Gruden finds safe haven in the booth (Yahoo! Sports)

11/20/09, nfl

Jon Gruden's approach and delivery on MNF have resonated with fans as his coaching rep is restored. Six Points on the Cleveland Browns (Nov. 20)

11/20/09, Bleacher Report

It's Friday, and time for Six Points to scrub the mess off of the floor from the last week of the Cleveland Browns' season, get out the Lysol to disinfect the remaining residue of the Monday nighter against Baltimore, and look forward (?) to Sunday. Quit All Nonsensical Gossip: LeBron Curing Browns Is Preposterous

11/20/09, Bleacher Report

I almost feel sorry for the city, continuously suffering?with sporting heartaches.?It's a town woefully perturbed of the well-being of sporting indignities, sadly crippling?a dormat?sports town amid a devestating?recession. McDonald: Browns 'frustrated' with way season has gone

11/20/09, Pro Football Weekly

In a recent interview with PFW, Browns CB Brandon McDonald said “frustration” would be the appropriate term to describe the mood around the club.

“Going through minicamp and OTAs and training camp, we thought we would be a much better team than we are now,” he said.

The 16-0 loss to the Ravens in Week 10 was particularly trying for the Browns because of how well they played defensively for much of the game. Cleveland held Baltimore scoreless in the first half and allowed only one offensive touchdown. “When you give up nine points (on defense) and you can’t win,” McDonald said, “there are obviously some things that need to be fixed.” He noted that he was not expressing frustration with the offense and said that the entire team is “frustrated as a whole” about the way the season has played out.

With the playoffs out of the question, the Browns are left to make what they can of the final seven games of the season.

“All we can do is move forward and try to get better each and every week,” McDonald said.

McDonald, who’s in his second season as a starter, told PFW that he’s striving to improve during what has been an up-and-down season for him. While he has been pleased with his playmaking ability at times, he said he sometimes tries to do to much. “I haven’t been as consistent as I would like to be,” said McDonald, who has 40 tackles, four passes defensed and two sacks after a five-interception season in 2008. Tackling is one particular area in which he would like to get better, he said.

McDonald was in the middle in one of one of the pivotal plays of the Browns' loss to Baltimore. Early in the third quarter, Ravens WR Derrick Mason turned a short pass caught in front of McDonald into a 41-yard gain to set up Baltimore's first touchdown.

McDonald told PFW he made an error in technique and tactics on the play. Instead of sitting on the route, he backed up with an eye on baiting QB Joe Flacco into a poor throw. Compounding his mistake, he could not bring down Mason after he caught the pass. McDonald told PFW that the Browns were in what he called a “cover-5” scheme, a defense in which he is allowed to jump a short route if the opportunity presents itself. “We were in the perfect defense,” McDonald said.

Speaking to Cleveland reporters this week, Browns head coach Eric Mangini said McDonald was supposed to have help on the play and noted "miscommunication" helped lead to the long gain.

"I think there's been some times where he's played really well and some times where he's had some plays that he'd want back and we'd want back," Mangini said of McDonald. "The thing with Brandon though, he is a very competitive guy."

 

PFW has launched its brand-new NFL Draft Newsletter series, with the second issue being released later this month. Produced by PFW's player personnel department under the direction of Nolan Nawrocki, the series consists of four information-packed issues. For more info or to subscribe — click here for PDF e-pub or here for print format.

That Was Improvement?

11/20/09, Orange and Brown (Scouts.com)

Browns head coach Eric Mangini feels that QB Brady Quinn showed improvement from previous outings. If so, the Lions should provide an opportunity to accelerate that improvement... Browns Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

11/19/09, nfl

Progress of any kind in the Browns' struggling offense is encouraging, even if it comes in a game when they don' get close to the end zone.

As the Browns prepare for their game Sunday against the Lions in Detroit, a game between two 1-8 teams in strong contention for the first pick in the draft, coach Eric Mangini believes Brady Quinn showed improvement in the 16-0 loss to the Ravens on Monday night. The Browns were 5 of 16 on third downs.

Considering they were 6 of 30 on third downs during the 10 quarters Quinn started at the beginning of the season, that is progress—though certainly not enough to win games. Though the Browns were better on third down, the loss to the Ravens was the first time the Browns have been shut out this season.

"I've tried a lot of...

NFL Team Reports: AFC North (SportingNews.com)

11/19/09, nfl

Several times a week, The Trenches will present team reports from Sporting News' 32 NFL correspondents.

BAL: Ravens Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

11/19/09,nfl

CIN: Why I Must Be Delirious: Bengals and Vikings In The Super Bowl

11/20/09,Bleacher Report

PIT: DE Keisel is an unheralded hero for Steelers

11/20/09,Pittsburgh Tribune-Review