Spread-out ‘O’ should mean greater success for Browns

By Zachary Bardou  |   Sunday, July 13, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Cleveland Browns
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The Cleveland Browns' offseason acquisition of Donte' Stallworth should make fans giddy, but not merely at the thought of the 200-pound wide receiver streaking down the field. By obtaining Stallworth, general manager Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel have demonstrated a commitment to diversifying their offense and spreading defenses, a philosophy that should help Cleveland become an offensive force this year.

In New England as a disciple of Bill Belichick and colleague of Charlie Weis, Crennel bore witness to the success a team can have spreading the ball around with a balanced attack. Since he took over the Browns in 2005, the organization has gradually developed and acquired a vast amount of offensive talent, and now it appears Crennel, Savage and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski hope to implement the same kind of multidimensional philosophy.

In 2007, the Browns' offense finished the season ranked eighth in both total yardage and points. That was a sensational turnaround after a 2006 season in which Cleveland was in the bottom three in both categories, and the addition of Stallworth is not the only reason to expect even greater things this year.

Crennel wants to utilize speedy return man Joshua Cribbs and running back Jerome Harrison more in the offense this season, adding new facets to Cleveland’s attack.

Cribbs led all kick and punt returners with over 2,200 total return yards last season, returning three for touchdowns, including a 100-yard score against Pittsburgh in Week 9. The Cleveland brass was reportedly impressed with his pass-catching abilities during OTAs and wants to get him more involved.

Crennel, meanwhile, referred to Harrison's skill set as "unique," but the coach says he will need to make an impact on special teams to warrant a weekly spot on the roster. The running back’s elusiveness, ability to quickly change directions, and receiving skills could make him a valuable asset to a team that wants to keep the opposition guessing, especially if the Browns don't bring in another RB before the beginning of the season.

One other player who was particularly impressive during OTAs is rookie Paul Hubbard. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound receiver struggled with injuries during his college career at Wisconsin, but in 2007 he became only the third Badger to ever average over 20 yards per catch in a season. Originally recruited to Wisconsin for track, the sixth-round pick was a Big Ten indoor champion in the long jump and finished sixth in both the triple jump and the 100 meters. His ability to go up or lay out to catch off-target passes, coupled with his size and speed, have impressed the coaching staff and he could be well on his way to making an impact with the Browns this season, especially with the status of Joe Jurevicius in doubt.

Of course, there will still be plenty of opportunities for star skill-position players like Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow II and Jamal Lewis to repeat their stellar performances from a year ago. But by spreading the ball around even more and keeping defenses on their heels, the Browns' offense could go from good to great in 2008, allowing the team to challenge for an AFC North title.
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About Zachary Bardou

I am a freelancer journalist, editorialist and blogger from Richmond, VA. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and my work has since appeared in Richmond Magazine, Style Magazine, High Times Magazine, Elmore Magazine, Shoutmouth.com and ...
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No.1
RedskinFan21ST		10:37 AM
07/14/2008
I really think the Browns are going to win the AFC North title and are going to turn some heads in the ...
No.2
03:39 PM
07/14/2008
I really liked Paul Hubbard coming out of Wisconsin. He was productive for them when healthy. He could be one of those unheralded ...
No.3
Dobbs		06:30 PM
07/14/2008
So when do you plan to start talking about how the dawgs are gonna stop people? Just kidding, kinda. Cribbs had a great year, ...
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