*Each time I listen to Bernie Kosar open his mouth, I die a little inside. I mean sure, he has some good insights and really knows defenses. I think he'd make a good offensive coordinator (though it's pretty clear his team would thrown 99% of the time). But either he has a real problem or he's pulling a Harry Doyle and keeping a nipper of Jack Daniels up there in the broadcast booth with him.*No real surprises among final cuts. Derek Anderson made it for now and would likely step in if Charlie Frye gets injured in Week 1 and is out for awhile. Otherwise, he will get the most coveted job in sports...the 3rd QB. This is a pretty good life.
*Cutting Melila "Manu Manu the Slender" Purcell is disappointing, though not surprising, considering that Bird couldn't find him listed in any draft guide. My guess is that he'll end up on the practice squad. Chase Pittman and his hair were also let go. Pittman may end up on the practice squad, or he may end up in a boy band.
*Kudos to Kris Griffin for apparently making the team. He has become a fast favorite among those of us here at Metcalf up the Middle.
*Brady Quinn makes me feel giddy. He goes through his reads quickly and makes smart decisions with the football. We all remember Tim Couch dinking and dunking his way downfield, but he always appeared to use those outlets because he was panicked. Quinn calmly goes through his progressions quickly and seems to make the right reads most of the time. However....
*Charlie Frye starting game 1 is the right move. Charlie has some mobility and hasn't been terrible during preseason (Derek Anderson has). We play Pittsburgh, Baltimore and New England in the early weeks. No use throwing Brady to those wolves. If Frye succeeds against those teams, great. If not, look for Brady to start after the bye week.
*Look for the Browns to take a flyer on defensive end Bobby Hamilton, long-time Crennel protege in the 3-4, who was recently cut by the Jets. Seth Payne who went to Cornell (ever heard of it?) and sang in the group Here Comes Treble with Dunder Mifflin's own Andy Bernard, may also provide some help.
* One week until the bullets start flying for reals. Get your jersey out of storage (who am I kidding...you've been wearing it all year. Brown and orange looks good with everything).
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Browns will stun Steelers
Sundayby: Marwan Maalouf
The stars are aligned and the planets are in sync for the Cleveland Browns to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in their home opener this weekend.
The Browns had the most productive preseason on offense in a long time and one of the reasons for this is the improved offensive line. The biggest change that Cleveland's offensive line made this offseason was in regards to personnel. The addition of LT Joe Thomas through the draft makes the Browns more athletic on the offensive line. Eric Steinbach has pro bowl ability at left guard with great technique and low pad level. Seth McKinney is another upgrade at right guard due to his athleticism and stoutness to take on physical defensive tackles.
New offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has done an excellent job of play calling in the preseason and he will continue to throughout the year. He will call plays that QB Charlie Frye can execute and handle and one of Frye's key targets on Sunday will be TE Kellen Winslow, who is a real difference maker and one of the best at his position. This season he will be able to make plays a little easier against Pittsburgh, simply because OLB Joey Porter is not there. The loss of Porter will allow Winslow to release a little easier since Porter was asked to jam Winslow at the line of scrimmage. Winslow also seems to have a newer and positive outlook offensively because Chudzinski was his old TE coach at Miami.
Wide receiver Braylon Edwards will also be a main target for Frye on Sunday. He has the potential to be a Pro Bowl player if he takes advantage of his opportunities. There aren't many receivers in the NFL who compare with Edwards' size, movement, and physical attributes. However, it's true that most receivers are more consistent than Edwards has shown in the past.
On top of their playmakers on offense, the Browns' defense has strength at linebacker with Kamerion Wimbley and in the secondary with Leigh Bodden. Coupled with a dynamic special teams unit and the fact Pittsburgh has a rookie head coach and no Porter these are factors that will play a major role in the upset along Lake Erie on Sunday.
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