Brady Quinn Shines in Debut, But the Worthless Cleveland Defense and Kellen Winslow Spoiled It
NFL November 7th. 2008, 9:45am
The Browns defense couldn’t tackle, and the secondary couldn’t have covered Vance Johnson and Ricky Nattiel last night. Jay Cutler had so much time in the pocket, in addition to throwing for 447 yards, and we’re not sure if you saw this, but he wrote up trash-talk material for Ryan Leaf (some pithy “your mom” stuff, it looked like), and gave himself diabetes shots.
[Aside: If you watched the NFL Network's postgame, Brandon Marshall said that after he scored the game-winner, he had a Black Panther white/black glove celebration ready. Brandon Stokley wisely nipped it in the bud. The way criminally underrated Josh Cribbs was running kicks back, it might have ended up saving the Broncos.]
Kellen Winslow went from first-half hero (two TDs) to second-half goat (costly pass interference penalty that killed a drive, costly fumble, and letting a fourth-down pass sail through his hands) faster than you can say “staph infection.”
As for the Browns, they’re f’d. Back-to-back devastating loses – at home, no less – in which they led by 13 in the second half will not bode well for the team’s confidence. Romeo’s got to be in deep trouble, and not just because Cleveland is 3-6: There’s only one more gimmie on the schedule, and that’s Cincinnati. Road games include Buffalo, Tennessee, Philly and Pitt, all of whom have winning records and are in the playoff hunt. Tough to imagine Romeo returning unless he can magically get these guys back to .500.
Looking to next year, do the Browns take an aggressive pass-rusher, or go with a lockdown corner? We can’t imagine they’d take a RB, not with Harrison and Lewis looking like a nice combo. So maybe the local kid, Malcom Jenkins at Ohio State?
The Broncos, who are down to their 19th string RB, may use this comeback as a springboard to the playoffs: Up next is Atlanta, Oakand, the Jets and Chiefs, four winnable games. If Champ Bailey returns and the D-line figures out a way to stop the run, then maybe there’s a chance they hold off the Chargers’ rally, which begins this weekend against KC.
92 Responses to “Brady Quinn Shines in Debut, But the Worthless Cleveland Defense and Kellen Winslow Spoiled It”
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November 7th, 2008 at 9:47 AM
They need to take either Jenkins of Vontae Davis from IL. They’ll need to be picking in the top 10 to likely land either of them, so it would behoove them to lose about 4-6 more games just to be sure.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:49 AM
cam cameron – fucking idiot extraordinaire
November 7th, 2008 at 9:50 AM
That draft list is all kinds of retarded. Stafford as the #1 QB pick? seriously? What in the fuck?
Scary thing is, I could see this happening, just because “he has all the tools.” Despite the fact he’s never won anything and always plays like garbage in big games. And is mediocre in the other ones.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:51 AM
SJ – The Lions are in dire need of a QB. i can’t imagine them going any other way.
And yes, I’m ready to take any shots that you Cutler fans want to dole out.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:53 AM
stafford shouldnt go number one overall but what senior quarterbacks should go ahead of him? sure if bradford comes out he should go over him, but i would rather have stafford than tebow or mccoy and its not close.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:53 AM
The numbers speak for themselves.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:53 AM
fucking browns 2 times in the same week—double digit leads blown
romeos job is gone, da is gone, and the browns need to completely re- work the d; linebackers, secondary scrap it all
November 7th, 2008 at 9:55 AM
I would take Tebow over Stafford so fast it wouldn’t even be funny. I have no problem with the Lions needing a QB, but with them using their #1 pick on a guaranteed backup like Stafford is just a waste of a pick.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:55 AM
If anyone here has any running back experience, please contact Mike Shanahan. College experience preferred, but H.S. varsity accepted. Hell, right now even H.S. JV won’t be ruled out. There’s gotta be a craigslist ad up by now resembling this.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:56 AM
peyton manning, matt leinart, and vince young agree with this analysis of college qb’s btw
November 7th, 2008 at 9:57 AM
“I’m sorry to ruin your black pantha party.” – Brandon Stokley
November 7th, 2008 at 9:57 AM
I didnt see the game because I am poor but I was following the gamecast online, why didn’t Romeo use his last 2 timeouts? Didnt Denver get the ball with a minute left? Theoretically there was still a chance for Cleveland to get the ball back wasn’t there?
November 7th, 2008 at 9:57 AM
I like Collinsworth better when he is doing the play by play. I cant stand him on the NBC show, but i thought he did a good job last night.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Happy- That is my favorite move of all time.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:58 AM
Movie*
November 7th, 2008 at 9:59 AM
well played Happy
November 7th, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Cutler has some nice statistics, but if the browns weren’t absolutely dreadful in the secondary they should have had about 5 picks. Cutler makes a lot of very very bad decisions, last night he got lucky on some of them.
That fat ass D-Line of the browns is non-existent by the 4th quarter.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:00 AM
can we draft a coach?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Peyton won an SEC Title moleman, not to mention came 2nd in the Heisman (should have been first). Leinart won the Heisman, and a National Title. Vince Young won a National Title.
Am I missing something? Stafford hasn’t even gone to the SEC title game, and probably won’t.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:01 AM
frankly i wouldnt take stafford or tebow in the first round.
still dont get why people think tebow will be a good pro, let alone a pro at all. that list has him going to the vikings, that would be pants shittingly hilarious.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:02 AM
@ Happy: +1.
That was a great game to watch, esp. from a fantasy standpoint. Quinn looked good but did he throw more than three deep balls? He must have targeted Winslow 18+ times.
Cutler has no running game and no defense and still shines. He does force a lot of throws, though. (And too bad about Torain.)
November 7th, 2008 at 10:02 AM
i was reffering to the knock on him that he couldnt beat florida
yeah and neither are good pro quarterbacks, which is what i was pointing out, that the winning in college doesnt mean dick for translating to the nfl.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Can’t believe Brandon Marshall was intent on getting a 15 yard penalty with a minute left in the game, talk about self absorbed ass clown (and probably a top 5 receiver).
I think that #22 guy for the browns just got burnt again…
November 7th, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Priceless
November 7th, 2008 at 10:03 AM
I’m just glad you guys got it.
I know Collinsworth was asking the same thing last night, but how do the Browns not at least have a RB behind center for that last 4th down play? Even if you’re not going to give him the ball, at least make the defense honest.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:03 AM
I think he’ll be a good pro, because he’s a great QB and has always been a great QB. Weird, I know.
I think Stafford should be a 3rd round selection, just like any other physically gifted QB who can’t really play.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:04 AM
moleman: Well, that is a good point, but at least their hype was warranted. Stafford hasn’t shown anything on the field consistently.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:05 AM
i do agree though that if he goes number one overall, thats one of the worst picks ever. i just see it being an incredibly weak draft for senior quarterbacks
November 7th, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Cutler had all day. The Browns look like the only team that wouldn’t sack Roethlisberger at least 4 times.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:06 AM
I agree. You know Stafford is a Junior though right?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:07 AM
cracker jack, nfl network games are free online at nfl.com.
dogshit presentation, though.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:08 AM
nope. i forgot that he only started school early and didnt play til the next year, im an idiot.
i thought i had heard he was graduating this year though
November 7th, 2008 at 10:08 AM
“Brady Quinn just needs to be Brady Quinn” – Mark Schlereth
November 7th, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Ricky Nattiel!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Started Cutler and Eddie Royal in one of my fantasy leagues. I have a 56.18 – 0 lead going into the weekend.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:13 AM
The Lions offensive line is awful, and the defensive line is not much better. Please, please, please find a lineman first. They can use their Dallas pick for a QB later in the first round or find one later.
Joey Harrington, Chuck Long, Andre Ware…need I say anymore.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Stafford will be the first QB taken and should be. The scouts don’t give a shit if they win titles and heismans. Stafford will be a good pro, he needs a lot of work, but has everything that NFL quarterbacks need. Anybody that would take Tebow, as an NFL QB, over Stafford is clinically insane. Trust me, I would love for him to have shown better at UGA, but he fits the NFL bill.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Yeah, but they need a QB, not a safety.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Take off your UGA glasses dwalthi. He’s an average QB with a strong arm. They’re a dime a dozen. Physical skills don’t make good QBs.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:15 AM
the way that game ended last night made me stick to my stomach. and my heart stopped for like 8 seconds when rogers went down. i thought he was out for the year seeing his reaction.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:15 AM
If the Lions end up picking #1…and they draft a QB…they are morons. There isn’t a college QB even remotely worthy of an overall #1 selection. Sorry, TBL, but just because they are in dire need of a QB does not mean they should reach for one.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Listening to his explaination, Marshall was hardly self absorbed.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Say what? How did I not know this?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:18 AM
so uga could lose stafford and moreno this year?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:18 AM
if the Lions end up picking #1… and they draft a WR… they are morons.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Come on now, I know the Bengals are bad, but since when is a division game a “gimme” for a mediocre to crappy team such as the Browns?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:20 AM
moleman: They could. I think they’d both be better served to stay in school. Maybe not Moreno, but they’d have a great team next year if they did.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:21 AM
See Smith, Alex
November 7th, 2008 at 10:22 AM
brandon mcdonald should be cut. he was solely responsible for the broncos’ last three TD’s. he has daniel graham lined up for a tackle but just pulled up because he thought D’Qwell Jackson had him. so instead of preventing the broncos from getting six, he chose to save his body for the play in which he couldn’t stop brandon marshall from getting a TD
click here for video, play is at 1:52 mark
btw,chris collinsworth made a great call right before that marshall play, saying cutler should just go back to that but put some more loft on the ball.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:22 AM
wouldn’t have mattered. timeout after first, and timeout after second and then third and fourth they would have run the clock out.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:22 AM
@Whodey: He’s just a Cinsinatee hater.
/sportsgal’d
November 7th, 2008 at 10:23 AM
just because you and i deem stafford unworthy of No. 1, it doesn’t mean people who do NFl scouting for a living don’t think he’s not no 1 worthy. are you taking a need first or best talent?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:24 AM
if they take him they should at least trade down if they can
November 7th, 2008 at 10:24 AM
except for the fact that he’s been good 3/4 of the season and is only in his 2nd year. he’s a good player, he had an AWFUL game, no buts about it, but he’s been good outside of that.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Stafford is very unworthy of #1. Alex Smith was more worthy of #1. People are too enamored with taking QBs with the #1 pick. You’d think eventually people would learn and be able to evaluate players on what they have seen on the field. Stafford isn’t worth a 1st round pick. He just isn’t.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:26 AM
I guess I have the same goggles on as every, notice the quotations, “expert.” I will be completely honest, Stafford has been a disappointment at UGA, as far as I am concerned, but has the most upside of any QB that will come out this year. Just so I make it clear, I don’t give a shit if he has the worst NFL career ever, I care what he did/does at UGA, which hasn’t been anything spectacular. That being said, he will be the first QB taken. Get over it.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:26 AM
The more I think about it, the more I think there’s just ZERO chance the Lions would draft a QB #1 overall. They actually seem to like Orlovsky, they brought in Culpepper for a 2 year deal, and they just used a 2nd rd pick last year on Drew Stanton, who they haven’t even seen what he can do yet.
It just does not add up that the Lions would go in the direction of a QB #1 overall.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:27 AM
i said that about matt ryan on numerous, numerous occasions.
my, this crow is delicious.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:27 AM
dwaltlhi, any chance he stays?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:27 AM
So because he was happy about Barack he decides to put his team in a terrible position with the game on the line? Thats called self absorbed, look at me, look at me, I don’t care if my team is kicking off from the 20 with a minute left.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Wait, you can’t have this post and not talk about McDonald’s play at CB. I thought for a second the Browns traded the Saints for Jason David the way this guy sucked out there. At least Winslow had some good plays…
November 7th, 2008 at 10:29 AM
spence: I actually did too, and Ryan has proven me wrong and then some. That being said, I think Stafford is even less likely to be successful.
dwalthi: I know. And that is all probably true. I’m just saying it’s a bad decision, and I don’t expect a team will make him the #1 overall pick.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I’ll admit that I am very surprised that Ryan has been this good this early…but I’ll also exclaim that Ryan was/is a much better college QB than Stafford. In fact, I’m not sure it’s even close.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Sean Jean…yea, i hear you. the big armed, dumbass QB’s always tend to suck while the pussy armed, smart guys always do well. it’s about time we learned this ourselves. but when you see someone like stafford throw, it’s ahrd not to get enamored.
i agree stafford has a high bust probability, but you never know, the light could turn on all of the sudden. and there’s no way i’d draft him no. 1 overall. not with this crew of LT’s coming out this year.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Brady Quinn just looks like an NFL QB. Derek Anderson looks like an assembly line worker. Move over Grady Sizemore, ugly Cleveland women have a new heartthrob.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I will press refresh for now on before I post, Kfc.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Jay V: It isn’t. All the hype for Ryan was warranted, I just didn’t quite buy into it. I should have. Stafford hype is a bit unwarranted.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:33 AM
regarding ryan … vince young was rookie of the year. lets not start sucking each others dicks just yet.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Spence: Yeah he’s got a great arm, no doubt, but so do a lot of guys. It just doesn’t equate to good QB play. And with the Athletes he has around him now, if he can’t play at a higher level more consistently than he does, he’s going to have it tough in the NFL.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Yeah but VY “Just won.” Ryan is actually playing the QB position.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:34 AM
yea, i mean, look who ryan has beaten…not a single credible team on there. but he’s looked really good so far.
flacco on the other hand? i think they drafted another kyle boller. not impressed at all.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:34 AM
McDonald and Wright have really been very, very good all year… until last night. They really weren’t bad against Baltimore either. That was the LB’s…
The injuries the Browns have had up front are starting to kill them. They get no pressure from anyone late in the game because they have no one behind Rogers and Williams to sub in. Their LB’s are miserable, sans for Jackson.
Their defense HAD kept them in games until the last 5 days. Then, they go and blow 2 games.
Thanks Kellen. You almost had me last night. I was about to say good things, then you cough one up and drop the easiest one of the night. Well done.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Coop…there is a lot more talent in Cleveland than you give it credit for.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:36 AM
im just saying its a bit early to make judgment on someone drafted so high
although its NOT too early to say cam cameron is a fucking idiot, its never too early for that
November 7th, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Sean Jean…really, is the supporting cast for Georgia that good? i know you SEC guys think moreno is the tits and everything, but im not seeing it at all. massaquoi is college football’s version of moose muhammed and Green is just a frosh. if anything, georgia is playing about to where they should be. im not sure how people thought this was a no. 1 team heading into the season (then again, i thought OSU would be good so…)
November 7th, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Stafford has all the tools an NFL scout looks for when they’re ready to pull the trigger on an overrated QB: good arm strength, plays for a big school. Things like accuracy and decision-making are afterthoughts. See JaMarcus Russell.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:37 AM
moleman- Slim. He had a statement in the AJC saying “don’t assume I’ll be leaving” but when the word comes down that he will be a 1st round pick, I think he will change his tune. That is too much money to pass up. Especially, if it might be the last year rookies can get massive signing bonuses.
Sean Jean- I don’t think he will be the first overall pick, either. I think he will be the first QB taken.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:37 AM
he’s a steelers fan. enough said.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:37 AM
that was when they were healthy, to be fair
November 7th, 2008 at 10:38 AM
yea, that’s a big issue…expect to see a TON of underclassmen coming out.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:39 AM
How many of Brady Quinn’s passes were in the air over 10 yards last night?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:42 AM
brandon mcdonald should be cut. he was solely responsible for the broncos’ last three TD’s.
its hard to blame for at least one TD when b. mac tells the safety hes out of position and that he should give help over the top and doesn’t.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Spence…even Steelers fans can appreciate the scenery at Shooter’s On the River on a weekend night.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:43 AM
he still jumped the route when he knew he didn’t have safety help, AC.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:43 AM
probably 2/3.
but what does it matter? every browns offensive player was better than their defensive counterpart. make the safe throw, get your guys into position and beat shitty players. it was a safe gameplan for an NFL debut.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:48 AM
he still jumped the route when he knew he didn’t have safety help, AC.
understandable, but it looked like he only jumped the route because he was beat because he was calling for help over the top. i think its a bigger issue for the entire D not recognizing what needed to be done play after play, not just one player.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Was a great gameplan. Broncos defense was missing so many starters, why risk throwing the ball down field when you can throw short and get yards after catch. Also, Quinn was pretty impressive in the pocket. Never panicked.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:49 AM
JayV, I (unfortunately) live in Cleveland, I’ve seen the scenery, while it might not be as bad as outsiders think, its not good.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:49 AM
spence- Stafford has a good supporting cast but when you don’t have an offensive line that can give you any kind of consistency, you are doomed. Heading into the season, UGA was top 5 team, however, the injuries started piling up and it changed a lot. I don’t think a lot of people realize we lost an all american left tackle and an all american DT. You don’t just replace that.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:51 AM
I’d say Cutler shit on Quinn, but the two did well.
That, and Quinn would probably like it.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:11 AM
dwaltlhi: Yep. The loss of those lineman was a big deal. Especially when they lost that beast they have at OT. I knew they were in for some trouble after that offseason.
And spence: Yeah, Stafford does have a lot of talent around him. He has arguably the best RB and one of the best young WR’s on his offense. And Massaquoai is a solid receiver as well. He has weapons.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:13 AM
White guy was bringing the black man down from his celebration? RACIST!
Seriously, Marshall is an idiot.