SB Nation - Dave Zastudil

Browns place TE Steve Heiden and P Dave Zastudil on IR; Claim two players off waivers.

Ryan Kelsey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:06:21 -0000

Cleveland Browns Punter Dave Zastudil will miss the rest of the season. He may have been the MVP of the Buffalo win. And the injury might have cost Dave a trip to the Pro Bowl. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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The Plain Dealer is reporting that TE Steve Heiden and P Dave Zastudil have been placed on the IR.

Heiden hurt his ankle in Monday Night's game against the Ravens. Zastudil has been battling an injury for several weeks and had to sit out Monday Night's game. Reggie Hodges assumed the punting duties and probably will keep the very demanding position for the rest of the season.

Heiden had 10 catches for 73 yards and a rare Browns' TD. Pride of Ohio University, Zastudil already had 25 punts downed inside the 20 (out of just 49 punts!) and was averaging 44.7 yards per punt.

Replacing them on the roster are two players claimed off waivers:

- Pittsburgh LB Arnold Harrison. Has 7 tackles this year for the Steelers and 30 tackles in his 3 seasons, all with the Browns' Rival. He was undrafted out of Georgia.

- Green Bay WR Jake Allen. I can't find much about him, except it appears he was on the Packers practice squad all of 2008 and 2009 until being signed and active for 1 or 2 games. He had no catches or stats in those games. He was undrafted out of Division III Mississipi College (where he was a D-III All American). He is 6'4" 198 lbs.

Browns Add Punter Reggie Hodges to Roster

Chris Pokorny — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:00:35 -0000

Cleveland Browns punter Dave Zastudil was listed as questionable on the team's injury report with a knee injury. According to reports today, the team signed veteran punter Reggie Hodges.

Hodges entered the league back in 2005 as a 6th round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams. He only lasted a year with them, as he had a below average 38.0 yards-per-punt average on 22 attempts, with only one punt being downed inside the 20.

Hodges didn't see action again until 2008 when he played 12 games with the Jets. In 2009, he played four games with the Titans. His career average of 40.1 yards per punt isn't ideal for a Browns team that needs to pin teams back often to compensate for our lack of offense. Zastudil was averaging 44.7 yards-per-punt with the Browns this season.

This isn't a guarantee that Zastudil will miss Monday's game, considering the team still had a roster spot open. Two weeks ago, Phil Dawson played but Billy Cundiff was still on the team's 53-man roster at the time.

Ravens/Browns Injury Report

Bruce Raffel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:36:31 -0000

Below is the recently updated Injury Report from the Ravens' PR Department for both the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns in advance of their Monday Night Football contest. While the Ravens' Lardarius Webb was the only player on either team that did not participate in Saturday's practice, no one is currently listed as out for the game. More will be known as we get closer to game time.

	A	B	C	D
1	INJURY REPORT - BALTIMORE RAVENS at CLEVELAND BROWNS
2		MONDAY, November 16, 2009
3
4
5
6
7	*THURSDAY*	*FRIDAY*	*SATURDAY*	*GAME STATUS*
8	*OUT*	*OUT*	*OUT*	*OUT*
9
10	*DID NOT PARTICIPATE*	*DID NOT PARTICIPATE*	*DID NOT PARTICIPATE*	*DOUBTFUL*
11	CB Chris Carr (illness)	CB Chris Carr (illness)	CB Lardarius Webb (illness)
12	LB Dannell Ellerbe (illness)	LB Dannell Ellerbe (illness)
13	LB Ray Lewis (foot)	LB Ray Lewis (foot)
14	DT Haloti Ngata (ankle)
15	CB Fabian Washington (thigh)
16
17	*LIMITED PARTICIPATION*	*LIMITED PARTICIPATION*	*LIMITED PARTICIPATION*	*QUESTIONABLE*
18	T Jared Gaither (neck)	DT Haloti Ngata (ankle)	RB Matt Lawrence (knee)	RB Matt Lawrence (knee)
19		CB Fabian Washington (thigh)	DT Haloti Ngata (ankle)	DT Haloti Ngata (ankle)
20				CB Lardarius Webb (illness)
21
22	*FULL PARTICIPATION*	*FULL PARTICIPATION*	*FULL PARTICIPATION*	*PROBABLE*
23	TE Todd Heap (ankle)	T Jared Gaither (neck)	CB Chris Carr (illness)	CB Chris Carr (illness)
24	LB Jarret Johnson (shoulder)	TE Todd Heap (ankle)	LB Dannell Ellerbe (illness)	LB Dannell Ellerbe (illness)
25	S Haruki Nakamura (chest)	LB Jarret Johnson (shoulder)	T Jared Gaither (neck)	T Jared Gaither (neck)
26	S Ed Reed (wrist)	S Haruki Nakamura (chest)	TE Todd Heap (ankle)	TE Todd Heap (ankle)
27	WR Kelley Washington (back)	S Ed Reed (wrist)	LB Jarret Johnson (shoulder)	LB Jarret Johnson (shoulder)
28		WR Kelley Washington (back)	LB Ray Lewis (foot)	LB Ray Lewis (foot)
29			S Haruki Nakamura (chest)	S Haruki Nakamura (chest)
30			S Ed Reed (wrist)	S Ed Reed (wrist)
31			CB Fabian Washington (thigh)	CB Fabian Washington (thigh)
32			WR Kelley Washington (back)	WR Kelley Washington (back)
33	*THURSDAY*	*FRIDAY*	*SATURDAY*	*GAME STATUS*
34	*OUT*	*OUT*	*OUT*	*OUT*
35
36	*DID NOT PARTICIPATE*	*DID NOT PARTICIPATE*	*DID NOT PARTICIPATE*	*DOUBTFUL*
37	TE Steve Heiden (knee)	WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)
38	WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)
39
40	*LIMITED PARTICIPATION*	*LIMITED PARTICIPATION*	*LIMITED PARTICIPATION*	*QUESTIONABLE*
41	LB David Bowens (knee)	LB David Bowens (knee)	DL Kenyon Coleman (groin)	DL Kenyon Coleman (groin)
42	DL Kenyon Coleman (groin)	DL Kenyon Coleman (groin)	TE Michael Gaines (hamstring)	TE Michael Gaines (hamstring)
43	TE Michael Gaines (hamstring)	TE Michael Gaines (hamstring)	OL Rex Hadnot (knee)	OL Rex Hadnot (knee)
44	OL Rex Hadnot (knee)	OL Rex Hadnot (knee)	TE Steve Heiden (knee)	TE Steve Heiden (knee)
45	RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)	TE Steve Heiden (knee)	RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)	RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)
46	FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)	RB Jamal Lewis (ankle)	WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)	WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)
47		FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)	FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)	FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring)
48		P Dave Zastudil (right knee)	P Dave Zastudil (right knee)	P Dave Zastudil (right knee)
49
50	*FULL PARTICIPATION*	*FULL PARTICIPATION*	*FULL PARTICIPATION*	*PROBABLE*
51	DL Coye Francies (knee)	OL Hank Fraley (knee)	LB David Bowens (knee)	LB David Bowens (knee)
52	OL Alex Mack (wrist)	DL Coye Francies (knee)	OL Hank Fraley (knee)	OL Hank Fraley (knee)
53	TE Robert Royal (finger)	OL Alex Mack (wrist)	DL Coye Francies (knee)	DL Coye Francies (knee)
54	P Dave Zastudil (right knee)	TE Robert Royal (finger)	OL Alex Mack (wrist)	OL Alex Mack (wrist)
55	Limited Participation is less than 100 percent of a player’s normal repetitions.		TE Robert Royal (finger)	TE Robert Royal (finger)
56	Full Participation is 100 percent of a player’s normal repetitions.
57	Not Injury Related applies to situations in which a player is withheld from his normal repetitions for reasons other than injury.

Kamerion Wimbley and Browns Defense Play With Fire Despite 30-6 Loss to Bears

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:49:25 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

about 1 month ago: Chicago Bears safety Danieal Manning (38) picks up the loose ball after a fumble by Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. At left is Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (92), who forced the fumble. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-7)	WEEK 8	CHICAGO BEARS (4-3)
	VS.
6		30

As far as I'm concerned, the Chicago Bears played no better against the Cleveland Browns than they did against the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks ago when they lost 45-10. QB Jay Cutler supported my point that he's a tad overrated, but he was rewarded nonetheless with a rather easy 30-6 victory over the Browns.

Has a Browns team ever been so helpless on offense? I guess you could technically say we're at the same level as the Oakland Raiders, but that's not the type of competitive comparison I want to be making on gameday. The funny thing is that if our offense would've just taken a knee on every series this week, we probably only would have lost by a score of 10-3 (note: I realize that is not a reality, since the space-time continuum obviously would've resulted in different production for the Bears). Our defense played much better than last week and weren't rewarded for it; as far as the rest of the league is concerned, our defense is still a joke.

Let's get to the sad review of the game...

WEEK 8 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. CHICAGO BEARS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

GOAT OF THE GAME:

Steve Heiden & Mohamed Massaquoi: Obviously QB Derek Anderson could go here every week, but it's only fair to spread the wealth. In the second half, when the Browns were actually showing some form of a threat, there were two cases in which Anderson made some of his best throws of the game -- one on a small pass to Steve Heiden, and another on a timing pattern to Mohamed Massaquoi.

For whatever reason, both players coughed up the football. It wasn't even like they were hit by a blindsided poke at the football either; Heiden even seemed to wrap both arms tightly around the ball and it just...fell out. That's extremely frustrating, because Heiden is supposed to be our only "Mr. Reliable" left on offense. He also dropped a pass earlier in the game. For as in-sync as Massaquoi and Anderson looked against Cincinnati, that "chemistry" no longer exists.

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

Kamerion Wimbley: Credit to defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for helping turn Kamerion Wimbley around. He's no DeMarcus Ware, but he's getting to the quarterback a lot more than his last two years under Crennel. With his sack Sunday, he surpassed his sack total from last season. He also delivered a punishing shot on QB Jay Cutler as he released a pass, resulting in a bloody mouth for Cutler (and probably a fine).

GENERAL THOUGHTS

Bears QB Jay Cutler was hit hard all day by the Browns defense, including here by LB Kamerion Wimbley.

In Stride: (Marks calendar) We are 8 games into the 2009-2010 NFL season, and for the first time this season, we finally saw a smart play design for Joshua Cribbs as a receiver (although the execution of it could have been accidental). Derek Anderson was pressured and then stepped up in the pocket.

Before he got to the line of scrimmage, he turned and threw a route nearly parallel to the line of scrimmage at Cribbs, who had motioned out of the backfield and into the flat. Cribbs caught the pass in stride and ran up the sideline for a gain of 23 yards.
By the Numbers: The final line for Anderson is as follows: 6-of-17 for 76 yards and 2 interceptions. His QB rating was a lowly 10.5. Anderson's production level is getting worse and worse by the week. At this point, I think I'd be content going back to watching Quinn get sacked every play.
Applaud the Play Call, Hate the Statistic: The Browns scored their only touchdown of the game near the start of the second half. Taking advantage of a horrible punt by the Bears, Jamal Lewis pounded his way down to the one-yard line. The Browns failed to punch it in on 1st-and-goal from the one, so on second down, Anderson sneaked forward and used his tall frame to stretch the ball over the goal line for the score.

I like the call on second down because we won't lose yardage on it, and if we fail to get in, we'd still have two downs remaining to go back to Lewis or do a small pass play. Afterward though, I was a little sick knowing that I'd still have to hear all of the play-by-play announcers say "the Browns do not have a single rushing touchdown from their running backs this season!"
Injuries Galore: There has to be a correlation between a losing season and the number of injuries that start piling on. After already losing LB D'Qwell Jackson for the season, LB Eric Barton and DB Eric Wright suffered shoulder injuries. Wright returned, but Barton will likely undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury.
Rob Ryan Fired Up: I appreciate the enthusiasm that Rob Ryan shows each week, and unlike our offensive coordinator, Ryan seems to know how to make adjustments after a letdown. Whereas the defense was brutal in giving up 31 points to the Packers, they had one of my favorite performances of the season in giving up 30 points to the Bears (23 when you don't include Anderson's pick six). After the Browns stopped Cutler on a 4th-and-1 from the 1-yard line, Ryan was out on the field jawing at Jay Cutler. I believe the defense is still playing hard because of him.
Wimbley's Knockdown: When Wimbley knocked down Cutler's fourth-down pass at the goal line, it was obviously a bad decision because an interception would've brought the ball out to the 20-yard line. Then, our offense wouldn't have been backed up into seeing Anderson throw a pick six from his own goal line. Granted, it's better that he knocked the ball down than let the receiver catch it, but he knocked it down as if it was a Hail Mary pass attempted from mid-field.
A Little Scared? I think punter Brad Maynard was a little scared of Joshua Cribbs. On 5 punts, Maynard averaged a quite pathetic 30.4 yard average. On the other side of the field, props to punter Dave Zastudil for recording a touchdown-saving tackle on punt returner Devin Hester early on.
Staying With the Play: Kudos to DL Kenyon Coleman for staying home when the Bears tried a reverse with Devin Hester. As Hester was handed the ball, Coleman shot at him like a cannon and took him down. How many times have we seen our defensive players be in position for a play like that, but end up whiffing?

When you see this on TV, chances are the pass is going to be picked.

Francies Sees Action: Finally, we got to see a little bit of Coye Francies. He was subbed in after Eric Wright went down with an injury. On Francies' first play (I think), the Bears ran the ball with Matt Forte, who sprinted to the edge for a 10-yard touchdown. Soon after that, Francies left with an injury of his own, forcing Hank Poteat into the game. (Sigh).
It's About Time: One-third of our payoff for the Braylon Edwards trade finally showed up today, as WR Chansi Stuckey made his first catch of the season as a member of the Browns. He made a few nice moves after the catch to stretch the play to an 11-yard gain.
The Other Third: With the more exotic blitz packages thrown at Cutler, the other third of the Edwards deal was more productive this week. Jason Trusnik sacked Cutler once and also led the team with 7 tackles.
Should've Been a Fumble: When Jay Cutler was hit and the ball came loose for about a 15+ yard loss, the play should've stood. I didn't see any indication that Cutler's arm was moving forward; it was moving laterally at best. His arm was angled that way due to a hit from a Browns defender too. Even with the overturn, who was Cutler throwing the ball to? It might have even hit his offensive lineman, which would be an illegal touch. In the end, the Bears had a comfortable 2nd-and-10 to work with.
Adams and Pool: Whatever the combination was, it seemed to work this week. It seemed like Mike Adams was in mostly on first- and second-downs, with Brodney Pool coming in on obvious passing downs. Pool recorded an interception when he dove to the ground after a tipped pass. As he tried to get up, he was rewarded by being drilled by two or three Bear linemen.
Inserting Quinn Late: The decision is still baffling to put Brady Quinn into the game when he did. We had literally no chance of coming back, and the substitution was made in a half where several offensive players had fumbled the ball. Why not make the change at half-time when Anderson was awful as usual?
Evaluating "the Other Guy": There's not much to fo on. His first pass was located well. He had the right idea on the second play -- getting rid of the ball quickly when they brought the house. A week ago, that's the similar adjustment that Aaron Rodgers made to Donald Driver for a long touchdown. The third down play was another dropped pass. Then, we punted. Booooooooo.
Lerner's Staredowns: I think fans would've rather watched Randy Lerner stare down and scold the players and coaches all game than watch the actual game. If someone has footage of Lerner doing this, it must be seen!
Bad Timing of Wildcat Plays: Yeah, let's run the Wildcat on a 3rd-and-19 play. There just doesn't seem to be a "method to the madness" of running the Wildcat formation. I agree with running it, but we never build off of it or use the formation to our advantage the following play.
Brownies: Welcome back Phil Dawson; you get to join the sad state of the team by having your extra point blocked...Joe Thomas registered two tackles in the game...safety Ray Ventrone had two special teams tackles...former Glenville High School and Ohio State product Ted Ginn Jr. had two kick returns for touchdowns to beat Braylon Edwards and the New York Jets.

Up next, the Browns have a Bye week before coming back home the following week against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. It should be an interesting two weeks though; let's hope that Randy Lerner comes through with some form of positive news, whether it be the firing of Brian Daboll or the hiring of a team president.

Pregame Zone Blitz: Browns at Steelers

ncoolong — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:17:47 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

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Fourth quarter points? Psshaw! All that means is our offense scores enough to force teams to come back. Detroit had nothing else to play for, and the fact Daunte Culpepper threw perhaps the stupidest pass I've ever seen (including high school quarterbacks) is exactly what makes them the Lions. It's tough to worry when you've got a passer the likes of Ben Roethlisberger under center (I see him, too). But, the greatest news of all, we've got Troy back. Worst news of all, Aaron Smith is out for the rest of the year. Take the good with the bad, because it's a new season, ladies and gentlemen. It starts with a visit from our old pals in Cleveland.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Dawgs By Nature says we shouldn't read into anything about trade rumors involving Brady Quinn.

Quinn tells the Cleveland Plain-Dealer basically nothing about anything, including nothing about his house for sale, nothing about the $10 million he'll miss out on this year, and nothing about his future.

Our Fearless Leader Blitzburgh shows off his tap-dancing skills in an interview with Dawgs By Nature.

Look! Limas caught a pass! Sorry, kind of off-topic.

Chris Pokorny of Dawgs By Nature discusses the post-Edwards Browns receiving corps.

Last Game

"It's still not up to the level we need it to be. We let them go down the field again and make it close." - James Harrison

That sour taste remains strong after another week of missing direct contact with that last nail in the opponents' coffin. Pittsburgh rarely gets beat in Time of Possession. Detroit 32:35, Pittsburgh 27:25. Rashard Mendenhall had six carries in the second half, after a "Delicious" 65-yard first-half effort.

Are we waiting for the other shoe to drop on a season in which the Steelers can't get out of first gear, or are we waiting for the Steelers to put together a concerted four-quarter effort from everyone, coaches included?

A modicum of credit needs to be given to Detroit. While it's not likely we'll see them in the Super Bowl any time soon, they played a solid game. In fact, if it wasn't for QB Daunte Culpepper's JV-level interception, Detroit could have pulled out a huge win.

But that's what makes them the Lions.

They don't give out style points, but we certainly use them in evaluation of our teams. With a divisional showdown with the bizarre Cleveland Browns looming, Pittsburgh needs to find a way to mirror their first half performances so far, and ignore their second half results.

Opponent Spotlight: P Dave Zastudil

"The Browns beat Buffalo 6-3 in one of the all-time ugly NFL games because of Zastudil, and almost because of Zastudil alone. On nine punts, the Bills had seven return yards. Seven!" - Peter King

PMZ likes looking at punters, and the impact they have on a game. Coincidentally, Zastudil hauled off one of the best punting performances in NFL history the same game the Browns put up one of the poorest winning efforts in recent memory.

It was extremely curious how the Browns won 6-3 over Buffalo, (Best Headline Award goes to Dawgs By Nature) when QB Derek Anderson completed two - TWO - passes in fair weather conditions. But looking at Zastudil's performance, it's no surprise. If you want to produce no offense, turn the ball over and generally do nothing significant with the football, you better punt well, or you're going to lose by 30.

Zastudil was the only reason Cleveland was even within four scores, let alone won the game. He leads the NFL with 18 punts inside the 20, and he's tied for the lead with 30 punts. With the struggles the Browns are having offensively, it's a good bet he'll be on the field a bunch, and he has shown the ability to affect the game on his own.

But hey, at least Zastudil's not in Detroit!

Pittsburgh has struggled in the punt return phase, with Stefan Logan averaging 7.4 yards per return, 27^th in the NFL. This is the only area in which Cleveland holds a strong advantage, and if Pittsburgh wants to avoid the upset, Logan will have to break a return or two, and create decent field position.

Steelers Spotlight: SS Troy Polamalu

"You know, I really enjoy watching my brothers play out there. I really feel like I'm out there anyway. I ride the emotional roller-coaster of wins and losses if I play or not." - Troy Polamalu

The most anticipated return in Pittsburgh since the Stanley Cup is expected Sunday when the Browns come to town. Granted, to get there, the Steelers had to lose another indispensible defensive player, but what the loss of Aaron Smith does to the Steelers, at least Polamalu's return will hide it somewhat.

Putting it nicely would be to say Cleveland's offense is not moving the ball very well. To put it accurately would be to say their offense is the worst in the league. The play they've gotten from Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson at quarterback has been grossly lacking, and that has caused serious disruption in the 1-2 rushing attack of Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison.

Polamalu isn't necessary to slow down this offense in most regards, but his inclusion will nullify any confidence the Browns may have received when they learned of Smith's injury.

There's a certain amount of game-planning teams will have to do when Polamalu is on the field. He affects both the pass and run offensive plans, but the lack of Smith, and Cleveland's lack of passing attack likely will equal a steady diet of "run-left" kinds of plays.

That presents a problem for Pittsburgh. While Quinn, Anderson and their C-list group of receivers have produced next to nothing so far this season, the running game has produced two 100-yard rushers the past two weeks. Harrison had 121 yards against Cincinnati in Week 4, and Lewis put 117 on the Bills in Week 5. Polamalu will be stationed at the line for much of the game, and should expect a physical contest. With the platoon of Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason and rookie Ziggy Hood holding down Smith's left defensive end position, the Browns are libel to run to that side. Polamalu will help shore that potential gap up.

I See You

I see you, Ben Roethlisberger. It isn't just your career-high 73.8 percent completion rate, it's that smirk we saw on your face after throwing your second interception that was returned for a touchdown this season. The confidence you displayed in yourself, seeing you own up to a mistake, is inspiring. More of what we really loved was how you showed your young receivers you believe in them. Limas Sweed's drop woes continued, but your first pass attempt was to him on his first play since the drop against Cincinnati. Granted, he's probably got to catch that slant as well, but you went back to him. Mike Wallace joined the fun, dropping what would have been a 71-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. You could have doghoused him too, and just gone to Ward, Holmes and Miller as you had been all game, but you see the value in involving as many receivers as possible. The more confidence they have in themselves, the better they are. You went back to Wallace, who beat CB William James (the guy who took your out route to the house earlier) as badly as any corner has ever been beaten, and got his first career touchdown.

The confidence you have in your receivers makes them better, and it's as much a factor in your ridonkulous completion percentage as your own ability. It's also a big reason why the Steelers are 3-2 without their best defensive player.

Key Stats

Pittsburgh has won the battle of time of possession in nine of their last 11 games
Pittsburgh is 2-0 in those games (Dallas in 2008 and Detroit in 2009)
James Harrison has forced 18 fumbles in his last 36 regular season starts.
Cleveland (11), Oakland (9.8) and St. Louis (6.8) are combining to average 3 points per game less than 2008 league-low Cincinnati (12.8)

Quick Hitters

Thankfully, He Doesn't Play for Us: I would have paid good money to witness the conversation between Bly and Singletary. Good money.

What's Going On In Bravo Company, Matthew?: A classic Col. Nathan Jessup quote to the Cleveland Browns for their most recent PR disaster. My favorite is the sarcasm-laced comment from the league about never having the need to implement rules about players without pads getting hit by players with pads. Only the Mangenius...

I Am Not Talking About No Fine: Chad Ochocinco gets hit hard, and Ray Lewis gets fined. It's kind of a double-win, huh?

Cedric Benson misses out on AFC Offensive Player of the Week to Kyle Orton

Kirkendall — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:39:33 -0000

While Cedric Benson is nominated for the weekly FedEx Ground Player of the Week (don't forget to vote by going here... a lot), Benson didn't win the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Sure, he was nominated. But Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton won the prize. Here's the story on Orton's performance during the Broncos win over the New England Patriots:

Orton completed 35 of 48 (72.9 percent) passes for 330 yards with two touchdowns versus one interception and a 96.7 passer rating in Denver’s 20-17 overtime win against New England.
Orton’s two touchdown passes came in drives that covered 98 and 90 yards.
He completed 6 of 10 passes for 76 yards on Denver’s 98-yard TD drive that tied the game at 17 with 5:21 remaining in the fourth quarter.
In overtime, Orton completed 4 of 6 passes for 31 yards and led Denver 58 yards on 11 plays to set up a game-winning field goal by kicker Matt Prater.
Orton helped Denver post a 5-0 record for the first time in 11 seasons (1998).
In his fifth year from Purdue, this is Orton’s first career Player of the Week Award. He joins Jay Cutler, John Elway, Brian Griese, Gary Kubiak and Jake Plummer, as the sixth Broncos QB to win the award.

Also nominated for AFC Offensive Player of the Week are:

Cincinnati running back Cedric Benson, who rushed for 120 yards (4.4 average) on 27 attempts with one touchdown in a 17-14 win over the Ravens.
Indianapolis rookie wide receiver Austin Collie, who totaled eight receptions for 97 yards (12.1 average) with two touchdowns in a 31-9 victory over Tennessee.
Miami quarterback Chad Henne, who completed 20 of 26 passes (76.9 percent) for 241 yards with two touchdowns versus zero interceptions and a 130.4 passer rating in a 31-27 win over the Jets.
Cleveland running back Jamal Lewis , who gained 117 yards (3.8 average) on 31 attempts.
Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning , who completed 36 of 44 passes (81.8 percent) for 309 yards with three touchdowns versus one interception and a 109.2 passer rating.
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who completed 23 of 30 passes (76.7 percent) for 277 yards with three touchdowns versus one interception and a 123.9 passer rating.

In case you're interested, James Harrison won AFC Player of the Week and punter Dave Zastudil won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. If you're interested even more, then:

NFC Offensive Player of the Week: WR Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys
NFC Defensive Player of the Week: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Arizona Cardinals
NFC Special Teams Player of the Week: P Jason Baker, Carolina Panthers

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.

Browns 6, Bills 3: Week 5 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:45:09 -0000

First thing's first: you're welcome. Or rather, I apologize. Probably the latter. I did, in fact, re-watch enough of the Buffalo Bills' 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns to both get enough for a Film Session discussion and make me viciously nauseous. I'll let y'all take bets on how long it took me to get there. But either way, either you're welcome for braving the film, or apologies for bringing the game back up. I, myself, am in the latter group; I apologized profusely and repeatedly to myself last night for making me do that.

After the jump: your Week 5 film session. Topics of discussion: Trent Edwards, his offensive line, Marshawn Lynch, the safety position, Keith Ellison and Brian Moorman.

On Trent Edwards. Boy... the Trent Edwards that's capable of winning games has completely disappeared. Edwards has been milk carton bad over the past three weeks. In those three games, Buffalo's offense has scored 13 points. Holy crap.

Before I get into his mechanics, I want to talk about his decision-making. If you're at the game or watching in the heat of the moment, fans in the stands were booing every time he threw short - which, frankly, is ridiculous in and of itself, but still, you come away with the feeling that Trent checks down far too often. I didn't get that sense when I watched the film. True, there were occasions - too many occasions - that Edwards hesitated to throw towards Terrell Owens or Lee Evans when either was in single coverage. His decision-making clearly wasn't perfect. But his decisions actually weren't bad in this game. In general, he was smart with the football. Fans want Edwards to throw deep or intermediate on every play, but that's completely unrealistic. Trent took his shots. It'd be nice if he took more shots, but shots were taken.

I'm far less worried about Edwards' decision-making than I am with his mechanics. Chalk it up to his terrible offensive line play if you wish - I'm putting a large chunk of blame on them - but Edwards' mechanics have deteriorated significantly over the past few weeks. His footwork is getting happier by the snap, which should have the contrary effect of making Bills fans - and receivers - sad. He lacks accuracy for a variety of reasons, but mostly because he's either throwing on the move, backwards, or not stepping into his throws completely because of the rush. On his interception - a busted play where Trent was rolling to his left and spotted Owens running a fly route down the field - Trent had an opportunity to make a big play, but he threw moving to the left and off of one foot. Ball was short, Cleveland picked it. Trent had time to set his feet and throw a strike there - yeah, he'd have taken a hit - but he shied away and threw up a lollipop.

Set aside the "throw it deep or else!" stuff for now, because Trent's got much, much bigger problems.

On the offensive line. Ron's full line analysis is coming later this afternoon, but I feel compelled to say something here about the line that might not be covered there. Buffalo's offense has been completely devoid of rhythm the past three weeks. In this particular game, the line was the sole reason why. Of the nine false start penalties (one of which was on Lee Evans, by the way), at least seven - probably eight - of them came on downs that I would term "crippling" to the Bills. Buffalo was moving the ball at times on Sunday. The line's penalties, and the subsequent inability of Edwards and his receivers to make up for the slew of mistakes, kept Buffalo from scoring. Yes, they blocked well at times, but my goodness, these young guys need to learn how to count.

On Marshawn Lynch. He's back. Or, at least the Browns' awful run defense made Lynch look like he's back. He had 125 total yards on 23 touches, he blocked well (while I saw Fred Jackson whiff on at least two blitz pickups), and he made a beautiful play on a wheel route down the middle for the longest gain on the day, a 35-yard pass reception. No, it didn't matter, and yes, playing Cleveland - one of the worst defenses in the league (not that Buffalo could exploit it) - certainly helped. But for this game, he was clearly the better back between he and Jackson - and that's why he starts.

Jackson, who had a phenomenal start to the season, looked bad. He picked up 47 yards on 15 touches, but couldn't find holes in the run game the way Lynch did. As I mentioned, he had a couple of poor efforts in blitz pickup - an area where he's usually top-notch. This was just a bad game for a guy who had been Buffalo's most consistent performer to date.

One last note - Lynch came out of this game really early. Again. He's become known for getting super hyped before a game, getting worked up after one or two carries, and having to leave the field to either throw up or finish hyperventilating. He has not yet outgrown that. I have nothing against a guy being amped for an NFL football game - quite the opposite, actually - but as good as Jackson is, flip-flopping runners that early gets the offense out of rhythm, too. Maybe Jackson should start games and let Lynch take more and more carries as the game wears on.

On the safety position. Folks, I realize that most of you hated the pick when it was made, but Jairus Byrd was a great selection by this team. Or, rather, the player selected could be great. Byrd was all over the field Sunday, finishing with seven tackles and a really nice, plucked-before-hitting-the-ground interception on a terrible Derek Anderson overthrow. He made some pretty big hits defending the run, too. A week prior in Miami, Byrd very nearly had a beautiful interception on a Chad Henne pass in the end zone. Folks, his instincts and ball skills weren't oversold in April. This guy can play.

I don't think it's a coincidence, either, that Buffalo has really struggled to defend the run - including against Cleveland - ever since the second half against New Orleans, which just happens to be roughly the time that Donte Whitner was injured. (It's roughly the time Bryan Scott was injured as well, for the record.) I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Whitner was playing at a near-Pro Bowl level before his injury, particularly defending the run. He was all over the football field.

If they can stay healthy - and if both can survive a likely off-season regime change - Buffalo has a safety tandem in Whitner and Byrd that are extremely versatile, fast, athletic, and excel in different areas (Whitner defending the run, Byrd the pass). These guys are both young and extremely talented, and they complement each other well. This, at least, is something to look forward to - the Bills have a pair of potentially elite safeties.

On Keith Ellison. I understand that a lot of people think he stinks, mostly because he doesn't weigh 250 pounds or run a 4.4 40-yard dash. Who cares? Yes, he's overmatched physically on occasion, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a more dependable player on the team. Plus, the guy produces, and he knows Perry Fewell's system so thoroughly that he shifted to middle linebacker without making a single error, as far as I could tell. Yes, Buffalo's run defense was again bad, but Ellison is hardly to blame. His value is really thrown into light considering that the Bills will be playing without Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell for the foreseeable future. And yes - I realize that Ellison playing Mike next week against Thomas Jones and Leon Washington is hardly ideal. But I'm comfortable with Ellison inside - you'll see no errors on his part.

On Brian Moorman. My Dad and I, sitting in the stands, watched Moorman punt balls into the stiff wind during pre-game warmups. He was standing feet from Dave Zastudil while doing so. Zastudil is an excellent punter, as he proved by pinning Buffalo deep three times, but so is Moorman. While Zastudil boomed perfect spirals with great spin into the wind during warm-ups, Moorman shanked left, shanked right, shanked high and shanked short. He looked pitiful.

And then he went out and averaged 52 yards on 7 punts.

The guy is good. Yes, I'm talking up our punter. We have very little to cling to right now, so shut it. Moorman's coverage units are nowhere near the quality they've been in the three years prior, but Moorman is still getting the job done. Some of Bobby April's other specialists should take note, because the rest of them flat-out stink, most particularly Roscoe Parrish.

Post-Game Thread: Victory at Last! Yay?

Chris Pokorny — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:33:06 -0000

Head coach Eric Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan celebrate the Cleveland Browns' first victory of the season.

View full size photo »

The Cleveland Browns are no longer winless. If we needed some form of momentum heading into Pittsburgh next week, I suppose a win is uplifting. And, although it wasn't the reason we won, the Browns are 1-0 in the post-Braylon Edwards era.

Bottom line, a win is a win. Also bottom line, this was the type of game in which you could make a highlight reel solely on how much of a joke both teams were at points. QB Derek Anderson suffered from some drops, but on the game he was just 2-of-17 for 23 yards and an interception. And we won.

Trent Edwards proved my point prior to the game that he is one of the league's worst starting quarterbacks. Nonetheless, props to our defense for holding their own throughout the game. Most of all, our special teams unit deserves a ton of credit for an amazing effort that didn't need the help of Joshua Cribbs. Having two punts downed at the one, one punt downed at the four, and then a fumble recovery on a punt to set up the game-winning field goal for the Browns makes Dave Zastudil the game's MVP without question.

By the way: I chose the picture above for a reason. I was literally laughing my arse off after seeing Eric Mangini, Rob Ryan, and Derek Anderson celebrate as if they'd won the Super Bowl following the game.

Final Practice/Injury Report: Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) at Cleveland Browns (0-3)

Kirkendall — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:11:14 -0000

OUT	Questionable	PROBABLE
T Andre Smith (foot)	DT Tank Johnson (foot)	RB Cedric Benson (knee)
	CB David Jones (foot)	LB Abdul Hodge (knee)
	CB Johnathan Joseph (foot)	LB Rey Maualuga (knee)
	DT Domata Peko (neck)	S Chinedum Ndukwe (hamstring)
	S Roy Williams (forearm)	T Andrew Whitworth (achilles)

Cleveland Browns

DOUBTFUL	QUESTIONABLE	PROBABLE
K Phil Dawson (right calf)	DE Kenyon Coleman (groin)	LB David Bowens (knee)
RB Jamal Lewis (hamstring)	RB James Davis (shoulder)	DT Shaun Rogers (foot)
G Floyd Womack (ankle)	G Rex Hadnot (knee)	LB Kamerion Wimbley (shoulder)
	G Eric Steinbach (knee)	CB Eric Wright (hand)
	DE Corey Williams (knee)	P Dave Zastudil (right knee)

Practice

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
T Andre Smith (foot)	OUT	OUT	OUT
RB Cedric Benson (knee)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Abdul Hodge (knee)	DNP	FP	FP
DT Tank Johnson (foot)	DNP	DNP	LP
CB Johnathan Joseph (foot)	DNP	DNP	FP
LB Rey Maualuga (knee)	DNP	FP	FP
S Chinedum Ndukwe (hamstring)	DNP	FP	FP
CB David Jones (foot)	LP	FP	FP
DT Domata Peko (neck)	LP	DNP	FP
S Roy Williams (forearm)	LP	DNP	LP
T Andrew Whitworth (achilles)	FP	FP	FP

BROWNS	WED	THUR	FRI
DE Kenyon Coleman (groin)	DNP	LP	LP
K Phil Dawson (right calf)	DNP	DNP	DNP
RB Jamal Lewis (hamstring)	DNP	DNP	DNP
G Floyd Womack (ankle)	DNP	DNP	DNP
LB David Bowens (knee)	LP	LP	FP
G Rex Hadnot (knee)	LP	LP	LP
DT Shaun Rogers (foot)	LP	LP	FP
G Eric Steinbach (knee)	LP	LP	LP
DE Corey Williams (knee)	LP	DNP	LP
LB Kamerion Wimbley (shoulder)	LP	FP	FP
CB Eric Wright (hand)	FP	FP	FP
P Dave Zastudil (right knee)	FP	FP	FP
RB James Davis (shoulder)	--	FP	DNP