Ray Who?

Dear Romeo and Todd:

Thank you so much for finally listening to me and doing like I suggested. I don't mind not getting the credit for it, or the fact that so far you haven't responded to my missives. Obviously, you got them, since you did some of it with the Squealers, and some with the Cravens.

Attack. Yes. You got six sacks, four turnovers, and six points. See how it works? Sure, ok, McGahee ripped off that long run for the TD, and the short passes stung a little, but you have to look at the big picture, see?

You have a problem on the defensive line. You don't have a nose tackle to fit your inflexible, no-matter-what scheme yet...except perhaps Shawn Smith, who you seem to think is a DE...and the guys behind Roye and Smith aren't really 2-gap DT-type players.

But finally, at long last, you saw the light. You turned them loose, and the offensive line and backs weren't sure who they were supposed to block. I could almost hear them "Waitaminnit, Robaire! You're not 'sposed to shoot past me like that! No fair!"

I don't have the TFL stats, but I think it's fair to estimate ten negative plays (not counting the four turnovers). These killed drives, or rendered the Cravens one-dimensional with long yardage. You tightened the coverage and used man sometimes.

Isn't this better than those icky twelve-yard cushions that any QB at all can easily exploit all up and down the field? Is gap control really so important that you have to give QB's ten or twelve seconds to select their targets, who are wearing the DB's out, and throw?

That's right--Tora Tora Tora banzai! I doubt that any of the linebackers are complaining about those big guys chasing them around...like Ray Lewis, who spent much of the game on his kiester courtesy of our own big guys (haha).

The Bengals...not this season, but last: They had similar personnel problems on their own defense. But they attacked. They ranked among the league's worst in most categories, but were among the top defenses in terms of turnovers and scoring. They made the most of a bad situation, and it worked.

You can get your big guys this off-season, but meanwhile keep letting them just blitze and penetrate and have fun. Everybody rightfully wants to canonize Josh Cribbs (who I earlier called "Wright" duh) for constantly putting the offense on a short field, two first downs out of field goal range. But see that? The defense did this, as well, with their turnovers!

Robaire Smith is quick, and can bull-rush. Ethan Kelly...is that who it was? Well I heard he did a great job this time...attacking. They couldn't spare anybody extra to put on Smith. And then, of course, it was Smith or whichever linebacker was coming off the edge.

And wasn't it nice that Boller didn't have his backs, and half the time his tight end to throw to because they were too busy chasing our guys around trying to protect him? See how that works, guys? Hope you learned something!

Sincerely, Wile E Coyote

Now for the corrections:

Josh Cribbs now returns kicks and punts, and is the leading special teams TACKLER. If he is used more than occasionally on offense as well, he will wear down and probably get maimed. Every time he's on the field, he sprints all-out, all over it, and he gets hit hard and a lot.

The inside linebackerS are not slow. Davis isn't a very effective blitzer. The other three guys all are. AndrA AndrrrAAAA...Davis will probably be traded this off-season. He's still a very good player, but the other guys are better. Davis would be damn good in the middle of a 4-3.

Anyway, don't generalize. The dumb always throw out the baby with the bathwater.

I'm starting to get persuaded by the guys on NFL Radio that Anderson should be given a big long-term contract soon, rather than franchising him next season. He's already proven himself, consistantly over a number of games. He's still young, with much room for improvement--even as he currently ranks among the league's elites.

Rumors of his immobility and inaccuracy were greatly exhagerrated...although he does still get into a bad throw zone occasionally. (By the way, what was all that "too mechanical" crap? What the hell did that mean? He didn't hop up and down like a little girl? Some of you guys need to get a life!)

The trade option is still there, and should he get hurt there's Quinn. Anderson is the bird in the hand, and they'd never get equal value with a first and the third round pick, probably from somebody in the bottom ten. QB is unique, and good ones are rare. WE KNOW: This one position can make or break you.

I liked what Quinn showed in preseason, and have every confidence in him, but we've been burned before. (No not Couch. Couch's arm broke down, that's all.) And based on what we've already seen of the still-young and inexperienced Anderson in real games--especially coming from behind--man, you just have to keep him.

That crunch-time thing: You can't coach it. Brian Sipe, with his pop-gun arm--he had it. Anderson is Sipe on steroids. These are the new Kardiac Kids--and nevermind that it's only because of a crappy defense.

And Braylon? He's made about ten great throws under that pressure, but nobody knows about it. Know why? DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE!

YOU STAND CORRECTED.

Now, as you know, I revise my predictions for the Browns win/loss record as more info comes in. My new prediction is 12-4.

I'm deep in enema territory (Cincinnati) as I write this. If I'm not there for Thanksgiving, eat without me.