2009 NFL Football Preview - Cleveland Browns
Out with poker-faced Romeo Crennel and in with semi-controversial Eric Mangini. The four-year Jets coach was under fire after last season and relocated to the shores of Lake Erie - he busted former boss Bill Belichick for using illegal videography in his rookie season and is unafraid to shake things up, for better or worse. He steps into a spot where two quarterbacks will challenge for the job. Derek Anderson, a pro-bowler two seasons ago, and local native Brady Quinn, who got a shot last year but injured a finger after just three games. Anderson tore a knee ligament after returning after the Quinn injury. Ken Dorsey was in over his head, and the season mercifully ended in Pittburgh with former Toledo QB Bruce Gradkowski under center. One season after a 10-6 record earned Crennel an extension through 2011, he was gone after Cleveland slumped to 4-12. Included were losses in each of their last six games in
which the offense did not score a touchdown! General manager Phil Savage was also fired in the offseason. Owner Randy Lerner surprisingly plucked Mangini after the Jets fired him and then brought in old friend George Kokinis as his new GM. Kokinis worked with Bill Belichick (and Mangini) with the old Browns and most recently was with the Ravens. |
The Browns have tried to beef up the line, and they seemed to make improvements in addition to keeping WR Braylon Edwards and Anderson, both of which were nowhere close to the 2007 Pro Bowl numbers, counting on a possible rebound. The Browns had just 18 sacks despite bringing in monster NT Shaun Rogers from Detroit, but they did pick off 23 passes and gave up less than 22 ppg despite getting little help from the offense. They were still gashed for 152 ypg on the ground, so Mangini imported no less than SIX of his ex-Jet defenders to help out. No one, however, figure to make a big impact.
ASK the bookie - Cleveland has shown progress. They are in the same boat as the Bengals, however, playing as one of the two teams in this division that were NOT in the AFC title tilt last fall. Much improvement must be shown for the Browns to get a sniff against the top tier teams. The 6.5 (under -130) total for Cleveland to top in 2009 appears doable, but not without some radical improvements on both sides. Remember, the Browns enter the season without having scored an offensive touchdown since Nov. 17 of last year.
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