2006 Cleveland Browns Preview

Here is a sample of the thoughts running through my head the past week concerning the 2006 Cleveland Browns. This is in the form of a one-act play, with two characters: Happy-Go-Lucky, Optimistic Eric (OE), and Pessimistic, Cynical Eric (CE).

*scene: mowing the grass on Sunday. The voices in my head start up....*

CE: I see Mr. Head-in-the-Clouds predicted an 8-8 season this year.
OE: Well, sure! If the youngsters progress and the veterans gel, it is certainly possible. And we are better at every position!
CE: Let's go through those positions, then. Starting with QB?
OE: You have to admit Frye is better than Dilfer.
CE: Yes, that's like saying wine is better to drink than vinegar. And besides, weren't you all hyped up about Dilfer last year?
OE: Oh shut up. Frye is a leader and won games down the stretch last year through his determination.
CE: Sure, he has that, but there are serious holes in his game now. Like the deep ball. His deep passes make Tim Couch look like Joe Montana.
OE: Well, they say he's been working on that in camp.
CE: And in the games? that interception vs. the Lions was a duck. 8-11 for 41 yards means no deep balls are thrown.
OE: But he can lead. And I have faith in him, if the line holds up.
CE: If HE holds up. We have no backup, in case you didn't notice.
OE: Ken Dorsey is OK. And Lang Campbell has looked good.
CE: Lang who? Ted Lange?
OE: Lang Campbell, a rookie.
CE: What school did he go to?
OE: William and Mary.
CE: I rest my case.
(pause)
CE: Who is our center today, anyway? Willard Scott? Is he available? Did Al Roker get his stomach unstapled so he could play center?
OE: Oh shut up. Ross Smith looked pretty good at center. The line, while not great, is better than last year. Shaffer is better than L J Shelton. Ryan Tucker will be ready for opening day. Jeff Faine, last year's center disaster, is not here .
CE: Yeah, he's with the Saints. Can anyone say "110 yards, 2 TD" for McAllister in week 1?
OE: The line of Shaffer, Coleman, Ross Smith/Ephraim, Andruzzi, and Tucker is not bad, not bad at all.
CE: But we have no depth there. None. If anyone goes down, it's Nat Dorsey
OE: Yeah, that's not good.
CE: Did you see that play in Philly? Nat Dorsey let the end get by him, and as Nat was struggling to recover, he fell on top of our quarterback. Nice job there, Nat.
OE: Should have never let those good Maryland offensive linemen like Melvin Fowler go.
CE: Running backs?
OE: Droughns is back and looking good, and we have the best fullback in football, Terrelle Smith, in front of him.
CE: He's so overrated. When push came to shove, he got shoved. Remember Oakland?
OE: unfortunately, I do.
CE: 1st and goal at the 2 - four straight runs for the Browns, did not get in each time. A premier fullback makes the holes for the touchdowns.
OE: Still, Reuben did get 1000 yards last year - a first for the Browns in 20 years.
CE: That and $3.50 will get you a cup from Starbucks.
(pause)
OE: Well, Charlie has weapons in the receiving core, finally. Kellen - the Souljah - looks good and he is ready to shock the world!
CE: Oh stop that. You sound like Vanilla Ice. And besides, you didn't put your money where your mouth is.
OE: Huh?
CE: You just bought a jersey, right?
OE: Yeah...
CE: So, if you believe in Winslow so much, did you buy a #80 jersey?
OE: Well, no, I bought a Frye jersey.
CE: You're a racist! Why not a Winslow jersey?
OE: Well, I don't know if he gave up the motorcycle....
CE: Or Braylon? Why not a Braylon jersey?
OE: He's not keeping the #17 forver, is he? What is he, Jim Jensen? And besides, I have a Willie Green jersey in my closet!
CE: Your brother bought that for you. The last African-American player's jersey that you bought was Eric Metcalf.
OE: Hey, I'm diverse! I have a homosexual player's jersey in my closet!
CE: What?
OE: Yes - My Jeff Garcia jersey from 2 years back!
(lots of rolling of eyes)
CE: On to the receivers. Braylon, Jurevicius, and Northcutt. That's the plan, huh?
OE: Jurevicius is better than the inconsistent Bryant. Braylon will be a star.
CE: He's coming off of an ACL injury. That's not good.
OE: Assuming he's ok, then we have a good starting 2, with Northcutt behind him.
CE: You mean Dropcutt? Those three are average.
OE: I think, by the end of the year, they will be in the top 12 of the league.
(pause)
OE: I bet you are going to try to say something negative about the defense.
CE: It is our strongest area. Let's look at the line first.
OE: Ted Washington has looked great for us at Nose Tackle. He is a force to be reckoned with.
CE: Compared to last year, an anthill would look tougher than Jason Fisk. And Ted is, what, 67 years old?
OE: 38, but he's a young 38.
CE: And soon to be an injured 38.
OE: He clogs up the middle to let the ends and the linebackers make plays. And our ends- Roye and McKinley - are solid. Now they - and the linebackers - can do damage with the attention on Washington.
CE: I don't know about solid, but adequate is a good description. Remember - not much of a pass rush last year with the same guys...
OE: Except now we have Washington instead of an airport runway. It's completely different. And speaking of different, how about the linebackers. What a change. Willie McGinest on the outside...
CE: Who? Has he played yet?
OE: No, but Romeo has said he'll be ready for week 1. McGinest and the rookie, Wimbley, on the outside will make their presence known. It's already better than last year's tandem of Matt Stewart and Mr. West-Texas-A&M, Chaun Thompson.
CE: Another busted Butch draft pick? Say it ain't so! But you are still pinning your hopes on a rookie in an important position in the 3-4 defense, the linebacker. Wimbley has skills, yes, but it will take time to learn the defense.
OE: Wimbley has looked awesome in the preseason!
CE: What's the Vegas line on the season-ending injury for the Browns' #1 draft pick? I hear Imperial Palace has it at week 6.5.
OE: Just stop. Can't I believe, just once, that a rookie will stay with us the whole year?
CE: And who was the last rookie to do that?
OE: (thinking.....) Tommy Vardell??
CE: Ugh.
OE: Well, we have two rookies at LB. Inside it looks like the young Terp D'Quell Jackson will start alongside Andra Davis.
CE: Even Leland can't say too many bad things about DQ. However, again, this is the question of youth. Two rookie starting linebackers in a 3-4? You really want to put stock in this?
OE: It's much better than Thompson and Stewart last year. And the corners are going to be great. Bodden and Baxter are studs. Bodden actually got Chad Johnson to shut up last year, and forced Chad to put a check mark in the "yes" box on Chad's "can they cover me?" whiteboard.
CE: That was great. However, what about the other corner..Gary.... Gary.... GAry who?
OE: Just stop.
CE: This is now season 2 of injuries with Baxter. A strained pec?
OE: He'll be ready for week 1.
CE: And when will he go out again?
OE: But we have depth in McCutcheon!
CE: He's proven to be undersized. A good backup, an average starter.
OE: Bodden to the Pro Bowl. Book it.
CE: But what about the secondary? Two youngsters out there? An average Matt Russell to float around?
OE: Sean Jones will be good. He and Brodney Pool - 2 second-year guys - will be fighting it out alongside Russell. Both are better than last year's starter, Chris Crocker.
CE: I agree, but these are two youngsters again. I'm a little wary.
OE: All in all, this defense can be good. Not 2000 Ravens good, but a solid defense that will hold teams to minimal points. Last year - remember? We held the Colts to 13 points...
CE: loss
OE: The Bengals - at home - to 23..
CE: loss
OE: The Raiders to 7...
CE: OK, that doesn't count.
OE: The Lions to 13, the Bears to 10, the Ravens under 20 twice
CE: Oh yes, all compare nicely to the 1984 Dolphins...
OE: Last year, we were 16th in yards per game, 11th in scoring defense, just behind the vaunted Baltimore defense. And we will be better this year.
CE: I agree, we will be better. Even I may think about drafting the Browns defense in a fantasy league.
OE: As a starter?
CE: No, as the second string.

OE: Special teams are solid. Dawson is a good kicker...
CE: I agree. Not enough credit for Phil...
OE: And our punting situation is hopefully solved.
CE: No more Mr. Coffin Corner Derrick Frost, or overrated Kyle Richardson. Let's hope Zastudil punts as well with us as he did with the Ravens.
OE: And Northcutt to return punts...
CE: So what? We have to eliminate the flags on the returns! Last year,we had 9 return touchdowns called back due to penalties!
OE: It was just 2, but....
CE: And one already this year in preseason.
OE: Romeo will fix that.
CE: When?

OE: All in all, the defense is solid and could be very good; if the offense comes together, if Frye keeps developing, if Braylon comes back healthy, and if we avoid any more injuries on the OL, then this team could even go 10-6.

CE: If, If, If..... As Kermit would say:
If "Ifs" and "Buts" were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas.
6-10, with the usual Browns' luck this season.