Josh Cribbs, Jerome Harrison Set Records in Cleveland Browns Victory

Sunday may go down as one of the most memorable days in Cleveland Browns history. At least for the fans and a couple of guys named Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison.

Ten days after a home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers ended a 12-game losing streak to the hated rivals, the Cleveland Browns picked up their third win of the season in a wild 41-34 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The shoot-out scoring was back and forth even though the passing attack of the Browns never got going.

In fact, it wasn’t even needed as a pair of players were able to put the team on their shoulders and set a few records along the way.

Joshua Cribbs’ 100-yard kick return TD late in the first quarter was the seventh of his career and set a new NFL record for kick return scores. Cribbs took the kick at the goal line and ran into the heart of the coverage, breaking several tackles on his way to the end zone. The extra point gave the Browns a 10-3 lead.

The return broke a record Cribbs shared with Dante Hall, Gale Sayers, Mel Gray, Travis Williams, and Ollie Matson.

Cribbs then extended his record with a Chiefs kickoff with 2:44 remaining in the second quarter. He took the kick three yards deep in his own end zone and ran the length of the field for a 103-yard score and the eighth kick return touchdown of his career.

Setting an all-time NFL record is a tremendous accomplishment for any player, and Cribbs solidified himself as the best return specialist in the game today, and possibly ever. It was a proud moment for Joshua Cribbs and the Cleveland Browns.

A record setting day is always memorable, but it was only halftime.

RB Jerome Harrison entered the game with 301 rushing yards for the season and added 73 in the first half. Then, early in the third quarter, Harrison broke loose for a 71-yard scamper and set himself up for a record-setting day of his own.

Harrison finished the day with 286 rushing yards, setting a new franchise single game record. Harrison surpassed the previous record of 237 Jim Brown set in 1957 and equaled in 1961.

Harrison’s 28-yard touchdown with 44 seconds left in the game would put the Browns ahead for good. His 286 yards also puts Harrison in third place all-time on the single game yardage list. He trails behind only Jamal Lewis (295) and Adrian Peterson (296).

In the city of Cleveland, the legendary Jim Brown holds sacred status. To be able to break a record held by the greatest running back to ever play the game, is truly special in the eyes of Browns fans.

Credit must also be given to the offensive line and special teams players who cleared the way for two record performances.

While the third win of the season may not mean much in itself, this one was truly special. Amidst a disastrous and disappointing season, it is a day for Browns fans to hold their heads high.

Congratulations to Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison, you’re now part of Browns and football history.

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Evan Moore: Could He Be The Missing Piece In The Browns’ Offense?

The offense in Cleveland again showed signs of life Sunday in a 30-23 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Brady Quinn again made a strong case for being a legitimate NFL quarterback with 271 yards passing and three touchdowns. However, that is not the only thing that stuck out at Browns fans during the game.

In his NFL regular season debut, TE Evan Moore played extremely well, finishing the day with six receptions for 80 yards. This included receptions of 18, 16 and 13 yards and left many Browns fans to wonder “Who is Evan Moore?”

Originally signed as an undrafted rookie by the New Orleans Saints in 2008, the former WR from Stanford spent the 2008 season in injured reserve with the Green Bay Packers. Moore was waived by the Packers earlier this year and was signed to the Brown’s practice squad on Nov. 9th.

As a receiver at Stanford, Moore amassed 103 receptions for 1,555 yards and 12 TDs in 38 games. He was also a two year basketball player at Stanford and has proven the ability to go up high and fight for the ball. Moore graduated with a Master’s degree in Sociology and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Moore(#89) was promoted from the Browns practice squad to the 53 man roster just yesterday.

He had been a standout in recent practices and showed the ability to make tough catches and play at a high level. Moore was promoted with the hope that he could transfer his ability into game-time play.

It has often been said that a young QB’s best friends are a strong running game and a reliable tight end. While the Browns’ rushing attack still needs improvement, the 6’6″ 247lb Moore is a big, reliable target for the developing Quinn. With Steve Heiden on injured reserve, and Robert Royal proving inconsistent, Moore should see plenty of playing time the remainder of the season.

The Cleveland Browns have an awful lot of holes to fill going into this off-season. Hopefully luck has finally went the Browns way, and Evan Moore has what it takes to help fill one of them.

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D’Qwell Jackson’s Injury Is Another Setback For Rebuilding Browns

When the 2008 NFL season ended, it was no big secret that the Cleveland Browns were about to embark on another rebuilding mission. When new coach Eric Mangini was hired, one of his first statements about the situation was that ILB D’Qwell Jackson was going to be a big piece of the foundation upon which to build.

Now that piece is missing.

On Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns placed Jackson on injured reserve with a shoulder injury he sustained in last Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh. The exact nature of the injury has not been revealed, but it did require surgery, ending the season for the Browns’ leading tackler. Jackson is expected to recover in roughly 12 weeks. This is another blow to a struggling team that just traded away its top offensive playmaker, and has no stability at the quarterback position. It also wont help a defense ranked 26th in points and dead last in yardage.

Jackson’s production on the field will be difficult to replace. He has 57 total tackles through six games this season and has led the team in tackles the past two years. He was also second on the team as a rookie in 2006.

The Browns probably will not seek a trade or any free agent players to fill the void left by Jackson. With a 1-5 record, it is more likely that Coach Mangini will look to use this as an opportunity to develop one of his younger players.The Browns have two promising rookie linebackers they can turn to in David Veikune and Kaluka Maiava, 2nd and 4th round selections respetively.

Veikune, taken 52nd overall, was a pass rushing defensive end out of Hawaii. He was an edge rusher in college and was expected to be converted to OLB in the Browns’ system, but has been getting most of his practice reps inside. Veikune has the physical tools to be an effective pass rusher and run stopper inside, but it may take some time to develop him into a complete NFL linebacker.

Kaluka Maiava played linebacker for four seasons at Southern California, starting in the middle in his senior season. He is a natural for the position, but also may need some time to adjust to the play in the NFL. Maiava played against Pittsburgh last week and registered 5 solo tackles and a forced fumble, but also looked lost at times.

The Browns could also look to newly acquired Jason Trusnik to help out at the position. He is a hard hitting special teamer who seems well suited for a run support role, and also has some experience at the position.

Another option would be to move OLB David Bowens inside, and have 2nd year player, Alex Hall play more downs opposite Wimbley on the outside. Hall was effective last year, recording 28 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in limited playing time. Bowens has played inside at times in the past, and the move would not only get Hall on the field more, but might allow Maiava and Veikune to ease into the rotation.

Expect the Mangini to utilize a rotation for the next two games against Green Bay and Chicago, and use the week nine bye to further evaluate the position.

Replacing a defensive captain is never easy for a team, but if the Cleveland Browns hope to show any improvement defensively this season, somebody is going to have to step up.

 

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Are the Cleveland Browns Running Out of Running Options?

With running back Jamal Lewis listed as doubtful for the Oct. 4 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns are looking to turn to some younger players to get the ground attack going.

Jerome Harrison is likely to make his second start of the season, and was expected to be helped by the promising and talented rookie James Davis.

Only now, Davis has been placed on IR and is done for the season.

With Davis done, the Browns signed RB Chris Jennings from the practice squad. Jennings saw a good amount of playing time in the Sept. 3 pre-season loss to Chicago, and was very productive with 59 yards rushing and 42 yards receiving in the game.

Jennings is a bit bigger than Harrison, runs hard inside, and should provide a good complement to his running style.

The long-term question is what do the Browns do if Lewis’ injury continues to be a problem this year.

He is listed on the injury report with a hamstring injury, which isn’t expected to sideline him for more than a couple of weeks, but like any injury, has the potential to turn into a nagging problem.

Harrison played well in the starting role last week, but isn’t the prototype build for an every down back, and also has a significant injury history. Is Jennings enough insurance, or should Cleveland look to the free agent pool or consider a trade?

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Despite Loss, Cleveland Browns D-Line Shows Improvement

Watching the Cleveland Browns this preseason, I couldn’t help but to think to myself that this was the same old defense: bland, unaggressive, and uninspired.

After Adrian Peterson’s first run up the middle netted less than a yard, and the Browns defense forced a three-and-out, I couldn’t help but think to myself that this defense was not the same old defense.

The Browns, of course, went on to lose (and it wasn’t close), but there were some signs of promise, especially on defense.  Yes, the Browns gave up 225 total rushing yards, and yes, Adrian Peterson had three rushing touchdowns, but I had to be impressed with the improvement of the defensive line.

Shaun Rogers, for one, had a solid outing with four solo tackles to go along with a sack.  Coach Mangini said that he didn’t need to see Rogers play in preseason to know what he brings to the game, and its evident that Rogers didn’t need to play in preseason to be able to do it.

The defense also had 4 sacks for the day, nearly a quarter of the Browns’ sack total for all of last YEAR! One of the sacks came from Rogers himself, the other three were made possible bacause the Minnesota offensive line was too busy with the Cleveland D-line to pick up the blitz.

It seems that the D-line finally is playing like a 3-4 D-line should.  With the big bodies finally present to eat up blockers, the line made rushing yards through the middle hard to come by and created good pressure on QB Brett Favre.  The defense forced three-and-out three times in the first half, and held the best running back in the league to 25 yards on nine carries.

Of course, we all know how badly the defense was gashed in the second half, and the amount of yards on the ground it gave up, but that seemed to be more as result of the defense wearing down than poor play.  The Vikings made excellent halftime adjustments, and began creating plays with outside runs and screen/swing passes.  The defense needs to improve its open field tackling, especially the linebackers, but being on the field for two thirds of the game doesn’t help.  Brady Quinn and the rest of the offense couldn’t keep the defense off the field, and the end result was a big day for Peterson and the Vikings.

The play of the defensive line gives hope, however, that with a little rest, and better support from the linebackers and defensive backs, the defense can make huge improvements over last year.

The defensive line needs to continue to play aggressively, and must continue to close running lanes and create pressure in the backfield.  As long as the line can force plays to the outside, the rest of the defense should be able to make plays.  However, the entire defense needs to improve its play in the open field.

Look for the D-line to continue to plug the middle next week against Denver.  The line as a whole is finally playing as a unit, and should occupy blockers enough to allow the linebackers to make plays on a new Denver offense.  Shaun Rogers should have another big day against the Broncos, and if the line can improve its sideline to sideline play, the Browns could have a great defensive game, and, hopefully, a win.

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Cleveland Browns Have a Lot More to Win or Lose Than Games in 2009

Following a disastrous and disappointing 2008 season, the Cleveland Browns are certainly looking to increase their win total in 2009. For several members of the team, however, there is much more at stake than a shot at the post-season.

Perhaps no member of the Browns was the target of more criticism in 2008 than WR Braylon Edwards. Edwards looked to have finally emerged as an elite receiver with a 1289 yard, 16 TD season in 2007, but suffered a significant drop-off in production last year. Edwards dropped passes, failed to make plays, and never played with any consistency.

Edwards showed flashes in the spotlight last year with 18 catches and 360 yards in three appearances on Monday Night Football, but was a disappointment overall. 

He has the physical talent to be a top five receiver, but issues off the field and a lack of concentration on it, have kept him from reaching his potential.

Edwards is in a contract year with the Browns and a return to Pro Bowl form could make him a top-flight receiver and earn him a big payday. If he fails to correct his mistakes, he may find himself out of Cleveland and with teams unwilling to meet his price tag.

Of course, the biggest story coming out of Browns camp is the battle between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn for the starting QB position. Both have had their highs and lows, and neither has yet taken a lead in the race for the job.

Anderson had a terrible 2008 season, resulting fans cheering as he lay injured on the field, but he is only a year removed from a 29 TD, Pro Bowl season.

Quinn, meanwhile, was drafted 22nd overall in 2007 to be the QB of the future and face of the franchise, but has yet to establish himself as the starter in the past two seasons.

Anderson and Quinn both struggled in 2009 with completion percentages of 50.2 and 50.6 respectively. Both quarterbacks are looking to prove that they are deserving of a starting spot, as neither will be content to watch from the sideline for long.

Whoever loses the competition may still get another opportunity with another team. If the winner comes out and fails to produce, he may not.

While Edwards is playing for a new contract, and Anderson and Quinn try to validate theirs, WR/KR Joshua Cribbs says he is unhappy with the six-year/$6.7 million contract extension he signed in 2006. Cribbs, however, has been in camp and looking like a team player.

The undrafted QB from Kent State has established himself as one of the NFL’s most dangerous return specialists and one of Cleveland’s biggest weapons.

He has continued to produce on returns, consistently putting Cleveland in excellent field position, as well as being a leading special teams tackler, while scoring six return TDs in his four year career.

His biggest dissatisfaction stems from Devin Hester’s monster four-year/$40 million contract, as Cribbs feels he is deserving of a similar deal. He has been working extremely hard this off-season at WR and is, by all reports, developing nicely.

If Cribbs can continue to be an impact on special teams, while proving to be a legitimate offensive weapon, he will likely receive the new contract he desires.

With 255 tackles and four interceptions in the past two years, ILB D’Qwell Jackson may not seem like a player with much to prove. This is not the case.

Jackson has become a tackling machine in the mold of departed Andra Davis, but also like Davis has been largely unnoticed.

While Jackson excels in the ability to see the play develop and get involved, he rarely makes big hits or game-changing plays.

Until he can add physicality and aggressiveness to his game, Jackson will never be an imposing defensive force. Jackson also needs to prove he can be a defensive leader, now that Willie McGinest is out of town.

If he can become more physical, and can get the defense to follow him, Jackson can develop into a perennial Pro Bowler. If that doesn’t happen, he will be just another player with a lot of tackles, and little respect.

Directing these players is new head coach Eric Mangini. Since being introduced as head coach in January, Mangini has done much to add his own feel to the Cleveland Browns.

From harder-hitting practices set to music to the trading of Pro Bowl TE Kellen Winslow, he has made Cleveland a vastly different environment than it was a year ago.

This, of course, means nothing if it doesn’t translate into wins.

Mangini has the opportunity to show that his firing from the Jets was a mistake. He has had two winning seasons in three years as head coach of the Jets, but a lack of playoff success leaves a lot of questions.

Is Mangini the creative mind who led his team to a surprise playoff season in his first year as head coach, or the reason the Jets underachieved the following two?

If Mangini cannot bring significant improvement to the Browns, Cleveland is likely to be his last stop as a head coach.

Overall, the Browns enter 2009 with far lower expectations than they did in 2008, or in recent years for that matter.

No one expects the team to be very relevant this year, though an improvement over the four wins in 2008 seems plausible. There are far more questions than answers with this team.

Whatever individual questions the members of the Cleveland Browns have, fans should hope that they can answer them on the field, and as a team.

NFL Fantasy Football Rookie Spotlight: AFC North

BALTIMORE RAVENS—Davon Drew, fifth (137), TE, ECU—An athletic receiving tight end, Drew was seen by many scouts as an H-back heading into the NFL.

The decision makers in Baltimore, however, think they have found a potential playmaker to groom as an eventual replacement for Todd Heap. Although Drew is expected to spend this year learning from Heap and newly signed L.J. Smith, he could have some sleeper value late in the season.

If Heap’s struggles continue into this year and Smith fails to deliver, Drew may find himself on the field sooner rather than later, and could be a big producer as Cam Cameron continues to open up the offense behind Joe Flacco

Could Surprise—Eron Riley, UFA, WR, Duke—Possibly another great Ozzie Newsome find, Riley had an impressive 2,166 receiving yards and 20 TDs in a pedestrian Duke offense.

With a lack of depth at WR, Baltimore could call on Riley early as they continue to try to find targets for the strong armed Flacco

 

CINCINNATI BENGALS—Chase Coffman, third (98), TE, Missouri—A pure pass-catcher, Coffman was touted as the best receiving tight end in this year’s class. The Bengals do not currently throw to the tight end often, but that could soon change.

If Coffman can beat out Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht for playing time, he should develop into a reliable and consistent target for Carson Palmer.

If Palmer returns from injury close to 100 percent, Coffman could be poised for a big year.  And, at the very least, should be well worth a look in keeper leagues.

Could Surprise—Freddie Brown seventh (252), WR, Utah and Quan Cosby, UFA, WR, Texas—The Bengals currently have uncertainty at receiver, and a list of unproven players behind Chad Ocho Cinco and new arrival Laveranues Coles.

Last year’s rookie receivers have done nothing to establish themselves, while both of these players were productive in college and should have a fair shot at earning playing time.

 

CLEVELAND BROWNS—Brian Robiskie, second (36), WR, Ohio State—Robiskie was considered the most NFL-ready receiver in the 2009 draft, but was downgraded for a lack of playmaker ability.

He is a polished route runner, solid possession receiver, and has a strong chance to win the No. 2 job opposite Braylon Edwards. If he doesn’t, he should be a slot receiver good for around 50 catches a year.

If Cleveland can fix its passing woes, Robiskie has the potential to put up some big numbers.

Could be worth a late pick in deep leagues.

He has the makings of a ten year starter and could be a steal in keeper leagues.

Could Surprise—James Davis, sixth (195), RB, Clemson—As long as Jamal Lewis stays healthy and coach Mangini remains sold on Jerome Harrision at No. 2, Davis probably won’t see the field much.

However, should Lewis become injured, Harrison isn’t an every down back, and Davis may be best suited for the role.

 

PITTSBURGH STEELERS—Mike Wallace, third (84), WR, Mississippi—The speedy receiver averaged an impressive 20.1 yards per reception last year. Clocking a 40 yard dash time of 4.33, Wallace should be a viable deep threat to replace the departed Nate Washington.

He has shown the ability to make plays, get open downfield, and should provide another dangerous weapon for Ben Roethlisberger. Wallace should help stretch the field, open up the running game, and is also expected to compete for Pittsburgh’s KR job.

Could Surprise—Frank Summers, fifth(169) RB, UNLV—Summers is a physical bruiser with the ability to move the pile in his team’s favor. He was seen as a fullback by many teams, but may become the goal line/short yardage back the Steelers have long been looking for.

His presence could mean even fewer touchdowns for Willie Parker.

 

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