Masters
Well-known member
Not sure I would have title the article that if it was me. You got to squint real hard to try and make this O out to have shown progress of any kind.
I have bolded some of the things I found to be key in the article. All of this should not be going on in week 7 of the NFL season. WTF were these guys doing during the QB camps, mini-camps, OTA, training camp, and preseason. :soapbox:
Browns' offense shows (a little) progress - The News-Herald Sports : Breaking news coverage for Northern Ohio
Browns' offense shows (a little) progress
Published: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
By Jeff Schudel
JSchudel@News-Herald.com
What does a head coach do when his quarterback completes 11 of 41 passes in two weeks?
He gives Derek Anderson another chance, that's what.
Eric Mangini during his Monday news conference made it clear Anderson will start against the Packers on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium and gave no indication he will be playing for his job.
The offense with Anderson starting the last three weeks has averaged a touchdown a game, which for the Browns is an explosion. They have scored four offensive touchdowns in 72 possessions this season after playing the last six games of 2008 without one.
Put another way, the Browns are 31st in the league in offense and 30th in points scored. Part of that goes back to the 10 quarters Brady Quinn played before being benched.
"There have been times where we've moved the ball really effectively," Mangini said. "The drive we had at the beginning of the second half is indicative of things we can do.
"There were some positive things that I've seen throughout the course of Derek working at quarterback that I think will get better."
After being shut out in the first half at Pittsburgh, the Browns took the third-quarter kickoff and moved 66 yards for a touchdown in six plays. Mohamed Massaquoi caught a deep pass for a 43-yard gain on the drive — the longest play of the season for the Browns. Three of Massaquoi's five catches were made on the drive capped by a one-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Vickers.
But then there were the 11 other possessions Sunday.
Three of them ended in turnovers by Anderson — two of them on fumbles and one on an interception on a pass intended for Massaquoi — and one an interception thrown by Josh Cribbs.
By a press box count, seven passes were dropped in Pittsburgh. Nine were dropped the week before against the Bills.
"We have to do a much better job of not stopping ourselves whether it be with the dropped balls or some throws that are a little bit off," Mangini said. "It could be tightening up the protection or tightening up the routes. All those things I think we can do better."
Anderson walked into the locker room Monday, made a beeline to his dressing stall and saw a group of reporters eager to question him. The locker room was nearly deserted, and he joined the deserters quickly after saying with a smile: "Oh, Lord, I'm not talking today."
Massaquoi has been inconsistent. He caught eight passes against the Bengals and one against the Bills. He also had three dropped passes in the Buffalo game. He had five catches and three drops in the Pittsburgh game.
Massaquoi has become Anderson's go-to guy without Braylon Edwards as a target. That's a lot to put on a rookie's shoulders, but fellow rookie Brian Robiskie did not catch his first NFL pass until Sunday, and Chansi Stuckey hasn't caught a pass in the two games played since being acquired in the Edwards trade Oct. 7.
"It's clicked at certain points," Massaquoi said Monday. "We just haven't had it click throughout the game for 60 minutes. But knowing that it's clicked at certain points means it can click throughout the whole game and it can click for the rest of the season. That part's going to come. Hopefully it comes sooner than later."
Mike Furrey played only briefly Sunday and did not have a pass thrown in his direction. Mangini on Monday second-guessed himself and said Furrey should have played more.
Josh Cribbs, a starting receiver in the opener, has nine catches for the season but only two in the last four games.
Tight end Steve Heiden missed the Pittsburgh game with a knee injury. Robert Royal, the tight end signed in free agency, has dropped five passes.
Unless the Browns trade defensive end Corey Williams for a veteran receiver and a magic wand before the 4 p.m. deadline today, the last 10 games could be more of the same.
I have bolded some of the things I found to be key in the article. All of this should not be going on in week 7 of the NFL season. WTF were these guys doing during the QB camps, mini-camps, OTA, training camp, and preseason. :soapbox:
Browns' offense shows (a little) progress - The News-Herald Sports : Breaking news coverage for Northern Ohio
Browns' offense shows (a little) progress
Published: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
By Jeff Schudel
JSchudel@News-Herald.com
What does a head coach do when his quarterback completes 11 of 41 passes in two weeks?
He gives Derek Anderson another chance, that's what.
Eric Mangini during his Monday news conference made it clear Anderson will start against the Packers on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium and gave no indication he will be playing for his job.
The offense with Anderson starting the last three weeks has averaged a touchdown a game, which for the Browns is an explosion. They have scored four offensive touchdowns in 72 possessions this season after playing the last six games of 2008 without one.
Put another way, the Browns are 31st in the league in offense and 30th in points scored. Part of that goes back to the 10 quarters Brady Quinn played before being benched.
"There have been times where we've moved the ball really effectively," Mangini said. "The drive we had at the beginning of the second half is indicative of things we can do.
"There were some positive things that I've seen throughout the course of Derek working at quarterback that I think will get better."
After being shut out in the first half at Pittsburgh, the Browns took the third-quarter kickoff and moved 66 yards for a touchdown in six plays. Mohamed Massaquoi caught a deep pass for a 43-yard gain on the drive — the longest play of the season for the Browns. Three of Massaquoi's five catches were made on the drive capped by a one-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Vickers.
But then there were the 11 other possessions Sunday.
Three of them ended in turnovers by Anderson — two of them on fumbles and one on an interception on a pass intended for Massaquoi — and one an interception thrown by Josh Cribbs.
By a press box count, seven passes were dropped in Pittsburgh. Nine were dropped the week before against the Bills.
"We have to do a much better job of not stopping ourselves whether it be with the dropped balls or some throws that are a little bit off," Mangini said. "It could be tightening up the protection or tightening up the routes. All those things I think we can do better."
Anderson walked into the locker room Monday, made a beeline to his dressing stall and saw a group of reporters eager to question him. The locker room was nearly deserted, and he joined the deserters quickly after saying with a smile: "Oh, Lord, I'm not talking today."
Massaquoi has been inconsistent. He caught eight passes against the Bengals and one against the Bills. He also had three dropped passes in the Buffalo game. He had five catches and three drops in the Pittsburgh game.
Massaquoi has become Anderson's go-to guy without Braylon Edwards as a target. That's a lot to put on a rookie's shoulders, but fellow rookie Brian Robiskie did not catch his first NFL pass until Sunday, and Chansi Stuckey hasn't caught a pass in the two games played since being acquired in the Edwards trade Oct. 7.
"It's clicked at certain points," Massaquoi said Monday. "We just haven't had it click throughout the game for 60 minutes. But knowing that it's clicked at certain points means it can click throughout the whole game and it can click for the rest of the season. That part's going to come. Hopefully it comes sooner than later."
Mike Furrey played only briefly Sunday and did not have a pass thrown in his direction. Mangini on Monday second-guessed himself and said Furrey should have played more.
Josh Cribbs, a starting receiver in the opener, has nine catches for the season but only two in the last four games.
Tight end Steve Heiden missed the Pittsburgh game with a knee injury. Robert Royal, the tight end signed in free agency, has dropped five passes.
Unless the Browns trade defensive end Corey Williams for a veteran receiver and a magic wand before the 4 p.m. deadline today, the last 10 games could be more of the same.