I expected a week 1 loss to the Vikings. The matchups didn?t go well for us. The Browns, on the other hand, would be a better test. I had this one penciled in as a win during preseason, but the Browns had me nervous after showing the Ravens defense a thing or two in week one. The effect of their new weapons on offense, Garcia and Winslow, were still somewhat unknown. Like week one, our offense played much better than the scoring indicated. The score didn?t get out of hand, though, which allowed our running game to stay part of the offense. Stupid penalties put us into too many holes of 2nd or 3rd and long. The defense looked a little better but not much. Kudos to them, though, for giving Garcia a horrible overall QB rating. Overall, we were lucky to come away with a win. 4 turnovers aren?t going to beat many teams. I?m a little scared. Offensive Line: B The line really did a good job for most of the game again. The Browns defense had to blitz to put pressure on Vinny, but it worked very little. The line opened up some holes for the running game, which helped to control the tempo. Again, penalties on the lineman are a big concern. Come on, Flozell, you let Eb Ekuban get around you?!?!? Running Backs: B- The running game is not yet clicking enough for a playoff team. Eddie George had some tough runs and looked much better than in week 1. Julius Jones looked like he had a little rust at times, but he made some nifty moves and flashed some of the talent that we need at that position. He did have a fumble that he thought he was down before it came loose, so he made no attempt to recover. He will learn. Rashard Lee made the most of his few carries and looks like he could be the thunder to Jones?s lightning in years to come. Wide Receivers: A- This is clearly the strength of our team. The trio again played very well. Like him or not, Keyshawn Johnson was a nice addition to this team. What he brings to the game is a great compliment to Glenn and Bryant. He also has to be one of the top run-blocking receivers. Speaking of Bryant, he has been performing great since his ?Come to Jesus? meeting with Parcells. Tight ends: B Whitten showed up this week and proved he can be a valuable weapon and shouldn?t be overlooked. When he is in with 3-receiver sets, he creates some great mismatches for the defense. Deep snapper/TE Jeff Robinson also caught a great TD on a play fake. Quarterback: C+ Tale of two cities. Vinny gets an A for the first half and an F for the second half. After looking perfect at first, he threw up 3 picks in 6 attempts. The first was a good defensive play; the second was the same play that Vinny should have caught onto. The third was just a poor passing, forcing it into double coverage. Regardless, he made a lot of nice throws during the game. It is clear to see what a difference this year will be compared to if we were forced to put Quincy out there again. Defensive line: B+ This grade may appear to be a little high for those that watched the game, but I?m going to give them the benefit of the doubt due to the defensive scheme. The plan was to not over-rush the passer (get behind him). Given the way Culpepper ran out of the pocket on passing plays, Dallas was very nervous about Garcia, another mobile QB. Dallas plugged the middle on their pass rush, and they even got to the QB often enough to force Garcia into poor choices. Linebackers: B Nothing too flashy, but a pick and some solid efforts looked good. Defensive backs: C Yeah, they helped hold Garcia to a horrible passer rating with very few yards, but I wasn?t impressed. Even our stud Newman didn?t look quite the part. This defense is in disarray yet, particularly in the secondary. Against big-time receivers (which the Browns do not have), these corners will struggle until they figure out what is wrong. Roy Williams looked good in his role, but he is clearly missing the supporting role of Woodson. Special Teams: B A missed 49 yard field goal that hit the uprights isn?t the end of the world. A great run by Coakley on a fake punt made him the Boys 2nd leading rusher lol. Coaching: A- I liked the calls in this game much better. They had the plan to bury the Browns. Had it not been for the penalties and the turnovers, the Browns would have been six feet under. Zimmer needs to work on correcting that pass coverage though, or we are in for a world of hurt. Up next: The Redskins on Monday night. Expect a heavy dose of Portis.
They looked good. Except for some penalties and bad plays, other than that they looked good. Testevarde might still have it in him.
As a sad footnote, Julius Jones is now out at least a couple months with a broken shoulder. Odds are he hits IR and is done for the year. We obviously didn't get to see him much in the regular season, but we saw enough in the preseason to say we will miss him. Not sure who is available if they decide to pick up another back....
