QB Controversy?

As I do not agree with most of the Cleveland fans that Brady Quinn should be replaced by Derek Anderson, I do agree with Terry Pluto's comment:

"I have a bad feeling about Sunday's game with Minnesota. It's hard to imagine a worse team for the Browns' opener because the Vikings do two things very well: 1. Run the ball. 2. Defend the run.

As you know, the Browns don't run the ball well, nor do they defend the run"

Do I blame Quinn for the loss? No. Do I think he could have played better? Yes.

The idea that I cannot come to grasps with is that Derek Anderson will do a better job than Brady Quinn. Think about this -- if Quinn is only to run the plays that Brian Daboll (the Offensive Coordinator, and boy, was it offensive!) sends in, what would make Derek Anderson do that much better?

I think the issues that the fans miss is that Jamal Lewis was running the ball extremely well against the top-rated defense of last year. Also, I counted (and I may be wrong because I was never good at math) three drops by Robert Royal, two by Braylon Edwards, one by James Davis and Mike Furrey. So, plug in Derek Anderson, and will that change things?

What I noticed is that Quinn did not call audibles and did not look comfortable in the pocket. In my opinion, I think it was not enough time with the first team in pre-season, which would lead me to believe Quinn believing an audible would or would not work.

I actually agree with Bud Shaw's comment (and this is extremely rare):

"But the way his players regurgitated the script was downright Cyborgian."

It did look like that the players were just running plays, not playing football. If that is what Eric Mangini wants then the talent of the staff has to be increased.

Denver is up next and if I see the Wildcat formation twice in a row on the 2 yard line and gaining nothing, I would look for a new Offensive Coordinator.

Quinn or Anderson - Does it matter?

After suffering through Eric Houdini, I mean Eric Mangini and his "Let's Play the Not-Naming-The-Starter-Game Because It Might Give Us An Advantage For One Game" game, I thought "What does it matter? If we cannot run the ball with stutter steps Jamal Lewis and Butterfingers Braylon Edwards keeps it up, we are going nowhere fast."

For the Browns to win, the run is the most important thing they need to get established. Jamal Lewis may have a comeback year, which is what I am betting on, but in the long run, the Browns need to determine the future of the team at primary positions. Is it Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? Is it Jamal Lewis or James Davis or Jerome Harrison? Is it Brian Robiskie or Braylon Edwards? See what I am getting at?

I have heard the arguments for Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, as well as the bashing and name-calling from the fans and bloggers. The bottom line is this: We have seen Derek Anderson for almost two years during his decline and have only seen Brady Quinn for 10 quarters, four of them with a broken finger.

Does Quinn deserve to start? Yes. Does Derek Anderson deserve to start? No. I have seen Derek Anderson mentally buckle under the pressure and his depressed reactions after an interception or a errant pass. I have seen enough of Derek Anderson.

I would like to see Quinn have a full year in the NFL to see his stuff, to see if he has the talent to win games. Opponents say he had the chance to take the starting job, but didn't. One game against Denver in which he was winning until the defense blew it and Kellen Winslow let a pass go through his hands? One game and two quarters of another in which we saw a healthy Quinn. To me, what was he supposed to do with a receiver who drops balls and a running back who was practicing the two-step in the backfield before hitting the holes.

Will Quinn take them to the Super Bowl this year? Probably not. So, why not Derek Anderson and his deep threat ability? I think that Anderson had his chance. I think we will see a mopey QB that throws too many interceptions and makes too many mistakes.

After all these games from Eric Mangini and his coaching staff about the QB situation and injuries, it comes down to leadership. Players thrive of a leader and the leader is the QB, in my opinion. Not naming a QB can only hurt the team in ways a fan may not see, like me. Who do the players rally around? Who do they trust? Who can they rely on in tough situations? Both?

If Eric Mangini has any sense left, he will name Brady Quinn the starting QB and give him a year of NFL experience. If he falls flat on his face, we will know. If he has an All-Pro year, we will know. My guess is something in-between.

Oh yeah, one more thing, Brady Quinn sneaks the Browns into the playoffs with a 9-7 record as a Wild Card, defeating the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Will I wake up? Nope.