Sunday, September 24, 2006
Oh So Close
By John Chandler
For a moment -- say, around the 3:28 mark in the 4th Quarter -- I thought the Browns were going to seal a win over Baltimore. It's clear that Browns players thought the same thing, confidently driving down the field for the game clincher under the direction of Charlie Frye.
But on the snap -- say, around the 3:25 mark in the 4th Quarter -- Bart Scott blindsided any grand plan of an upset, knocking Charlie to the turf and the ball he released into the hands of Chris McAllister.
Matt Stover's 52 yard field goal (with that tailwind, a chip shot in Stover's world) was a foregone conclusion. Don't most Browns games feel that way? Ravens 15, Browns 14.
Here's my breakdown:
FIRST QUARTER
The Good: Maurice Carthon found a new playbook (and hopefully chucked the old one into Lake Erie)... Frye started the third series on 1st and 10 finding Braylon Edwards for a 28 yard gain... looks like Braylon's practice at calming down and catching the ball this week paid off... LB Willie McGinest returned to the field after sitting in Cincinnati and sacked Steve McNair for a 7 yard loss.
The Bad: The offensive line bore an eerie likeness to a strainer, with too many Ravens defenders leaking through the holes... Frye was sacked three times for a loss of 28 yards... Offensively, the Browns could not muster much of a running game without Reuben Droughns (out with injured shoulder).
SECOND QUARTER
The Good: More Frye to Edwards, who made a slick move to take advantage of a mismatch with a linebacker on the first play of the second quarter for 12 yards... Another pass to open a drive: Braylon exploded to a deep ball on a carbon copy of his 75 yarder in Cincy, this time for a 58 yard touchdown (guess those hands are pretty sure after all)... the end zone celebration, though, could use a little work, Braylon... Josh Cribbs continues to fly downfield on special teams... Leigh Bodden dropped an interception.
The Bad: Leigh Bodden dropped an interception... Frye simply assaulted by Baltimore's complicated blitz packages... he needs to learn it's O.K. sometimes to unload the ball, even if he doesn't like giving up on a play.
THIRD QUARTER
The Good: Sean Jones is very effective on the safety blitz, constantly in McNair's face... former Buckeye Simon Fraser sacked McNair for a seven yard loss, then celebrated by signing "O-H-I-O" to the crowd... Perhaps Browns coaches have found a role for LB Chaun Thompson, patrolling the edges... LB Matt Stewart (with McGinest in the lockerroom for a check of his injured calf) came up with a huge stop on 4th and 1.
The Bad: Jamal Lewis opens the half bouncing to the outside for a 21 yard gain... Browns muster just 8 plays on offense in the quarter (Frye passing: 210 yards in first half; 9 yards in 3rd quarter)... a timeout wasted with a challenge of Derrick Mason's obvious sideline catch (in front of the Browns, no less)...
FOURTH QUARTER
The Good: Frye is one tough customer, picking himself up hit after hit (and there were plenty)... Rookie OLB Kamerion Wimbley got good pressure on McNair twice in one series... Frye scrambled and threw across his body on 3rd and 13 from near midfield (a cardinal QB sin, mind you) to a wide open Kellen Winslow (7 catches for K2)... same series, Winslow stretched for the chains again on 3rd and 7, then made sure the spot was right by the officials... on 3rd and 6 from Baltimore's 20, it was Frye to Winslow again (guess he was right about being in the game) for 16 yards.
The Bad: The pressure finally got to Frye, who was blindsided by Bart Scott on a straight rush from the corner and delivered the hit that knocked Frye's pass off course... McAllister grabbed the pass for an interception... Edwards said afterwards that, had Scott not disrupted Frye's throw, it would have been a touchdown because he had McAllister beat on the play... McNair used Mason and Mark Clayton downfield to move the Ravens into Stover's field goal range.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Hey second-guessers, don't blame Charlie Frye; it's not entirely his fault. Should the Browns have settled for the field goal that late in the game? Not surprisingly, Braylon didn't think so. He said the play that McAllister intercepted was a "great call" in theory by offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. Maybe in the 2nd quarter, but not when a field goal would have forced Baltimore to go for a touchdown. Then again, the Browns played with a "go-for-the-throat" attitude all game. Why stop there?
Browns Nation, how heartbreaking was this loss? Send in your thoughts to the Alltel SoundOff and watch for them on the Toyota Sports Sunday at 11:32 PM on NewsChannel 5.
For a moment -- say, around the 3:28 mark in the 4th Quarter -- I thought the Browns were going to seal a win over Baltimore. It's clear that Browns players thought the same thing, confidently driving down the field for the game clincher under the direction of Charlie Frye.
But on the snap -- say, around the 3:25 mark in the 4th Quarter -- Bart Scott blindsided any grand plan of an upset, knocking Charlie to the turf and the ball he released into the hands of Chris McAllister.
Matt Stover's 52 yard field goal (with that tailwind, a chip shot in Stover's world) was a foregone conclusion. Don't most Browns games feel that way? Ravens 15, Browns 14.
Here's my breakdown:
FIRST QUARTER
The Good: Maurice Carthon found a new playbook (and hopefully chucked the old one into Lake Erie)... Frye started the third series on 1st and 10 finding Braylon Edwards for a 28 yard gain... looks like Braylon's practice at calming down and catching the ball this week paid off... LB Willie McGinest returned to the field after sitting in Cincinnati and sacked Steve McNair for a 7 yard loss.
The Bad: The offensive line bore an eerie likeness to a strainer, with too many Ravens defenders leaking through the holes... Frye was sacked three times for a loss of 28 yards... Offensively, the Browns could not muster much of a running game without Reuben Droughns (out with injured shoulder).
SECOND QUARTER
The Good: More Frye to Edwards, who made a slick move to take advantage of a mismatch with a linebacker on the first play of the second quarter for 12 yards... Another pass to open a drive: Braylon exploded to a deep ball on a carbon copy of his 75 yarder in Cincy, this time for a 58 yard touchdown (guess those hands are pretty sure after all)... the end zone celebration, though, could use a little work, Braylon... Josh Cribbs continues to fly downfield on special teams... Leigh Bodden dropped an interception.
The Bad: Leigh Bodden dropped an interception... Frye simply assaulted by Baltimore's complicated blitz packages... he needs to learn it's O.K. sometimes to unload the ball, even if he doesn't like giving up on a play.
THIRD QUARTER
The Good: Sean Jones is very effective on the safety blitz, constantly in McNair's face... former Buckeye Simon Fraser sacked McNair for a seven yard loss, then celebrated by signing "O-H-I-O" to the crowd... Perhaps Browns coaches have found a role for LB Chaun Thompson, patrolling the edges... LB Matt Stewart (with McGinest in the lockerroom for a check of his injured calf) came up with a huge stop on 4th and 1.
The Bad: Jamal Lewis opens the half bouncing to the outside for a 21 yard gain... Browns muster just 8 plays on offense in the quarter (Frye passing: 210 yards in first half; 9 yards in 3rd quarter)... a timeout wasted with a challenge of Derrick Mason's obvious sideline catch (in front of the Browns, no less)...
FOURTH QUARTER
The Good: Frye is one tough customer, picking himself up hit after hit (and there were plenty)... Rookie OLB Kamerion Wimbley got good pressure on McNair twice in one series... Frye scrambled and threw across his body on 3rd and 13 from near midfield (a cardinal QB sin, mind you) to a wide open Kellen Winslow (7 catches for K2)... same series, Winslow stretched for the chains again on 3rd and 7, then made sure the spot was right by the officials... on 3rd and 6 from Baltimore's 20, it was Frye to Winslow again (guess he was right about being in the game) for 16 yards.
The Bad: The pressure finally got to Frye, who was blindsided by Bart Scott on a straight rush from the corner and delivered the hit that knocked Frye's pass off course... McAllister grabbed the pass for an interception... Edwards said afterwards that, had Scott not disrupted Frye's throw, it would have been a touchdown because he had McAllister beat on the play... McNair used Mason and Mark Clayton downfield to move the Ravens into Stover's field goal range.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Hey second-guessers, don't blame Charlie Frye; it's not entirely his fault. Should the Browns have settled for the field goal that late in the game? Not surprisingly, Braylon didn't think so. He said the play that McAllister intercepted was a "great call" in theory by offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. Maybe in the 2nd quarter, but not when a field goal would have forced Baltimore to go for a touchdown. Then again, the Browns played with a "go-for-the-throat" attitude all game. Why stop there?
Browns Nation, how heartbreaking was this loss? Send in your thoughts to the Alltel SoundOff and watch for them on the Toyota Sports Sunday at 11:32 PM on NewsChannel 5.
Posted at 9:07 PM
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