The Cleveland Browns face a desperation game on Sunday in Baltimore against the Ravens. A loss drops them to 0-3, likely killing any playoff aspirations they had. If you are looking at the plus side, the brown and orange may have already played the best teams in each conference. Certainly, both the Cowboys and Steelers would surprise no one if they wound up playing in the Super Bowl this season. So, this week’s game is a return to the mere mortals of the NFL. That’s why it’s a BIG game.
It’s pretty obvious what the team did in the first two weeks wasn’t a success. Besides ending the excuses, here are some things the Browns should do against the Ravens this Sunday to change their fortunes.
· Set up the run with the pass. The Ravens’ defense is traditionally strong against the run and Rob Chudzinski and Derek Anderson would be better off to come out firing. Last week, Anderson showed that he has improved his short passing, hitting many tosses underneath the coverage. My guess is most teams will play the Browns the same way after last season’s aerial assault. They still have to show the long pass, but it will not be available as it was in 2007.
· To that end, RB Jerome Harrison should be on the field more often. Harrison made some terrific moves in turning a short pass into a 23 yard gain Sunday night against the Steelers, and his ability to make people miss in space is something the Browns need. With the receiving corps decimated by injuries and dropped passes, it’s time to turn Harrison loose as a weapon.
· Ravens’ QB Joe Flacco is a rookie and has made one NFL start. That means Mel Tucker should blitz early and often to see how the young man can handle it. Putting pressure on a young quarterback is a tried and true tactic in the NFL and the Browns should not sit back in coverage on Sunday. Go after Flacco and go after him with different looks and constant pressure.
· I understand Josh Cribbs is still nicked up, but the Browns need to start getting him involved in the offense. Cribbs has been on the team for four seasons, and he has thrown one pass (2006) even though he played QB in college. That’s ridiculous. Rob Chudzinski has a weapon, and he refuses to use it. Put Cribbs in a position where the defense has to guess what he is going to do. I know the team likes him defending kicks, but can’t they find someone else to do that job?
· I have to bring this up again. Stop the excuses! Go out and play winning football. Stop griping about injuries, play calling, weather conditions, etc. The Browns need to go out and beat an inferior opponent even if the game is on the road.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 