Round two of our Browns blogstravaganza are brothers Alex and Corey who run the Cleveland sports site Mistake By the Lake.
BGN - When I saw the Browns on the schedule when it came out I wondered who would be the QB when this game finally rolled around... but I never considered it would be Ken Dorsey. Does this guy have any hope of showing something over the next couple games?
Corey - There's always hope. But Dorsey's track record is pretty lousy. He's been the Browns' #3 QB for three years now, so he knows the playbook as well as anyone. He just doesn't have much of an arm. I expect the Browns will unveil yet another "safe" passing attack, as they've done ever since Quinn took over for Anderson five weeks ago. That's certainly not going to allow them to replicate any of the success they had in 2007.
This may be part of your answer to the previous question, but I've read stories saying Browns fans are hoping to see WR/KR Josh Cribbs taking as many as a dozen snaps at QB in a wildcat formation. What are your thoughts on that?
Corey - Cribbs will certainly get a handful of touches on offense. So far this year, they've rarely used him as a WR proper, and although he was a starting QB in college, the Browns have been reluctant to let him throw a pass (I believe he attempted his first of the season last Sunday). Almost all of his offensive touches this year (including the many plays in which he received the snap directly) have featured him as a rusher, and he's been pretty successful, though it seems like defenses are starting to figure that out. In the end, the Eagles should still be more concerned about what he might do on special teams (both kicking and receiving) than on offense.
Despite the Browns disappointing season and despite the fact that you guys are out of the playoff picture, I've read that Romeo Crennell has been resistant to giving your rookies and youngsters more playing time. Is this true?
Alex - First off, I don't believe so, no. The only playing time issue that's come up this season is the Anderson-Quinn debate that I'd be happy to never think about again. The Browns don't seem to have much young talent on the bench. Anyone with a pulse has been able to get into games and show something (especially on defense).
If you could steal one Eagle and put him on the Browns, who would it be?
Alex - My first inclination is to name Brian Westbrook. But, as I've learned many times over from Football Outsiders, running backs are all vastly overrated and mostly interchangeable. That's why when LaDainian Tomlinson or any other first rate running back gets injured, his backup replaces most if not all of his value. That's not to say there aren't backs who stand above the rest, and Westbrook looks to be one of those guys. Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about the Eagles, but I think linemen, offensive or defensive, are the best (only?) place to build a great team from. So I'd start there.
Who is the one Brown whose name we probably don't know but should?
I'll throw out a couple of candidates. Jerome Harrison is a backup RB who's small, very fast, and, so far, much more successful than Jamal Lewis on a per-rush basis. He's been a fan favorite for a year or two, so there's been pressure on Crennel to start giving him more than the usual 2 or 3 carries per game. In the last few weeks, Harrison has indeed gotten more carries. Also, fullback Lawrence Vickers is a star who doesn't get much attention. On defense, the Browns have two CBs, Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, each of whom has been brilliant at times, and dismal at times. On balance, I'd say Wright has been the more successful defender. Finally, I expect Alex is going to insist on mentioning his favorite player, all-universe long snapper Ryan Pontbriand...
Thanks again to Alex and Corey from Mistake By the Lake.