SB Nation - Reggie Hodges

Browns Offense Struggles, Roster Becomes Depleted in 16-7 Loss to Bengals

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:03:47 -0000

More photos » by Tony Tribble - AP

The Browns couldn't stop the Bengals' running backs.

CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-10)	WEEK 12	CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-3)
	VS.
7		16

After the promising game the Browns offense had versus the Detroit Lions a few weeks ago, this past Sunday's effort against the Cincinnati Bengals was another disappointment in a dismal 1-10 season.

Considering the number of players now being stockpiled on the injured reserve, the tone of certain parts of this review had to be adapted to account for that (i.e. it's not worth pointing out that Jamal Lewis had a lackluster game considering his career is basically over).

Let's get to the full review of the game, starting with the goat of the game...

WEEK 12 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

GOATS OF THE GAME:

Mohamed Massaquoi: The lack of chemistry between a quarterback and a receiver can indicate that both players are at fault, but I'm giving Massaquoi more of the blame here. For several weeks, Quinn has quickly released the ball to a spot when a blitzer comes free. The ball typically gets thrown to an area where a receiver isn't standing. Instead, we usually see Massaquoi running up the field.

When a blitzer is coming free, and considering the fact that not many plays are designed for Quinn to even attempt to throw the ball long, Massaquoi needs to have hit eyes on the quarterback sooner in third down situations. I forget which game it was following ours on Sunday, but I saw a blitzer come at the quarterback, who promptly threw a 10-yard out route to the sideline. The receiver began looking at about 7 yards and quickly made the adjustment for a nice catch, negating the blitz. For the targets Massaquoi is getting, he needs to be more aware of the situations.

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

Matt Roth: He could end up being a complete bust who was only productive because the Bengals didn't expect to have to prepare for him. I'll look at the optimistic side of things though. Early on against the Bengals, Roth made a quick name for himself by bullrushing (was it the right tackle?) right into Carson Palmer for the sack. Later on, he also added pressure via the bullrush that led to a negative play for Palmer and the Bengals. Being low on the waiver wire has its benefits I guess, eh?

GENERAL THOUGHTS

The Browns' receivers only found some success on a few quick reads from the slot.

Gashed on the Ground: Although our defense only allowed 16 points, we were gashed left and right on the ground by Larry Johnson and Bernard Scott. Johnson had 107 yards on the ground while Scott added an additional 87 yards. The Bengals' primary backs with Cedric Benson on the bench had a total of 40 carries. In comparison, Jamal Lewis had just 11 carries.
Quick Reads: The only times that our quick-read passes seemed to work came when receivers lined up in the slot formation. As they took off from the line of scrimmage, Quinn fired it just beyond the reach of the defender in coverage and into the arms of our receivers. Those plays are effective for catch-and-runs, although none of our players could take full advantage of the YAC portion.
The Touchdown Drive: Besides our first offensive drive of the game, the one in which the Browns scored a touchdown on what was really the only memorable one of the game.
The Specifics of the Drive (Part 1): The first notable play of the drive, keeping Brady Quinn on the field while Joshua Cribbs was in the wildcat actually served a purpose. Cribbs rolled out to the right and then set his feet to the left before heaving about a 20-yard pass to Quinn. While the pass wasn't "perfect in stride," it was close enough. The defender did a good job trying to break up the pass, and in turn, Quinn made a more impressive catch than most of our receivers have made this year.
The Specifics of the Drive (Part 2): Right after that, Quinn threw a quick pass to Massaquoi's back shoulder...and Massaquoi was actually looking for it! Massaquoi made a diving grab on the 10-yard pass. In case the ball hit the ground, to prevent the Bengals from challenging the play, the offense raced to the line of scrimmage and immediately snapped the ball. Quinn handed off to Lewis, who took the defense by surprise with a 6-yard burst up the middle.
The Specifics of the Drive (Part 3): Three plays later, on second-and-goal from the nine, the Browns lined up with five receivers wide. The formation made sense actually, because after snapping the ball, Quinn took off up the middle and pretty much entered the end zone untouched for the touchdown.
False Hope: In one drive, Brian Daboll unloaded his entire creative playbook of the season. That brought us to within one score of taking the lead at 13-7, which was great news considering a lot of time was left in the second half. After giving up the field goal, things went downhill again for the offense, as described below.
Why Did We Punt?: Down two possessions in the fourth quarter, our offense really couldn't afford to punt anymore -- we needed to score. On a 4th-and-1 from mid-field, Eric Mangini allowed the Browns to go for it. We lined up tight at first, and then everyone motioned out into a spread formation (which was done impressively without a penalty).

Quinn then snapped the ball and sneaked it forward for a first down. Sadly, when we got to the 43-yard line, on 4th-and-3, the Browns elected to punt. I can't rag on Reggie Hodges too much, but his punt didn't even come close to pinning the Bengals back -- it just sailed deep for a touchback.
The Next Drive Did It: When the Browns got the ball back after a Bengals punt, Brian Daboll showed exactly why fans despise his playcalling so much. Backed up to our own 13-yard line, on first down, the call was a quick WR screen pass to Cribbs. It didn't work. Fine, that's OK -- if it caught the Bengals off guard, maybe it could've gone for significant yardage. On second down, we ran the same exact play and it fell incomplete. After a false start penalty, on 3rd-and-14, we again ran the same exact play, except on the other side of the field. It went for a stunning 1-yard gain, and we had to punt again. Sheesh.
Running Back Impressions: The past several weeks, neither Chris Jennings nor Jerome Harrison have done anything noteworthy in their limited action. Jennings has received a tad more playing time. Everyone here knows that I'd love to see Harrison receive another shot at the starting role.
You're Yelling...Because? It was hilarious to see Eric Mangini scare the referee to death as he yelled at him from behind as the second quarter ended. Mangini was upset that a 15-yard penalty was called on Shaun Rogers, but there was no doubt that he horse collar tackled Carson Palmer to the ground. The play allowed the Bengals to add another field goal heading into the half.

I understand why Rogers didn't just chase him out of bounds -- a non-horse collar hit could've led to a fumble. Palmer did end up fumbling, and had the tackle been legal, perhaps one of our defenders scoops it up for a touchdown. It was good to see Palmer get up from the tackle unharmed.
Allen Over Robiskie: I don't care if Brian Robiskie has looked bad in practice or something (not that that is the case) -- the second-round choice should be given the shot at playing time, at least over WR Jake Allen, who has hardly been with the team. Allen was targeted on an overthrown pass against the Bengals.
Containing Cribbs: The Bengals did a very good job at containing Joshua Cribbs. Cribbs' number of "big returns" seem to be declining, but I doubt it has much to do with a lack of motivation or anything of that sort.
Always in the Spotlight: In the second half, there were two instances in which Quinn threw the ball deep out of bounds, and someone on the sidelines was all by himself, going out of his way to make the catch. Who? Derek Anderson. I don't know if anyone else noticed it, but in a season full of errors, I couldn't help but laugh...
Torched With Rogers: If the Bengals' backs torched us when Rogers was playing, what's it going to be like with Ahtyba Rubin in on the action?
Brownies: WR/DB Mike Furrey batted a pass down in the end zone...he might have intercepted it if the Bengals' receiver didn't make contact early (no flag was thrown)...why is is that the Browns' coaches are shown on television so much more often than other coaches? I saw Mangini's distorted face after every play, and only saw Marvin Lewis maybe once or twice. The same goes with Rex Ryan vs. the Bengals' defensive coordinator.

Next week, the Browns will take on the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers are one of the hottest teams in football, and the Browns haven't shown any sign of even being close to a spoiler team. Given the number of injuries we have, we're clearly the worst team in football. The only things left to gain from this season are more experience for Quinn, and seeing if either Jennings or Harrison can contribute at running back next year.

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.

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Rebuilding Mid-Nosedive Edition

August West — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:28:38 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

Remember back when even if you were lucky enough to score on us, you were going to get the snot knocked out of ya? Me neither.

Browse more photos »

0-5? Nosedive.

Terry McCormick says that the starting of Hayes and the benching of Kearse are a sign of rebuilding. Another depressing fact in this article: the Titans are one of four teams who remain winless, but we're the onlny one of those not sporting a rookie head coach.

A Number of Things Jim Wyatt tells us about the Titans this week includes 2 gems: Justin Gage has disappeared and Reggie Hodges has the 2nd lowest net punting average in the NFL. It's time to give Trapasso a shot out there.

Follow us through the jump for the worst idea to break our losing streak...

Sounds like Keith Bulluck's annual charity fundraiser/wine tasting was a rare win for a Titans player this year.

Our terrible DVOA rankings prove that our ineptitude is no mirage, but the result of long, arduous and consistent failure to play good football.

Guaranteed not to get us off the schnide: Cuddle Parties.

WR Matt Jones worked-out for the Bucs and was passed up on for Yamon Figurs... ouch.

If there's anything you would like to share with the MCM community, please take advantage of the comments, fanshots and fanposts to do so! Or, you can always email me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com.

Danny Woodhead Among Four Released

John B — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:17:02 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

6 months ago: New York Jets running back Danny Woodhead catches a pass during the football minicamp, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, in Florham Park, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

View full size photo »

A day after producing the feel good story of the year, the Jets undid it by cutting Danny Woodhead.

Danny Woodhead’s stay on the New York Jets’ active roster lasted 24 hours.

The small and shifty running back was waived Sunday, along with punter Reggie Hodges (notes), offensive tackle Mike Kracalik (notes) and linebacker Brandon Renkart (notes), a day after coach Rex Ryan got down to the 53-man roster limit.

I said it yesterday. I'll say it again. I want a playmaker instead of a blocker. What does fullback Jason Davis bring over Robert Turner or Wayne Hunter as a blocker? How often will the Jets even need a backup fullback with Tony Richardson in the fold? Couldn't they sign somebody off the street who would be just as capable if they ever needed another fullback? Woodhead is a great weapon, a gamebreaking threat. Imagine the headaches packages with he and Leon Washington on the field at the same time could have caused. It's tough to imagine Woodhead clearing waivers and making it to the practice squad. Some team starved for running back play will take a chance on a guy with his skill set. Maybe the Pats will grab him for revenge on Kevin O'Connell and perhaps pick Danny's brain on the Jets.

Why carry four quarterbacks? Why not release Kellen Clemens? Undoubtedly Kellen's a great guy, but they don't make that trade for O'Connell if they're convinced Kellen is the answer as a backup quarterback. It's not like Clemens has a load of trade value.

I don't get why Rex Ryan singled him out in praise yesterday only to do this.

I'm not exactly shedding the same kind of tears for Reggie Hodges, but I don't get how A.J. Trapasso has proven to be better than either Reggie or the other preseason competitors.

Puzzling stuff.

Jets Claim Two From the Titans

John B — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:22:49 -0000

The Jets acquired a famous punter and a tight end off waivers from Tennessee.

The Jets have been awarded two players on waivers from the Titans -- P A.J. Trapasso and TE Matthew Mulligan, according to sources.

Trapasso is best known for hitting the new $40 million scoreboard in Dallas, creating a firestorm. His arrival means incumbent Reggie Hodges is a toast. No surprise there. Rex Ryan made it clear yesterday that they were looking for a punter.

Mulligan, a second-year player, is regarded as more of a blocking tight end than a receiver. He will back up Dustin Keller and Ben Hartsock.

It's interesting the Jets were so down on Hodges. It didn't seem like they gave any of his competitors much of a chance. I'm not really seeing Trapasso as much of an upgrade over Hodges. He only averaged 41 yards per kick at Ohio State in college. I'm not sure the search for a punter ends here. Mulligan fills a void since the Jets lacked bodies at tight end.

With these moves in addition to the Kevin O'Connell trade, the Jets now must clear three roster spots not counting the two others when Shaun Ellis and Calvin Pace return from suspension. Reggie Hodges is probably a goner. Who else?

Opening Day Roster

John B — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:03:11 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

Danny Woodhead making the team is probably the biggest roster news.

View full size photo »

QB: Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge
RB: Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Shonn Greene, Danny Woodhead
FB: Tony Richardson
WR: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, David Clowney, Brad Smith, Wallace Wright
TE: Dustin Keller, Ben Hartsock
C: Nick Mangold
OG: Alan Faneca, Brandon Moore, Matt Slauson
OT: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Damien Woody, Michael Kracalik, Wayne Hunter, Robert Turner
DE: Shaun Ellis, Marques Douglas, Ropati Pitoitua, Mike DeVito
DT: Kris Jenkins, Sione Pouha, Howard Green
LB: Bryan Thomas, David Harris, Bart Scott, Jamaal Westerman, Calvin Pace, Vernon Gholston, Brandon Renkart, Larry Izzo, Jason Trusnik, Marques Murrell
CB: Darrelle Revis, Lito Sheppard, Dwight Lowery, Donald Strickland, Drew Coleman, Marquice Cole, Ahmad Carroll
S: Kerry Rhodes, Jim Leonhard, Eric Smith, James Ihedigbo
PK: Jay Feely
P: Reggie Hodges
LS: James Dearth

Thoughts:

Danny Woodhead fans, celebrate. Your man is on the roster. Readers here could probably sense I was back and forth. In the end, I think keeping him was the right call if for no other reason than the game he played against the Eagles. He showed an ability to make plays and an aggressive and elusive running style. I get it was against backups, but his speed and athleticism are real. It's good to find a spot for a guy like this. From Chadron State to the NFL, an incredible story. We may have the next Chrebet on our hands.

I also notice the lack of blockers on the roster, two tight ends and one fullback. I said early today I was fine with it. My guess is Brian Schottenheimer used his influence here. The Jets used a lot of Robert Turner and Wayne Hunter at tight end last season. With a defensive head coach, he has bigger influence, and it looks like he used it.

Two players on the above roster will be gone. The first will be out when Shaun Ellis comes back in Week 2 and the second when Calvin Pace's suspension is over Week 5. Michael Kracalik, Ropati Pitoitua, Brandon Renkart, Drew Coleman, and Marquice Cole are the early favorites. Kracalik and Pitoitua may have only made the roster because they play Pace's and Ellis' positions respectively, and the team needs extra depth. Kracalik is one of five tackles on the roster. The two other backups are the aforementioned Hunter and Turner, who figure to be important cogs in power sets and have experience lining up at tight end. Cole and Coleman are in danger with seven corners, Revis, Sheppard, Strickland, and Lowery the top guys and Carroll a special teams ace.

Glenn Pakulak Released

John B — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:00:29 -0000

That was quick. Less than a week after signed punter Glenn Pakulak, the Jets released him.

Dude never got a chance to punt in a game.

This leaves Reggie Hodges as the only punter on the roster. Does this mean he has won the job? Well, he has outlasted three challengers, but if I were him, I'd rent, not buy.

Strange stuff. We saw last season that Reggie Hodges isn't really the answer, but the Jets never give anybody a chance to unseat him. I guess we're looking at another year of Reggie. Not the worst thing in the world, but you wonder how seriously the team considered these other options.

Jets Sign Another Punter

John B — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:44:26 -0000

In the latest installment of The Jets Can't Find a Punter, the team has signed former Saint Glenn Pakulak.

The New York Jets have claimed punter Glenn Pakulak off waivers and have waived punter Ken Parrish and linebacker Josh Mauga. The announcements were made by general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Pakulak (6′3″, 220) signed with New Orleans on Oct. 29, 2008, and averaged 47.7 yards per punt in the Saints’ last eight games. He was waived on Aug. 17. He was a member of Oakland’s practice squad in 2008 and spent the 2008 off-season with the Chicago Bears. In 2006-07 he played for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe. He was allocated to NFLE by Oakland in 2006 and Tennessee in 2007.

A 47.7 average? I think we've found a punter. Or one better than Reggie Hodges at least.

Punter News!

John B — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:00:25 -0000

The Jets have waived rookie punter T.J. Conley and signed East Stroudsburg product Ken Parrish in his place.

The signing of Parrish - a graduate of East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University who was signed by the Eagles in May, released Aug. 8, and hasn't kicked in an NFL regular-season game - should serve as notice to Hodges, who was cut by the Jets in April and re-signed two weeks later.

Hodges, who had a 55-yard punt Friday, combined with Conley for a 38.3 average. Both pinned a punt inside the 20, but Ryan wants more consistency. "We're going to find a punter," an agitated Ryan said. "If he's here or if he's on somebody else's team, we've got to find a punter."

Disappointing to see the Jets couldn't get more out of Conley, who had a 47.3 average last season at Idaho. He played his home games in a dome in the elevation of the Rocky Mountains, but he did average over 50 yards in two games at sea level last year. Friday night's showing wasn't great. He probably wasn't doing a ton at practice for the Jets to cut him loose after only one subpar night.

We'll see whether Parrish can be the answer. He's never kicked a ball in an NFL game since getting out of school two years ago. He averaged 42 yards per kick as a senior and 43 as a junior, Hodges territory. My guess is the search won't end here.

What I'd Like to See in Tonight's Preseason Opener

John B — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:16 -0000

This is not going to be much of a test of Mark Sanchez's capabilities. Defenses are usually bland in preseason so teams don't put anything on film for regular season opponents. It's also not clear how long starters will work. Still, there are a few things we can take from Sanchez tonight. I would like to see that he has a firm grasp of the offense, has confidence running the huddle, and has developed chemistry with his receivers.
I'd like Vernon Gholston to show something. A sack. Whipping a lineman on a play. Anything that shows he might make good on his promise this season.
I want the offensive line to hold up with three starters out and at least put to rest some of our fears about the lack of depth.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Jamaal Westerman can do. I've been hearing all about him during camp. I can't wait to see him line up all over the place at end, outside linebacker, and inside linebacker.
It will be interesting to finally see what the punters can do. I'm pulling for T.J. Conley to beat out Reggie Hodges. Conley's younger and has a lot of potential. He was one of the NCAA's best punters last season. Hodges was inconsistent as a Jet in 2008.
Most importantly, I want no injuries. Championships cannot be won in preseason games, but they can be lost if key players get hurt.