dragondawg
09-25-2009, 04:40 PM
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
BEREA: Five days after the Browns' demoralizing 27-6 loss to the Denver Broncos, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan took sole blame for the loss.
Ryan said his over-aggressive play-calling in the fourth quarter with the Browns trailing by seven points cost the Browns (0-2) the game.
''I called an all-out pressure, we got burned on max pressure and it really took us out of the game,'' Ryan said. ''It took the whole life out of our team.
''We were in there fighting like hell and we had a great chance to win that game. . . . I got frustrated and called the [blitz] play. Usually I'm smarter than that. It really hurt us and it really deflated our team. If I hadn't made that call, our defense would be in the top 10. But giving up 180 yards in the fourth quarter? Put it all on me.''
On second-and-8, Ryan called for all-out blitz on quarterback Kyle Orton. With all the Browns' defensive pressure coming, Orton quickly threw a 20-yard pass to Jabar Gaffney, who turned the play into a 49-yard gain to the Browns 2-yard line.
After a timeout, Broncos running back Peyton Hillis ran for a touchdown that put the Broncos ahead 20-6. Game over.
Cornerback Brandon McDonald, who was playing off Gaffney, played his part in the second-half blowout.
''I got kind of caught at the line of scrimmage trying to disguise, trying to give Orton a different read than what we were playing,'' McDonald said. ''But by the time he snapped it, my leverage was basically ate up . . . I took a bad angle as far as running out of my break [and Orton] was able to get a quick throw. As soon as he turned around, it was on him. So he just turned it up inside, and all I could do was just try to catch him before he could get in the end zone.''
McDonald got burned on the play, but Ryan still believes the blame lies squarely on his shoulders.
''I let emotion get the better of me in that situation and it really hurt us,'' Ryan said. ''It's really annoying to stand up here and admit that to you, but, hell, that's what happened.
''You just have to stay patient and do the things you're doing. When you sell your soul out there, you have to be ready to suffer the consequences. And unfortunately, I threw it out there and ruined the whole game for everybody.''
Tempers flare
An altercation spilled into the locker room moments after Friday's afternoon practice.
Just as the locker room was opened, a soaking-wet Coye Francies burst in with an orange water bucket full of ice, looking for his secondary teammates after having been dunked in water.
After Francies threw the ice at defensive back Brandon McDonald, who was changing in front of his locker, he headed for the locker of another defensive back, Abe Elam.
''You want a piece of this?'' Elam yelled as Francies (who'd put the bucket down) charged Elam in his corner locker and swung at him. Elam successfully blocked the blow and Francies was quickly restrained.
''It wasn't nothing like [a rookie indoctrination], it was just guys having fun,'' McDonald said. ''It's all in good fun. He got a little aggressive, it's no big deal.''
While McDonald cleaned up the ice cubes around his locker area, veteran 350-pound nose tackle Shaun Rogers played the role of enforcer and grabbed Francies by the scruff of the neck and ushered him outside.
''Welcome to the Browns locker room!'' yelled wide receiver Braylon Edwards from the other corner of the locker room.
When Francies came back into the room, still fuming, he was led into a side equipment room near his locker in an attempt to give him more time to cool off.
When Francies returned to his stall to dress, linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton and defensive back Brodney Pool went over and sat down next to to him to try to calm him down.
Afterward, still obviously irritated, Francies had little to say.
''We were just playing around,'' he said in a low voice. ''It was all fun and games.''
Then Francies went to talk to coach Eric Mangini, whose main concern was if there was anything malicious ''or something deeper here.''
Mangini talked to a couple other guys involved, ''some veteran leaders, guys in the know'' to try to get the full story.
''Coye realized he shouldn't have reacted the way he reacted,'' Mangini said. ''He wanted to get them back, [but] he should have put it in the right context. He's a rookie, he's young, I don't think it's anything deeper than that. It didn't sound like anything from all parties involved.''
Dawson hurting
Kicker Phil Dawson is listed as questionable with a right calf injury. Several kickers were trying out after practice during a session that was being videotaped. . . . In 19 games against the Ravens, Dawson has missed just two field goals. He is 24-for-26, including a game-winning 33-yard field goal that gave the Browns a 33-30 overtime win on Nov. 18, 2007.
More injury updates
Veteran running back Jamal Lewis did not practice for the third consecutive day while nursing a hamstring injury. He is listed as doubtful. . . . Offensive lineman Rex Hadnot, who suffered a medial collateral ligament injury on Aug. 6, participated in limited practice for the first time Friday, but is also listed as doubtful.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/61540372.html
Beacon Journal sports writer
BEREA: Five days after the Browns' demoralizing 27-6 loss to the Denver Broncos, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan took sole blame for the loss.
Ryan said his over-aggressive play-calling in the fourth quarter with the Browns trailing by seven points cost the Browns (0-2) the game.
''I called an all-out pressure, we got burned on max pressure and it really took us out of the game,'' Ryan said. ''It took the whole life out of our team.
''We were in there fighting like hell and we had a great chance to win that game. . . . I got frustrated and called the [blitz] play. Usually I'm smarter than that. It really hurt us and it really deflated our team. If I hadn't made that call, our defense would be in the top 10. But giving up 180 yards in the fourth quarter? Put it all on me.''
On second-and-8, Ryan called for all-out blitz on quarterback Kyle Orton. With all the Browns' defensive pressure coming, Orton quickly threw a 20-yard pass to Jabar Gaffney, who turned the play into a 49-yard gain to the Browns 2-yard line.
After a timeout, Broncos running back Peyton Hillis ran for a touchdown that put the Broncos ahead 20-6. Game over.
Cornerback Brandon McDonald, who was playing off Gaffney, played his part in the second-half blowout.
''I got kind of caught at the line of scrimmage trying to disguise, trying to give Orton a different read than what we were playing,'' McDonald said. ''But by the time he snapped it, my leverage was basically ate up . . . I took a bad angle as far as running out of my break [and Orton] was able to get a quick throw. As soon as he turned around, it was on him. So he just turned it up inside, and all I could do was just try to catch him before he could get in the end zone.''
McDonald got burned on the play, but Ryan still believes the blame lies squarely on his shoulders.
''I let emotion get the better of me in that situation and it really hurt us,'' Ryan said. ''It's really annoying to stand up here and admit that to you, but, hell, that's what happened.
''You just have to stay patient and do the things you're doing. When you sell your soul out there, you have to be ready to suffer the consequences. And unfortunately, I threw it out there and ruined the whole game for everybody.''
Tempers flare
An altercation spilled into the locker room moments after Friday's afternoon practice.
Just as the locker room was opened, a soaking-wet Coye Francies burst in with an orange water bucket full of ice, looking for his secondary teammates after having been dunked in water.
After Francies threw the ice at defensive back Brandon McDonald, who was changing in front of his locker, he headed for the locker of another defensive back, Abe Elam.
''You want a piece of this?'' Elam yelled as Francies (who'd put the bucket down) charged Elam in his corner locker and swung at him. Elam successfully blocked the blow and Francies was quickly restrained.
''It wasn't nothing like [a rookie indoctrination], it was just guys having fun,'' McDonald said. ''It's all in good fun. He got a little aggressive, it's no big deal.''
While McDonald cleaned up the ice cubes around his locker area, veteran 350-pound nose tackle Shaun Rogers played the role of enforcer and grabbed Francies by the scruff of the neck and ushered him outside.
''Welcome to the Browns locker room!'' yelled wide receiver Braylon Edwards from the other corner of the locker room.
When Francies came back into the room, still fuming, he was led into a side equipment room near his locker in an attempt to give him more time to cool off.
When Francies returned to his stall to dress, linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton and defensive back Brodney Pool went over and sat down next to to him to try to calm him down.
Afterward, still obviously irritated, Francies had little to say.
''We were just playing around,'' he said in a low voice. ''It was all fun and games.''
Then Francies went to talk to coach Eric Mangini, whose main concern was if there was anything malicious ''or something deeper here.''
Mangini talked to a couple other guys involved, ''some veteran leaders, guys in the know'' to try to get the full story.
''Coye realized he shouldn't have reacted the way he reacted,'' Mangini said. ''He wanted to get them back, [but] he should have put it in the right context. He's a rookie, he's young, I don't think it's anything deeper than that. It didn't sound like anything from all parties involved.''
Dawson hurting
Kicker Phil Dawson is listed as questionable with a right calf injury. Several kickers were trying out after practice during a session that was being videotaped. . . . In 19 games against the Ravens, Dawson has missed just two field goals. He is 24-for-26, including a game-winning 33-yard field goal that gave the Browns a 33-30 overtime win on Nov. 18, 2007.
More injury updates
Veteran running back Jamal Lewis did not practice for the third consecutive day while nursing a hamstring injury. He is listed as doubtful. . . . Offensive lineman Rex Hadnot, who suffered a medial collateral ligament injury on Aug. 6, participated in limited practice for the first time Friday, but is also listed as doubtful.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/61540372.html