Defense Fails Browns In First Start for Brady Quinn – Cutler Over 400 yards

November 7, 2008 By 6 Comments

Brady Quinn Cleveland BrownsThe long-awaited debut of Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn Thursday night, who led his team to 30 points including two touchdown passes to tight end Kellen Winslow, was spoiled by Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler who sliced through the Browns defense like butter.

Cutler threw for more than 400 yards in the air and led the Broncos to more than 560 yards of total offense and a 34-30 victory before 73,200 disappointed and frustrated fans at Cleveland’s lakefront stadium.

There was also no joy in the Browns locker room after the defense allowed Denver to score 21 points in the fourth quarter, deflating the air out of Quinn’s coming out party.

Although Kellen Winslow made a couple of shoestring catches and great moves to get into the end zone, he uncharacteristically committed a costly offensive interference penalty and also fumbled, resulting in two Phil Dawson field goals for six points instead of two touchdowns for 14 points and a victory.

The Browns still had a little over one minute to march down the field to win the game, but a fourth down pass to Winslow went in and out of his gloved hands — and the ball went over to Denver as time ran out.

Afterward, speaking of himself in third person, Winslow told a WTAM reporter, “Kellen Winslow catches that ball, it’s a different story. And maybe a few plays later I catch a Hail Mary or something and we win the game.”

The Browns defense dropped at least two sure interceptions as Jay Cutler just reared back and threw at will, sometimes just tossing the ball up for grabs, daring the beleagured cornerback Brandon McDonald to come down with a pick.

Afterward, Derek Anderson, former starting quarterback, appeared relaxed as he walked onto the field to embrace Quinn in a brotherly hug. Quinn’s opening night record of 23 for 35 and 239 yards in the air, withBrady Quinn Cleveland Browns no interceptions and no sacks meant little to the former Notre Dame stand-out who understands nothing matters but a win.

Anderson seemed to know exactly what Quinn was feeling.

“I had two touchdowns, but I should have had four,” Quinn told WTAM-Browns beat reporter Andre Knott.

Cutler is no John Elway, but the fans watching the latest version of the Drive Thursday night, felt like it was deja vu all over again.

The glaring truth is that the quarterback is not the problem. It is the defense. And this is a bitter pill to swallow for Coach Romeo Crennel, who once coached the defense under Bill Belichick, head coach of the New England Patriots.

The test this week in preparing for the Buffalo Bills Monday Night game Nov. 17, is to motivate the Browns to play for pride since the playoffs for this 3-6 team seems a far off mirage.

Even with a poised and confident Quinn in the pocket, rolling back to pass.

[tags]nfl, cleveland browns, brady quinn[/tags]

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  • http://www.midwestsportsfans.com JRod

    WTF?

    Because I have nothing else constructive to say, here’s a stat for you:

    Jamal Lewis got 19 carries. For the second week in a row. Both weeks, the Browns blew double-digit leads in the 2nd half. The Browns are 11-1 when Jamal Lewis gets 20 or more carries, and something like 2-643 when he doesn’t.

    I don’t know what to say.

    The thing is, I don’t even know that giving it to Jamal more would have made a huge difference. How about more carries for Jerome Harrison? Does he have escalators in his contract that kick in a $50 million bonus if he gets more than 5 touches in a game?

    I’m done. Nothing more to say really. Tough loss. (Understatement of the year.)

  • Ryan Russell

    This loss was tough to watch. And although Romeo impressed me by going for it on 4th down a couple times, the last drive negated any respect i had for our play-callers. Why on earth did we trust that we could pass for a first down on 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1? We lead the league in dropped passes, and we were starting a QB who has yet to prove himself.

    Anyone who has EVER played Madden knows that you run (or QB sneak) for the first, and call a timeout. Whats the point in saving your 2 timeouts when you turn the ball over on downs?

  • Pingback: Jamal Lewis Upset After Browns Thursday Night Loss to Broncos

  • Much Needed Reality Check

    The ironic thing here is that the Browns now have the very 3-6 record after 9 games that Rusty predicted the Steelers would have. How about that!

  • Much Needed Reality Check

    Well looks like you guys just had another Much Needed Reality CHOKE.

    I just made that up. Pretty cool huh?

  • Midnight Writer

    No, “Reality Choke” is not “pretty cool”, although quite true,

    Although Romeo Crennel denied to The Plain Dealer that some of the players quit on Jamal Lewis and the team, he did say each player would be evaluated. But in my opinion, Defensive Coach Mel Tucker should have his head examined,

    If he knew his cornerback would be overmatched (the Broncos’ Marshall over McDonald), he should have considered a different defensive scheme.
    Browns fans, how about some advice for the Browns Defense (besides suggesting they finish their tackles.)

    Another thing that bothers me is that Lewis also said he has never been this frustrated with a team in his nine years in the NFL.

    But at 3-6, players might simply be out there for themselves, for their own future.

    If only Kellen would have hung on to that ball on the last play, a fourth and one.

    And it is true, that Romeo has no sense of time management. The Browns, coming from behind to retake the lead, should not have gone out with two time outs still remaining.

    A few weeks ago, the Browns found themselves marching down the field, seemingly unconcerned about having no time-outs left while the game clock ticked down. Losing a game because you ran out of time is unacceptable in the NFL.

    It’s not even acceptable at the high school level.

    Coming from behind to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory — twice — within five days, has made being a Browns fan a huge challenge. Heck, it’s made going back to work Friday morning an effort.

    This is one Browns fan who will not miss the emotional roller coaster that is the 2008 Browns this Sunday. We can all take a week to recover from the sickness and sadness, the bitterness, and anger and confusion, the insanity, the hopes raised, then dashed by these last two Browns games.

    No one said it would be easy being a fan in Brownstown.

    As always, Go, Browns!