Browns Banter: How the Browns Can Beat the Eagles and Win Another Monday Night Game
I may be the only sportswriter, fan, or human being in the country who believes the Cleveland Browns can take it to the Philadelpia Eagles’ in their house tonight.
Well, if not demolish the Super Bowl wannabes, the Browns can at least sneak in a victory in Philly — plus get out of town in one piece. And that includes Cleveland’s last resort quarterback, Ken Dorsey, a well-spoken young man who looks good holding a clipboard.
Why do I believe? It’s not that I am a hopeless “homer” with all things Browns, but psychologically Cleveland has the edge simply because Philadelphia desperately needs this game to be a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl.
The Browns will play hard for their coach, Romeo Crennel, and for their own jobs next year if Crennel is not around.
But the biggest factor in the Browns favor is, it’s Monday Night Football, folks. And despite all odds, Cleveland is 2-0 this season in the must-see prime time game.
On Oct. 13, the Browns beat the reigning Super Bowl champs, the New York Football Giants at Cleveland Browns Stadium, 35-14, when no one (except for Midwest Sports Fans!) gave the struggling Browns a chance. And that was before Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn and Derek, again, got hurt.
In fact, Anderson played his best game of the season against Eli Manning’s team, earning a quarterback rating of 121.3 compared to his season average of 66.5 before going down with a leg injury.
And on Nov. 17, beneath the Monday Night lights in Buffalo, Quinn led the Browns to a 29-27 win against the play-off contending Bills, with a little help from field goal kicker Phil Dawson with less than two minutes to go.
The Browns Monday night magic stuck when the Buffalo kicker missed a field goal attempt with mere seconds to go. Buffalo never recovered its playoff form.
The Browns could win this game if:
1. Dorsey stays on his feet 50 percent of the time.
2. The Browns Good Defense shows up and Shaun Rogers plays like a beast and Brandon McDonald, D’Qwell Jackson and Mike Adams play the best games of their lives.
3. Donovan McNabb plays like he did when he was benched in the second half of the Baltimore game three weeks ago.
4. Braylon Edwards catches the long ball in the end zone (for the Browns first touchdown in four games.)
5. Joshua Cribbs plays a “wildcat” role and if is Josh runs wild the whole game.
6. Eagles running back Brian Westbrook sprains his ankle while running out on the field during pre-game introductions.
“If you count only (the Browns) Monday night games, they’re astonishingly good,” ESPN analyst Tony Kornheiser told The Plain Dealer. “I believe they could become only the second team ever to win three Monday night games — and not make the playoffs.”
OK, a back-handed compliment, perhaps, but with the Browns at 4-9, I’ll take it.
Who knows? If we beat up on the Eagles, the Browns might be invited to play in three Monday Night Football games next year.
I can hardly wait.
Go, Browns!
Tags: Cleveland Browns, Monday Night Football, Philadelphia Eagles, prediction, preview
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MW, I love your optimism, but I can’t say I share it this week.
I disagree that the Browns have the mental edge. Philly is playing to stay alive in the playoff race, while the Browns are playing only for pride. I think that gives Philadelphia a HUGE mental edge. Unless they come out and play really tight, trying not to lose, this game could get ugly for Cleveland.
If we had DA or Brady at QB, I would feel much better. But with Dorsey at QB we have zero ability to threaten downfield. And without a strong running attack, I’m not sure where the offense will come from. The defense will have to play outstanding and really neutralize Brian Westbrook for us to even have a chance to win. They are capable, but I don’t see any way, even with a herculean effort, that our D holds Philly to less than 17 points in their house with a healthy Westbrook. And I don’t think we’re capable of scoring 17 or more points.
I’ll be cheering hard and hoping for the best, but I’m just not sure where the hope comes from tonight. I really hope I am proven wrong, but I’m not going into this game will real high expectations.
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Jrod,
True, Ken Dorsey is no Gus Farrote, Jamal Lewis is not was he used to be, but Cribbs and kicker Phil Dawson can always make a difference.
I mean, the Brown could score 33 points on 11 field goals, alone!
Stranger things have happened in sports — although I can’t think of any except when the Browns played te Baltimore Colts in the 1964 championship game.
The Johnny Unitas Colts were heavy favorites, but the Browns defense came up with a way to neutralize Unitas and Cleveland won, 27-0.
The good old days. When Cleveland Browns were the only Browns and when Baltimore still had its Colts.
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All together now: “Congratulations Pittsburgh Steelers, AFC North Champions (As Usual).”
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And now, a word from Much Needed Reality Check…
“When oh when will you learn, oh you Ravens and Brownies and Bengals fans, that the division has belonged to, belongs to, and will always belong to, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Does the bull own the cow pasture? Does the lion rule the jungle? Does Romeo Crennel own a Krispy Kreme franchise? –But I digress.
The bottom line is, the sooner you accept the fact the division is the property of the Steelers, the easier life will be. Don’t fight it — embrace the sweet sweet reality of Steeler domination. And soon you’ll be living your day with a smile, happy as can be.”
A public service message brought to you by Much Needed Reality Check.
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Unreal Czech,
I already had picked Pee-burg to beat the Ravens based on 1. Luck and 2. Big Ben.
I’m not going to say congrats, but I will say Ben better watch out on Dec. 28 when it could matter to the Steelers. Then the Browns can play the spoiler role.
By the way, as good as Ben and the Defense played, WTAM in Cleveland braodcast the game from the Pittsburgh station.
I just want to know who the hell is Billy (who calls a game like a hypnotist trying to put a patient to sleep and The Other Guy, Punch? He, like many of his neighbors, haven’t quite learned te English language.
Although he is the color guy, he often talks ad nauseum about how a play unfolds, etc.
I thought I hated Myron Cope, but these guys are Dumb and Dumber!
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 11:07 am
@Midnight Writer,
I believe you’re referring to Bill Hilgrove and Tunch “Not Punch” Ilkin. Bill has a classic kind of voice in the tradition of Jack Fleming (long-time partner of your fave Myron Cope). Tunch played O-line for the Steelers and was pretty good back in the day. As for his language skills, what can I say? I believe he’s from Wisconsin or one of those other Midwestern states. We’re doing our best to educate him in the proper use of the language.
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Quick pregame prediction: Browns 19 Eagles 17
I don’t know why…I’m feeling it. Josh Cribbs scores a special teams TD, 4 Dawson FGs, huge performance from the D.
Go Browns!
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 11:10 am
@JRod,
Excellent work on the prediction there, JRod. You’re now ready to graduate from the Rusty Russell (aka “Nostradumbass”) School of Prognostications.
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admin Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 11:52 am
@Much Needed Reality Check, I hate you.
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
@admin,
Just remember, you’re the one who invited me here in the first place.
Mr. Real Delusional,
Gloat, now, if you like.
But there is no way Pee-burg will beat Dallas or make it to the Super Bowl.
So have your fun, now, but be ready for the letdown.
By the way, do you actually live in Pittsburgh or in the Midwest and are one of those folks who root for a team that is winning.
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 11:04 am
@Midnight Writer,
I’m a bit confused here. Didn’t the Steelers already beat Dallas, or did I watch a game played in some far-off alternate universe?
Just wondering.
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Brandon McDonald came to play last night, as did Mr. Monday Night Braylon Edwards. Other than that, and a few sparks from Josh Cribbs when he actually got the ball, not a whole lot to get excited about.
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 11:11 am
@JRod,
Will we see your game summary anytime soon? Can’t wait!
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admin Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 11:51 am
@Much Needed Reality Check,
Game summary: The Browns offense was terrible with the only bright spot being Mr. Monday Night Braylon Edwards actually catching passing. The D could not get a consistent pass rush, but Brandon McDonald had a really good game. Browns get killed again.
There’s your summary.
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 16th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
@admin,
Well, if I were a Brownies fan (insert obligatory “thank God I’m not” here) I think I’d be posting a different kinda recap.
I’d wonder what my guy was thinking doing a somersault and a hey-look-at-me! dance into the end zone scoring a garbage-time TD down 30-3 at the time. Scoreboard anyone?
I’d worry about Brady “Future o’ the Franchise” Quinn yukking it up with a teammate on the sidelines, down 30-10 at the time. I dunno, maybe the Browns were standing at a bad angle to see the scoreboard all night?
I’d wonder who was in charge of the kindergarten here. But hey, what do I know? I follow a team that doesn’t have those kind of happenings. But if they did — you can be sure I’d be doing some grilling right now.
But that’s just me. I’m funny that way.
MNRC…you know we don’t really hate you. We hate the fact that you are a Steelers fan and your team has completely dominated the Browns in every way this year, but the back and forth is entertaining.
I am beyond trying to defend the Browns right now. This season is so completely opposite of what I expected it to be, I am just too in shock to even come up with coherent thoughts or reasons for what has happened.
Right now I am just trying to remove it from my mind as much as possible, but we keep having to play every way and remind me of just how far we have fallen from last season.
It has just been a sad, sad, pathetic season. And to make matters worse, Pittsburgh and Baltimore have both been better than expected coming into the year. Insert knife and twist.
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 17th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
@JRod,
No prob, JRod. As a wise man once said “I feel your pain; I probably caused it.”
Obviously you suffered from some unrealistically high expectations. Which is what I tried to tell so many back in August. No big deal though, who hasn’t experience this from time to time? Ah, but if you all had only listened to me back then, how much easier to take things would be now…
It happens every year of course. Every year I hear, this is our (insert trendy-pick North team here) year, and the Steelers are going down because they lost a) Cowher b) Bettis c) any other player or coach such as Alan Faneca the team just “can’t do” without. And every year the Steelers wind up taking the division. Ho hum.
The ‘08 Brownies just happened to be this year’s trendy-pick team.
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Unreal Czech,
Your summary of the Browns game was not too far off from mine.
What is “Tunch’s” real name? Was he on too many big hits in his day? Sounds like a punch-drunk ex-fighter.
Wisconsin, huh? He does sound a bit like Lenny and Squiggy.
And administrator: Why shouldn’t Quinn be “yukking it up” as you say, it will be (should be) his team in 2009.
And I beliee the Browns could be at least 8-8 — maybe 9-7 if Quinn were given the reins at the start instead of farting around with Derek Anderson for so long.
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Much Needed Reality Check Reply:
December 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
@Midnight Writer,
Tunch Ali Ilkin is of Turkish descent and played tackle for the Steelers back in the 1980s, twice making the Pro Bowl. He was a pretty fair player. Tunch was in on some hits, I dunno he sounds pretty coherent to me — maybe it’s that Midwestern accent? He does get a little excitable at times.
Actually I made the comment about Quinn. Seriously, should your “future leader” be all smiley-faced and stuff on the sidelines when your team is getting embarrassed on national TV? Is this really the demeanor to have, and the example to set? You tell me, it’s your team, your QB.
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