Published: Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Jurevicius didn't get outcome he wanted
Eight years into its rebirth, Cleveland isn't walking yet.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Joe Jurevicius stood in front of his locker stall, one down from where fellow wide receiver Braylon Edwards gets dressed and across the aisle from Kellen Winslow's area.
Jurevicius came home to play for the Cleveland Browns, the team he worshipped as a kid and the one he wants to help return to glory. The first year of his homecoming was not the one Jurevicius imagined.
"I'm glad the season's over," he said.
He's not the first to mutter that line around here.
Problems mounted
Less than a year after Jurevicius signed a four-year deal as part of a stellar free agent class they hoped would speed their tortoise-like turnaround, the Browns seem to have more problems than ever.
Devoured by injuries on both sides of the ball, they lost six of their last seven games to finish 4-12, the fourth season in a row they've lost at least 10 games. It dropped the Browns' record since returning as an expansion team in 1999 to a pitiful 40-89.
Eight years into their rebirth, the Browns aren't walking yet.
Coach Romeo Crennel's second season was undone by the injuries (15 players were placed on injured reserve), an inept offense (31st in total yards, 30th in scoring, 31st in rushing) an inability to win close games (the Browns lost eight by 10 points or less) and an 0-6 record in the AFC North.
Bluntly, it was a disaster.
"It wasn't close to what we wanted it to be," said Crennel, who is expected back for a third season despite a 10-22 record since taking over the Browns.
But Cleveland's problems were much deeper than being unable to consistently block and tackle like professionals. In 2006, the Browns battled other demons.
Edwards, and to a lesser extent, Winslow, were guilty of selfishness as they too often put themselves ahead of their teammates. Both complained about not getting the ball enough and they were constantly yapping in the ear of quarterback Charlie Frye, who struggled in his first full season as a starter.
Headache
Despite his marvelous skills, Edwards was more of a headache than a headliner. He was late for meetings, criticized his coaches and a teammate in the media, threw a sideline tantrum during a game and dropped nearly as many big passes as he caught.
Not quite on the level of Terrell Owens of Dallas, but Edwards was a sideshow nonetheless.
Jurevicius said the Browns had more distractions than any of the four teams he's played for, and three of them went to the Super Bowl.
"If we can alleviate some of those things, we'd be better off," said Jurevicius, who absolved Crennel of blame. "It's up to individuals. I hope what I'm putting out there on the field or in the meetings or in the locker room is something that someone can look at and say, 'That works.' But it's not my job. I'm not a coach.
"I can only do what works for me and if it works for somebody else then maybe they can take notice."
Winslow returned from missing nearly two full seasons with injuries to emerge as one of the NFL's top tight ends. He matched Ozzie Newsome's team record with 89 receptions, tying the mark with 11 catches in the season finale against Houston on a sore knee that will require more offseason surgery.
Performance measurement
Frye's went 4-9 as a starter, but his uneven season was difficult to measure behind a patchwork line. He'll enter the offseason as the front-runner to be next year's starter, but Crennel will likely give a longer look to Derek Anderson, who played well in spurts after Frye injured his wrist.
The Browns, too, may bring in a veteran QB to back up Frye or compete with him for the No. 1 job.
"I see myself as a starter," Frye said. "I know I can win."
Rookie linebacker Kamerion Wimbley made 11 sacks, one of the few bright spots for a Cleveland defense that isn't guaranteed to have back cornerback Gary Baxter.
The Browns will flip a coin with Tampa Bay for the third and fourth picks in April's draft, and with so many needs they could use the selection to address almost any position.
As players cleaned out their lockers and the troubling memories of '06, many pointed to teams like the Ravens, who had a losing record a year ago and are now in the playoffs.
Frye believes the Browns can do it, too.
"We need the majority of the team to say, 'Hey, man, let's get this thing right and get everybody on board'," Frye said. "That's the only way it can be fixed."
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Eight years into its rebirth, Cleveland isn't walking yet.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Joe Jurevicius stood in front of his locker stall, one down from where fellow wide receiver Braylon Edwards gets dressed and across the aisle from Kellen Winslow's area.
Jurevicius came home to play for the Cleveland Browns, the team he worshipped as a kid and the one he wants to help return to glory. The first year of his homecoming was not the one Jurevicius imagined.
"I'm glad the season's over," he said.
He's not the first to mutter that line around here.
Problems mounted
Less than a year after Jurevicius signed a four-year deal as part of a stellar free agent class they hoped would speed their tortoise-like turnaround, the Browns seem to have more problems than ever.
Devoured by injuries on both sides of the ball, they lost six of their last seven games to finish 4-12, the fourth season in a row they've lost at least 10 games. It dropped the Browns' record since returning as an expansion team in 1999 to a pitiful 40-89.
Eight years into their rebirth, the Browns aren't walking yet.
Coach Romeo Crennel's second season was undone by the injuries (15 players were placed on injured reserve), an inept offense (31st in total yards, 30th in scoring, 31st in rushing) an inability to win close games (the Browns lost eight by 10 points or less) and an 0-6 record in the AFC North.
Bluntly, it was a disaster.
"It wasn't close to what we wanted it to be," said Crennel, who is expected back for a third season despite a 10-22 record since taking over the Browns.
But Cleveland's problems were much deeper than being unable to consistently block and tackle like professionals. In 2006, the Browns battled other demons.
Edwards, and to a lesser extent, Winslow, were guilty of selfishness as they too often put themselves ahead of their teammates. Both complained about not getting the ball enough and they were constantly yapping in the ear of quarterback Charlie Frye, who struggled in his first full season as a starter.
Headache
Despite his marvelous skills, Edwards was more of a headache than a headliner. He was late for meetings, criticized his coaches and a teammate in the media, threw a sideline tantrum during a game and dropped nearly as many big passes as he caught.
Not quite on the level of Terrell Owens of Dallas, but Edwards was a sideshow nonetheless.
Jurevicius said the Browns had more distractions than any of the four teams he's played for, and three of them went to the Super Bowl.
"If we can alleviate some of those things, we'd be better off," said Jurevicius, who absolved Crennel of blame. "It's up to individuals. I hope what I'm putting out there on the field or in the meetings or in the locker room is something that someone can look at and say, 'That works.' But it's not my job. I'm not a coach.
"I can only do what works for me and if it works for somebody else then maybe they can take notice."
Winslow returned from missing nearly two full seasons with injuries to emerge as one of the NFL's top tight ends. He matched Ozzie Newsome's team record with 89 receptions, tying the mark with 11 catches in the season finale against Houston on a sore knee that will require more offseason surgery.
Performance measurement
Frye's went 4-9 as a starter, but his uneven season was difficult to measure behind a patchwork line. He'll enter the offseason as the front-runner to be next year's starter, but Crennel will likely give a longer look to Derek Anderson, who played well in spurts after Frye injured his wrist.
The Browns, too, may bring in a veteran QB to back up Frye or compete with him for the No. 1 job.
"I see myself as a starter," Frye said. "I know I can win."
Rookie linebacker Kamerion Wimbley made 11 sacks, one of the few bright spots for a Cleveland defense that isn't guaranteed to have back cornerback Gary Baxter.
The Browns will flip a coin with Tampa Bay for the third and fourth picks in April's draft, and with so many needs they could use the selection to address almost any position.
As players cleaned out their lockers and the troubling memories of '06, many pointed to teams like the Ravens, who had a losing record a year ago and are now in the playoffs.
Frye believes the Browns can do it, too.
"We need the majority of the team to say, 'Hey, man, let's get this thing right and get everybody on board'," Frye said. "That's the only way it can be fixed."
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Joe Jurevicius stood in front of his locker stall, one down from where fellow wide receiver Braylon Edwards gets dressed...
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