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 Each Thursday the Browns will send out “Brownie Bits” with updated news & notes, transactions and quotes as a supplement to the weekly release.
INJURY REPORT CLEVELAND: OUT: None; DOUBTFUL: None; QUESTIONABLE: CB Ray Mickens (groin), DE Orpheus Roye (knee); PROBABLE: QB Charlie Frye (ankle), TE Steve Heiden (ankle), CB Antonio Perkins (hand), TE Aaron Shea (calf). PITTSBURGH: OUT: None; DOUBTFUL: LB Andre Frazier (hamstring); QUESTIONABLE: DE Travis Kirschke (back); PROBABLE: OT Trai Essex (ankle), G Alan Faneca (toe), CB Chidi Iwuoma (ankle), LB Clint Kriewaldt (ankle), QB Tommy Maddox (illness), QB Ben Roethlisberger (right thumb), OT Marvel Smith (ankle), DB Deshea Townsend (neck). NOTEWORTHY BITS SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: The Browns continue to lead the AFC in red zone defense, allowing opponents just 19 TDs on 42 trips (45.2%). On first downs, the Browns are surrendering only 4.6 on first downs, ranking No. 2 in the AFC. In pass defense, the Browns rank No. 2 in the AFC, allowing 177.2 passing yards per game. WORKHORSE DROUGHNS: With 26 more carries, RB Reuben Droughns can establish a franchise record for carries in a season. Droughns, currently tied for No. 6 on the list with 280, will look to break Jim Brown’s 44-year old record of 305 carries in 1961. That ’61 season is currently the only time a Cleveland back has broken the 300-carry mark in one season. Also, Droughns is one of only four players in the NFL who has over 1,100 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards. DAVIS GETTING IT DONE: LB Andra Davis continues to rank among the league leaders with 177 tackles. That total also marks a new career high for Davis, surpassing his former best of 170, set in 2003.
NEWS & NOTES BROWNS MAKE ROSTER MOVES: On Tuesday, the Browns made a series of roster moves, placing OL Jeff Faine on Injured Reserve, signing OL Dwayne Ledford to the active roster and signing RB Jason Wright to the practice squad. Faine suffered a torn right biceps last Sunday at Oakland in the first quarter. Ledford has played in nine career NFL games with the San Francisco 49ers, including one start. Wright returns to the Browns after spending six weeks on the active roster, during which he appeared in three games and gained 27 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 15 yards. On Tuesday, the Browns made a series of roster moves, placing OL on Injured Reserve, signing OL to the active roster and signing RB to the practice squad. Faine suffered a torn right biceps last Sunday at Oakland in the first quarter. Ledford has played in nine career NFL games with the San Francisco 49ers, including one start. Wright returns to the Browns after spending six weeks on the active roster, during which he appeared in three games and gained 27 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 15 yards. FRYE TO MAKE IT FOUR: QB Charlie Frye will make his fourth consecutive start on Sunday, fresh off his first win as an NFL starter last Sunday at Oakland. Since the Browns joined the NFL in 1950, five other QBs have made four starts or more in their rookie season. Here’s a look at the numbers through each of those player’s first four starts: Name Year Record Att. Com. Yds. TD INT Rating Luke McCown 2004 0-4 97 48 608 4 7 53.1 Tim Couch 1999 0-4 110 52 616 3 2 66.3 Eric Zeier 1995 1-3 129 71 664 2 5 58.4 Bernie Kosar 1985 1-3 76 38 528 2 3 65.0 Brian Sipe 1974 1-3 81 47 501 1 4 59.7 Frye’s numbers through three starts: Charlie Frye 2005 1-2 76 50 562 3 2 89.9 DAWSON GARNERS RECOGNITION: For his efforts last Sunday at Oakland, K Phil Dawson has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 15. Dawson went 3-for-3 on FG attempts, providing all the Browns points in a 9-7 victory over the Raiders, including the 37-yard game-winning FG as time expired. Now in his seventh season with the Browns, Dawson is having one of his finest seasons yet. Dawson’s game-winner last weekend gave him his career-high 25th field goal of the season. Dawson currently has 92 points this season, within striking distance of his personal best, 100 points, set in 2002 and 2004. In 13 career games against the Steelers, Dawson has nailed 15-of-17 (.882) field goal attempts, including all 13 attempts inside 40 yards. Dawson has scored 62 points against Pittsburgh, more than any other opponent except the Cincinnati Bengals (90). For his efforts last Sunday at Oakland, K has been named the for Week 15. Dawson went 3-for-3 on FG attempts, providing all the Browns points in a 9-7 victory over the Raiders, including the 37-yard game-winning FG as time expired. Now in his seventh season with the Browns, Dawson is having one of his finest seasons yet. Dawson’s game-winner last weekend gave him his career-high 25 field goal of the season. Dawson currently has 92 points this season, within striking distance of his personal best, 100 points, set in 2002 and 2004. In 13 career games against the Steelers, Dawson has nailed 15-of-17 (.882) field goal attempts, including all 13 attempts inside 40 yards. Dawson has scored 62 points against Pittsburgh, more than any other opponent except the Cincinnati Bengals (90). IN THE COMMUNITY BAXTER’S BYCICLE BASH: Browns DB Gary Baxter is making the holidays a little merrier for 22 children involved in the YMCA. On Thursday, children from the West Park and Brooklyn YMCA branches will get together to make Browns decorations and create good luck banners for Saturday’s game against the Steelers. Baxter will speak to the children about the holiday season, and then take them upstairs where they’ll be greeted by a special surprise. Baxter is purchasing brand new bicycles, bike helmets and bike locks for each of the children, many of whom would not otherwise receive Christmas gifts due to the financial hardship their families are experiencing. CLEVELAND BROWNS FOUNDATION TEAMS UP WITH BROWNS BACKERS: The Cleveland Browns Foundation has selected three local Browns Backers clubs as grant recipients for charitable projects. First place and $3,000 has been awarded to the Parma Browns Backers for their project with Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital for terminally ill children. Second place and $2,000 has been awarded to the Canton Browns Backers for their “Put Kids Back on the Baseball Diamond” project. Third place and $1,000 has been awarded to the Canton Browns Backers for their “Friends of the Children’s Network” project aiding abused and neglected children. A pre-game check presentation will take place on Jan. 1 to recognize these Browns Backers clubs. BROWNS CHEER HOSPITAL PATIENTS: On Tuesday, several Cleveland Browns players visited three different branches of the Cleveland Clinic for a holiday visit with patients. LB Chaun Thompson and DL Simon Fraser visited the Main Campus, while DL Nick Eason and FB Corey McIntyre visited the Fairview branch and LB Justin Kurpeikis and DL Andrew Hoffman visited the Marymount branch. BROWNS BACKERS OUT IN FULL FORCE: The Browns Backers will show their pride Saturday as 10 different clubs will be in attendance. Clubs in attendance will include the Pittsburgh, Greater Boston, Bellingham (Wash.) and the Southwest (Phoenix, Ariz.) Browns Backers. FROM THE LOCKER ROOM Head Coach Romeo Crennel (On the Steelers) – “They are playing the way they want to play. They are flying around on defense and running the ball on offense. They have a lot of weapons and pose a big challenge for us. The fact that we were able to win a game on the road makes us feel better about accepting the challenge and playing at home in front of our fans. I like playing here at home. I think we’ll go out and be representative of this team. Our guys are going to play hard like they always do.” (On Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger compared to QB Charlie Frye) – “I think they are both similar. Ben can run the ball if he wants to, but he usually doesn’t unless he has to. He has a good command of the offense. They have a lot of weapons around him. He’s surrounded by the running backs, wide receivers, a very good offensive line and the tight end. A lot of times, all of the pressure is not on his shoulders and he can spread the pressure around. Right now, with Charlie’s situation, we don’t have as many weapons as Pittsburgh does or that Ben had when he was a rookie. I think that’s the main difference. Both handle the game well, both are composed in the pocket and both can make plays and get away from trouble.” (On Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger) – “He has a certain amount of leadership and confidence that his teammates have in him. He won several games for them last year. There is a certain amount of confidence in his ability and what he brings to the table. Getting him back helped those guys as far as their mental state goes. He’s able to make some plays to help the team win.” (On K Phil Dawson) – “Congratulations to Phil for helping us win the game. He scored all of the points in the game. He’s been very consistent during his whole career. The fact that he was able to come in and kick the game winner under the circumstances that he was in says a lot about his confidence in himself.” (On MAC quarterbacks) – “I think (Charlie Frye and Ben Roethlisberger) are two good players. It just so happens that they came from the MAC. You might say that you should look to the MAC for future quarterbacks if you are looking for poise. These two guys have it.” (On the significance of beating the Steelers at home) – “It’s a rivalry that the fans appreciate. To be able to win at home for the fans would be great.” QB Charlie Frye (On Pittsburgh being more of a special game for him) – “Yeah, it’s a divisional game. It’s Pittsburgh-Cleveland week and I think everyone is jacked up. It’s a rivalry game and we are trying to get our first division win. We’re excited.” (On the importance of the Browns-Steelers game) – “I think it means a lot to the city. I’m sure the fans are going to come out early with their orange and brown on. I remember going to Pittsburgh with the ‘Terrible Towels’ and their fans. I know it’s going to be the same way here and that’s going to give us a big home field advantage. It will help our defense on third down.” (On the MAC) – “Guys in the MAC are always being looked down on. That just makes you work harder and want it more. That’s what’s been driving me. People have doubted me. I’m going to go out there work harder and give effort. I’ve been dealing with that my whole life.” (On the team’s improvement the past two weeks) – “I think we’re getting better. Each week, we’re playing hard and sticking together. Anytime you put that much effort into it, you get better.” (On matching up against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger) – “We’ve had some good games. I’m more worried about the Steelers defense than I am him. People put the quarterback versus the quarterback, but it’s really the quarterback versus the defense. They’ve been hyping games between us since I was a freshman in college. It’s pretty cool that he’s with Pittsburgh and I’m with Cleveland.” |
