For the second consecutive week—which is a new record, by the way, topping the
old mark of one—we offer thirsty fans a twelve-pack of things to look for in
tonight’s Browns-Bears pre-season finale.
(Just remember, this is the final pre-season game and most of the roster battles
have been decided. There is not a whole lot of new ground to be turned
here. So, I add this disclaimer due to the fact that I may go off on a
Steven Wright tangent or two before this piece is completed. Be
warned. And afraid.)
---First and foremost, no injuries. That is the biggest goal heading into
tonight’s pre-season finale, not entering the regular season with a 3-1
fake-game record. Just remember, head coach Romeo Crennel, that
both the 2004 and 2005 editions of the Cleveland Browns sported identical 3-1
exhibition records, and we all know how those seasons turned out. This is
a team still lacking quality depth at most positions, so they can ill afford to
head into the regular season missing even one key starter. Give the
starters a series or two, and then allow the second- and third-teamers to battle
it out for the remaining spots at the bottom of the roster.
(The above scenario would also allow me to spend more quality time with my beer
and less with my notebook, which is never a bad thing.)
(Unless I’m headed into surgery shortly thereafter, which is not really a
problem since I’m neither a surgeon nor a patient awaiting surgery.)
---How things will shake out in the battle for the backup quarterback spot.
Can Ken Dorsey show enough to stave off both Derek Anderson and
the Browns’ nagging urge to add another veteran to the roster? The Browns
seem ready to enter the regular season with—ugh—Dorsey as the backup, but
it would come as no great shock if this were his fourth and final game in brown
& orange.
---Speaking of Anderson,
there is just something about his potential that is downright intriguing.
He has the prototypical size and big arm that causes GMs and coaches alike to
drool. But there is also one nagging question that will not go away: Is he
someone with starting potential down the road or is he merely a pre-season,
starring-against-future-UPS-drivers tease? You know, he kind of reminds me
of the chick standing at the bar who looks stunning as you’re standing in line
waiting to order a draft. You just don’t know if—when she turns
around—you’re going to get Halle Berry
or someone who looks like they sprinted through the ugly forest blindfolded with
both hands tied behind their back. All I know is, football-wise,
Anderson
looks great from behind.
(You know how I know yer gay?)
(How?)
(You just commented, football-wise, on Derek Anderson’s butt.)
---Can Chaun Thompson carry over the positives from his start last Sat.
and gain even more ground on D’Qwell Jackson? Thompson did enough
good things in last weekend’s win to jump back into the starter race at inside
linebacker, but it could very well be too little, too late. The
fourth-year veteran fell behind the rookie Jackson due to a hamstring injury and
has been playing catch-up ever since. It’s almost—bold,
italicize and underline the word “almost”—a foregone conclusion that Jackson will open the season as the starter,
but a solid performance from Thompson—coupled with a sub-par game from the
rookie—could force Crennel and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to
reassess the situation.
---Lee Suggs, in likely his final game as a member of the Browns.
It would take a miracle or an injury—or both—for Suggs to continue on.
Whether or not he at least sees some plays from scrimmage—which he didn’t last
week—doesn’t matter as the ultra-talented but oft-injured Suggs’ hours in
Cleveland seem to be winding down to a precious few. All of that talent
and promise seen in the final three games of the 2004 season bore no fruit in
’05 and, thus far, the ’06 pre-season. The Lee tree is dead, at least in
Cleveland. It’s time for him to move on and plant
his injured act somewhere else.
---For the first time all pre-season, will right tackle Ryan Tucker see
any game action? The offensive lineman has missed all of pre-season and
most of training camp after undergoing knee surgery in late July. He just
recently returned to practice and has stated that he would like to get in some
“live-fire” work before the regular season bullets start whizzing overhead.
Crennel may have other ideas, though, hinting that Tucker will likely be held
out tonight. In either case, it will be a game-time decision.
---Can Ralph Brown and Pete Hunter just spontaneously combust and
get it over with already? This twosome has been torched more times than a
bong at a Phish concert. I don’t know what the answers are to the current
secondary depth problems—whether they come from somewhere on the current roster
(chuckle) or from another team’s final round of cuts—but I do know one
thing: Brown and Hunter are not it.
---On the other hand, I have five fingers as well, but that’s not the point.
The point is, if Daylon McCutcheon and Gary Baxter come back from
injury and can stay healthy—I’m looking directly at you, Mr. Baxter—the glaring
lack of depth will dull somewhat and we can get on to more important questions.
Questions like: if God dropped acid, would he see people?
---How Lennie Friedman will fare in his first game-action with the
Browns. Phil Savage is already one-for-one in acquiring centers in
exchange for a seventh-round draft pick—Ross Tucker continues to both
hold down the starting job and gain the confidence of the staff on a daily
basis—and Friedman has the potential to make it two-for-two. The coaching
staff has liked what they’ve seen thus far in Friedman, although, admittedly, it
is a sample size that consists of only a handful of practices. The coaches
will get a better read on exactly what they have in Friedman during tonight’s
game. At the very least, Friedman is expected to provide veteran depth at
both the center and guard positions.
---Will Brodney Pool overtake Sean Jones as the starting strong
safety and does it really matter if he does? Jones has a slight lead on
Pool, but the second-year defensive back closed the gap somewhat following his
start against the Lions. However, Crennel is already on record as saying he
feels he has three starters—with Brian Russell being the other—at the
safety position. It seems that, regardless of who starts, all three will
see significant playing time depending on the defensive package that is on the
field.
---Can people stop focusing on how Bernie Kosar delivers his points and
instead focus on the points the football genius is trying to make? It’s
almost like back in his playing days, when pundits focused on how the ball got
to its target instead of the fact that it successfully got to its target more
times than not. And while we’re at it, isn’t there a way for Bernie to be
the analyst in every single one of the Browns games this season? If not
live, then perhaps do a “Mystery Science Theater”-style voice over later in the
week? Who would not watch that? Anyone? Thought not.
(And, yes, I was guilty after the first game as well. The shock wore off
shortly after that for me, though. Others would do well to follow that
same path and learn from his words.)
---Last, and certainly not least, no injuries. The Browns seem to have a
caught a miniature wave of momentum following a god-awful beginning to Training
Camp 2006. The last thing they need is an injury to a key starter or two
to knock them off that wave and drown their season before it even gets started.