Tag: Cleveland Browns (Page 55 of 57)

      NFL Week 1 Game of the Week: Cowboys at Browns

      September 7, 2008 /

      Game Time: 4:15 PM ET on FOX
      Spread: Cowboys –5.5

      Tony RomoGame Preview:
      Dallas enters the season as the perennial favorite to represent the NFC in the 2009 Super Bowl. QB Tony Romo, RB Marion Barber III, WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten form one of the more explosive offenses in the league. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett proved last year that he’s an outstanding play caller and the Cowboys shouldn’t have issues putting points on the board on a weekly basis. The defense is also stacked and head coach Wade Phillips is one of the better 3-4 schemers in league.

      Cleveland has high expectations after winning 10 games last season, but QB Derek Anderson has to prove that he wasn’t a one-year fluke and the offseason additions have to gel quickly on defense. Anderson certainly has enough playmakers around him to succeed, from TE Kellen Winslow Jr. to WR Braylon Edwards and RB Jamal Lewis. Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams were acquired in the offseason to help boost the defensive pass rush and hopefully take the pressure off a talented, but inexperienced secondary.

      Sean JonesOutlook:
      The Browns must get pressure on Romo like the Giants did in last year’s NFC Divisional Playoffs or else Garrett will keep Cleveland’s defense off balance all game. Stopping Barber and the Dallas’ run game will also be vital, but perhaps more important for the Browns is that they need to win the turnover and field position battles. They should be able to score points (even against a tough Dallas defense), but they don’t stand a chance if they can’t force a turnover or two without turning the ball over themselves. Lewis and returner Joshua Cribbs will be game-time decisions and if they can’t go, Cleveland’s defense will have to step up even more because the offense might struggle to stay balanced. Expect the Browns to double up Owens and take their chances with Patrick Crayton in one-on-one coverage. Keeping Witten from running down the seams will also be imperative, so safety Sean Jones might have a busy afternoon.

      Prediction: Cowboys 30, Browns 21. The Cowboys have depth concerns, but they still have so many weapons that are healthy. Cleveland wasn’t particularly sharp in preseason either, although that rarely is a telltale sign on how a team will do in the regular season.

      NFL

      Jamal Lewis game-time decision for Browns

      September 5, 2008 /

      The Cleveland Plain-Dealer is reporting that Browns’ running back Jamal Lewis will be a game-time decision Sunday against the Cowboys due to a hamstring injury. Josh Cribbs, the Browns’ playmaking kick returner, will also be a game-time decision.

      Jamal LewisFive of the injured Browns will come down to game-time decisions. They are Josh Cribbs, Jamal Lewis, Brodney Pool, Rex Hadnot and Ryan Tucker.

      Pool (concussion) missed practice for the second day in a row Friday and will most likely sit out Sunday’s opener against Dallas. He’ll be replaced by Mike Adams.

      Hadnot and Tucker are also not expected to be ready.

      Cribbs and Lewis both participated in the first half-hour of practice, which is open to the media, but Cribbs reiterated that he didn’t want to hurt the team.

      If Lewis (hamstring) is unable to play, he will be replaced by Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison.

      The Browns have an explosive pass attack, but Lewis keeps them balanced offensively. Cleveland is going to need all of its weapons against the Cowboys and while Wright and Harrison have been decent in spot-duty, a healthy Lewis would go a long way in helping the Browns pull off the upset.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Couch Potato Alert: 9/5

      September 5, 2008 /

      U.S. Open semifinals and finals
      The men’s semifinals start at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday and the women’s final takes place at 8:00 PM ET that evening. The men’s final will take place on Sunday, starting at 4:00 PM. All matches will be broadcast on CBS. Here’s the TV schedule and Christopher Glotfelty’s preview of the matches.

      San Diego State at Notre Dame
      Both programs are reeling, hanging on for dear life, and just trying to find players to line up on the field. The Irish are on a roll, sort of, coming into this year’s opener with a modest two-game winning streak from last season. SDSU is coming off an embarrassing home-opening loss to Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo, which was their second home loss to the Mustangs in three seasons. This contest will played on Saturday in front of a nationally-televised audience on NBC at 3:30 PM ET.

      Miami at Florida
      This prime-time matchup used to be circled on the calendar of all college football fans as a must-see game with the winner gaining the advantage in the battle for the top recruits from the state of Florida. But times have changed; the Canes are coming off a 5-7 season, and just trying to get the program back on its feet. Oddly enough, Miami has a 12-8 all-time record at “The Swamp.” Tune in Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN for another chapter in this in-state rivalry. [Official Smack Talk Thread]

      Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers
      Less than a week ago, the Dodgers seemed to be free falling in the NL West pennant race. They lost 9-3 in the opener of a three-game series in Arizona, and things didn’t look good with the Diamondbacks starting Dan Haren and Brandon Webb that weekend. But the Dodgers turned their season around by scoring 13 runs against the Arizona’s top two pitchers and were able to win both games. The rematch is set for this weekend at Dodger Stadium, with Friday night’s game on ESPN and Saturday’s contest on Fox’s regional baseball telecast.

      Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns
      You could call this encounter “The Battle of the Media Darlings.” With five prime-time games this season, the Browns are trying to prove that their 10-6 record last season was no fluke. They play host to the Cowboys, who seem to be everyone’s fashionable Super Bowl pick. And if you’ve been watching “Hard Knocks” on HBO, you know that the Boys’ roster depth has taken a big with several pre-season injuries. Dallas fans shouldn’t be concerned, however, as every one of their 13 Pro Bowlers will be in uniform on Sunday. Check your local Fox listings to see if they are televising this game at 4:00 PM ET. [Anthony Stalter’s preview of the game.]

      College Football, Couch Potato Alert, General Sports, MLB, NFL, Television

      Giants-Patriots rematch most likely Super Bowl scenario?

      September 5, 2008 /

      Kevin Blackstone of AOL SPORTS writes that this year’s Super Bowl matchup will look awfully familiar to last year’s title game. Blackstone writes that the most likely Super Bowl matchup will again be Giants-Patriots.

      Eli ManningFor starters, it is difficult to pick against a team in the Patriots that lost just one outing all of last season, that final game. It is all but forgotten that they lost perfection only by the margin of a field goal, 17-14.

      The Giants don’t have the league’s second-easiest schedule. They aren’t even considered as the Patriots are the best team in their conference, or their division. That designation was reserved this offseason for Dallas.

      But the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game since the last millennium and their new quarterback sensation Tony Romo seems to have as big a knack for blowing the big game as he does hanging with the newest bimbo. And all of a sudden, his receiving corps anchored by the thirtysomething T.O. is questionable with the waiving of veteran Terry Glenn due to a gimpy knee. Their coach Wade Phillips isn’t to be confused with Jimmy Johnson either.

      Good points, but as of right now I like the Cowboys, Saints and even the Eagles better than the Giants in the NFC. New York lost a lot of talent in the offseason and eventually it might catch up to them. And while it’s hard not to like the Pats’ chances, the AFC is absolutely stacked with talent (Jaguars, Colts, Chargers, Steelers, Browns). Both teams have tough roads to get back to the Super Bowl, but I like Blackstone’s bold prediction.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Week 1 NFL Primer

      September 5, 2008 /

      Derek AndersonSunday’s Best: Cowboys at Browns, 4:15pm ET
      Without a doubt, this is the best matchup on the Week 1 schedule. The Cowboys have the best overall talent in the NFC and the Browns are hoping to prove that 2007 wasn’t a fluke. It’ll be interesting to see how Derek Anderson plays after suffering a concussion in preseason. Some in Cleveland think Brady Quinn should be the starter and Romeo Crennel might feel the same way if Anderson struggles in the first couple of weeks. The Browns spent the offseason rebuilding their defense, especially on the line where they added former Lions’ DT Shaun Rogers and former Packers’ end Corey Williams. The Browns defense will need to get pressure throughout the game or else Tony Romo and his plethora of weapons could pick apart a young, inexperienced Cleveland secondary. Dallas is a 6-point road favorite.

      Upset Watch: Texans at Steelers, 1:00pm ET
      The Steelers have been one of the toughest teams to beat at home over the years. But their offensive line is a huge question mark this season and the Texans have built one of the better pass-rushing lines in the AFC. If the front seven can stop Willie Parker and the rest of the Steelers’ running game, youngsters Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye might be able to get a good push and put pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh defense will still be tough to score on (especially if Houston has no running game), but Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are healthy and they could strike for some big plays. Even if they don’t win the Texans should be able to keep the game close throughout. Pittsburgh is a 6.5-point favorite.

      Brett FavreIntriguing Matchup: Jets at Dolphins, 1:00pm ET
      Brett Favre makes his Jets’ debut while Chad Pennington looks to exact revenge on his former team. The Jets are legitimate playoff contenders now with Favre under center, but it’ll be interesting to see if all the offseason shenanigans took their toll on the former Packer great. The Dolphins are void of talent on defense and if Jets’ RB Thomas Jones can get going in the running game and keep New York balanced offensively, Favre might torch Miami’s secondary. The Jets are currently 3-point road favorites.

      Other Notable Games:
      Jaguars at Titans, 1:00pm ET
      Can the Jaguars put their recent off field troubles behind them and prove that they’re Super Bowl contenders?

      Bears at Colts, 8:15pm ET
      It’s a Super Bowl rematch as the Colts open up their new home digs. Is Peyton Manning healthy?

      Bucs at Saints, 1:00pm ET
      These two teams might battle it out all season for the NFC South crown.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑