Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel has coached in six Super Bowls, five of them wins. Beating winless Miami to get to 3-3, he indicated, is not quite on that level. "I don't want them to think that 3-3 is all that good," Crennel said on the Monday after a 41-31 win. "Really, it's .500, and .500 doesn't usually get you anywhere in this league. It doesn't make the playoffs." Yet, he appreciates the progress, given the fact the Browns were 1-5 at this point in 2006. Heading into an open week, he touched on assorted issues the team must work through before an Oct. 28 game at St. Louis:
Issue Derek Anderson is doing well enough to have won three of his five starts, but not so well that anyone forgets first-round pick Brady Quinn needs to be groomed at some point.
Crennel You really didn't know how it was going to play out. Five weeks ago we had just traded Charlie (Frye) and named Derek the starter. As the thing went along there was the good Derek and the bad Derek. Now, he is maturing. It's not final and we still have to go week-to-week, and he still has to improve.
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Issue Anderson is on pace to pass for more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns, but in that his record as a starter before 2007 was 0-3, it's hard to guess whether he can maintain the pace.
Crennel He has shown some improvement and he's put some points on the board. You really don't know how it's going to play out, but it's played out in a positive light so far.
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Issue Crennel was in New England in 2001 when Tom Brady was an unknown second-year pro who had been picked in Round 6 a year earlier. He replaced Drew Bledsoe in Game 2, helped the team win a Super Bowl, and has started every game since. Does Anderson's situation - third-year pro, former Round 6 pick, didn't open 2007 as the starter - remind Crennel of 2001?
Crennel If it continues, then I think you could say that. But you just go week-to-week. If he keeps improving and keeps producing, then at the end of the year I think you can make that statement. It's too early to say that he's Tom Brady-like, or anything like that.
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Issue The Browns gave up next year's first-round draft pick in the trade to get Quinn. Had Frye and Anderson faltered, Quinn might be playing by now, but Anderson has hardly faltered.
Crennel Brady is one play away because he's the second guy. It could be an injury or it could be anything else. It could be my decision on what is going on in the game and what I think needs to happen. But that's the case with any No. 2 quarterback.
Issue Quinn looked sharp against backups in the preseason. What would he look like in a real game after sitting all this time?
Crennel We'll see a guy who has been preparing and studying, a guy who hasn't had the experience that he'd want but I think he'll give you his best. I don't think that he's going to be perfect when he goes in, but I think he has enough ability that he can make some plays and he can lead his team because he's a leader.
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Issue Running back Jamal Lewis missed all but one play in the last two games because of a foot injury. Jerome Harrison produced 72 rushing-receiving yards on nine touches in his first 2007 action.
Crennel In talking with Jerome, sometimes when you're inactive every week you start to think you don't have a spot on the team. I've been telling him all along, "I don't know when your opportunity is going to come, but you need to be ready." He was able to produce and show that he does have ability. That was good to see. What that also does is that helps with other guys on the team ... now I can say, "You saw what happened with Jerome. You need to get yourself ready to go." We think we'll have Jamal back by the next game.
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Issue The marquee free agents of 2005 and '06, Gary Baxter and LeCharles Bentley, haven't played in 2007. Both are recovering from patellar tendon surgeries. The Browns have six weeks to make a move with Bentley, who has been on the physically unable to perform list.
Crennel (Baxter) has been improving every week. He's not quite ready yet but when he gets ready, we'll put him with the defense. He's been working with the show team. We just have to keep working with him and getting him confident in what he's able to do. (Bentley) is making some progress. After we get him out there, we'll have two weeks to look at him before we have to make a decision.
Issue Kevin Shaffer has started all six games at right tackle, but Ryan Tucker has replaced him during each of the last two games. At New England, Tucker played only in the second quarter. Against Miami, Tucker played in the second quarter and was on the field for touchdown drives of 66 and 77 yards in the second half, diving for a key fumble recovery at one point.
Crennel Those guys are good players and the rotation has worked decently, so far. As we go down the road we'll continue to evaluate that. (Tucker) is beginning to knock that rust off.
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Issue Tucker was tried at right guard in the preseason, but first-year Brown Seth McKinney has played every down there through six games. Left guard Eric Steinbach, center Hank Fraley and McKinney are finding a groove.
Crennel Right now those guys we have inside, they are working pretty well together. I don't know if we'll change that ... we've got a pretty good group and rotation going. Lennie (Friedman) is included with that. If we choose to put Ryan in, he'll get involved in that mix. Right now, he's in the mix at tackle.
Issue Defensive end Orpheus Roye still is dealing with knee problems that knocked him out of the preseason. First-year Brown Shaun Smith is starting.
Crennel Until Orpheus gets back to 100 percent, Shaun will be the guy.
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Issue Rookie No. 3 overall pick Joe Thomas has started all six games at left tackle. How did he fare Sunday against 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor?
Crennel He hung in there. At times, we gave a little help but I didn't notice him getting pushed back. I wasn't holding my breath.
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Issue The defense has been miserable in terms of yards allowed, 354.5 per game. Last year's defense was among the league's worst, allowing 344.8 yards a game.
Crennel We're not doing good enough. That's the bottom line and we need to do better. We have got to get the guys techniques tightened up - positioning, tackling, all of it.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mai:
steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com
