Cleveland’s young offense needs to start improving

By Connor Byrne  |   Wednesday, September 20, 2006  |  Comments( 3 )

Cleveland Browns
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For the Cleveland Browns, the 2006 season was supposed to be about their young offensive players developing into capable weapons. Unfortunately for head coach Romeo Crennel, his youthful members of the offensive arsenal haven't done a whole lot in two losses.

It all begins with quarterback Charlie Frye. The second-year man is completing 60 percent of his passes, but his QB rating is a putrid 56. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Frye, a former third-round pick from Akron, has thrown only one touchdown compared to four interceptions. Obviously it's much too early to say the 25-year-old won't be an NFL success, but he needs to start limiting mistakes and showing improvement with each week.

Without any kind of a respectable passing game, the Browns' running game has been unable to take off. Two-time 1,200-yard rusher Reuben Droughns has begun the season miserably, gaining only 59 yards on a meager 25 carries. So far this season, the seventh-year man's longest run is just 10 yards.

One major exception to Cleveland's offensive difficulties is second-year receiver Braylon Edwards. The Browns' first-round selection from 2005 is having a fine season thus far, having caught six passes for 133 yards, giving Edwards an astounding 22.2-yard average. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder from the University of Michigan had a huge game this past weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals, catching four passes for 110 yards in a losing effort.

Finally, there's the biggest name on coordinator Maurice Carthon's offense, Kellen Winslow, Jr. The tight end leads the team with 12 receptions, but he isn't bringing the kind of explosiveness many expected. Winslow is currently averaging only 8.8 yards per catch, and his longest gain is just 18. Considering the 23-year-old nicknamed himself the "Chosen One," he needs to do a better job. The ex-Miami star didn't help his own cause during the week, either, complaining about the conservative approach the Browns' coaches are using.

"We just need to unleash it. You know, why wait? It was a division game and we're 0-2 so we have nothing to lose," said Winslow.

Naturally, the 6-4, 248-pounder isn't improving his somewhat dented image by bickering about the coaching staff.

Though the rocky start of the Browns' offense isn't necessarily surprising, it tends to be somewhat alarming. The most important player of the group is probably Droughns, who must get some semblance of a running game going to open up the pass more. As of now, however, opposing defenses are stacking the box against Droughns, forcing Frye to beat them. Thus far, he can't do it.

Things will only get worse before they get better for Cleveland's offense, which has to face off with the Baltimore Ravens' dominant defense in Week 3.

--Got feedback? Send your comments and questions to Connor J. Byrne: cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

Get more on the Cleveland Browns at RealFootball365.com.
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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
R Jones		12:33 PM
09/21/2006
Carthon calls the plays 3 step drop slant pass play run on 8 man front.Get Charlie something to work with not plays the defence...
No.2
HomerDawg		06:01 PM
09/21/2006
J.Byrne... remember that Charlie Frye's interceptions 3 were tipped balls and butterfingers, and Maurice Carthon Offense is the...
No.3
Homer Dawg		06:05 PM
09/21/2006
Do Not blame Charlie Frye or the Young players on the offense. The reason the Cleveland Offense is so offensive... the Offensive...
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