Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[osugrad21]

Canton

Putting a lick on Vick
Monday, November 13, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

ATLANTA Sunday's 17-13 upset of the Falcons still leaves the Browns in a 3-6 hole.
Yet, it brightens their spirits considerably heading into the first of two games against Pittsburgh.
It gave wideout Braylon Edwards a platform for recalling a Christmas Eve crater the Steelers left in Cleveland.
"It's not a situation where you say the past is the past, the hell with it," Edwards said a while after catching a tone-setting touchdown pass. "You don't beat somebody 41-0 at their own house. I mean, we're coming for the Steelers. That's point blank, period."
Edwards' catch Sunday gave the Browns a 14-0 lead. Much later, the walls were caving in before Phil Dawson kicked a 43-yard field goal for the Browns' only points of the second half.
Dawson is the only original expansion-era Brown on the active roster. He had just helped beat a winning team on the road. He hasn't seen many of these.
"We had a west coast trip last week," Dawson said. "A lot went into that game. We had a chance to win on the road against a playoff-bound team, and we played well but lost.
"To make that long trip home and pick ourselves back up ... this is definitely one of the biggest wins."
FATEFUL FUMBLE
The Falcons (5-4) were on the Cleveland 17 with 2 1/2 minutes left before Willie McGinest, back from an injury, whipped tight end Eric Beverly off a block and got held. Comically, McGinest lobbied for a flag while chasing Michael Vick.
"(The official) didn't throw it until I started whining," McGinest said.
The penalty changed Vick's approach on second-and-20. Needing a big play, he dropped the ball on the run, dove for it, and couldn't see it as it wiggled behind him and his helmet popped off.
Vick's headgear and the football wound up right in front of young cornerback Jereme Perry's nose.
"I seen it come out," Perry said. "I didn't see where it went. Then it popped out and I jumped on it."
Perry smothered the ball just before the two-minute warning, with the Falcons out of timeouts.
The Browns hung on.
"I don't feel like we're un-stuck ... we're still only 3-6," Edwards said. "But we took a huge step in the right direction. We saw what we can be."
WINSLOW'S KEY CATCH
Jeff Davidson's offense struggled for most of the second half against an Atlanta defense that had been porous even before reaching an injury-ravaged state.
Sitting on a 14-3 lead, the Browns got 30 yards and three punts out of the third quarter.
Atlanta used progressively better field position to get a 12-yard touchdown catch from former Ohio State receiver Michael Jenkins.
Kellen Winslow Jr. (five catches, 90 yards) made the catch of the day, whipping 5-foot-8 Allen Rossum for a 36-yard gain. Dawson drilled a 43-yard field goal with 5:35 left to give Cleveland a 17-13 lead.
The Falcons took over on a punt with 3:31 left, and survived a 55-yard bomb to Roddy White when Vick fumbled.
"The picket fence is their pass defense," Vick said. "It is how they guard the end zone. Their only hope was for us not to score a touchdown."
Vick (seven carries, 74 yards) intended to run from the moment he took the fateful snap.
"Those guys practically knew what we were running," Vick said. "They were calling out the play before the snap. I just tried to make a play.
"The guy (Leon Williams) sat in the A gap and I tried to bounce it outside and lost the ball."
SURPRISING LEAD
Early on, Romeo Crennel took a nothing-to-lose attitude, going for it on fourth down from the 1 in a scoreless tie.
"Our special teams coach was sending his guys out," Edwards said. "I begged 'RAC' (Crennel) to go for it."
Reuben Droughns followed a power formation in which Winslow was used as a blocking back, and blasted over right tackle Ryan Tucker for a score.
The attitude also applied to the first play of the series, a 40-yard bomb to Winslow.
The Browns took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.
The defense had Vick bottled up and kept forcing punts. The offense found a rhythm, getting just enough from Droughns to open up the passing game.
The Browns took a 14-0 lead on a 19-yard touchdown strike over the middle to Edwards.
"That was sweet," Frye said. "He ran a seam route. We ran it all week, and we hit it all week. I had Braylon stay after practice and we hit it three more times. Just from watching film I knew it was gonna be open."
The two-TD lead was shocking. At similar points in previous road first halves, the Browns trailed 14-0 at Cincinnati, 21-3 at Oakland and 10-6 at San Diego.
HANGING ON
The defense kept playing well, to the point the fans were booing their own team, and Browns captain Andra Davis was egging them on.
Steve Heiden made the kind of play that wins games, blocking a punt, but Droughns made the kind of play that loses them, an unforced fumble in field goal range.
"My eyes got big," Droughns said. "I saw the end zone. I was kicking myself."
The Falcons drove to a 44-yard field goal by 46-year-old Morten Anderson. The lead shrank to 14-3 at halftime.
The defense held Vick to 9-of-22 passing and a 34.1 rating in the first half. At that point, Frye was 9-of-11 with a 137.5 rating.
The Falcons had the Browns on their heels in the third quarter, at one point losing a replay challenge that saved Frye from a safety.
Moments after the challenge, with the ball butted up to the goal line on fourth down, Dave Zastudil's low punt gave Allen Rossum room for a return to the 12.
The TD pass to Jenkins made it 14-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
By the time Frye was sacked to force a quick punt, the crowd had turned from passive to plugged in.
The Browns were backed up after a punt when Winslow was nailed for a roughness penalty. Again, Zastudil punted out of a hole. The electric Vick made a long run to set up a 41-yard field goal by Andersen.
It was 14-13 with nine minutes left.
Frye stayed poised and drove the Browns 52 yards. Dawson's late 43-yard field goal was a rocket shot, sealing one of those wins that have been so slow to come.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com.

[osugrad21]

Canton

Fry shows smarts
Monday, November 13, 2006
By TODD PORTER

ATLANTA After the longest week of his professional life, guess what Charlie Frye did Sunday?
He didn't hide. He didn't cower. He didn't hand off. He didn't look like a deer in headlights. He looked like the headlights.
Frye wanted the game on his shoulders. That is a giant step for a young quarterback trying to find his way in the NFL and figure out how to navigate a tough season.
When Sunday's game against Atlanta was on the line, Frye passed his team down the field. He found mismatches and exposed the Falcons' weak pass coverage. Maybe the most important play of the game, in terms of this team's growth, wasn't the incredible Kellen Winslow Jr. catch. It wasn't even a complete pass.
It was Frye backing away from Atlanta linebacker Demorrio Williams and heaving the ball out of bounds on third down. As Romeo Crennel tried to make him understand a week ago, sometimes throwing the ball away is a good play. Sometimes it's the best play on the field.
It was, Sunday in the fourth quarter, with the ball at the Falcons' 26.
That is why Head Coach Romeo Crennel could barely contain his smiling face. "This team," Crennel said, "grew up a little bit today."
Frye preserved field position. He protected points. He promoted kicker Phil Dawson, who drilled a 43-yard field goal that forced an anemic Atlanta offense to score a touchdown to win.
Cleveland got in that position because of Frye, not in spite of him.
"Before that on the sideline, Braylon and me were talking and he said, 'It's on your shoulders now, nine,' " Frye recalled, Edwards referring to him by his number. "I said, 'All right, man.' "
He completed 4-of-7 passes in that drive for 52 yards. He recognized a mismatch on Winslow and threw the ball over a 5-foot-8 cornerback and Winslow did what Winslow does: He made a spectacular 36-yard reception.
The line provided protection. Even away from the ball, receivers ran crisp routes.
That's progress.
"That (drive) was pivotal for me," Frye said. "We were able to move the ball passing it. If we go another three-and-out, who knows what happens? That was a big step for this offense."
This offense was on the road. They were in a loud stadium. They played a team that desperately needed a win after giving one away in Detroit last week.
And the offense ponied up.
And the Browns won, 17-13. It wasn't pretty, but at 3-6 style points aren't even part of the equation.
It was fitting the young players Crennel has been waiting on to grow facial hair - Winslow, Braylon Edwards, Sean Jones and Brodney Pool - stepped forward and veteran linebacker Andra Davis played his best game to date.
Edwards ran a perfect weak-side post route past a linebacker for his 19-yard TD catch, his second in as many weeks.
In the NFL, winning and losing games still comes down to the quarterback most weeks. Frye grew from his San Diego experience.
He knew what people were saying. He knew fans questioned his ability to play in this league. He knew his head coach, for the first time in two years, was slightly critical.
"You've got to be a man and step up," Frye said. "When the offense is not performing, they're going to look at me. You've got to stand up and put it on your shoulders. I'm not saying we won this game because of me."
At least no one is saying the Browns lost it because of him. And this team isn't good enough to win despite any one.
Sunday was the first game of the second half of the season. It was the start of a stretch in which Cleveland plays eight beatable teams after playing some of the best in the NFL for eight weeks in a row.
Cleveland can salvage this season. It may not be playoff kind of salvage, but c'mon, that wasn't the plan this year.
The plan was growth. The plan was hope. The plan was to win seven or eight games. The plan was for Frye to step forward and earn a starting position that was long ago handed to him. The plan was to mix young and old and meld it together.
No one in Cleveland's locker room talked about a fresh start. No one talked about hard luck.
"You'd like to think we're better than the numbers indicate, but we are what we are," Crennel said. "We've won three, and lost six."
He had a bit of a smile on his face, like a good poker player who knows something no one else in the room knows.
If the players believe they're better than also-rans at 3-6, prove it. That's what Crennel is saying. It's time to challenge this team.
Frye and the rest of the team answered ... for one week. How long will it be like this?
Crennel didn't need time to think about it.
"Until we are a good team."

[osugrad21]

Canton

Frye holds his own in matchup vs. Vick
Monday, November 13, 2006
By STEVE DOERSCHUK

ATLANTA Two men in the Georgia Dome press box were addressing a question they knew sounded stupid.
With whom would you rather go into the future? Michael Vick? Or Charlie Frye?
Frye has a 5-9 record as an NFL starter.
Vick has a borderline LeBron aura and is, in the words of Browns linebacker Andra Davis, "LaDainian Tomlinson playing quarterback."
Not that any sane general manager would prefer Frye, even after Sunday, but there was some interesting new evidence to chew on.
There was the fact Frye's team beat Vick's, 17-13, in Vick's house.
To no one's surprise, Vick skunked Frye as a runner, carrying seven times for 74 yards to the slower man's four for 28.
As a passer, though, Frye was clearly better. Both men completed 16 balls, but Frye had only six incompletions. Vick had 24.
Vick led 197-165 in passing yardage, but he threw two interceptions and was lucky another ball went off safety Sean Jones' hands. Frye wasn't picked off, and his passer rating was a robust 109.1. Vick's was 43.4.
In the big picture, Vick still has amazing talent. But he's in his second straight disappointing season. There are indications Vick lives somewhat on an island, as a superstar who knows that's what he is.
Frye is just one of the guys, with the world still in front of him.
The last man in the Browns' locker room Sunday was veteran guard Joe Andruzzi, who won three Super Bowls blocking for Tom Brady in New England.
How sold is Andruzzi on Frye?
"Very sold," he said.
Why?
"Charlie is a great student of the game," Andruzzi said. "He spends extra time on the field, extra time in the meeting rooms, extra time with the O-linemen, trying to get on the same page with the blocking schemes."
Andruzzi wasn't finished.
"Extra time with the receivers. Extra time with the coaches. He's trying to get a better understanding all around.
"He's there late every night trying to get on the same page with everybody. If it's not right, he stays and works on it a little more."
Frye said he called two impromptu meetings with the offensive line after practices last week.
"We had some miscommunication the week before," he said. "I just wanted to solve that."
Braylon Edwards said he wants to get in on one of those "amigos" acts, "like Peyton Manning has with the Colts." He thinks Frye can be a very good amigo.
"He took a huge step today," said Edwards, who had a touchdown catch. "I mean, we had a heckuva week of practice.
"It's just subtle progression. You noticed Charlie gettin' rid of the ball on a couple plays today.
"He made things happen. We knew where we were supposed to be. We knew where he was going, because of that extra work."
What did the Falcons see in Frye?
"He loves to run around when he gets pressure in his face," defensive tackle Justin Babineaux said. "We tried to make him do that. We did a good job making him throw on the run."
Vick wasn't thrilled about losing to Frye and Friends.
"These are the games you are supposed to win," he said.
Whereas Atlanta was happy to flush Vick out of the pocket, the Browns were intent on keeping Vick there.
"We were aware Michael Vick could beat us with his feet," cornerback Ralph Brown said. "We know he's not known for throwing great passes."
For a moment, at least, Charlie Frye can be known as a guy who beat Michael Vick.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail:

[osugrad21]

Canton

BROWNS WON IT HERE
Monday, November 13, 2006


It sure looked like the Browns were finding a way to lose another game on the road. The Cleveland offense had seven straight empty possessions (two fumbles, five straight punts) from the end of the first half through the fourth quarter. By then, a commanding (for the Browns) 14-0 lead turned into a 14-10 lead and momentum shifted to the Falcons. QB Charlie Frye completed a 7-yard pass to Steve Heiden on second down. He went back to Heiden to get a first down. At the Cleveland 35, Frye noticed that 6-foot-4 TE Kellen Winslow Jr. was covered by 5-foot-8 CB Allen Rossum. Winslow made a great catch for a 36-yard gain to the Atlanta 29. On third down, Frye got pressure and didn't take a sack. He got outside the tackle box and threw it away. Phil Dawson kicked a 43-yard field goal and the Browns had a 4-point cushion. A struggling Falcons offense needed a TD to win. Frye completed 4-of-6 passes (not including the throwaway) for 52 yards. He grew up.
THEY said it
"Normally, I would say they didn't respect us, but Chris Crocker played with us last year. He knows how hard we play. If he was smart, he told their guys how hard we play, and if they were smart, they listened."
- Browns LB Andra Davis.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Where is this offense without Winslow? Limping along. Winslow is a catalyst, love him or hate him. He makes plays that help his team win. Frye hooked up with Winslow for a 40-yarder early in the game that led to a TD. Then Winslow made the best catch of the season to date in the fourth quarter. That led to a key Dawson field goal. Winslow leads NFL tight ends in catches. He caught five more for 90 yards Sunday. There were at least two other times Winslow was open that Frye didn't get him the ball. He is a tough assignment for any defender.
COMING ON & FALLING APART
n For the first time this season, Frye did not turn the ball over. His passer rating was a season-high 109.1, the second best of his career. Vick fell apart. He tried to force passes, was impatient for routes to develop and pressed to make plays. That led to all three Atlanta turnovers.
n Cleveland defensive captain Andra Davis was all over the field, didn't miss many tackles and pressured Vick. Asked if it was his best game as a pro, Davis said he believed it was.
n Former second-round draft picks Sean Jones and Brodney Pool are proving themselves worthy of being first-day picks. Each picked off a pass Sunday and they have combined on seven interceptions this season.

EXTRA POINTS
n Cleveland's 14-0 lead in the second quarter was the team's largest margin that early in a game this year.
n As good as the offense was in the first half, Cleveland had just 30 yards on 12 plays in the third quarter. Atlanta got back in the game with 87 yards in 16 plays.
n Steve Heiden partially blocked a punt in the second quarter that set up the Browns at the Atlanta 36 with 2:32 left in the first half. Cleveland could have made it 21-0 with a TD. But Reuben Droughns fumbled two plays later and the Falcons recovered.
n The Browns will try to win consecutive games for the first time since 2003.

GRADING THE OFFENSE
UGLY B
There are times when an ugly B is better than a pretty A. Cleveland's offense punted 10 times, converted just 2-of-14 third downs and gained just 236 yards. But the Browns were efficient. Their only turn over was Droughns' fumble. After five straight punts in the second half, they put together the most important drive of the game, an 8-play, 52-yard march that ended with a Dawson field goal. The running game is a concern. Droughns finished with 54 yards. But it seemed like the coaching staff was protecting and preserving Frye when the team was backed up with poor field position much of the second half. They didn't want Frye's confidence ruined with a game-altering interception.
GRADING THE DEFENSE
A
Forcing Michael Vick into three turnovers, frustrating WRs into dropped passes and not giving up big plays were the ingredients to winning on the road against an Atlanta team with a 5-4 record. Kamerion Wimbley sacked Vick once. Andra Davis pressured him and DL Leon Williams gets a game ball for spying Vick and knocking down one of his passes. Give up 13 points on the road, and you won't lose many games in the NFL.
GRADING THE COACHES
B-PLUS
Offensive Coordinator Jeff Davidson brought this down to a B. Sure, there is something to be said (we haven't quite figured it out) for conservative play-calling inside the your own 15 with an inexperienced QB. It almost came back and bit the Browns on the butt. Cleveland moved the ball through the air against an Atlanta team that had a beat-up secondary. Why not pick on the DBs? Why not build Frye's confidence? If Frye couldn't beat this secondary, there aren't many he can beat. Todd Grantham and Romeo Crennel came up with a flawless defensive game plan. They got a lineman to shadow Vick and matched up Brodney Pool on TE Alge Crumpler, who was held to four catches.