Category: Cleveland Browns (Page 90 of 114)

Maurice Carthon’s been gettin’ a lotta props for his play calling, but this just seems totally absurd.

One area the Browns will study is their pass-to-run ratio. Currently, they’ve passed 168 times and run 96, not counting Dilfer’s eight scrambles. Against the Ravens, they threw it 30 times and ran 18. They didn’t run at all in the first quarter. What’s more, Dilfer is on pace to throw a career-high 537 passes. His previous high was 482 in Tampa Bay in 1996.

That is WAY outta whack. I wouldn’t mind this being the ratio if Frye gets in there, but with Dilfer? No way. I think Carthon’s situational play calling has been good, but his game planning has never really seemed to fit. This last Baltimore game revealed that in stark relief. Dilfer should not be throwing a career high number of passes…not with this team.

The inevitable QB controversy.

When asked specifically if he might make a change at quarterback, Crennel said: “What we’ll do is that we’ll look at it, and we’re looking at everything. And if we determine that a personnel move needs to be made, then we’ll make a personnel move – at whatever position it is.”

It was the first time this season that Crennel didn’t rule out replacing Dilfer with rookie third-round pick Charlie Frye. After the opening loss to Cincinnati, Crennel was asked if Dilfer was still his starter, and he said “yes.” Monday, following Sunday’s 16-3 loss to the Ravens, Crennel had two opportunities to say that Dilfer is still the starter and did not do so.

OK….so here’s my take on this. If the Browns have no expectation of competing this year, and the plan is to keep Charlie Frye on the bench for a year, then you keep him on the bench for a year, no matter how bad Dilfer stinks. If you think you can compete this year, then maybe you make a change. But I think he looks real good on the bench right now. Maybe the offensive line playing so well has given Crennell a reason to put Frye in there, but I don’t know. Alex Smith got ripped to pieces in his first start last week for the 49ers. I’d hate to see that happen to Frye.

The Browns lost again. They lost ugly. It’s a bad way to start the week. But let’s remember something, folks.

This is NOT the team that will take the field next year, especially on offense. Not even close. The only Browns personnel we fans should care about right now are the offensive line, the defensive coaching staff, and the strength/conditioning coaches in charge of bringing back Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow.

The offense in 2006? If Charlie Frye doesn’t start next year, I’ll eat my hat. Winslow and Edwards should (fingers crossed) come back healthy and have a good camp without holdouts. Reuben Droughns will have a year under his belt behind this fairly impressive offensive line. The defense? A full year of 3-4, for a defense that is already in a bend but don’t break mode. Needs a couple free agents, sure, but the system is being put in place.

In other words, this Browns team will be as different from next year’s as last year’s Cavs team is from this year’s. Remember that the next time you see Trent Dilfer underthrow Frisman Jackson…you won’t be seeing it for long.

FINAL SCORE – Ravens 16, Browns 3. TIM’s TAKE? Browns stunk. Period. They looked anemic on both sides of the ball, the entire game. Terrible start offensively, should never have put the entire game into Dilfer’s hands from the gate. Dilfer once more gives Charlie Frye a lesson in how not to play QB. Defense below average, gave up big gains consistently. Only bright spot, if any, is Reuben Droughns, who should have been running the first 7 plays, instead of Dilfer throwing the first 7 plays. Ravens STILL had tons of penalties, STILL did everything they could to hand it to the Browns, they were ripe for the picking, and the Browns blew it.

PRE-GAME TAKE – Browns should beat this team. I’d like to see Droughns get a lot of touches in the first half. I would imagine the tight ends are gonna play a big role in the Browns offense today. We gotta stop Jamal Lewis early, because if he gets going, it’ll be impossible to slow him down.

Kickoff at 1.

CBS Pre-Game…Now everyone thinks the Ravens should have kept Dilfer. Ummm….let’s just see how his numbers look at the end of the season.

UMMM…Shannon Sharpe is an idiot. After a clip of the 60 Minutes story on Romanowski, in which he call’s himself “Romo”, Sharpe says, “I don’t like it when people refer to themselves in the third person…he just called himself “Romo”, hey Romo, that’s you, just say “I”…” This, after Sharpe just said about the Ravens, “They shoulda kept Dilfer, they shoulda kept Shannon Sharpe..” Idiot.

Ravens 7, Browns 0. NO REPLAY?!?! That TD sure didn’t look like a TD to me. Great way to start the game on offense, after a good defensive start, Browns fumble first offensive snap, literally hand the ball to the Ravens. But that ensuing TD deserved at least one damn replay. Getting the B team from CBS has it’s costs.

Ravens 10, Browns 0. Browns have passed on every single play up until this point – two possessions, not one running play. Of course, if you only run 4 plays in those two possessions…..Defense being put in a real tough position, they’re playing well, but getting terrible field position off of a turnover anda 52 yard punt return. Terrible start to the game.

END OF 1st – Ravens 10, Browns 0. TIM’S TAKE? Do the Browns have any running backs at the stadium today? Why has every single one of the Browns first 7 offensive plays of the game been a pass play, when we all know that Dilfer’s got a big fat bulls eye on his chest for this game? Also…once again, Browns in progress of giving some nameless running back the biggest game of his career…anyone ever hear of Chester Taylor?

2 MINUTE WARNING – Ravens 13, Browns 0 – Nice pick deep in Browns territory. Anthony Wright looked like Peyton Manning for a while there. Browns have a shot to close the gap a bit before the half.

1.12 2nd quarter – Browns fumble. “Trent never feels…” Rich Gannon’s been sayin’ that a lot about Trent Dilfer today. He doesn’t feel much…except the bruises on his back side.

HALFTIME – Ravens 16, Browns 0. TIM’S TAKE? Browns stink. Although this game may have been lost by coaching staff’s decision to feature Trent Dilfer on the first 7 plays from scrimmage, the defense isn’t doing much better either. Score could be much worse.

7.37 3rd qtr – Browns kick a field goal. Ravens 16, Browns 3 – Good drive out of the gate stalled in the red zone. We got points though. Why Droughns wasn’t featured like this on the first drive of the game, I have no idea.

2.12 3rd qtr – Another good drive, aided by Dennis Northcutt making big catches, and the Ravens committing big penalties, DIES after “Trent never feels…” another guy coming to make a hit, causing an interception, so we get to see Ray Lewis dance around like a fool some more.

END OF 3rd – Ravens 16, Browns 3 – TIM’s TAKE? Gonna need another great comeback, which doesn’t seem likely. However, the Browns start the 4th just past midfield, so we got a shot. Momentum seems to have shifted to the Browns a tad. If we’re gonna make a comeback, we gotta score on this possession. Dilfer needs to step up. Northcutt’s making a statement.

14.36 4th – Dilfer sacked. Never mind.

10.38 4th – Browns get ball back on a punt, pinned deep after a penalty. This possession is probably the last shot to get back into the game.

8.29 4th – Browns have to punt. Completely ridiculous in-the-grasp call, gave Browns 2d & 21, instead of 2d & 10. Bullshit call. BULLSHIT. We still stink, though.

5.48 4th REF GETS CARTED OFF – Absolutely hilarious. The crowd claps politely as if watching a golf tournament. Surprised they didn’t boo. Ravens punt. Flags all over the place. Browns get pinned back deep again.

4.08 4th – WHY ARE YOU PUNTING ON 4TH DOWN? – Down two scores? Odd. Dilfer blows a 3rd down throw. Game probably over. Punt puts Ravens near midfield.

2.30 4th – Ravens get a deep pass to Heap for the game-ending first down.

I’m just glad the guy isn’t wearin’ No. 19 anymore.

“I don’t want to go out there and be like, ‘I’ve got to play like Braylon Edwards,’ ” said Jackson. “Be cause I can’t play like Bray lon Edwards. Braylon is Bray lon. I’m not going to go out there and try to do what Braylon does. I do what I do.”

Why do they have to put microphones in front of these guys’ mouths? “I do what I do.” Genius.