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( ( ( LIVE GAME BLOG ) ) ) Browns vs. Lions

By TheDarkHorse

The Browns 10-year rebuilding plan continues today!

And we are here to follow the action. After a dismal showing against Green Bay last Saturday, will the Browns have their act together today in Cleveland Browns Stadium? Will Eric Mangini‘s team be different than those coached by Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, or Romeo Crenell–or is this just more of the same?

Aspects of the game the Browns need to improve:

• Every aspect

There’s an incredible amount of attention on the QB battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, but the reality is that neither of these guys has separated from the pack. Neither has shown they can play consistent football week to week (or even practice to practice). The “quarterback controversy” here, in my opinion, is the fact that we’re going into the season for the eleventh time since the Browns return to the league WITHOUT a clear-cut starter–and minus a true leader at the position.

Here are two problems that suggest disaster for this team: (1) They cannot run the football; (2) They cannot stop the run. That’s the recipe for a painful, long season. This team that has to get tougher, smarter, and refuse to lie down. Winning or losing preseason games is not of core importance–but playing well, gaining confidence, and nailing down Mangini’s new system are critical.

Will the team get their act together today? We’ll post throughout the game, right after the jump…

• 4:16 p.m.: We are still hearing disturbing rumblings that Josh Cribbs may hold out starting Week One. That would be problematic: Josh is arguably the Browns only blue-chip player beyond Shaun Rogers. Throw Joe Thomas in there, I suppose (I’m not sure Braylon Edwards deserves the accolades at this stage–he needs to show up consistently).
• 4:19 p.m.:My favorite part about watching the Browns is that I’m not at work. But I’m convinced that a fleet of interns and secretaries from my office could put up 350 yards against the Browns defense.
• 4:20 p.m.:The game stream–which we’re downloading off the net, and streaming onto our TV–has just gone dead. This could be a real short game report.
• 4:21 p.m.: It came back on. We’re in L.A., streaming some bizarre channel out of C-Town, getting the lowdown on Northeast Ohio’s five-day forecast and local Taco Bell promotions.

4:30 p.m.: Bernie Kosar is announcing. People rip on him, but he’s honest. He lashed the team for their performance last week.

4:31 p.m.: I have a really bad feeling about the opener against Minnesota. I have learned to trust these bad feelings about the team, especially under the national spotlight.

4:33 p.m.: Game still hasn’t started. Yawn.

4:35 p.m.: Seventy-plus yard return by Josh Cribbs CALLED BACK BY A FLAG. Derek Anderson starts and hits rookie Mohamed Massaquoi for 20-plus yards; then hits Braylon inside the Lions 20, but Braylon’s out of bounds; now hits Cribbs downs to the Lions 25; and Furrey to the Lions 15–they’re passing relentlessly with Anderson in there. Anderson hands off to Jamal Lewis, who rumbles to the four. A brusing run. First and goal at the four and LEWIS BLASTS OVER LEFT GUARD FOR A TOUCHDOWN. Nice drive by the Browns. 7-0.

NOTE: THIS IS CLEVELAND’S FIRST TOUCHDOWN SINCE NOVEMBER 2008.

Here’s what the old Dawg Pound looked like:

4;46 p.m.: First pick in the NFL draft Matthew Stafford is PICKED OFF BY CB ERIC WRIGHT, who takes it back to the Detroit five. Nice work by the Browns defense on their home turf. Then Wright gets nailed for a celebration penalty. Mangini will speak with Wright about that. The Browns will now start at the Lions 20.

4:51 p.m.: Anderson still in. Incomplete to Edwards. Jamal Lewis gets stuffed at the line. Anderson scrambles to the Lions 15. The penalty killed them. This team cannot afford to “celebrate” and lose touchdown opportunities. So… Dawson nails a FG. 10-0.

4:55 p.m.: Some of you might recall Eric Wright’s scorching of the New York Football Giants last October:

4:56 p.m.: SHOULD WE RENEW JOSH CRIBSS CONTRACT? How about YES. He just took a punt return back 84 yards for a score. 17-0 Browns.

5:05 p.m.: The Browns shut down the Lions again (four straight three-and-outs) and now Anderson hits Braylon on a nice pass, and then throws deep to Massaquoi, who nets a pass inteference. Browns at the Lions 20. Jamal Lewis takes it for a few (he looks slow, but bruising). Browns have third and five. Anderson under center. Three receiver set. Andersen throws it away. Dawson comes in and hits the field goal. Browns 20-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter.

5:15 p.m.: Browns knock Stafford and the Lions off track again. The Browns look pretty good against a team that went 0-16 last season. They are tackling and playing with intensity–but, again, we’re up against a team that hasn’t won a regular season game since 2007.

5:20 p.m.: BRADY QUINN ENTERS THE GAME ON 3rd and 1 and gets sacked. Ouch. Not what he was hoping for. Anderson came in and lit it up. Quinn is going to have to generate points to make an impression today.

5:25 p.m.: Stafford completes a pass, but the receiver fumbles the ball and Hank Poteat of the Browns recovers it. Detroit challenges the call. And they win the challenge–Detroit keeps the ball. But ends up punting.

5:37 p.m.: Brady Quinn is back in. This is an important drive for him. And… Brady CONNECTS with rookie wideout Brian Robiskie on a 24-yard pass. Rookie James Davis is in at runningback. A lot of people are talking about Davis. A sixth-round pick who has lit up practice. He runs for a few yards. Then Brady connects on a 15-yard pass that’s called back for a false start. First bad penalty on offense tonight. Brady is composed, that’s one thing you have to like about him–but he can’t like the playcall here: a draw play to Davis on third and ten. The Browns punt. Not bad work by Quinn. Lively arm and good presence, but the drive dies.

5;41 p.m.: The Browns have mystified and shut down Matt Stafford. He’s thrown a pick, been rushed, missed open receivers, and been generally, well, a rookie quarterback. The Browns take over again with a few minutes left in the second quarter. Their defense has looked smart today. Tough and composed. Not as many terrible penalties. And a nice turnover early in the game.

5:44 p.m.: Brady Quinn completes to James Davis, but it’s killed by another penalty. The offense isn’t talented enough to make these stupid penalties. A handoff to James Davis for 14 yards. A nice burst and rumble off left tackle. On third and six, the Lions go offsides, so we’re looking at third and one. Brady hands off to Davis, who makes the yardage for a first down. Brady gets hit in the arm/hand on a long throw. He then throws to Jamal Lewis, but Jamal drops it. On third down, Brady hits Furrey, but it’s not enough. It was a sort of gutless screen pass on third and long–not an imaginative selection. Browns punt to Detroit’s 14.

5;51 p.m.: The Lions bring in Daunte Culpepper on offense. The bushy-haired Stafford stands quietly on the sidelines.

5:58 p.m.: The Browns defense is driving Detroit crazy. They aren’t showing much, but they’re pressuring Culpepper and covering receivers. They’ve stifled Detroit thus far. With 0:55 left in the half, Detoirt goes for it on fourth and one. The Browns STUFF the Lions RB, but a flag is thrown: holding offense. WOW. The Browns looked tough on that play (hey, when you’re a Browns fan, you take what you can get).

6:01 p.m.: The Browns have Derek Anderson back in to run the two-minute drill. (They put Brady in last week.) Derek completes a pair of nice passes to James Davis to the Browns 40 or so. Only 15 seconds left. They’ve got a long way to go. Anderson throws a tipped ball that’s picked off by Detroit and gives the Lions a chance to score. Yikes, not what Derek wanted–but I like Mangini testing him. PS – The Lions nail a long FG and score. 20-3 Browns at halftime.

6:19 p.m.: The start of the second half. I’m going to sit back and watch some of this. I can’t imagine too many people are relying on these updates to follow the game.

6:21 p.m.: I had an awesome bowl of speghetti and sauce during the first half. WAIT! The Browns just picked up a fumble and have the ball at the Lions 45. Who will enter as quarterback? (What I like is that a bunch of young players and rookies and Mangini imports are making a difference in this game. That said, we’re gonna’ need big plays and consistent performance to beat the Vikings in Week One. Still feel wicked strange about that game. I don’t like the whole Vikings vibe right now–and I don’t like a fresh Adrian Peterson in Week One rumbling down the sideline.

6:24 p.m.: Brett Ratliff is in. So is James Davis. I doubt we’ll see any more starters at this point. They hand the ball off three times to Davis. And punt. Not impressive.

6:28 p.m.: OK… I’m gonna’ sit back and watch this for a while.

6:55 p.m.: Rookie James Davis (photo below) takes a third-and-twelve carry for an 81-yard touchdown! 27-10 Browns. It’s been a long time since the Browns had a strong, young runningback. James Davis fell in the draft due to an injury at Clemson. We’ve seen a lot of players shine in camp and through the preseason, and then VANISH when the games counted. We will monitor the progress of JD.

Browns win 27-10.