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Cleveland Browns battling bad case of the dropsies
Cleveland Browns battling bad case of the dropsies
CLEVELAND (AP) — The only thing the Cleveland Browns have caught in the past two weeks is the flu.
Dropped passes — as many as 16 of them — have plagued a sputtering offense that wasn’t exactly breaking any land-speed records to begin with. In last week’s 27-14 loss at Pittsburgh, quarterback Derek Anderson had nearly as many balls dropped (7) as caught (9).
Rookie wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi was guilty of three drops, miscues that offset his five receptions and a 43-yard grab. One week earlier, he had three more drops.
“Self-inflicted wounds,” he called them.
The Browns (1-5) are hoping to latch onto the football better this today as they face the Green Bay Packers (3-2), whose biggest concern is protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, banged around like a pinata at a kids’ birthday party in the past few weeks.
Cleveland’s offense has been awful through six games. Under first-year coordinator Brian Daboll, the Browns are ranked 31st in total yards, 31st in passing, 30th in scoring and Anderson, who replaced Brady Quinn as the starter after 10 quarters, is the lowest-rated QB in the league with a 41.7 rating.
For comparison’s sake, New Orleans’ Drew Brees has a league-leading 118.4 rating. An even scarier stat: Anderson’s 8.5 rating in the fourth quarter.
Anderson has hurt himself with bad decisions, forced passes and incorrect reads. But he has gotten little or no help from the Browns’ fumble-fingered receivers and backs. Anderson’s many critics — and they are vocal as Quinn remains popular — point to his cannon arm as the reason behind the high number of drops and incompletions.
Anderson has struggled at times with his touch on dump-off passes and screens, passes Quinn throws well.
But Anderson doesn’t think his arm strength should be blamed for Cleveland’s rash of drops, which has rivaled a flu outbreak that kept 12 players out of practice on Wednesday and 10 on Thursday.
“I don’t throw it that hard,” Anderson said. “Sometimes on intermediate throws it just looks like I am not throwing it hard and it’s coming harder than it looks. It kind of gets on guys a little bit faster, but I think for the most part I’ve been a lot better than in the past.
“It’s something that I’ve tried to work on and I’m going to keep working at it.”
Cleveland’s receivers have been staying after practice to work on their pass-catching skills. They line up in front of the JUGS machine, which fires footballs at them with more velocity than even Anderson can muster. Perhaps a bigger reason for the Browns’ offensive woes than the drops is the dramatic turnover the unit has undergone in coach Eric Mangini’s first season.
Mangini traded tight end Kellen Winslow before the season and dealt wide receiver Braylon Edwards, the team’s top playmaker, earlier this month. So instead of those two primary targets, Anderson is throwing passes to Massaquoi, rookie Brian Robiskie, wide receiver Mike Furrey (with Detroit last season) and Chansi Stuckey, who came over from the Jets in the deal for Edwards.
Anderson doesn’t want to use the newness of the group as an excuse, but it’s a legitimate one.
“We do have a lot of new guys,” he said. “It’s going to take time. We continue to work after practice, just keep working, throwing, catching and getting used to each other.”
As for the Packers, they don’t want to drop the proverbial ball this week against a team they should handle.
Green Bay is coming off a shutout win over Detroit and doesn’t want to look past Cleveland, a team the Packers blanked 17-0 in the exhibition opener.
Rodgers has thrown for more than 300 yards in Green Bay’s past two games, but has taken a pounding. After giving up eight sacks on Oct. 5 against Minnesota, Green Bay’s offensive line allowed Detroit five more sacks last week, bringing the season total to a league-high 25.
At least Anderson isn’t getting dropped like that.
Packers left tackle Chad Clifton is still being bothered by an ankle injury that kept him out of two games. If Clifton can’t play, rookie T.J. Lang will start and try to keep Rodgers away from Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers and a Cleveland defense ranked dead last overall.
Rodgers, though, isn’t taking the Browns lightly.
“They’re a good defense, strong and athletic,” he said. “Their record may be 1-5, but they have a very talented defense and they’re playing pretty well together. The defense is keeping them in games. It’s going to be a tough task for us.”
The Packers don’t want to get too far ahead of themselves, but it may be tough for them not look ahead. Next week, Green Bay has a rematch against the Vikings: Brett Bowl II. This time, at Lambeau Field, where the Cheeseheads may give Favre a rude homecoming.
For now, the Packers want to keep themselves and their record healthy, which could be a challenge in Cleveland.
Rodgers was asked if he worried about some of the Browns’ infected players breathing on him.
“Yeah,” he joked. “Hopefully there’s no sacks and it won’t be an issue.”
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Comments
Chokeland Clowns
Penguin Boy you are a classic A-HOLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Mikey,
21 to 3 Green Bay at halftime.
"Get 'em Next Year!!!" LOL.
Mikey,
You're not just a fan, you're an ATHLETIC SUPPORTER!!! LOL.
The Brown tick me off.... we should be watching the Pitt game but now we have to watch this garbage.
The Clowns played some of their best football today. AWESOME!!!
Penguin Boy calling me an athletic supporter are strong words,from the president of the chess club.You hide behind words,little boy.
The Clowns made the Packers look like the greatest team to ever lace up shoulder pads.
MikeyMike and the Clowns, now there's a pair of real "winners" for ya! LOL.
You are right about one thing,I'm a winner,1 out of two isn't so bad.
1 & 6 is.
"Get 'em Next Year" Chokeland Clowns. LOL.
Penguin Bird you are totally out of touch,the Browns won't get them next year,or the following year either.All Browns fans know that the Browns will be 4 and 12,get with the program birdie.
MikeyMike,
What are you doing out of school today? Did you stay home because you forgot your helmet?, or was the short bus not running today?
The Chokeland Clowns are AWFUL.
The Cavs are going to lose LeBron (rhymes with GONE.)
The Indians are a farm team for the rest of the league.
LOSERVILLE, USA Home of The Clowns, Cavs and Indians.
You are right about the Indians but once again birdie you lack sports knowledge,even your Steelers don't keep players once contracts are up,that's called modern day sports.Joey Porter,Chad Brown and even your hall of fame running back,Franco Harris signed with other teams,to name a few,don't forget your linebacker that is now a detroit Lion,you see it's all about money,it can't be winning,your ex-players were on a winning team and still left.Sorry little birdie you truly show your ignorance,but that's an everyday thing with you.
I may ride the short bus but appaqrently I'm a hell of a lot smarter than you,that doesn't say well of you birdie.BTW I don't need a helmet,my head is as hard as they come.
BTW I don't live in Cleveland so call it anything you want,It doesn't bother me.
I forgot to add another hall of famer of yours,Ron Woodsen,left and went to the Ravens.GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING BEFORE YOU SHOOT YOUR DUMB ASS OFF.
MickeyMouse,
You may not live in Chokeland, but you do live in Crimetown, Ohio where the gangsters and morons like Traficant are laughed at by the rest of the country. The idiots in the village all think it's so cool. Here's a newsflash for you. Y-town is full of a bunch of uneducated losers who are still waiting for the mills to reopen.
LeBron will not leave due to the Cavs not wanting to pay him, he'll leave due to the fact that Chokeland is and ALWAYS will be a loser. No one wants to play there because the fans are, well..... they are like you. Mickey Mouse.
When is the last time Chokeland has won anything?
I don't live in Y-Town,I live in Canfield,I and I do have a degree,compliments of Youngstown,State.So I know very well that,you were not thinking I was unedcuated,Penguin Bird.
If the people are still waiting for the mills to open,they are truly delusional.Watch what you say about gangsters,I'M Italian American,Capice.Have a pleasant evening hating all that is Y-town and Cleveland,BTW I LOVE both cities.
I have to say, that game was hard to watch. I cant stand the Offensive coord. Fire him. He sucks. If I can guess what each call will be, then a true NFL def. coord. will crush this team. I will cont to painfully go through this season and hope to see improvements. I still think Mangoonie has a plan and direction, but man, please, get healthy and improve.
Mike...stop letting Bird bOY get to you. So what. If nothing else, we can wipe his tears when THE GAME doesnt include his team. I would rather be in his shoes as a fan of course, but Im a NE Ohio fan...so...GO BROWNS!
Go Clowns....and take the Indians with you. LOL.
LOSERS.
Hey Idiots LA is looking for a team ! Let these worthless players and Front Office go. As far as Brown Stadium. Tear it down and put the Dump back there. After all that's where it started and where it belongs period. Go Bengals!!!!!
This team should move to LA. They are building a stadium there. The Browns should never have been resurrected after Model moved them to Baltimore.
I will invite EVERYONE to a Clowns going away party at MickeyMouse's house when the Clowns move to L.A., that will be AWESOME!!! I figure the Cavs will fold and move out of town within 5 years after LeBron's departure which will be after this season.
Chokeland Clowns. LOL.
Oh wait! There's always "Next Year." LOL.
I love the improvements Mangini is making. LOL.
I love how everyone says the Clowns have a god offensive line, but this past Sunday the Clowns running back Jamal "Not Guilty" Lewis and Derek Anderson (two players who've been to the Pro Bowl) combined for 146 yards of offense. Lewis 47 yds. rushing and Anderson 99 yards passing. That is hard to do when you take into account the Packers were in a prevent defense for the entire 4th quarter.
penguin who is your favorite teams?
I hate the Vikings but that phantom tripping call cost them the game against the stealers. then the defensive delay of game was also suspect.
TimOthy it was only a couple years ago that your team sucked,the Bungles were the laughing stock of the NFL.I bet your were no where to be found,during your losing days.I stick by my team lose,lose,and lose.BTW you have had recent years when you were 2 and 12.Steeler fans can talk and give the smack,they are champions, not you Bungel fans,your no better.
Your right they will demo a 500 million dollar stadium and turn it into a dump,I hope you don't get drug tested at your job ? GO BROWNS
The Browns are a grease fire.
Sheesh!
We can only hope they are blacked out the rest of the season.
They don't have to demolish Chokeland Clowns Stadium to turn it into a dump. It serves as a dump every time the home team shows up.
"Get 'em Next Year." LOL.
Hey timOthy you are funny,your Bungles were 4 and 11 and 4 and 12 the last two years,now that they are winning ,you come out.Bungles are a joke to,they still suck.
We are BAD. I now wait for the special teams to play. Thats sick, down right sick. ManGoonie has developed one fine a$$ special teams unit. We kick the chit out of that ball. If we petition the league, perhaps we can go without off. or def. against our opp. Just special teams baby. Oh well, GO BROWNS
This just in........Cleveland Stinks!
Art Modell is da man!!
Why are Pittsburgh fans ALWAYS posting on Cleveland sites? Don't they have any?
Metro dawg there are never any comments on the Pittsburg articles,the Steeler fans are like sharks in the water,the minute a Browns article comes out,regardless what it is,they go in for the kill.It shows you what type of mentality they have.
"Get 'em Next Year." LOL.
stop bickkering
birdie and mikie
we suck and that's it god blesscribbbs