Injuries Mount, Time To Panic?
Aug 19, 2008
Author: DawgBones.com

It was an all too familiar scene for the Cleveland Browns and their fans. A big stage, Monday Night Football in front of a national audience, and the Browns failed to show up for the 1st quarter in route to falling behind 23-3. Eventually they would go down by 27 points before fighting back to a respectable 37-34 loss. The score, however, was no way indicative of the way the Browns had been manhandled by the New York Giants. The Browns also introduced a new look Monday night, brown pants, they may want to burn them and never think about wearing them again.

The Browns scored 1st on a 56-yard Phil Dawson field goal after the defense forced the Giants offense to a 3 and out. It would be about the only bright spot the 1st team offense and defense had all night. From that point the Giants scored 30 unanswered points a myriad of ways. A safety on a blocked Dave Zastudil punt, the ensuing free kick returned for a touchdown, a 95 yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown and oh yeah, just flat out dominating the Browns defense by running the ball at will and throwing over the secondary's head.

The Browns were not just beaten on the scoreboard, they were beaten up physically. The Giants defensive line made the Browns improved offensive line look as if they were a junior varsity unit. Perhaps we will look back on this game and a 2nd quarter play and say it had a major impact on the Browns 2008 season. Trailing 30-3 with 13:25 left in the 2nd quarter Browns QB Derek Anderson went back to pass. Inexplicably he was nailed on his blind side by Giants DE Osi Umenyiora for a sack. The sack however was the least of Anderson's problems. He suffered a concussion on the play and bruised his right hand, his throwing hand. How long this injury and it's effects linger will directly impact the Browns. Although backup QB Brady Quinn played well, he is not the QB the Browns had been looking to in 2008.

Many are going to ask why head coach Romeo Crennel would leave Anderson in at that point in the game. Clearly only bad things could happen, right? Right and they clearly did. Crennel will say the unit looked bad and needed to be out there, perhaps, but did Anderson need to be out there as much as the offensive line? The o-line was clearly man-handled by the Giants defensive line all night and that wasn't going to change trailing 30-3 and basically passing on every down.

Anderson was not the only key Browns player hurt on Monday night. Pro Bowl KR Joshua Cribbs left the game in the 1st half with an ankle injury. The severity of the injury is not known, but the loss of Cribbs for any amount of time would be a huge blow. He is scheduled to have an MRI on his ankle Tuesday. Also injured Monday night were ILB Leon Williams with a neck injury and starting S Brodney Pool with a mild concussion.

The fact that the Browns came out so flat and unprepared is also a reflection on the head coach. Do these players not respect Crennel? Do they think what they did last year has any bearing on what they do this year? Having your players ready to play week in and week out falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff, the Browns were nowhere near ready Monday night. Browns fans can only hope they don't.

Some will say it was pre-season and because the Browns play the Giants later in the year they were not going to show them anything. Believe that and I have some swamp land in Florida I'd like you to buy. The fact that the Browns fumbled balls, missed tackles and blocks has nothing to do with "showing anything" to your opponent. Those things are the fundamentals of the game, the Browns clearly need a lot of work on the fundamentals.

2008 was to be the season in which the Browns took the next step. Playoff talk has been in the air, maybe Monday's performance will bring the Browns back to earth and make them realize nothing is given in the NFL.

So is it time for Browns fans to panic, not yet. There were some bright spots Monday night. WR Syndric Steptoe had the best game of the night by far. He stepped in for Cribbs on kick returns and had returns of 90 and 40 yards. He caught 3 balls for 80 yards, 1 a 44-yard TD from Quinn. Steptoe is making a strong case to make the team due to his special teams contributions and Cribbs injury looming. He has also now shown he can be used as a weapon on offense.

Steptoe was not alone Monday night with a decent showing. Backup safety Mike Adams stepped in when Pool went out and had a very nice game. His QB hurry and deflection of Giants QB Anthony Wright's 2nd quarter pass led to CB Eric Wright's 15-yard interception return for a TD. Backup TE Darnell Dinkins also had a productive night catching 3 passes for 50 yards and is pushing for a roster spot due to his good play on special teams as well.

So what do the Browns do now? They have 2 more pre-season games to figure it out because come September 7th the Dallas Cowboys are coming to town, like it or not.

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