates are starting with their respective teams. Brian Cushing (Texans) has 48 tackles and two forced fumbles. Rey Maualuga (Bengals), whom the Browns passed on three times in the draft, has 28 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a sack.

 

The only one not starting is Clay Matthews III, but he has been rotating in with the outside linebackers. Matthews has made an immediate impact, racking up 12 tackles, a forced fumble, and three sacks.

 

You know Maiava doesn’t want to be the only linebacker from that group not getting significant playing time and producing. If Veikune does not adapt to the defense quickly enough, Eric Mangini may turn to Maiava.

 

Either way, both players will be showcasing their skills for a possible starting position next season. Veterans David Bowens and Eric Barton are older than 30 and are just stop-gap players for right now. There is no question Barton and Bowens will be able to help out the rookies.

 

Mangini compared Veikune to a young Tedy Bruschi and believes he can play either outside or inside.

 

Jackson’s loss will definitely be noticed. His contract is up after the season and Mangini will probably want to hold onto him, based on his high praises for Jackson as a player.

 

The season is going nowhere and the Browns need to find out if their draft picks can play. With Alex Mack, Mohamed Massaquoi, and Brian Robiskie already getting significant playing time, Mangini is going to find out very soon.

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Browns Would be Smart to Deal Shaun Rogers

I cannot believe I’m saying this, but the Browns need to deal Shaun Rogers to a desperate team (Chargers, NOT the Jets) to maximize his value.

 

The Jets lost nose tackle Kris Jenkins for the season after the Pro Bowler tore his ACL yesterday against the Buffalo Bills. The Chargers lost nose tackle Jamal Williams for the season a couple weeks ago.

 

If I was general manager George Kokinis, I would be on the phone with San Diego’s GM A.J. Smith, trying to get some first-day picks for Rogers.

 

As of tonight, the San Diego Chargers are 2-2, and could be a game and a half behind the Denver Broncos with a win. The way the AFC is looking, the two wild card favorites look to be either one of the AFC East teams or a team from the AFC North.

 

The loser of the AFC West could be left out in the cold.

 

The Chargers have probably been the most underachieving team in the league for three years now. They need to make a splash.

 

After seeing how far behind the Browns are from the Steelers yesterday, it is going to take at LEAST two more drafts to build the talent level on this team. Rogers will be 33- years old by that time and could be on the downside of his career. He has only one sack so far this season and the run defense is still atrocious.

 

You can barely tell the difference when Ahtyba Rubin is in and he’s seven years younger than Rogers.

 

Their secondary is even worse.

 

I do NOT want to see Rogers on the Jets. Mangini has not gotten fair value in return in either of his trades. There is an outside chance Braylon Edwards will get to 55 catches with the Jets by season’s end, which would leave that choice as a third rounder.

 

Have I thanked New York for Abram Elam yet? My goodness, I have never seen a safety who makes less plays than him. Didn’t see that one coming though (yes, I was being sarcastic).

 

Speaking of the safeties, I didn’t know Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes were playing against just Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald. There was absolutely no help from the top on Ward’s touchdown. Brodney Pool didn’t come into the picture until Ward was smiling on his way to the endzone.

 

Eric Berry and Taylor Mays need to be strongly considered in next year’s draft. 

 

I heard on the radio the other day that the Browns will have 11 draft choices next season. Trade Rogers and get some value for him. Trade Quinn in the offseason and stockpile more picks. If they’re not going to play him, deal him to a team dumb enough to give up higher choices (Redskins, Raiders) so his selection was not a total wash.

 

Do you realize the Browns first round pick that they traded for Quinn ended up being running back Felix Jones?

 

How good would a back of his caliber look on this team? Probably not as good as with Dallas, considering the right side of the line is softer than marshmallows. However, that’s what the Browns essentially traded for a backup quarterback.

 

Let the bashing for this story begin.

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Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards Winless With New Teams

There’s no question the Browns may have the worst offense in the league.

 

However, their two biggest weapons from two years ago aren’t helping their new teams win either.

 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 0-6, the New York Jets are 0-2 since trading for Braylon Edwards.

 

Two moves that Eric Mangini have made look to be the correct ones. When he first decided to trade tight end Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I was very upset. He was one of the few players the Browns had who wore his emotions on his sleeve and played when in obvious pain.

 

However, Winslow’s emotions got the worst out of him as well and the Browns’ front office saw that. They also saw his desire for a new contract, which Tampa Bay inexplicably gave him. That contract included $36 million deal with $20 million guaranteed. This contract prevented them from adding other players and at 0-6, they could definitely use help. Trading him would undoubtedly cause Tampa Bay to take a huge cap hit. Winslow has had a good year, hauling in 29 passes for 286 yards and four touchdowns.

 

Granted, Winslow is their only dependable offensive weapon this year, but the Browns received two draft picks in exchange for him, which would have helped Tampa. They did receive a 2010 second round pick for defensive end Gaines Adams, a monumental first-round bust from the 2007 NFL Draft.

 

They turned this year’s selection into wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who has 16 catches for 278 yards (17.4 average). Even though he’s a rookie, Massaquoi comes to work, is not a distraction and doesn’t get flagged for penalties. He will be an offensive building block for the future with fellow rookie Brian Robiskie.

 

Then there is Edwards, who seems to rise to the occasion on Monday nights and turns into a prima donna in regular Sunday afternoon games.

 

Yesterday, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw three passes in the direction of Edwards that resulted in interceptions. One of them deflected off the hands of Edwards and it appeared as though he ran the wrong route on another pick. He finished with three catches for 40 yards and the Jets lost to the Buffalo Bills, 16-13 in overtime. Yes, that’s the same Bills team that scored three points against the Browns last week and were flagged for nine false starts.

 

Edwards needs 47 catches in the final 10 games for the Browns’ third round choice to escalate into a second round pick. Linebacker Jason Trusnik, whom the Browns received in that trade, started in place of Kamerion Wimbley and recorded a sack.

 

The Jets also lost Pro Bowl nose tackle Kris Jenkins for the year, a huge blow for a team that runs the 3-4 defense. Their season is slowly getting away from them and could end up in middle-round draft position by season’s end.

 

The Browns offense is pretty dysfunctional right now. They have scored 69 points in six games and rank near the bottom in a number of offensive categories. However, Edwards was probably not going to be retained by this regime after the season and had the Browns given Winslow a lucrative contract, their hands would be tied in terms of flexibility in adding help in a number of areas.

 

Ask the Buccaneers and Jets if they wish they could have those draft picks back now.

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Browns Win Game, Battles at Line of Scrimmage

Run the ball, stop the run. If you do both of these things throughout the course of an NFL season, you will have a chance to win a lot of games.

 

The Browns have done that the past two weeks and have put themselves in position to finish on top, but won only once.

 

After holding Bengals running back Cedric Benson to 75 yards on the ground last Sunday, the Browns defense limited Marshawn Lynch to 69 yards and Fred Jackson to 30 yards.

 

Running backs Jerome Harrison and Jamal Lewis have produced two 100-yard games the past two games and the offensive line is showing significant improvement.

 

The move of Hank Fraley to right guard is clearly evident, as he has solidified that position and has helped the development of rookie center Alex Mack. Fraley helps Mack with the line calls and the rookie from Cal is showing why the team drafted him with the 21st pick. He was involved in a couple “swing plays” where he took out a couple Bills linebackers and helped keep Marcus Stroud away from Derek Anderson.

 

I have also watched two consecutive games and not heard John St. Clair’s named called, which is always a good thing.

 

The Browns defensive line is actually stopping the run and allowing the linebackers to bring down opposing running backs before they’re five yards past the line of scrimmage. Kenyon Coleman had a sack, Shaun Rogers turned in a typical Shaun Rogers game, and C.J. Mosley had seven tackles (four assisted). Corey Williams got to Trent Edwards, despite being victimized by a roughing the quarterback penalty and Robaire Smith made four tackles.

 

I have been impressed by the play of the linebackers, particularly Kamerion Wimbley, whose career has been saved by defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Wimbley had 11 total tackles and his fourth sack on the season, matching his total from a year ago.

 

Then there is D’Qwell Jackson, the man who was listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report on Friday. The fourth-year linebacker from Maryland recorded 13 total tackles (nine solo) and was an integral part in containing the Bills running backs.

 

I am going to defend Anderson’s performance yesterday because he did not get a lot of help from his receivers. The Browns dropped at least seven passes and the running game was fabulous. Brady Quinn backers bring up dropped passes all the time and I will do the same for Anderson. There was really no reason to throw at all because the Bills defense had no solution to Lewis.

 

I’m not saying the Browns will beat Pittsburgh on Sunday, because they probably won’t. They don’t have a dependable receiver right now and their starting tight end couldn’t catch a cold if he was sitting in a freezer in his underwear for five days.

However, the Browns running game and the play of the defense’s front seven should bring optimism to the team and fans. Pittsburgh has also had trouble closing out their last two games against the Chargers and Lions. The Steelers almost blew a 28-0 lead at home against San Diego and squeaked by the Lions 28-20 yesterday in Detroit.

 

It’s nice to finally see a Browns head coach who understands the importance of strong line play on both sides of the football.

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Browns-Bills Preview: Anderson and Massaquoi Face Hurting Secondary

Browns rookie wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi made his starting debut against the Cincinnati Bengals look easy. This Sunday, the Buffalo Bills’ secondary could make Massaquoi’s second start look even easier.

 

After losing starting cornerback/kick returner Leodis McKelvin for the season, the Bills will most likely be missing starting safeties Donte Whitner and Bryan Scott for tomorrow’s game as well.

 

These injuries could play in huge favor for quarterback Derek Anderson and Massaquoi, who has 10 catches for 179 yards this season.

 

Filling in for the Bills’ wounded safeties will be George Wilson and Jarius Byrd. Wilson has 11 tackles and two sacks and Byrd has 15 tackles and a pass defended. Former San Diego Charger, Drayton Florence will take over for McKelvin opposite Terrence McGee.

 

The Bills’ defense will also have to play without defensive end Chris Kelsay and middle linebacker Paul Posluszny. Kelsay has brought down opposing quarterbacks twice, with Posluszny recording just six tackles this season.

 

Massaquoi will be joined by Mike Furrey and newcomer Chansi Stuckey, although it is not yet determined who will start alongside Massaquoi. Don’t be surprised if it is Stuckey, who poses as a more vertical threat than Furrey, a more possession-type receiver.

 

It’s never good when your team’s defensive coordinator is making headlines twice in the same week. This is exactly what Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has done in regards to the Bengals’ game-winning field goal last week and with Bills’ quarterback Trent Edwards this week.

 

Ryan verbally contested Shayne Graham’s field goal saying that he thought it was wide right. Ryan has not been fined by the league for his comments. Earlier this week, he downplayed Edwards’ abilities by saying that “he is no Carson Palmer.” While this may be true, it is never a good idea to fuel an opposing player’s fire when it’s unnecessary.

 

Edwards has thrown 117 passes this season, with only 20 of them going over 16 yards, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. That is surprising considering that the team has two Pro Bowl-caliber receivers in Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. Backup running back Fred Jackson has also filled in nicely for Marshawn Lynch, leading the Bills in rushing and receiving yards (333, 160 and a touchdown, respectively).

 

The Bills will have the recently-suspended Lynch back for his second game, giving them a nice one-two punch in the backfield. Last week, Lynch touched the ball eight times for four yards, and also made five catches for 43 yards.

 

The Browns defense played its best game this season last week against the Bengals. They held Cedric Benson to 75 yards on the ground and held the Bengals without a first down from the second quarter until the middle of the fourth quarter. This was after Cincinnati had the ball for all but 1:30 in the first quarter.

 

Without Braylon Edwards, Massaquoi will be the primary focus of the Bills secondary. With a target on his chest and back, we’ll see if Anderson can continue to find Massaquoi down the field tomorrow afternoon.

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Browns Fans Need To Keep The Faith

Cleveland Browns fans have been living a 10-year nightmare. I am one of them and it’s about to be an 11-year disaster.

 

Head coach Eric Mangini sent a message to fans that they need to believe in the building process here.

 

I am still discouraged that the Browns have started 0-4. It looks as though the team will have to draft another quarterback next year and find an explosive running back. Neither Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn is a long-term solution and Jerome Harrison is a nice change-of-pace back, who showed he can play when given the opportunity.

 

The Browns could have two nice trading chips in Braylon Edwards and Quinn. I am currently undecided about whether it would be wise to trade Edwards right now. If his recent accusations are confirmed, how many teams are going to want him? However, if he continues dropping passes and getting called for penalties, who will give the Browns a first and third-round draft pick for him if he is franchised?

 

The Browns are caught between a rock and a hard place with him.

 

Benching Quinn led to two different moves. One, it put Anderson back in the starting spot where he is able to stretch the defense. Second, it moved Mohamed Massaquoi into the starting lineup and Josh Cribbs back to special teams. Massaquoi proved to be a second viable weapon for Anderson.

 

After watching Quinn in the first three games, I think it would be best to part ways with him before the trading deadline. The Oakland Raiders or Washington Redskins may be foolish enough to cough up a second round pick for him. JaMarcus Russell and Jason Campbell aren’t playing well and they need a second option.

 

I do not think Mangini will go back to Quinn this season. If Anderson falters, Bret Ratliff will be the guy. Mangini did not sign or draft Anderson or Quinn and probably doesn’t see a future with either guy. He will most likely draft Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford next season and play them early. At this point, McCoy would probably be the better alternative due to Bradford’s shoulder injury and the fact that McCoy has started since his freshman year.

 

When I look at the rest of this team on offense, I see three solid linemen with two others who are serviceable. Center Alex Mack played a great game the other day. No high snaps, no penalties. He may be starting to get it. Hank Fraley at right guard appears to be an upgrade over Floyd Womack. John St. Clair played a solid game as well.

 

Steve Heiden and Robert Royal blocked extremely well and opened holes for Jerome Harrison. Heiden is back and continues to prove why he is one of the most underrated players on the Browns.

 

However, they may need to look into drafting a right tackle in the future and a tight end to groom behind Heiden and Royal. Think Dustin Keller, whom Mangini brought in to New York.

 

The receivers, with the exception of Edwards, played well Sunday. Massaquoi caught everything thrown his way and looks to be a future star. He could very well take Edwards’ spot next season. Mike Furrey is a good third option for the time being. You have to love a guy that is willing to play safety at the end of the game and break up a pass. I haven’t seen enough of Brian Robiskie but think he will be a solid No. 2 receiver next season. He’s an exceptional route runner with soft hands. That often equates to success in the NFL. His father will also make sure he has his head on straight.

 

When I look at the Browns’ defense, I see a unit that has been improving every week.

With the offense hopefully coming together and giving the defense a breather in the second half, it will go a long way. Even the Ravens and Steelers defense will get tired if they’re on the field for 40 minutes a game.

 

Kenyon Coleman and Robaire Smith are doing their jobs at the end spots and Corey Williams FINALLY showed fans what the previous regime thought they were trading for last season. Kamerion Wimbley could be the most improved player from last season. He already has three sacks and has been seen making tackles all over the field. D’Qwell Jackson also had a solid game against the Bengals, recording 13 tackles and forcing a fumble. Eric Barton and David Bowens have been nice surprises so far, but are just temporary solutions. I think David Veikune and Kaluka Maiava could become starters either next season or the year after. Maiava has played well on special teams and Veikune will be worked in slowly. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan knows what he is doing and is putting his defense in position to make plays.

 

The secondary played well on Sunday. Eric Wright held Chad Ochocinco to three catches, but two of them were touchdowns. However, the last one could be pinned on both Wright and the safeties. Either Abram Elam or Brodney Pool forgot to account for him in the back of the endzone. Speaking of Pool, the fifth-year pro played the game of his career. He picked off a Carson Palmer pass and helped break up four passes all over the field. The Bengals had 11 total yards leading up to the final Bengals’ drive in regulation. They hadn’t gotten a first down since the first quarter either. Brandon McDonald responded well to his benching, who was replaced by Mike Adams who made seven tackles and broke up a pass.

 

The special teams need no explanation. Pay Josh Cribbs at the end of the season.

 

Fans, I ask you to be patient and keep faith in his team. If the Browns play like they did on Sunday for the rest of the season, they will win their share of games and build a strong foundation for the future.

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Bengals-Browns Preview: Cleveland Turns To Anderson To Right Ship

Derek Anderson’s second chance to revive his NFL career will come against the same team in the same stadium.

 

In the second game of the 2007 season, he threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns. He went on to make the Pro Bowl, and many thought the Browns had finally found a franchise quarterback.

 

Two years later, under a new head coach, Anderson will again have to prove that he can perform at a high level on a consistent basis.

 

Head coach Eric Mangini’s decision to bench fan-favorite Brady Quinn in favor of Anderson will be the most scrutinized move for the rest of the season. Some thought Quinn should have received more than three games to prove his worth, while others had seen enough. Apparently Mangini was in the latter group.

 

The Browns will have to contain Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom, who has seven sacks through the first three games. Five of them came two weeks ago against the Green Bay Packers. The linebackers are much improved from last year, with a healthy Keith Rivers, veteran Dhani Jones, and rookie Rey Maualuga, who is fourth on the team with 17 tackles.

 

Bengals running back Cedric Benson was given a second chance by the Bengals last season and is now fulfilling his potential when he was a top five draft pick in 2005. The former Chicago Bear has 297 yards (4.4 yards per carry, 97.7 yards per game) and two touchdowns so far this season.

 

Carson Palmer appears to be healthy again after he dug the Bengals out of a double-digit deficit against the Steelers last week.

 

The Bengals desperately need another receiver outside of Chad Ochocinco to step up. Andre Caldwell is the second-leading receiver on the team with 14 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. Free-agent pickup Laveranues Coles has only 8 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. A receiving core minus T.J. Houshmanzadeh could end up hurting them as the season progresses into late November and early December.

 

The defense has been a pleasant surprise for Bengals’ fans. Three of their top four tacklers are starting linebackers and they have accumulated 10 sacks as a defensive unit. Safety Roy Williams has 23 tackles and the only interception belongs to Jonathan Joseph. The combination of Joseph and Leon Hall are strong along with the safety tandem of Williams and ex-Brown Chris Crocker, who has deflected three passes this season.

 

The Browns cannot let Benson get going early. They need to shut him down and tackle low, or he will drag Brown defenders all afternoon. Letting Palmer beat them with his arm may not be the best strategy so the front seven needs to collapse the pocket.

 

The Browns’ offense seems to move the ball more effectively when Anderson is starting. It may be due to the fact that Braylon Edwards is more comfortable with him in there, or he helps stretch the defense.

 

Running back Jerome Harrison ran strongly against the Ravens last week, and they will need to get him involved early. James Davis will probably see a lot of action as well but has been ineffective in the two games he’s been in.

 

I am still waiting for Mohamed Massaquoi to see more action in three-wide receiver sets, but it hasn’t happened yet. He was on the field on the opening drive last Sunday but was quickly sent to the sidelines for most of the game.

 

This may be Anderson’s final chance to start in the NFL. If he can prove to Mangini that he can make plays with his arm and limit the turnovers, he will undoubtedly be the starter for the distant future.

 

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Mangini Digging Himself Into a Hole With Randy Lerner

If it hasn’t happened yet, when will Browns owner Randy Lerner start contemplating canning head coach Eric Mangini? Was it after the Denver loss and the Browns’ second 0-2 start in three seasons?

 

Or was it after Mangini named Derek Anderson the starting quarterback this week over Lerner-favorite Brady Quinn? It could possibly start after the Browns take on the Bengals this Sunday in Cleveland. Regardless of which event is the final straw, Lerner cannot be happy with what he is seeing so far from his newest and possibly, final head coach.

 

So far in the nine months that Mangini has been head coach of the Browns, his personnel and coaching moves have been more questionable than brilliant.

 

He traded away the team’s most sure-handed receiver in Kellen Winslow Jr. and the offense is looking as anemic as it has since 1999. He replaced offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski with first-year coordinator Brian Daboll, whose playcalling is giving Maurice Carthon a chuckle or two.

 

And one of the main reasons Brady Quinn has not played well is because of the performance of the right side of the offensive line. Mangini signed two backup-caliber offensive linemen in Floyd Womack and John St. Clair, and both have played like career backups.

 

He ran one of the most pathetic quarterback competitions this decade has seen and has already changed his mind less than one month into the season. He had previously stated in training camp that he was going to stick with one quarterback all season (so much for that), unless injury occurred to Anderson or Quinn.

 

To top that off, he didn’t reveal the starting quarterback until the middle of the week prior to opening kickoff weekend, and made the secret appear as though it was going to keep the Vikings’ defense up all night on Saturday.

 

Whoops! I guess these guys aren’t Joe Montana and Steve Young after all.

 

Much like Lerner’s previous hire of Romeo Crennel, the most disappointing aspect of Mangini’s tenure has been his inability to make halftime adjustments. The Browns have been outscored 58-10 in the second half through the first three games. During preseason, wide receiver Braylon Edwards believed there were going to be major improvements from the four seasons under Crennel. So far, there hasn’t been sign of any such progress.

 

This could be Lerner’s last chance as owner to bring a winner to the city of Cleveland. He took over the team after his father, Al, passed away in 2004. He has received more than enough criticism for his lack of desire to make public statements regarding the team and the involvement with his English soccer club. It’s way past due for him to step in and control the madness in Berea.

 

I never thought a Cleveland owner could be more unpopular than Larry Dolan or Art Modell right now, but if things don’t start improving quickly, Lerner could be well on his way to earning that title.

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