Entries from The Fifth Quarter tagged with 'Cleveland Browns'
Starks gets the Steelers' franchise tag
Steelers -- Tackle Max Starks receives the franchise tag and a guaranteed 2009 salary of $8.4 million. This could mean Marvel Smith is on his way out. -- Running back Rashard Mendenhall's shoulder rehab is ahead of schedule. Also, Santonio...
Bills, Browns, Steelers turn focus to combine
The NFL combine is going on in Indianapolis, officially opening the gates to another season of offseason movement. Steelers -- Moving up from the last spot in the draft, as the Steelers did after their Super Bowl XL win to...
Mangini's hiring is a real head-scratcher
I will get into this again in Friday's column, but I really have strong feelings both ways on the Browns' Eric Mangini hire. On the one hand this addresses a longstanding need by the organization to bring in someone with...
Is it time to move the NFL's playoff bye?
I'm starting to believe that the NFL should move the playoff bye week from the week before the Super Bowl to the week after the regular season. That would give the teams that have fired their coaches in the hours...
New Browns coach will go only as far as his locker room takes him
I've been thinking about the Browns and whom they might hire to replace Romeo Crennel and I came across a quote from Don Coryell, the longtime San Diego Chargers coach. "The country is full of good coaches. What it takes...
Browns-Steelers: Third quarter update
Steelers 17, Browns 0 Notes: -- The Steelers announced Ben Roethlisberger has a concussion and won't return. Bill Cowher said on CBS' halftime show that he also would have played Roethlisberger today, which could take some of the heat off...
Browns-Steelers: Halftime update
Steelers 14, Browns 0 Notes: -- No press box update yet on injured Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who left on a cart after being hit by D'Qwell Jackson and Willie McGinest. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will plenty of questions after...
Browns-Steelers: First quarter update
Browns 0, Steelers 0 Notes: -- Interesting decision by Romeo Crennel to send out Phil Dawson for a 53-yard field goal attempt with the wind swirling. Dawson missed left. I guess the thinking is why not try to put points...
Browns-Steelers: Pre-game and inactives
Windy and fairly warm for late December here at Heinz Field, where we are a few minutes from kickoff. The wind could wreak havoc with the kickers and any downfield passes. But the sun is out, which just doesn't seem...
Mailbag: Keeping the heat on Crennel
Not everyone agrees with my Sunday column, in which I said the Browns should make a run at Bill Cowher, but keep Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage if they can't land the Golden Jaw. Below are a couple of representative...
Today's list: Ranking Browns starting quarterbacks since 1999
Romeo Crennel already announced that Brady Quinn is the Browns' starting quarterback next season. That could change, of course, pending some small detail like, uh, Crennel's continued employment by the franchise . No matter who they choose, the Browns will...
Things I'm thinking about this weekend
1. Do you think the Browns ever envisioned a scenario when they would have to start Ken Dorsey this season? The team essentially re-signed Dorsey before the season as a favor to second-year quarterback Brady Quinn, who became close friends...
Colts-Browns: Postgame
Colts 10, Browns 6 Notes: -- The last time the Browns gave up as few as 26 points in back-to-back losses was 1985, when they lost to Washington 14-7 in Week 8 and Pittsburgh 10-9 in Week 9. They finished...
Colts-Browns: Third quarter update
Browns 6, Colts 3 Notes: -- The Browns stretched it to seven straight quarters without a touchdown, but they still lead thanks to the defense. Brandon McDonald made a nice play to intercept Peyton Manning on the Colts' first play...
Colts-Browns: Halftime update
Browns 6, Colts 3 Notes: -- One of the criticisms of the Browns' coaching staff this season has been play-calling. On their second series, which overlapped the first and second quarters, the Browns reached first-and-goal at the Indy 9 on...
Colts-Browns: First quarter update
Browns 3, Colts 3 Notes: -- It had to be a small victory for the Colts to hold the Browns to a field goal after Joseph Addai fumbled and Erie Wright recovered on Indianapolis' first offensive snap. -- Romeo Crennel...
Sanders among Colts' inactives
Colts safety and Erie native Bob Sanders is inactive today and will not play against the Browns. Sanders has missed three straight games with inflammation on his knee after undergoing surgery to repair loose cartilage. Other inactives: Browns Travis Daniels...
Texans-Browns: Third quarter update
Texans 16, Browns 6 Notes: -- Brady Quinn has played like a quarterback making his third career start this quarter. His two interceptions came on throws he shouldn't have made. On the first, defensive end Anthony Weaver dropped back into...
Texans-Browns: Halftime update
Texans 13, Browns 6 Notes: -- Brady Quinn is trying to go to Kellen Winslow. His first pass for Winslow in the quarter was into tight coverage and went incomplete. Winslow wanted a flag, but it looked like a good...
Texans-Browns: First quarter update
Texans 7, Browns 0 Notes: -- Watch the Kevin Walter-Brandon McDonald matchup the rest of the day. Sage Rosenfels went to Walter against McDonald three times on Houston's opening drive. The first was a five-yard gain. The second was an...
Texans-Browns: Pre-game and inactives
Looks like Kellen Winslow will play. He is not listed among the Browns' inactives and wasn't among their late lineup changes. That's good news for Brady Quinn, who loves to throw to Winslow. Inactives Browns Ken Dorsey Travis Daniels Hamza...
Week 11 picks recap
Last week Straight up: 12-4 Spread: 9-7 Season Straight up: 102-57 Spread: 91-68 The pick: Jets at Patriots (-3 ½): It just feels right to start drinking the Favre Kool-Aid again. Jets, 20-17 The reality: Jets, 34-31. Karma prevailed, as...
Latest Browns twist: Savage dropped implied F-bomb in e-mail
What is it with the Browns that they can't get through a week without turning their Berea headquarters into a soap-opera set? The latest shenanigans involve an apparent e-mail exchange between general manager Phil Savage and a disgruntled fan in...
Browns-Bills: Third quarter update
Browns 16, Bills 13 -- Jabari Greer is out for the game with a knee injury. The Browns have lost Sean Jones and Shaun Smith for the game with injuries. -- Fred Jackson's fumble is the Bills' fourth turnover tonight....
Browns-Bills: Halftime update
Browns 13, Bills 10 -- There were questions about whether Quinn would throw deep after the Browns went conservative in his first start against Denver. But four of his first five attempts in the second quarter were longer than 15...
Browns-Bills: First quarter update
Browns 6, Bills 0 Notes: -- Another dropped pass by Braylon Edwards -- his league-leading 13th -- and it would have given the Browns first-and-goal on their second drive. Edwards made a nice leaping catch but simply lost the ball...
Browns-Bills: Pre-game and inactives
Checking in from Ralph Wilson Stadium, where folks in Erie will be delighted to know that...there...is...not...one...speck...of...snow...on...the...ground. But it is cold -- cold enough that a few of the players warming up right now on the field are wearing sleeves, including...
2008: A football odyssey
Maybe I'm a poor planner, but until a few days ago I didn't realize that this week I would be covering four NFL games in eight days, a career first. I'm calling it "The Mother of All NFL Trips," and...
Bettis at Behrend: Highlights from his appearance
Former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis spoke at Penn State Behrend tonight as part of the college's speakers series. He also met with reporters for about 10 minutes afterward while a large group of fans waited in the hallway outside...
Week 9 picks recap: It's good to have a backup plan
It's the time of the year when injuries leave contending teams shorthanded, and those that can scratch up enough quality depth from their cap-suppressed rosters usually wind up staying in the race. Last week's big backup winners were the Steelers,...
Broncos at Browns: Postgame update
Broncos 34, Browns 30 What happened: On the fourth play of the fourth quarter, Jay Cutler hit Eddie Royal on a 93-yard touchdown pass. Royal caught the ball near midfield and Brandon McDonald, who was burned on the play, dove...
Broncos at Browns: Third quarter update
Browns 23, Broncos 13 What happened: The teams traded field goals, with Phil Dawson hitting from 33 yards to extended the Browns' lead to 23-10 and Matt Prater nailing a 30-yarder with 5:37 left in the quarter. ... The Browns...
Broncos at Browns: Halftime update
Browns 20, Broncos 10 What happened: The Browns went ahead 17-7 on a 24-yard Phil Dawson field goal and Quinn's second TD pass to Winslow. ... The Broncos cut it to seven on Matt Prater's 38-yard field goal, but Dawson...
Broncos at Browns: First quarter update
Browns 7, Broncos 7 What happened: The Broncos scored first on Ryan Torain's 1-yard run...The Browns tied it on Brady Quinn's five-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow, Quinn's first career TD. Notes: Quinn completed 4-of-5 passes for 39 yards in...
Broncos at Browns: Pre-game and inactives
Checking in from Cleveland a little less than an hour before kickoff. The talk here, not surprisingly, is all Brady Quinn, and theories in the Browns press box abound as to why the team made the move now, and who...
Quinn's the man in Cleveland
The folks over at Deadspin are ready for Brady Quinn to take over as the Browns' starting quarterback. My take? This was inevitable given the team's investment in Quinn -- which goes beyond his salary to the two high draft...
Ravens-Browns: Postgame
Ravens 37, Browns 27 What happened: The Ravens tied it, 27-27, on Joe Flacco's 28-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason. Mason scored after Browns CB Eric Wright fell down trying to make a play on the ball. ... Baltimore took...
Ravens at Browns: Third-quarter update
Browns 27, Ravens 20 What happened: The Browns scored touchdowns on their first two third-quarter drives to take a 27-13 lead. Joshua Cribbs set up the first score with a long punt return to the Ravens' 28. Derek Anderson hit...
Ravens at Browns: Halftime update
What happened: The Browns tie it in Phil Dawson's 23-yard field goal with 5:50 left in the half. Derek Anderson drives the Browns from their 20 to the Baltimore 6. His third-down pass to Jason Wright appears to be close...
Ravens at Browns: First-quarter update
What happened: The Browns go three-and-out with the opening kickoff and Dave Zastudil shanked the punt. A penalty on the punt sets up the Ravens at the Browns 42. ... The Browns hold the Ravens to Matt Stover's 41-yard field...
Ravens at Browns: Quad will sideline Stallworth
A quad injury will sideline receiver Donte' Stallworth for today's game against the Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Fullback Lawrence Vickers also will miss the game with an ankle injury. The Ravens, meanwhile, are without three starters in their seconday...
Week 8 picks recap: Killer start for the Titans
Remember "The Usual Suspects," where Kevin Spacey's character comes across early in the film as this meek, pathetic little man with a drop foot and zero self-confidence, and by the end of the movie we learn that he's a brilliant,...
News and notes: Savage says Browns didn't coach Winslow
Browns -- Browns general manager Phil Savage denies the team tried to hide Kellen Winslow's staph infection: "Not one time, never, ever, ever, ever has there been a situation where I tried to determine whether a player was going to...
News and notes: Weekend rewind
Steelers -- The Steelers' latest win in Cincinnati left Bengals fans in a foul mood, Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty writes: "Nobody wearing a POLAMALU jersey had to worry about getting his face smashed in. The black-and-gold-clad visiting home crowd...
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