The first word that comes to mind when you think about Josh Cribbs’ game is “versatile.”

While at Kent State, he set school records for total offense (10,839 yards), rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41) and points scored (246) – all records that still stand today.

Now a member of the Cleveland Browns, Cribbs continues to flash the versatility that made him a star at Kent. Arguably the Browns’ most explosive playmaker, Josh is a threat to take it to the house every time he gets his hands on the ball as either a returner, a receiver or a runner out of the Wildcat formation.

Oh, and the guy can given drop back as a quarterback and even spent some time in training camp at safety. You just don’t find players as versatile as Cribbs, who the Browns are lucky to employ (which is why they locked him up to a long-term deal this past March).

We were fortunate enough to catch Josh in between games and got to ask him what the secret is to being an elite kick returner. He also filled us in on two Browns to keep an eye on this year (fans will be extremely happy to hear what he said about one young player in particular), what his role will be in Cleveland’s offense over the course of the season and how he did in his acting debut for a September 30th episode of FX’s “The League,” in which he plays himself.

Enjoy the interview and for more on Josh, be sure to check out his Twitter Page.

The Scores Report: Hey Josh, how are you?

Josh Cribbs: Good, how you doing?

TSR: Doing great, thanks for joining us today. I know you’re busy during the season so we appreciate your taking the time to sit down with us.

JC: All right – no problem.

TSR: What changes now that Jake Delhomme is out and Seneca Wallace is your starter, besides the fact that Seneca is obviously more mobile?

JC: Well, I believe that since Seneca is mobile, defenses will try to do a good job of containing him but we’ll combat that. We’re going to be ready for them to try and contain Seneca, who will keep drives alive a lot more than Jake. But Jake is used to running the offense, so it’s just some minor things that change. They’re both great quarterbacks, but I know the biggest thing for defenses is to try and contain Seneca and I think they’ll have problems doing it.

TSR: I see you’re 1-for-1 passing on the year. Not that you want to see anything happen to Seneca, but are you ready to go in at a moments notice? How’s the arm?

JC: (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs)

JC: The arm is great – I’m ready to throw some more passes.

TSR: You’re such a versatile player in that you can return kicks, you can receive, you can lineup as a quarterback in the Wildcat and you can also run the ball as well. What can fans expect out of your role over the course of an entire season?

JC: I think they can expect my role to increase. The more good I do in those roles that they put me in, the more my role will expand. Look for me to drop back as a regular quarterback, because defenses will assume that I’m going to run every single time and that’s not true. So you can expect me to throw the ball regularly…I can quarterback, run the ball, catch the ball, return and tackle.

TSR: Speaking of tackling, I saw that your coaches had you lining up at safety at times during training camp. What was that about?

JC: You know, I’m there if they need me. It’s all about being versatile. Injuries happen during the season and you know, they might want to spice it up. They may want to throw me out there to give our defense a different look. They know I’m capable of doing it and I’m ready. Whenever they give me an opportunity I’m going to shine.

TSR: I’m going to put you on the spot – I read on your Twitter page a couple of months ago that you had planned to lose 13 pounds before training camp. Did you accomplish that goal?

JC: Yes I did. We get fined if we’re overweight, so it wasn’t something that I wanted to do – I had to do it. I didn’t want to lose any money, so I lost about 18 pounds.

TSR: Good for you – I’m sure that helps during the season.

JC: Definitely. I’ve gained a lot of muscle weight, but I still wanted to keep my speed in order and losing the weight helped there.

TSR: What’s the key to having a successful kick return in the NFL and what’s your secret for being one of the best in that area?

JC: The key is watching tape and knowing that when you catch the ball, you have everyone’s livelihood in your hands. So watching tape is of great importance and in order to be an elite kick returner you have to keep watching film. You have to envision it before you do it, so I always sit there before a game and just envision myself running in for a touchdown. I watch film over and over and over on myself, as well as the team we’re about to play. That’s another thing – research. You have to research your opponent and be prepared.

TSR: I have to admit that’s one thing I didn’t even think of when it comes to being a returner – watching film. You often hear about how important game tape is for quarterbacks and defenders, but as a fan you don’t think about it as it applies to kick returners. That’s interesting.

JC: Absolutely, it’s very important – for everybody.

TSR: You have a front row seat to watch a couple of young receivers in Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie. Talk to me about their development to this point.

JC: They had excellent OTAs and training camps. They proved themselves worthy day in and day out in practice and they just make plays. And that’s what’s most important – making plays. You saw Mohamed catch a touchdown in the first game and that’s proof of what he does in practice.

TSR: The Darrelle Revis contract holdout in New York this past offseason really brought the potential lockout in 2011 to light. How crucial was it for you to get your deal done back in March?

JC: It was very crucial because I wanted to put the contract and everything behind me. I didn’t want to have it lingering on during the season and that’s why I waited until after the season last year to handle things. I didn’t want it to linger into OTAs and I didn’t want to be a problem for my team. You know, being a captain, you don’t want to be a distraction and I was able to get that done without being one.

TSR: Josh, give me one offensive player and one defensive player for Brown fans to watch out for this season.

JC: I think one guy is…let me see…just one? (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) Just one on each side of the ball and you can’t pick yourself!

JC: That’s really tough. You know what? Evan Moore – our tight end. He’s been a receiving tight end that is learning how to block after being a receiver in college. He’s a big guy that’s going to line up at tight end, but he’s a receiver at heart. Any time he’s lined up on a linebacker, you know he’s going to win – he does it consistently in practice. He’s a guy that we called up from the practice squad last year and I forgot how many catches he had, but he had plenty of catches in those last four games, which were all wins.

TSR: Right.

JC: And on defense: Joe Haden. This is a guy who came in and I’m like, oh man, I don’t know if they made the right pick. I don’t know how good this guy is going to be and he blew me away. He’s come a long way since OTAs to where he is now. At OTAs I’m like, okay, we don’t have equipment on so you don’t know how this guy is going to play. He’s from my area so I’m going to root for him but…training camp came around and it’s like the switch turned on. He’s going to be a great cornerback for years to come. He’s already playing above expectations and I think he’s going to be great in this defense.

TSR: Well, I’m sure you just made a lot of Brown fans happy that they’re No. 1 draft pick will probably pan out. One last question for you Josh: I hear you’re going to be on FX’s “The League” at the end of September. You’re starring yourself?

JC: Yes, sir!

TSR: (Laughs)

JC: That’s my acting debut. They gave me the opportunity to take that role and you know, I’m playing myself so it’s not really acting, but it’s directed by really great people and it was a great opportunity. Terrell Suggs is in it too and I’ve been tweeting it all day – it’s a great episode. And actually, not only the episode – the show itself is good. They sent me a couple of DVDs and now I’m hooked, and everybody who watches it because they follow my Twitter – now they’re hooked. So hopefully it’s something I can build on and have after football.

TSR: Well, I’m definitely going to tune in and maybe next time we’ll have you back so you can talk about your acting career.

JC: Thank you man, I really appreciate it!

TSR: Not a problem, Josh – thank you for joining us, we really appreciate it. Stay healthy and have a great season.

JC: All right – I like to hear that! Thank you and take care.

TSR: Thanks, Josh – you too!

2010 NFL Division Previews & Predictions: AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West | 2010 Question Marks Series

The AFC North is chockfull of good storylines this year, from Big Ben’s suspension to two rising offensive stars in Baltimore to the new receiving duo of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens in Cincinnati.

Oh, and Mike Holmgren is now in charge of a Browns team that is sure to be improved.

Here’s how I see things shaking out in the AFC North in 2010. Be sure to check out the link entitled “2010 Question Mark” under each team’s preview, which is a breakdown of one or two potential weaknesses that could derail that squad’s hopes this season.

1. Ravens

What to Like: Ray Rice is knocking on the door of superstardom and as long as Cam Cameron doesn’t get cute and start limiting his running back’s chances, then I think Rice could produce MVP-type numbers this year. He can do it all: run between the tackles, run outside, be a big-time factor in the passing game – everything. Staying on the offensive side of the ball, Joe Flacco is in store for big things heading into his third season. He made great strides in his development last year and the front office finally went out and got him a No. 1 target in Anquan Boldin. While Boldin can’t stretch the field like he did earlier in this career, he’s a consistent playmaker and will be a great weapon on third downs. On the other side, veteran Derrick Mason continues to be a consistent, steady presence for Flacco. Defensively, Ray Lewis once again anchors a defense that allowed only 300.5 yards per game last season. That was good for third in the NFL and if Terrell Suggs can get back to being the dominant player he was not too long ago, then the Ravens’ D shouldn’t take a step back.
What Not to Like: Suggs has to step up or there will be serious concerns about the pass rush. Trevor Pryce was okay in that department last year, but not great. The team added Corey Redding in the offseason, but he has proven to be a pretty average player over the years. The bigger problem for this team is in the secondary, where Ed Reed isn’t healthy and the secondary was dealt a huge blow when Domonique Foxworth went down for the season with a knee injury in camp. Fabian Washington didn’t play particularly well last season and if the Ravens can’t drum up a pass rush, Chris Carr will likely struggle playing on an island. He’s more suited to play as a nickel, so there are serious concerns about the makeup of this defensive backfield heading into the season.
Keep Your Eye On: Tom Zbikowski
If you notice, the only name I didn’t mention from the list of problems the Ravens will potentially have in their secondary is Tom Zbikowski. That’s because he’s the most underrated player on the Ravens’ defense and arguably the toughest outside of Lewis. With Reed out, the youngster from Notre Dame will be counted on once again this year to make a major contribution.
The Final Word: The lack of a pass rush and the secondary outside of Zbikowski is worrisome, but this is practically the same team that went into Foxboro last year and gave the Patriots the beating of a lifetime on their home turf. Plus, the offense is improved with the acquisition of Boldin and I think Flacco is in store for a huge season. He’s starting to see the entire field and now has two full years of starting experience under his belt. He also has a running back in Rice that he can lean on in case he starts to struggle in the passing game. This is the team to beat in the North this year and I wouldn’t be completely shocked if the Ravens showed up in Dallas come February.

Baltimore Ravens 2010 Question Mark: Secondary

2. Bengals

What to Like: While Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Carson Palmer and Cedric Benson receive all of the attention, but it’s the Bengals’ offensive line that drives this team’s success on that side of the ball. Right guard Bobbie Williams is a stud, as is left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Collectively, the Bengals must cut down on the penalties but this is one of the better offensive lines in the AFC. The running game behind Benson will once again be the focal point of the offense, but adding T.O. and rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham was huge for the passing game. Defensively, the starting cornerback tandem of Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph may very well be the best in the league. The front seven also has loads of potential, namely at linebacker thanks to Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga.
What Not to Like: While the defense has steadily improved since 2008, there are still plenty of questions at every level. The safety tandem of Chris Crocker and Roy Williams is more than serviceable, but the duo is a liability in deep coverage (or in Williams’ case, coverage in general). Aside from Antwan Odom (who has been hampered by injuries the last two years), this team is going to have some issues getting to the quarterback too. Robert Geathers is coming off a bad year and ’09 second round pick Michael Johnson didn’t show anything when he had opportunities. Hopefully the addition of Carlos Dunlap (2010 second round pick) will help, but pass rush will be an area of concern for the Bengals throughout the season. The defensive tackle position is a potential weakness too, where Tank Johnson is a poor run defender and Domata Peko missed some time last year due to injuries. (He also wasn’t as stout as he usually is against the run.)
Keep Your Eye On: Jermaine Gresham
The rookie tight end was reportedly having some trouble picking up the Bengals’ offense earlier this offseason, but he seems to be catching on now. The Oklahoma product is a very good athlete and could make an impact in the Bengals’ passing game right away.
The Final Word: I don’t fall into the mindset that Ochocinco and T.O. are going to destroy this team from the inside out and I don’t think they’re going to be the key to this team making the playoffs either. The key is getting more production out of Palmer. We have yet to see the return of the player that posted a 101.1 QB rating in 2005 (whether that be because of his knee, lack of weapons around him or what have you). He was certainly steady last year while posting 21 touchdowns and 3,094 yards, but he’s going to determine whether or not this team becomes more lethal in the passing game. Defensively, I love the corners and linebackers, but the lack of a pass-rush scares me, as do Crocker and Williams in deep coverage. This is a very good football team and they’ll be in contention all season, but they’re not going to sneak up on anybody this year like they did in ’09.

Cincinnati Bengals 2010 Question Mark: Safety

3. Steelers

What to Like: As usual, the Steelers’ defense is once again loaded and should finish among the top 5 in the league. Even as good as Troy Polamalu (when healthy) is, the key to Pittsburgh’s defense is that all 11 guys know their assignments and rely on each other as a collective unit. Dick LeBeau is also a mastermind at creating havoc and disguising where his defense sends pressure. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison form the best pass-rushing duo in the game and the entire front seven is chockfull of guys that can play the run. Offensively, if his O-line can open up some holes, Rashard Mendenhall is more than capable of carrying this unit until Ben Roethlisberger comes back from suspension. Hines Ward is as consistent as they come at receiver, as is Heath Miller from his tight end position. Watch for Mike Wallace to have a big impact in the deep game now that Santonio Holmes is in New York.
What Not to Like: Besides the fact that they won’t have their starting quarterback for the first 3-6 weeks, the Steelers still have major issues on their offensive line. Picking up Flozell Adams to replace the injured Willie Colon was big for the run game, but speed rushers were able to beat him on a routine basis last year when he was pass protecting. On a whole, this was an incredibly average unit last year in pass protection and well below average in run blocking. If they can’t run the ball (especially in the games that Big Ben is out), this team is in trouble. Defensively, the main issue is the health of Polamalu, who chose not to have surgery on the knee that limited him last year. For as good as the Steelers’ defense is, he’s still the straw that stirs the drink.
Keep Your Eye On: Maurkice Pouncey
One thing I didn’t mention when I was shredding the Steelers’ offensive line up above was the addition of Pouncey. The rookie has major talent and could develop into the best center in the game in due time. He’s only a rookie so he’ll make his fair share of mistakes, but Pittsburgh’s future at center is already here.
The Final Word: As of this writing, we still don’t know if Big Ben will be suspended for six, four or three games. If I were to make a guess, I would say that Roger Goodell will reduce the suspension to four games, which means the Steelers will hope for a split over those first four weeks. If Byron Leftwich and/or Dennis Dixon can produce two wins, then the Steelers would be in good shape for Roethlisberger’s return. That said, I still have major concerns about this team’s running game (because of the O-line, not Mendenhall), as well as its ability to stay healthy at key positions. For as good as the defense usually is, Pittsburgh needs Polamalu to play in order for the unit to be elite. I also question whether or not the corners are good enough to get this team back into the postseason. The Steelers take on seven playoff teams from a year ago, and that doesn’t include facing a strong Atlanta squad without Big Ben in the opener. Even though the same pieces are there from the Super Bowl squad two years ago, I just don’t see this team beating out Baltimore or even Cincinnati in the division without getting more balanced on offense. Plus, let’s keep in mind that Roethlisberger will probably need to shake the rust off once he returns. It’s not a guarantee that he’s going to be back to playing at a top level right away.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2010 Question Mark: Quarterback

4. Browns

What to Like: Joe Thomas is one of the top pass protectors in the game and is accompanied by steady veteran Eric Steinbach and rising star Alex Mack on a solid offensive line. In the backfield, the tandem of Jerome Harrison and rookie Montario Hardesty (when he’s healthy again) will be fun to watch and will likely anchor the Browns’ offense this season. Josh Cribbs will once again make a few highlight reel plays in the return game, as well as provide a spark out of the Wildcat formation. Defensively, Matt Roth was incredibly productive as a pass-rusher last year and has really found himself in Cleveland after a couple of lackluster years in Miami. The defensive line will also be a strength thanks to Shaun Rogers and surprising former seventh rounder Ahyta Rubin, who has developed into a solid run-stuffer. The secondary is bolstered by underrated free safety Abram Elam, but the cornerbacks should be very good as well. Sheldon Brown was acquired from the Eagles in the offseason and Eric Wright’s stock continues to rise. Throw in rookies T.J. Ward and Joe Haden and the Browns have the makings of a very good defensive backfield.
What Not to Like: I didn’t like the Jake Delhomme signing this offseason and chances are, I won’t like it in the regular season either. When teams can generate pressure on him, he folds like a top-heavy Jenga tower and he routinely makes poor decisions in the passing game. He also has a set of talented, but inexperienced receivers in Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie to throw to. Unless Delhomme finds more consistency and both Massaquoi and Robiskie make major strides in their development, then Cleveland will be home to the league’s worst passing attack in 2010.
Keep Your Eye On: Montario Hardesty
Harrison will start in Week 1 because Hardesty hasn’t gotten enough reps in preseason (due to an injury), but the rookie out of Tennessee is being viewed as the Browns’ future at running back. The problem is that he has a history of knee injuries, so he’ll need to stay healthy if he’s going to have an impact as a rookie. But if he does, this physical back is likely to impress.
The Final Word: Best-case scenario for the Browns is Delhomme doesn’t turn the ball over, the young receivers blossom into playmakers and this team wins by running the ball and playing good defense. The D has plenty of playmakers and could be a solid overall unit, but if they’re left on the field too long then they’re going to wear down (like any defense would). I fear that the passing game is going to be so bad that teams will take away the run and force Delhomme to beat them vertically. If he could be relegated to a game manager, he’d probably be fine. But given the experience at receiver, opponents will likely force him to make plays and if that happens, it’s going to be another long year in Cleveland.

Cleveland Browns 2010 Question Mark: Passing Game

According to NFL.com, the agent for Browns’ playmaker Josh Cribbs said that his client will formally request a trade after being disappointed with the new contract offer he received from the team.

Cribbs, who set an NFL record for career return touchdowns this season and was promised a new deal above his veteran minimum contract by previous team management, was offered a new deal with an average salary of $1.4 million per season on a six-year deal, according to Rickert, with roughly $400,000 to sign. Cribbs, who is signed through 2012, has been working with the team in an effort to get a new contract since before the season began.

“We’re going to formally put in a request for a trade,” Rickert said. “He will not set foot in that facility again. If they had offered even something like $2.5 million per season we could have worked with them, but to me this offer is indefensible.”

Rickert said that team executive Dawn Aponte told him the offer was final and would not change, and that new team president Mike Holmgren was in agreement with her on the offer.

“Dawn said this was it, this was their offer,” Rickert said. “She said it would be 1.4 today, 1.4 in March and 1.4 in August.”

In 2006, Devin Hester had a breakout rookie year as a returner. If he wasn’t bringing a kick back to the house, he was setting the Bears’ anemic offense up with great field position. Fans and the media often joked that he was their offense.

The following year, the Bears decided that they wanted to try and make him a No. 1 receiver and just like that they limited Hester’s impact. Outside of a couple of big plays a year, he hasn’t been the same player for Chicago that he was his rookie year and the Bears have paid for it.

The Browns should fear that they’re about to lose their Devin Hester by insulting him with a weak contract offer. Cribbs is a game-changer and before Jerome Harrison decided to run like Jim Brown for the final couple games of the season, he was also their only offensive weapon. If Cleveland losses him, then they could wind up making a massive mistake just like the Bears did by forgetting how important Hester was as a returner.

Granted, it’s not the same situation. The Bears also had to decide whether or not Hester was worth the money and they eventually paid him. By making him a receiver, they tried to get the most out of their investment and it just hasn’t panned out.

But the Browns already know what Cribbs can do on offense. He might not be a No. 1 or even a No. 2 receiver, but he’s dangerous out of the Wildcat and explosive in certain packages. If they can’t recognize that, let’s hope he’ll wind up with a team that will. That said, I’m sure Holmgren knows what he’s doing and he does have to worry about 2010 being an uncapped year. So maybe this is just a bump in the road and the two sides will eventually come to an agreement.

If you’re looking for another take on this topic, check out Gerardo Orlando’s from Cleveland Scores, who writes that Cribbs and his agent need to chill out and give Holmgren some time to get his feet under him. After all, the Browns don’t even have a GM yet and Cribbs’ agent is in Holmgren’s grill looking for a new contract.

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]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/01/07/did-the-browns-insult-josh-cribbs/feed/ 7 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/12/20/jerome-harrison-is-better-than-jim-brown/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/12/20/jerome-harrison-is-better-than-jim-brown/#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:58:08 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=31492

Really? No, not really. In fact, Cleveland fans might have me shot for even remotely joking about something like that. But Harrison did prove on Sunday that he’s even more dangerous than the Dos Equis Guy.

Harrison rushed for a franchise record 286 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries, while adding two receptions for 12 yards in Cleveland’s 41-34 win. He scored the game-winning touchdown with under a minute to play to give Cleveland back to back winning weeks for the first time this season. Harrison now holds Cleveland’s all-time record for rushing yards in a game, surpassing the great Jim Brown.

Harrison was so good that he managed to overshadow Josh Cribbs, which was hard to do on a day like this. Cribbs tied an NFL record with two kick returns for touchdowns, both of which came from over 100 yards out. He is now the all-time record holder for kickoff return touchdowns, with eight in his career.

Regardless of whether or not Mike Holmgren takes over in Cleveland, the Browns have to do everything in their power to make Cribbs happy in the offseason. He threatened to hold out this past summer if the Browns didn’t re-do his contract, which they didn’t. He never held out and has been the Browns best player this season, so the team’s first mission in the offseason should resolve his contract dispute.

Speaking of the Browns’ offseason, what should they do with Eric Mangini? He was an easy fire a couple of months ago when the Browns were hapless, hopeless and completely lost, but they’ve played well of late. Should he keep his job or should the Browns start over if/when Holmgren comes to town? Usually head coaches are fired when the team is heading backwards, but Cleveland is actually moving forward.

Eleven first downs, 160 total yards and zero points.

After two weeks to prepare for their opposition, that’s what the Cleveland Browns produced on Monday night in a 16-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Nobody should be surprised by the outcome of Monday night’s game in Cleveland. Everyone knew that the Browns were awful entering the game, but to actually watch that miserable excuse of a team stumble over themselves for 60 minutes is rather amazing. It’s like a car wreck – you just can’t look away.

Brady Quinn is bad, so bad that it’s safe to say that he has zero chance of becoming anything resembling a decent starting quarterback in the NFL. I’m fully aware that he has no talent around him, but I dare anyone to watch that kid play for entire game and tell me he has any shot of success in this league. His own coaching staff doesn’t trust him to throw the ball further than two feet and I wouldn’t either. The Monday Night Football crew kept begging for the Browns to throw the ball vertically and whenever Quinn did, he was either picked off or was so far off the mark with his passes that there wasn’t a receiver within 20 yards of where the ball ended up.

Again, I know that he doesn’t have anyone to throw to but there’s just no excuse for being that inept. The Browns didn’t even reach the Ravens’ 40-yard line tonight and don’t forget that this was a Baltimore defense that has struggled at times this year stopping the pass. On multiple occasions late in the game when he was trying to make a feeble attempt at throwing deep, Quinn tossed the ball completely out of bounds. That means he’s so inaccurate with his throws that he can’t even keep the ball in play. He even overthrew a receiver on a screen pass, which is so mind-boggling that it pisses me off just thinking about it.

How can Cleveland trust Quinn to throw the ball vertically when he can’t even complete a simple smoke screen?

I understand that Derek Anderson isn’t much better (he might even be worse), but the Browns can’t start Quinn again after tonight. Eric Mangini might as well start Brett Ratliff or hell, even Josh Cribbs (if he’s even okay after being carted off the field on the game’s final play) because neither Anderson nor Quinn could hit Shaun Rodgers in the ass if they were standing directly behind him. And neither is capable of running the dish washer at night, let alone running an NFL offense.

I just can’t believe that the Browns had two weeks to game plan for tonight and this was the best they could come up with offensively. Defensively they played a hell of a game, but Quinn and the offense were so bad that I might petition that the league strip the Ravens of their victory because it’s not fair that they get a free win and the rest of the league doesn’t.

What a horrible, abysmal, brutal performance by one of the worst teams in NFL history. The moron that decided to put the Browns on Monday night should be forced to watch a replay of that game 100 times as punishment and then whipped repeatedly by a Brady Quinn’s jock strap.

For the second consecutive week, the Packers whipped a bad opponent as they routed the Browns 31-3 on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes in the win, including a 45-yarder to Spencer Havner, a 71-yarder to Donald Driver and a 5-yarder to James Jones.

But the story for the Packers was their running game, as they totaled 202 yards on the ground. Ryan Grant rushed for 148 yards on 27 carries and Brandon Jackson chipped in 31 rushing yards on nine carries. The Packers’ O-line is still incredibly banged up and vulnerable, but if they can run the ball every week as well as they did today, then they won’t have to worry about teams pinning their ears back to get after Rodgers.

The Packers are starting to build confidence. Granted, they’re building confidence against the trash of the NFL, but they’re building confidence nonetheless. They still haven’t beaten a team with a winning record (they beat the Bears, but that was in the opener), but they’re crushing bad teams.

And make no mistake about it – the Browns are a bad football team. In fact, they’re one of the most offensively inept teams I’ve ever wasted time watching. Nobody kills a potential scoring drive like Derek Anderson and unless Josh Cribbs scores on a kick return or in the Wildcat, the Browns don’t score period.

Eric Mangini has a lot of work to do to getting this Cleveland team to respectable. I know at times the Browns have been competitive this season, but they were a total disaster today.