That didn't last long. In fact, the Brady Quinn Era was 165 minutes of mediocre football and it ended ingloriously with head coach Romeo Crennel yanking the former Notre Dame star midway through the second half of a game that would ultimately prove to be the team's most demoralizing loss of the season, a 16-6 home defeat at the hands of the mighty Texans.
Quinn was playing with a broken finger, and was 8-for-18 for 94 yards with two interceptions before Crennel decided to see if Derek Anderson was as bad as he remembered. Yes, yes he was. Anderson completed just five of 14 passes for 51 yards and threw a pick because, well, he's Derek Anderson.
And no conversation of Browns ineptitude would be complete without a tip o' the cap to Braylon Edwards for dropping potentially game-changing passes. Not to worry, Browns faithful, there is a silver lining to all this: Phil Savage didn't send any naughty post-game e-mails, and Crennel, who, miraculously, is still drawing a paycheck, says Quinn will be the starter next week. So the Era lives on.
"I knew Brady was working through a finger issue, so I decided to make the change for a spark," said Crennel. "[The injury] does impact what he can do with the ball."Ah, yes, good ol' Sparky Anderson. Which prompted the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto to write, "Well, he had five healthy fingers on his right hand, and he was just as bad." Of course, everybody not named Romeo already knew that, including Ken Dorsey.
The good news is Quinn will start again. The Browns need to find out if he is their quarterback for 2009. They should give him the rest of the season to put his imprint on the team, or tell the front office that quarterback remains a question mark.
And for those of you holding out hope for Bill Cowher in 2009, yeah, sorry, it ain't happening. But you probably already knew that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-23-2008 @ 6:14PM
Jeff said...
Once again as a lifetime Browns fan, I get to spend a long miserable Sunday afternoon watching the worst organization in all of sports. No not the Indians, yes the Browns. The once gloried franchise, with such a history of Jim and Paul Brown, even the Art Modell years were better than this. Once again the Browns snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Once again we have to endure the weak pathetic throws of Brady Quinn, now we know why 20 other NFL teams passed over him. Once again we get to watch Jamal Lewis take 42 steps to lose 1 yard. Once again we get to watch Brandon McDonald unable to guard anyone. Once again we see a team that is poorly coached and mismanaged.
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11-23-2008 @ 8:01PM
Jeff said...
Once again we have to listen to the local radio shows and hear Bernie Kosar make excuses about the organization. Once again we see a team that plays like they practice, slow and lazy. Like the general manager, whos always out scouting the next Braylon Edwards or Brandon Mcdonald, lord knows we need a corner that can't cover and a wide out that can't catch. Maybe Phil Savage will get a kicker with one leg or a punter with a cane next. Like always in Cleveland I will just have to wait till next year. But for this year, football season is over for all of us real fans. Thank god that Lebron is still here at least for this year. Good night Romeo, and may someone give you a job elsewhere soon.
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11-24-2008 @ 11:53AM
fracalosy said...
Braylon "Drop" Edwards is an embarrassment. He makes everyone around him worse. He doesn't finish routes, he doesn't block and he's just not capable of catching the ball. If he makes a couple of routine catches today the Browns might have won and we're writing the praises of Anderson or Quinn. What I can't understand is why they keep throwing to him? Try to trade him (if any organization wants a cancer like that) or just release him and give notice to some of the other losers on the team that you produce or you're gone. (That goes for the coaching staff) There was no pass rush today and receivers were wide open in the secondary. It's amazing they only gave up 16 points. A housecleaning is in order.
11-23-2008 @ 8:00PM
NELL said...
HEY be happy browns fans u got what u wanted here in cleveland all these get fans wanted who Brady Brady guess here in cleveland we didnt get to see to many of those great
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11-23-2008 @ 8:00PM
Jeff said...
Once again we have to watch a team tghat plays just like they practice, slow and lazy. This is a team that plays like winning doesn't matter. Football is a contact sport, you can get dirty, Randy Lerner will buy you new pants if you get dirty, I promise. Don't be afraid to play all out, try and see, winning is more fun. So now we will just have to be thankful that Lebron is still here, because football season is over in Ohio. Good luck Romeo, I hope someone hires you soon.
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11-23-2008 @ 7:02PM
jennifer Folk said...
why are the football gods mad at the browns?Is there a quarterback in cleveland that is worth anything Anderson and Quinn are both misrable to watch at this point. Edwards has his head somewhere else it is such a sad game to watch on sundays watching the browns and the coaching staff is left the building .......!
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11-23-2008 @ 7:59PM
Mike said...
You can't blame Quinn for Braylon Edwards playing like he is stoned. And for heavens sake, when will Winslow quit whining to the refs every time he drops a pass. Sad sad situation. Somebody just kill me please.
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11-23-2008 @ 7:59PM
jim hronek said...
How can this constantly keep happening, week after week with the
brain trust, letting it go on. I have been watching the browns for 40
years. I dont understand how a professional football player making a
fortune. not in some way have pride in their job. There really is no
other way but to start from scratch. these players are taught to have a short memory. concern themselves with the next game. I have never seen 2 more selfish players then edwards, and winslow
Cut ties with them. They dont want to be here and they will never be successful here. It starts with he head coach.
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11-25-2008 @ 5:29AM
OTISRM said...
JIM, AMEN BROTHER
11-23-2008 @ 7:19PM
bigflyer said...
I do not know the man but tv views of Crennel on the sideline look like a man awaiting a bus.
Is this the affirmative action plan of the NFL at its near worst like the Herman Edwards experience?
Methinks Crennel is clueless.
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11-24-2008 @ 9:03AM
ron Clearfield said...
It could be worse. You could be an Eagles fan watching a 10 year quarterback play like a rookie and watch a second year quarterback play like he doesn't belong in the NFL
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11-23-2008 @ 8:49PM
kinkboy1121 said...
Where is the weasel that owns this team of losers? Why should Braylon give a damn when the owner hates Cleveland?
Romeo benches Brady after 1 bad half, but he let Derek Anderson ruin our whole season..... Hey Romeo .... why havent you benched Braylon Edwards? We no why cause hes not a white guy.....and where Phil the f' dropper at? The whole franchise is one big turd from the owner to the lazy free agents.... fire this burger king coach before he ruins all these players.... Randy Lerner sell our team that we fought to bring back after your dad sold our team with trader Art... you do not deserve this franchise..... the fans need to picket the next home game so you have to sell..... our city is not the losers.... Randy Lerner is the loser that doesnt care what product he has on the field.... he just keeps raking in money from a hurting community..... he's an embarrassment to rich kids that inherited wealth.
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11-24-2008 @ 9:04AM
JL said...
yes, you're right andy lerner maybe needs to do something. maybe let the coach pick the players? as opposed to a GM?
accountability comes from the top down and it seems there is none here. Anderson was permitted to implode this year (even though you can't blame everything on him by any stretch of the imagination).
best thing to happen today was wimbley recorded a sack.
why not use harrison more? his per carry/per catch avg has gotta approach 10 yds?
11-24-2008 @ 9:03AM
allison said...
what a disaster. i guess it's somewhat good that we had to witness that bloodbath...because it's just not possible that romeo crennel will remain the coach of this team. hopefully braylon edwards falls down a flight of stairs too. since he's obviously dropping balls on purpose at this point.
DA gets a bad rap. If Braylon was catching balls, we'd be on our way to the play offs.
Oh yah..nice kick Dawson. Seriously? Is that a brick you're wearing as a shoe? Awesome
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11-24-2008 @ 9:04AM
JL said...
kinkboy1121 has it right. I'll bet brady would have kept playing, but the genius on the sideline decided to "shake things up"?????
where is the outrage and emotion on the sideline? No mike ditkas or bill cowhers on that sideline. where's the fire?! Bench edwards, put in cribbs or anyone else.
use harrison and lewis in the backfield at the same time, get a pass rush so that our thin 2ndary doesn't have to cover so long.
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11-23-2008 @ 11:49PM
jimmy Orr said...
People, Quinn is our ticket. He is gonna make some mistakes. But do not blame him for Edwards dropping balls or receivers not completing routes that cause interceptions. As a Brown fan, I was truly ashamed of the Browns. Mostly at their head coach who frankly is an idiot. The season sucks sucks, you have a young talented quarterback and you bench him? Let him play, learn and lead. How come this stupid coach let Anderson play so badly all year and not bench him half was through the game. It makes me want to throw-up. He benches our future and bails on him. Why, Crennell does not give a damn about the Browns future. He is a loser! He does not like Quinn. I do not get why, but it is apparent! FIRE HIM.. NOW!!! Hey owner, do something and make a damn decision.. FIRE THE IDIOT
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11-24-2008 @ 9:04AM
dave said...
Do not get on Quinn yet, The first interception was his. He must be able to pick up that linebacker dropping in to coverage. He is hurrying his passes do to the blitzing. As for the second int, Edwards should never let that corner get in front of him on a slant. As for the dropped passes, get his eyes checked. something is wrong. I hate watching them lose, but if it gets rid of crennel. it will be worth it. We should have traded DA last year when we could have gotten draft pics, now everyone has seen the real DA and nobody will give as anything. Please B. Cowher take the job.
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11-24-2008 @ 11:39AM
flyboy4000 said...
Romeo benching our future qb after 2 quarters, letting Derek 'the worst qb in nfl history with a contract extension' Anderson, ruining any chance of having a decent season, should immediately cost the coach is exit like now... We have decent players but Romeo is ruining them cause he knows how to eat, but can't coach. It's obvious the dude has no self discipline, so why would we think his team would show any. Braylon Edwards is allowed to play like a turd without any benching because he's black and the coaches favorite loser. Phil Savage, the f' dropping over his head gm is a bust, and the silver spoon fed owner, was part of a family who screwed our city on the plane with Art the trader Model.... Our city isn't cursed.... The Lerners are rich screwups like those crooks on Wall Street..... Randy Lerner sell our beloved football team... you are the 1 consist and you my friend, besides Al Davis, are the worst NFL owner in the U.S.A..... We Cleveland fans think you are the reason the team has failed since 99..... you hate us in Cleveland and it shows..... and Bernie Kosar stop defending an inept owner and its stupid decision makers.... you are gonna ruin any respect we have for you.
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