Browns thrilled to enter spotlight

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Preseason game tonight against Super Bowl team is tuneup for prime time


On Saturday, Browns coach Romeo Crennel cited a couple of instances of overexuberance in practice.

And he wasn't referring to quarterback Derek Anderson dancing a jig to Alabama's Mountain Music or linebacker David McMillan copying Michael Jackson's Thriller routine as Crennel used music to simulate crowd noise.

Rather, it was the effects of prime time on the long-starved Browns.

Cleveland plays five nationally televised games in the regular season, three on Monday night, one on Sunday night and one on Thursday night. It will mark the most prime-time appearances for the Browns since the 1988 and '89 seasons. They have not made a Monday night appearance in the regular season since 2003 against St. Louis.

The bright lights (and big city) atmosphere begins tonight when Cleveland (0-1) takes on the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants (0-1) at 8 p.m. (ESPN) at the Meadowlands.

On Friday, Browns Pro Bowl returner Joshua Cribbs could barely contain himself.

''We're excited,'' Cribbs
said. ''Lot of teams have looked at Cleveland and looked the other way. We're usually the team other teams have highlights on. But we're not the team to look over anymore.

''Cleveland is in the house. Put us in prime time. Let us see what we can do.''

Left tackle Joe Thomas relished the chance to test the big stage in preseason before it counts.

''Being able to have a Monday night game is going to be awesome,'' Thomas said. ''It will be the first Monday night game for a lot of the guys. Hopefully, when we play our first Monday night in the regular season, it won't be a new thing now.

''We've got a lot of prime-time games coming up this year and hopefully it will get a lot of the jitters out.''

Receiver Donte' Stallworth, who spent last year with New England, might be used to this. But he knows his new teammates aren't.

''We're going into a very hostile environment in New York with those great fans up there,'' Stallworth said. ''It will be a good situation for the young guys to experience all that, with them being the Super Bowl champions.''

Strong safety Sean Jones thought the game would be a good measuring stick for a Cleveland team that went 10-6 last season and fell a game shy of the playoffs.

''It's good, especially for the starters. We're going to see where we are against the world champs right now,'' Jones said.

Crennel will play his starters into the second quarter and will send out the Browns with a simple mission:

''I told the team I wanted to play smart, solid, sound football. We're facing the Super Bowl champs. We're going to have to play good if we're going to beat them.''

Defensive end Robaire Smith thought the game would be especially big for a defensive line trying to build chemistry with new starters Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers.

''This week, we're going to play a little more so hopefully we can get accustomed to playing with each other and start to depend on each other and play off each other,'' Smith said. ''And we're playing against the best team in football. I don't think it matters if it's preseason or regular season. We know those guys are going to compete. They've got a nice offensive line. So this will be a great test for our defensive line.''



Smith respects the Giants' offensive line, anchored by center Shaun O'Hara, an ex-Brown.

''This [Giants] line works together real good, probably the best in the NFL,'' Smith said. ''We're going to have to work together fitting blocks to knock those guys back. It will be the best test for us before this season starts.''

While the regular season opener isn't until Sept. 7 against Dallas, you couldn't convince Cribbs of that.

''We're looking forward to doing big things and it's going to start with the defending champs,'' Cribbs said.

Brownies

According to ClevelandBrowns.com, the Browns will unveil a new look ? solid brown pants and brown socks. . . . Former Ohio State kicker Josh Huston was signed because Lawrence Tynes is out with a knee injury. . . . Former Michigan receiver Mario Manningham, the Giants' third-round draft pick, hasn't practiced since July 28 with a pulled quadriceps. . . . Other familiar faces on the opposing sideline will include ex-Browns running back Reuben Droughns and University of Akron products Domenik Hixon (receiver/returner) and Chase Blackburn (linebacker).





BEREA: On Saturday, Browns coach Romeo Crennel cited a couple of instances of overexuberance in practice.

And he wasn't referring to quarterback Derek Anderson dancing a jig to Alabama's Mountain Music or linebacker David McMillan copying Michael Jackson's Thriller routine as Crennel used music to simulate crowd noise.

Rather, it was the effects of prime time on the long-starved Browns.

Cleveland plays five nationally televised games in the regular season, three on Monday night, one on Sunday night and one on Thursday night. It will mark the most prime-time appearances for the Browns since the 1988 and '89 seasons. They have not made a Monday night appearance in the regular season since 2003 against St. Louis.

The bright lights (and big city) atmosphere begins tonight when Cleveland (0-1) takes on the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants (0-1) at 8 p.m. (ESPN) at the Meadowlands.

On Friday, Browns Pro Bowl returner Joshua Cribbs could barely contain himself.

''We're excited,'' Cribbs
said. ''Lot of teams have looked at Cleveland and looked the other way. We're usually the team other teams have highlights on. But we're not the team to look over anymore.

''Cleveland is in the house. Put us in prime time. Let us see what we can do.''

Left tackle Joe Thomas relished the chance to test the big stage in preseason before it counts.

''Being able to have a Monday night game is going to be awesome,'' Thomas said. ''It will be the first Monday night game for a lot of the guys. Hopefully, when we play our first Monday night in the regular season, it won't be a new thing now.

''We've got a lot of prime-time games coming up this year and hopefully it will get a lot of the jitters out.''

Receiver Donte' Stallworth, who spent last year with New England, might be used to this. But he knows his new teammates aren't.

''We're going into a very hostile environment in New York with those great fans up there,'' Stallworth said. ''It will be a good situation for the young guys to experience all that, with them being the Super Bowl champions.''

Strong safety Sean Jones thought the game would be a good measuring stick for a Cleveland team that went 10-6 last season and fell a game shy of the playoffs.

''It's good, especially for the starters. We're going to see where we are against the world champs right now,'' Jones said.

Crennel will play his starters into the second quarter and will send out the Browns with a simple mission:

''I told the team I wanted to play smart, solid, sound football. We're facing the Super Bowl champs. We're going to have to play good if we're going to beat them.''

Defensive end Robaire Smith thought the game would be especially big for a defensive line trying to build chemistry with new starters Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers.

''This week, we're going to play a little more so hopefully we can get accustomed to playing with each other and start to depend on each other and play off each other,'' Smith said. ''And we're playing against the best team in football. I don't think it matters if it's preseason or regular season. We know those guys are going to compete. They've got a nice offensive line. So this will be a great test for our defensive line.''



Smith respects the Giants' offensive line, anchored by center Shaun O'Hara, an ex-Brown.

''This [Giants] line works together real good, probably the best in the NFL,'' Smith said. ''We're going to have to work together fitting blocks to knock those guys back. It will be the best test for us before this season starts.''

While the regular season opener isn't until Sept. 7 against Dallas, you couldn't convince Cribbs of that.

''We're looking forward to doing big things and it's going to start with the defending champs,'' Cribbs said.

Brownies

According to ClevelandBrowns.com, the Browns will unveil a new look ? solid brown pants and brown socks. . . . Former Ohio State kicker Josh Huston was signed because Lawrence Tynes is out with a knee injury. . . . Former Michigan receiver Mario Manningham, the Giants' third-round draft pick, hasn't practiced since July 28 with a pulled quadriceps. . . .

 

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Game preview: Browns at Giants, Week 2 (preseason)

The Browns come into this game nursing injuries. Already the team was to be without top pick Beau Bell due to knee surgery. Earlier in the week, fellow rookie tight Martin Rucker suffered a knee injury which required surgery, and his return is unknown. To add insult to injury, receiver Braylon Edwards is out after suffering a foot laceration at the hands of Donte Stallworth, and Edwards will be out for Monday's game.

The person with the most to gain from Edwards injury is Travis Wilson, who will get the start. Wilson is on the bubble, and hasn't lived up to his draft stock of a third round pick in 2005. The question is if Wilson is auditioning for the Browns, or for potential trade partners?

The Giants will be a great test for the Browns offensive line, which gave up only 19 sacks a season ago. New York's pass rush is unlike anything the Browns saw last season, with everyone in the front seven a threat to reach the quarterback. Watch the early matchup of right tackle Kevin Shaffer and Giants new starting left defensive end Justin Tuck, who lead the team in sacks a season ago.

What to watch for:

- The Browns revamped defensive line versus the Giants running game. The Browns gave up 4.5 yards per carry last season, and will be up against one the better running games in the NFL. A key matchup will be nose tackle Shaun Rogers against center Shaun O'Hara and right guard Chris Snee. Snee is a premier run blocker and does well against bigger tackles, so this should be the matchup of the night.

- If the Giants' Eli Manning can get the deep ball going early, it could be a long night for the Browns secondary. We all know about the lack of depth at defensive back, but as a unit they struggled to defend vertical passing attacks like the Giants in 2007.

- Former Akron Zip Domenik Hixon is making noise in camp for the Giants. He has played extensively because of injuries at wide receiver, and should see a good amount of action. His performance has drawn positive reviews in camp. Not shocking considering Hixon is a Dan Kadar favorite.

- This game should set the table for a key Week 6 Monday Night Football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Both teams will probably hold back a bit on showing anything new in preparation for their game during the season.





Key Browns injuries: WR Braylon Edwards (foot), WR Joe Jurevicius (knee), TE Martin Rucker (knee), ILB Beau Bell (knee), OLB Antwan Peek (knee).

 

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Andre Woodson will get chance to play against the Browns


ALBANY - Andre Woodson, the Giants' sixth-round pick, will finally get to make his debut as a Giants quarterback Monday night against the Cleveland Browns. Woodson, a 24-year-old out of Kentucky, was the only one of the three backup quarterbacks who did not play in the Giants' preseason opener in Detroit on Aug. 7. He was scheduled to play, but when it was his turn there were only about two minutes left and the game was still close - and he hadn't been prepared yet to run the two-minute offense. "He's done the two-minute drill now," Tom Coughlin said yesterday. "Obviously he's a young kid and needs to do it more and more to be comfortable with it. We'll give him a limited menu."

Woodson will be the third quarterback in, likely sometime in the third quarter. Eli Manning will start and play about 25 plays. Anthony Wright will come next, followed by Woodson and David Carr. Coughlin said he will make sure that all four quarterbacks play.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE: The Giants also play the Browns in Week 6 (Oct. 13), which makes it likely that Monday night's game will be very vanilla, with both teams trying not to give away too much. Coughlin, though, said giving a future opponent a preseason preview really isn't that big of a deal. "You can make an argument about things you would do and things you wouldn't do, but you're talking about the second preseason game," he said. "There's a lot of things you won't do, but you probably wouldn't do them in the second preseason game anyway."

 

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Things to watch vs. Browns



1. How sharp will the starting units be in their first extended action? The starters should play into the second quarter, with Eli Manning getting some 25 snaps.

2. Who among the young receivers separates from the group as the injured Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Steve Smith sit out? Domenik Hixon, Brandon London and Sinorice Moss have been the best of the lot in practice.

3. Can Kenny Phillips continue his impressive play in the first of the two home exhibition games? He looks to be the big-hitting center fielder this defense has been lacking.

 

[IE]

Issues at Wide Receiver
Browns at Giants - Monday, August 18, 2008 (8:00PM)



from BigBlueInteractive

Approach to the Game: The second preseason game is the second most important preseason game. The starters won?t play as long as they will in the third preseason game, but they will play longer than the first and fourth preseason games.

Giants on Offense: The big concern here is the injury situation at wide receiver. While it is likely that Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, and Steve Smith will play in the season opener against the Redskins, the problem is that Eli Manning is not getting enough work with these three. It?s more of a concern with Burress and Smith. Burress hardly practiced at all last season, missed all of the offseason workouts before camp, and has not practiced at all in team drills this summer. Imagine how deadly the Eli-to-Plax connection would be if these two had any decent amount of practice time together to improve their timing and feel for each other? Smith hardly had any practice time last year with Manning due to injuries and has missed way too much practice time again this summer. Again, that doesn?t mean he won?t be effective, but he won?t be as effective as he could be.

How could this impact the Giants? Well, early in the season, Eli may look inconsistent, and the media and fans could be on his back again. But the issue will likely not be with Manning, but the receivers.

Contrary to popular belief, it was not likely that Mario Manningham would have seen much action this year unless there was a significant injury to the top three receivers. But he too has missed the bulk of training camp with a nagging quad injury. That?s not good for a receiver coming out of an unsophisticated collegiate passing attack and who has had question marks surrounding his ability to retain information. Let?s hope that 2008 is not a wash for him and 2009 becomes his true rookie season.

And while Super Bowl hero David Tyree has never been a significant factor in the Giants? passing attack and in year?s past has been assured of a roster spot due to his special teams play, one wonders if the Giants can afford that luxury now. It?s more likely that he will remain on the PUP List heading into the season.

So, in the short-term, that leaves the Giants with Domenik Hixon and Sinorice Moss as the starting wide receivers. And Brandon London, Michael Jennings, Craphonso Thorpe, and D.J. Hall the back-ups. The good news is that these six are being given a wonderful opportunity as they are all getting far more reps than expected (and quality reps with he first- and second-teams). The bad news is that only one or two of these guys will likely make the team.

To me, the guys to really focus on are Hixon, Moss, and London. Do these three have an NFL future as wide receivers? Can they beat starting defensive backs? Can they make big plays in the clutch?

With Burress, Toomer, and Smith out, the absence of Jeremy Shockey is even more glaring. I thought Kevin Boss performed well as a receiver last week and I actually think the Giants will be OK with Boss as a receiver. How fast he can improve his blocking will be key. But keep in mind, he?s a young guy from a small school. He?s come a long way already, but some degree of patience is needed.

What disappointed me more against the Lions was the play of Darcy Johnson. I wasn?t impressed with his blocking (I actually saw him whiff on a critical short-yardage play). He needs to step it up or the Giants may be scanning the waiver wire.

At running back, the only real question is Reuben Droughns versus Danny Ware. Special teams may be deciding factor. If all else is equal, one would think the Giants would go with the younger player.

Figuring out who will make it at back-up offensive line became a tad easier with the loss of Shane Olivea. One has to figure that Guy Whimper, Kevin Boothe, and Grey Ruegamer are the front-runners. But Adam Koets and Na?Shan Goddard have talent and the ability to play multiple positions too. All five of these guys are players to watch on Monday.

For the second week in a row, Anthony Wright will enter the game as the #2. If it is truly an equal competition, David Carr should come in as the #2 against the Jets in the next preseason game. We shall see. Regardless, Andre Woodson will finally see his first game action as he will enter the game after Wright, with Carr mopping up if there is time. Woodson likely has the team made as the developmental guy so the most important thing to watch is to see how Wright and Carr perform.

Giants on Defense: Fortunately for the Giants, (knock on wood) injuries haven?t been a big issue here. Mathias Kiwanuka (groin) will likely miss this game and that?s too bad, but he should be back shortly. It also stinks that Jonathan Goff (back) will be out at least two more games and possibly the season. He?s a guy who I was told has really impressed the coaches. CB Sam Madison (sports hernia) has missed most of camp, but he?s a vet and the Giants - finally - have the talent and depth to survive that injury.

With Kiwanuka out, Danny Clark will likely start on the strongside with Gerris Wilkinson on the weakside. This will be Wilkinson?s first action of the preseason. He needs to demonstrate greater toughness than he has to date. Those two guys - Clark and Wilkinson - are the ones to watch this week.

As for the back-ups, Bryan Kehl flashed last week. Let?s see if he can build on that. So did Chase Blackburn. My only concern with Chase is that he sometimes doesn?t look very athletic in coverage. I hope we see something more from Zak DeOssie this week. And I still wouldn?t totally discount Tank Daniels.

In the secondary, all eyes will be on last game?s star, Kenny Phillips. Does he get the starting nod this week? It seems only a matter of time before he does. Who will be the other starting safety? James Butler? Michael Johnson? Sammy Knight? Can newcomer Stuart Schweigert - who has been cut by two teams this offseason - steal a roster spot?

One has to figure that Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Sam Madison, and Kevin Dockery will make the team. Is there room for R.W. McQuarters? His hip flexor injury will prevent him from playing on Monday.

Up front, the sure bets seem to be Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Dave Tollefson, Renaldo Wynn, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, and Jay Alford. That?s seven. Do the Giants keep eight? If so, who? Wallace Gilberry? Ogemdi Nwagbuo? These guys need to make some plays to stick.

Giants on Special Teams: With R.W. McQuarters out, there is a great opportunity for a player to make a statement (either positively or negatively) on punt returns.

Bubble players can help or hurt themselves on special teams. And special teams play in the preseason may determine which young players are active on game day when the bullets start flying for real. Terrell Thomas made such a statement last week as a gunner.

 

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