Romeo Crennel was fired this morning, as reported by Mary Kay Cabot in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

Crennel coached the Browns for four seasons and compiled a 24-40 record. Despite a strong 10-6 season last year, the Browns never made the playoffs during Crennel’s regime and seemed to take a huge step backward this season, culminating in yesterday’s terrible 31-0 loss to the Steelers.

Crennel was reportedly going to meet with Browns owner Randy Lerner this morning. No word on if the meeting occurred, or if Crennel was simply fired. It is no secret that Randy Lerner wants Bill Cowher to become the next head coach of the Browns (as do many Browns fans). Lerner is also reportedly interested in bringing in New England VP Scott Pioli to run football operations.

According to Cabot, Lerner will meet with the media at 10:00 this morning.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage will be asked to step down on Monday. Cabot says that nothing will happen before Monday unless one of the two forces the issue. In addition, Cabot reports that Browns owner Randy Lerner is targeting former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher and New Englad Patriots Executive Vice President Scott Pioli, and that he he would be “ecstatic” to have the chance to land both.

Mike Florio over at PFT has already pooh-poohed the idea of a Pioli-Cowher partnership in Cleveland, saying that both would demand final say. Thus, a partnership is merely a Lerner pipe dream with no actual chance of happening. I tend to agree.

Additionally, Chris Mortensen of ESPN is also reporting the Browns’ interest in Cowher and Pioli, but that there may be a silver living for Romeo Crennel and/or Phil Savage. Mortensen says that if the Browns are unable to persuade Cowher or Pioli to join the organization, Savage has a chance to maintain his role as GM.

There are a couple more interesting nuggets, from the Cabot report:

1. Romeo Crennel may be asked to stay in Cleveland in a different capacity that head coach, perhaps as defensive coordinator, especially if Scott Pioli joins the Browns. Crennel worked with Pioli in New England, and Randy Lerner is apparently impressed the class and dignity with which Romeo Crennel has conducted himself. Florio pooh-poohed this idea too, saying it would be difficult for the players to have the former head coach still in the building with a new man in charge. I agree. No way Crennel stays.
2. Should the Browns not get Bill Cowher to be the head coach, they may go the coordinator route to fill the opening. Names being thrown around are Rex Ryan of Baltimore, Jason Garrett of Dallas, Jim Schwartz of Tennessee, Steve Spagnuolo of the New York Giants, and Josh McDaniels of New England. Another name mentioned who might be interviewed: Urban Meyer of Florida.

I am on record stating that I agree with the premise of the guys over at Cowher09.com, that I think Bill Cowher would be a great choice for the Browns. If the Browns do not get Cowher, I would love to see them go the coordinator route and give an up-and-coming coach their first head job. Look at Miami, Atlanta, and Baltimore. All three teams experienced a huge turnaround this season and all had experienced GMs in place who chose first-time head coaches. Whether it is Scott Pioli or Phil Savage making the choice (in which case, we would be assuming, Bill Cowher is not an option), I think they should choose the best of the aforementioned candidates through the interview process.

Except for Urban Meyer.

I don’t want to discuss Urban-Meyer-to-the-Browns too much, because I don’t think it can possibly be realistic, but I just want to go on record saying I think it is completely preposterous. Some coaches are born to be college football coaches (Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban) and some guys are born to coach in the NFL. Urban Meyer is an awesome coach, but, like Bob Stoops, I think he is a college coach and would not have success in the NFL. I know he has Bowling Green and Midwest roots, but please. How many times do we have to see college coaches fail in the NFL before owners and GMs will stop thinking they can find the next Jimmy Johnson?

Randy Lerner, please listen to me: DO NOT get tempted by Urban Meyer.

I cannot decide if I would rather see an offensive guy or a defensive guy be brought in. On the one hand, the Browns D could use an overhaul and a more experienced leader. Mel Tucker is a good secondary coach, but has been a bit overmatched this season as a defensive coordinator, at least in my opinion. We do not get consistent pressure on opposing QBs and seem to play on our toes too much, reacting instead of forcing the action.

However, Romeo Crennel was a defensive coordinator. And the Browns D, while it has shown flashes of potential, has not markedly improved over the past four years. I think the talent has, but the consistency and performance in key, late-game situations, has not. And the D has, sadly, been the strength of this year’s team. The offensive woes of the Browns have been discussed ad nauseum this season. Injuries, underperforming “stars”, and horrible coaching has led to the 5-game TD drought. But once 2009 begins, there will still be talent to work with on offensive.

Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson will be back at QB. Joe Thomas is a Pro Bowl offensive lineman. Braylon Edwards has talent, if he can pull his head out of his ass. Kellen WInslow obviously is supremely talented, but struggles to stay healthy. Joe Jurevicius should be back. Jamal Lewis-Jerome Harrison-Jason Wright, if deployed effectively, can be an effective trio of running backs, a poor team’s answer to the Giants three-headed trio.

So maybe a guy like Josh McDaniels or Jason Garrett could breathe life into the offense? I live in Dallas and the star of Jason Garrett has faded a bit this year with the struggles of the Cowboys offense. What McDaniels at NE have been able to do without Tom Brady has been impressive.

At the end of the day, I don’t think it matters whether the choice is offensive or defensive. What Randy Lerner needs to do is find the coach who brings the right ATTITUDE to Berea. The biggest frustration for many Browns fans over the past few years has been the lack of an attitude, a killer instinct, a swagger. We had for a few brief moments in 2007, but it completely evaporated this year. I think that is why most people are excited about the thought of Bill Cowher. Even Steelers fans question some Bill Cowher’s decision-making and Xs-and-Os thinking. But no one has ever, ever questioned his attitude.

The Browns have talent, as they proved last year. What they need is a complete overhaul in mindset. If the choice is not Bill Cowher, then Randy Lerner needs to find a new head coach who can define a winning attitude for the Cleveland Browns, just like the Steelers did in hiring Mike Tomlin. He was inexperienced, but he is a winner and has a winning attitude. (Damnit I hate the Steelers.)

I don’t know who that coach is, and I’m just a blogger so it’s not my job to know. But I do know that it is time for the Browns to make the right decision about who will lead their organization, and that the #1 criteria needs to be attitude and leadership above all else.

With a play-off berth on the line for the Steelers, and the Browns going with fourth-string quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, no one is expecting the game to be pretty – or close. Although if Cleveland could miraculously win, Crennel would be 1-7 lifetime against the Steelers – rather than 0-8.

Even if Crennel was a magician and pulled a rabbit out of his hat for a W., a final victory is unlikely to change Lerner’s mind about dumping Crennel, swallowing his contract and naming someone else to the helm.

That is, of course, if the inscrutable Mr. Lerner decides to change direction.

But Lerner is a hard man to read. His father, Al Lerner, who along with former owner Art Modell, orchestrated the Browns move to Baltimore in 1995 where they would become the Ravens, was passionate about football. With Modell out of the picture in Cleveland, Lerner threw his hat – and millions – into the ring, winning the bid to acquire a new team for Cleveland, also called the Browns, and building a new stadium.

But Al Lerner could not enjoy his team. Shortly after the Browns “came back” in 1999, Al Lerner died of cancer and his only son, Randy, was given the new Browns organization in his father’s will.

Sports media critics say Randy Lerner lacks the passion of an NFL owner, and has other priorities.

While Al grew up poor and built his family wealth, Randy was raised in luxury, attending the best schools, becoming a successful businessman and traveling the world. Randy Lerner miffed some Browns fans after he purchased a soccer team in England and has been spotted at the matches.

In a rare “press conference” in which no video or audio equipment was allowed, Lerner sat with selected local members of the media and talked about honoring the promise to his father to take over the Browns organization and make it a winner once again. The Browns have never been in a Super Bowl and won its last world championship in 1964, beating the Baltimore Colts, 27-0 on a frigid day in Cleveland.

For the past six weeks, local and national sports commentators have come up with a short list of replacements for Crennel who reportedly coddled the players and allowed a “country club” atmosphere to replace hard practice sessions. The Browns this year have broken a club record by going five complete games – that’s 20 quarters – without a single offensive touchdown.

An embarrassment to be sure.

If I were Crennel, I would not be looking forward to a meeting with Lerner to save my job. What could I say?

I imagine the meeting next week might go like this:

Romeo standing at Lerner’s door: Knock. Knock.

Lerner standing from behind a massive mahogany desk: “Come in, Romeo, so good of you to come. Can I get you some coffee, bottled water, a croissant?”

Romeo standing just inside the door: “Uh, no thanks, Mr. Lerner. I’m really not feeling very hungry or thirsty right now.”

Lerner: “Well, are you sure? The coffee beans are specially grown in Brazil and were flown here to Cleveland on my private jet, just this morning. Well, then. Why don’t you close the door and sit right here in my favorite leather chair presented to me by my futbol – er soccer – team, the Aston-Villa, who yesterday played to an amazing 2-2 tie!

“Exciting, no?”

Romeo: “A tie, sir? No … I mean yes, I’m sure it was exciting”. He shuts the door softly and sits in the special soccer chair.

Lerner, looking at his Rolex: “Well, how do you think the Browns season went, Coach?”

Romeo: “Well, as you know, Mr. Lerner, although we went 4-12 this year, a disappointing season from last year’s 10-6, I feel we could have won more games had our offense scored more points and our defense gave up fewer points. We tried to win a few more games.

“Unfortunately, many injuries prevented this from occurring, including season-ending injuries to quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.”

Lerner with his elbows on his desk, hands steepled: “I believe the Browns did not appear ready to even start the season.”

Romeo: “Well, as you know, sir, boys will be boys. Donte Stallworth accidentally spiked Braylon Edwards’ foot while running barefoot after practice one day; then Derek got that concussion in an exhibition game against the Jets; and he wasn’t right in the head until our fourth game on Monday night against the New York Giants in which we won 35-14.

“We got a chance to prepare for that game and a combination of preparation and execution showed me and our fans what the future of the Browns could be.”

Lerner: “Yes, but you rarely have two weeks to prepare for your next game. Was that the game where Braylon displayed his air guitar prowess in the end zone?”

Romeo: “Yes, the game against the Giants. See? Boys will be boys.”

Lerner: “Well if Anderson was struggling early in the season, why didn’t you put our franchise quarterback, Brady Quinn, in sooner?”

Romeo: “Well, if I am anything, it is loyal. I felt Derek should be rewarded for his 2007 season by being our starter as long as possible.”

Lerner: “Yes, but my people tell me that the last five games of 2007, Derek had begun to slip and never really regained his passing success until the Giants game this year – and then his showed diminished abilities.”

Romeo, “You have a valid point, sir. And I thought the Other Guy – Quinn — did a good job in the two full games he started, but then he fractured his finger, opted for surgery and also was lost to us.”

Lerner: “Yes, but I understand just last week that Shaun Smith, who is rather burly, struck Quinn in the face in the weight room. I wonder, did Brady try to defend himself with his left hand, I hope. He didn’t fall on that right finger, did he? Because that finger is connected to his throwing arm which is worth millions of dollars.”

Romeo: “Uh, no, he fell on his left side. Another case of boys will be boys, sir.”

Lerner: “I see. Well I know the players have expressed their respect for you, Romeo. I will take your comments today under advisement and will get back with you when I make my final decision.

“But before you go, let me show you this video of Aston-Villa’s finest hour in the tie against Spain. Tell me, do you think our goalie is strong and swift enough to take on France?”

I just saw on the Cleveland Plain-Dealer website, as reported by Mary-Kay Cabot, that Browns head coach Romeo Crennel did not confirm, nor deny, that the altercation took place.

From the Cabot report:

Browns coach Romeo Crennel declined to confirm a report on WKYC Channel 3 that defensive lineman Shaun Smith punched quarterback Brady Quinn in the face last week in the weight room.

But Crennel also did not deny that the incident took place.

“If it happened, we’re keeping it in house,” Crennel said.

Interestingly, as Cabot points out, Romeo Crennel “would not say whether or not Smith was out (of the Bengals game) because of disciplinary action.”

“Shaun was inactive and generally all the inactive guys are coaches’ decisions,” said Crennel. “That was a coaches’ decision for him not to play. I’m not going to talk about family business.”

Crennel did acknowledge that Smith got into a heated confrontation with an offensive lineman at practice recently, but that to his knowledge it didn’t get physical.

“Guys get heated at practice,” he said. “There was some discussion (between Shaun and an offensive lineman).”

So, we have no official confirmation or denial that Shaun Smith punched Brady Quinn. And PFT reported earlier today that their sources said that Brady Quinn denied the rumors. However, we know that it was rumored that Shaun Smith was the player who Browns players said “quit” in the game this season against Denver. And we know that he has, at the very least, been involved in confrontations with other players.

And what kind of a statement is, “if it happened, we’re keeping it in house?” If it happened? Unfortunately for Romeo Crennel, if that was his attempt at diffusing the situation, I’m fairly certain it will only make it worse. If the alleged altercation between Brady Quinn and Shaun Smith did not happen, why would Romeo Crennel say anything other than, “It did not happen”? In this case, a waffling statement like, “If it happened, we’re keeping it in house” is about as good as just coming right out and saying it happened.

And Shaun Smith’s reputation for being a hot head is not going to help this rumor go away either. As the Browns should have learned from the Phil Savage email fiasco, it is usually better to just confront these issues and explain what happened. We all know that things get heated on NFL practice fields and in locker rooms. So it’s not like an altercation would be a surprise. What does not look good is trying to play games with the media and issuing vague statements hoping that the problem goes away. In the 24-hour, web-driven news cycle we live in, these stories go viral and the truth is eventually forced out.

If the altercation happened, and I think it is safe to make such an assumption based on the information available and Crennel’s unwillingness to issue a flat denial, you might as well take the lead so you can better frame the story from a perspective of authority. For the Browns front office, I think they’d have been better off with Romeo Crennel saying nothing. His non-denial denial is like throwing chum in the ocean, and now the media sharks and bloggers will be even more hungry for details on this story now, especially as the rumor seems to be gaining more and more steam in the direction of truth as today goes on.

About the only thing you could say about the Browns scoring this season, is that they managed to score points on Monday night, unbelievably beating the New York Football Giants 35-14, and winning on the frozen tundra of Buffalo 29-27.

Is it too unrealistic to expect the real offense to return on Monday night against Philadelphia?

I think so. After all both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson are out with injuries and third-string quarterback Ken Dorsey proved on Sunday against the Titans why he will climb no higher. Not only is Ken Dorsey rather wooden in the pocket, but he is a slow reader of defense and is a very good target for blitzing linemen.

Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerBrowns quarterback Ken Dorsey is sacked by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

But despite the quarterback, Cleveland, at 4-9, played seven games with fewer than two touchdowns, Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer, recently pointed out.

To me, it seems that when Cleveland gets into the Red Zone, it is treated like the DMZ (Demilitiarized Zone) was in Viet-Nam. The players tighten up, then try to sneak in either through a rushing play or a pass – and are usually stopped.

The 2007 season saw the Browns have just two games of fewer than two touchdowns – and one was the 8-0 win against Buffalo at home in a blizzard. The other was the 34-7 defeat at the hands of the Steelers – the game that Charlie Frye started; the game where Frye was in the locker room the second half packing for Seattle.

The 28-9 drubbing at the hands of Tennessee on Sunday, was not only an embarrassment to Browns fans, but a lesson in the team’s offensive futility.

Although Dorsey threw 43 times, nothing comes to mind but a 25-yard pass to wide receiver Braylon Edwards in the first quarter. And although he was only sacked once, he was hit 11 times. The last time I could actually watch the game, Dorsey was limping over to the sidelines as Browns color commentator and former Brown, Doug Dieken, remarked, “Boy, he sure is going to be sore, this week.”

The Browns rank twenty-seventh in points scored and twenty-ninth in scoring touchdowns in the Red Zone at 38 percent; compared to twelfth and 54 percent a year ago.

What the heck happened? The long Cleveland curse?

First, the sure-handed and team leader Joe Jerevicius, after his sixth surgery to overcome a staph infection to his knee, was placed on injured reserve. Then, injuries and a one-game suspension kept tight end Kellen Winslow out of three games. Both of these guys can catch the ball and take the hit afterward.

Braylon Edwards got a case of the “yips”, and dropped at least eighteen balls so far this season, but more importantly, he has had only three touchdown catches compared to 16 one year ago.

Running back Jamal Lewis ran seven times for about seven yards on Sunday and has dropped from 4.4 yards per carry last year to 3.5, according to statistics compiled by Pluto.

The Browns also stuck with Derek Anderson too long, even though he completed less than half of his passes.

Brady Quinn did provide a spark in the 33-30 loss to Denver and the 29-27 win over Buffalo but that was short-lived since he fractured his finger against the Bills and has been reduced to standing on the sidelines in street clothes and a gigantic bandage.

So with three games left, why not play the back-ups and see what they can do? Why not play more wildcat with Joshua Cribbs standing back beside Dorsey?

Maybe it is because there are three games left and Romeo Crennel and Rob Chudzinski are both playing for their jobs. It’s not over ‘til it’s over, after all, and if I just play it safe, maybe they won’t blame me for the Browns nose dive, they must be thinking.

Indeed, at times Crennel stand flat-footed to watch his team’s underwhelming performance as if he is already someplace else or is in a kind of shock of what is happening.

A good coach discovers the players best strengths and uses them to make plays and win games.

The coaches seem to be playing a bit of Marty-(Schottenheimer)ball, playing not to lose, playing it safe, playing a prevent defense, when an aggressive offense is what it takes to win in the NFL.

Whether it is Marty-ball, Romeo-ball or Chud-ball, it is not only not working, but has plunged Browns fans into a funk and owner Randy Lerner (hopefully) burning up the phone lines and emails to find replacements for next year.

Monday night is the perfect time to show the Browns can still play football.

Get out the playbook, fellas, plot a few creative plays, go out there and in the spirit of the great innovator Paul Brown, score from the Red Zone and win a game.

As always, go Browns!

This past weekend, rumors began to circulate that the Cleveland Browns are interested in bringing Marty Schottenheimer back to be their head coach in 2009. Earlier this season, rumors began to run rampant that the Browns are also interested in former Scottenheimer assistant and Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.

(Update 12/10 8:00am: ESPN’s John Clayton is reporting this morning that he thinks the Browns will make an offer to Bill Cowher, but that the Cowher will turn it down. Some people think that Cowher is simply using the Browns to gain leverage and keep his name top of mind for if and when he does want to return to coaching. Midwest Sports Fans writer JRod is reporting who gives a crap. This is the time of year when everyone in the NFL lies about everything — injuries, draft boards, job interest, etc. No one knows what Cowher will do, but there is genuine interest. Good enough for me. Now back to the post.)

No one knows who will be coaching the Cleveland Browns in 2009, or even who will end up interviewing for the job; but what has become unfortunately clear this season is that Romeo Crennel will not be back. I love Romeo Crennel, and I know that his players love him as well; and I wish that he was the right man for the job. But it is hard to come up with any type of rationale or reason for why he should continue as the Browns head coach.

So with that being said, I have decided to stack Bill Cowher and Marty Schottenheimer up next to eachother to see which coach would be the better choice for the Browns, using 11 carefully selected categories that are all extremely important indicators of their potential for success in Cleveland.

Here we go…

Place of Birth:

Marty Schottenheimer was born in Canonsburgh, PA. Bill Cowher was born in Crafton, PA.

Advantage: Push – to hell with Pennsylvania. This is the Browns we’re talking about.

__________

College:

Marty Schottenheimer went to school at Pitt. Bill Cowher went to NC State.

Advantage: Bill Cowher – at least he didn’t go to…ugh…Pittsburgh. Guilt by association for Schottenheimer.

__________

Professional Football Playing Career:

Marty Schottenheimer was a seventh round draft pick of Buffalo Bills, then in the AFL. He played four seasons with the Bills, including their AFL Championship team in 1965 when we made the AFL All-Star Team. He also played two seasons with the Boston Patriots and was then traded twice in the 1971 offseason before retiring.

Bill Cowher signed with the Eagles as a free agent in 1979. In 1980, he signed with the Browns, where he played from 1980-1982. He was then traded back to the Eagles and played there from 1983-1984.

Advantage: Push – Schottenheimer had more success, but it was before the merger and Cowher played for the Browns.

__________

Regular Season Head Coaching Record:

Marty Schottenheimer has been the head coach for four teams: the Browns, the Chiefs, the Redskins, and the Chargers. His combined W/L record is 200-126-1, which is good for a .613 winning percentage.

Bill Cowher has been the head coach for one team: the Pittsburgh Steelers. His regular season record during his Steelers tenure was 149-90, which is good for a .623 winning percentage.

Advantage: Bill Cowher

__________

Postseason Head Coaching Record:

Marty Schottenheimer has a putrid 5-13 postseason record, which is only a .278 winning percentage. He has never reached a Super Bowl. He did coach in 3 AFC Championship games, and twice with the Browns — and we all remember how those turned out.

Bill Cowher has a rather sterling 12-9 postseason record and has one Super Bowl title in two appearances. He has also coached in 7 AFC Championship games.

Advantage: Bill Cowher

__________

Adaptability:

Marty Schottenheimer has at least a .500 record for each of the four teams that he has coached for. If you take out his 8-8 tenure in Washington, Schottenheimer’s worst performance was in San Diego, where he went 47-33 (.588). Marty Schottenheimer has proven that no matter what team he coaches for, on either coast, in either conference, and no matter what the situation is when he gets there, he will turn that franchise into a consistent playoff contender.

Bill Cowher has been the head coach for one team, in one city, and for only one owner. He was superb as the coach of the Steelers, but we have no other history to go on to project his ability to adapt to a new circumstance.

Advantage: Marty Schottenheimer

__________

Funniest Photoshopped Picture in first five pages of Google Image Search:

This picture of Marty Schottenheimer seems to suggest that he needs or takes Ritalin. The Photoshop work (not done by Midwest Sports Fans) is shoddy at best:

(Here is the original source: http://theobgcommunique.blog.ca/2006/11/04/week_9_obg_nfl_picks~1296345)

This picture of Bill Cowher is completely ridiculous, makes no sense, and while the Photoshop work (not done by Midwest Sports Fans) is better, it is overall far, far funnier than the picture above.

(Here is the original source: http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/1510865429079286066OVCnvA)

Advantage: Bill Cowher

__________

Best Angry Face:

Marty Schottenheimer can certainly get angry with the best of them, but Bill Cowher has the most famous angry face of all NFL coaches this side of Jon Gruden.

Advantage: Bill Cowher

__________

Dorkiest Picture available online:

In this photo, Bill Cowher has a grin on his face so cheesy it would make this guy cream in his pants:

(This photo is from http://www.montheyrhinos.com.)

Marty Schottenheimer, on the other hand, looks like a high school chemisty teacher with damaged retinas who is counting down the minutes until he can get back to his Bunsen burners and graduated cylinders.

(This image is from Getty Images. Here is the original source.)

Advantage: Push

__________

Fashion Sense:

Bill Cowher’s choice of a sweater for the press conference in which he announced his resignation as coach of the Steelers is legendary. No one was quite sure if Cowher was trying to be a white Bill Cosby or if a Jackson Pollack painting and a Picasso painting were making love around his torso.

(This photo courtesy of Pittsburghlive.com.)

The following picture of Marty Schottenheimer proves that Marty is not quite Versace either. The bright white shoes and above-the-knee shorts are bad enough, but the hat tops it off. We’ll give him a pass on the hat under the assumption that he may have sensitive to the sun in his advancing age.

Advantage: Push – and who cares about their fashion sense? They’d be coaching in Cleveland for goodness sake.

__________

Coaching Tree:

Marty Schottenheimer’s coaching tree includes Bill Cowher, Herm Edwards, Tony Dungy, Mike McCarthy, Wade Phillips, and Cam Cameron, among others. Former Cowher assistants such as Jim Haslett, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt, and Dick LeBeau have all been NFL head coaches of varying success.

Advantage: Marty Schottenheimer – he gave Bill Cowher his first job, so if NFL coaching was a
multi-level marketing organization, all of Cowher’s tree would count for Schottenheimer.

And that’s it.

The final tally is 2 for Marty Schottenheimer, 5 for Bill Cowher, and 4 categories for which neither has distinct advantage.

So, clearly, Bill Cowher is the better choice for the Browns.

In all seriousness, I think he is. In the categories that matter: regular season record and postseason success, Bill Cowher has Marty Schottenheimer beat. The biggest discrepancy is in the postseason. Bill Cowher has proven that he can lead teams deep into the playoffs, and that he can get them over the hump. Marty Schottenheimer, while one of the most successful regular season coaches of all time, has not proven that he can translate regular season success into Super Bowl appearances or victories.

The only criteria that might give you pause as a Browns fan is the fact that Bill Cowher has never proven he can win outside of Pittsburgh. The Steelers won before he was there, and they are winning now that he is gone. Is it possible that the true reasons for the Steelers success lie with the Rooney family and the Steelers organization, and that Bill Cowher is given too much credit? Marty Schottenheimer has taken three difference franchises to the playoffs and has turned moribund franchises into winners.

While this is reasonable to consider, it simply does not trump Bill Cowher’s consistent success in Pittsburgh. And even though any Browns fan would sever their arm just to taste the playoffs again – and Marty Schottenheimer would undoubtedly be able to deliver at least a playoff appearance – Bill Cowher gives you the potential of going all the way, based on what he has proven capable of in the past.

If the Browns are going to make a change, and they are, then why not go for the one with the highest upside, and the one who is younger and could be around longer? That would be Bill Cowher.

The truth is that Browns fans would have reason for genuine excitement and optimism if either Marty Schottenheimer or Bill Cowher is trolling the sidelines of Cleveland Stadium next year. But I think the optimism would be justifiably higher if Bill Cowher is one that ends up getting the job.

Here is the story. I’ll have more to discuss about this when I get home.

UPDATE: Instead of giving me own thoughts on this issue, I will let lifelong Browns fan Ryan Russell provide his thoughts, via a text message he sent me last night:

“Marty was my favorite coach ever. Trick plays, bitches. He was head coach the last time we were favored to with the AFC, and he made KC and San Diego into programs, if only for a moment. F–k that “big game” bullshit, Marty is older, wiser, and overdue for a dynasty.”

Sounds good to me. Even the most optimistic Romeo Crennel fan would have to now concede that not only will Romeo be gone next year, but that it will be a justified move. When the Dolphins were searching for a coach, and ultimately chose Cam “Camer” Cameron, I wanted them to grab Marty Schottenheimer. He is a tough, no-nonsense, old school coach would will fit in perfectly coming back to the AFC North.

As one very proud Browns fan told me yesterday, “We have talent, we just someone to coach it up.” Amen brother. Shh…don’t tell the guys over at www.cowher09.com, but I almost want Marty more than I want Bill Cowher. Marty doesn’t carry his longtime association with the Steelers, we wouldn’t have to listed to Steelers fan BS if and when we get to the top of the AFC North, and I think there would be a little extra motivation for Marty Schottenheimer to finish what he started in Cleveland.

No one knows if Marty Schottenheimer is interested in coaching the Browns, but I think his name should definitely be added to the short list if he is.

What are your initial thoughts of Marty Schottenheimer to the Browns?

Why not?

Michael Vick entered a guilty plea on November 25th to the state charges of dogfighting against him in Virginia. This plea clears the way for a probable early release from prison for Vick and opens up the possibility of him playing in 2009. Of course, he is still suspended by the NFL, so that would have to be lifted first. But if Pacman Jones and Chris Henry can be given seventh and eighth and ninth chances, then why shouldn’t Vick be given a second?

The fact of the matter is that no matter how much blustering or deliberation occurs before it is official, Michael Vick will be reinstated by the NFL; and most likely for 2009 if he is out of prison. I am sure that Roger Goodell is still pissed that Vick initially lied to him about his involvement in the dogfighting, but Mike Brown of the Bengals continues to lie to everyone that he is committed to winning and he still owns his team. If there is a place in the NFL for Mike Brown, shouldn’t there be a place in the NFL for Mike Vick?

So the next question becomes, where would Michael Vick sign? The conventional wisdom suggests teams with horrid QB situations like Detroit and San Francisco would be first in line. The Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys can’t be ruled out because Al Davis and Jerry Jones have a history of signing outlaws. And I have heard the Patriots bandied about as a possibility, if Vick is willing to play a position other than QB. Can you imagine a Wildcat-style formation with Vick as a change of pace with Tom Brady if Vick becomes a QB to RB/WR convert?

But what about the Cleveland Browns? I have not ever really seen them listed as a possibility, mainly because everyone was sure the Browns had one of the most solid QB situations in the league coming into 2008: a 2007 Pro Bowler and a 1st round pick both on the roster.

Well, Derek Anderson’s Pro Bowl season looks more like a mirage with every game that he finishes with a sub-50% completion rate, and there is no telling how good Brady Quinn is, or if Quinn will suffer any recurring trouble from his finger injury. It all sounds pretty routine; but anytime surgery and a Browns player are mentioned in the same sentence, we have to hold our breath until the player returns home from the hospital without getting the-infection-that-shall-not-be-named.

For shits and giggles, let’s analyze how well the Browns and Michael Vick would fit together.

Potential Fit #1: Both Michael Vick and the Cleveland Browns have a history of making dogs suffer.

The Browns, of course, have made their loyal Dawg Pound supporters suffer for years. There were the blown chances against the Broncos in the 80s, the team’s move to Baltimore in the 90s, the ineptitude of the early 2000s, and then the high hopes that developed in 2007 only to come crashing down in 2008.

And Michael Vick, well, there is really no need for further expatiation of how he has made dogs suffer.

Our good friends at Flash Sports Tonight actually discussed the connection in one of their Flash Reports last year during the Vick trial:

Plus, imagine the plethora of ironic and diabolically humorous T-shirts, signs, and assorted memorabilia that would be launched with the association of Michael Vick and the Dawg Pound.

Would they be in poor taste? Absolutely. Is this a PR nightmare that the NFL would most likely want to avoid like the plague? I would imagine so. For this very reason, I would think that Roger Goodell might step in if Vick-to-the-Browns ever became a realistic possibility. I’m not kidding.

But, on the flip side, it could also offer many opportunities for Michael Vick to both literally and figuratively express remorse and reverse his reputation as a dog hater and abuser. Some legitimate ideas:

–The Michael Vick Dawg Pound Patrol could scour the streets of Cleveland for stray dogs, put them in shelters, and then try to find them homes as quickly as possible. Season ticket holders could be given discounts if they sign up for shifts.

–The Michael Vick Dawg Pound Foundation could be set up so that Vick could give a certain amount of money to local animal shelters or other charities every time he contributes to a touchdown by passing, running, or receiving. And instead of any outlandish celebrations that draw attention to himself, he could simply jump into the Dawg Pound, give the ball to fans, etc, as an act of goodwill towards the Dawg Pound and, metaphorically, to dogs in general.

–The Michael Vick Don’t Dawg It Award could be given each week to the Browns player who plays the hardest and never quits in the previous week’s game. Vick himself could present the award each week at the first practice. With all of the talk this season about how Browns players purportedly quit during games, this could help to incentivize players to play hard and make sure that effort is at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

And think about it: if the players that were the subject of the “they quit” comments by Jamal Lewis and Josh Cribbs had been dogs in Vick’s dogfighting operation, Vick would have beaten or killed them. (Luckily for these unnamed players, Romeo Crennel is much more mild-mannered.) This 180 degree flip for Michael Vick, celebrating effort as opposed to physical punishment for failure, could be a powerful and cathartic move for him.

(Editor’s Note: Thanks to the Sports Hernia for the Dawg Pound pic above. Hopefully they don’t mind me using it.)

Potential Fit #2: Michael Vick the receiver, if he switched positions, would likely have trouble catching passes and staying healthy after a two year layoff.

Yet another reason why Mike Vick would fit in with the Browns!

Cleveland is blessed with the immensely athletic and talented Braylon Edwards. However, as Braylon has proven this year, he likes catching balls about as much as Barack Obama likes the BCS and the Cubs. In addition, the Browns employ speedy Donte Stallworth on the other side of Edwards. Stallworth is talented, but it is quite possible that his bones are made of pretzel and his joints, muscles, and tendons are actually baked rubber bands.

An Edwards-Vick-Stallworth receiving duo would look amazing in pregame warmups – until the game started and Stallworth was deactivated, Edwards dropped every other pass, and Vick emerged as a less reliable target than Syndric Steptoe.

Perfect fit, right!?

Potential Fit #3: What if Michael Vick became more of a QB-RB-WR hybrid who was able to move all over the field, lead a zone-read Wildcat-type package, and take reverses and handoffs?

Well, he’d probably add a ridiculous level of dynamic play-making ability to the Browns offense. And with the whole three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-Lewis-or-five-step-drop offense that the Browns have utilized this season being woefully undynamic, Vick’s addition could be a welcome sight.

And, undoubtedly, the Browns coaches would be smart enough to get the Vick the ball, right?

Hmm…therein lies a problem. We have two guys, Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison, who have been pretty successful this season when they are creatively utilized by the Browns. Unfortunately, the Browns coaches have seemed allergic to getting them the ball consistently.

How much could Vick really help out in this area if he were to, say, rush for 40 yards on 4 carries and then never get the ball again? But that would never happen with the Browns, right? Right!?!

I feel your pain Jerome Harrison. Damnit this season has been frustrating.

Potential Fit #4: What about Michael Vick as a possible QB? Could he actually be an improvement?

The Browns signed Derek Anderson to an extension before the 2008 season and have Brady Quinn locked in for a few more years. Could Michael Vick really start over these two guys?

The biggest knock on Michael Vick throughout his NFL career has been his accuracy as a passer. For his career Michael Vick is a 53.8% passer. By comparison, Derek Anderson’s completion percentage this season is 49.0%. Brady Quinn’s is 50.6%. So, essentially, the only negative about Vick the QB would actually lead to an improvement over what the Browns have now.

Interesting.

I know what you are thinking: take out the drops of Braylon Edwards and both DA and Brady would have completion percentages over 75%. You’re right, but still; the numbers are what they are. And Michael Vick would have the ability to tuck it and run instead of firing it downfield to Braylon, thus eliminating many of the drops and wasted plays.

And can you imagine how defenses would try to defend a loaded backfield formation of Vick, Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison, and either Josh Cribbs or Jason Wright? I mean, if we’re only going to complete 50% of our passes anyway, why not just start running the ball 50 times a game, throw in some option/zone-read, and just let Vick take 4 or 5 chances downfield a game. He may not be accurate, but he can still fling it 60-70 yards pretty effortlessly. Braylon Edwards catches one out of every five passes thrown his way, so that would be good for one big play in the passing game per week. It’s about what we are getting now.

Plus, we would be able to control the clock longer with a more sustained commitment to a ground attack. This would allow our defense to be fresher, and we all know how the Browns defense has worn down at the end of games.

Wow, just typing this is already getting me excited for the Michael Vick era of Browns football – for which there isn’t even a legitimate rumor.

Whatever ends up happening with Michael Vick when he is released from jail, it will be fascinating to see unfold. My personal opinion is that Michael Vick committed despicable acts and lied about them, and he got exactly what he deserved. However, he has now paid his debt to society and, I think, to the NFL.

Thus, when Mike Vick is released from jail, I think the market forces of the NFL should dictate whether he plays or not. If someone wants to sign him, let him play. He does not deserve further punishment, and from a fan’s perspective it would be great to have one of the most exciting players back in the league. (And someone else in every fantasy league would reach for Vick three or four rounds too early in drafts, thus marginally my chances of winning!)

Would it be a good move for the Browns to sign Michael Vick? That is obviously debatable. I went into the post thinking it would just be an attempt at irony and humor; but now that I’ve written it, I’m not so sure the Browns shouldn’t kick the tires on Vick once he’s cleared to play.

With the right plan in place for how to use him, Michael Vick could be a very valuable addition to a team that has some talent, but could always use another game-changing playmaker.

It is waaaaay to early to start seriously thinking about the possibility of Michael Vick in a Browns uniform, but don’t you at least have to admit that the possibility is intriguing?

[tags]michael vick, cleveland browns, nfl[/tags]

Whom in the Cleveland Browns organization determined that multi-million dollar franchise quarterback Brady Quinn would play against Houston last Sunday with a fractured finger tip on his throwing hand? And why?

(Editor’s Note: And, who will replace Brady Quinn as the Browns QB? Might It be someone other than Derek Anderson…?)

When questioned by Cleveland reporters today, Quinn said it was his decision to play and that he “tried to do the best I could.”

Hmmm…. a 24-year-old rookie quarterback who waited more than a year to be named the Browns starter, was allowed to make the final decision?

I would put this one squarely on Romeo Crennel and the Browns organization.

Sure, the 4-6 Browns wanted a win, but at what cost? The decision may have not only led to the Browns 16-6 loss (dropping them to 4-7), but compromised its prized player to the point that now Quinn has one week to decide whether to undergo surgery.

The news that Quinn actually injured his finger worse came from renowned orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., whom Quinn sought out Tuesday for a “second opinion.”

Dr. Andrews has been referred as Dr. Doom by the media because few football players have ever left his office without getting bad news.

Surgery on a Cleveland Browns player sends up a red flag to this writer who has seen too many routine surgeries turn into staph-infected, career-busting tragedies.

Just ask Joe Jurevicius, Browns tight end with the best hands this side of Dante Lavelli — and a team leader to boot. Or just ask former high-profile free agent acquisition center LeCharles Bentley, who suffered a leg injury after the first snap in the first practice.

Bentley had surgeries at Cleveland Clinic, then spurned the Browns’ health care plan and was operated on in an out-of-state hospital. At one point, Bentley nearly had to have his leg amputated. Although he said he would try, it is doubtful the man will ever set foot in an NFL stadium to snap the ball again.

Allowing Brady Quinn to play against the Houston Texans Sunday has now come to haunt the Browns as another huge setback in this season of drama.

Crennel justified the decision to play Brady by stating: although Quinn’s finger had become more sore in mid-week, “Browns specialists” had inspected the finger. Furthermore, Quinn’s X-ray showed a little fracture of the tip of the index finger so Quinn would wear a splint when he wasn’t playing — and that he would be good to go.

After being pulled in the third quarter, a very dejected Quinn walked the sidelines, perhaps blaming himself for his poor performance of completing eight for 18 for 94 yards and two interceptions.

The question no one is answering: Why was Quinn cleared to play against Houston and who made the final decision?

(Stay tuned to Cleveland Browns News Page for the latest updates on the Browns and Brady Quinn’s injury)

This is what Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn must have been thinking after being benched with more than three minutes to go in the third quarter of Sunday’s dismal and depressing 16-6 loss before a sell-out crowd of 70,200 bitterly disappointed Browns fans.

In fact, when the quarterback change was made by Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel, boos exploded from half of the crowd, while the other half headed for the gates.

Worse yet, one fan unfurled a huge sign and draped it over a row of empty seats which read: “Cowher09.”

But even the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl winning coach — or even the Ghost of Paul Brown (or even the Man Upstairs) — cannot pick up the pieces and put the Browns back together again. (Oh, wait! The Browns never broke — but just moved to Baltimore to inhabit the souls of the blackbirds.)

Sure, Brady Quinn was eight for 18, had 94 yards and had two picks — one because Braylon didn’t bother beating the defender to the ball. But doesn’t Romeo Crennel remember how the Browns lost its last two homes games when they were up by two touchdowns?

IT WAS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER when Baltimore and Denver beat them. And as bad as the defense was, it gave up just 16 points.

Brady Quinn told The Plain Dealer he expected to go the whole 12 rounds of a fight and didn’t know he was on a short leash. He said his fractured finger was not a factor. But it probably was.

If Romeo Crennel was worried about Brady Quinn’s injury, he didn’t show it all week. In fact, he failed to make sure Derek Anderson got some snaps with the first team, and Derek admitted he was a bit rusty.

This made Crennel’s quarterback switch the act of a desperate man. But even desperate people who fear for their jobs should be able to make some sound decisions.

How about: BENCHING BRAYLON who, as an equal opportunity pass dropper, killed touchdown drives by both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. In fact, Coach should have been more concerned with Braylon’s fingers which seem to open and close spastically whenever the football comes toward him — and especially when a defender is close.

Braylon insists he doesn’t know why he catches some, misses others. Well, here is a big hint: Get your head out of your a– and practice catching passes outside for a few hours every day. You are not nearly as good as you think you are.

And why did the Browns practice inside its facility all week? This neutralized the advantage of a cold weather team over Houston, and didn’t really test the effectiveness of Brady’s finger.

After the game, Romeo Crennel looked like a beaten man, and stated that Brady Quinn is still his starting quarterback (at least for today, I guess).

Phil Savage said it was the worst Browns game he had ever seen.

Well, F— you. back. Go be the general manager or scout of another team.

But Browns fans, just wait until Sunday when we get even against the Indianapolis Colts. God and Peyton Manning, have mercy on us.

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

The Associated Press is reporting that Romeo Crennel has confirmed that Phil Savage did, in fact, send an email containing a expletive to a Browns fan who had emailed him repeatedly during the Browns-Bills Monday Night Football game.

Per the AP:

Coach Romeo Crennel confirmed Thursday that Savage sent the e-mail, which was first reported on sports blog deadspin.com.

Crennel says he understands Savage’s frustration and spoke with him Thursday about the incident. Crennel says it’s unfortunate that it happened, adding “in tough times, tough things happen.”

According to the report on Ohio.com:

”We all get frustrated at times,” Crennel said in his daily news conference.

He continued by saying people try to be ”professional” and hold it in, but ‘’sometimes things slip out.”

”It’s unfortunate that it slipped out,” Crennel said.

Interestingly, the Ohio.com report also states that WKNR’s Tony Rizzo said on the radio that he spoke to the fan, and the fan actually said that he deserved the email response from Phil Savage. He apparently later apologized to Savage after heading from the Browns GM.

I don’t really know what to say, other than I was obviously wrong in doubting this story when it first broke yesterday on Deadspin. I certainly think that my reasons for having doubt were well founded: this is out of character for Phil Savage (at least my impression of him), and it certainly does not make sense, and there was not any solid proof behind it that I could..

But when you read confirming quotes from the head coach, I’m not really sure there is anything else to say.

Looks like I picked the wrong story to call BS on.

Football “is a man’s game,” a disgruntled Lewis told the media following the Browns loss to Denver — Cleveland’s second loss within four days in which the team blew 14- and 13-point leads respectively.

The story of Browns Quit picked up steam when nationally syndicated broadcaster Jim Rome (who routinely picks and chooses the kind of facts that please his clones), concluded Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel could not control his players, and thus should quit, himself.

The story grew legs well into this week after running back/receiver Joshua Cribbs backed up Lewis, adding some guys quit in the fourth quarter of both losing efforts.

Romeo Crennel tried to put an end by announcing that neither Lewis or Cribbs actually saw a Cleveland player quit during a game.

But the media and Browns fans were still playing the name game, when an obscure Web site reported that the quitting culprit was Shaun Smith.

Who?

Apparently the poster of the Web site which Midnight Writer will not cite, stated that an unnamed “source” told him that the slacker Brown was Shaun Smith. In fact, that so-called “source” did not mince words, referrring to Smith as “that f…ing guy.”

Apparently, no one bothered to check with Shaun Smith first, before posting it on the Internet.

Shaun Smith told ESPN affiliate WKNR 850 AM Friday afternoon that he was aware of the unfounded accusation, but that things like that don’t really bother him.

Smith also said his mother taught him to always do his best, and that he was totally focused on Buffalo, Monday night.

Ironically the same Web site that threw Smith under the bus after the Jamal remark, also reported that Browns tight end Kellen Winslow’s “undisclosed illness” that had him hospitalized at Cleveland Clinic last month was actually a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

However, Winslow actually was being treated for a staph infection that he initially agreed to keep under wraps.

WKNR talk host Mark “Munch” Bishop had suggested the swirling rumors of have STDs bothered Winslow, a married man, and was partially responsible for breaking his promise to Browns General Manager Phil Savage and reveal his staph infection to the media.

Maybe the author of the unnamed Web site needs to check his ego at the door. If he is writing fiction in the guise of facts just to get more hits to his site, whatever.

Just don’t call yourself a sports writer.

It hurts the reputation of the rest of us who care about the game of football and the men who play the game.

[tags]cleveland browns, nfl[/tags]

Crennel told the media at his press conference Wednesday: “It seems like the word ‘quit’ has taken a life of its own and grown a little bit bigger, and now the Browns are quitters and the coach has lost control of the team and there’s division in the locker room, and that’s not the case.”

The beleaguered head coach has been in the hot seat over a 3-6 record so far this season. But Crennel vowed all of his players “are going to play and play together. Whether we play good enough remains to be seen. You don’t quit if you have the ball at the end of the game with a chance to win.”

It is not that the Browns quit against Denver when the defense gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter, but “guys didn’t play as smart as they needed to play in critical situations,” Crennel said.

Reporters inside the Browns practice facility in Berea say the players have been worked a bit harder this week in preparation for the Monday Night game against the also struggling Buffalo Bills in Buffalo.

Romeo Crennel hopes more focused, intense, work this week will smarten up a few players, specifically, Brandon McDonald, the cornerback beaten badly by Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall on several long passing plays.

However, critics of the Browns coaching staff wonder aloud why McDonald was left out there by himself to defend the taller, stronger, and more versatile Marshall.

Don’t be surprised if Brandon McDonald does not start on Monday, and if Browns once rising star wide receiver Braylon Edwards spends time on the bench for his hand-eye/hands-football coordination and foot-in-mouth disease. (These problems may all be head-related and not expected to lead to staph.)

Running back Jamal Lewis accused his teammates of quitting after the 34-30 loss to Denver, adding, “some people need to check their egos at the door and find some heart to come out here and play hard.” Most Browns media members and fans believe he was referring to Braylon Edwards — although Jamal would not name specific players.

Romeo Crennel also said he spoke with both Jamal Lewis and running back/receiver Joshua Cribbs — who agreed with Jamal on some team members quitting.

Crennel said neither man actually saw anyone quit.

Following the press conference, Jamal Lewis spoke of how his former team, the Baltimore Ravens’ 2000 Superbowl team, all pulled in the same direction from the top down to the players.

Thanks for reminding us, Jamal. The whole reason Art Modell moved our Browns team (which began in Cleveland in 1946) to Baltimore was to do something he felt he could not do in Cleveland — win a Super Bowl.

The players in Baltimore did not sweat the small stuff, but each did his job, Lewis said, adding that if everybody on the Browns took that approach, “we’d be all right.”

Crennel also insisted, “When you say the team quit, you’re saying I quit. I know I’m not a quitter and my players don’t quit.”

That may no longer matter. The Cleveland media and Browns fans have begun to debate whether the sputtering Browns should go back to the drawing board and start over in 2009 from the top to bottom with a fourth regime since “coming back” in 1999.

Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner has been “strangely silent” about the Browns and its future, more than one media member has remarked.

Hang on tight, Browns fans. The next few months could be a wild ride.

[tags]cleveland browns, romeo crennel, nfl[/tags]

Jamal Lewis, curiously was not used in the Browns last ditch effort to score with less than a minute to go and two time-outs, stalling, instead, with incomplete passes at second, third and fourth-and-one.

Should Brady Quinn have called an audible and gone long?

A debate for another day.

After the game a frustrated Jamal Lewis, according to WKNR-AM 850, said some of his teammates need to “check their egos at the door … and play with heart. This is a man’s game.”

Ironically Head Coach Romeo Crennel said he told his players at halftime not to repeat its past mistakes and “finish the game this time.”

Apparently, no one was listening.

As expected WKNR’s Really Big Show was flooded with callers demanding Crennel be fired. But there appears to be no one out there waiting in the wings so this is unlikely.

Crennel has called a press conference for 1 p.m. today. But it is doubtful there will be any major announcements.

[tags]jamal lewis, cleveland browns[/tags]

–Watching John Kruk perform a pommel horse routine — and slip with his legs open.

–Contracting a staph infection.

–Being a Bengals fan.

Other than that last one, I’m fairly certain that all of the first three would be more pleasant experiences than watching today’s Browns-Ravens game. Much like in the first meeting of the season, the Browns played well and hung tough early — hell, we even had a 27-13 second half lead today — only to see the Ravens grab the momentum and never give it back. The end result was a 37-27 home, divisional loss for the Browns. They are now 3-5, need a telescope to see the top of the AFC North standings, and are grasping by the thinnest of threads to any hope of making the playoffs.

Before we go into any more analysis of today’s game, let’s gauge the feeling of the Midwest Sports Fans community as to what the Browns playoff chances are as we sit right now:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Okay, time to assess the carnage. I wish I had one of those airline sickness bags next to me right now, just in case I get sick while reliving that debacle of a second half.

First, let’s review the keys to the game that I discussed in this week’s preview

Key #1: Get Jamal Lewis the ball 20 times.

Jamal Lewis rushed the ball 19 times. By my math, that is less than 20. And the Browns lost. I guess I probably just stop here right?

The Browns are 11-1 all-time when Jamal Lewis gets 20 or more carries. The one loss, I’m pretty sure, was to Baltimore. (Someone please correct me if this is wrong.) And as my brother said when I was espousing this statistic during the game and imploring the Browns to get him 20 carries, “So if it’s 4th and 20 and we’re down, we should just bang Jamal Lewis into the line to make sure he has 20 carries?”

Obviously not.

The goal of getting the ball to Jamal Lewis 20 times is to control the clock and establish a solid running game. In 19 carries, Jamal was only able to muster 49 yards and the Ravens won the clock battle 33:45-26:15. So one more carry would not have made a difference. What would have made a difference, in my opinion, is for the coaches to be more creative in getting Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright, and Jerome Harrison involved in this game. Too often, we went run-run on 1st and 2nd down and were left with horrid 3rd down situations. Why not more screen passes? We threw to Jason Wright once and he took it to the house. Why not a few change-of-pace runs with Jerome Harrison? Why not some misdirection? Did anyone else feel like we ran the same damn running play every time? I just did not see much creativity or adjusting, and that was very frustrating.

20 carries or not, the running that we did do was not productive. And it made it very difficult on Derek Anderson to constantly be in 3rd and long situations, especially in the 2nd half with Eric Steinbach out and the Ravens smelling blood and teeing off on Anderson every time he dropped back.

Key #2: Shaun Rogers needs to play like a beast.

Shaun Rogers had nine tackles and a sack. He made some plays and did some dancing. But the defense as a whole let the Browns down today. We can say whatever we want about the offense, but we scored 27 points. That should be enough to beat the Baltimore Ravens, especially when they are playing without Willis McGahee.

The Browns have been playing bend-but-don’t-break D all year long. We’ve given up yards but made big plays when we needed them. Not today. Brandon McDonald was repeatedly beaten in the first half, and Eric Wright got torched a few times in the second half. And once again our run defense made an opposing running back look like Jim Brown. Rookie Ray Rice rushed for 154 yards on 21 carries, good for 7.3 yards a pop. This included his 60-yard back breaker in the second half that swung the momentum towards the Ravens side — momentum that the Browns were never able to recover.

The defense did make some good plays today, they got some sacks, and were not completely awful. But when it came time to step up and make the plays that win games, the defense failed miserably. Up 27-13 with the Ravens facing a 3rd and 13 after a huge sack by Kamerion Wimbley, the Browns folded like clean laundry. The Ravens picked up the first down, ended up scoring, and their comeback was officially en route.

Fingers can be pointed at Derek Anderson for his horrible interception to Terrell Suggs, at Braylon Edwards for continuing to drop passes, at Kellen Winslow for playing and ostensibly (or coincidentally, depending on your view) continuing the Browns bad karma when he is on the field, and on and on. But at the end of the day, the Browns should have won this game should not have been made to look silly by Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and Derrick Mason. Two rookies and a senior citizen made the “improved” Browns D look awful today. That’s just not acceptable, and not a good sign for a team still holding out hope for a late season rally.

Key #3: Romeo Crennel needs to be the man.

Nope. It didn’t happen. My original point in the preview was that Romeo and the coaches needed to figure out how to properly integrate Kellen Winslow back into the offense and locker room. Kellen actually made some good plays today, and finished with 5 catches for 64 yards. As harrowing as the “2-0 without him, 1-5 with him” stat is, I’m not sure there was anything that I saw specifically that says Kellen was the reason we lost today. I will say though that Derek Anderson looked much shakier in the first half than he did in the second half — but it’s hard not give the Ravens swarming D total credit for that. So I’ll give Romeo a pass on that one.

But as far as making adjustments, I think the Browns coaches get a big, fat F today. I’m sorry, but it’s true. Banging Jamal Lewis up the middle was not working. Do something different! Ray Rice is running all over you. Do something different! Your star wide receiver continues to drop catches that a star wide receiver should make. Get in his damn face and shock him back into focus! I just don’t get it. The offense is stagnating in the 2nd half. Give Jerome Harrison the ball in space. Find a creative way to get the ball to Joshua Cribbs. DO. SOMETHING. DIFFERENT.

I have been relatively supportive of Romeo Crennel and his coaching staff on this blog, giving them the benefit of the doubt in everything except clock management and their usage of Jerome Harrison. But after today’s game I don’t feel so generous. This was a game that the Browns should have and needed to win.

Let me address the play of Derek Anderson now. Some people have called me a Derek Anderson apologist and said that I overrate him. Maybe so, I don’t know. But Derek Anderson is not even among the top five reasons why the Browns lost today, and if you think switching to Brady Quinn would have made a difference – well I strongly disagree.

Derek Anderson got continuously hung out to dry in the 2nd half with no time to throw and horrible down and distance situations. Derek did not play great, but he certainly did not deserve the cascading of boos that showered him at the end of the game. I hope that more of those boos were for the coaches and Braylon than for Derek. Just imagine if Braylon had caught the deep pass in the 4th quarter or the potential first down near the sidelines. Derek’s game would have looked a lot better then. I actually think Derek Anderson played pretty damn well considering the fact that he had no running game, there were no adjustments to try to get a running game going, he constantly faced bad situations against an attacking defense, and the receiver he should trust the most is dropping the most important passes of the game.

Derek made some poor decisions today, namely puking the ball right into Terrell Suggs hands on the screen, but I think Jason Wright and the line should get a little blame there too. Either way, replacing Derek Anderson with Brady Quinn is not some magic elixir that will cure all that ails the Browns offense. Derek looked as frustrated as I’ve ever seen him towards the end of the game, and I don’t blame him at all.

I do want to end this recap on a positive note and offer one game ball for today. Not surprisingly, there is only one nominee: Joshua Cribbs. With the Browns inauspiciously down 10-0 in the first quarter, Joshua Cribbs took a Matt Stover kickoff to the house and reminded everyone why he was one of the five most valuable players on the team last season. He also averaged 13.7 yards on three punt returns. He provided a number of sparks when the Browns needed something good to happen. Unfortunately, none of the sparks amounted to anything except for the one that he finished himself.

So far this season, Joshua Cribbs has seemed like only a shell of the dominant return man that he was last year. Today, however, we saw the old Joshua Cribbs that is every bit as exciting and dangerous as Devin Hester. If…and it’s a big if…the Browns are going to finish 6-2 and give themselves a fighting chance for the playoffs at 9-7, they absolutely must have today’s Joshua Cribbs for the rest of the season. Our offense and defense are too inconsistent to count on either to step up on a game-in, game-out basis. We need our special teams to produce game-changing plays that keep us in every game. Joshua Cribbs held up his end of the bargain today, and did enough to produce a victory.

Unfortunately, the offense, defense, and coaching staff could not follow suit. Thus, the Cleveland Browns sit at 3-5 and even Mr. Browns Optimism (me) is struggling to find reasons why this team will be playing in the playoffs.

Today’s loss was undoubtedly the toughest and most crushing of the year. There is a chasm as wide as Shaun Rogers between 3-5 (with two losses to Baltimore) and 4-4 (tied with Baltimore, and potentially a game out of first if Pittsburgh loses). Somehow, the Browns have to find a way to cross that chasm if there is to be any more hope for 2008. It’s possible…but damn it’s hard to see right now how it’s even remotely probable.

[tags]cleveland browns, nfl, football, baltimore ravens[/tags]