DALLAS COWBOYS (0-0)		WEEK 1		CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-0)
		VS.

Date:	September 7, 2008	Location:	Cleveland, OH
Time:	4:15 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Browns Stadium
TV:	FOX	Favorite:	Cowboys by 5½
Radio:	WMMS, 100.7 FM	Over/Under:	49
SBN Coverage:	Blogging the Boys	Announcers	Buck/Aikman

On opening day last season, the Cleveland Browns were blown out of their own stadium by the Pittsburgh Steelers. That blowout was somewhat of a blessing in disguise, because it accelerated the process of the Browns becoming the team that they are today: a powerhouse offense led by Derek Anderson. With a power offense established, Phil Savage went out and tried to improve the team's defensive line by acquiring Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams during the offseason. The offense is bound to succeed at home, where they were 6-0 under Anderson last season. However, the defense will have their hands full against the 2nd-highest scoring offense in all of football last season -- the Dallas Cowboys. Can Terrell Owens be stopped by our young secondary? Will Romo be sitting in the pocket all day long?

Let's get right to it in this Super Bowl preview (har har) between the Browns and the Cowboys...

For Week 1 only, the statistics below are for the 2007-2008 football season.

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

	Quarterback I don't believe Derek Anderson will suffer from not playing in the final two preseason games. He participated in all of training camp, one good preseason game, and in practice this week, which is plenty of time to get prepared for the season opener. After throwing 29 touchdowns last season, now it's time for Anderson to prove he is not a one-year wonder. The Browns could've taken the easy way out and traded him in the offseason for a high draft pick, but Romeo Crennel and company are rightfully giving him another year at the position. For the Cowboys, Tony Romo returns after also having a great season last year. The regular season has not been a problem for him -- it's the postseason where he needs to start excelling. Romo has more experience on comparable scales, but at this point he and Anderson deserve an even ranking.
	Running Back Having to split carries with Julius Jones the past two seasons, Marion Barber is finally the featured tailback in Dallas. He has really excelled in rather limited action the past two years, averaging 4.8 yards a carry and 14 touchdowns per season. Although he's a good receiver out of the backfield too, that role may shift a little more to rookie running back Felix Jones, who showed a lot of burst in the preseason. Things are somewhat unclear for the Browns: Jamal Lewis had a tremendous season last year, but he enters this season with a hamstring injury and a "game-time decision" label next to his name. If Lewis can't start, the Cowboys will receive the favorable matchup here with Jerome Harrison getting his first career start. Right now, I'm banking on Lewis starting the game and seeing how things go from there.
	Receiver It's funny that the attention seems to be away from receiver Terrell Owens these days. Why not, when you have Chad Johnson on the Cincinnati Bengals saying the oddest crap in the world and going so far as to officially change his last name to a joke. Imagine Travis Hafner saying, "I'm now Travis Pronk". As elite as Owens is for the Cowboys, Braylon Edwards proved to be just as elite for the Browns last year. Owens has better open field abilities, but Edwards had the edge when it comes to going up and grabbing a ball out of the air. The Browns are also evenly matched at the tight end position -- there is no doubt that Jason Witten and Kellen Winslow are at the top of the tight end list in their respective conferences. With each team having those two weapons and a lack of depth after their No. 2 wide receivers, you have to wonder if a key to the game will be stopping either Patrick Crayton or Donte Stallworth. I'm hoping Stallworth shows a respectable amount of chemistry with Anderson.
	Offensive Line The Cowboys are stacked at offensive line, featuring LT Flozell Adams, C Andre Gurode, RG Leonard Davis, and RT Marc Colombo. Having LG Kyle Kosier in the mix too would complete the group, but he is out with an injury and will be replaced by backup Cory Procter. Let's hope that Shaun Rogers has some encounters with him. The Browns have an equally good offensive line, but they'll have their hands full against the Cowboys' pass rush. Anderson was the least sacked quarterback in football last year, but if Lawrence Vickers, Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright, and Steve Heiden don't get their "chips" on the DeMarcus Ware's, Anderson will at the very least be on his back several times as he's throwing the football.
	Defensive Line We were so depleted at the defensive line last season, that in Week 17, there was a possibility that the starting line would've featured Melila Purcell, Bobby Hamilton, and Louis Leonard. Purcell is on the practice squad this year, Hamilton is probably on the free agent wire, and Leonard is a backup. That was a result of the Browns acquiring Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, two men who are expected to generate both a pass rush and a clog at the line on running plays. The Cowboys get the edge here due to them having proven chemistry on the defensive line, including being ranked 6th overall at stopping the run last season. DE Chris Canty played very well last season and hopes are high for DE Marcus Spears. With the rotation of Jay Ratliff and Tank Johnson at nose tackle, the Cowboys are slightly deeper than us at the position too.
	Linebacker I've been calling on Andra Davis to have a big year throughout the offseason, but I need to clarify that statement a little: he needs to have a big game against the serious contenders. That starts today against the Cowboys, where he could be relied on fill in the gap left by Kosier on the Cowboys' offensive line. The Cowboys earn the edge without question at linebacker for having two of the better edge-rushing outside linebackers in the NFC: DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis. Both men had double figure sacks last season, not to mention all of the hits they lay on opposing quarterbacks. Ware can line up on the inside too, meaning that just because Joe Thomas stops him, that doesn't mean he won't get to Anderson.
	Secondary It's looking more and more like Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman will miss the game altogether, leaving former Brown Anthony Henry and Adam Jones as the team's starters. There is an underrated aspect about Jones, especially if he's matched up with Braylon Edwards. Jones did not play all of last season, and with a position as tough to play as cornerback, facing one of the best player's in the league is not exactly the ideal way to get your feet wet again. It'd be unfair to turn around and assume that Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright, along with our safeties (likely minus Brodney Pool), will be to prevent Terrell Owens from reaching the end zone or Jason Witten from having success. All we can hope to do it contain them enough to allow our offense to succeed just a little bit more.
	Special Teams Kick returner Joshua Cribbs is listed as a "game-time decision". I hope that he's healthily able to give it a go, but if not, the Browns still have solid blocking in the return game and should allow Syndric Steptoe to have some favorable returns. I'd also give the slight edge to Phil Dawson over Nick Folk, but overall, there isn't a lot of separation between the two. There's a potential it may rain this afternoon, and temperatures will be only in the mid-70s for the game. Hopefully those tough-weather conditions benefit Dawson over Folk (see the Snow Bowl last season).

FINAL PREDICTION: Cleveland Browns 27, Dallas Cowboys 24.
I can't say I'm overly confident with this prediction, but I am confident that we're going to see one heck of a football game. The real difference in the game will come in the fourth quarter of the game. In the past, if our defensive line had held up against an opposing team's running back, they would collapse in the second half. Shaun Rogers' endurance is still in question, but I'm projecting him to deliver in his debut game. With the Cowboys unable to run the ball and put us away, the Browns will have the ball last and throw the ball down the field to set up a game-winning field goal by Phil Dawson.

This is the official gameday topic for the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 as they square off against the Dallas Cowboys. All comments regarding the game should be posted in this topic. Enjoy the game, and GO BROWNS!!!

The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2008-2009 with high expectations. With a successful offense returning, a much-improved defensive line, and the fans more excited than ever about the team, anything short of a playoff berth will be a disappointment.

Now, let's take a look at this year's official season preview, brought to you exclusively by Dawgs By Nature.

Note: Due to page-width issues, click the link below to read the full preview. Also, please use the "Yahoo Buzz" feature in the top-right corner to help promote this piece!

Continue reading this post »

I guess a few years on the practice squad and making efforts to improve can pay off in the NFL after all. East High graduate Steve Sanders was signed to the active roster today after originally being placed on the team's practice squad earlier in the week.

To make room for Sanders, the team waived rookie WR Paul Hubbard. You'd have to assume that the Browns are hoping Hubbard will slip through the waiver wire right on to their practice squad. If I'm a betting man, I'd say that'll happen.

Strategically, this could be a good move. Teams are pretty much set with their rosters in preparation for tomorrow's game, so the chances of someone claiming a receiver who is still very raw are not too high. If nobody has signed Travis Wilson, I don't see how they sign Hubbard.

It is interesting that the Browns made this move -- in a way, you'd have to believe that if they activated Sanders the day before the game, they have intentions of having him active. There is no way that Hubbard would've been active for this game. That leads me to believe that Joshua Cribbs is all but out for this game, and with Syndric Steptoe set to fulfill kick return duties, Sanders would become the No. 3 receiver.

I was pleased to be joined by David Halprin again, our Dallas Cowboys affiliate, who does a top-notch job running Blogging the Boys, to preview Sunday's game. Enjoy!

Chris: "The Browns and the Cowboys have somewhat of a relationship when it comes to trading draft picks. When the Cowboys traded their first-round pick in 2007 to the Browns in exchange for our first-round pick in 2008, the only thing Browns fans saw right away were Dallas fans ecstatically screaming "We're going to get Darren McFadden now!" Unfortunately for Dallas, the Browns became a football team, dropping the Cowboys' pick down to No. 22 where Felix Jones was selected. Looking back, how disappointed are you that the pick wasn't higher?"

David: "Highly disappointed! We rooted against you guys every game last year and I remember the frustration level rising as the season went on, every Sunday we'd be bummed that you guys won again. Now, I'm not disappointed in the player we got at #22, Felix Jones, he looks like the perfect complement to Marion the Barbarian. I'm also not disappointed that we didn't have to pay the kind of money you have to pay top-5 draft picks nowadays. So there were silver linings to the cloud, but most Cowboys fan would tell you we were expecting a much higher pick when the trade was made; we were excited about the possibilities, until you kept winning."

Chris: "For the past few years, the Cowboys have featured Marion Barber and Julius Jones in the backfield. Now, rookie RB Felix Jones has replaced Jones. Explain the upside that the "new" Jones brings over the "old" Jones, and how we can expect to see him used this Sunday."

David: "The immediate upside to the "new" Jones is that Marion Barber is elevated to starter status, something that should have happened at some point last year, earlier than the playoff game. Barber is a better back than Julius Jones. As for the comparison between the "old" Jones and the "new" Jones, it's a matter of using your ability correctly. Julius Jones was fast and had moves, but he was the opposite of "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down," just touch him and watch him fall. He also had the amazing ability to find the only defender within a 5-yard radius and run right to him, he just didn't find the hole well. I termed it run to darkness.

We'll see what the "new" Jones will bring, but he looks to be more accomplished already in the passing game, and his vision and ability to turn the corner were displayed in preseason, now we get to see that for real. Expect Felix Jones to get 10-12 touches in the game; a combination of outside runs, swing passes and screens, maybe a few pass patterns from the slot, and some on kickoff returns."

Chris: "Former Browns defensive back Anthony Henry has been with the Cowboys for several years now, and there were rumblings of him being dealt in the offseason. Is this due to Henry not being as good of a player as the team would like, or simply having a surplus of cornerbacks?"

David: "Watching Henry in Dallas for the last few years I've come to a few conclusions. One, you can expect him to come up with a nagging injury that will hamper him for part of the season. Two, he's a decent corner as long as you use him right. He's a big corner and doesn't go backwards well; you can't leave him alone with speed receivers regularly because they will get behind him. Three, when he's moving forward, he's a very good corner and has a knack for picking off passes. Four, he's good in run support. I think the rumors about him being dealt were way overblown, but there is the idea of him moving to safety in the future with the arrival of Adam Jones and the two corners picked up in the draft. In fact, you'll see him in a semi-safety role in our dime defense on Sunday."

Chris: "Imagine you're the Browns. Knowing the Cowboys' defensive strengths and weaknesses, what area of the defense should the Browns attack (run vs. pass, a certain player, etc.)?"

David: "The Cowboys secondary was the problem in the past, so you might as well test it to see if it has improved with the new additions. Cornerback Terence Newman is still a little hobbled by injury and might not start in the game. Teams will always try to isolate safety Roy Williams in coverage. The Browns will try to force him into coverage on Kellen Winslow which is a total mismatch but the Cowboys will counter by pulling Williams off the field in obvious passing situations. It's hard to run wide on the Cowboys defense, teams that were successful running the ball on us tended to do it up the gut. If you can get the NT moved with double-teams and get the other guard on an ILB, there could be room. The Cowboys are an aggressive, one-gap 3-4 team so misdirection – counters, bootlegs etc. can help slow them down."

Chris: "The Browns were 6-0 at home under Derek Anderson last season. Who do you anticipate winning the game, and what's your current projection for the final score?"

David: "Of course, I'm going with the Cowboys to win the game, as I will most of the year unless things start to go really wrong. On paper, I think they're one of the most-talented teams in the league and they are coming off a 13-3 season, so I'm confident they can win any game although I know they'll lose some along the way. I do worry about opening up on the road against a team that can score a lot of points; I think it will be a high scoring game but I'm betting on the Cowboys defense to outplay the Browns defense. Let's say the score will be 31-20, Cowboys win."

Once again, I'd like to thank David for taking the time to answer my questions. I will have my answers to a few of his questions on Blogging the Boys tomorrow.

Updating on a story we posted yesterday, it was confirmed today that Browns LB Antwan Peek suffered a torn patella tendon and will be out for the rest of the season. He had surgery Thursday morning to repair the tendon.

With Peek on the injured reserve now, the team went out and signed LB Shantee Orr again. Orr will figure into the rotation at outside linebacker this Sunday, but rookie LB Alex Hall is still scheduled to receive the bulk of Peek's intended reps.

I never thought it'd be possible, but Peek has just about already shattered Courtney Brown's injury record.

I was pleased to have Mr. Dave Halprin over at Blogging the Boys, our SB Nation affiliate, provide us with a scouting report for the Dallas Cowboys this week. The two of us will be exchanging five questions shortly, so stay tuned for that feature as well.

Cowboys Offense:

Tony Romo returns as the QB and has looked sharp in limited preseason action. His main focus this offseason was staying still in the pocket, not sliding forward when looking for receivers and to release the ball quickly, with limited movement. So far, he looks pretty good doing it.

Cowboys fans are very excited about the extra dimension that rookie RB Felix Jones brings to the team's offense and special teams units.

Marion Barber takes over as the Cowboys feature running back and is simply a beast to tackle. Playing the role of change-of-pace back is rookie Felix Jones and he is dangerous; in the preseason he took short passes or runs and turned them into long gains. Keep an eye out for him in the passing game, too. The Cowboys have a few injured WR's right now so they could use Felix in the slot on occasion.

The passing game revolves around the 1-2 punch of WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten. Owens is one of the few elite WR's in the game today. Witten over the middle is a staple of the Cowboys offense. He can also play out wide and might see more time there in this game because the Cowboys are dangerously thin at WR. Patrick Crayton is a competent #2 WR, but our #3 WR (Sam Hurd) and #4 WR (Miles Austin) won't be playing in this game. That means our #5 WR, the very inexperienced Isaiah Stanback, will be asked to play the #3 role this week. He's been out for a couple of weeks with a shoulder injury and it's still unsure how effective he'll be.

The offensive line is built on size and strength. The line is simply huge but surprisingly mobile. Starting left guard Kyle Kosier is injured and will be replaced by backup Cory Procter. This could present an opportunity for the Browns defense. Procter is very unproven and usually plays center. The rest of the group, LT Flozell Adams, C Andre Gurode, RG Leonard Davis and RT Marc Colombo are solid in both pass protection and run blocking. The Cowboys line is one of their strengths.

Dallas had a very potent offense last year and much of the same is expected this year. All the main players return and they've added a new weapon in Felix Jones. The problems they have for this game is the lack of depth at WR because of injury and starting Procter over Kosier at guard because of injury.


Cowboys Defense:

The starting defensive line for the Cowboys is good against the run and is trying to become more disruptive in the passing game. DE Marcus Spears has had a phenomenal preseason, DE Chris Canty played well last year and NT Jay Ratliff is an energetic worker who can get to the QB. Wade Phillips uses a one-gap 3-4 scheme, so expect to see them slanting into the gaps and attacking the backfield. They also have a very good rotation of backup guys, including Tank Johnson who could be a starter on a lot of teams.

The real pressure on the QB for the defense comes from the tandem of DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis at outside linebacker. Both had double-figure sacks last year. Ware has the chops to be a Defensive Player of the Year, it's probably just a matter of time. He's extremely quick and agile, but he's not all speed rush, he can use his strength to get it done, too. The aged-veteran Ellis came back from an Achilles injury last year and played his best season ever, going to the Pro Bowl and winning Comeback player of the Year. The one problem is that last year's first-round pick, Anthony Spencer, will be out for the game meaning Ware and Ellis will rarely get a break. Behind them without Spencer, there is zero depth.

Bradie James is the team leader on defense and is good against the run from the middle linebacker position. Next to him is veteran Zach Thomas, over from the Dolphins. Zach has looked great in preseason and has the ability to diagnose a play instantly and get to the ball. He's a playmaker, and currently he's healthy so he should be an upgrade to our defense. Kevin Burnett is the primary backup and the third down cover guy, but he's coming off a knee scope. They expect him to play, but no one is sure what kind of shape he'll be in.

The Cowboys did a major upgrade to their corners over the offseason where the lack of depth really hurt them last year. Terence Newman and former-Brown Anthony Henry will start and Adam "Don't call me Pacman unless you know me" Jones will be the nickel CB. Jones is shaking off the rust pretty well and has looked very good in his last couple of preseason games. We also drafted Mike Jenkins in the first round this year; he's a press corner who likes to get up close to the receiver. And fifth-round draft pick Orlando Scandrick already looks like a steal, he has speed to burn and has been a playmaker in preseason.

At free safety Ken Hamlin played excellent ball last year and is the guy who makes sure everybody else knows what they're doing in coverage. Strong safety Roy Williams' struggles are well-chronicled recently; he does a good job in run support but is a liability in pass coverage. In passing situations, the Cowboys will remove him from the field. They'll play two safeties - neither being Roy Williams - and three corners, then roll Anthony Henry up as a hybrid LB/S to cover the TE.

The Cowboys defense was good against the run last year but struggled in the secondary with its depth. That should improve this year with the added personnel at cornerback and they hope to get a more consistent pass rush from their interior players and blitzes.


Cowboys Special Teams:

Kicker Nick Folk is automatic on FG's and punter Mat McBriar is one of the top punters in the league. Adam Jones will return the punts and he's dangerous, he might also return kicks or it could be Felix Jones in this game. Both players are proven return guys. Where the Cowboys struggle is punt and kick coverage. They will be thanking their lucky stars if they don't see Josh Cribbs. But even the Browns backup might be able to exploit this weakness. The Cowboys just re-signed S Keith Davis this week; he was a special teams ace for Dallas over the past few seasons.

Note: You can find my similar preview here on Blogging the Boys.

What's worse? Sustaining a long-term injury like Gary Baxter, or constantly rehabbing from injury only to suffer another injury as soon as you come back? Believe it or not, Browns LB Antwan Peek has caught the injury bug again -- he's getting injured more than a person with no immune system gets sick.

According to Mary Kay Cabot (through sources of her own) of the Plain Dealer, Peek left practice Wednesday and did not return. The extent of his injury is not yet known, which could potentially yield some positive news in the coming day or so regarding his condition. Nonetheless, this seems all-too-familiar, and the Browns may have to be ready without Peek this Sunday against the Cowboys.

If that's the case, then Alex Hall's rookie debut will be fast forwarded several steps, as he would split time with veteran LB Willie McGinest. As soon as more details come in, I'll try to provide an update on Peek's condition.

On the positive side of things, Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, and Jamal Lewis all practiced on Wednesday. Lewis was limited, but he will be worked back into full practices in the coming days, possibly as early as Thursday. The Plain Dealer has an update on what Joshua Cribbs and Brodney Pool did during practice Wednesday:

Cribbs did some individual work in with the receivers, more than just the special teams walk-through he participated in on Monday. Pool, who sat out team drills, also practiced for the first time since suffering a concussion vs. the Giants.

Finally, here are the Browns' team captains this season (two per unit):

Offense: Derek Anderson & Hank Fraley
Defense: Willie McGinest & Andra Davis
Special Teams: Phil Dawson & Joshua Cribbs

Every year, it's fun to predict the very first offensive play of the Cleveland Browns NFL season.

2007 (Pittsburgh): Jamal Lewis rushed to the right for 2 yard gain.

2006 (New Orleans): Charlie Frye passed to Braylon Edwards down the middle for 76 yard touchdown. Holding penalty on Kevin Shaffer negates the play, and the touchdown.

2005 (Cincinnati): Reuben Droughns rushed to the right for 24 yard gain.

2004 (Baltimore): William Green rushed to the right for 1 yard gain.

2003 (Indianapolis): Kelly Holcomb passed to William Green for 28 yard gain. Holding penalty on Ryan Tucker negates the play.

2002 (Kansas City): Jamel White rushed to the left for 3 yard gain.

2001 (Seattle): Tim Couch passed to Kevin Johnson for 28 yard gain.

I cannot find play by play statistics for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. It would seem like the Browns could be eager to test their high-octane offense early with a pass from Derek Anderson. The only time the Browns ran a successful pass pattern without a penalty during the stretch above was way back in 2001. If we try something risky and we connect, I'm begging for a holding penalty to not be called on our offensive line.

Things usually seem a little tense on play No. 1 though, so here is my official prediction for the first offensive play the Browns will run during the 2008 season:

Browns First Play (2008): Jamal Lewis rushes to the left for 5 yard gain.

In my optimistic approach, I would love for the Browns to try to work in the "big" play on the second play. Depending on which matchup Rob Chudzinski likes better, he would have Anderson playaction fake and then air it out deep to either Braylon Edwards or Donte Stallworth, with a checkdown option to Kellen Winslow in the flat.

Cowboys First Play (2008): Tony Romo passes to Marion Barber for 17 yard gain.

I think we're going to be really vulnerable to a screen play right off the bat. Just like the Chicago Bears did to us on their first play last week, the Cowboys would be wise to let our defensive line -- a unit trying to make a statement with two potential Pro Bowlers now -- overpursue with their energy, and just flip the ball to Barber for a sizable gain.

So, make your guesses here. If anyone predicts the exact play (rush vs. pass), yardage (tough to do for deep pass plays), and players involved, I'll send you a $25 reward via PayPal (no PayPal, no luck). You may predict penalties if you wish, but they are not necessary to win the "award". If there happens to be a tie, I'll judge whoever was closest to also predicting the Cowboys' first offensive play. Be aware that odds are probably in favor of nobody winning the prize, but it's still worth a shot!

If you're not interested in the monetary award, still make your prediction for the Browns, along with your reasoning!

P.S. Don't forget to play PFC Pick'em, where first place gets $150 at the end of the season! The contest is run by yours truly.

After signing offensive guard Scott Young to the 53-man roster last night, the Cleveland Browns named seven players to their practice squad today. I'm pleased with several of the players that we were able to stash away:

BROWNS THAT MADE PRACTICE SQUAD

1. WR Steve Sanders
2. WR Lance Leggett
3. DL Melila Purcell
4. S Travis Key

OTHERS THAT MADE PRACTICE SQUAD

1. RB Omar Cuff
2. OL Christian Gaddis
3. LB Titus Brown

That means the Browns have one spot remaining on the practice squad -- one that you would expect to go to OG Nate Bennett in a day or two.

Here is some quick background information on the new players, courtesy of the OBR:

• RB Omar Cuff (5-10 and 195 lbs): "Was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Delaware who spent training camp with Tennessee. Cuff ran for 4,364 yards and 65 touchdowns during his collegiate career at Delaware."

• OL Christian Gaddis (6-4 and 300 lbs): "Spent last season with the Buffalo Bills and appeared in one contest. Gaddis was originally an undrafted rookie free agent with Buffalo in 2007 out of Villanova. He spent ten weeks on the Bills practice squad before being signed to the active roster on Nov. 14, 2007. "
• LB Titus Brown (6-3 and 245 lbs): "Was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Mississippi State who spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins. Brown was a four-year letterman at Mississippi State with 170 career tackles and 18.5 sacks."

Players who did not make the Browns' practice squad (and who were considered potential candidates) include DL Chase Pittman, RB Travis Thomas, LB Chase Ortiz, and DB A.J. Davis.