SB Nation User Blog: Bernie19Kosar

What can we expect from our new defensive coaching squad?

Bernie19Kosar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:47:51 -0000

(Flashback to 2005 offseason)

"He's not like most first-time coaches," said Joe Linta, Crennel's agent. "He's a guy with more credentials.

"Although he hasn't been a head coach, he has five Super Bowl rings. The Browns aren't just getting a coach.

"They're buying into a program. They are getting 25 years of experience and knowledge."

The 2005 off-season was sweet. Butch Davis era was done. The Cleveland Browns needed some new blood. The Browns had hired a hot-shot young GM from Baltimore in Phil Savage. The Browns decided that the newest era of the Browns needed a defensive make-over. Savage went looking for a defensive coach that ran his style. Phil Savage set his gaze on New England. Year in, year out the Pats seemed to have good defenses. Yes New England had a so called "defensive genius" as a head coach, but he couldn’t do all that by himself could he? He had the help of long-time assistant Romeo Crennel. Crennel was chosen to be the 11^th head coach in the history of the Cleveland Browns. We were promised a new team. We were promised a 3-4 defense that would mirror Baltimore and New England. We signed Jason Fisk. We drafted Antonio Perkins. We were about to win a crapload of football games. Times were good.

(Present day)

Romeo Crennel stunk. Todd Grantham was a power hungry fool. Jason Fisk sucked. Perkins never played. Belichick was that ~~smart~~ good at cheating.

Ummm…. Let’s try this again.

We are now being promised a new brand of defense. Once again we dip our collective toe into the Belichick coaching tree, but hopefully in a different end. Romeo Crennel was all about the bend but don’t break defense (BBDBD). Make the offense play well in order to beat you. If your offense is a good one, the BBDBD may be the best way to attack an opposing offense. Look at 2007, our offense was great, so the BBDBD was able to give us 10 wins. Romeo looked like a genius.

I hate BBDBD. I crave an attacking defense. I want a defense that brings the blitz and forces the offense to game plan to the defense. When did you ever think an opposing OC looked at our Romeo Crennel’s defense on tape and worried? Romeo’s defense was bland, no varying our front 7. Wimbley lined up at the same position down in and down out. We rarely brought DB blitzes, and when we did, they never seemed to get to the QB. Our best defensive playmakers would be in the same spots every down, and the same players would rush. It’s not hard to see why this brand of defense was short on making big plays.

So, we start again on defense. Things are not nearly as poor as they were in 2005. We have a bad ass at NT. We have a CB that could be a man-to-man demon. We have a tackling machine at MLB. We have a plan. We have some pieces to build around. We are no longer depending on Jason Fisk and Simon Fraser for minutes.

In the NFL, the most valuable defensive position is a DT that can push the pocket and control the LOS. With Shaun Rogers, the Browns may have the NFL’s greatest athletic force. Albert Haynesworth, a great player in his own right, does not have the pure athletic talent that Shaun Rogers possess. Haynesworth just became the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. Great defenses have great DT/NT; for example, Hampton, Wilfork, Williams Wall, Jamal Williams, Haynesworth and Ngata. All of these players teams were at or above .500 last year. The Browns wasted a Pro Bowl season out of Shaun Rogers. I don’t think that Mangini and Ryan will make that same mistake.

Eric Mangini cut his defensive teeth under Bill Belichick. He has named Rob Ryan as his defensive coordinator. Bryan Cox, former bad boy LB under Parcells and Belichick is now the D-Line coach. Matt Eberflus, former University of Missouri DC, is now the LB coach. Jerome Henderson was a DB under Mangini in New York in 1997-98, is now the DB coach in Cleveland. How can these guys make our defense any better?

Freaking sweet.

Rob Ryan, son of legendary defensive wizard Buddy Ryan, has a long history of good defenses. In the NFL he has coached with Mangini in New England where Ryan was the LB coach. In New England he had the knack of getting pressure from his entire defense. Ryan was named DC in Oakland in 2004. Ryan had his problems in Oakland. He clashed with Lance Kiffin. He was accused by Kiffin for going behind his back to Al Davis and changing defensive game plans. It wasn’t all bad in Oak-town. Ryan actually somehow made really bad team look decent on defense at times.

In 2004 the Raiders defense was much better against the run. They went from 4.6 YPC in 2003 to 3.7 YPC in 2004. Good enough for 7^th in the NFL. Rob Ryans best LB that season was Danny Clark. Needless to say, Ryan wasn’t working with much that season. In 2005 the YPC went up to 4.0, same for 2006. In 2007 the rush defense fell apart and fell to the worst in the league at 4.8 YPC. Last year Raiders stayed crappy at 4.7 YPC. How did the Browns stack up?

	Oakland	Cleveland
2004	3.7 YPC*	4.3 YPC
2005	4.0 YPC	4.2 YPC
2006	4.0 YPC	4.4 YPC
2007	4.8 YPC	4.5 YPC
2008	4.7 YPC	4.5 YPC

Some quick facts. 2004 was the first year that Oakland ran a 3-4 defense, it didn't last long though. 2005 and 2006 the Raiders ran some 3-4 but mostly switched back to 4-3 looks. It is nice to see that Ryan was able to use the 3-4 to stop the run. Looking at these numbers, I really wonder why they switched. In 2007 Lane Kiffin was hired and brought his fathers Tampa-2 style defense to Oaktown. Ryan has run almost every defense under the sun, but he got his best results against the run with the 3-4. Sweet. Remember, the Browns weren’t facing LaDainian Tomlinson twice a season in his prime or Larry Johnson twice a season. That can kill a team’s average. It looks like Ryan will be able to help the rush defense for the Browns if he can revert to his early Raider days. I’m not saying that Ryan will be able to work miracles, but with the talent that the Browns have at NT and the tackling machine of DQ, I am thinking we could get the YPC down in the 3.8-3.9 area. That would be a huge help in getting this defense in an attacking mode.

Against the pass, Rob Ryan is a throwback. He loves man-to-man (no wonder Al Davis loved the guy). He had the NFL’s greatest man-to-man (MTM) CB in Nnamdi Asomugha. That makes it pretty easy to put your CB’s on an island. Mangini has also been a fan of MTM. He had Darrelle Revis who is quickly developing into a force. I think that the Browns have a young CB in Eric Wright that could turn the corner into an elite level CB that is able to go toe to toe with the top WR’s in the NFL. I think that Ryan is a great coach for Wright. After seeing how Nnamdi prepares for Sunday, Ryan should have a great insight into making Wright a great CB. If Rob Ryan is going to throw our young CB’s into MTM coverage, we could face some huge breakdowns. I’m willing to risk it if that means that the Browns defense will be bringing those extra defenders in high pressure situations. Jerome Henderson is the DB coach. He has had little experience in coaching but worked under Mangini in NY and helped with the development of Revis. Can Rob Ryan turn Elam and Pool into safeties that can play MTM and be the last line of defense? Can Wright and McDonald/Hood turn into capable CB’s? After all, DeAngelo Hall couldn’t handle the pressure and fell apart and was shipped out.

Rob Ryan has had experience working with talented OLB in a 3-4 in NE. In Oakland Ryan was forced to use mostly a 4-3. He was able to turn Derrick Burgess into a sack machine. This unique background gave Ryan the ability to coach both defenses and decide which defense best suits his personel in Cleveland. I think we can all agree that the 3-4 would be the best approach. Ryan also caused a stir when he and Mangini mentioned that the Browns will be running the 46 defense invented by his father. In case you have no idea what a 46 defense is, Rufio gave a great breakdown a little while ago. Shorthand version is the 46 defense uses safeties and movement of LB’s to create massive disorganization amongst the offense. When it is run correctly it is a sight to behold. Watch the Baltimore defense when it is running on all cylinders. It is fun to watch (unless it is against the Browns).

Those are not isatoners...

Bryan Cox is the new DL coach. Outside of Ryan, I am most pumped about Cox. He is a bad man. He was a player that you hated when your team played against him. He has experience getting to the QB (He had 14 sacks his 2^nd year in the NFL) and his played all over the field in a 3-4. He is experienced and knows how to use his hands to shed blocks, something our defensive players need to learn ASAP. To be honest, Cox is here to kick some ass. He doesn’t handle underperformance well. He was all over his D-Lineman during the OTA’s. He is a screamer and in your face kind of guy. In other words, if Corey Williams doesn’t get his act together under Cox, he may never in a 3-4. D-Lineman in a 3-4 are glorified blockers for LB’s. Great 3-4 linemen not only collect blockers but also make plays on the other side of the LOS. Rogers is a great one. I think that Williams has the talent to be a very good DE, but he has to show it now. I get excited when I think about lining Rogers over the Center with Williams over a guard and a blitzing ILB over the other. That means Rogers is one-on-one with a center. I cannot think of any Center in the NFL that could handle Rogers alone.

I do not think that the Browns have a great defense. I think that they have the talent to be a good too very good defense. Wimbley will have to rebound into a great pass rusher. He has the talent, but he needs to add new moves and get a mean streak. Wimbley should be following Bryan Cox around at all times learning from the veteran coach. We here at DBN have talked about DQ being a tackling machine, but he needs to be making the big plays. Maybe adding some big plays to his normal 10 tackles a game. We will find out in a hurry if Elam and Pool are able to run this defense. From everything that I have read Mangini loves to use his safeties in confusing offenses. Pool and Elam are young, but both very talented. Elam should have a great leg up with experience playing for Mangini in his system.

Mangini and Ryan will make this defense attack. The Browns will be a fun watch one way or another. We could be watching a playmaking defense find its stride, or we could be watching a tire fire. I can’t remember the last time I was excited to see a Browns defense. This year is different. We have a bad man at D-Line coach. We have a mad man at DC. I can’t wait. We will attack on defense. Be warned Minnesota, your first.

Brandon Marshall to the Browns?

Bernie19Kosar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:10:51 -0000

Brandon Marshall to the Browns?

Well it looks like the Browns are interested in another Bronco. This time it is Brandon Marshall. Marshall has a checkered past, and that is putting it lightly.

Rumor is; Joshua Cribbs and a draft pick for Brandon Marshall

I have said before that I am not in favor of keeping players with numerous incidents. I am not sure that I am loving this idea of Cribbs and a pick for Marshall. Lower than a first, and I am probably on board. This would enable to Browns to play hardball with Edwards or flip him out.

Looking at Marshall, he is a trouble maker off the field and a complete beast on the field. I personally think that he is a bigger, stronger Anquan Boldin.

Stallworth to plead Guilty

Bernie19Kosar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:24:36 -0000

Stallworth to plead Guilty

ProFootballTalk is reporting that Donte Stallworth will be pleading guilty tomorrow to what is believed to be DUI Manslaughter charge.

I don't think we will be seeing Mr. Stallworth for quite some time...

Update: ESPN is now confiriming the report, and says he will do jail time.

Mike Brown visiting the Browns

Bernie19Kosar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:10:16 -0000

Mike Brown visiting the Browns

Former Bears safety, Mike Brown, is visting the Browns.

Do we need more DBs?

Big Ben hurts his knee

Bernie19Kosar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:15:23 -0000

Big Ben hurts his knee

Ben Roethlisberger limps away from practice after hurting his knee. The freaking drama queen did actually happen to walk off the field under his own power, so I am guessing that he probably has a bruise.

Steeler fans think this wuss is a warrior.

Is the plan working?

Bernie19Kosar — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:08:26 -0000

I don't think the plan is working. This is not a rant or some off the cuff reactionary diatribe. I am just like most of you guys, since 2001 I have bought into the Mark Shapiro "program". I have watched the Indians place a premium on certain type players. Cast aside so-called headcases/problem-child players for lower level "Shapiro-kind-of-guys". The Indians have styled their drafts for these kind of players. He has taken the lower ceiling, more of a sure thing, type players over the boom or bust type players. We as a fan base have been told this is because the Indians, like other small/mid-market teams can't miss on early picks.

The only problem has been that the Indians drafts since 2001 have been lacking. Granted injuries have played a part (Michael Aubry, Matt Whitney, Adam Miller) but is that really an excuse? Doesn't every team face injuries? This front office draft history has been horrible. In the 2005 MLB draft, one that has been called one of the best draft classes ever, the Indians had two picks in the first round and left with Trevor Crowe and John Drennen. It wasn't a case of bonus money, Crowe signed for 1.675 million and Drennen signed for a cool million. Both of those seem in line for where they were taken. They were just serious cases of poor drafting.

I know that the draft is an inexact science. You are trying to gauge how much growth a high-school kid will do in the next four years. There is a long list of kids with can't miss ability that did just that. But I am wondering how many other teams have missed this badly over the same amount of time? It would be pretty amazing to see if there was any other team that has gone 8 years without drafting an above average major leaguer. I know that the young kids from the last couple of draft classes haven't had sufficient time to dis-prove this, but other than Weglarz and Huff, is the hope very high for any others?

I don't want anyone to think that I am a draft guru of any magnitude. I am sure that there is a player that I am missing out on. But I am having a hard time remembering the last time that I was truly excited about an Indians drafted, homegrown prospect. I believe there are only 11 Cleveland Indian drafted players on this teams 40 man roster, that includes a couple of guys who haven't even gotten their first sip of coffee at the MLB level.

I do acknowledge that the Indians have done a great job of signing young Latin American players. Without this influx of talent, this team would be lost. Imagine this team with Vic, Droobs, Peralta, R.Perez and Fausto. The minors have some nice Latin flavor with Rondon and De La Cruz. I do know that in 2007 we had 20% of our roster was from Venezuela alone. This is something that Shapiro and company has excelled in.

Trading has been Shapiro's calling card. Personally I think that Shapiro is given too much credit for this. Yes he struck gold with the Bartolo Colon deal. It was the perfect storm of opportunity, panic, and carelessness. Bravo for Shapiro. The Hafner deal also was a steal. Hafner was blocked and the Rangers need pitching (Still do! Zing!) and Shapiro gave them a middle of the road starter and a catcher that was blocking our own top prospect, Victor. Is two great deals enough to cover for the lack of draft success?

Since these deals, Shapiro has been active on the trade market, with much less results (Granted the bar was pretty high at the time). The Barfield deal looks like a dud. Shoppach needs to cut down the K's dramatically if he ever wants to be a everyday MLB catcher. Marte was Marte. Ryan Church and Luke Scott were give aways that look bad now, albeit in a minor way. Jeremy Guthrie would look nice in the 3 hole on this team(Yes I know he was a DFA). No one is perfect.

Brandon Phillips and Milton Bradley were their own cases and have been discussed, kicked to death, and rehashed on this Website more than I care to remember. I was in favor of trading Milton. This team was young and Bradley was 26 YO kid who wasn't going to change his spots. He clashed with Wedge and he needed to go.

I don't want to restart a dead issue, but I believe that Shapiro let Wedge ruin Phillips in Cleveland. Shapiro should take some of the blame for the whole situation. I have never seen another franchise run a 22 YO kid through the grinder and let him waste such immense talent.

Slowly but surely I have watched Shapiro become a so-called genius. In 2007 he won the GM of the year. All was good. His plan was working. Yet I have seen how his plan is lacking. If Fausto never comes back (something I fear more and more everyday), our staring pitching isn't lacking, it is down right scary. We all believe that Cliff will be gone either by trade or FA. Fausto, Laffey, Westbrook, Huff and Rondon? Is that a rotation that can compete? Is our line-up to be feared? Our hopes are high for LaPorta, but he can't seem to crack through the Dellucci/Francisco outmaking wall and into the starting line-up. Vic is money, and Droobs seems to be bouncing back from his Soph slump. Is Peralta a long-term building block? Sizemore is having his worst season since he came up in 2001.

Is Shapiro's plan working? Is one trip to the playoffs in 8 years a plan (I'm not giving Shapiro credit for 2001, because that team was put together mostly by Hart)? An obvious lack of evaluating draft classes and bullpen arms has been an on-going problem. Is this front office's idea of "sticking to the plan" going to be good enough in the future? Is it good enough now? I think that a good amount of Cleveland Indian fans want Eric Wedge fired. But should we also be looking at the front office?

What is the best way to use Joshua Cribbs?

Bernie19Kosar — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:46:10 -0000

First I should say this, Joshua Cribbs is my favorite Browns player in quite sometime. It is not a surprise that Eric Mangini has fallen in love with Cribbs either, after all his former mentor Bill Belichick had full on man love for Number 16. I think that Cribbs is one of the rare football players that seem to be comfortable no matter where he is on the field. That being said, Josh Cribbs is not a WR. He has had 16 catches in four years. I would love too see him on the field more as a weapon but the previous coaching staff did not see that as a fit way to use Cribbs. But does Mangini?

Crennel said it was a way to keep him fresh as a kick returner. In 2001 the Carolina Panthers used that same thinking for Steve Smith. Smith has gone on to be an awesome WR. When you have an uncanny ability to get the ball in the endzone, you should be on the field as much as possible. Same with Darren Sproles. Playmakers shouldn't be "saved" they should be put in positions to use these skills. Joshua Cribbs is a playmaker.

What is the best way for Joshua Cribbs to get onto the field? Eric Mangini has made some noise about using Cribbs on defense. I personally think that Safety/CB is the best option for Cribbs. He has been a weapon in the ST units as a gunner. He has racked up 70 ST in his brief career, a number that becomes very impressive when you think how few opportunities he has to make tackles.

At 6'2 215lbs, he has the size to be a safety and I know he has the smarts. He has been put all over the field in his short career and has done well almost everywhere.

Here is the wildcard. In 2004 Eric Mangini was DB coach for the New England Patriots. This was the season in which the Pats turned longtime WR Troy Brown into a starting CB. Troy Brown is a nice player, but he was not the player that Joshua Cribbs is. Personally I think that Cribbs may start off slow and used sparingly in the defensive backfield at the start of this year. But as the year progresses, I would love to see Cribbs used in different ways. As a dime DB or an extra safety. Anyway it happens, Cribbs needs to be on the field as often as possible.

Poll

What is the best way to use Josh Cribbs?

Let him continue to be the best ST guy in the NFL and partime WR

10 votes

Make him a fulltime WR

6 votes

Make him an "All-around Weapon" ala Devin Hester

112 votes

Make him into a DB/ST demon

68 votes

196 votes | Poll has closed

Tony Grossi just doesn't get it...

Bernie19Kosar — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:41:28 -0000

Tony Grossi just doesn't get it...

Tony Grossi believes that Braylon Edards is headed to NY. Not the Giants, but to the Jets for Thomas Jones. Yes the soon to be 31 year old RB that is now holding out for a new contract for Braylon Edwards.

Doesn't Grossi know that the Browns already have an over the hill RB? Here is his answer in "Ask Tony";

Rex Ryan knows that Mangini would scoop up Jones in a New York second if Jones were released. More likely is a future trade involving Jones and, yes, Edwards. You heard it here first.

Only way Edwards is going to NY Jets should be for a draft picks and David Harris. How can a guy be so close to a team and be so oblivious?

Browns claim Bo Ruud

Bernie19Kosar — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:49:40 -0000

Browns claim Bo Ruud

The Browns have claimed Bo Ruud from the Patriots. The 6'3 235 pounder was the Sixth round pick from the 2008 Draft out of Nebraska.

What is your dream draft?

Bernie19Kosar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:35:00 -0000

We as a group have spent a ton of time focusing on the draft and discussing who we should take. So I am wondering what is everyone's dream draft? Who do you want in the first round? Who on our roster would you trade? What second rounders do you want (5 that you would be happy with)? And finally give us 5 sleeper picks that will go after the 2nd round that you really want on the Browns. (No trade downs, just because I think we all want to trade down.)

I will get it started;

First Rounder: Micheal Crabtree WR Texas Tech

Trade: Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards (BE as long as we get a good package, don't just give him away.)

Second Rounders: I LOVE Alex Mack. Duke Robinson, Patrick Chung, Micheal Johnson (too many tools for this late) and James Laurinitis (If he is still there in the second, I don't see how we could pass him up. I know he doesn't have perfect size, but the kid has a knack for big plays).

Sleepers:

Travis Beckham TE Wisconsin (If he didn't get hurt last year he would be an easy first rounder. Kid is awesome. Not as athletic as K2, but pretty close.)

Pat White QB WVU (I would leave him as a QB.)

Javon Ringer RB MSU (McShay has him going in the 5th round of his latest draft. If we could get him in the 4th,I don't care how many carries he had in college.)

James Davis RB Clemson (I have always had a soft spot for this kid, I just think that he is a good all around back is rated much too low. Could help this team out day 1.)

Ricky Jean-Francois DE LSU (Can dominate a game (OSU-LSU) yet is rated two-three rounds later than teammate Tyson Jackson. Would be a very nice 3-4 DE.)