Thursday thoughts

A few thoughts this Thursday that I wanted to throw out randomly...

• It's chilly in Cleveland today after being almost uncomfortably muggy yesterday. It looks like fall is really here and soon winter will be too. Ugh.
• I still can't believe how the Browns completely dismantled the Giants on Monday night. Reflecting on it after a couple days, I honestly think it was the best Browns game I've ever been to in person (keeping in mind that the only real competition for that crown was the win over Atlanta in the season finale in 2002 and I didn't regularly start attending games until the reincarnation of the franchise in 1999).

This pretty much sums up Eli's night on Monday

• These have been some lean years for us Browns fans, with makes the first Monday night win since 1993(!) against the Super Bowl champs that much sweeter. I rather enjoyed the game replay last night on NFL Network HD and of course DVR'd it for future viewing pleasure.
• I have my doubts whether the Browns can have an encore performance this Sunday on the road after a short week of preparation for the Redskins. But it seems like the Browns are at their best when little is expected of them. So I will keep my expectations low for the foreseeable future in hopes that it will magically propel them to victories.
• I hope the 'Flash Package' and other Chud gadgets are used more on offense in the coming weeks. The Giants looked totally confused every time Cribbs lined up at quarterback, and the double reverse play to Harrison was a thing of beauty. And the NFL Films replays really showed how the Giants over-pursued the play from the start.
• I want Kellen Winslow to completely recover from whatever undisclosed illness is bothering him. First, I don't want him needlessly rushed back if he's not healthy yet (and you know it's just killing him to not be on the field). And second, the offense really clicked with Heiden and Dinkins. No need to mess with that unless K2 is 100% - or as close as he can be after all the leg injuries he has sustained.
• The Browns just might be onto something with their young secondary. Brodney Pool, Brandon McDonald, and Eric Wright all had key interceptions on Monday night (none bigger than Wright's beautiful 94-yard TD return to seal it). All off-season there were calls to shore up the secondary with a veteran cornerback, but Phil Savage resisted the urge to overpay an aging veteran and stick with the youngsters. So far they have played pretty well this season. And that's not even mentioning Sean Jones who is still recovering from a knee scop, but expected to play this Sunday.
• Only 12 days left until the Cavs begin their season. Yes, I'm sick of the countdown too. I just want the season to start now. They have another meaningless preseason game tonight against the Spurs at the Q. I'd like to go, but I know I'd be regretting it by the third quarter when the NBDLers are running around out there.
• Delonte West finally returned to camp yesterday. Maybe it is a good thing that we still have a few more preseason games to play. I want him ready to go to start the year. And it's nice to hear that Ben and Sasha also returned to full practice. Now let's just keep these guys healthy.

“He’s a big part of our team. It’s good to have him back. It’s good to see him high-spirited and concentrating on the game of basketball.” -
LeBron James on Delonte West's return

Week 1: Browns vs. Cowboys

So after what was seemingly a neverending wait for the start of the NFL season, Week 1 is finally upon us. As Browns fans we have gone from lofty expectations during training camp to a bit of worry over the 0-4 preseason, and more importantly, all the injuries. Such is the nature of things here in Cleveland... we have come to expect freak knee injuries like the one that happened Wednesday that will keep Antwan Peek out for the entire 2008 season. Not that I think Peek is an essential player to the team's success this year, but it's the type of downer that you don't want to start a season on. But injuries or not, the season kicks off with a tough opponent in the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:15. Here are the things I will be watching:

1. The Cowboys air attack vs. the Browns secondary: Much has been made of the Browns' perceived lack of depth in their secondary after trading Leigh Bodden and losing Daven Holly to injury. Terry Cousin and Travis Daniels were added during camp. But the real pressure will be on Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald at corner and Brodney Pool and Sean Jones at the safety spots. For as much as I dislike Terrell Owens, I won't kid myself and think that we can stop him. We just can't allow him to go off like he did when the Eagles came into town in 2006. And keeping track of Cowboys tight end Jason Witten also scares me a lot. If we start playing back off the line of scrimmage I think they will look to Witten a lot underneath and that could spell trouble.
   
2. The Browns defensive line: The off-season additions of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams gave a lot of us hope that the Browns would not only be able to better defend the run, but also finally get some pressure on the quarterback. This will be imperative in Week 1 against the Cowboys, because if Tony Romo is given time he will find the open receiver and pick the defense apart. And Marion Barber is more than capable enough to break of some big runs if he isn't contained.
   
3. The Browns offensive line: This unit has been considered one of the best in the NFL after a stellar 2007 season. Left tackle Joe Thomas is a beast and will only get better as he progresses into his second NFL season. But he will have his hands full with DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Cowboys defensive line. And the Browns didn't do a great job of protecting Derek Anderson in limited action in the preseason. It will be imperative that they give Anderson time on Sunday, as well as opening up some running lanes for Jamal Lewis.
   
4. The Browns receivers vs. the Cowboys secondary: Obviously Braylon Edwards had his breakout season last year. I expect much more of the same this year as he and Anderson really developed good chemistry. And the addition of Donte Stallworth gives the Browns more speed and a reliable second option. And Kellen Winslow is the ultimate pass-catching tight end with the size, speed, and fearlessness that will make and defense afraid. But the Cowboys secondary is very talented (namely Roy Williams) and this may well be the matchup that decides the game. We all know how much better the Browns were last season when Anderson was able to limit his turnovers and didn't force mistakes. It is a must that the Browns don't give the Cowboys extra possessions or a short field to work with.
   
5. Special teams: Mainly I'm referring to the Browns special teams here. A huge key for me will be if Josh Cribbs is healthy enough to play. If his ankle isn't an issue and he is on the field he is a game-changer. Syndric Steptoe did a nice job stepping in during the preseason, but he is nowhere near the caliber of Cribbs. If #16 is back there receiving the opening kickoff, I will be breathing much easier. It will also be important for Dave Zastudil and Phil Dawson to step up when called upon. Field position or an extra 3 points could be the difference in this game.

DeMarcus Ware vs. Joe Thomas will be just one of the big matchups on Sunday

Summing everything up I'm just not sure I love this matchup to start the year for our Browns. But I also know that we have become a dominant team at home (7-1 last year, with the one loss featuring Charlie Frye under center). I definitely think this could become a shootout which could also favor the Browns (5-0 under Romeo Crennel when scoring 30 points or more). Ultimately this game will come down to which team can take care of the ball better on offense and get stops on defense. I'm just not sure the Browns can make all the stops they need to in this one.

It's not that I don't think the Browns can't win this game... I wouldn't put anything past them with their explosive offense. And I know the crowd will be a huge factor (I can't wait to be in the middle of 73,000 screaming fans on Sunday). If the Browns do lose, this would be a game to do it (non-conference so it likely wouldn't play a part in playoff tiebreakers). Weighing everything, I'm going with a prediction of... Cowboys 30 Browns 27. But I reserve the right to change my pick if anything changes my mind before Sunday morning...

0-4 for the preseason

So the Browns finished 0-4 on the preseason with their 16-10 loss to the Bears last night at the Stadium. Does it matter? I'm really not gonna lose any sleep over losing preseason games, especially when so many players are out with injury. And don't forget, this one also featured Ken Dorsey prominently for almost three quarters of the game. So again, don't panic over the outcome. It would have been nice to get a win, or even a good showing for that matter in the final tune-up before the regular season. But this team still has 9 days to prepare for September 7th against the Cowboys and I expect them to be ready.

""It really doesn't mean anything because it doesn't count," Crennel said of the Browns' four losses. "We could've been 4-0 and if we lose to Dallas you're going to ask what went wrong.""

The good news for the Browns was the fact that the offense seemed to move the ball much better when the starters were out there. Brady Quinn looked to be much improved compared to his first start in Detroit. He finished 7-of-9 for 65 yards and led the Browns to two scoring drives and a 10-0 lead in just over a quarter of action. And Brandon McDonald had a nice interception of Kyle Orton (is he really going to be a starting QB in the NFL???). The bad news is that they may have lost three more players to injury. I really hate the preseason and I'm glad it's finally over.

Robaire Smith puts some pressure on Kyle Orton, forcing a turnover

Terry Pluto offers some scribbles in his notebook from Thursday's game... and there's some stuff worthy of noting in today's Browns notebook from the ABJ (after you get past the depressing injury news)... and finally, try not to puke when you see ESPN's 2008 NFL fan rankings.

Tribe Update: The Indians will put their 10-game winning streak on the line tonight when they open their three-game weekend series against the Seattle Mariners. I'm a little worried since my wife and I will be in attendance. But I'm curious to see if there will be more fan interest now. And if so, how will the team respond? Jeremy Sowers will be on the mound for the good guys.

Paul Hoynes says the recent hot streak is a matter pride... And here's a nice story on the Tribe's #1 pick Lonnie Chisenhall... and I just through this was interesting (I'm a huge Tait fan, but Drennan? Not so much.):

Joe Tait and Bruce Drennan, a former Indians play-by-play team, will reunite to call the second game of the Tribe's doubleheader against Kansas City on Sept. 13 on SportsTime Ohio. Tait and Drennan did Tribe games from 1980 through 1987.

Byrd's swan song?

If this was Paul Byrd's final appearance as a Cleveland Indian, he sure picked a good time to throw a gem. He pitched 7-2/3 scoreless innings last night at the Prog as the Tribe blanked the Tigers 5-0. Amazingly Byrd was able to scatter just four hits in 107 pitches against a potent Tigers lineup. So perhaps he does still have some trade value after all. And if I was Mark Shapiro I'd be all ears right now, listening to any GM looking to bolster their rotation for the playoff run.

In Byrd's last three appearances he has gone 2-0, working at least 6 innings in each start, and has a 1.29 ERA. He credits his success of late to a change in his delivery. Whatever it is, I'm glad he found it. And he obviously knows there's a chance he could be dealt as the trade deadline looms. I've been tough on Byrd this year, but if he is dealt I will miss his candid views, his self-deprecating humor, and I will fondly remember him for his Game 4 start in last year's ALDS in New York.

''I'm in a win-win situation,'' Byrd said. ''I love the people here, the people in the clubhouse and the fans. My family loves it in Cleveland. But if I'm traded, I assume it would be to a contender, so that would be nice, too.''

A final farewell to the fans?

Another sight for sore eyes was Asdrubal Cabrera adding some insurance with a 2-run shot in the 6th, just after Kelly Shoppach also homered. It all added up to a nice win for the Tribe and is satisfying to me given my disdain for all things Detroit. Most importantly, the win keeps the Indians just a half-game behind the Royals for Central cellar honors (but that just doesn't seem fair given K.C.'s -78 run differential compared to our +5). Oh well.

Cavs Update: Negotiations between Delonte West's reps and the Cavs don't seem to be going very well. Hopefully this is more typical agent posturing:

"If he gets a good deal, we'll do it," Goodwin said. "If not, we'll take the qualifying offer."

Browns Update: Just some tidbits today on Brandon McDonald, Andra Davis, and Jamal Lewis. The first preseason game is creeping closer (just 9 days away). Unfortunately it's against the Jets and I'm really hoping they don't have Brett Favre on their roster by then. I just don't want that media circus in town next week.