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Old 09-27-2006, 07:00 AM   #1
Adiamant

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Oct 2005
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Default $VBET$ Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Why To Watch
The Battle of Ohio kicks off in Week 1 with some intriguing storylines on both sides of the field. Head coach Marvin Lewis and the Bengals are hoping to avoid the kind of slow start that has plagued them the last few seasons. With QB Carson Palmer entering his second season as the starter, the team also wonders if it has done enough to get over the hump and into the playoffs in 2005.

For Cleveland, Romeo Crennel makes his head coaching debut after serving as the Patriots defensive coordinator through three Super Bowl titles. After a thorough offseason housecleaning, Crennel will field a team that features 25 new players on the active roster from a year ago. With that much change, can the Browns improve upon their dismal 2004 record?


When the Bengals have the ball
Rushing: Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski likely will try to strike more balance in his play-calling in 2005, specifically placing more emphasis on the running game. Look for the Bengals to pound away with RB Rudi Johnson behind an experienced offensive line that averages 315 pounds. Johnson was up to the task of being Cincinnati's featured runner in 2004, rushing for 1,454 yards on 361 carries last season while starting every game.

RB Chris Perry, the team's first-round pick in 2004 who missed all but two games last season with assorted injuries, could provide an added dimension as a change-of-pace back. FB Jeremi Johnson returns for a third season as a blocking FB for Johnson and has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Cleveland's defense, meanwhile, is a work in progress as Crennel and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham convert to a 3-4 scheme. The Browns finished dead last in the league against the run, giving up 144.6 yards per game, and their defense could have as many as nine new starters on opening day. Even with that, they lack the personnel to fit the 3-4 system.

Crennel and his defensive staff must come up with a way to stop Cincinnati's explosive offense. The Browns must be disciplined in their gap control and allow their linebackers to stay clean and attack downhill with run blitzes. If they fail to slow down the combination of Johnson and Perry, it could be a long day for the Browns' run defense.

Passing: QB Palmer made steady improvement after a rough start in '04. He threw nine TD passes in his last three starts -- five against the accomplished Ravens and Patriots -- as he gained confidence and looked more comfortable in the offensive system.

WR Chad Johnson (95 catches) is coming off a second consecutive Pro Bowl start. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh had 73 catches for 978 yards, combining with Johnson to form the most prolific receiving duo in franchise history in terms of receiving yards. Johnson is a big, physical receiver with outstanding speed and explosive playmaking ability. Look for the Bengals to spread the field in passing situations and create a lot of mismatches against a questionable Browns secondary that is thin on depth.

The Browns' defense had 32 sacks in 2004, but the players who produced half of them are no longer with the franchise, so finding creative ways to get pressure on Palmer is a major concern. Preseason injuries to Michael Lehan, Gary Baxter and Daylon McCutcheon also have hindered the growth and chemistry within the secondary.

The Browns will start the season with a three-man rotation at safety with Brian Russell, Sean Jones and Chris Crocker. If they can't get pressure and cause Palmer to hurry his throws, he has the ability to make big plays in the passing game. The Browns must pick the right critical situations to pressure Palmer and not allow the deep, explosive and vertical play down the field.

When the Browns have the ball
Rushing: Offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon inherits an offense that was among the league's worst last season. The Browns were 28th in total offense and 23rd in rushing, averaging 103.6 per game.

The Browns want to build their offense on a power rushing attack and a ball-control philosophy, which should improve their overall passing game. They have good depth at running back with William Green and Reuben Droughns. Lee Suggs might be the starter if he was healthy, but he has a sprained left ankle and a long injury history, and he probably won't play vs. the Bengals.

Cleveland must control the line of scrimmage with its experienced offensive line and attack the interior run defense of the Bengals, which has been a weakness over the last few years. Both LG Joe Andruzzi and RG Cosey Coleman are solid upgrades from a year ago and will improve OC Jeff Faine's performance.

Chuck Bresnahan, Cincinnati's first-year defensive coordinator, inherits a unit that finished 26th against the run, giving up an average of 128.9 yards per game. Bresnahan has tried to simplify things to allow his players to do more reacting and less thinking within their 4-3 scheme. Former Dolphin DT Bryan Robinson will start inside, and they hope he will provide a stout, run-stuffing force.

One of the major keys in this matchup is how the young LB corp of second-round pick MLB Odell Thurman and SLB Landon Johnson (last year's leading tackler) can improve the interior run defense. Look for the Bengals to use first-round pick OLB David Pollack, who missed 20 days of training camp due to a contract holdout, as a situational player in both regular and sub situations.

Passing: QB Trent Dilfer gives the Browns stop-gap experience and leadership on a team that is trying to rebuild. He has not started 16 games in a season since 1998, when he was with Tampa Bay. Differ has never been a particularly accurate passer, and he doesn't have nearly the supporting cast he had in Seattle.

The Browns had the league's highest percentage of interceptions per pass attempt in 2004, so look for Dilfer to be patient and try and take advantage of the Bengals' secondary. The Browns' receiving corp of Antonio Bryant, Dennis Northcutt and first-round pick Braylon Edwards could pose some concerns on the outside against a secondary that struggled somewhat in the preseason.

However, don't look for Bresnahan to sit back and be conservative in his zone-blitz schemes when the Browns get into multiple groupings in passing situations. FS Madieu Williams is a rising star and brings playmaking ability and more speed to the Bengals' secondary. He has enough versatility to move down inside and cover the slot receiver in nickel situations.

With the suspension of DE Duane Clemons for the first four games, look for Bengals to depend on high-motor player Justin Smith, who played well late in the season and has double-digit sack potential. Another young player to watch in passing situations is RDE Robert Geathers. He flashed some nice pass-rush skills and showed good quickness and speed as a situational rusher last season.
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