The Observer, September 15, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 3
NFL Guru: Browns spoil Frye's effort in loss to Saints
Charlie Frye took his first snap of the season from Cleveland's own 26, dropped back, scrambled for time, and then saw Braylon Edwards break open behind the New Orleans Saints defense. The pass was perfect, a beautiful spiral that hit Edwards in stride en route to a 74 yard touchdown. As Frye and the Browns faithful threw up their hands in celebration, the ref's hand was moving for an entirely different reason.
Penalty flag. Offensive holding. Ten yards. Second and 20.
And just like that, the Browns were back up to their usual shenanigans. Penalties and miscues plagued Cleveland all day, keeping the Browns from getting a first down for the first 27 minutes and ending several other long drives.
Frye ended the day with three turnovers, including a red zone fumble right before the half that ended Cleveland's first sustained drive.
As much as his turnovers hurt the Browns, Frye showed himself to be growing into a real team leader. With his team trailing 9-0 in the third quarter and sputtering on offense with only two first downs, Frye put the team on his shoulders. He rushed for 34 yards on the drive, including a 15-yarder on the first play of the series. Then a key 10-yard run on third and long set up an 18-yard touchdown strike to tight end Kellen Winslow, pulling the Browns back into the game. The most telling statistic? Frye accounted for 60 of the Browns' 67 yards on the drive.
Unfortunately, apart from Frye's performance, there are a scant few good things to say about the Browns. Winslow showed that he is still capable of playing at a high level in the league, catching eight balls for 63 yards and his first NFL touchdown. The defense as a unit performed well, stymieing the Saints inside the Cleveland 10-yard line three times.
The defense did a phenomenal job keeping the Browns in the game, but the offense never could come through. The offensive line not only committed several key holding penalties but was also sub-par in general. They failed to open holes for running back Reuben Droughns, who was held to 27 yards rushing, and leaked like a sieve in the face of New Orleans' surprising pass rush, giving up five sacks.
When Frye was fortunate enough to get time to pass, his receivers failed him with some crucial drops. Dennis Northcutt let a long third down pass bounce off his chest, and late in the fourth quarter, Braylon Edwards tipped a pass he should have caught right into the hands of the Saints' Josh Bullocks. That interception sealed the game for the Saints and was a fitting end to the demoralizing afternoon.
The outlook isn't all bleak, but there's certainly room for improvement. As new center Hank Fraley gels with the rest of the line, the protection should improve, and hopefully the receivers won't drop all the passes Frye will throw with the extra time he'll get. Droughns needs to get his running game back in gear to take some of the heat off Frye as well.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, the Cincinnati Bengals are on the schedule next, which means that the Browns will have to work hard on getting themselves running smoothly in practice this week.
