Cleveland Browns vs Baltimore Ravens (10/16)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

yahoo.com

10/13/05

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=750 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=560>Cleveland (2-2) at Baltimore (1-3)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Cleveland (2-2) at Baltimore (1-3)</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Preview - Box Score - Recap

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=ysptblclbg3 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=5><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD> Game Info: 1:00 pm EDT Sun Oct 16, 2005
TV: CBS </TD><TD noWrap align=right>Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2 colSpan=2 height=1><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR class=yspwhitebg><TD colSpan=2 height=15><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=190 align=right border=0 hspace="5" vspace="10"><TBODY><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=ysptblclbg1><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=yspsctbg><TD class=ysptblhdr height=18> Key Matchup - RB</TD></TR><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3 height=3><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle width="35%">
Green
CLE </TD><TD align=middle width="30%">vs. </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle width="35%">
Lewis
BAL </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3 height=3><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2 colSpan=3><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"></TD></TR><TR class=ysprow2><TD class=yspscores align=right>7 </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle>Rush </TD><TD class=yspscores align=right>74 </TD></TR><TR class=ysprow1><TD class=yspscores align=right>1.8 </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle>Rush/G </TD><TD class=yspscores align=right>18.5 </TD></TR><TR class=ysprow2><TD class=yspscores align=right>12 </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle>Yds </TD><TD class=yspscores align=right>233 </TD></TR><TR class=ysprow1><TD class=yspscores align=right>3.0 </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle>Y/G </TD><TD class=yspscores align=right>58.3 </TD></TR><TR class=ysprow2><TD class=yspscores align=right>0 </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=middle>TD </TD><TD class=yspscores align=right>1 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>During their Super Bowl season five years ago, the Baltimore Ravens struggled offensively before quarterback Trent Dilfer took over and led them to the championship.


They're in a similar situation this season, but don't have the luxury of having Dilfer on their side.
Dilfer makes his first start against the Ravens since helping them win the Super Bowl when he leads the Cleveland Browns into M&T Bank Stadium.

Baltimore didn't score a touchdown for five straight weeks during the 2000 season, but went on to win 11 straight games to claim a Super Bowl championship. Dilfer started the final eight games of the regular season and all four in the playoffs, posting an 11-1 record.
The Super Bowl win over the New York Giants was Dilfer's last game for Baltimore as he went on to sign with the Seattle Seahawks before coming to Cleveland this past offseason.

Since his departure, the Ravens have turned to a number of quarterbacks, but have made the playoffs only twice.


This season, starter Kyle Boller got hurt in a loss to Indianapolis in the opener, and backup Anthony Wright has guided the team to a 1-2 record.

The Ravens are 25th in the NFL in total offense, their 47 points scored are second-fewest in the league behind Houston's 44, and they're off to the worst start in the team's 10-year history.

Last Sunday, Baltimore was penalized 21 times -- one short of the NFL record -- and had two players ejected during an embarrassing 35-17 loss to the Detroit Lions. Besides being flagged for holding seven times, the Ravens received three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and a personal foul call.

On Wednesday, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed were fined $15,000 each for making contact with an official during the game.

``I'm accountable. I'm responsible,'' coach Brian Billick said. ``Make no mistake. We recognize what we did, and don't feel good about it.''

The meltdown overshadowed the performance of an offense that committed four turnovers and a defense that allowed 169 yards rushing.

``Coach talked to us about what happened. He still has faith in the character of this team,'' Wright said. ``We're not a bad team, on or off the football field. Right now, we're going through some trials and tribulations. We're going to work this out. We're professionals.''

The Ravens may look to running back Jamal Lewis to get the offense on track. In eight career games against Cleveland, Lewis is averaging 147.6 rushing yards, the most by one player against a team in the NFL since 1970.

The Browns have struggled against the run, allowing 137.8 yards a game, and that trend continued in last week's 20-10 win over Chicago.

Cleveland allowed the Bears to rush for 176 yards, but was able to win for the second time in three games behind the play of Dilfer.

With the Browns trailing 10-6, Dilfer hit Antonio Bryant for a 33-yard touchdown with 3:02 left in the game. After Bears rookie quarterback Kyle Orton's fumble was recovered by safety Chris Crocker, Dilfer found Bryant on a similar route in the left corner, a 28-yarder that put the Browns up by 10 with 2:24 remaining.

``He leads,'' Browns tight end Aaron Shea said of Dilfer. ``We follow.''

Cleveland will be short-handed offensively for this game. Running back Lee Suggs broke his right thumb Sunday and will be out at least four weeks. Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards will miss his second straight game following surgery to remove an unknown infection near his right elbow.

Edwards, who has nine catches for 166 yards and one touchdown, was released from the hospital Wednesday but might not play for a month while recovering.

Updated on Wednesday, Oct 12, 2005 6:38 pm EDT

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10/13/05

BROWNS: Getting a big taste of Reuben

Thursday, October 13, 2005 <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>By Steve Doerschuk Repository sports writer
<TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=3 width=250 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Related Stories
BROWNS NOTEBOOK: Edwards, Winslow would come in handy

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CLEVELAND - You pronounce Reuben Droughns’ surname like the verb, “drones,” which, the dictionary says, means “hums, burrs, buzzes, whirs.”
The definition of “Droughns” — starting running back for the Browns — is hard and fast now that Lee Suggs is out four to six weeks with a broken thumb.

In Droughns’ four starts, one couldn’t say the rushing game has hummed. The Browns rank 29th in the NFL at 75.3 yards a game.

There is, however, a buzz about the way Droughns has attacked the line of scrimmage, and about the team’s two wins in its last three outings.
Certainly, there has been a whirring sameness to the Droughns-led ground game. The 27-year-old Chicago native rushed for 78 yards vs. Cincinnati, 50 at Green Bay, 76 at Indianapolis and 72 vs. Chicago.

The running game has been Droughns, Droughns and more Droughns.
Browns running backs have made 79 carries; Droughns has 71. The backs have rushed for 292 yards; Droughns has 276.

Droughns, who has a high-energy personality and always seems to be smiling, seems eager to build on his first quarter of a season with his new team.

“It seems like we’re that close on a couple of runs,” said Droughns, holding his thumb and index finger a half-inch apart. “If we just step out on a few runs, it’s gonna happen.”

Step out?

“Just break a tackle ... break away from those hand tackles, those guys who are slapping at your legs,” he said. “If I can step out of those things, that’s when we’ll get those longer runs.”

Nobody who didn’t follow the Oregon Ducks knew anything about Droughns before 2004. In his first four NFL seasons after getting picked in the third round by Detroit in 2000, Droughns totaled 40 carries for 97 yards.
Droughns broke out with Denver in 2004. Even after he rushed for 1,240 yards, the Broncos preferred Tatum Bell.

Yet, Droughns is thankful for the experience. He said he is a more confident player than he was a year ago this week, when he had a 30-carry, 193-yard game against Carolina.

“I have an opportunity to make a name for myself outside the Denver system,” Droughns said. “That is what I’m trying to do here, while trying to help get us to the level of a playoff team.”

The Browns stayed alive in the 2002 playoff race with a late win at Baltimore, which included a 20-carry, 56-yard game by William Green.
Droughns beat out Green in the preseason, with Suggs out with a high ankle sprain.

Suggs played little after he returned the third week of the season. What happens without him?

“The rotation is still gonna be the same,” Droughns said. “Before Lee came back, me and Will were doing a good job handling practice and handling the games.”

The practice routine didn’t change much after Suggs came back. In fact, Head Coach Romeo Crennel said Wednesday that Green was the No. 2 back ahead of Suggs on Sunday against Chicago because the team practiced that way, not because Suggs broke a thumb in the game.

Green has had a cameo season, with seven carries for 12 yards. His view of life without Suggs?

“Same as every week,” he said. “I’ll be ready to go. Nothing changes. We’ll be ready around here, whatever the situation calls for.”

Apparently, that will be Droughns, Droughns and more Droughns.


Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com



Droughns: I’m more Lewis, less Tomlinson

Reuben Droughns’ favorite current NFL running back is LaDainian Tomlinson, but not because Droughns thinks he’s an L.T. clone.

“LaDainian has physical strength and power. He runs inside-outside. He has skills to make somebody miss. Not everybody has that package. I don’t try to be that.”

The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Droughns said his style is more along the lines of Jamal Lewis, the 5-11, 245-pound Baltimore back who will oppose Droughns and Co. on Sunday.

“Jamal has a little more speed than me,” Droughns said. “He’s an aggressive runner, just like me.”

The Browns wouldn’t mind if Droughns resembled the 2003 version of Lewis. In two games against the Browns, Lewis rushed for 295 and 205 yards for an even 500.

STEVE DOERSCHUK



Baltimore vs. Backs

LEAGUE vs. ravens this season

Results of feature backs against the Ravens this season.

Date Back, team Att-Yds Lng Result

Sept. 11 Edgerrin James, Colts 23-88 16 L, 24-7
Sept. 18 Travis Henry, Titans 18-62 17 L, 25-10
Oct. 2 Curtis Martin, Jets 10-30 8 W, 13-3
Oct. 9 Kevin Jones, Lions 26-58 14 L, 35-17

browns vs. ravens last 4 years

Results of Browns feature backs in the last four games against Baltimore.

Date Back Att-Yds Lng Result

Nov. 7, 2004 Lee Suggs 18-56 17 L, 27-13
Sept. 12, 2004 William Green 22-65 10 W, 20-3 Dec. 21, 2003 Lee Suggs 20-68 16 L, 35-0 Sept. 14, 2003 William Green 17-54 8 L, 33-13
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[sandgk]

Let's be honest - who thought that the Browns would be going to the Ravens own turf at this stage in the season, with a new coach, without their TE Soldjah and with some analysts talking of their hosts as an underdog?
Heck - this almost has a flavor of being a trap game for Romeo's crew.
Romeo is doing great things for the Browns under very difficult circumstances.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=right colSpan=3></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>Browns Mission: Slow Jamal Lewis

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</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>By Fred Greetham

Date: Oct 13, 2005

Remember 2003? How Jamal Lewis single-handedly led the Ravens to two wins over the Browns by repeatedly breaking huge runs? Fred Greetham reports on the Browns continuing need to neutralize the Ravens talented, and still dangerous, running back.
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BEREA – The one thing that has been evident in the first four games of the 2005 season is the fact the Browns have not been able to stop the run.
The Browns have allowed a 100-yard rusher in three out of the four games they’ve played. Rudi Johnson rushed for over 100 yards in the season opener for the Bengals, as did Edgerrin James for the Colts in the third game and Thomas Jones for the Bears in the fourth game.
The Browns are ranked 30th in the NFL in rushing defense, giving up 137.8 yards a game.
Crennel said the Browns deficiency against the run will eventually lead to disaster, unless they get it corrected.
“It will catch up with us,” he said. “We’re working on that. We’re making slow progress. If we keep working on it, the rushing yardage will go down.”
It’s not good news for the Browns that this week’s task is stopping Jamal Lewis—amongst others.
“Offensively, (the Ravens) have a running back in Lewis who has strong ability and can definitely hurt you,” Crennel said. “(Todd) Heap presents a lot of match up problems.
“(Derrick) Mason, the wide receiver has excellent quickness and runs good routes,” Crennel said. “They have a number of problems that they present. We are going to have to play our best game to have a chance to win.”
Lewis has given the Browns nightmares in the past few years. He set an NFL record with 295 yards against the Browns on Sept. 14, 2003.
Lewis has started the first quarter of the 2005 season slower than he is accustomed to. He has 233 yards, including a touchdown to lead the Ravens ground game thus far in 2005. He’s also caught seven passes for 53 yards, including a touchdown.
In contrast, Reuben Droughns has 276 yards rushing and has caught 14 passes for 104 yards for the Browns.
Chester Taylor—whom the Browns signed to an offer sheet in the off-season—spells Lewis at running back. He has 110 yards rushing and has caught 11 passes for 91 yards.
“(Lewis) might not be putting up the numbers, but he’s still a good back,” Crennel said.
Lewis feels the rushing game is starting to come together. He rushed for 95 yards last week against the Lions.
“It’s getting there,” Lewis said. “It’s coming along slowly, but surely.”
Ravens coach Brian Billick said Lewis is starting to put it all together.
“He’s really got back into a rhythm the last two weeks,” Billick said.

Green Good in Practice: Crennel was asked why he has been using William Green to spell RB Reuben Droughns rather than Lee Suggs, prior to Suggs breaking his thumb.
Green has just 12 yards on seven carries in his limited duty thus far this season. Suggs has no carries from scrimmage.
“One of the things in practice is we’re not hitting,” Crennel said. “You’re going against the scout team. In a game, you’re going against the opponent and they are hitting. All I can go by is what he looks like in practice. It’s been an issue because three guys who have quality and trying to get them all some time.”
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[strohs]

Lets Go Browns!! [censored] the Ravens

[scarletngrey11]

Originally Posted by strohs

Lets Go Browns!! [censored] the Ravens

Ill never forgive Modell for taking the Browns away, Ill [censored]ing hate the Ravens until theres not one breath left in my body...

We'll win this game. Why??? Jamal Lewis is all they have, and hes having a bad year, so is their defense, and thats all that they have...

[strohs]

http://www.wbns10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3826562

WHAT THE [censored] IS THIS.
10 TV can kiss my nutsack.
They are showing the Bengals game over this, you HAVE to be kidding me.
As soon as I calm down they are getting an email from me...
And then I will be sending them my bill from Damon's or wherever, so they can reimburse me on my costs to see this game.