Start Jerome Harrison

[Flugel]

Folks,

Ozzie Newsome wasn't stupid when he let Jamal go after 3 strikes of waiting on a retrun to form following chronic injuries to the ankles/wheels. Looking at their running game last year and Ray Rice this year - we can only dream of that.

 

That said, my favorite game of this season was the Cincy game where Harrison made some great runs on plays Jamal wouldn't have made it to the hole at the line of scrimmage on time. That ankle of Jamal's prevents him from gettign out of his stance quick enough to do ouyr blockign up front any justice. The Buffalo game was more of an exception to the rule than the rule. They were 3 deep at MLB and most of Jamal's decent runs were striaght ahead where it didn't matter how upright he ran without lean because our inside blockign that day took advantage of Buffalo's soft middle.

 

Our backfield needs that RB who can break a run for 6 points the way Harrison did to Buffalo in that close victory on MNF in 2008. Without his 81 yard TD run - we don't win by a FG on the road that day.

 

I'm sorry if I'm repeating my stuff from the Lewis Accountability thread but they also apply to this subject so please bear with me. Jamal's recent outburst about accountability seems vented at those relying on him most in management entrusting him to BE the difference rather than talking about how better brass can be the difference. Seems like a cruddy way to say thank you. I'm sick of seeign him pout when he';s asked to come off the field. On some of those passes he couldn't bend over to TRY for - Vickers would have. Now, when Harrison goes in - you notice Jamal stays on the field at the expense of Vickers. I'm not at all fond of that.

 

Well paid leaders that aren't performing very consistently that start calling out others walk a very fine line of becoming a lockerroom cancer IMO. The alternative is to come to grips with how far his own skills have decayed. My favorite game of offense this season was the Cincy game that showed me the perks Harrison provided. IMO, he's also a better receiver than Lewis out of the backfield. As good as the Buffalo game was in terms of victory - we didn't SCORE any TDs because of the inconsistencies in the passing game as well as speed at the RB position. Some of those ginormous holes COULD have been TDs with Harrison at Buffalo (again, there's the 81 yarder the year before telling me so).

- Tom F.

[Rooster Dick]

This is sooooo last year

[Bag O'Browns]

I don't mind the splitting of time IF we are winning (ha!) or had a winning season going.(double ha!) The rest of the season is or should be about finding out who you are keeping and developing for the growth of the franchise. Since, certainly Lewis doesn't fall into this area we need to find out about Harrison. I loved Jamal Lewis back in the day and heck, i still think (unlike most Browns fans) that he's still got a bit in the tank. With our offense being the sad-sack-attack it is, it makes sense to have a RB in the backfield actually capable of making a big play. I know the concept is CrAzY for the Browns coaches but it sort of kind of helps or assists in the scoring of TD's.

 

This where James Davis's injury also stinks. Would've loved to see more of him too.

[DeadWombat]

I would give my right arm to see Harrison start.

[ATENEARS]

Our backfield needs that RB who can break a run for 6 points

 

I agree, we need to make a change here and look to score points from this important position. I'm still not totally sold on Harrison, but am ready to ink him at that position.

[BrownIndian]

Harrison IMO is too light weight to be the pound man. That is the only reason me thinks Jamal is still getting big playing time. Im more curious to see what our other big back Chris Jennings can do. He seems as big as JL and is younger but can he pound the ball ?

[Flugel]

Harrison IMO is too light weight to be the pound man. That is the only reason me thinks Jamal is still getting big playing time. Im more curious to see what our other big back Chris Jennings can do. He seems as big as JL and is younger but can he pound the ball ?

 

 

You know what BI? Jennings pleasantly surprised me on the few occasions I've seen him. Regarding Harrison, I've SEEN him move the pile better than Jamal has this year when he goes inside.

 

If Warrick Dunn can handle a full game of duty - Harrison has him by about about 15 pounds. I've seen Warrick Dunn in shorts when I worked in the TB Bucs weight room back in 07 and 08. He's no Barry Sanders with the muscle density thing. Harrison weighs 10 more pounds than Greg Pruitt and Walter Peyton weighed which is prolly comaparable now that everyone else weighs more. Point IS - I adored what I saw vrs Cincy. I also noticed the spark he always supplied when he came into games last year.

 

I just don't think Jamal Lewis is capable of being anything close to who he was or he'd STILL be playing for Ozzie in Baltimore. Have you noticed how much they upgraded their running game the last 2 seasons? It's significant. When somebody informed me in the Buffalo game that Jamal finally surpased his longest run of 26 yards in 2 years - it's a sign the guy who used to run 4.3s upon request is just a fraction of the guy who turned a little daylight into 500 yards in just 6 quarters against us. FORGET that image - he doesn't even run with body lean anymore and it takes himk an eternity to reach the line of scrimmage. I'm just not warm and fuzzy with pitter-patter-pitter-patter-pitter-patter and "I think I can - I think I can" anymore. I know the Buffalo game presented a false positive because ALL backs are lighting them up for serious yardage so it's hard for me to buy into why we're wastign so much time and energy into a RB that's too slow to do any damage vrs the speed of the AFC North Defenses. That'll be a nice research project for somebody - get Jamal's 2009 avg per carry vrs AFC North teams. Then we can discuss WHERE he ranks among AFC North RBs. It ain't good.

- Tom F.