SB Nation User Blog: ChrisPokorny

Brady Quinn Has Fracture on Finger

ChrisPokorny — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:03:45 -0000

Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn suffered a small fracture on the tip of his index finger, according to the Akron Beacon Journal and various other sources. The injury occurred during Monday's game against the Buffalo Bills, when Quinn's finger came into contact with the helmet of a Bills defender.

"The soreness will be the thing he has to deal with," Crennel said. "After this week probably the soreness will die down. We'll monitor him on a regular basis to make sure the soreness is not getting worse. He's going to play and he's going to practice."

So, the good news is that he will start this week against the Houston Texans. The bad news? If he takes a shot on his hand in the wrong spot again, we could see Derek Anderson come in the game in relief.

"If he gets hit again there's a possibility of more damage. We'll have to monitor it to see," Crennel said. "If it gets worse he may have to wear the splint all the time or we might have to sit him."

What's wrong? You knew there would never be an "end" to the quarterback dramas in Cleveland.

Poll

Does Quinn's injury concern you?

Not a Blizzard, But Still a Win: Browns Beat Bills, 29-27

ChrisPokorny — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:02:50 -0000

Box Score - 11.17.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	6	7	3	13	29
	0	10	3	14	27

The Browns won for the third time in their past four road games, taking out the wildcard-contending Buffalo Bills 29-27 on Monday Night Football. It was our second Monday Night victory of the season in two attempts -- we have one more in December against the Philadelphia Eagles.

I think that overall, when you look at the state of the team, we are a better football team than last season. Looking at our schedule heading into the season, we feared that despite being better, we'd have a worse record. We do have a worse record at this point (4-6), but it's not because of the competition. We've defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. We've defeated two potential playoff teams in Buffalo and Jacksonville. And, we dominated the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens -- two teams with great records -- until making team history with collapses.

The odds aren't in our favor now, but we still love Cleveland Browns football, and our team gave us another wild one against Buffalo. Let's get started with the game balls for Week 11...

Awarding Game Balls (Making Fans Jump for Joy)

K Phil Dawson kicked a tremendous game for the second year in a row versus the Buffalo Bills.

Phil Dawson: I didn't agree with the decision to kick it short on kickoffs as often as we did, but I'll assume those calls came from special teams coach Ted Dashier. Dawson is listed here for being the hero against the Bills for the second year in a row -- by now, I'm sure Buffalo fans hate him to death. Dawson went an incredible 5-for-5 on the road, with each one of them being spot on. His finest piece of work came on what turned out to be the game-winning field goal with 1:39 remaining, as he calmly drilled a career-long 56-yarder.
Jerome Harrison: I'm not exactly sure if four touches merits praise for the coaches in terms of getting him involved a whole lot more, but at least they stuck with him while he was hot. At the start of the fourth quarter, Harrison burst through the line for a 72-yard touchdown. I was screaming and jumping out of my seat as I saw him get past the third level. His work may have been even more important after that though -- following a Bills kick return touchdown, Harrison came right back out for a 9-yard run (tack on a personal foul penalty), followed by a nice 21-yard reception on a play the Indianapolis Colts often run. He didn't return after that due to a hamstring injury, but he led us to 10 points in the two drives he was utilized.

Goats of the Game (Could Have Cost Us)

Andra Davis: Welcome back to the goat section Andra Davis. After making a nice interception in the first quarter, the rest of the game was unbearable. The entire defense couldn't tackle Marshawn Lynch or Fred Jackson, but Davis was the worst of them all. Please, Romeo: get Beau Bell in there already. I don't care if Bell gets juked out of his shoes on every single play; removing Davis from the field is a victory in itself.

WR Braylon Edwards can celebrate another aspect: he had several nice blocks down the field.

Braylon Edwards: He had 8 catches for 104 yards, but it could have been so much more. Edwards was targeted on several other occasions, but couldn't come away with a reception. The most notable ones were a nice high pass on the team's first drive, and a ball that hit Edwards right in the face on the final drive. I do give a lot of credit to Terrence McGee for having excellent coverage on Edwards throughout the game, but Edwards is supposed to be a Pro Bowl receiver. There were clearly catches in that game that he knows he's talented enough to catch; the wait for him to break out of his funk continues on.

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

Outstanding Defense: Yes, of course there were a lot of things our offense should have done to adjust better to the Bills' defense. Nonetheless, I thought Buffalo gave Brady Quinn a lot of tough looks in his first road start, and I'm glad that they did. It allowed us to see how Quinn would respond to that type of pressure.

QB Brady Quinn may have been pressured, but he wasn't flustered.

Quinn Did What Needed to be Done: Statistically, it wasn't a very pretty game for Quinn, as he completed just 39% of his passes for a QB rating of 55.9. Maybe Derek Anderson would've had been stats in this game, but that's not what is important to look at in this case. Quinn was blitzed heavily all night long and did a great job getting a throw off down the field most of the time. The option of using him on a bootleg run panned out well too. My favorite throw is his one on our final drive that set up Dawson's long field goal -- a corner blitz came free from the edge, and Quinn almost instinctively without seeing him was able to step up, double pump, and fire a completion.
Missing Stallworth: It was good to see Edwards get involved this week, and Winslow was still targeted several times as well. However, I don't like the fact that we heard Syndric Steptoe's name mentioned more on the receiving end than Donte Stallworth's. Things looked bright last week between Quinn and Stallworth, but having zero catches the next week is not what this team paid so much money for.
McDonald's Redemption: I couldn't have been happier for Brandon McDonald, who made up for last week's miscues with two big plays against the Bills: an interception and a forced fumble, each of which led to a Dawson field goal. The tackling was still atrocious, but if you can't tackle you at least need to make up for it as McDonald did.
Strong Consideration for E-Wright: There probably should have been a third game ball handed out to cornerback Eric Wright. Blanketing the fast Lee Evans most of the game, he held him to without a catch the entire game. Heck, I don't even remember him being targeted once, despite the fact that Trent Edwards often had light years to make a decision. That's the first time Evans has failed to record a catch in a game in nearly 70 games.
Special Teams Edge: Trying to determine who had the better special teams on Monday Night is a tough one. Dawson had five field goals including the game winner, while Rian Lindell missed the game winner. The Bills' coverage on Cribbs was solid, while the Browns' coverage on Leodis McKelvin was poor. There is one play that will lean me towards Cleveland: in the first quarter, Mike Adams perfectly downed a Dave Zastudil punt at the one-yard line on a play most special teamers would probably muff into the end zone in the heat of the moment.
Did You See Orr?: I sort of rushed seeing the game since I was on tape delay, but I didn't really notice any difference in terms of Shantee Orr's playing time. If anyone has any word on that, feel free to chime in. I noticed Travis Daniels in on the action more often, but he was just part of the depressing non-tacklers.
Ahtyba Rubin: Even before he made a critical fumble recovery, I noticed Rubin making a few more plays than usual. If anything, it looked as if Rubin was receiving the type of proportional playing time I expected Orr to get at linebacker.

The Browns' defense couldn't stop Bills RB Marshawn Lynch late in the game.

"Reason 2 - Not Physical": I listed "not physical" as reason number two of our defensive shortcomings in my review of the Denver Broncos game, and it applies to the Bills game as well. Marshawn Lynch has a lot of talent, but he had not had a good game all season. In the past three games, we've allowed rookie Ray Rice to have a career day, fullback Peyton Hillis to beat us on fourth-and-one, and Lynch to win 1-on-6 matchups with 20 yards to go against us. We're not catching unlucky breaks in terms of backs getting hot; we're just that bad when it comes to tackling.
Fullback Slant: Heh, I'll take a quick fullback go/slant route over the middle any day over a fullback flat pass. When Charles Ali caught Quinn's pass in stride, I thought, "holy crap, is that Ali out there?" I would've hated to have been the defender to meet him for the tackle.
Ineffective Back: There was a lot of discussion before the season in debating who was better served as the Browns' backup running back: Jason Wright or Jerome Harrison. Wright had two decent seasons as a backup, but this year he has been in my opinion a detriment to the offense. I still put some of the blame on him for not turning around quick enough on Haloti Ngata's interception a few weeks ago, and I blame Wright for not doing a good job in picking up the blitzes Buffalo brought up the middle. All you need is a chip, but all I saw were whiffs.
Crennel's Reactions: At the end of the game, I couldn't help but roll over laughing at Romeo Crennel's excited reactions to Dawson's successful kick and then Lindell's miss. As they showed him walking to the center of the field after the game, I could've sworn he had a facial expression that was trying to look normal but was really holding back a huge smile.
Opposite Reaction: After I saw those reactions from Crennel, I saw someone on the OBR mention how Crennel looked pissed off after Jerome Harrison's huge touchdown run. I went back and checked the tape and was laughing -- but baffled -- at just how true this was. If you taped the game, go back and check it. A montage of these past two bullet points would make you laugh.
Brownies: Quinn had a heart-clutching throw late that should have been picked and cost us the game...it goes without saying, but Shaun Rogers remains a beast, as he had another Pro Bowl type of game...I kid you not: right before Cribbs' four-yard touchdown run, I said to my brother, "I bet we'll run a double reverse to Joshua Cribbs here." It was only a single-reverse, but close enough.

The defense was horrible again in the fourth quarter, meaning our "rotations" didn't really keep people any fresher. In the end, the "W" is what matters, and Brady Quinn has improved to a .500 record at 1-1. This is the third straight game that we should have blown out the competition based on how we started the games; maybe we can do that this Sunday against the Texans. Thank goodness for a regular Sunday 1:00 PM game too -- I've missed those.

If Only They Had Listened Sooner...

ChrisPokorny — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:54:55 -0000

Jerome Harrison <3

For those who asked in the gameday thread, they were able to resuscitate me following the run. Isn't it fitting that my hero, Jerome Harrison, has finally broken my curse of predicting Browns football games?

It's not fair to give all the credit to Harrison though. Someone else deserves some love too:

Phil Dawson <3

From 56 yards in a swirling wind? Room to spare. Down the middle. Ball game.

Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills - Official Game Thread

ChrisPokorny — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:23:03 -0000

CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-6)	WEEK11	BUFFALO BILLS (5-4)
	VS.

Date:	November 17, 2008	Location:	Orchard Park, NY
Time:	8:30 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Ralph Wilson Stadium
TV:	ESPN (Local FOX)	Favorite:	Bills by 5
Radio:	WMMS, 100.7 FM	Over/Under:	40
SBN Coverage:	Buffalo Rumblings	Announcers	Horrible MNF Trio

I had a much nicer introduction and preview written up for this game, but apparently my clicking of the save button didn't work properly, because it was gone when I came back to it.

After losing twice within a span of five days when having multiple-possession leads in the second half of games, the Cleveland Browns have had awhile to regroup. In essence, it ends up being a second bye week for the team. If our record had been better than 3-6, that might have meant something. Instead, we're just hoping that Brady Quinn will play well again and lead the Browns to victory. Let's get right into this week's preview with the overall team statistics thus far...

OFFENSE

Category	Browns	Bills
Points Scored	19.1 (25th)	29.3 (21st)
Passing	180.4 (27th)	213.8 (13th)
Rushing	101.0 (22nd)	90.0 (28th)
Total Offense (yards)	281.4 (27th)	303.8 (24th)

DEFENSE

Category	Browns	Bills
Points Scored	21.5 (15th)	21.0 (13th)
Passing	226.9 (22nd)	205.3 (14th)
Rushing	145.2 (27th)	103.9 (13th)
Total Defense (yards)	372.1 (26th)	309.2 (13th)

	Quarterback The Bills have not seen an A+ performance out of Trent Edwards this year. The former third-round draft pick started off the season managing games well, but he has not been very effective the past three weeks. During that stretch, Edwards has thrown 2 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Brady Quinn definitely has more upside overall, but this will be his first road start of the season. To be fair, I can't rank him as a superstar just yet.
	Running Back One of the bigger disappointments this season at the running back positions has to be Marshawn Lynch. His season has been very similar to that of Jamal Lewis' -- several "ok" games, but he has not reached the 100-yard mark or thrived against division opponents. When the Bills needed him most the past two weeks against the Jets and Patriots, he has combined for 62 yards on 23 carries on the ground. The Browns need to work in Jerome Harrison on a more consistent basis; let's see if Romeo Crennel holds true to his word.
	Receiver This was supposed to be a breakout season for WR Lee Evans, and he has quietly posted some fair statistics, still averaging an astounding 18.9 yards per catch this season. Maybe I'm off on this, but while fans around the league know that Braylon Edwards is having a down season, they'd probably project that his stats are still higher than Evans. That is not the case. Beyond Evans though, the Bills have the same problem they've had the past several years: there aren't any go-to-guys beyond him. Quinn established a solid relationship with Kellen Winslow and Donte Stallworth last week, and has an extra week of practice under his belt in working with them.
	Offensive Line The news has been better for left guard Eric Steinbach, although there isn't a definite word on his status tonight. The Bills improved their offensive line in the offseason and their ranking might have been higher had they not been part of a three game losing streak. Both teams are pretty even at blocking the run, but the Browns excel when it comes to protecting the passer.
	Defensive Line Corey Williams' shoulder has him listed as questionable again. Sooner or later, I'm definitely due on an article about how Williams has been a complete bust thus far. The Bills will still be without outstanding pass rusher Aaron Schobel on Monday Night, a big break for Brady Quinn. For the second week in a row, Quinn shouldn't feel the pressure too much.
	Linebacker Big change at the linebacker position this week: Shantee Orr is going to see some playing time. With that said, it only makes sense that rookie fourth-rounder Beau Bell will probably be inactive again. For the Bills, Kawika Mitchell and Paul Posluszny are two players I'd like the Browns to get their hands on, if we had the appropriate defensive system. The Bills aren't particularly lights out at linebacker, but they are a healthier and better-tackling unit that Denver was.
	Secondary Cleveland's secondary has taken major steps backwards the past two weeks, but they are ones that we can recover from. Really, we've only been burned late in games -- hopefully Mel Tucker, being a defensive backs specialist, will find a better rotation by throwing Travis Daniels and Mike Adams into the mix more often.
	Special Teams Joshua Cribbs is back to the point where he can return a kick the distance every time he touches the ball. The Bills have a nearly equally dangerous returner in Roscoe Parrish, but like Cribbs earlier this season, Parrish is sort of in a "dry" spell period. Phil Dawson had two tremendous kicks in a snow bowl last season -- I think he'll be ready for some chilly weather in Buffalo.

FINAL PREDICTION: Cleveland Browns 20, Buffalo Bills 17.
The kiss of death again, right? Had the Bills not looked so bad the past three weeks, I would've taken the Bills in this matchup. On the season though, Cleveland has never really played horrible football after the first three weeks. We beat a Jacksonville team on the road when they were on the same exact type of slump that Buffalo is on right now.

Quinn played a game last week, looking like he was managing a game plan. This week, he'll mentally be ready to score quicker and execute more often down the field in case he needs to keep up the scoring in a shootout.

This is the official gameday topic for the Cleveland Browns in Week 11 as they battle the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. All comments regarding the game should be posted in this topic. Enjoy the game, and GO BROWNS!!!

Snow Scheduled to Miss Browns vs. Bills

ChrisPokorny — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:16:59 -0000

According to weather reports out of Buffalo, we won't be having a Browns vs. Bills snowfest this year.

"It's going to be cold and breezy, but we won't have to endure a national black eye by being buried under 6 inches of snow," National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Pukajlo said this morning.

That's the good news. The bad news is that it will be cold.

Temperatures in Orchard Park are expected to dip below freezing, down to the mid and high 20s, with winds brisk enough to send the wind-chill temperatures down to the high teens.

Nonetheless, this quickly brings another experience to Brady Quinn: cold weather in the National Football League. As Quinn's career blossoms, winning games late in the season will be critical. It is in this type of weather that Derek Anderson posted mediocre numbers last season.

Official Week 11 Sunday Discussion Thread

ChrisPokorny — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:41:30 -0000

This is the second Sunday in a row without Cleveland Browns football. I like the prime time games, but I also like the traditional football Sundays.

Nonetheless, if you are living in the Cleveland area, here are the games you can watch today:

Baltimore vs. NYG - 1:00 PM on CBS (Gumbel & Dierdorf)
Chicago vs. Green Bay - 1:00 PM on FOX (Buck & Aikman)
San Diego vs. Pittsburgh - 4:15 on CBS (Nantz & Simms)
Dallas vs. Washington - 8:15 on NBC (Michaels & Madden)

That's a pretty good lineup of games to watch. I'm fully aware that the Browns are on their last legs in the playoff race, but if you are interested in potential scenarios, we definitely need the Ravens and the Steelers to lose this week. Here's to hoping the Giants take care of business as usual and the Chargers exploit the Steelers' situation at quarterback.

Browns Lose Snow Bowl

ChrisPokorny — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:32:56 -0000

Browns Lose Snow Bowl

"Buffalo defeated the Browns, 8-0, in Week 15 last season, snapping a 3-game losing streak to Cleveland."

Coaches Can't Adjust to Flow of the Game

ChrisPokorny — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:16:43 -0000

Time after time this season, Jerome Harrison has been productive whenever he has been inserted into a game. If he receives one touch, it goes for over 10 yards. If he receives two touches, he totals over 20 yards, and so on. The problem has been that after that short spurt of playing time, Harrison doesn't see the field the rest of the game.

In this morning's Plain Dealer, head coach Romeo Crennel had another baffling quote:

"We planned to try to use him [Harrison] and that's why we got him into the game in the first half. Sometimes it happens that maybe the ball doesn't get in your hands. The ball wasn't in his hands as much the second half. We're going to try to see if we can be a little more consistent about getting the ball in his hands."

To me, that sounds like pure stubbornness, either from Crennel or Rob Chudzinski. Heading into the game, the coaches have one little package or series in mind to dedicate to Harrison, with the rest designed for Lewis. No matter how well or how poorly each running back does during the game, adjustments are not made to the "flow" or "tempo" of the game.

The same thing happened with Derek Anderson earlier this season. Brady Quinn was on "high alert", but that didn't mean a thing because the coaching staff was too reliant on what they had planned heading into the game (I'm referring mainly to the Cincinnati Bengals game here, where Anderson played poorly enough to be benched after the first half).

Nonetheless, I suppose it's positive to hear that an effort will be made to give Harrison more touches, although I could've sworn I heard the same thing from Crennel two or three other times this season.

On another note, remember Shantee Orr? He has been neglected so much in terms of playing time that I completely forgot about the possibility of using him in the linebacker rotation. Orr is expected to be brought into the mix this week, which will slightly decrease the playing times of Kamerion Wimbley, Alex Hall, and Willie McGinest.

Crennel's assessment of Wimbley provides some entertainment too:

As for Wimbley, Crennel said, "It has been an unproductive year as far as sack totals. But Wimbley's been a consistent player, [and gives] consistent effort. I think he's improved as a player. We'll just keep working with him to see if we can improve that [sack] total so that everyone feels a little better about him."

Consistently sprinting around the left tackle with no results, indeed.

Poll

Do you like the thought of giving Shantee Orr some playing time?

Yes, playing time for Orr!

54 votes

No, just let Orr stick to special teams only

18 votes

72 votes | Poll has closed

Travis Daniels Could Replace Brandon McDonald

ChrisPokorny — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:54:51 -0000

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported this morning that cornerback Travis Daniels could replace struggling starter Brandon McDonald this Monday against the Buffalo Bills. While Daniels has seen minimal playing time this season, the move might not be a bad one.

I am still intrigued with giving McDonald more starting opportunities this season. However, he is coming off two of the worst games in his career. After being burned that much, opposing teams will continue to attack. Putting McDonald as the nickel back this Monday could take away some of the pressure facing him, allowing him to regain any confidence he has lost.

Either way, whether Daniels starts or not, he will at least split reps with McDonald.

"[Coach Romeo Crennel] made a decision and I support it," McDonald said. "I'm not going to be angry about it. I love T. Daniels. I love what he brings to the game. I know he can come in and help us, so I'm not really aggravated about it. But I am aggravated at myself and how I've been playing the last couple of weeks."

Daniels has started 25 games during his NFL career, including five last season with the Miami Dolphins. Since joining the Browns this season, he has been shelved behind veteran Terry Cousin, forcing him to play exclusively on special teams.

Crennel also reports that there will be more linebacker and safety rotation on the defensive side of the ball. Hopefully that means more Leon Williams and less Andra Davis. What about rookie linebacker Beau Bell?

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

Ummm...what?

Poll

Would you agree with starting Travis Daniels to give Brandon McDonald some time to build his confidence again?

Yes, starting Daniels is good

81 votes

No, let McDonald continue to learn on the job

42 votes

123 votes | Poll has closed

Broncos Hand Browns Another Depressing Loss, 34-30

ChrisPokorny — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:38:06 -0000

Box Score - 11.6.08
Team	1	2	3	4	Final
	7	3	3	21	34
	7	13	3	7	30

Show hope. Insert dagger. Twist.

There hasn't been a more painful stretch in a span of five days since the Browns returned to the NFL. After having a two-possession lead in two home games late in the game, we came away with two losses. Our record should be 5-4, right in the thick of the wildcard and divison playoff race. Instead, we're 3-6, with our only playoff hopes coming down to going undefeated the rest of the way. That isn't going to happen.

The offense played very well in the debut of Brady Quinn as the team's starting quarterback. Considering the fact that we played a conservative gameplan and scored 30 points, that definitely adds to the excitement he'll provide this team in the future. Right now, the concerns shift back to the defensive side of the ball. They are at the forefront of this week's goats...

Goats of the Game (Unbelievably Bad)

Brandon McDonald: It's beginning to become a little more evident as to why McDonald was a fifth round draft pick last season. That may be a little too harsh of a statement after he played "well" over the first stretch of the season. Over the past two weeks though, he has not faired well against Mark Clayton, Eddie Royal, Brandon Marshall, or anybody else that he has covered. When the potential "makeup" plays came his way, McDonald dropped an interception. Our defense as a whole deserves just as much blame, but McDonald was attacked the most and therefore shoulders the blame.
Kamerion Wimbley: I planned on listing Kellen Winslow here, but because he deserved a game ball and a goat award at the same time, I am cancelling them out (and will discuss him in the general notes section). Wimbley had a sack on Jay Cutler, but never mind that. The play that stands out to me came when he was basically carried several yards by Broncos fullback Peyton Hillis to the sidelines on a running play. That, coupled with the fact that we consistently saw rookie linebacker Wesley Woodyard make sure-tackles against us, just drove me nuts.

Awarding Game Balls (Gold Stars to Put on Their Locker Door)

Joshua Cribbs: After returning to form last week against the Ravens, Cribbs kept his antics up for he second game in a row. He averaged 27 yards per kick return, but you could just tell on each of them that he was a shoe string tackle away from taking the kick another 20-30 yards. Then, on offense, the Browns utilized him more than any other time in history. It was only three times, but it paid off as he carried the ball 3 times for 48 yards.

Quinn has an impressive debut but came away with a loss.
Brady Quinn: His worst drive was probably his last drive. Overall, it was a great game for Quinn. I could sit here and nitpick on a few other throws, but that would really be unfair. This was Quinn's first career start in the NFL, and he played very well. His first touchdown throw to Winslow was threaded perfectly. And, although it was called back due to offensive pass interference, his rollout throw in the fourth quarter to Braylon Edwards shows the extra dimension he adds to the offense. Next time, we'll see if the team allows him to sprinkle in some deep bals.

General Thoughts (Random Tidbits on the Game)

Jamal Fails to Reach 100: For most of the game, I agreed with the play calls of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, an upgrade over the past few weeks. Jamal Lewis was on pace early on to go over the 100-yard mark for the first time this season with ease. Instead, he didn't even get close. He totaled 60 yards on 19 carries, as he was mostly stuffed at the line of scrimmage after the first quarter. With how porous Denver's defense is, that should not have happened as often as it did.
Not Working, Use Harrison: This was the problem I had offensively against Denver. Jerome Harrison and Jamal Lewis each got some carries early, and both were very effective. Then, Lewis couldn't find room to run, and it appeared to be because he wasn't quick enough to make a move to the open area. Why not insert Harrison back into the game, make him stretch the defense to the outside again for positive yardage, and then attack inside with Lewis again? Instead, we tried to go inside and outside with Lewis (on pitch plays). It failed.
The Touch: A returning Donte Stallworth had an effective game. In particular, I enjoyed watching his first reception, in which Quinn threw a perfect touch pass over his shoulder, allowing him to pick up yards after the catch. Derek Anderson might have completed that pass too, but it would've been a rocket at his hip. That would've stopped Stallworth's momentum, allowing the defense to come up and stop him just shy of a first down. Those differences can go a long way.
What's the Deal?: Although McDonald was a goat, there was no excuse for constantly allowing him to be in single coverage. The only reason Denver didn't score more early on is because Marshall dropped a few passes in which he was wide open. In the fourth quarter, full-well knowing that Cutler was going to heave the ball over and over again, we left McDonald out on an island on a 93-yard touchdown pass. On the inevitable game-winning touchdown, Marshall easily beat McDonald on the play, with no safety help. On the previous play, Denver ran the same exact play and we had the same exact defense. We were lucky they didn't score the first time, and yet we let them try it again one play later.
Good Winslow: The good Kellen Winslow caught 10 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns, all season highs. I said it earlier this season -- Winslow would not start performing this season until Quinn was under center, because the frustration between him and Anderson just seemed to be too high.

Late in the game, Winslow had three critical miscues.
Bad Winslow: The bad Kellen Winslow showed up three times in the fourth quarter. Each time contributed to the loss, because twice it put our struggling defense back on the field, and the third time it prevented us from moving the chains on our final drive.
Kind of Embarrassing: I think the approach that Jay Cutler took against our defense was smart -- throw it up and let my guy muscle it our of the air. When he was able to use that philosophy not once, not twice, not three times, not four times...heck, I could keep on counting. When he was able to use that philosophy so many times, it tells you two things:
Reason 1 - Linebacker Coverage: Our linebackers are horrible in pass coverage. How do you allow a hobbled tight end, Tony Scheffler, to find the comfort zone between four defenders? There's such a thing as being aware of where the quarterback is planning on throwing the ball before he throws it. Our linebackers are just standing somewhere for the sake of standing there.
Reason 2 - Not Physical: We weren't physical enough. When Mike Adams had a shot for an interception down at the goal line, he quickly went down because of offensive pass interference. He needs to take charge and make that play happen. With so many jump balls, Denver's receivers should have been telling Cutler, "hey, I don't like all these jump balls...you're hanging me out to dry against an oncoming defense". Instead, not only were the Denver players not getting hit, they were coming away with the football. We had one good hit -- from Willie McGinest -- and that broke a play up.
Missed Opportunities: What happened to the defense that was able to feed off of the home crowd against the Giants? For every opportunity late in the game against Denver that the defense had, we blew it. I already mentioned McDonald's drop. On a tipped pass by Corey Williams, D'Qwell Jackson also failed to come away with an interception. When the Broncos ran it with their fullback on fourth-and-one, he was driven back by our defensive line getting a push up front. Instead of our linebackers coming from the side to make a clutch tackle, Hillis just shifted to the side and dove forward for a first down.\
Get Back Soon: This message goes to fullback Lawrence Vickers. All of these flat passes to fullback Charles Ali are too reminscient of when Maurice Carthon would get the ball to Terrelle Smith in the flat. The results are always the same -- no gain with the risk of a fullback getting stripped.
Brownies: Again, Seth McKinney wasn't great, but he did okay filling in for Eric Steinbach...I do wish we would've taken a more serious crack down field to Braylon Edwards...Steve Heiden came away with a few more Jurevicius-like catches...Phil Dawson is again money from beyond 50 yards, and opposing teams still cannot field his kickoffs.

The Brady Quinn era should not have started with a loss. In post-game press conferences, he played the leader role by taking the blame, but everyone knows that the defense was atrocious. We've got the Buffalo Bills up next after what ends up being a "second bye week", and we'd like to make some changes on the defensive depth chart. But...what can you really change?

Terry Cousin over Brandon McDonald?

Nice depth. Oh, yeah...and real playoff contenders -- the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets -- just signed DeAngelo Hall and Ty Law, respectively.