Monday, September 10, 2007
By Terry Pluto
Cleveland Plain Dealer Columnist
Cleveland Browns' Charlie Frye gets sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers' Ike Taylor (bottom) and Troy Polamalu for a loss in the second quarter.
Scribbles in my notebook as the Browns were spanked by the Steelers, 34-7, and it felt like it was 77-7 . . .
Charlie Frye and the Browns offensive line were pounded by the Pittsburgh defense. Neither seemed prepared. It seemed that right tackle Kevin Shaffer had a rough day, and left tackle Joe Thomas looked like a rookie. Both were beaten for sacks.
Did Frye hang on to the ball too long on some plays? Of course. But he also was under a lot of heat, as the Browns did a very poor job picking up the blitzes. Because left guard Eric Steinbach missed all of the preseason games with a knee injury, this was the first time the starting line was together. It looked like it with the uncertainty.
This is not to excuse Frye, who threw into triple coverage at one point for an interception. Other times he stayed in the pocket too long, when he needed to buy time with his legs. He also seemed confused by the Steelers defense. It was OK to bring in Derek Anderson late in the second period, Frye was a mess. But Anderson simply looked a little better because the Steelers took off some of the defensive pressure in the second half.
Until the issues of the offensive line are settled, the Browns won't be able to run the ball. They won't be able to throw the ball. They just won't, period. You can change quarterbacks and it will perhaps make a short-term difference. But in the end, this team has to learn to consistently block somebody. By halftime, the Browns gave up six sacks and had only 37 yards rushing.
Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis is about to be crushed by four defensive Pittsburgh Steelers players (L-R) Larry Foote, James Farrior (51), Aaron Smith and Clark Haggans in the first quarter.
Walking into the stadium, I saw fans wearing jerseys with the names Frye, Quinn, Garcia, Couch, Holcomb and Kosar on the backs. That says it all about the Browns, who keep searching for the next Bernie Kosar. It tells you how the fans are still looking for a quarterback jersey (other than Kosar) to wear.
Coach Romeo Crennel said he had "no explanation" for what happened. Well, he better find out - other than they put themselves "in an early hole and couldn't get out of it." Why did it happen? Why were the Browns so overpowered and overwhelmed by the Steelers? Those questions need to be answered before next week.
Let's help Crennel with a couple of answers: Everything the Browns said they needed to do on offense, they didn't do. They said they had to avoid turnovers. They said they had to protect the quarterbacks. That's 0-for-2.
It seems only the Browns could reach halftime of the first game and have most fans wondering "Who is the quarterback?" Or that they could be behind, 17-0, and it feels like 35-0. Or that at the start of the fourth quarter with the Steelers leading, 31-7, the heavens would open and it would pour as "Hang On Sloopy" was played to try and inspire the fans to chant "O-H-I-O." Then a fight broke out in the stands. Are we having fun yet?
Crennel was correct when he said it made no sense to bring Brady Quinn into this fiasco. As the coach said, "Why throw him to the dogs?" When it comes time to play Quinn, then it's time to play Quinn. As General Manager Phil Savage said a week ago, when the Notre Dame rookie takes over, there "can be no turning back." They need to prepare him to play, and even more so, be determined to help him succeed.
A Cleveland Browns fan grimaces in the third quarter as he turned his Charlie Frye jersey inside-out when Frye was taken out of the game.
Can we see less of Tim Carter on the field and more of Josh Cribbs as the third wide receiver? Cribbs is capable of big plays on a reverse or a screen pass. If nothing else, he does demand defensive attention.
Who played well? It seemed linebacker Antwan Peek had some good moments. Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley always plays hard and his pass rushing worries the opposing quarterback. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson had a couple of good hits. Fullback Lawrence Vickers caught a touchdown pass and had a few decent runs.
I'm not going to dwell on four penalties on one punt play, or only 46 yards rushing. I'm just going to say the Browns did not seem prepared for what they faced from Pittsburgh, nor were they always organized - especially on offense. That's something else Crennel and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski must address.
To reach this Plain Dealer columnist:
terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674
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