Weighing the Alternatives
November 3, 2008Iverson for Billups Rumored Close
November 3, 2008As previously discussed in these parts, yesterday’s game against the Ravens had a friendly wager on the line. Below, please find his very solid “thank you” to Braylon Edwards.
You’ll have to click on the link for the full-size image. After the jump, the words of the winning team’s blogger, Dewey Hammond. Click at your own risk…
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Thanks for dropping that pass, B.
Field position: The Ravens didn’t dominate field position, or at least not special teams, but Baltimore did enough to keep Cleveland’s back against the wall. I have no idea why Baltimore kept kicking it to Joshua Cribbs, especially late in the fourth.
The running game: The Ravens had 3x more rushing yards than Cleveland (193 to 64). Ray Lewis dominated Jamal Lewis. I counted at least four or five reunions between the pair. Baltimore chewed up the clock, which it has been doing week after week.
The defense: Joe Thomas needed help all day against T-Sizzle, who sealed the victory with his late-game Pick 6. Baltimore’s D forced five-straight three-and-outs in the second half. Ray Lewis, Trevor Pryce, Haloti Ngata. Imagine how good Baltimore’s defense would be if it still had Kelly Gregg? He’s better than Shaun Rogers.
The poise: Down 14 on the road in the second half, Cam Cameron, Joe Flacco and the defense put 24 unanswered points on the board. The play calling and execution were both sloppy at times, but there was still a lot of poise out there. Cameron didn’t abandon the running game, a la Billick.
Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton: Derrick Mason has played mistake-free all year long. Joe Flacco’s favorite target is catching balls in traffic, and the rookie QB is getting production out of guys who in past seasons were largely silent (e.g. Mark Clayton). The only guy making zero noise is Todd Heap.
See you next season.
21 Comments
We should go a little easy on Braylon considering his TD catch should have been an INT but he wrestled the ball away.
Aaaaand his drop would have been a touchdown, so it’s a wash.
That was the best thrown ball I’ve seen come from DA in quite some time.
Come next year, I think we’ll be thanking Braylon for that drop….(stick with me here)….
If he catches that ball, Anderson gets another TD – and maybe the win. and a stay of execution…and one more week we have to wait for BQ. With Denver coming up, Anderson will have yet another chance to pad his stats against a poor Defense.
Instead, he drops the ball, and while it was totally his fault, all we will remember is Anderson’s lack of first downs in the second half. Thus, starting the BQ engine sooner – and by next year, he’ll be ready to lead us to the promised land!
So, I say THANK YOU Braylon – as long as the end result is the END of the DA era.
This is all just a means to an end. The Browns as currently constructed are apparently not going to win anything. They have lots of holes, most notably at head coach, and winning divisional games at home against the Ravens would only keep Igno-Romeo on the sidelines that much longer.
Anyone notice that Romeo hasn’t challenged a play in a while? What’s the deal with that? Nothing is worth challenging? Well, at least he hasn’t gotten any challenges wrong.
We should not go easy on Braylon. He’s a hell of a talent, but he’s also one hell of prima donna. That catch could have won the game for us. It’s about time he stops putting himself first and plays football for this team and this city that has embraced him.
I can’t ever root for the Browns to play badly. It just goes against every fiber of DNA in my body.
That said, a stink-fest on Thursday would most assuredly mean two things:
1) the end of the Crennell era in Cleveland. And, by extension,
2) the end of the DA era in Cleveland.
Sigh. While I think those would be positive steps toward the goal of winning a Super Bowl someday, it’s still a sad reminder that in some respects this team would basically be starting over. AGAIN.
I’m done with them for this year. We have all the clarity we need, and watching more of this is just masochistic. They are going to win more games this year and sometimes look good doing it, but it’s fool’s gold. When the pressure is on they show: 1) insufficient leadership and playmakers on the defensive side; 2) insufficient leadership on the offensive side, especially at the QB position; 3) poor coaching. If I’m Savage I spend my first 4 draft picks on defense looking for playmakers with leadership ability, and a new coach.
I think Savage was hoping to trade a waiver wire acquisition for a high draft pick next off-season, give Quinn the job and grab the “genius” title. Now I wonder what a team will give for Anderson next Spring. With all his tangibles, he’s not learning how to read a defense, and just doesn’t seem to have that “it.” Is anyone confident when he’s in there?
IF braylon caught that ball he wasn’t going to score. The defender dragged him down immediately after it went through the bricks he calls hands. I think that the Browns still would have found a way not to score.
The drop is still inexcusable. Trade him. There’s 20 better receivers in the Big 12 that would make him expendable.
I think that Savage made the right move locking up Anderson last offseason – while I am a huge BQ supporter, the truth is with young QB’s, you NEVER KNOW. If he let Anderson walk and he goes on to another team and becomes Drew Brees 2.0 and Quinn struggles….then we’d be trying to lynch Savage!
That being said…now it’s 8 games into this season and 23.5 games into Anderson’s tenure here…he has proved with a cannon arm and elite weapons he can CRUSH a poor or below average Defense. However, with a struggling O-line and injured WRs he can’t hang with above average Defenses.
I hope they pull the trigger soon – because we could have more “fool’s gold” as Harv put it: they play the next 4 games agianst subpar Ds (Den, Buffalo, Houston, and Indy). Just enough to get us thinking playoffs again…THEN?
Tennessee
Philly
Cincy (more fool’s gold)
Pittsburgh
EVEN IF they win all of the “fools gold” games they would finish a whopping 8-8. no playoffs, and have NO clue if Quinn can be a starter.
Why not give him the next 4 below average Defenses and he could be prepped for Ten, Philly, and Pittsburgh.
You know its bad when you constantly check sports sites for breaking news today on DA being benched.
Thanks for the credit for my Ravens. That was a hell of a game yesterday, definitely one of the most entertaining games I have ever watch, maybe not for you though. But we will try to do you guys a favor and make the steelers cry, cause I know we all hate the scrub of a team.
Last weeks win against Jacksonville doesn’t do anything for my confidence in the Browns after Jags lost to CINCY yesterday. That win just means we won against a team thats on the slide.
Bench DA, fire Romeo, start over.
“Joe Thomas needed help all day against T-Sizzle, who sealed the victory with his late-game Pick 6.”
I have an objection to this statement. Just because announcing genius Rich Gannon (note sarcasm) says something doesn’t mean it’s true. Suggs made a good play on the ball with that pick, but what was Wright doing? It took him forever to turn around and look for the ball…then Suggs gets pressure on the next series and suddenly Thomas can’t handle him one on one? Before you talk about Suggs dominating Thomas you should probably go back and watch the tape…
Heard a nice stat today. When Braylon drops 2 or more balls in a game the Browns are 0-3.
“This is all just a means to an end. The Browns as currently constructed are apparently not going to win anything. They have lots of holes, most notably at head coach, and winning divisional games at home against the Ravens would only keep Igno-Romeo on the sidelines that much longer.”
See, I disagree. With the exception of the Dallas game, the Browns could’ve easily won every other game they’ve played this season. That’s what makes this season so painful. I truly believe when on their game (ie: Anderson and Edwards show up for a full 4 quarters) the Browns can beat any team in the NFL, Tennessee included. They just piss away chance after chance after chance. It’s absolutely unreal. I should be used to this (and I am) but it still just boggles my mind.
The sad part? When Anderson’s pass was in the air, I was already preparing myself for Braylon’s drop. That says everything about this year that you need to know. Every time this team has a chance to get over a hump (move to 3-3 vs. WAS, 4-4 vs. BAL), they wet the bed.
I’m calling it right now; they’ll beat DEN on Thursday night, giving us hope and getting yet ANOTHER chance to get to .500…….and then blow it all away against BUF on Monday night come 11/17. You heard it here first.
“I’m calling it right now; they’ll beat DEN on Thursday night, giving us hope ”
If a team wins, and no one watches…does it count?
You know what the real “salt in the wounds” is?
We got beat by a rookie QB who went to a I-AA school and a rookie RB filling in for somebody.
How can one not say Flacco is already a better NFL QB than Anderson?
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO get that Raven off the banner!
It’ll be off… but not until kickoff next Sunday!
Yesssir!
Go Ravens!
To all the Ravnes fans.
Okay you beat swept the Browns, but can you please beat the frickin Steelers!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee. I hate them, and their number one annoying fans.
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