Browns teams of recent years have featured certain repeated stock characters. These include the Illusory Rookie Rushing Phenom (Hill, Prentice, Gay, Green, Barclay, Thomas), the Receiver Who Used To Be A Quarterback (KJ, Frisman, Alston, Cribbs), the Special Teams “Demon” Who Lacked At Linebacker (Lenoy Jones, Brant Boyer, Mason Unck, Kris Griffin) and the Thirty-Something […]
So Randy swung his big axe, and the first cut was the Player-Picker-in-Chief himself, Phil Savage. The strained forced marriage of Savage and Crennel in the end devolved into dysfunction all around. Few doubt that the departing duo are both knowledgeable guys, but each lacked certain management skills. Savage’s focus on hands-on scouting became an […]
I’ve long pined for the day that a former Toledo Rocket would take the field with the orange and brown for the first time in my memory. There was rookie GM Phil Savage’s clever 2005 offer sheet to Chester Taylor, which the Ravens opted to match, retaining their restricted free agent running back for another […]
While schedule strength and rancid response to raised expectations contributed mightily to the Browns’ dropoff from a year ago, it is injuries — and the subsequent failure to adequately backfill the roster — that account for much of the difference between 2007 and 2008. This season is more of a failure than last year’s was […]
Once again, I’ve traded thoughts about the upcoming game with a gentleman named Sportz Assassin over on AOL Fanhouse. Here’s a brief preview of Sunday’s pivotal Browns-Bengals matchup:Sportz Assassin: The Battle Of Ohio. Can we still say “throw the records out the window when these two get together?” Ace Davis: Definitely. Several of the most […]
Among their other dubious distinctions, the Browns are tied for the league lead in penalties. Last season they were third, behind only Arizona and Oakland. Let’s break this down a bit. Here’s the details on all 31 infractions, including those declined and offset: by number… 4 — Seth McKinney 3 — Braylon Edwards, Brandon McDonald, […]
What conclusions can be drawn about a football team, and its coach, by analyzing its scoring pattern? Quite a bit, if the team scores and allows points throughout the four quarters in an uneven distribution. Let’s start with the following assumptions: A high net point margin in the first quarter reflects especially well on the […]
No team in the NFL has committed more penalties. Only one other team besides the Browns has yet to go for it on fourth down. (The league-wide success rate is 52%) The Browns are one of just five teams that have yet to recover an opponent’s fumble. The Browns are the only team who has […]
It must be acknowledged that, whatever his virtues, Derek Anderson is not a top-notch intellect. Not that it’s required for success as an NFL quarterback (right, Marino and Bradshaw?), but it is a factor to consider. Intelligence being such an elusive concept, comprising a variety of skills and aptitudes, I hesitate to open the topic […]
When Romeo got his contact extension last January, guaranteeing him something like $16 million over the next four years, I pretty much shrugged. If Savage and Chud were getting theirs, far be it from me to protest Crennel getting a little more gravy. So what if he already had two years left on his original […]
Browns Plainly gives you the most comprehensive, no-nonsense coverage of the Cleveland Browns, from all the best sources on the web. All in one place. Dave Algase, author of Brown for the Count, provides expert analysis and is a lifelong fan of the team. Dave's unique perspective of the team will provide insights you won't find anywhere else.
