so sad so so sad another season down the drain, but what else is new

--- On Fri, 11/6/09, dactar <dactar@...> wrote:


From: dactar <dactar@...>
Subject: [Cleveland Browns Club] Cleveland Browns Team Report
To: clevelandbrownsfootball@yahoogroups.com, clevelandbrownsclub@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, November 6, 2009, 10:33 PM


 





Cleveland Browns Team Report

 
The Browns bye week got off to an unusual start Monday when general manager
George Kokinis was fired after being on the job a little over nine months. The
reason, according to coach Eric Mangini, who hand-picked Kokinis, is "things
didn't work out."
The next day two roster spots opened up after kicker Billy Cundiff and defensive
back Anthony Madison were waived. Since the Browns do not play again until Nov.
16 in a Monday night game against the Ravens, they are in no hurry to add
players. Mangini is confident the front office can find the right players
without Kokinis' help.
"We have a strong structure in place on both the pro side and the college side
and things will continue to operate effectively on a day-to-day basis," Mangini
said.
So the Browns have two projects to work on during the bye week as they pick up
the pieces from a 1-7 start. The most important part is finding a replacement
for Kokinis, but the more immediate concern is using the time off to self-scout,
weed out what doesn't work, add plays that might be better for an offense ranked
31st in the league and make necessary lineup adjustments.
"We have point of attack tapes made on each guy, whether it (is) actual game
tapes or practice tapes, where they can look at that individually to help them
get a better feel for what they've done," Mangini said. "They can meet with
their position coach, with the coordinator or me, where we can really share some
time and I can give them my perspective on things. Just from my experience over
the last three years (as Jets head coach), those meetings have been very
valuable."
Mangini benched Derek Anderson with about three minutes left in the 30-6 loss to
the Bears on Sunday. Brady Quinn took over and immediately he and Mohamed
Massaquoi read a pass play differently. Massaquoi was running downfield with his
back to Quinn when the Bears blitzed and Quinn threw the ball short, expecting
Massaquoi to run a hot route. Had the throw been higher, the pass would have
been intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Anderson's last play before Quinn
took over was returned 21 yards for a touchdown.
Mangini said he remains undecided about his starting quarterback for the second
half of the season. Quinn was 0-3 as a starter. Anderson is 1-4 and the lowest
rated passer (36.2) in the league. He has thrown two touchdown passes and nine
interceptions.
Safety is another area where Mangini might make a lineup change. Brodney Pool
began the game in Chicago on the bench. Mike Adams started and Pool played in
the nickel defense. Pool responded with five tackles and an interception.
As the Browns regroup, the defense is showing signs of improvement. Three
Chicago drives ended in field goals and another was stopped on fourth-and-goal
at the 1-yard line, but now that unit is being challenged because of injuries at
inside linebacker.
D'Qwell Jackson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury Oct. 18 in Pittsburgh
and now Eric Barton is battling a neck injury that could cause him to miss time
if not the rest of the season.
NOTES, QUOTES
—The Browns practiced on Tuesday and Wednesday and then were given the next
four days off for the bye. They will report to the practice facility again the
morning of Nov. 9.
—K Billy Cundiff hopes he revived his NFL career while subbing for injured
Phil Dawson. Cundiff was 6-for-6 on field goal tries but was waived Tuesday
because Dawson has recovered from the calf injury that sidelined him for five
weeks.
—The Browns yielded 30 or more points four times in their first eight games.
Last season they gave up 30 or more points five times and finished 4-12.
—Erin O'Brien, a personal assistant working for Eric Mangini, was fired last
week. No explanation was given. The action was not reported by the team.
—Coach Eric Mangini said he is uncertain who will start at quarterback when
the season resumes, but it won't be Brett Ratliff.
—The last time the Browns were 1-7 at the halfway point of the season was in
the expansion year of 1999. That team lost its first seven games and then won
two of its next three.
—A pair of rabid fans is trying to organize a "brownout" for the Monday night
home game against the Ravens on Nov. 16. They want fans to attend the game but
stay in the concourse in Cleveland Browns Stadium until after the opening
kickoff and then file in wearing brown and orange to show team support on
national television.
Fans of slumping teams have urged boycotts before, but this one is different.
Browns owner Randy Lerner met with the organizers on Nov. 3 to hear their
complaints. They presented Lerner with 2,000 emails from frustrated fans voicing
concerns about the 1-7 Browns.
BY THE NUMBERS: 3.1 - Derek Anderson's passer rating in the fourth quarter. The
next lowest is the Cardinals' Kurt Warner at 36.6.
NOTE TO QUOTE: "I feel like the organization is still intact. We have our
captain of the ship. Eric Mangini is still running it." - Josh Cribbs on the
firing of general manager George Kokinis.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
One change Eric Mangini won't make during the bye is offensive coordinator. He
plans to stick with first-year coordinator Brian Daboll and continue to let him
call plays. Daboll might get more input from veteran quarterback coach Carl
Smith, however.
"I think there are things that we can improve offensively, " Mangini said. "Carl
Smith is a guy that has a lot of experience. That's one of the reasons I wanted
Carl to be part of the staff — I think it was 11 years at New Orleans as the
offensive coordinator — is to have a guy who's called a lot of plays in the
NFL.
"Obviously there are things from a play calling perspective, from a scheme
perspective, from a coaching perspective that we can improve, but that goes hand
in hand with execution and individual performances as well."
The Browns have yet to get a touchdown from one of their wide receivers or a
rushing touchdown by one of their running backs.

PLAYER NOTES
—LB Eric Barton did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday. He suffered a neck
injury in the game against the Bears. Doctors are conducting tests to determine
the severity of the injury.
—RB Jamal Lewis is healthy but did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday.
—K Billy Cundiff was released after kicking in five games. He was 6-for-6 on
field goal tries, but he became expendable when Phil Dawson recovered from a
calf injury.
—RB-KR Josh Cribbs might get more work at running back when the Browns return
from their bye.
—WR Brian Robiskie, the 36th overall pick, has one catch through eight games.
INJURY IMPACT: The Browns will be scrambling for inside linebacker help if Eric
Barton's neck injury knocks him out for the season. They already are without
D'Qwell Jackson, who is out for the year with a shoulder injury. With two roster
openings they might sign at least one inside linebacker. As it is, David Bowens
and Blake Costanzo plus rookies Kaluka Maiava and David Veikune will play
inside.

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