Cleveland Browns Season Preview: Part I

Seems like I'm getting into the world of 2-part posts. This is Part I of my Cleveland Browns 2009-10 Season Preview. Part II will be posted either tomorrow or Wednesday.

The Cleveland Browns enter the 2009-10 season looking to silence many, many critics, including me. A new coaching regime will have to prove that it was a smart move in rushing to hire a head coach who was just fired from the same position with another team. Eric Mangini comes in and inherits a team that has been filled with dysfunction since it's return to the League in 1999. Only twice have the Browns finished with a winning record since that year and only once have they made the playoffs. Mangini has already shown that he is a much better leader than Romeo Crennel by being a much more assertive person than Romeo ever was. He doesn't take crap from people, he punishes mistakes and he rewards positives. He's not afraid to get rid of someone who could be a cancer to the team (I'm looking at YOU, Shaun Smith).

The biggest question heading into the season is "Who will be the starting Quarterback?" Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn have both shown signs of brilliance in the first two pre-season games, but neither one has thrown a touchdown and both have thrown interceptions. To be fair, if Braylon could catch, Brady would have a touchdown throw and no interceptions. But for some reason, he seems to only remember how to catch when Anderson is throwing to him. On Saturday, I was able to attend the Browns meeting with the Lions for the Great Lakes Cup (Never has a game that meant so little, meant so much) and saw Derek Anderson illustrate a textbook drive down the field, ending with a touchdown run by Jamal Lewis, the Browns' first touchdown since November 10th (week 12) of last season. I know, I know, it's just pre-season, but it's a start. Baby steps, people, baby steps. Unfortunately for Quinn, he was sacked on his very first play from scrimmage, to start the second quarter.

Who is going to spell Jamal Lewis? Well, James Davis made his case Saturday night, busting an 80+ yard touchdown run in the third quarter to put the Lions away for good. I like this kid from Clemson and to me, he should be competing with Jerome Harrison (who is hurt right now) for the starting spot. Jamal Lewis needs to realize he's got almost 2400 runs in his legs already and he needs to be the bowling ball that Pittsburgh had the last few years of Jerome Bettis' career. These should be his spots; 3rd and Short, 4th and Inches, two yards out from the endzone. The Endzone at the Browns' practice facility has "FINISH" painted in it. That's what Jamal Lewis will be good for.

The Browns receiving corps look to be ready to deal with Donte "I need to rethink my Tweets" Stallworth not being around. Rookies Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi seem to be picking up the playbook very, very well. Both of these guys have made great catches in the Browns first two pre-season games. As I said before, Braylon seems to have taken his head out of his posterior cavity and remembered how to catch. He even made a fairly acrobatic catch on Saturday evening, but he was out of bounds when he came down. I like the look of Josh Cribbs getting in as a receiver as well. He made one catch on the night and it was for 20 yards, and if I remember correctly, he caught it only a few yards past the line of scrimmage and got most of the yards after the catch. Dude is dangerous.

More proof of that point; Cribbs took the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house, before it was called back for holding and then returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown, all part of a 20-point 1st quarter for the Brownies. Cribbs didn't handle anymore punt returns on the night as Gerard Lawson tried his hand at the return duties for pretty much the rest of the night. Honestly, I'd be shocked if Cribbs isn't back there at the goal line for the first game of the season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kamerion Wimbley has to have a bounce back year with somewhere around 12 or 13 sacks for him to be considered a defensive threat for this team. Each year since his rookie campaign has seen a drop in sacks, mostly due to the inability of those around him to get him open looks at the QB. Mangini has this defense focused though and quarterback penetration is one of the key elements of the defense. No sacks on Saturday night, but hopefully we'll keep seeing what this defense is capable of as the preseason goes on, and turns into the regular season. Most impressing on Saturday night was rookie Linebacker, Kaluka Maiava. Maiava had six tackles, all solo, in the game against Detroit.

It looks like the Mangini/Kokinis draft era is off to a great start. Each one of the players we took in the 2009 Draft will be ones that can contribute immediately, and already are. Again, Robiskie and Massaquoi are looking great and Alex Mack is picking things up very quickly. I really like the way this season is heading. Where is that, you ask? I will tell you in Part II!