Brown and White

[BernietheKid]

McDonald's INT highlights 1st half
		By Fred Greetham OBR Reporter Posted Aug 7, 2010 | More After a half of play at the Browns Family Day intrasquad scrimmage, the offenses weren't providing much excitement. That responsibility fell on Browns defensive back Brandon McDonald, who provided the lone highlight.
CLEVELAND—The first half of the Brown and White scrimmage provided very little offense, but was highlighted by Brandon McDonald’s interception return for a touchdown after he stepped in front of Syndric Steptoe on a pass by rookie Colt McCoy with 1:27 to play in the first half to give the Brown Team a 7-3 lead. The White Team had taken a 3-0 lead on a 48-yard field goal by Phil Dawson in the first quarter. The Brown Team had the ball first. Jerome Harrison took the first carry for one yard and then Jake Delhomme threw to Mohamed Massaquoi for five yards. Delhomme then threw to Massaquoi to the 41 for 15 yards and a first down. After a dropped pass by Harrison, Delhomme hit Robiskie on third down for four yards. Delhomme was 3-of-4 for 25 yards and one drop in the first possession. The White scored first as Phil Dawson hit a 48-yard field goal with 1:58 to play in the first quarter. After starting at their own 21, the White team moved to the Brown Team 31 before stalling. On the first play from scrimmage, Josh Cribbs took the first snap and looked as though he was going to pass, but ended up tucking the ball and scrambling for 14 yards. Seneca Wallace threw to Bobby Engram for six yards on his first pass, but since they weren’t tackling, Wallace might’ve been sacked by Nick Sorenson as he touched Wallace. Wallace hit Engram for four yards for a first down and then he threw short to Chris Jennings to the 49. Rookie Clifton Geathers was flagged for a late hit which moved the ball to the Brown Team 36. A pass to Evan Moore moved the ball to the 29. On third-and- 3, Jennings lost two yards as Ray Ventrone made the stop. Dawson then hit the field goal. Wallace was 4-of-5 for 20 yards. After the score, the Brown Team started at their own 24 after a return by Joe Haden. Delhomme threw to Chansi Stuckey for 17 yards to the 43 and then a four yard pass to Harrison to the 47 to end the first quarter. Delhomme was 5-of-6 for 46 yards in the first half. Brett Ratliff started the second quarter in relief of Delhomme for the Brown Team and hit for Harrison for 10 yards. On his second pass attempt, linebacker Blake Constanzo intercepted the pass at the 32. On his next possession, Ratliff and the Brown Team were three-and-out with a seven yard completion to Stuckey. McCoy’s first pass in relief of Wallace for the White Team was incomplete to Jennings. He was sacked on second down to the 26. On third-and-16, he had a short completion to Jennings. On the White Team’s second possession starting at the 23, Cribbs took direct snap for one. McCoy threw to Steptoe for eight yards to the 32. McCoy threw to Moore down field , but McCoy was ruled sacked back at the 25 by Eric Barton. McCoy was intercepted on the next possession by McDonald, who stepped in front of Steptoe and returned it close to 35 yards for the touchdown with 1:27 to play to make it 7-3 for the Brown Team. On the Brown Teams third offense that started at their 34, James Davis took the direct snap and went 66 yards for the touchdown, but Ben Watson was called for holding to negate the run and move back to the 24. After a short completion and an incompletion, Ratliff was sacked. He was 3-of-7 for 19 yards, including an interception. The Brown Team took over with 2:12 to play at their 20, after a short pass y McCoy to Jennings for two yards, Barton was called for a face mask to the 27. Trying to move in the final 1:20 after the interception, McCoy hit Engram for nine yards to the 40. The next pass was batted down by Titus Adams. On third-and- 7, McCoy thew to Cribbs for eight yards and a first down to the 47 with 12 seconds left. On the final play of the half, McCoy thew to the endzone and was intercepted by DeAngelo Smith. Unoffically, McCoy was 7-of-12 for 31 yards and two interceptions. Notebook Big Mac: DB Brandon McDonald was replaced by Sheldon Brown and Joe Haden in the rotation but he made his presence felt with an interception and a batted down pass in the first half. Barton Barking: LB Eric Barton had a sack and was also called for a face mask penalty in his first action since suffering a season-ending neck injury last season. Haden Returning: No. 1 pick Joe Haden was the kickoff return man for the Brown and returned one to the 24. The Coaches: The White Team as coach by quarterback coach Carl Smith, while the Brown Team was coached by special teams coordinator Brad Seely Hardesty Sighting: Rookie RB Montario Hardesty was on the white sidelines with a wrap on his right knee. Other players not playing for the White team were DL Shaun Rogers (ankle) and RB Peyton Hillis (leg) . On the Brown sidelines inactive were LB David Bowens (leg), OL Joel Reinders (right foot), C.J. Mosley, LB Titus Brown and DL Brian Schaefering. P Dave Zastudil was not seen. Roster Move: DB John Bowie was signed to take the place of DB Chris Roberson was placed on injured reserve. Bowie was with the Browns in the off-season, but released before training camp.

Scout.com: McDonald's INT highlights 1st half

[Shep]

Offenses were pretty dead in first half. Delhomme was 5/6 for short yardage, like 45. McCoy was 7 of 12 with two picks (one for a TD) and a sack.

Big plays of the half were B-Mac's pick of McCoy for a 35-yard TD and James Davis again going long in preseason, 66 yards on a direct snap... but called back for holding.

Love to hear from someone who was there.

[BernietheKid]

I just moved everything into one thread Shep so it will be easier to comment.

[Dan in Florida]

Originally Posted by BernietheKid

I just moved everything into one thread Shep so it will be easier to comment.

Great idea Bernie...easier to read this way. Thanks for the updates!

[Alo]

It looks like SportsTime Ohio will have a Family Day recap show tonight at 11. Until then, NewsNet5 has a pretty good read.

Originally Posted by Tony Grossi

#Browns Simply a dreadful offensive performance. Back to drawing board.

[Flugel]

James Davis took the direct snap and went 66 yards for the touchdown, but Ben Watson was called for holding to negate the run and move back to the 24. After a short completion and an incompletion, Ratliff was sacked. He was 3-of-7 for 19 yards, including an interception.

That sure sounds like the SAME guy that excited us last year at this time.
- Tom F.

[YtownBacker]

You can expect the offense to be out of sinc in a scrimmage where there is no tackling since their bread and butter this year will most likely be the run.

This is a team that will run to set up the pass and have some wildcat gadgets thrown in. Pretty hard to imagine what things will look like when the offenses and defenses are split and you can't even substitute packages in and out because the guys are on the other sidelines.

Nice to see guys full go. Good for them to get to Brown's Stadium to get a feel for the place. But, a non tackling scrimage is what it is especially if you aren't a wide open passing team.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

I went. Sorry I did.

They looked absolutely abysmal.

The Good

Brandon Mcdonald - Looked solid, we're going to have a good secondary.

James Davis - Looks like the best RB on the team. Can't judge Hardesty since I have yet to see him in pads.

Brett Ratliff - Looks like the best QB on the team.

Evan Moore - Made some nice grabs, on one he steam rolled any defenders in his path ..would have been a TD had it not been touch football. I think this guy will be used more as a WR than a TE ...unless he learns to block.

The Bad.

Everybody else. QBs looked putrid. WRs looked putrid. RBs looked putrid. O-line looked putrid. The defense looked OK, but I think it was more due to the ineptitude of the offense. That stud Jason Trusnik kept busting through the line for sacks.

Highlight of the day.

Besides the JAmes Davis long run and the BMac INT for a TD ...it had to be the huge brawl between Benard and Kooistra. (sp?) Benard was throwing some serious haymakers on the behemoth and I think I saw him connect on a few, Mangini finally came out on the field and handled it ...sending both players to their respective benches.

Am I worried after seeing what I saw? Yeah, a bit ....that being said, I'm sure you are going to be hearing a lot of THE SKY IS FALLING types whining and crying ...but one thing I did notice, is they had a bunch of scrubs mixed in with the assumed starters ....bubble guys like Ventrone and Costanza, (the latter had a pick) so it isn't entirely easy to come to any conclusions after seeing this scrimmage.

I thought Haden and Ward looked solid, and I also tried to key in on this Haggerty kid a bit ...nothing exciting. The first play I saw him in, either hey ran a lousy route or the WR beside him did, because they ran into each other ...he did have several catches on dump offs and short slants. (which is more than I can say for Mitchell)

[Neo]

Originally Posted by Flugel

James Davis took the direct snap and went 66 yards for the touchdown, but Ben Watson was called for holding to negate the run and move back to the 24. After a short completion and an incompletion, Ratliff was sacked. He was 3-of-7 for 19 yards, including an interception.

That sure sounds like the SAME guy that excited us last year at this time.
- Tom F.

I really hope that injury Davis had was just a fluke and he can make the final roster.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

I went. Sorry I did.

They looked absolutely abysmal.

The Good

Brandon Mcdonald - Looked solid, we're going to have a good secondary.

James Davis - Looks like the best RB on the team. Can't judge Hardesty since I have yet to see him in pads.

Brett Ratliff - Looks like the best QB on the team.

The Bad.

Everybody else. QBs looked putrid. WRs looked putrid. RBs looked putrid. O-line looked putrid. The defense looked OK, but I think it was more due to the ineptitude of the offense. That stud Jason Trusnik kept busting through the line for sacks.

Highlight of the day.

Besides the JAmes Davis long run and the BMac INT for a TD ...it had to be the huge brawl between Benard and Kooistra. (sp?) Benard was throwing some serious haymakers on the behemoth and I think I saw him connect on a few, Mangini finally came out on the field and handled it ...sending both players to their respective benches.

Am I worried after seeing what I saw? Yeah, a bit ....that being said, I'm sure you are going to be hearing a lot of THE SKY IS FALLING types whining and crying ...but one thing I did notice, is they had a bunch of scrubs mixed in with the assumed starters ....bubble guys like Ventrone and Costanza, (the latter had a pick) so it isn't entirely easy to come to any conclusions after seeing this scrimmage.

I thought Haden and Ward looked solid, and I also tried to key in on this Haggerty kid a bit ...nothing exciting. The first play I saw him in, either hey ran a lousy route or the WR beside him did, because they ran into each other ...he did have several catches on dump offs and short slants. (which is more than I can say for Mitchell)

TBPP - not to be funny but how could the RBs look any good if they were playing touch not tackle. How can you look good if you can't show you can break a tackle or cut back into a gap. A RB could only look good if he had a perfect seal of the end or a perfect trap play. Then, it isn't the RB it's the OL getting the job done.

Reading the reports from some of the OBR and PD people they are saying Ratliff could be gone after the first game because he was so bad. so, I guess Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You have to take this for what it was worth. A touch football scrimage.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

The Ratliff comment was sarcasm, sorry I thought that one would be obvious. And yes, the rest of what you said is correct. The sky is not falling. But they still looked like shit.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

The Ratliff comment was sarcasm, sorry I thought that one would be obvious. And yes, the rest of what you said is correct. The sky is not falling. But they still looked like shit.

Yea, I was scratching my head thinking here's a team that wants to pound the ball and use wildcat formations and their playing touch football.

When you play touch, the offense is going to pass and the defense knows it. So, not much gets accomplished except maybe getting the proper guys in the proper formations and receivers running the right routes. Rookies get their first taste of the speed of the game and coaches look for mental mistakes.

BTW, we need to start a pick a date pool for the date Ratliff gets cut. Anyone willing to take the over and say he makes the team or even makes it to the last cut. I'd rather see McCoy get the reps in practice and late in the preseason games.

Good job with the recap. Best I heard yet is........................ Blah