Wednesday PM practice

[dawgpound3]

All stuff that concerns about what is going on in the second practice goes here.

[DTBH]

Aug 5 2009 | 6:33:33 pm

Derek Anderson is serving as QB with the first team in the Browns evening practice.

[D'Qwimbley]

"Aug 5 2009 | 6:53:54 pm

Browns WR Braylon Edwards appears to be enjoying his first day of practice. He caught a mid-range pass one-handed minutes after hauling in a long one in 1-on-1 drills."

 

Ah, I have missed that.

[NigelTufnel]

I'm not sure where Braylon is going to end up after this season, but I'm stoked to watch this dude play this year. He's going to come back with a vengance, I feel.

[OconRecon]

Aug 5th, 2009 @ 7:16 pm by Steve Doerschuk

 

Quinn was running the No. 2 offense, where Edwards is spending 15 minutes to satisfy protocol since he missed four days of camp.

Edwards got behind rookie Coye Franceis on the throw, but had to wait a split second. Franceis closed and was flagged for interference — officials have been present throughout camp.

 

My eyes don’t have enough X-ray to have agreed with the tired-arm bit. I’ve seen Quinn underthrow and overthrow guys on deep balls during the five days, and put some on the money.

 

With help from the penalty, it was a drive on which Quinn took the Browns the length of the field, almost. He threw a nice ball over the middle that led second-year tight end Paul Hubbard.

 

Near the goal line, he almost hit a pass to Paul Hubbard at the back of the end zone, but cornerback Gerard Lawson tipped it away.

The fellas were wearing shorts in the evening session, and you always hesitate to read much into that.

 

Derek Anderson didn’t match the hot pace he set in the first couple days of camp today, but he seemed pretty accurate when I was watching him. He always throws with zip.

 

- No. 3 QB Brett Ratliff has had a quiet camp after some misguided buzz that he might horn into the race for No. 1.

Ratliff is a likeable fellow who had a laugh today about last year’s preseason game at Cleveland.

He was a Jet then, with Brett Favre on his way in, and Chad Pennington on his way out.

“It was my coming-out party,” said Ratliff, who played three quarters and had a monster game. His first pass as an NFL quarterback was in that game, a 71-yarder to David Clowney.

 

- U2’s “Beautiful Day” filled the air late in the evening practice. The hits keep coming. Mangini’s idea is to make it hard to communicate, as it is in a noisy stadium. The defensive linemen tell me they really do have a hard time hearing what their teammates are yelling on the field.

 

- The evening crowd was awfully quiet, which maybe you get sometimes when you practice in shorts. Braylon Edwards made a lovely one-handed catch that drew absolutely no reaction. It wasn’t an 11-on-11 catch, but still …

[Lumbergh]

Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan were at the afternoon practice for Sirius NFL Radio.

 

Kirwan said that the only way Quinn gets the QB job would be because of politics.

 

And he said if that happens he's gonna rip the team for it all year long.

 

[RestinPeace]

Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan were at the afternoon practice for Sirius NFL Radio.

 

Kirwan said that the only way Quinn gets the QB job would be because of politics.

 

And he said if that happens he's gonna rip the team for it all year long.

 

He based that on a week of camp? Kirwan must have also missed Andersons poor reads, mis-throws short and inability to improvise when in trouble.

[dawgpound3]

I'm surprised at Anderson. I wonder if he's out to prove everybody wrong after what happened last year.

[dawgpound3]

 

 

Cleveland Browns

RapidReports

 

By Marty Gitlin

Email a question to Marty Gitlin

 

Aug 5 2009 | 7:41:31 pm

After participating in a "last-play ball flip drill," Browns QB Derek Anderson was gasping for air. "That was 200 yards of running," he sighed. "Holy smoke!"

Aug 5 2009 | 7:29:27 pm

Browns DB Corey Ivy stayed with WR Mike Furrey, who finally got open long enough to catch a TD pass from Derek Anderson in game simulation drills.

Aug 5 2009 | 7:19:59 pm

Browns CB Eric Wright intercepted a tipped pass from QB Brady Quinn and raced 20 yards in game simulation.

Aug 5 2009 | 7:16:31 pm

Veteran WR Mike Furrey met Browns rookie Brian Robiskie as the latter came off the field in game simulation and offered him some advice on his footwork.

Aug 5 2009 | 7:13:54 pm

Browns DB Abram Elam broke through around right end in game simulation and would have sacked Derek Anderson if it had been allowed.

Aug 5 2009 | 7:12:51 pm

Browns TE Martin Rucker broke free over the middle to grab a tight spiral from QB Brady Quinn. Rucker is fighting Robert Royal and Steve Heiden for playing time.

Aug 5 2009 | 7:10:59 pm

Browns RB Jerome Harrison showed his elusiveness and cutting ability breaking free for a long run in game simulation.

 

Interesting eh?

[OconRecon]

Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan were at the afternoon practice for Sirius NFL Radio.

 

Kirwan said that the only way Quinn gets the QB job would be because of politics.

 

And he said if that happens he's gonna rip the team for it all year long.

 

"Derek Anderson didn’t match the hot pace he set in the first couple days of camp today, but he seemed pretty accurate when I was watching him. He always throws with zip."

 

So, his hot start has earned him a slight edge.

 

However, if DA smokes the preseason, go with him.

 

Browns first, misguided agenda second Lums.

 

[RestinPeace]

I'm surprised at Anderson. I wonder if he's out to prove everybody wrong after what happened last year.

 

Surprised by what? What has he done to "surprise" you?

[dawgpound3]

Surprised by what? What has he done to "surprise" you?

 

He has improved on his short passes and mid-intermediate passes. I think that he has that swagger, and confidence back again.

After what happened last year, we have nowhere to go but up.

[dawgpound3]

Honestly, I'm torn. If Anderson's better, he should start, right? That's my gut. If he outplays Quinn in practice and in preseason games, you give him the job because he earned it.

 

On the other hand...

 

The only way to know what you have in Quinn is to start him in a handful of real games. That's it. Until then, people will rightfully speculate that he might do better than Anderson. We can't really predict anything based on practices or vanilla preseason games. I mean, remember that Frye beat out Anderson in 2007. Does anybody really believe Frye is a better quarterback than Anderson?

 

I don't. And Boller outplayed McNair a couple years ago, by miles. Ratliff outplayed everybody in preseason 2008. And so on.

 

But I'm not being precious: I'm sincerely torn about it. I love Anderson's arm. If he really is pulling his whole game together? He could be something special.

 

There. I set aside my loathing for Lums and just said it.

 

I am also torn too. I want Quinn to start, but if Anderson blows Quinn away in the preseason games, by all means, Anderson should start. I also think we have a great QB coach in Carl Smith, who may be benefitting Anderson.

[RestinPeace]

He has improved on his short passes and mid-intermediate passes. I think that he has that swagger, and confidence back again.

After what happened last year, we have nowhere to go but up.

 

Wrong. His short/mid game still is subpar. This was clearly evident this morning. Alot of the first days of camp are vanilla and frankly, get to much hype. Anderson has declined as expected since the weekend. Saying he has been "fairly" accurate has been misleading as well. No, he has not.

 

If your the head coach, you already have your QB picked out before camp besides the typical bs you will spill for a "competition" for the media. You have seen them enough mini-camps to get the impressions you want.

 

I would probably say that none of the QB's(including Ratliff) are having good "camps". They all look subpar. But Quinn has shown the best skills that fit this offense. That seems to be the point people are missing and thus make poor evaluations.

[Sez.EJ]

I'm surprised at Anderson. I wonder if he's out to prove everybody wrong after what happened last year.

I would be surprised if he is NOT out to prove everyone wrong. If not...no need to even show up.. Seems like he is determined.. I like that. Keep Quinn working hard to win it.. Best man gets the job.

[ballpeen]

Why aren't those Twitters tweeting?

 

The twits don't have them turned on??

 

[OconRecon]

================

 

From Mary Kay Cabot...

-Wednesday August 05, 2009, 8:40 PM

 

QB derby: The quarterbacks remained even through a day of situational team drills, including no-huddle, goal-line, and trailing by four points with one second remaining and facing fourth down from the 5. Both quarterbacks fared well in the latter drill, with Derek Anderson lobbing a TD pass to Mike Furrey on the left side of the end zone over Corey Ivy and Brady Quinn finding tight end Martin Rucker just inside the right corner.

 

Given the same situation but with the ball moved back to the 35, a leaping Brodney Pool knocked down Anderson's heave and Quinn's pass fell incomplete in the end zone. Backed up 10 more yards to the 45, Pool picked off Anderson's pass at the right side of the goal-line and Hamza Abdullah swatted Quinn's short offering away from Syndric Steptoe at about the 5. Quinn was picked off once by Eric Wright in team drills, but the ball was tipped by Brian Robiskie. Displaying plenty of arm strength, he hit Edwards on a deep post and Josh Cribbs on a fly in one-on-ones.

 

================

 

So, remaining even and the nod would go to Quinn. I'm still thinking if this plays out like we think it will, DA will edge Quinn in practices (because his throws are mesmerizing) and Quinn will gain the edge in games (leadership, mobility, grit, ball control).

 

We shall see.

[ballpeen]

Honestly, I'm torn. If Anderson's better, he should start, right? That's my gut. If he outplays Quinn in practice and in preseason games, you give him the job because he earned it.

 

On the other hand...

 

I understand the conflict, but there really is no other hand. BQ will have had 3 seasons to snare the job.

 

It simply boils down to who is doing the better job.

 

[ballpeen]

It sure sounds pretty darn even to me.

 

So, if it ends up that way, what do we do?

 

Who do we start?

 

And a general question...since it has been established by the majority of the board that DA sucks, does that mean BQ sucks too or does it mean the majority of the board really doesn't know how to judge a qb??

[dawgpound3]

So, if it ends up that way, what do we do?

 

Who do we start?

 

And a general question...since it has been established by the majority of the board that DA sucks, does that mean BQ sucks too or does it mean the majority of the board really doesn't know how to judge a qb??

 

It may mean that DA is really good and improved over last year or Brady Quinn sucked nuts.

 

[Riffer X]

I was at the practice with Satn and I thought DA was godawful. He hung onto the ball forever at least about 6 times. This is what we talk about that practice means shit, because on one play after the defense basically stopped he threw a deep out that was complete. Thye counted it and moved the chains, this after he already got nothing on first and second down. Nothing has changed, he looks the same as always. He airmailed an out to Braylon and did nothing in particular to tell me he's changed.

 

Quinn wasn't that great. He had Braylon deep from the goal line and threw a duck where Edwards had to go up for it. His pass to Robo was too hard and behind, but Robo should have had it so it didn't get picked. Neither guy looked good, but to me Quinn has a lot more going on in the pocket than DA. Da was stymied when the first guy was covered and just ate it. He now seems afraid to make a bad throw.

 

They were working on some scripted type stuff like throwing the ball up on an offsides etc. They also ran four wides with the tailback lining up at left slot. I think the plan is to come out 3 wide and then switch putting the back on a linebacker, which was Bowens in practice.

[OconRecon]

So, if it ends up that way, what do we do?

 

Who do we start?

 

And a general question...since it has been established by the majority of the board that DA sucks, does that mean BQ sucks too or does it mean the majority of the board really doesn't know how to judge a qb??

 

I'm hoping it means DA is a great practice guy, and Quinn never has been. He's a game day guy and has a higher ceiling. He'll be better than he is now once he has 20+ games under his belt. Mangini's conservative approach will give him time to grow and get comfortable, like Eli did with the G-men.

 

At least, that's my hope.

[dawgpound3]

I was at the practice with Satn and I thought DA was godawful. He hung onto the ball forever at least about 6 times. This is what we talk about that practice means shit, because on one play after the defense basically stopped he threw a deep out that was complete. Thye counted it and moved the chains, this after he already got nothing on first and second down. Nothing has changed, he looks the same as always. He airmailed an out to Braylon and did nothing in particular to tell me he's changed.

 

Quinn wasn't that great. He had Braylon deep from the goal line and threw a duck where Edwards had to go up for it. His pass to Robo was too hard and behind, but Robo should have had it so it didn't get picked. Neither guy looked good, but to me Quinn has a lot more going on in the pocket than DA. Da was stymied when the first guy was covered and just ate it. He now seems afraid to make a bad throw.

 

They were working on some scripted type stuff like throwing the ball up on an offsides etc. They also ran four wides with the tailback lining up at left slot. I think the plan is to come out 3 wide and then switch putting the back on a linebacker, which was Bowens in practice.

 

I don't like to hear that about both QBs. As for Anderson, I think he can improve. I mean, he had a couple of okay practice over the weekend, and Quinn had alright practices. Seems to me the competition is at a standstill, with no winner or loser. They are both even.

[Riffer X]

Some more titbits:

 

We had a crappy view cuz well, the Browns piss me off with their terrible angles and general fan unfriendliness in Berea, but that's a rant for another time.

 

Hubbard dropped the first ball thrown to him right on the money, but he does look like an actual receiver now and not some dumbass. But let's please stop the reports that he has caught everything. He also dropped another pass where a bigger guy like him should have come down with it.

 

I will say, these WR's look ten times better than last year. Even in one on ones, they caught pretty much everything and the QB's were sharp, especially on the deep balls. Believe it or not, Bartel looks the part too.

 

They are alternating the WR's all with the first unit. There is a rotation that includes way too much of Steptoe and everybody else down to Leggett. Patten again was out along with Carey.

 

Momass and Robo are nice, no doubt. Robo made a sweet deep grab in one on ones and Cribbs looks a little more fluid, but he doesn't get much work in the rotations (could this be to not generate contract talks---according to the Camp Show yesterday, Jackson is probably going to get a new deal and Cribbs won't.)

 

Harrison was absent from some drills where it was just Davis and Lewis. We couldn't find him anywhere. Could it be that Davis is already the primary backup? It looks like Harrison is primarily the third down guy, though he looked decent off tackle on some runs being shifty. Also, I noticed on one first team kcik coverage that Davis was again the first guy downfield. I think it's safe to say he's not a flash in pan and is for real. He is not over 210, no way, but that could be the plan to compliment Lewis, who looks slimmer. Herron got a few carries and would be okay as an emergencey, which is what he was brought in for.

 

The defense is totally different and ahead of the offense right now, no doubt. They are going to be fun to watch. Lots of corner blitzes whcih is what was killing DA. Bmac especially, looks like he's the designated guy. The starters were who we think with Bmac at one corner. I like Elam, but Pool still has me worried. On one play Quinn completed on a go route it was wide open and Pool was way out of place. Wimbley lined up on the left side on the first unit.

 

Rogers is a friggen man, good Lord. It must suck for those guys to go against him in practice.

 

Hadnot started at RG with the others and St Clair got beat badly by Mosely one play at RT, just blew up the pass play.

 

Rod Hood looks a little stumpy but quick.

 

Stan and I agree we both saw something we've never seen before, and that's an actual drill practicing punt blocks. I was amazed. They did it with Zastudil punting too!!! They actually came through with the snap and blocked the punt without somehow killing Z. Crazy stuff there, that is serious attention to detail cuz a lot of guys don't know how to take the proper angle for the block in live action, but with your starting punter???

 

I came away pretty happy with the looks of this defense and so so with the offense and QB's, but this was mostly a throwing practice with shorts and shoulder pads, so the defense is keying on the pass.

 

I need more of these practices but I wish they were more fan friendly.

[Riffer X]

Another point: I don't think Mack is starting, they are giving Fraley a lot of action there with the ones. Mack doesn't look that big to me. Veikune does for whoever said he isn't. Oh, and I really like the Barton upgrade over Davis, it is significant I believe.

[SoCalDog]

I don't know, I just think that for what we spent on Quinn (and what we turned down), we need to see what he can do in games that count. DA has had 20+ games...we know what he can and can't do...we will never know for sure unless Quinn gets 8-10 games minimum to show what he's got. I don't give a damn about practice stats. As a HS coach, practice is so scripted with very sterile, controlled circumstances it just can't simulate real live game tempo. So, you can't completely rely on what goes down in practice. Our starting QB throws picks and poor passes early because often times the timing with the WR's isn't there and our defense has an advantage in terms of the vanilla play calling in the early stages. But he's also more successful sometimes because he's not going to get hit and our guys "pull off" and allow him to throw so we can run our plays. That isn't realistic to live games, but is necessary for learning the plays and the rhythm of the offense.

 

Reg season games is what I want to see from Quinn.

 

I mean we're talkin about PRACTICE.... PRACTICE!!.......PRACTICE!!

 

[ballpeen]

I'm hoping it means DA is a great practice guy, and Quinn never has been. He's a game day guy and has a higher ceiling. He'll be better than he is now once he has 20+ games under his belt. Mangini's conservative approach will give him time to grow and get comfortable, like Eli did with the G-men.

 

At least, that's my hope.

 

Maybe I am pragmatic, but I don't buy that poor practice guy crap.

 

I came up in an era where it was preached you played like you practiced.

 

It was said Chuck Frye was a poor practice player but could get it done on gameday.

 

 

Riiight

[Riffer X]

Maybe I am pragmatic, but I don't buy that poor practice guy crap.

 

I came up in an era where it was preached you played like you practiced.

 

It was said Chuck Frye was a poor practice player but could get it done on gameday.

 

 

Riiight

 

Well, DA sucked in practice pretty bad. The direction might have come down that the protocol will be more management than airing things out, which means DA is going to be afraid to let it go like he used to. If that's the case, he is in trouble.

 

Frye was never a good practice player at Akron either. he was good enough in practice to beat DA out in 2007.

[ballpeen]

That's cool Riff...I am not going to argue the QBs...I am willing to go with whoever the coach decides is best equipped to help him keep his job.

[Riffer X]

That's cool Riff...I am not going to argue the QBs...I am willing to go with whoever the coach decides is best equipped to help him keep his job.

 

LMAO, for someone who isn't going to argue the QB's you chime in more than anybody