SB Nation - Blake Costanzo

Final Injury/Practice Report: Cleveland Browns (1-9) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-3)

Kirkendall — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:31:49 -0000

CINCINNATI BENGALS

QUESTIONABLE	PROBABLE
RB Cedric Benson (hip)	DE Robert Geathers (hip)
WR Laveranues Coles (chest)	DT Tank Johnson (knee)
DT Domata Peko (knee)	CB Johnathan Joseph (foot)
LB Keith Rivers (calf)	G Evan Mathis (ankle)
CB Morgan Trent (knee)	LB Rey Maualuga (foot)

CLEVELAND BROWNS

QUESTIONABLE	PROBABLE
LB Blake Costanzo (shoulder)	LB David Bowens (knee)
TE Greg Estandia (shoulder)	TE Michael Gaines (back)
G Rex Hadnot (knee)	RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)	C Alex Mack (thumb)
TE Robert Royal (thigh, finger)	DE Robaire Smith (shoulder)
RB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)	WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)

Practice

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
RB Cedric Benson (hip)	DNP	DNP	LP
WR Laveranues Coles (chest)	DNP	DNP	LP
LB Rey Maualuga (foot)	DNP	LP	LP
DT Domata Peko (knee)	DNP	DNP	LP
DE Robert Geathers (hip)	LP	LP	FP
DT Tank Johnson (knee)	LP	LP	LP
CB Johnathan Joseph (foot)	LP	LP	FP
LB Keith Rivers (calf)	LP	LP	LP
CB Morgan Trent (knee)	LP	LP	LP
G Evan Mathis (ankle)	--	FP	FP

CLEVELAND	WED	THUR	FRI
G Rex Hadnot (knee)	DNP	LP	LP
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)	DNP	DNP	LP
TE Robert Royal (thigh, finger)	DNP	DNP	LP
RB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)	DNP	DNP	LP
LB David Bowens (knee)	LP	LP	LP
LB Blake Costanzo (shoulder)	LP	LP	LP
TE Greg Estandia (shoulder)	LP	LP	LP
RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)	LP	LP	LP
TE Michael Gaines (back)	FP	FP	FP
C Alex Mack (thumb)	FP	FP	FP
DE Robaire Smith (shoulder)	FP	FP	FP
WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)	FP	FP	FP

Practice Report: Cleveland Browns (1-9) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-3)

Kirkendall — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:00:16 -0000

Untitled Document

Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening, we'll (TRY TO) update the practice/injury chart leading up to Sunday's game. The chart is pretty self-explanatory. If the player is listed as out, they're out for the game. If they did not participate, they didn't practice. If they were limited, then they only participated during a portion of practice (typically means missing 11-on-11 drills). If the player is listed as full participation, it simply means that they practiced fully and that the only reason they're listed is because injury was an issue the week before.

Practice

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
RB Cedric Benson (hip)	DNP	DNP
WR Laveranues Coles (chest)	DNP	DNP
LB Rey Maualuga (foot)	DNP	LP
DT Domata Peko (knee)	DNP	DNP
DE Robert Geathers (hip)	LP	LP
DT Tank Johnson (knee)	LP	LP
CB Johnathan Joseph (foot)	LP	LP
LB Keith Rivers (calf)	LP	LP
CB Morgan Trent (knee)	LP	LP

CLEVELAND	WED	THUR	FRI
G Rex Hadnot (knee)	DNP	LP
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)	DNP	DNP
TE Robert Royal (thigh, finger)	DNP	DNP
RB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)	DNP	DNP
LB David Bowens (knee)	LP	LP
LB Blake Costanzo (shoulder)	LP	LP
TE Greg Estandia (shoulder)	LP	LP
RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)	LP	LP
TE Michael Gaines (back)	FP	FP
C Alex Mack (thumb)	FP	FP
DE Robaire Smith (shoulder)	FP	FP
WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)	FP	FP

Defense and Special Teams: All You Need to Win a Football Game as Browns Prevail 6-3

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:09:09 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

2 months ago: Cleveland Browns kicker Billy Cundiff, right, is congratulated by Browns punter Dave Zastudil after his winning field goal against the Buffalo Bills late in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-4)	WEEK 5	BUFFALO BILLS (1-4)
	VS.
6		3

Who says you need an offense to win a football game? That in itself is not necessarily a true statement, as the Cleveland Browns did have a fairly good day on the ground with Jamal Lewis in their 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Around the league, the media made a joke of this game, but I think the joke was more so on the state of the Buffalo Bills. After how dismal the first three weeks of the season were, the fact is that the Browns challenged a now 4-1 Bengals team two weeks ago and took care of business against the Bills on the road. Let's get to the review of the game...

WEEK 5 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. BUFFALO BILLS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

Dave Zastudil: I probably sound like a broken record since everyone is well aware that Zastudil had a fantastic game en route to being the Special Teams Player of the Week. As bad as Trent Edwards is, we probably couldn't have come away with a victory had we not dominated the field position game.

Zastudil had seven punts downed inside the 20, with three of them being at the 1-, 1-, and 4-yard lines. Zastudil gave credit to players like Mike Adams for helping to stop those balls from going into the end zone, but the punts were so beautifully placed that it made the gunners' jobs a lot easier.
~~Derek Anderson:~~ Sike.
Eric Wright: After Derek Anderson threw an interception, the Bills had an opportunity at gaining some momentum. The Browns were able to move Trent Edwards out of the pocket, but with a lot of time to throw, I believe it was Terrell Owens who became open deep. Edwards' throw was terribly underthrown, and Eric Wright took advantage by intercepting it at the same time he turned himself around. Wright's pick canceled out Anderson's pick, allowing the game to continue being a special teams battle.

GOATS OF THE GAME:

Robert Royal: The Browns had an opportunity to put the game away when Derek Anderson lofted his only good throw and one of his few deeper throws of the game over the left middle of the field to Royal. Without a defender near him and playing in the stadium he had been in for several years, Royal simply dropped the ball. Please give these reps to Steve Heiden, as Royal, as a receiver, is starting to make me miss Darnell Dinkins. DINKINS!
Derek Anderson: There are a lot of valid excuses that can be made for Anderson's 2-of-17 completion rate. With that said, there are also a lot of things that Anderson clearly could've done better. Anderson rarely throws the ball into a receiver's comfort zone, especially with the running backs.

GENERAL THOUGHTS

The running of Jamal Lewis set the Browns up for a game-winning field goal.

Give it Up to the Defense: I thought the Bills were going to run the ball all over the Browns, but we clearly made an improvement Sunday. The run defense has shown signs of brilliance in which they'll give up nothing, but then give up several consecutive big runs late in the game. If the Bills ripped a decent-sized run on Sunday, the Browns usually followed it up with a stuff.
Stopping the Duo: A big key was holding Fred Jackson, a key contributor to the Bills the first four weeks of the season, to just 30 yards on 13 carries. That killed the "dynamic duo" threat the Bills tried to present us with.
One Big Problem Remains: All of a sudden, we can't stop the quarterbacks from running with the football -- and I'm talking about quarterbacks who usually do not take off and run. Edwards had an unacceptable 40 yards rushing on 4 attempts against the Browns. Surely, the Browns will be more aware of Ben Roethlisberger this Sunday, but how will that hinder the other aspects of our defense in exchange?
Established an Identity: I had a lot of problems with Brian Daboll's inability to call a passing play on first- and second-downs. With so many running plays, where was the playaction fake too? I don't even know if I saw one playfake in the game from Cleveland. I do give credit to Daboll for at least having a comprehensible gameplan though, which was clearly to run the ball down the Bills' throat no matter what the situation.
Lewis Returns: For those of you who thought Jamal Lewis was done (in terms of playing time), think again. A week after Jerome Harrison had over 30 carries, this week it was Lewis' turn, who touched the ball 31 times for 117 yards (a 3.8 average). Overall, there were some plays where I thought a better running back would've gotten more, but he still made the proper moves to get the maximum yardage he could. And, I can't complain when the guy is hurdling over defenders in the fourth quarter.
Harrison's Line is Low: It was a rather uneventful game for Jerome Harrison, who had 8 runs for 21 yards. Props to the coaching staff for giving Harrison more than the regulated four-carries-or-less he's been accustomed to with Lewis in the lineup. Keep giving the ball to Harrison, because eventually, he'll make the defense pay. More of an effort should've been made to get the ball to Harrison on some of Anderson's 17 pass attempts though.
An Update Look as Massaquoi: So, how did Mohamed Massaquoi handle his first game as the No. 1 receiver? Not too well, with about three passes that he should've been able to haul in. I'm going to give all of the receivers somewhat of a "bye" for the Bills game though since everyone seemed to struggle. If those struggles continue, then I'll re-evaluate.
Looks to RoBo: I saw the jersey of Brian Robiskie in motion a few times, but I don't recall any passes being thrown his way. Maybe next week against Pittsburgh? Chansi Stuckey just needs some more with with Anderson. Where was Mike Furrey throughout the game?
Costanzo Rules Again: I think Blake Costanzo is going to set a special teams record or something with the amount of fumbles he is recovering. When most players dive at a loose football, the ball bounces elsewhere. When Costanzo dives at it, it's like the ball gravitates right to him. Does he have some secret type of magnetic attraction device planted?
Bigger Plans for Trusnik: It was certainly a surprise to see Alex Hall on the inactive list and new special teamer Jason Trusnik seeing pretty important reps at linebacker. I guess Mangini has bigger plans for Trusnik than we originally envisioned. Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer says that one of the reasons Hall was inactive was because the team wants him to learn his assignments better. Maybe that's true, because Hall has been a disappointment this season with his lack of impact.

The interception by Eric Wright kept the Bills' offense silent.

Good Game for Corey Williams: Before the game, I pleaded for a defensive lineman besides Shaun Rogers to step up. That player was Williams, who even received props from Rogers after the game. Rogers was his usual self, pushing offensive linemen into Edwards throughout the game. I also thought Kenyon Coleman stepped it up a notch.
Roughing the Passer: Give me a break. Corey Williams made a great hit on Edwards, a clean one in my book, and it nearly cost us the game because the Bills had several big plays afterwards. The officials have lost the concept of "roughing the passer" league-wide.
Motioning Cribbs: Part of the commitment to the running game? The number of pre-snap motions/fake handoffs we did to Cribbs the whole game. Cribbs didn't get many opportunities to return kicks, but he had to of been tired after the game trying to sell the fake on almost every play. The one time we did hand it off to him? A 31-yard burst that led to a field goal. I think we can get away with giving it to him a few more times too.
Fair Job to Cundiff: I don't know how much more of Billy Cundiff we'll be seeing, as Phil Dawson's return has to be on the horizon. Cundiff has made all five of his kicks since joining the team, with his only blemish being the kick out of bounds near the end of the game. It could've been costly, but with Edwards at quarterback, I real wasn't sweating it. Interesting note to read that Matt Stover originally turned down an offer to join the Browns once Dawson got hurt.
Wimbley Matches: Through five games, LB Kamerion Wimbley has four sacks. That equals the total number of sacks he had all of last season. He doesn't look like a Pro Bowler by any means, but the Rob Ryan has done a better job with timing the blitzes, and bringing pressure from more than just Wimbley's side to keep the offensive line off-guard.
Ugly Penalties: Dick Jauron should be fired. There is no excuse for that many penalties, especially that many false starts in your own stadium!
Brownies: How cool would it have been to see the Browns snap the ball before the Bills' timeout on the punt to end the third quarter...despite being doubtful, D'Qwell Jackson played and led the team in tackles...Mike Adams continues to be a great utility player...Trent Edwards is no Carson Palmer.

Up next, the Browns have the Pittsburgh Steelers. The rivalry doesn't seem as strong with our current losing streak against them, but I think all it will take is one win over them to finally get the blood boiling again. Who knows -- maybe a win against the Steelers will help define the "legacy" of Eric Mangini in Cleveland.

Broncos Get a "Gimme" as Browns' Lackluster Gameplan Leads to 27-6 Loss

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:03:07 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Cleveland Browns' quarterback Brady Quinn (10) fumbles the football in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos.

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-2)	WEEK 2	DENVER BRONCOS (2-0)
	VS.
6		27

After the Browns' effort against the Broncos this past Sunday, one thought popped into my mind: What the hell was that?

There are teams who simply don't have the talent to win regularly, but then there are teams who have some of the right pieces to the puzzle and are lacking a good gameplan on offense. That's where the Browns are stuck right now, which is quite discouraging considering the change I expected from the new regime. Sure, growing pains are to be expected, but I'd rather see the offense take some shots than...than...well, quite frankly, I don't know how to describe the non-existent gameplan that Brian Daboll seems to be using.

WEEK 2 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. DENVER BRONCOS (GENERAL THOUGHTS)

Goat of the Game - Brian Daboll: I thought about giving it to Brady Quinn again, but I'll take a rarity for me and give it to a coach. I liked the formations that Daboll was using in the preseason to keep defenses off balanced, along with how we were keeping defenses on their toes with the number of screen plays we were running. Now, the talent utilization isn't there, and neither is the gameplan. Examples to follow below.
Using Joshua Cribbs: What was Cribbs' strength as a receiver supposed to be? Catching the ball quickly in stride and using his momentum, like he does on a kick return, to burst through the defense. Instead, we saw Cribbs get the ball over and over again on comeback routes short of a first-down marker. That's what Mike Furrey is for (*assuming he goes beyond the marker). Also, what happened to the Wildcat formation? What are we doing, reverting to the stubbornness of the Romeo Crennel days already?
Involving Mohamed Massaquoi: Isn't there a reason we drafted two receivers in the second round of this year's draft? I was under the impression that it was because we needed receivers desperately. And yet, we see that Massaquoi doesn't get a catch, and Brian Robiskie isn't even active. The reviews on both men weren't outstanding during training camp, but surely they should be receiving more reps. We need better route runners, and at least Massaquoi can provide that.
Harrison as a Receiver: So far, I would've never guessed that Eric Mangini ever managed Leon Washington in New York, because the past two weeks, neither James Davis nor Jerome Harrison have been used enough as a receiver out of the backfield.
What HAVE We Seen? We've seen a lot of runs up the middle to Jamal Lewis, resulting in longer third downs. We've seen a lot of third-down and long throws go short of the first-down marker. We've seen Brady Quinn hold onto the ball too long in certain situations, resulting in a sack. We've also seen Quinn move away from the pocket too quickly, resulting in a negative play more times than not. In other words, what we've seen is a complete mess. In the next few weeks, we'll see how good of a coach we have to do anything he can to clean that mess up.
Right Tackle Isn't Cutting It: For the first half of a game, RT John St. Clair is doing a decent job. But when we fall behind and are forced to pass, teams are having a field day against him. St. Clair allowed Elvis Dumervil to have four sacks against Quinn in the second half, with three of them coming in the fourth quarter. That came after I had been laughing at the Packers for giving up five sacks to Bengals DE Antwan Odom. St. Clair wasn't wanted by the Bears for a reason, and we're seeing it. Get well, Ryan Tucker.
Special Teams Fumble: Our special teams unit did a much better job this week in coverage. On the first kickoff, Blake Costanzo forced and recovered a fumble that set our offense up with its only viable threat of the game. Phil Dawson and Dave Zastudil each had a solid day performing their respective duties.
Defensive Effort: Our defensive effort was much less impressive against the Broncos than it was against the Vikings. Nonetheless, in the first half, thanks to two missed field goals, Denver only had 13 points heading into the third quarter. We were just one score away from tying the game, but the final result appears in the books as a three-touchdown blowout. That's what makes the lack of a gameplan on offense ever-the-more frustrating -- simple execution, and who knows how things could've changed in our favor.
Mack's Shotgun Snaps: We've seen too many snaps from rookie center Alex Mack be errant, and it cost us against the Broncos, setting Denver up for their only first-half touchdown.
The Nickel Backs: Right now, it appears that Hank Poteat is our nickel back. I supported the release of Roderick Hood only if that meant we were committed to giving Coye Francies more playing time. Poteat was burned several times by Brandon Stokley, often on third-and-long situations.
Quiet Play from Pool: Doesn't it seem like Brodney Pool's name hasn't even been mentioned the past two weeks? I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or a good thing. I remain pleased with Abram Elam, but again, I'd like to see how these guys play when our offense actually gives them a lead to work with.
Edwards' Success: Another reason to be discouraged by our lack of success on offense? Braylon Edwards has not had issues hauling in the football the past two weeks and seems to be focused. That was supposed to be our problem last year; what's our excuse now?
Won't Say It: I won't say it. I'm wondering about it, but I won't say it. That something has to do with our quarterback situation. It's only fair to give a player some live game-action to grow.
Converting Third Downs: The Browns only converted 3/14 of their third downs. That's a very good way to get our defense back on the field, especially in the second half of a game. We're not like the Colts, who can have the ball for 14 minutes and still have their offensive playmakers put up Pro Bowl stats.
Usally Don't Diss Them...: ...but the CBS announcers were pretty bad for our contest on Sunday. At the start of the game, Steve called Bill by the name "Bob", only to say shortly after that, "opps, sorry about that, I meant Bill!" That's a sure sign of chemistry right from the get-go. Eric Wright is widely known as one of the top 5 cornerbacks in football too, if you didn't notice.
Gum Chewing: Was that the same piece of gum that Mangini was chewing the whole game?
Getting Pressure: How discouraging is it to see Rex Ryan go to the Jets and light up Tom Brady with unbelievable pressure the entire game? The Browns still brought more pressure against Denver than they would have last year, but the plays did not result in any sacks. There were a few ducks that could've been picked with more luck being on our side.
McDonald's Redemption: There was a play late in the game that Brandon McDonald took the wrong approach on, but overall he didn't seem at all fazed by last year's collapse. His interception that was out of bounds in the end zone was a great play, even if it didn't stand.
Brownies: I guess Steve Heiden isn't a part of our gameplan either...Jamal Lewis looked good early on, and I blame his lack of success on the gameplan...had the Ravens lost Sunday, we might have been playing for the division lead this Sunday.

My optimism is down heading into the Ravens game this week. With my expectations tamed, perhaps I won't feel so surprised if we get blown out again.

Here is the roll call of who participated in the game thread, with emily522 having the most to say...

Roll Call: ChrisPokorny, Brownsyup, theW0LF, cleveland teamer, emily522, L Train, doggrad87, ejruiz, kwoog, Rocland, BradyQuinnisBeast, woodsmeister, Simmsinns, Buckeye Brad, JustBob, RelapsingDawgCatcher, SpecialBrownie, elsandito, Monsters of the Midway, kentuckybronco, kjc, BringBackKosar, DisplacedBuckeye, Dawgs Bite Back, Bumblyjack, irish1083, themadlibs, mrich, Mocking Dan, Chief WaDrew, rockybrown, DaytonDogg, Jamals6082, BLAZER_FAN_199, JulioBernazard, fwembt, Dawgger, portland, oregon, Brownie's Year, Dawg Nuts, Riverboat Sam, dmbshn41, Overlord1976, skipkirk, Rod Grimes, ericwright11, ukcatfan29, Michael Jay, The Brown Note, VABrownsFan, ELGee, Les Fleurs Du Mal, Pruitt, gahnki, Roger Dorn, athensdawg2, Juannieboy, Denarchy, dragon43078, math_geek, Elway4Prez, realmccoy, Bernie19Kosar, McGeorge
Total Users: 64
Total Posts: 889
Total Threads: 1

Name	# of Posts
emily522	132
Jamals6082	83
DaytonDogg	62
ChrisPokorny	48
DisplacedBuckeye	41
dmbshn41	40
BringBackKosar	40
Simmsinns	39
Dawgger	39
Brownie's Year	32
Michael Jay	27
woodsmeister	26
irish1083	26
Bumblyjack	24
Dawg Nuts	20
BLAZER_FAN_199	17
RelapsingDawgCatcher	14
Roger Dorn	11
kwoog	11
JulioBernazard	10
Rod Grimes	8
ejruiz	8
BradyQuinnisBeast	8
skipkirk	7
ukcatfan29	7
athensdawg2	7
fwembt	6
Pruitt	6
Overlord1976	6
kentuckybronco	5
kjc	5
SpecialBrownie	5
Brownsyup	5
ELGee	5
Juannieboy	5
portland, oregon	4
theW0LF	4
elsandito	4
themadlibs	4
Les Fleurs Du Mal	3
JustBob	3
VABrownsFan	2
McGeorge	2
realmccoy	2
Dawgs Bite Back	2
ericwright11	2
cleveland teamer	2
Monsters of the Midway	2
Elway4Prez	2
Chief WaDrew	2
Bernie19Kosar	1
dragon43078	1
Denarchy	1
math_geek	1
doggrad87	1
Mocking Dan	1
mrich	1
Buckeye Brad	1
rockybrown	1
Rocland	1
The Brown Note	1
L Train	1
Riverboat Sam	1
gahnki	1

Previewing the Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Schedule: Week 15

Chris Thorman — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:12:05 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

3 months ago: Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn (10) passes the ball to Josh Cribbs for a first down under pressure from Tennessee Titans defensive end Dave Ball (98) during a preseason NFL football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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Week 15 brings the Cleveland Browns to Arrowhead Stadium. At this point in the season, and at this point in our predictions, we have the Kansas City Chiefs sitting on a record of 7-6.

Crazy? Yeah, it is a little crazy. But we are after all Chiefs fans, no?

If you're a casual follower of the Browns like I am, you know about Dante Stallworth and his legal issues. You've heard about the Brady Quinn v. Derek Anderson debate. And I'm assuming you know that Eric Mangini is now the head coach.

But beyond that I don't know that much. After the jump, SB Nation's Browns blogger Chris answers some of our questions about the Browns. I've also added the Browns' depth chart as of now for more reference.

Make sure you check out Dawgs by Nature for all things Cleveland Browns.

Pos	1st String (Starter)	2nd String (Backup)	3rd String
QB
RB	Jamal Lewis	Jerome Harrison	James Davis Cedric Peerman
FB	Lawrence Vickers
WR1	Braylon Edwards	Mohamed Massaquoi
WR2	Joshua Cribbs	Mike Furrey	Brian Robiskie
TE	Robert Royal	Steve Heiden	Martin Rucker
LT	Joe Thomas
LG	Eric Steinbach
C	Hank Fraley	Alex Mack
RG	Floyd Womack	Rex Hadnot
RT	John St. Clair	Phil Trautwein
Pos	1st String (Starter)	2nd String (Backup)	3ird String
DE	Kenyon Coleman	C.J. Mosley
NT	Shaun Rogers	Ahtyba Rubin
DE	Robaire Smith	Corey Williams
LOLB	Kamerion Wimbley
ILB	D'Qwell Jackson	David Veikune
ILB	Eric Barton	Kaluka Maiava	Blake Costanzo
ROLB	David Bowens	Alex Hall	Leon Williams
LCB	Eric Wright	Hank Poteat	Marquis Floyd
RCB	Brandon McDonald	Coye Francies	Gerard Lawson
FS	Brodney Pool	Mike Adams	DeAngelo Smith
SS	Abram Elam	Nick Sorensen
Pos	1st String (Starter)	2nd String (Backup)	3rd String
K	Phil Dawson
P	Dave Zastudil
H	Dave Zastudil
LS	Ryan Pontbriand
KR	Joshua Cribbs	Gerard Lawson	Jerome Harrison
PR	Joshua Cribbs	Gerard Lawson	Jerome Harrison

What do the Chiefs have to worry the most about...Jamal Lewis and the running game or Braylon Edwards and the passing game?

This question is tough to answer since our game isn't until Week 15, so I'll try to base my answer as if the Chiefs were facing the Browns earlier in the year. I'd definitely pick Braylon Edwards and the passing game. The media has automatically written off the Browns, but there is still some potency on the offensive side of the ball. Just two years ago, Derek Anderson and Edwards were Pro Bowlers. Sure, last season's struggles "might" have shown their true colors, but how can anyone guarantee that Edwards won't go back to having the same type of season he had in 2007? Brady Quinn will probably be the starting quarterback. Although he doesn't sling it as much as Anderson, Brian Daboll (the Browns offensive coordinator) would be foolish to leave out the deep patterns to Edwards.

On the other hand, the running game appears bound to struggle as long as Jamal Lewis is in the lineup. He had a down season last year and has not shown the same power he used to have throughout this year's training camp. Lewis claims he's just "holding back" for the regular season, but I think it comes down to him not having very much left in the tank anymore. Fans in Cleveland like our sixth-round draft pick James Davis at running back, but I'm not going to sit here and say that he's going to be awesome. He was great in the preseason, but the real evaluation will come when he's against first stringers in the regular season. This lack of assurance in the running game almost makes Edwards and the passing game more of a threat by default.

Will the Browns use Josh Cribbs as a WR more often? The Chiefs did that with Dante Hall and it seemed to ruin him in the return game. Any thoughts/concerns on that?

Not only should the Browns use Cribbs as a receiver more often, he should and will be starting opposite Edwards (according to our depth chart). He started in the preseason and did very well. I don't think you can compare Cribbs to Dante Hall or Devin Hester in their transitions to wide receiver because they have different styles. Hall and Hester rely more on elusiveness, whereas Cribbs finds the hole, powers through it and keeps on going. During the preseason, we saw several plays against first-stringers in which Cribbs caught the ball on a quick pattern towards the sideline and then stiff-armed the first cornerback he met before being taken down a little bit later by another defender. I know the Browns took Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi in round two this year, but if it were up to me, I'd shelve their growth and give Cribbs the starting opportunity -- I'm that intrigued by him.

The Chiefs are just transitioning to the 3-4 defense. Can you talk a little bit about what the Browns transition to the 3-4 was like a few years ago and how it stands now?

The transition was exciting at first. All we could think about is how our defense was going to be nasty like the Ravens defense. And then, something bad happened -- we saw Romeo Crennel's 3-4 defense in action. Ever since then, it's been a nightmare. We never generated any pressure. We never stopped the run. We never stood out from any other defense in the NFL. Most importantly, we barely had any of the type of players we needed for the system. Last year we acquired Shaun Rogers, but one man can only do so much. I think Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan have done a better job finding players that are comfortable with the 3-4 alignment, but we're several years into the defense and aren't even half as good as the Ravens' defense.

Many thanks to Chris for stopping by and giving us his answers! Read more about the Browns at Dawgs by Nature.

My prediction for this game is, let's say....17 to 13 in favor of our Chiefs. I don't think we'll have faith in this offense very often this year. Current record at this point: 8-6.

Check out all of our season game previews at this link.

Browns Dominate Lions 20-0 in First Quarter, Go on to Win 27-10

Chris Pokorny — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:20:06 -0000

More photos » by David Richard - AP

4 months ago: Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs (16) heads for the end zone on a punt return for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)

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DETROIT LIONS (1-1)	GAME #2	CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-1)
	VS.
10		27

For once, I felt bad for the opposition. They don't know who their quarterback will be, they are turning the ball over, they can't stop the run very well, and they really don't have a great running back. They are last year's 0-16 Detroit Lions.

What I saw from the first overall pick in the draft, Matthew Stafford, was a complete mess. He was confused by our coverages numerous times, making it easy to bait him into dangerous throws. When our defense did leave a few players wide open, Stafford horribly overthrew them. You expect a rookie to take some time to adjust to the league, but no where near as bad as Stafford was.

That was good news for the Browns' defense though, because it gave our players the opportunity to build some confidence and quickly get the ball back into the hands of our offense. In the end, the result was almost a complete 180 from last week's debacle against the Green Bay Packers.

PRESEASON GAME 2 - LIONS VS. BROWNS (GENERAL THOUGHTS)

Preseason Game Ball - It's Time to Pay Up: Besides making progress as a wide receiver, Joshua Cribbs is just too good in the return game. If Eric Mangini wanted Cribbs to prove to him that he was worthy of a raise, then Cribbs is doing a heck of a job showing off his abilities. On the first play of the game, Cribbs returned the kickoff for a touchdown, disproving my theory that returners would have a tougher time this season without a wedge.

The play was brought back due to a phantom holding call on Abram Elam, but I'll live with that in the preseason since it gave our offense an early look on the field. In his next opportunity, coming on a punt return, Cribbs shifted through the defense and was off for an 84-yard touchdown.
The Truth on Derek Anderson: Did we learn anything new on Derek Anderson? Not really. He definitely played better than he did the previous week, and part of that had to do with making quicker decisions. Anderson was assisted by the playcalling of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who tailored the playbook to Anderson's strengths. This was Anderson, for the most part, at his best -- but we already knew he could make these plays.
The Struggles of Derek Anderson: If you're a new reader, don't get me wrong -- I like Anderson and wouldn't be ticked off if he was the opening day starter. But you can't call his performance perfect when he missed a wide open Braylon Edwards down the sideline. A better throw would've resulted in a long touchdown, and would've prevented the need for a long third down play (which Anderson did convert on).

Then during the two-minute drill, Anderson could only find RB James Davis on some dumpoffs. His lack of touch on short throws proved to be a weakness when his extra-high pass to Davis was tipped and intercepted by the Lions, allowing them to kick a field goal just before half-time. Anderson also had a play earlier in which he had no touch, firing a quick slant to Edwards either into the ground, or low and behind him for an incompletion.
Quinn - Fine From What We Saw: At least Brady Quinn didn't tank during his limited action at quarterback. I did not agree with Quinn being inserted on a 3rd-and-1 play to start the second quarter. Anderson started that drive, and at the very least, Anderson should have stayed in until the chains were moved. He started with a nice 24-yard completion to Brian Robiskie, but then the play-calling became much more conservative with an emphasis on the run and throwing short passes on third down.

John St. Clair didn't help Quinn's cause with a few penalties to set the drive back. Quinn was OK, but in no way can you look at this game and saw that Quinn lost his shot at the starting role. At best, you can say that Anderson did enough not to have Quinn be named the starter immediately following the game.
Lewis on the Ground: Looking at the stat sheet, Jamal Lewis had another low-carry average, having 3.3 yards per carry on seven attempts. I don't see this as him struggling though; that is Jamal Lewis. Remember that throughout his career, minus the times he just obliterated the Browns as a member of the Ravens, he made his mark by pounding away and staying strong during the second half of the game.
Davis' Stock Back Up: It's been about two weeks now since the James Davis show has had some highlights, but his 81-yard touchdown run changed that. It was a simple give-up call on 3rd-and-12 just before the end of the fourth-quarter -- a quick pump fake by Brett Ratliff, followed by the delayed draw handoff to Davis.

Davis shot through the line and the safeties overcommitted to the inside, allowing Davis to make a nice juke move to the outside where he then had the help of blocking from two Browns receivers. Davis then kicked it into another gear, outracing everyone to the end zone. Davis claims that it was the longest run he's had in his football career.

Rookie RB James Davis runs for an 81-yard touchdown.

Taking Advantage: DB Eric Wright took advantage of Stafford's inexperience and of the Lions' lack of healthy receivers when he intercepted the Lions' first pass of the game. His return went for about 5 yards on the stat sheet, but ended up taking him a whole football field to get that. I hate the pesky celebration penalty after the fact, but I guess a rule is a rule.
Ivy, Poteat, Francies: It was a great day to be a Browns cornerback, that's for sure. Between the three players listed in the subtitle, Corey Ivy had the most notable plays. He lit up one of the Lions' receivers on a third-and-short pass, and was also in on the tackle that caused a fumble at the start of the third quarter (Mike Adams had the recovery).

Hank Poteat had several nice plays, notably an interception near the sideline that didn't count after his hip fell just a bit out of bounds. Coye Francies, the rookie, had some tight coverage again. He left for a play or two with a hip injury, and returned on a play where he wasn't in press coverage and gave up a first down.
Quiet Night for Tight Ends: I'm not going to complain here, because I'd rather see our backs and receivers in the preseason over our tight ends. It was nice to see Steve Heiden back for his first game, catching a 20-yard pass from Derek Anderson. To see him in on a double tight end set with the first-string unit provides hope that he won't be a roster casualty.
Vickers With the Assist: I saw more of our fullbacks tonight, particularly Lawrence Vickers early on. He hit several of his blocks very well, paving some lanes open for Lewis, including on his touchdown run in the first quarter. We haven't heard much about Vickers this camp, but I believe he's still an intregal part of our running attack.

QB Derek Anderson celebrates in belief that he has won the quarterback competition (in reality, this was him celebrating Davis' TD run)

Backup QB's: I'm still not very impressed with Brett Ratliff, although our second-string offensive line is not very good in protection. Richard Bartel had his opportunity, but blew his chance when he just barely overthrew an open Lance Leggett deep down the field. I didn't get to see enough of Bartel this camp to have an opinion of him, but he'll probably be cut after the third preseason game when rosters are trimmed to 75.
Furrey & Edwards: You can just tell that our third-down offense is going to be built around Mike Furrey after these first two preseason games. Even when we're in third-and-long situations, we're throwing the ball to him on short routes to see if he can break them open. he's not that type of player, but I'd imagine that for the preseason, those are really practice situations to focus on getting him the ball on "3rd-and-7", even if it's really a "3rd-and-15". Braylon Edwards had a catch -- nothing special, but at least the talk of the drop from Green Bay can die down for another week.
Ticket Sales? The Browns are doing their 4 hot dogs, 4 drinks, 4 tickets for $99 deal again for this weekend's game against the Titans. I bet the Browns sell a few more of those packages than they did for the Lions game. A good outing at home can do that.
Bernie Ripping on Brown: Announcer Bernie Kosar really ripped on Lions sixth-round RB Aaron Brown. Once a year, there is always a player on the opposing team in the preseason that gets on Kosar's nerves. I look forward to who that player is, and boy did Kosar rip into Brown. It started after Brown took a handoff on 3rd-and-6 out of bounds for a gain of four, rather than staying in bounds to fight for the extra yardage.

A few plays later on a pass play, Brown scurried out of bounds to avoid contact. (roughly transcribed) "This Brown just doesn't appear to like contact. That is not going to show up well for him in the film room or for when any teams in the league are looking for a free agent running back." Then on the Browns' series, Kosar notes that veteran Ryan Tucker is still in the game. "13 years Ryan has been in this league, and he's one of the toughest guys I know...definitely Aaron Brown on the other side of the spectrum from TCU...he's not even close to that type of toughness the way he runs out of bounds." I might be snoozing in the second half of preseason games if it weren't for Bernie.
Special Teams & Kaluka Maiava: I'll give him this own category this week because I'm running out of fresh sub-titles. Maiava had two early special teams tackles and made some positive plays defensively. Also having a good play on special teams was veteran LB Blake Costanzo. I know Gerard Lawson is backing up Cribbs as a returner, but I can't see him making the team again.
This Week's Marcus Benard: ...is DB Bret Lockett. Lockett saw some action with the first-string defense and made several individual one-on-one tackles. That ability intrigues me, even to the point where I now might change my mind and want to keep him over backup S Nick Sorensen (who did have a nice block on Cribbs' punt return TD). I had no idea where LB Marcus Benard was this week, as I didn't hear his name mentioned once. I have to imagine he didn't even play.
Down on Foster: I'm not at all impressed by the play of George Foster. He's even rivaling Isaac Sowells when it comes to down performances. Foster was responsible for Ratliff's fumble in the third quarter, a play that led to Lions QB Drew Stanton throwing a touchdown on his first play.
Cleaning Up the Penalties: On special teams, the Browns had one too many penalties, negating a few nice punts by Dave Zastudil and Cribbs' first touchdown return. As good as the game was as a whole, we'll have a few players running laps for their mistakes.
Brownies: LB Kamerion Wimbley played well early, as did MLB Eric Barton, who made a nice play on the ball dropping back into coverage and drilled Stafford on a free blitz...RB Chris Jennings came close to blocking a punt on two consecutive possessions.
Final Word: Thanks for being a footnote, Shaun Smith.

Eric Mangini has a decision to make. Starting quarterbacks are usually named by the third preseason game, but based on our first two games, you can't really say one player outplayed the other. It should really come down to how the quarterbacks have done overall in training camp, and most importantly, who Mangini has more faith in to lead the type of offense he wants the Browns to run. If he wants mistake-free football, Quinn should be the guy. If he wants the high risk/high reward route, maybe it's Anderson.

NOTE: To all fantasy football DBN players, remember that the draft is at 9 PM EST tonight!

Here is the roll call of who participated in the game thread, with rufio and myself having the most to say...

Roll Call: kjc, doggrad87, dergru, Roger Dorn, BradyQuinnisBeast, rufio, gahnki, skipkirk, rockybrown, ChrisPokorny, irish1083, nickjs21, woodsmeister, danzig, dohior, JustBob, aufrank, BrownDawg1409, Bernie19Kosar, Juannieboy
Total Users: 20
Total Posts: 294
Total Threads: 1

Name	# of Posts
rufio	59
ChrisPokorny	59
Roger Dorn	35
JustBob	23
woodsmeister	19
gahnki	17
BradyQuinnisBeast	17
BrownDawg1409	13
rockybrown	10
skipkirk	10
Juannieboy	8
irish1083	6
aufrank	5
nickjs21	4
dergru	3
kjc	2
doggrad87	1
Bernie19Kosar	1
dohior	1
danzig	1

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 3 @ the Buffalo Bills

Saintsational — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:21 -0000

The Saints follow up their game in Philadelphia with another trip to the Northeast to take on Buffalo in a week three late game. The Bills finished 2008 with a less-than-mediocre 7-9 record and hope to get over that .500 hump this season. It's been a while, four years to be precise, since these two teams last met in the regular season. The Saints have the misfortune of playing in frigid Buffalo but the fortune to have it scheduled during the mild-weather month of September when it shouldn't be an issue. Let's take a look at what fans can expect against the Saints first AFC East opponent of the year.

Bills Offense

Buffalo has had a pretty action-packed off-season this year and much of that excitement has been on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously, the signing of wide receiver Terrell Owens has contributed most to that excitement. Owens is a game changer and inevitable Hall of Famer who always seems to play well in his first year with a new team. T.O. will play opposite wideout Lee Evans, teaming up to create a formidable aerial threat. With former Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman now out of the picture, it will be the responsibility of Trent Edwards to get Evans and Owens the ball, making sure to keep the latter happy on the field. Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in this year to provide a little competition in camp but the job is Edwards' to lose.

The other big story of the Bills off-season was the trade of offensive tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles. It is that loss of Peters as well as guard Derrick Dockery combined with a lot of other offensive line tinkering that has Bills fans worried about the state of their quarterback protection. Last years team ranked poorly in sacks per pass attempt and this year, things could get worse before they get better.

On the ground the Bills remain strong. Marshawn Lynch continues his duties as the number one back with Fred Jackson and newly acquired Dominic Rhodes taking on backup roles.

This could be a good, early test. If Gregg Williams does suceed in building that blitzing, attack-style defense we've all been promised then they should have no problem exploiting Buffalo's weak offensive line and rattling unproven quarterback Edwards. Allowing him time to throw to Owens and Evans could be damaging to our secondary. Advantage: Saints.

Bills Defense

First round draft pick Aaron Maybin has been tapped to hopefully play alongside veteran Aaron Schobel and be the defensive end of the future, adding talent and depth to a pass rush that has been lacking. Getting the most out of this unit will be a deciding factor in the overall success of the Bills defense for 2009. In the linebacking department, Keith Ellison, Pat Thomas and John DiGiorgio were all signed in the off-season with the hopes of shoring up the middle of the field and offsetting the loss of several players.

One of the bigger hits to the Bills defense this off-season was the loss of cornerback Jabari Greer to our very own New Orleans Saints. Decent against the pass last year, the Bills should still have a solid secondary with Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence as well as newly drafted and versatile Jairus Byrd. The secondary is rounded out by aptly named Reggie Corner.

Though the Bills may match up well against Saints receivers, their lack of a pass rush should give Brees time to find the right guy. This will also be a good game to establish a ground attack.

Bills 2008 Season

7-9 Record

Last Meeting

October 2, 2005

Week 4	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Bills	7	0	0	0	--	7
Saints	0	13	0	6	--	19

Why the Saints Can Win

Brees should have all day to do his damage.

Why the Saints Can Lose

T.O. or Evans could have a great game.

Prediction

Saints 27 - Bills 17

Newly Acquired

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

RB Dominic Rhodes

WR Terrell Owens

G Seth McKinney

C Geoff Hangartner

ILB Pat Thomas

CB Drayton Florence

CB Ellis Lankster

CB Cary Harris

RB Bruce Hall

LB Keith Ellison

OL Kirk Chambers

FB Corey McIntyre

CB Dustin Fox

DE Marcus Smith

LB John DiGiorgio

WR Justin Jenkins

WR Felton Higgins

OL Chris Denman

WR C.J. Hawthorne

2009 Draft Picks

DE Aaron Maybin

C Eric Wood

CB/S Jairus Byrd

G Andy Levitre

TE Shawn Nelson

SS/OLB Nic Harris

CB Cary Harris

CB Ellis Lankster

Key Losses

QB J.P. Losman

TE Robert Royal

G Derrick Dockery

G Jason Whittle

C Duke Preston

C Melvin Fowler

OLB Angelo Crowell

OLB Blake Costanzo

ILB Teddy Lehman

CB Jabari Greer

OT Jason Peters

Linkage

Buffalo Rumblings

SB Nation Bills Coverage

Saints @ Bills Coverage

Buffalo Bills Roster

Buffalo Bills Depth Chart

Buffalo Bills Transactions

Poll

Do you consider the Saints game against the Bills to be an easy victory?

Sure thing.

34 votes

There's no such thing as an easy victory.

167 votes

I do but I would never admit it.

20 votes

The Bills definitely present a challenge.

97 votes

318 votes | Poll has closed

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2009: Special Teams Preview

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:16:13 -0000

We're finished with the Hard Hits of this week's coverage with the linebackers, so now it's time to close things out with the Klutch Kicks of the special teams unit. Because there isn't really a true "depth chart" when it comes to special teams, today's preview will be broken down into seperate sections, as opposed to ranking Phil Dawson, Dave Zastudil, and Ryan Pontbriand one, two, and three.

Kicker

1. PHIL DAWSON - STARTING KICKER

Phil Dawson (#4)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 200
College: Texas
Experience: 11 years
Note: Career-high 30 FG

If it were all about performance heading into training camp this season, then Phil Dawson's job would be safe. That's not all it's about though, as Dawson has been asking for a new contract throughout the offseason, and could possibly hold out in part of training camp if he doesn't get one.

Dawson is the final member of the Browns' return team in 1999, and I'd rather not see him go yet; it'd be nice to see him retire as a Brown many years down the road, as kickers have a long lifespan in the league. He's coming off of a pretty strong season, connecting on 30-of-36 field goals, setting career highs in both attempts and makes. He also had a career-long 56 yarder, and was 3-of-6 on kicks of 50 or more yards (meaning he was 27-of-30 on kicks 49 yards or less).

Many Browns fans think they would miss Dawson, but that a replacement would be easy enough to find. Tell that to half the teams in the league who have been through ten kickers in just a few years. I'd rather maintain what has been working on special teams.

Job Security: A
Player Quality: B+
Final Roster Odds (w/o contract considered): 100%

2. PARKER DOUGLASS - ROOKIE BACKUP KICKER

Parker Douglass (#8)
Height: 5-8
Weight: 170
College: South Dakota St.
Experience: Rookie
Note: Saw action in minicamp

I bet half of our community here is bigger than the 5-8, 170-pound Douglas, but that doesn't really matter for a kicker, does it? Douglas should be doing nothing more than providing an extra leg in camp. Any praise that comes from Mangini should not be interpreted that Dawson could lose the job in jeopardy.

In mini-camp, he did showed ability to hit a few 50+ yard kicks. If Dawson is a stickler and holds out, I see the Browns going after a free agent veteran kicker. If for whatever reason they can't sign one, then Douglas might just get a shot.

Here's a video on Douglass on YouTube.

Final Roster Odds: 5%
Practice Squad Odds: 1%

Punter

DAVE ZASTUDIL - STARTING PUNTER

Dave Zastudil (#8)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 220
College: Ohio
Experience: 8 years
Note: Born in Bay Village

Sometimes I get a little bit frustrated during games at Zastudil's punts, but overall he does not present a weakness. His punt average is in the top third of the league, and he's right in the middle of the pack at hitting kicks inside the 20 yard line. If our offense could move the ball more effectively, those numbers might go up with him not having to face the pressure of being backed up in the opponent's end zone.

Currently, Zastudil is not facing any competition in camp.

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: B
Final Roster Odds: 100%

Long Snapper

RYAN PONTBRIAND - STARTING LONG SNAPPER

Ryan Pontbriand (#64)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 255
College: Rice
Experience: 7 years
Note: 2x Pro Bowler

Think to yourself -- how many years has Ryan Pontbriand been with the Cleveland Browns? It's six, meaning he'll be entering his seventh season this year. Pontbriand has been the AFC's selection to the Pro Bowl at the long snapper position the past two years, rewarding him for being the best in the conference at what he does.

He also contributes a little bit on special teams kick coverage as a tackler, if necessary.

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: A+
Final Roster Odds: 101%

Note: For these next few sections, rather than mini-profiles, it will be general notes on the position.

Kick Returner / Punt Returner

One player has the honor of fulfilling both of these roles, and that is Joshua Cribbs. After an injury at the start of last season, Cribbs didn't seem like himself for the first several weeks. As the season went on, he seemed to regain the confidence and "X-factor" that made him a threat on any given kick. Still, in 2008, he averaged about 5 yards less on kickoffs returns and 5 yards less on punt returns than he did in 2007. I attribute some of that to losing a few key special team blockers to free agency and to injuries.

Among the other candidates who could return kicks/punts are Syndric Steptoe and rookie Brian Robiskie, as well as defensive back Gerard Lawson.

Gunner

Again, we point to Joshua Cribbs, who might just be a better gunner than he is a kick returner. The only negative is that Cribbs' aggressiveness and motivation to go all out, both as a gunner and on returns, could lead to a nasty collision that takes him out for a few games. As for our second gunner, I think the Browns will probably be looking at a variety of candidates in training camp.

Other Coverage

The Browns brought over LB Blake Costanzo from the Buffalo Bills, who led their team in special teams tackles last season. Costanzo might pick up the slack for the Browns losing LB Kris Griffin in the offseason. I'd imagine that young linebackers Beau Bell and Kalkua Maiava will also be in the mix on special teams. Backup safety Nick Sorensen is also a reliable special teams veteran, having once captained the Jacksonville Jaguars special teams unit.

This season, a rule change lowered the number of people who could be on the wedge to just two players. With veteran special teamer Lennie Friedman no longer with the Browns, which offensive lineman will be asked to fulfill that role?

Special Teams Position Quality (Overall): A-

With an above average kicker, an average punter, and an elite long snapper and kick returner/gunner, the special teams unit deserves a healthy "A-".

The reason the grade wasn't any higher? I saw a dropoff in the Browns' ability to block for Cribbs last season, so we'll have to see how new special teams coordinator Brad Seely handles things.

Poll

Will Phil Dawson be kicking for the Browns this season?

Yes

488 votes

No

42 votes

530 votes | Poll has closed

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2009: Inside Linebacker Preview (Maiava or Bell?)

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:21:24 -0000

After covering the quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, defensive linemen, offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends, it's time for the defense to start getting some more attention as we approach training camp. Although the order of this training camp preview was done randomly, it's fitting that the linebackers and the secondary will be covered over the next two weeks, as they will yield some of the most interesting and competitive training camp battles.

This week is officially titled "Hard Hits and Klutch Kicks"; the linebackers will be discussed until Thursday, and then the special teams unit will be the topic of discussion heading into the weekend. Today, specifically, is dedicated to the players competing for a spot as an inside linebacker.

Also, if you didn't catch it last week, don't forget to look back at Part 1 of rufio's explanation of the 46 defense as it pertains to the Cleveland Browns.

1. D'QWELL JACKSON - STARTING INSIDE LINEBACKER

D'Qwell Jackson (#52)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240
College: Maryland
Experience: 4 years
Stats: 154 tackles in 2008

It didn't take long for head coach Eric Mangini to announce D'Qwell Jackson as a favorite of his. Earlier in the offseason, reports were indicating that Mangini would consider listening to a trade for anybody on the roster except for two players: Joe Thomas, and then Jackson.

I can't tell if I've been blind or if Mangini is trying to set it in stone that he wants Jackson to step up as the new leader of the defense with Andra Davis gone, but Jackson has not played like the type of player that you put on an "untouchable list". When you think of the top AFC linebackers the past several years, Jackson fails to come close to his counterparts on the Baltimore Ravens or the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, Jackson has been a good, but not great, player. He doesn't have that dominant presence of meeting a running back head on at the line of scrimmage for no gain all by himself. He also wasn't making tackles six yards down the field as often as Davis was.

It's not saying much, but last year, Jackson was our best linebacker. He looks like a decent linebacker for a 3-4 system, but not the Ray Lewis that sets the tone defensively. Perhaps that will change with the new regime, different schemes, and a higher level of responsibility this season. Jackson's job is as safe as you can get; he won't have anyone fighting for his job.

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: B
Final Roster Odds: 100%

2. ERIC BARTON - STARTING INSIDE LINEBACKER

Eric Barton (#50)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 245
College: Maryland
Experience: 11 years
Stats: 119 tackles in 2008

They might not be from the same era, but Eric Barton has something from the past in common with Jackson -- they both played at Maryland. Now, they'll both have something in common -- being a starting linebacker for the Browns.

Barton has been an established, well-respected linebacker in the league for awhile with the New York Jets and should be considered an immediate upgrade over Andra Davis. Barton isn't among the elite linebackers either, but he is a better tackler than Davis and also does not appear to be running like a turtle on every play that isn't in the snow.

The most important thing about the Browns adding Barton is his intelligence factor. Mangini has praised Barton for his intelligence and his ability to call signals. While I don't believe it has been confirmed, that should mean that Barton, who will be partially familiar with the defensive system to be put into place, will be wearing the headset in his helmet this season. Last year, Davis and Leon Williams shared that responsibility.

Overall, it was disappointing that the Browns couldn't add a Pro Bowl caliber player to the inside linebacker position. Nonetheless, while inside linebacker might not be a strength for the Browns this season, the addition of Barton prevents it from being too much of a weakness.

Job Security: A-
Player Quality: B-
Final Roster Odds: 100%

3. KALUKA MAIAVA - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Kaluka Maiava (#56)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 229
College: USC
Experience: Rookie
Note: 4th round pick

This is where things get thin really fast, although Leon Williams could play on the inside still (for training camp, he will be in the OLB preview).

In one corner, you have 2009 fourth-round rookie draft pick Kaluka Maiava from USC. In the other corner, you have 2008 fourth-round rookie draft pick Beau Bell from UNLV. Thanks again to Romeo Crennel's poor utilization of young players, Bell does not have the experience factor on his side, making this almost like a rookie on rookie competition.

If you're looking for a reason why Maiava could be a steal, then here it is: he was USC's "unknown" in a way, because he was overshadowed by the likes of Clay Matthews, Rey Maualuga, and Brian Cushing, who were all starters and were all taken on Day 1. He is used to coming in as a rotational player and is known for his toughness, but the fact that he wasn't a starter behind a trio of future NFL starting linebackers leads to the question -- if Maiava could've been given a starting opportunity instead, would he have played just as well?

Maiava is also the nephew of actor and former WWE wrestler The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson).

Final Roster Odds: 98%

4. BEAU BELL - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Beau Bell (#58)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 250
College: UNLV
Experience: 2 years
Note: 4th round pick in '08

Ok, so let's try to evaluate Beau Bell on all of the plays he registered tackles on last season. Hmmm...maybe that's not a good idea, since there were only three of them. And, while I can't recall for certain, I believe some of those came on special teams; I don't know if we ever even saw him in the linebacker rotation during the regular season.

Bell did have nagging knee problems throughout the season, but I don't buy that as an excuse for not playing him. Here's a quote from Crennel late last season that should have brought out the monkey-scratcher:

[Crennel] added that rookie linebacker Beau Bell has been making good progress, "but just finding the chance to get him up and active is an issue."

In response to that, DBN member Roger Dorn conveyed what most of the fans were thinking:

Another moment of brilliance from Romeo. Our linebackers might be the worst in the league and Crennel acts like Bell is being blocked? Either tell us that Bell is worse than our bad linebackers straight up or give him a chance to play.

The fans have not given up on Bell yet, and I think many of us are still very intrigued by the potential he showed in college. I put him behind Maiava though because he was Mangini's choice, and thus has a potential leg up in terms of favoritism. With our lack of depth at ILB, even if Bell doesn't shine, he should stick on the roster as a special teams contributor, where he forced a fumble last season on a hit that seemed harder than Andra Davis ever delivered.

Another option is that Bell could still fit on a practice squad, but before that, another team would probably snatch him up.

Player Quality: TBD
Final Roster Odds: 70%

5. BO RUUD - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Bo Ruud (#43)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 235
College: Nebraska
Experience: 2 years
Note: Former 6th rounder

Bo Ruud was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 6th round of the 2008 draft, but missed most of the season with an ankle injury. If you're familiar with Tampa Bay Buccaneers ILB Barrett Ruud, Bo is his brother. If [Bo] Rudd ended up anything like his brother, fans would be ecstatic.

When Ruud was drafted by the Patriots, their team website had a nice article that mentioned Ruud's desire to look at film:

"I'm kind of obsessed about it," Ruud said shortly after the Patriots took him in the sixth round (197 overall). "I will tell people there is not one linebacker in the country that spends more time watching film than me. It's one thing I actually enjoy doing and it helps. I think football is really important."

Not surprisingly, Ruud said he's been doing it since high school with his brother and continued the practice ever since. When Barrett made it to the NFL, Bo stepped it up a level.

"I was actually trying to do what he was doing at the pros while at the college level. You hear about all the great football players doing that and you just try to replicate that work ethic and study habits and see what that does for you."

Link

Ruud's size makes him a likely candidate to play inside linebacker for the Browns, where he'll try to be the "surprise" player to overtake either Bell's or Maiava's backup position.

Final Roster Odds: 30%
Practice Squad Odds: 75% (at least I would like to see him there)

6. BLAKE COSTANZO - SPECIAL TEAMS LINEBACKER

Blake Costanzo (#--)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 235
College: Lafayette
Experience: 3 years
Note: ST demon?

I don't know whether Blake Costanzo really stands out as an inside or outside linebacker specifically, but for this preview, he's getting the "inside" billing. He wasn't signed for that though; he was signed for his ability to contribute on special teams.

Last season with the Buffalo Bills, he led the team with 26 special teams tackles. He was waived in June due to an influx of young talent coming in at the linebacker position, and fans were somewhat disappointed to see him go. He could be this year's Kris Griffin. I couldn't find a jersey number for him yet, so if anyone has it, let me know.

Final Roster Odds: 60%

7. DAVID HOLLOWAY - PRACTICE SQUAD INSIDE LINEBACKER

David Holloway (#54)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 234
College: Maryland
Experience: 3 years
Note: More Maryland ties

Holloway has some experience at both inside and outside linebacker positions, so this is again a loose process when I list him as an inside linebacker. He was an undrafted free agent two years ago for the Arizona Cardinals. The Browns signed him to their practice squad late last season, as he returns now to compete for that spot again.

Here is an assessment Revenge of the Birds, our Arizona Cardinals affiliate, gave on Holloway heading into training camp last season:

Hollaway was an undrafted free agent out of Maryland last year and he spent nearly the entire season on the practice squad (activated for last game but didn't play). He's undersized (6'2 230) but athletic (4.72 forty, 32 bench reps) and could push for a roster spot this year. He's got experience playing on the inside and outside but his pass rush skills are best suited for the outside. He's had a full season to learn Pendergast's system and could have a leg up on Harrington in camp.

Link

Another interesting note is that Holloway was in the same starting lineup as D'Qwell Jackson during their Maryland days. While Jackson operated at middle linebacker, Holloway played strongside linebacker.

Final Roster Odds: <2%
Practice Squad Odds: 20%

8. JONATHAN FOSTER - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT INSIDE LINEBACKER

Jonathan Foster (#48)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 230
College: Central State
Experience: Rookie
Note: UDFA

There's not a lot to go by on Jonathan Foster, who played for Central State (Ohio) in college. He is from Ann Arbor, Michigan and played outside linebacker at college; so, again, this is another player who could really be trying out for outside linebacker.

Unfortunately, beyond that, I can find literally nothing on Foster. For him not being out there as a "name" in the first place, I guess a positive would be the fact that Mangini is giving him another look in training camp. I'm grasping for straws here folks. In the picture to the right, he's one of the player's stretching on the ground.

*EDIT (7/21/09): Foster was waived prior to the start of training camp.

Final Roster Odds: <0.1%
Practice Squad Odds: I literally have no idea

ILB Position Quality (Overall): C

There is nothing spectacular at the position yet, but we are in a little better shape than last year with Davis gone. The backup middle linebacker is a question mark, but Bell and Maiava both have potential. It would be outstanding if both of them pan out with one of them cutting into Barton's playing time at some point in the season.

Feel free to discuss a variety of issues at linebacker in the comments section, such as whether Leon Williams/David Veikune should be inside or outside, if DQ is the real deal, or players listed on this who you believe should've been listed at outside linebacker (or vice-versa).

Poll

Which player would you rather see worked into the ILB rotation more this season?

Beau Bell

452 votes

Kaluka Maiava

546 votes

Bo Ruud

115 votes

1113 votes | Poll has closed

Bills News and Notes 6/24

Brian Galliford — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:15:08 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

Last week, we started up a little summertime feature here at Buffalo Rumblings. Caption contests are rather cliche when it comes to surfing the Interwebs, but hey - it's not like football fans have anything better to do this time of year. We can discuss Brett Favre, if you... what's that? Stick with the caption contest? Agreed.

We've got a lovely AP photo of Terrell Owens for you to humor-ize this morning. Have at it. In the meantime, enjoy a few Bills-related articles you may have missed. And don't forget to congratulate thatguy34 for winning over your insanely biased judge - me - as well as winning last week's caption contest with this beauty of an entry:

Dick Jauron: "I love inside jokes. I’d love to be a part of one someday."

Well played, sir. Well played. Like I said - biased. So if you're looking to win this week's caption contest, it's all about pop culture references of any kind. If I get it (I'm a nerd, your chances are excellent), you've got a chance.

* The Bills have now surpassed 55,000 season ticket holders. Way to hold up your end of the bargain, Bills fans.

* Rookie FS Jairus Byrd is anxious to get onto the practice field and apply his new knowledge.

* Some folks up north are upset that QB Trent Edwards graces the Rogers Centre, but no Toronto Argonaut shares the glory.

* SS Donte Whitner's case was pushed back to July 31; a plea deal is expected to be reached before then.

* Oh yeah - T.O. was on TV.

* Did I mention Terrell Owens is a Superstar?

* The AP reports that the Browns have acquired former Bills LB Blake Costanza. No word on whether any of us have actually seen this kid play, or, far more importantly, whether or not he's related to George. Blake Costanzo, however, will be sorely missed by this Bills fan. Special. Teams. Demon.

* Nice article from Brownie on rookie TE Shawn Nelson's adjusting to the pro game.

* Matt linked to this article last week, but it's worth re-linking: Tim Graham interviews Ted Marchibroda re: Buffalo's brand new no huddle offense.