On A Wing And A Prayer: No Huddle Is Key To Browns Success !!

"You don't know what you have got till it's gone"

In 2007, the Browns rode the "gunslinger" arm of Derek Anderson to a 10-6 season, barely missing out on the playoffs.

Clowns fans in their ignorance blame DA for the loss in Cincinatti as the reason for missing the playoffs ! How incorrect can they be; the Browns wouldn't be in that position to vy for a playoff position if not for DA's quick release and gun arm, in addition to Braylon Edwards' surprise emergence and ability to hold on to the ball.

Come 2008, the nightmare season came crashing down as Braylon Edwards couldnt catch a cold and Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach couldnt punch it in from the goalline !!

As the 2009 season is about to begin with the exhibition games, new Head Coach Mangini is looking for a sorely lacking rushing attack. Out of OTAs and minicamp, Mangini's stated desire was to beef up the Offensive Line, thereby making Steinbach the incumbent LG very expendable.

When training camp arrives, Rex Hadnot was starting at LG and Steinbach was the backup LT, until Hadnot suffered a MCL injury to his knee. Does Steinbach return to his former position? Briefly, however Floyd Womack is seen taking over the LG position in recent drills.

Do the Cleveland Browns need a rushing attack? Definitely, they play outdoor and in the middle of winter when the winds and snow come, the pigskin will feel as hard and heavy as a 2-tonne brick!!

Phil Savage was warned to pick Adrian Peterson and any number of OGs as he could:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ7sSu33b-g

Its so pathetic that the Browns now have to rely on unearthing a star RB from the 6th round.

May the Force be with the Clowns.

So what does the Browns need to do to be competitive in 2009? Rely on Derek Anderson gun-slinging arm once again!

Some smart reporter for once asked Mangini recently on DA's liking the No-Huddle. mangini answered, "A lot of quarterbacks tend to like the no huddle, because if you can put enough pressure on the defense, it tends to simplify them. Not as much disguise, not as much variation, hard to substitute in."

Yes !! No more run-run-pass-punt......put it in DA's arm and gun it in for 30points: in the first quarter !! Put it on DA's arm to open up the running lanes !! This is a 26 year old QB in his prime, not some 40-year old dinosaur!

Mangini goes on to say, "What I, ideally, want to do is have the ability to go no huddle at any time during the game. If we want to go the whole game in it, we could. If we want to go a few series, we could. There's that version of no huddle and then there's the two-minute no huddle, which is even more up-tempo than that and understanding the different levels."

Mangini knows, Mangini shows that he wasnt just the rat that got whipped.

When asked if he would ever use the no huddle offense for an entire game, "No, we could do it for the whole season."

"In New York we did it, my whole first year, almost every play. Every day in practice, every play in the game, came in sometimes with a specific play.

I've also used it other years as change ups. 'Hey, we're going to go the whole first half no huddle, or we're going to go the whole second half no huddle.' It's the ability to go in and out of it, so they have to prep for it at all times. You may use it, you may not use it and if you don't use it, they've eaten up some time prepping for it."

Is it the Mangenius we have been promised?

So who is best to use the No Huddle? Certainly not Noodled-armed QBs, but Derek Anderson, the "one that gives us the best chance to win".

DA must protect the ball better, and Mangini is giving him more drills with which to perfect the quick slant and not get picked, by moving the LBs away from the passing lane with motion.

The Browns 2009 fortunes will once again rest on DA's arm. He must jump out of the gate early and get a winning lead, so that when December and January come, bringing along the winds and snow off the Lake, the Browns will have enough of a cushion to make something out of Season Rebuild Numero Foreva !!!