Who is that team wearing the Brown shirts and Orange hats going up and down the field at will? Who masked man at QB who is playing like a Top 10 QB this year? Who are those WR's who get open and continue to make big play after big play? Am I really watching a CLEVELAND BROWNS offensive line that gives the QB all day long to throw? I'm baffled.
Down at the Lakefront yesterday, the Browns put on a masterful offensive performance, once again putting up over 40 points and controlling the game against the sad sack Miami Dolphins. QB Derek Anderson looks so calm and poised and is allowing his rocket arm to do all of the talking. He is spreading the ball around to Joe Jurevicius, Kellen Winslow, and Braylon Edwards and is making the Browns offense look like an offensive juggernaut. Anderson is now 3-2 as a starter and the Browns are at .500 going into the bye week. Who thought this was possible after that Week One debacle against the Steelers?
Has there ever been a better time to be a Cleveland Sports fan? The Browns are playing their best ball in years (offensively, at least), the Cavaliers are coming off of an NBA Finals appearance, and the Tribe is locked in a 1-1 ALCS battle with Boston.
SIDE NOTES:
1. The Browns offense put up 41 points and Anderson was throwing the ball at will. This isn't an aberration people, this is the real deal. You want to know why? Its the offensive line. This is the best offensive line the Browns have had since the days of Mike Baab, Cody Risen, and Dan Fike. DA had all day to throw, even with Jason Taylor playing on the other side. Give DA time like this and he will find the open man.
2. Yesterday was a typical Braylon Edwards day. He dropped two easy throws right in his hands in the first quarter, then made a couple of spectacular grabs and snagged three TD's. He is turning into the big play receiver Phil Savage drafted him to be. He just needs to stay consistent. Having sure-handed Jurevicius and the multi-talented Winslow on the opposite side only helps him. Winslow is already one of the best Tight Ends in the league. He has great hands and cannot be guarded one on one by Safeties or Linebackers.
3. Something has to be done with the defense. Other than Kamerion Wimbley, the pass rush is non-existent. Now Wimbley gets double-teamed pretty much every passing down. The young Safety combo of Brodney Pool and Sean Jones continues to struggle. When the Browns drop into a zone, receivers run free across the middle and find the soft spots. The second half, Dolphins QB Cleo Lemon moved the team up and down the field easily. Between screen passes to Ronnie Brown and crossing routes to Marty Booker and Chris Chambers, Lemon picked the Browns apart. This is Cleo Lemon we are talking about, not Tom Brady.
4. The defensive line is atrocious. No pressure on the QB. Can't stop the run. Essentially worthless. The problem is there is nothing that can be done about it. It's not like there are street free agent D-Linemen that can be signed and can make an instant impact. Ted Washington is obese and utterly useless.
5. Give Jerome Harrison a ton of credit. Yesterday, the little scat back from Washington State got his first action of the season and his quick feet provided a great change of pace to Jason Wright's power style of running. Harrison seemed to get 10 yards a pop on the two series where he was the featured back. He carried right times for 57 yards and caught a screen pass for 15. It's tough for a guy to be inactive for weeks and then come in and contribute the way Harrison did.
6. There is nothing more annoying at Browns (and Indians games for that matter) than when the Stadium plays "Hang on Sloopy" and the crowd busts into the completely annoying O-H-I-O chant. I grew up in Cleveland and went to sporting events my whole life. Up until five years ago, I've never heard that chant in my life, while I've heard the OSU band play that song hundreds of times. Non-Ohio State grad fans in this city are nothing but bandwagon jumpers who came aboard during the Tressel era.
7. I was not myself yesterday. After staying up until 2:30 Saturday night because of the Tribe game, having to get up at 6:30 with my seven month old son, then going to the Browns game yesterday, I just passed out at 8:30. That's the earliest non-sick bedtime I've had since 1984. We are in the midst of no-sleep time anyways. Five straight days and nights with Cleveland sporting events continues tonight as I head down to the Jake for Game Three. At least they are starting at 7:10 tonight. Tomorrow night's 8:20 start is so weak. Let's hope that game doesn't go to 1:45 AM again.
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