For all the cliches about how baseball is a funny game, nothing the national pastime can offer up can rival the weirdness surrounding the Browns 51-45 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday. Apparently, Charlie Frye inhibited offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski so much that changing one position increased the production on the offense by 44 points. All of a sudden, receivers were open and the running attack proved to be a viable weapon.
Seriously, part of the reason for the huge day for the Browns was the Bengal defense. But, GM Phil Savage’s remarks about the quarterback holding the ball cannot be discounted. Derek Anderson took his drops and threw the football. He was not the hestitant, unsure passer that Frye was in the opener. Also, Chudzinski stayed with the running game and it paid off as Jamal Lewis ran over, around, and through the Cincinnati defense. If I didn’t know better, I would have though Lewis was wearing a Ravens’ jersey and was playing against the Browns.
Anderson’s performance again points out the idiotic decision that was made to have a "quarterback competition" going into training camp. The GM and the offensive coordinator wanted Anderson to emerge as the starter, with Crennel going on the side of experience with Frye. Good organizations form a consensus and make a firm decision. If Chudzinski didn’t think Frye could do the job, and had valid reasons why not, the trade should have been made on draft day or shortly there after, and Anderson should have been named the starter going into the pre-season games.
Now, concern has to shift to the defense which has given up almost 350 yards rushing in the first two games of the season. Stopping the run was a question mark coming into the season, and the worst fears of the critics has been realized. In fact, this area has been a problem since the Browns came back in 1999. Is Crennel’s love of veterans hurting him again? Ted Washington is on this team for one reason and one reason only…he is a run stopper. However, based on the results, he and the other defensive linemen are not getting the job done. Sean Smith was signed to give the team a younger alternative at nose tackle, and he should start. Washington should be released and a younger guy should be brought in to play that spot.
The lack of success in this area impacts the entire defense. Putting your opponent in 2nd and 3rd and long allows defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to blitz more and mix up his coverage schemes. It allows the secondary to take chances as well. We have seen how tough it is to play quarterback when your team is in long yardage situations, and the run defense isn’t making it difficult at all to play offense against the Browns.
For at least one week, the Browns will not be at the bottom of the NFL power rankings from the major publications. They travel to Oakland next week where they can win two in a row for the first time since Brady Quinn was in high school, or so it seems. The Raiders have a tough defense, but they did give up 36 points to the Lions in their opener. There also will be no debate on who the starting QB will be this week, Derek Anderson earned the job with his play yesterday.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 