SB Nation - David Patten

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

sireric — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:47:55 -0000

Buffalo Bills (0-0) at New England Patriots (0-0)

Monday, September 14, 2009; 7 PM ET, Gillette Stadium

It's opening week of the NFL! Some of you are eagerly anticipating this weeks action like a giddy little 5-year-old kid at Christmas, while others are dreading this season like it is the bubonic plague. Whether you have high hopes or are a Negative Nancy, one thing is certain: it's time for some football, and in about 12 hours, the Titans and Steelers kick-off the show.

For those of you who were around last year, you might be familiar with this exercise. Every Wednesday (we're delayed a day thanks to MNF), I will be digging into the archives and reviewing the last five times the Bills have played their opponent for the upcoming Sunday (or Monday, or whatever other day). I need not remind any of you that the Bills' history versus the Patriots isn't pretty. I would therefore say that unless you are a masochist, really like me for some odd reason, or just can't get enough Buffalo Rumblings and feel you have to read everything, I might suggest staying away from the jump. It isn't pretty.

November 14, 2004: Patriots 29, Bills 6
The Bills offense racked up a pitiful 125 total yards. The Patriots, meanwhile, rolled for 428, including 208 of that on the ground. Adam Vinatieri kicked five field goals and Tom Brady tossed two touchdown passes, one to David Patten, the other to Christian Fauria. The Bills' lone bright spot was a Johnathan "Freddie" Smith 70 yard punt return; the team then doused those good feelings by failing to convert the two point try. Drew Bledsoe and J.P. Losman combined to throw four interceptions, get sacked three times and lose one fumble, while passing for 75 yards. I must throw this in for Kurupt: Chris Kelsay did record a sack of Brady in this game.

October 30, 2005: Patriots 21, Bills 16
After Rian Lindell kicked his third field goal of the game with 4:53 gone by in the fourth quarter, the Bills had a 16-7 lead. Two Corey Dillon one-yard touchdown plunges later, the Patriots came from behind to get the win. The Bills out-gained the Patriots 394 yards to 273, and even won the turnover battle three to one in this game. But 12, count them, 12 penalties for 74 yards hounded the Bills all night. Willis McGahee rushed for 136 yards and Eric Moulds had nine catches for 125 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown grab from Kelly Holcomb. The Bills nearly doubled the Patriots' time of possession (39:20 to 20:40), proving once again that it isn't how long you have the ball, but what you do when you have it that matters. Oh, and Chris Kelsay recorded a half-sack sack in this game.

September 10, 2006: Patriots 19, Bills 17
Yet another year when the Bills played the Patriots to start the season. On the strength of a London Fletcher five-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, a Rian Lindell 53-yard field goal, and an 18-yard Anthony Thomas touchdown scamper, the Bills held a 17-7 lead at halftime. The Patriots defense shut down the Bills for the second half, and after a Stephen Gostkowski 32-yard field goal tied it up with with 9:33 left to play, the Pats defense came up with the winning score by sacking J.P. Losman in the end zone for a safety, Ty Warren doing the honors. You might not believe this, but Chris Kelsay recorded a sack in this game also.

September 23, 2007: Patriots 38, Bills 7
After Stephen Gostkowski opened the scoring with a 24-yard field goal, the Bills answered right back with a Marshawn Lynch 8-yard Beast Mode scoring plunge. It was all downhill after that. Vince Wilfork crashed through the Bills' line and hit Losman in the knee, kick-starting the Trent Edwards era in Buffalo Bills history. Randy Moss almost single-handedly downed the Bills, finishing with five catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Once again, the Bills' offense disappeared, although with an obviously-not-yet-ready Edwards at the controls, it is at least a little understandable, as they total a meager 193 yards on the day. The Patriots, on the other hand, got 177 yards just rushing, to go with the 485 total. Unfortunately, there was no Chris Kelsay sack to report; I think he started to regress.

November 9, 2008: Patriots 20, Bills 10
This game wasn't as close as the score indicates. The Patriots held a 20-3 lead with 1:57 left to play, when 15 seconds later Edwards hit James Hardy for his second career touchdown catch in what most would call "garbage time." The Bills' offense managed only 168 total yards of offense, and Trent was picked off twice. The Patriots, meanwhile, went for 370 yards, most of that by two guys: Wes Welker (10 catches, 107 yards) and BenJarvus Green-Ellis (26 carries for 105 yard and one TD). Positive note: the Bills held Randy Moss to -2 yards rushing on the day; he did make 5 catches for 53 yards, but we kept him in check on the ground. For the second straight game in Foxboro, Chris Kelsay failed to record a sack.

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Preseason Wrap-up: Can We Build a Team That Can Beat the Raiders? Yes We Can!

Sugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:22 -0000

I understand how important this last preseason game was for roughly 20-30 players per team. I do. For some it was the difference between making the 53-man roster or getting cut. For others who were relatively certain of their impending unemployment, it was a chance to get on tape for potential future employers. For coaches, it was one last look at a few players they may try to retain on the practice squad. But for just about everybody else (in the world) these games were simply painful to watch.

As a Redskins' fan, I of course watched the game against the Jaguars intently and hung on most every play. But as I watched the games around the league, I found myself losing interest quickly as penalty flags rained down on my living room as if Pacman Jones himself were throwing them.

To write a recap of each game would be worse than having to read Peter King rate every latte he has ever drank. So instead, this week I thought I would put my preseason watch-a-ton to the test. Every team has made their final cuts. I will attempt to build a 53-man roster from all the players released by the Saturday deadline. This may include some players who ended up on the practice squad, but you'll have to excuse that. After all, even though I did watch pretty much every preseason game played in the last month, my knowledge of certain teams' backups probably doesn't go much further than guys who should rightfully land on the practice squad. This already feels like a poor man's version of Madden fantasy draft. I get to decide who I am going to keep and at what position they will play. My ultimate goal: a 53-man roster capable of beating the Oakland Raiders final 53-man roster. Our team name: Sugartime Ballers. At the end, you'll get to vote on whether you think the Ballers can take down the Raiders. The first picks after the jump...

QB (3): Jeff Garcia, Joey Harrington, Chase Daniel

This team is going to have a questionable offensive line, so I am going to need a veteran quarterback capable of escaping pressure and getting rid of the ball. I watched as much of the Raiders' preseason as I could stomach and to me it seemed like Jeff Garcia was the quarterback that gave them the best chance to win now. My guess is that they sensed that too and decided that going with a guy staring down 40 years old would be the nail in the coffin for the JaMarcus Russell era, at least from a confidence perspective. Joey Harrington (cut by the Saints) is experienced in the art of art of hand signaling, which is what I want in my backup QB. Plus he is a great pianist so he can play getaway music on the piano as Jeff Garcia is running fro his life behind whatever offensive line I can put together. Chase Daniel gave it a good run in D.C., but failed to be named as the 3rd quarterback when the team decided to go with nobody instead (ouch).

RB (5): Dominic Rhodes, Anthony Alridge, Ian Johnson, Fui Vakapuna, Isaac Redman

It struck me as a little odd when the Bills jettisoned Rhodes. With Lynch out for the beginning frames of the season and Fred Jackson a little dinged this preseason, I figured a veteran like Rhodes would have value for that team. Alridge just barely missed being the last running back kept by the Redskins and adds speed out of my backfield. Ian Johnson is a young buck that got bounced by the Vikings. I have a soft spot in my heart for this guy after watching him have such a great career at Boise State, not to mention the now famous Statue of Liberty play against Oklahoma a couple seasons ago. Vakapuna is a guy I picked because I need a blocking fullback and I have been watching HBO's Hard Knocks this season featuring the Bengals. He is a big, athletic dude, and we are going to need a Samoan presence in the backfield on this team. Redman had a great preseason in Pittsburgh but the numbers game beat him. We are lucky to have him and Vakapuna muscling up in our backfield.

TE (4): Leonard Pope, Alex Smith, Bear Pascoe, Garrett Mills

The Cards cut Pope and the Pats cut Smith. Both are capable receivers that understand the position well. Bear Pascoe was on the 49ers squad and I remember hearing his name for the first time late in the game against the Raiders I think. He was described by his college coach at Fresno State as the "most devastating blocker" they had ever seen. He started out there as a quarterback. He blocked 6 kicks on special teams, and keeps his edge by participating in rodeos. He's an old-school kind of player and on my team he will play an old-school role: Iron Man. At 6'5", 250+ lbs, he will never leave the field. Our wildcat offense will be called the "Wild Bear" formation and we will direct snap it to him. He will rush the passer on defense and he will line up all over the field on offense. His importance on this roster almost necessitated adding a 4th tight end to help carry the load at the position, and Mills, fresh off the Vikings roster, will fit in nicely. The Raiders will not have a chance.

OL (9): Damien McIntosh, Tony Pashos, Andrew Crummey, Kynan Forney, Jeremy Bridges, Scott Burley,Justin Geisenger, Mike Butterworth, Mark Wilson

McIntosh (Chiefs), Pashos (Jaguars), Crummey (Bengals), Forney (Chargers), and Bridges (Redskins) are my starting five. Burley (Redskins), Geisinger (Panthers), and Butterworth (Falcons) are my backups. Burely went to University of Maryland and has been hanging around the league the last two years. Geisinger is a journeyman lineman who spent a season with the Redskins but has also been a member of the Bills and Titans. The Raiders gave Mark Wilson his walking papers, but he has had steady employment as a backup since 2004. Mike Butterworth made this team because I simply ran out of guys that I really knew much about...and I love maple syrup on pancakes.

All of my starters would likely be welcome on most squads in the league after a few weeks when teams are all of a sudden hit by injuries and become starved for guys who have played before. Forney was a huge shock getting cut by San Diego. He might be one of the two or three best players on the Ballers.

WR (6): Keary Colbert, Robert Ferguson, David Tyree, David Patten, Trent Shelton, Steve Sanders

Ferguson (Falcons), Colbert (Lions), and Patten (Browns) have all been unfortunate members of previous unfortunate fantasy teams of mine. So they owe me. Hard to argue against Tyree (Giants). He can start on special teams and catch balls with his helmet. With Bear Pascoe behind center, he might have to catch a few wild pitches. Shelton (Redskins) should make their practice squad and Steve Sanders (Cardinals) was great on Beverly Hills, 90210.

DL (8): Shaun Smith, Alex Buzbee, Ryan Boschetti, Darryl Richard, Rob Jackson, Tommie Hill, Matthias Askew, Terrance Taylor

The Patriots drafted Richard last April, and that is pretty much good enough for me. I recall Tommie Hill made a huge play late in the first Monday Night game against the Panthers, scoring a touchdown with no time left on the clock. Not being good enough for the Giants defensive line does not necessarily make you bad. Rob Jackson and Alex Buzbee both got cut from the Redskins so I have seen plenty of them and are comfortable with them as backups. Boschetti got dumped by the Raiders--can't remember anyone listing their personnel decisions as better than...well, anyone's. Shaun Smith was a shock to get sent home by the Lions. He is definitely good enough to anchor the Ballers' defensive line. And Terrance Taylor was a 4th round pick for the Colts. I am little surprised to see him gone from there, but we will not ask too many questions and scoop him up.

LB (8): Tim Crowder, Zach Thomas, Rocky Boiman, Khary Campbell, Bruce Davis, Jeremy Leman, Robert Thomas, Cody Glenn

Crowder should have cracked the Broncos' Final 53. Our squad will benefit from the veteran presence of Zach Thomas, who might not really have ever been realistically in the Chiefs' plans. Rocky Boiman has been around, most recently ending his second stint with the Titans. He has a ring from the Colts' Super Bowl victory and his experience will be put to good use for the Ballers. Khary Campbell is a special teams standout that did not make the last cuts in Houston. Bruce Davis was a huge underachiever for the Steelers. Here's hoping he can turn it around for the Ballers. Leman (Panthers) was a guy who I thought played well enough in the preseason to stick. I guess that is why my phone isn't ringing off the hook to become anybody's GM. Thomas and Glenn were both waived by the Skins. Thomas has plenty of experience in the league and Glenn (while still an odd draft choice by Vinny Cerrato--read: "wasted draft choice") is a raw player from the Nebraska Cornhuskers' program.

DB (8): Deltha O'Neal, Brian Russell, Brian Williams, Bernard Pollard, Corey Lynch , Deangelo Smith, Corey Ivy, Lendy Holmes

O'Neal (Texans), Williams (Jaguars), Russell (Seahawks), and Pollard (Chiefs) are my starting defensive backs (first two are CB's, second two will man the safety positions. Smith (Cowgirls), Lynch (Bengals), Ivy (Browns), and Holmes (Redskins) round out our scrappy secondary.

P: A.J. Trapasso - Any guy who takes aim for a $40 million video board in a preseason game, ESPECIALLY one bought by Jerry Jones, gets a spot on my team.

K: Brandon Coutu (Seahawks) - The 'Hawks kept this guy on their roster all season last year behind Olindo Mare in the hopes they could trade him. He has a hell of a leg and will get a shot from another team very soon.

Give Me the Numbers, Stat!

27-17, Ballers over the Raiders. Bear Pascoe has 78 yards rushing, 2 rushing touchdowns, 1 blocked field goal and 3 sacks. Jeff Garcia runs in for the other TD and throws the ball straight into the owner's box where Al Davis is sitting. Davis sues the NFL.

Next week at this time, we will be through the first weekend of meaningful football. Imagine...four quarters without any fourth-stringers (God willing). The season of excessive penalty-calling is over. Let the games begin. We'll see you back here on Tuesday--with nary a mention of any battles for the backup long snapper position.

Poll

Can this team I have constructed beat the Raiders today, on a neutral field, with a run-heavy offensive philosophy behind the Iron Man Bear Pascoe?

Yes, handily

164 votes

Maybe 51 times out of 100

142 votes

Maybe once in a 100 tries

51 votes

Not a chance

42 votes

399 votes | Poll has closed

Cleveland Browns Announce Roster Cuts; Few Surprises As Jamal Lewis Makes It

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:31:32 -0000

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

It's a "no" for veteran WR David Patten, who won't be able to play for the Browns for the second time in his career.

Browse more photos »

The following players were cut by the Cleveland Browns, trimming their roster from 75 to the league required 53 players:

(Key: Expected Cut, Highlighted/Notable Cut, Shocker Cut)

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS CUT

QB Richard Bartel
FB Charles Ali: I'm sorry to see him go. I really like having at least two players at every non-special teams position, and Ali was a pretty good backup fullback. We didn't keep Herron either, so who will serve as the backup fullback remains a question.
RB Noah Herron
RB Chris Jennings
WR David Patten: I'm sure he'll catch on elsewhere. We really would have had too many receivers on the team if we kept him.
WR Jordan Norwood
WR Paul Hubbard
WR Lance Leggett
TE Aaron Walker
OL Dustin Fry
OL Kurt Quarterman
OL Pat Murray
OL Branndon Braxton
OL Isaac Sowells: It's party time!

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS CUT

DL Brian Schaefering
DL Adam Hoppel
DL Santonio Thomas
LB Titus Brown: An early injury in camp foiled his roster chances. I thought there was an outside chance he might end up on the practice squad.
LB Beau Bell: Phil Savage's fourth-round pick goes down the drain. He might not even be practice squad eligible.
DB Brandon Anderson
DB Corey Ivy: I guess this means Coye Francies is going to receive a lot of playing time this season.
DB Tra Battle
DB Hamza Abdullah

The team also reached an injury settlement with DL Melila Purcell, so he is no longer with the team. To be more specific about some of the players, we didn't "waive", but rather "terminated the contract of" Abdullah, Patten, Herron, Ivy, and Walker. The Browns actually waived one more player than required, so we should be signing someone soon to the 53-man roster.

Now, it's interesting to take a look at which bubble players did make the team. Here is a brief list of the players we can congratulate:

POTENTIAL "SURPRISES" TO THE TEAM

TE Martin Rucker: He might have made the team by default, because Aaron Walker really wasn't an upgrade over him. On the same note, the fact that he did not drop any passes against the Bears might have been the difference too.
OL Corey Hilliard: Who? He was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2007 and spent the past two years on the Colts as a backup/practice squad type player. We didn't get a chance to evaluate his talent much, but I'm happy to see Isaac Sowells finally go. For the record, Hilliard will serve as the team's backup offensive tackle.
LB Marcus Benard: The undrafted free agent out of Jackson State did it. The first preseason game against the Packers was his best game by far, although I wonder if Titus Brown would've made the team instead had he stayed healthy.
LB Leon Williams: The veteran hasn't really been seeing reps with the first-team defense, but he's still on the team. Perhaps his versatiliy of playing the inside or the outside helped his cause. Either way, I really don't see him getting much playing time this season.
LB Blake Costanzo: Not a surprise to me. I welcome his special teams abilities this season.
DB Gerard Lawson: His kick return abilities against the Chicago Bears this past Thursday might have saved his job. He doesn't have a huge role on the Browns, but maybe that'll change with us waiving both Hood and Ivy.
DB Bret Lockett: It's funny how us as fans can pick out players like Benard and Lockett and say, "if someone is going to make the team, I can see it being these players". Lockett adds some depth to the safety position.
DB Nick Sorensen: Again, not necessarily a surprise, but he is mainly a special teams contributor.

Many of the players we cut could still end up on our practice squad.

For those curious, here is a list of former Browns players that have been cut/waived recently:

FORMER BROWNS PLAYERS WAIVED

QB Jeff Garcia
RB Marcus Thomas
RB Allen Patrick
WR Steve Sanders
WR Brandon Rideau
WR Travis Wilson
WR C.J. Jones
OT James Lee: This is a guy I'm sure we'd take a look at if Crennel was still here. He was the young prospect who we tried to sneak on the practice squad last year, but the Buccaneers signed him to their 53-man roster.
C Melvin Fowler
DL Shaun Smith: Gotta love this one.
LB David Holloway
CB Travis Daniels
CB Rod Hood
S Nate Ness
S Brian Russell: This would be too good to be true if the Browns were able to bring him back. He's been gone the past few years, playing for the Seattle Seahawks.

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 25 - Another Transaction

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:57:50 -0000

Is there really a point to roster transactions this late into training camp? Sure, maybe we're trying to scout players that might end up on our practice squad in the future, but a week really isn't a lot to go by.

As I'm sure you can tell, the training camp reports are more so "general team notes" now as opposed to specifics on how the day went. It's like that every year as public camp sessions come to a close.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 25 (8/25/09)

The Transaction: After being involved in a couple of reverses late in the game against the Detroit Lions, the Browns waived former Jet WR Paul Raymond. Taking his place is DE Brian Schaefering. Does that name sound familiar? It should, because he was signed by the Browns in May of last year before being waived at the end of training camp. He was added to the Browns' practice squad in early December, before Eric Mangini signed him to the Jets' active roster for the team's final game of the regular season.
Play of the Day: After getting behind CB Hank Poteat, WR Braylon Edwards caught a Brady Quinn pass one-handed in the end zone for a touchdown.
Hot Start, 'Meh' Finish: After starting hot in practice, QB Derek Anderson cooled down and didn't do as well in game simulations. His best plays came early on, when he connected with WR Brian Robiskie and Edwards for scores.
Still MIA: S Brodney Pool did not return to action. All of the other players who have been out stayed out, except for WR David Patten. Patten returned to action and was practicing.
Players at Safety: In his press conference, Mangini brought up the fact that other players on the roster have experience at safety, perhaps alluding to the injuries of Brodney Pool and Hamza Abdullah. Mangini noted DB Hank Poteat and WR Mike Furrey. I loved reading about how a good portion of the media didn't seem to know Furrey started at safety for the St. Louis Rams for nearly a whole season. There's nothing wrong if individual fans don't know that, but if you're constantly writing about the Browns, it should've stood out as a unique note in his player profile when the team first signed him.
Center Update: Maybe we just panicked a little too early about rookie C Alex Mack. After a rough start to training camp, Mack has continued to settle in smoothly. However, you could also note that the "turnaround" started right around the point that a certain someone stopped practicing (Shaun Rogers).

Tuesday's Links/Camp Sources

Furrey to the rescue at safety? (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)
Quotes, notes, observations (Akron Beacon Journal, Storm)
Berea Report: Back in the spotlight (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 19 - Not Too Eventful

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:02:23 -0000

There won't be any more two-a-day training camp sessions for the Browns this season. In fact, there are only four practices open to the public remaining -- this Thursday, and then next week Monday-Wednesday. All of those practices will be held in the afternoon.

I don't know if I remember a Browns training camp having such good weather. Sure, it's hot, but the team has not been forced to move to the indoor facility yet, and it really only rained during one session this August.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 19 (8/19/09)

Tucker Missing in Action: It's not looking good for Ryan Tucker's odds of being in the starting lineup Week 1, which would go against what most of us expected in our training camp previews. Tucker left Monday's session with an apparent injury, and he was no where to be found Wednesday. When asked if this had anything to do with him considering retirement again, the team responded "no".
Scouting the Lions: Much of the session focused on preparing for the Detroit Lions this weekend. There are two former Browns players you might be interested in following on the Lions. First up is WR Dennis Northcutt, who is listed as a starter or the equivalent of Mike Furrey's role with us. The other guy is DT Shaun Smith, who isn't even close to first-string.
Heiden Drops a Pair: It was an off day for TE Steve Heiden. Close to the end of practice, a drill was run with 1:30 on the clock at their own 24-yard line with no timeouts and a 16-10 deficit. Brady Quinn didn't manage a first down, thanks to Heiden dropping passes on second and fourth down.
Same Drill, With Anderson: In the same drill, QB Derek Anderson had some support from our second-round picks. He hit WR Brian Robiskie for gains of 16- and 24-yards to move the ball down the field, and eventually capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown to WR Mohamed Massaquoi.
Back-to-Back Jacks: The play of the day came when Brady Quinn connected with WR Braylon Edwards on a deep ball for a 65-yard touchdown over DB Corey Ivy. A little bit later though, Derek Anderson responded with a deep ball of his own to WR Lance Leggett. Quinn ran with the first-team on the day, but both quarterbacks ended up playing pretty decent.
Slowly Progressing? Rapid Reports suggests that the number of mistakes in practice are starting to go down for first-round center Alex Mack. Either way, Hank Fraley looks to be a roster lock at this point.
Injury List: Still not practicing was LB Titus Brown. Working with the trainers were NT Shaun Rogers, LB David Bowens, WR David Patten, WR Paul Hubbard, RB Jerome Harrison, and TE Robert Royal.
Mum on QB Decision: As he did last week, Eric Mangini will not reveal who will start at quarterback for the Browns this Saturday. Expect a decision to not be publicly announced until a few hours before kickoff.

Wednesday's Links/Camp Sources

QB battle could last awhile (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Center is only uncertainty as offensive line settles in (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)
Tucker missing but has not retired (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)
Wednesday camp notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 18 (Morning) - Alex Mack Plays Some Guard

Chris Pokorny — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:16:31 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards makes a great catch over defensive back Corey Ivy during practice Tuesday morning.

Browse more photos »

Thank you WKYC and the Cleveland Browns. With a possible blackout looming in the Cleveland area for this weekend's Great Lakes Classic, WKYC and the Browns came to an agreement to eat the cost of the 4,500 or so unsold tickets.

Two practices were scheduled for the Browns today. There was a threat of rain in the morning, but the drops never came. Let's get to the recap...

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 18 [MORNING] (8/18/09)

Get Out of ~~Jail~~ Practice Free Card: It was unusual to see Joe Thomas absent from the field this morning. No worries for our star left tackle though -- apparently he received a non-transferable "day off from practice" card for exceptional work in offseason conditioning programs. Thomas cashed in this morning. It actually gave Mangini the opportunity to move some players around for experience purposes. Eric Steinbach worked at left tackle while Alex Mack worked at left guard and Hank Fraley worked at center for the first team.
New RB, LB Waived: The Browns waived LB Phillip Hunt. Taking his place is RB Chris Jennings, who is 5-10, 218 pounds from the University of Arizona. He has spent some time in the CFL. Jennings had some reps in practice, showing some effectiveness.
Cribbs' Stock Stays High: Continuing to make plays, Joshua Cribbs caught a 45-yard touchdown pass against CB Eric Wright. Credit to QB Brett Ratliff on the play too though, because he needed a perfect pass to beat Wright's near-perfect coverage. Cribbs also ran a nice route to fool DB Gerard Lawson.
Anderson Struggles in No Huddle: It wasn't a good no huddle 11-on-11 drill for Derek Anderson, who went 0-for-4 in his attempt. Part of the problem, according to Dawg Scooper, is that Anderson failed to read two cornerback blitzes pre-snap. He was sacked in both instances -- once by Hank Poteat and once by Brandon McDonald. Quinn fared better, going 6-of-6 for 51 yards.
Mangini Upset at Quinn: To end practice, a drill was put in place where 50 seconds were on the clock and the quarterbacks started at their own 25-yard line. In the situation, the score was supposed to be a tie score, 17-17. On Quinn's first pass, he threw an interception to CB Brandon McDonald who took it for a pick six. The pass was intended for Braylon Edwards, but it was no where near him. After the play, Edwards and Quinn deemed that there was a miscommunication between the two.
Same Drill With Anderson: The drill didn't go any better for Anderson. With 50 seconds to work with, the first play was an in-bounds, 8-yard completion to Brian Robiskie that drained the clock. After a few penalties on the drive, it ended with a punt.
Play of the Day: WR Braylon Edwards made a nice 30-yard catch over CB Corey Ivy near the sideline, able to keep his feet in bounds.
Onside Kick Executed...Somewhat: K Phil Dawson executed an onside kick, as it went the proper distance and was grabbed on one bounce by S Mike Adams. However, it wouldn't have counted since a member of the kicking team was offsides.
Injury Notes: DL Shaun Rogers, LB David Bowens, OL Ryan Tucker, RB Jerome Harrison and WR David Patten rode the exercise bikes.

The Browns will hit the field later tonight for an evening session.

Tuesday Morning's Links/Camp Sources

Tuesday 8/18 Practice (Dawg Scooper, Wolf)
Tuesday AM: Mangini lets loose (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Tuesday camp notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)
Browns game will be televised this weekend (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 17 - It Only Gets Worse

Chris Pokorny — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:10:28 -0000

After a pretty bad loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, the Cleveland Browns were back on the practice field for the first time since last Thursday. Unfortunately, rather than turning things around from Saturday's debacle, things only seemed to get worse. It sounds like we'll be in store for a heck of a Great Lakes Classic this coming Saturday!

I've decided to stick with naming the "Day" number as the same number as the date. This works out since the Browns first training camp session took place on August 1 this year.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 17 (8/17/09)

Uncharacteristic Day for Furrey: After being Mr. Reliable in terms of his hands, it wasn't the best day for veteran receiver Mike Furrey. Furrey had a couple of drops, with the biggest one coming when Derek Anderson fired a pass to him. The ball bounced off of Furrey's hands and into the arms of LB Eric Barton for an interception.
The Quarterback Chronicles: If a little kid was asked to draw a picture of how well the Browns quarterbacks did in practice Monday, I guarantee you he/she wouldn't draw a sunshine despite the fact that temperatures were roasting in the mid-90 degree range. Just like Anderson had a pass picked (see above) in drills, Brady Quinn threw a pick to LB Marcus Benard, who returned the pass 45 yards for a touchdown.
Two-Minute Drill (Anderson): After a false start penalty by LT Joe Thomas, Anderson completed passes to Furrey and Steve Heiden before scrambling for a would-be sack, killing the drive quickly. He moved the ball 12 yards in just four plays.
Two-Minute Drill (Quinn): Quinn didn't fare much better, moving the ball just 25 yards in nine plays. Of note on his drive -- LB Kaluka Maiava came free on a blitz causing an incompletion, and DB Nick Sorensen almost intercepted a pass intended for Lance Leggett. To end the drive, on 4th-and-12, Quinn could only manage to toss the ball out of bounds.
Penalties Add Up: Those penalties created by the players in Saturday's exhibition games didn't go without punishment. Every player who committed a penalty had to run a lap. I wonder if that included C Alex Mack, whose holding call was questionable. Mack was running with the first-team offense during practice. Rapid Reports stated that third-string center Dustin Fry put a Shotgun snap into the ground and ran a lap for it. Yikes.
Bubble Watch: WR Lance Leggett dropped a pass thrown by Quinn. DB Bret Lockett has received prais from Eric Mangini and has looked pretty decent.
Not Practicing: Sitting out/on the bikes at the start of practice were RB Jerome Harrison, LB David Bowens, OL Ryan Tucker, WR David Patten, TE Martin Rucker and NT Shaun Rogers. Patten did end up rejoining the team later on though.
Buzz on Davis Continues to Lessen: After rookie RB James Davis made a lot of noise at the start of camp, things have quieted down a lot for him ever since the Brown/White scrimmage a few weeks ago. He hasn't broken as many plays in practice, and had to run a lap Monday for fumbling a running back exchange.
On the Other Hand: The buzz surrounding Coye Francies continues to get hotter. He was playing tight coverage again during practice, forcing a few incompletions.
Cribbs Could be No. 2: From Mangini's press conference, it sounds like there's a serious chance that Joshua Cribbs might be our No. 2 receiver to start the season. I know we took Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi this offseason, but I am rooting for Cribbs to finally get that opportunity.

The Browns will have two sessions on Tuesday -- one in the morning and one in the evening.

Tuesday's Links/Camp Sources

Monday, Aug. 17: No starter named (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Browns' Mangini: It's too early to name a QB (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)
Camp Notes: 8/17/09 (Orange and Brown Report, King)
Practice gets sloppy (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 12 - Two Days from Gameday

Chris Pokorny — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:36:37 -0000

The Browns offense is ready to take on the Green Bay Packers this Saturday.

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If you look around at other media sources, they are referring to practices one day later than I am, which probably takes into account an off day. I guess you can look at it that way, but to me, I am meaning "Day" to be synonymous with "Practice". I might end up jumping to something like "Day 15" the next time the Browns practice just to stay in line with the media; I'll have to see.

The Browns had their final practice before facing the Green Bay Packers this Saturday. Eric Mangini held a rare session without pads, as the team prepped for the Favre-less Packers.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 12 (8/13/09)

No Sweat for Braylon: After sitting out one practice, WR Braylon Edwards returned to the field and was ready to go. He will play in this Saturday's contest against the Packers. Also returning to action were WR Lance Leggett and RB James Davis.

Which QB will start against the Packers? Probably not the guy in the middle, but maybe the guy on the left or the right.

Anderson Strikes: In the two-minute drill, Anderson hit WR Mike Furrey for a 50-yard touchdown despite the fact that DB Corey Ivy had solid coverage. Prior to the pass, Anderson had reportedly missed a wide open TE Robert Royal after he had beaten S Brodney Pool.
Quinn, Not So Much: In Brady Quinn's shot at the two-minute offense, his drive only lasted four plays. After a short incompletion to TE Martin Rucker, he threw two incompletions that weren't great throws to WR Brian Robiskie. He couldn't covert the fourth down when his deep pass to WR Jordan Norwood fell incomplete.
Edge to Anderson? If you look at Dawg Scooper, Brady Quinn had the best day statistically, tossing two touchdowns while Derek Anderson and Brett Ratliff each tossed three picks. However, you have to consider that those stats were combined from a variety of different drills. Eric Mangini would not announce which quarterback would start in Green Bay, but if today's walkthrough was any indication, it'll be Anderson since he was working with the No. 1 offense.
Can't Wait to Hear Bernie: The best thing about the Browns preseason isn't the game itself. It's the opportunity to hear former Cleveland QB Bernie Kosar in the play-by-play booth. He doesn't have Ken Dorsey to spew his love for this year, so I wonder which quarterback he'll decide to favor. Kosar attended the team's practice Thursday, the first time he's done so this camp.

Ryan Pontbriand looks lonely.

Phil Dawson Lifts Spirits: Mangini put it all on K Phil Dawson to end practice. If Dawson was able to connect on a 50-yard field goal, the team would have the night off from meetings. Dawson connected, springing cheers from his teammates.
Defensive Props in Secondary: Among the defensive players who stood out Thursday were S Brodney Pool and CB Coye Francies, according to Dawg Scooper. Pool had two interceptions and was contributing all over the field, while Francies picked off an end zone pass intended for Braylon Edwards.
Down Day for Cribbs: After strong practices left and right, WR Joshua Cribbs finally lagged behind. A few passes went off of his hands, with at least two of them being intercepted by the defense.
97 Yard Touchdown: Two days ago, Brett Ratliff made headlines by getting some reps with the first team. Yesterday, he made headlines for having his "spike" pass bounce off a player's shoe and into the air for an interception. Thursday, he had another play that stood out: after WR Brian Robiskie beat his man, Ratliff launched the ball about 60 yards in air from his own 3-yard line. Robiskie caught it and ran the distance for about a 97-yard touchdown.
Walking Wounded: Missing practice were DT Shaun Rogers, LB David Bowens, RB Jerome Harrison, TE John Madsen, and WR David Patten. With Bowens out, Alex Hall and Titus Brown received more reps. He is still a longshot, but Brown has received a lot of praise in camp, including again today from the powers that be over at the OBR. Rogers was reportedly just getting some rest.
Trickery? I'm not sure on the details of the play, but Rapid Reports says that DB Mike Adams intercepted a halfback option pass. My guess would be that...maybe Noah Herron threw it? Just don't tell me that it's Lawrence Vickers, please.
Side Note: For those who missed it, QB Michael Vick has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The team is off Friday before their preseason game Saturday. Be sure to tune into Dawgs By Nature on Friday though, as we'll have a nice little interview up with the guys over at Football Outsiders.

Thursday's Links/Camp Sources

Training camp report: 8/13 (Dawg Scooper, Wolf)
Thursday camp notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)
Dawson the hero (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Berea Report: No call at QB (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 10 (Evening) - Where's James Davis?

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:20:25 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Cleveland Browns tight end Aaron Walker isn't helping his roster odds by dropping passes.

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After this morning's sloppy practice full of penalties, the Browns took the field for their evening session of camp. Did things fare any better?

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 10 [EVENING] (8/11/09)

James Davis Missing in Action: If this is the lead story, it's a sign that there really isn't a lot to mention tonight. RB James Davis did not practice, but he wasn't with the rest of the injured players on stationary bikes either. He was just sort of...missing in action. No word was given on the reason Davis did not practice.
Pick City: It wasn't a great evening session for QB Brady Quinn, who was picked off twice -- once by CB Coye Francies (his name is coming up left and right now, eh?), and once by CB Eric Wright. On Wright's pick, Quinn was trying to throw a quick slant pattern to WR Braylon Edwards but the defensive back did a good job jumping the route, although it was reportedly also a god-awful pass from Quinn. The interception made up for a pass that Wright had in his breadbasket from Derek Anderson earlier, but he dropped. Francies' pick came after S Nick Sorensen had tipped Quinn's pass.
Under Pressure Again: Whether it's a result of him holding onto the ball too long or just not catching lucky breaks, QB Derek Anderson was facing pressure from the defense most of the night. One of the players involved in the pressure was LB Kamerion Wimbley, capping off a good day overall for him.
Out on the Bikes: After practicing this morning, FB Charles Ali was back on the stationary bike for the evening practice. Also on the bikes were receivers Lance Leggett and David Patten.
Cribbs Continues to Thrive: When he keeps catching the ball while flashing the ability to break almost every catch for a touchdown, you have to be getting more and more exciting about Joshua Cribbs as a receiver. He caught a pass from Anderson in heavy traffic during the evening session. WR Mike Furrey also had a nice grab, as he also shows why he's definitely in line to be the No. 2 or No. 3 receiver this year.
Bubble Watch: Rapid Reports says that TE Aaron Walker is not helping his roster odds by dropping several passes in the evening practice.
Morning Note: Former Browns TE Aaron Shea attended the morning practice. He was there to escort former University of Michigan coach Lloyd Carr was visiting camp today. It was noted that Shea is now helping the Browns sell loges.

The Browns have an afternoon practice on Wednesday. The weather look to be pleasant, at around 82 degrees and partly cloudy.

Tuesday Evening's Links/Camp Sources

Night practice: to the well too often (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)
Tuesday PM: Davis missing (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Recap: Day 6 - Man Down at Guard

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:24:27 -0000

QB Brady Quinn tried to lead the Browns offense, but he and QB Derek Anderson struggled in drills again.

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The biggest story of Thursday's training camp involves OG Rex Hadnot. As reported earlier, the OBR indicated that Hadnot had blown out his knee. More details have come in to the OBR, now saying that it could be a serious left knee injury. The details of the play it happened on are in the report below.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 6 (8/6/09)

How It Happened: It started out as a normal play, with Hadnot blocking DL Louis Leonard. As he was engaged with Leonard, rookie LB David Veikune rolled on the top of Hadnot's leg. Hadnot remained on the ground for awhile in pain as the team gathered around him, before being carted off. It doesn't look very good right now for Hadnot, who started 15 games for the Browns last year. We didn't project him as a starter this year, but no doubt this could improve the roster odds of C Hank Fraley, and might create an opening for someone like Dustin Fry.
Sunday Scrimmage: Head coach Eric Mangini revealed how the scrimmage will take place at the stadium this Sunday (free admission to all fans). There will be two teams -- the Brown Team and the White Team. They will play four quarters, each lasting ten minutes. Special teams coach Brad Seely will manage one team, while quarterbacks coach Carl Smith will manage the other. Mangini will be focusing on evaluating how things unfold. There will not be full-blown tackling, but the players will be in pads and allowed to make contact. It sounds much cooler than what has taken place the past several years.

RB James Davis dashes by another defender.

It Can't Be Luck, Can It? Once again, rookie RB James Davis made an impact and possibly the play of the day, running for a 55-yard touchdown after cutting against the grain.
The Quarterbacks Hit Bottom: Thanks again to Daniel Wolf of Dawg Scooper, who attended today's practice and provided the statistics for how the quarterbacks did in their drills today. Unfortunately, the results were pretty poor for both men. Here's a sample: in the first 11-on-11 drill, each quarterback was one-of-four with an interception. In an 11-on-11 one-minute drill, Quinn had poor clock management and barely moved the ball, while Anderson threw three incompletions before being sacked. If these two turned in this type of performance this Sunday, the hopes for our offense this year probably wouldn't be too high.
Robiskie Still Down the Chart: The trend seems to be continuing, as WR Braylon Edwards, WR Mike Furrey, and WR Mohamed Massaquoi seemed to be working with the first team. WR Brian Robiskie received doesn't seem like he's demoted or anything, but he's not getting the same level of work as when camp first started. It's hard to say if this is indicative of their performances, or if Mangini is just rotating the reps.

Hey look, it's TE Martin Rucker. Training camp has not provided many clues as to who the starting TE will be.

Punt Fakes in Full Effect: Thanks again to Mr. Wolf for providing some information on punt fakes. S Nick Sorensen caught the punt coverage by surprise when he took the snap and ran for about 10-15 yards. Later in the practice, P Dave Zastudil executed a fake as well. Speaking of Zastudil, CBS Sportline reported that he has been booming the ball well throughout training camp.
Wildcat Formation: The Browns worked on the "Wildcat" formation with Joshua Cribbs, but it sounds like it was much of the same stuff as last year -- Cribbs running or handing the ball off rather than passing.
Focusing on Run Drills: ClevelandBrowns.com reports that the practice involved focusing largely on running drills.
Did Not Practice: FB Charles Ali, CB Don Carey, and WR David Patten did not practice.
New Player Signed: The Browns signed a new defensive back -- Brandon Anderson, undrafted free agent from the University of Akron.
The Vike: Rookie LB David Veikune looked good, beating OT George Foster a few times. That's either good for Veikune or bad for Foster.

Thursday's Link Collection / Camp Sources

Thursday 8/6 Practice Report (Dawg Scooper, Wolf)
Hadnot Blows Out Knee (Orange and Brown Report, King)
New year, new goals for Williams (Official Team Site, Jackson)
Day 6 Training Camp Notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)