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Trying To Assess The Damage In Cleveland

(Sports Network) - There are two ways one can look at the Cleveland Browns' play over the first six games of the season.

The glass-half-full type of person might try to point out that all five of the Browns losses have come to teams that are legitimate playoff contenders. Those five opponents -- New Orleans, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Carolina and Denver -- are a combined 22-9 at the moment. Cleveland also held fourth-quarter leads against both the Saints and Ravens before faltering late, and played the Panthers relatively tough in a 20-12 defeat in Charlotte during Week 5.

The pessimist, and probably the realist as well, needs only to refer to the bottom line to support his or her outlook. The Browns have only one win to their credit right now, and that was over the awful Oakland Raiders. And that one didn't come easy, as Cleveland had to score the game's final 21 points to eke out a 24-21 decision back in Week 4.

Sunday's 17-7 home loss to the Broncos also provided some ammunition for both points of view. The optimist can take solace in the fact that Cleveland crossed the goal line against a stifling Denver defense that had allowed only one touchdown over its first five games. The pessimist counters by showing the stat sheet, which reads a mere 165 total yards and a 1-for-11 conversion rate on third down for the Browns' offense.

It looks like the negative voices have been heard loud and clear by the front office, who addressed the team's offensive woes by firing embattled coordinator Maurice Carthon on Monday.

In Carthon's first season as the primary play-caller, Cleveland finished dead last in the league in scoring (14.5 ppg.) and 26th overall in total yards a year ago. Even with the healthy returns of young playmakers Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards, both of whom missed all or most of 2005 with injuries, the unit has failed to show any significant progress. The Browns are averaging an NFL-worst 245.2 yards per game, rank next-to-last in rushing offense (68.2 ypg) and are 26th in scoring (14.7 ppg.).

Carthon had also come under fire, from some of his players (most notably Winslow) in addition to the local media, for a number of questionable decisions that backfired in key situations during some of Cleveland's close losses.

There's no question the Browns have put themselves in a hole they may not be able to climb out of in the rugged AFC North. Despite all the obstacles the team figures to continue to face down the road, head coach Romeo Crennel is one who has remained upbeat.

"I'm not looking to next year," Crennel said during his Monday press conference. "I'm not to that point yet. I am looking to next week. I think that is the way we have to do it. Once you start looking to next year, you begin to send the message to the team that there is no hope. I'm not sending that message, because I have hope."

SECONDARY IN SHAMBLES

Cleveland's already-thin defensive backfield was dealt another crushing blow in Sunday's loss to the Broncos when cornerback Gary Baxter suffered a devastating injury to both of his knees.

Baxter, the Browns' best corner, tore the patella tendon in both knees when he leaped to defend a deep pass intended for Javon Walker in the second quarter. The sixth-year pro is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday which will cut short his season for the second straight year.

The 27-year-old has had trouble staying on the field ever since he signed a six-year free-agent contract with Cleveland prior to the 2005 campaign. Baxter played in just five games last year before suffering a season-ending pectoral injury and had just returned from a three-game absence due to a different pectoral strain.

"Gary worked so hard to get back on the field," said safety Brian Russell. "We were really hoping for a situation to get everybody back in the near future."

The Browns were already without their other starting corner, Leigh Bodden, who sat out his second straight contest with an ankle sprain, and veteran Daylon McCutcheon is on injured reserve while he recovers from knee surgery. The club is optimistic that Bodden will be able to come back for this Sunday's game with the Jets.

The shorthanded secondary did hold up pretty well, as Denver quarterback Jake Plummer completed just 20-of-41 passes for 209 and was intercepted twice. One of those picks, however, was by Baxter.

"We have a scrappy defense," said Crennel. "They hang in there and fight and that's the way they've been all year. Hopefully they'll continue to be that way."

DROUGHNING OUT

Former Bronco Reuben Droughns wanted to have a strong game against his ex- team, but the running back could only manage 33 yards on 12 carries versus Denver's sturdy defense.

"It was very disappointing for me," said Droughns afterward. "Just the fact that I played for that team for a numerous amount of years, I wanted to get this win. It was important to me and we didn't come through."

Droughns played three seasons (2002-04) with the Broncos and set career-highs of 1,240 rushing yards and six touchdowns during his final year in Denver. The 28-year-old was then traded to the Browns the following offseason and ran for 1,232 yards in his first year in a Cleveland uniform.

Cleveland's stodgy offense has curtailed Droughns' production this season, however. The workhorse back has just 257 yards in five games and is averaging only 3.2 yards per rush.

NEXT UP

The Browns remain at home this coming Sunday to take on the surprising New York Jets, who moved to 4-3 with a 31-24 victory over Detroit on Sunday. The Jets won just four games during the entire 2005 season.

Cleveland should be able to move the ball better against a New York defense which ranks 30th out of 32 teams in total yards allowed, but the Jets' offense, led by quarterback Chad Pennington and wideout Laveranues Coles, has been hard to slow down so far.

Source: www.intwebnews.com

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Trying To Assess The Damage In Cleveland

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