|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 602
All Pro
|
OP
All Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 602 |
Quote:
Vindicated, relaxed Lewis looking to raise the bar
By James Walker
ESPN.com
Updated: June 17, 2008
BEREA, Ohio -- There comes a time in every running back's career when he has to prove that he's still got it.
For Cleveland Browns tailback Jamal Lewis, that time was last season.
Coming off a pair of years when Lewis averaged 3.6 and 3.4 yards per carry, he was released by the Baltimore Ravens, and there weren't any suitors offering the multiyear deal Lewis envisioned.
That is where the Browns and general manager Phil Savage came in.
Familiar with Lewis from his time scouting in Baltimore, Savage offered Lewis a one-year contract heavy in incentives to see if he's strong enough and good enough to still shoulder the load. Lewis proved that he was, rushing for 1,304 yards, nine touchdowns and averaging 19.9 carries per game, the second-highest total of his career.
"I had to prove it to people who had doubts and to people who thought I was done,'' Lewis said. "I knew where I was, and I knew I wasn't finished. Phil Savage and the organization knew I wasn't finished. So I'm just happy to be here and do what I do, and that's run the ball hard and offer this team all that I have."
After Lewis, 28, made his point, the Browns rewarded him with a three-year extension.
By rushing for 1,304 yards in 2007, Jamal Lewis proved he has plenty left in the tank.
No longer with the same chip on his shoulder, Lewis' motivation this year is to remain one of the top running backs in the NFL. He certainly is one of the most consistent, amassing at least 1,000 yards in six of his seven active seasons.
There also are unspoken intangibles Lewis brings to the Browns.
Lewis provides much-needed confidence as one of the few players in Cleveland's locker room with a Super Bowl ring. He's extremely professional and never takes practices off. He's always in shape and has a good presence about him that inspires and commands respect.
"He's definitely a leader off the field and on the field, and guys rally around that,'' Browns right tackle Kevin Shaffer said. "We want to do good because of him. We're going to block for anyone, but when you got a guy like that that's busting it every play and going full speed, we want to go just a little harder because of him."
Lewis also fits in a blue-collar town like Cleveland. His running style is old-school -- little flash, all substance. The tailback runs with the mentality of a fullback. If someone is in the way, Lewis is lowering his shoulders, not wiggling his hips. He gets 3 or 4 yards per carry early, until he's able to explode for 30-plus yards later in the game.
Lewis actually got stronger as the 2007 season went on. He had four of his five 100-yard games after Thanksgiving.
So when it rains, Lewis pours it on.
When it snows, he packs his snow tires.
"If you tell J-Lew we're going to line up and run 30 times in between the tackles, he's going to be smiling,'' Browns center Hank Fraley said.
Here is more food for thought.
Last season was the first time Lewis played for an offensive juggernaut.
For most of his career, Lewis was the best weapon in the Ravens' offense. This year, Lewis is playing with five players coming off Pro Bowl seasons: quarterback Derek Anderson, tight end Kellen Winslow, receiver Braylon Edwards, and two linemen in guard Eric Steinbach and tackle Joe Thomas.
Lewis didn't make the Pro Bowl last season and may not be one of the top five players in Cleveland's offense. Yet being a cog this year and not the entire machine excites him.
"I didn't want to go anywhere,'' Lewis says, "because of all the talent that's around me."
Lewis has been bold but not cocky about his expectations this year. Coming off a 1,300-yard season, he says a repeat performance in 2008 would be an "understatement."
Lewis cites two games that he missed, including the contest against the New England Patriots when he was hurt in the first quarter, where he could've added to his season totals. He believes the sky is the limit if he stays healthy to play the full 16 games.
"With the receivers, with the quarterback and with the offensive line that we have, that's why I say 1,300-1,400 yards is an understatement," Lewis said.
So what sounds about right, Jamal ... 1,500 yards? Two thousand yards?
"Um … not 1,300 or 1,400 yards,'' he says with a grin.
James Walker covers the NFL for ESPN.com.
Link
As some of you MAY know, I like RB's. I wanted the Browns to get Peterson ( but am VERY happy I didn't get my wish), and I was hoping we would pick something up this yr. I am just not sold that Harrison or Wright could carry the load should Jamal go down for more than one or two games. I hope like hell I don't have to find out.
I also think Jamal can have an even bigger yr. this yr.
He is more familiar with the offense, particularly the O-Line and they have had another yr. to gel. They could be even better this yr. and therefore so could Jamal.
Our O-Coordinater has had a yr. to adjust himself. I don't see him throwing the ball as much in bad wether games, i.e the Cinci game last yr. When he has to he will depend more on Jamal, which in turn will improve Jamal's numbers.
My ONE concern is his mileage, notice I stated "mileage" NOT "age". As the article states, he WAS B-Mores offense for the majority of his career. He has taken a pounding and his running style does not help matters any.
While we have an explosive offense and may could get by for one or two games without him, I think that if he goes down for any length of time, we may be more affected than we think, I just hope we don't have to find out. 
Edit: Also, we can't underestimate the value of the leadership role he brings to this team, on and off the field.
Last edited by ncdawg; 06/17/08 03:12 PM.
Born and breed with OSU, App. State alumni, but bleed orange and brown.
Go ARMY......Beat Navy!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,693
Hall of Famer
|
|
Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,693 |
Quote:
My ONE concern is his mileage, notice I stated "mileage" NOT "age". As the article states, he WAS B-Mores offense for the majority of his career. He has taken a pounding and his running style does not help matters any.
He's taken a pounding in the sense he runs hard and more often than not he's the one doing the pounding. You could say he's actually going into his eighth season, since he didn't play his second season, and he's only averaged 15-20 carries per game. As surprising as it sounds, he's never been a 25-30 time per game ball carrier, he's only had one season where he carried around 25 times per game. In addition to that, he takes very good care of his body. I don't think wear and tear is much of a problem for him, it's the feet and ankles that give him trouble but if he stays healthy without losing a step, he could have a few more good years in him.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/hfMNC7T.jpg) "I am undeterred and I am undaunted." --Kevin Stefanski "Big hairy American winning machines." --Baker Mayfield #gmstrong
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,223
Hall of Famer
|
|
Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,223 |
James Walker has to edit his article. Steinbach wasn't a Pro Bowler last season.
![[Linked Image from pic18.picturetrail.com]](http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL905/3216203/6567769/349897772.jpg) "The Browns' defense is kicking mucho dupa."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,370
Hall of Famer
|
|
Hall of Famer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,370 |
He meant our LG, Josh Cribbs. 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,223
Hall of Famer
|
|
Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,223 |
Quote:
He meant our LG, Josh Cribbs.
Yeah, Steinbach won the vote per the fan voting, but lost when the coaches and teams voted. Cribbs was the other guy he probably meant to say. Or at least should of said if he didn't know better.
"The Browns' defense is kicking mucho dupa."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 184
Practice Squad
|
|
Practice Squad
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 184 |
When you think of our first years back it is a wonder we scored as much as we did. With only Tim throwing to his favorite WR as our only offense...no Cribbs, no Edwards, Jerivicous or Winslow, and no Lewis. We did manage with some average RBs but really no threat to score. Our defense helped by setting up some short field scores but really no offense and certainly no real offensive line that would protect our QB or make a path for the RB.
Now we have a chance and Lewis is really going to make yards. He was one of the main reasons we were able to win 10 games and was certainly able to maintain the ball late in the game. Now we can use Lewis and all of our RBs with more options, more short passes and more screens and even get Cribbs into the option game. Lewis has every reason to anticipate big games and most of all winning more games. Lewis was the main reason we lost so many games to Balt and should be the reason we will now win and beat Pitt.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 602
All Pro
|
|
OP
All Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 602 |
Just another article on Jamal, but............  , it reinforces my piont.  Terry's Talkin' ... about Jamal Lewis, Cavaliers draft, Vizquel's legacy
Posted by Terry Pluto June 28, 2008 20:37PM
About the Browns...
Can Jamal Lewis do it again? Maybe not gain 1,304 yards. Maybe not have a season that should have earned him a Pro Bowl spot -- he was No. 5 on the league's rushing list. But can he gain over 1,000 yards? Can he stay healthy? Can he remain the driven running back of 2007, now that he signed a 3-year, $17 million contract before the 2008 season? He has $7.5 million of that guaranteed. The Browns wanted a 2-year deal, but he wanted at least three seasons -- so they comprised with the guarantee. But the real bottom line is this: In order for the Browns to be a playoff contender, Lewis must have something close to a repeat performance this season.
A year ago, GM Phil Savage signed Lewis to a one-year, $2.5 million base contract, and he also earned $2 million in bonus money for gaining more than 1,000 yards. At the start of the 2007 season, Lewis was considered a "distressed NFL property" by some scouts. He was only 28, but he seemed be slowing down. Despite gaining 1,132 yards, Baltimore gave up on him. Teams did not line up to sign Lewis. It appeared he no longer had that deceptive burst of speed, that he was about to be reduced to a bullish, short-yardage back no longer capable of making big plays.
So far, the marriage of Jamal Lewis and the Browns has been mutually beneficial. Rewarded with a new, three-year contract, Lewis will be essential to the team's lofty goals this fall.When Savage signed Lewis to that one-year deal, the general manager talked about "a hungry Jamal being a very good Jamal," because he was out to prove his critics wrong. Savage had a strong relationship with Lewis dating back to their Baltimore days. He also knew that if Lewis failed, so what? It was a one-year, incentive-heavy contract, and a modest one by NFL standards. While much was made of Savage's moves in 2007, signing free agent guard Eric Steinbach and drafting left tackle Joe Thomas were no more important than grabbing Lewis out of the bargain basement and watching him turn into a premier running back once again.
Behind Lewis, the Browns have Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison. Both have some ability, but neither can compare to Lewis in terms of being a back that can carry a team for long stretches. It would be scary for the Browns to lose Lewis for a long stretch.
Lewis was at his best when it meant the most, gaining 563 yards in the cold of December, when Derek Anderson had some of his worst games as the young quarterback dealt with both the weather and the pressure of his first starting season. Lewis averaged 112 yards in those five December games, with a strong 4.8 average per carry. For the season, he was at 4.4 per carry -- tying the second best mark of his career.
The deeper you dig into Lewis' numbers, the more you appreciate his 2007 season. In the six divisional AFC North games -- those that mean the most for the playoffs -- he gained 534 yards (4.5 per carry). The one down spot was Pittsburgh (70 yards in 27 carries, 2.6 average). He averaged 4.8 yards in the second half of all games, compared to 4.2 in the first half.
For the first time since the team's revival in 1999, Jamal Lewis provided real muscle to the Browns' running game and a closing hammer when leads had to be preserved in the late going.Yes, the more Lewis ran, the better it was the for Browns. After 15 carries, he averaged 5.2 per carry, against 4.1 in the first 15. You can argue that stat reflects the running game simply working better on those days. But like many strong, gifted backs, it's almost impossible to overwork the 5-foot-11, 245-pounder. He wears down defenses.
The Browns say Lewis is in the best physical shape of his career. He has emerged as a team leader, teaching the younger players about diet, stretching and he also uses massage therapy. He models these behaviors, which is more than any speech that he could give. He demonstrated strength both late in the game and late in the season. How about this? When the Browns were leading by 7 or fewer points, Lewis averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
It sounds like a boring number, but there is real significance in Lewis' average of 4.6 yards per carry on first down. That consistently put the Browns in position -- at 2nd and 5 or 2nd and 6 -- to keep pressure on the defense. They didn't have to run on second down, as was the case for years when there was no real running attack.
Why this long discussion of Lewis? He means nearly as much to the Browns as a good quarterback. Since they returned in 1999, he is the first back who truly worries opposing defenses. Yes, Reuben Droughns did gain 1,232 yards in 2005, but he was at 4.0 per carry and scored only two TDs on the ground. Lewis ran for nine TDs, and let's face it, Droughns does not inspire the same confidence from his offense or fear from the defense.
Note to offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski: When Lewis ran left behind Thomas and Steinbach, he averaged 5.2 yards in 121 carries. When he ran right, it was 3.7 yards in 117 carries. Maybe he should run left a few more times? Certainly, when the Browns play in Cincinnati or anywhere else where the wind howls and passes flutter, it is best to give No. 31 the ball more often.
LINK I think he read my post. 
Born and breed with OSU, App. State alumni, but bleed orange and brown.
Go ARMY......Beat Navy!!!!!!
|
|
|
DawgTalkers.net
Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Vindicated, relaxed Lewis looking
to raise the bar
|
|
