Cleveland Browns 2010 Preseason: 5 Things To Watch Vs. Green Bay Packers
The 2010 NFL season is almost here and the only thing standing between football fans and regular season action is the yearly stretch of preseason games. Many fans choose not to bother with preseason because they claim that the games "don't count." However, for the die-hard football fan, the NFL preseason can be a very exciting event.
Seeing firsthand how the team chemistry is progressing, getting an idea of what the team's identity will be for the coming season, and getting an early look at new player additions are all reasons to keep a close eye on preseason competition. Not to mention it is the fan's first chance to see their team in action after suffering months of football withdrawal.
The Cleveland Browns kick off the 2010 preseason on the night of Saturday, August 14th when the team visits historic Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers. While the game doesn't count toward the regular season standings, it is an important one for a team looking to climb back into NFL relevance. The following are just five of the many things for fans to look for as the Browns get their first taste of the 2010 season.
Will Cleveland Find A Passing Attack?
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To say that the passing attack of the Cleveland Browns was lackluster in 2009 is putting it mildly. Browns fans were forced to watch young and unproven receivers try to develop with excruciatingly bad quarterback play for most of the season. Cleveland finally found a formula for success and finished the season with a four game win streak, but the passing game never improved.
The Browns won a total of five games in 2009, but had only 386 yards passing in those five games combined. The wins came by taking the ball out of the quarterback's hands and winning games on the ground.
In 2010 the Browns look to dish out another steady dose of running the football, but for Cleveland to take the next step toward being a winning team, the passing attack must improve.
In the off-season, the team jettisoned quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson and replaced them with veterans Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme. Delhomme is expected to be the starter and after a disappointing 2009 season will need to quickly develop chemistry with his new team to regain success.
On Saturday night, fans should get a glimpse in how well Wallace and Delhomme have been able to integrate themselves into the Browns' offense. Fans should also get an idea of whether the good or the bad Jake Delhomme will be showing up for Cleveland. Quarterback play will be key in 2010, so every snap in preseason will be important.
What About The Receivers?
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While the quarterbacks were bad for Cleveland in 2009, the receiver position wasn't much better. Poor route running and dropped passes plagued the team all season and there will have to be a big turn-around for the team to be competitive in 2010.
Much of the problems may have been due to inexperience at the position. Mohamed Massaquoi, the team's number one receiver was a rookie. Josh Cribbs was seeing his first extensive time at receiver and slot receiver Chansi Stucky was a mid-season addition to the team. Highly touted rookie Brian Robiskie was expected to step in and play right away but was a disappointment and barely saw the field in 2009.
With a full year in the system under their belts, these receivers should be much improved in 2010. Massaquoi and Robiskie have had a solid training camp and Cribbs looks like he is finally getting comfortable with the position. However there is a big difference between playing in practices and playing against an actual opponent, so it will be interesting to see how all of these players perform against the Packers' defense.
Also in the mix are free-agent acquisition Bobby Engram and rookies Carlton Mitchell and Johnathan Haggerty. The team also has two efficient pass-catching tight ends on the roster in Evan Moore and free-agent pickup Benjamin Watson.
Massaquoi and Watson look to be solid starters in 2010, but the rest of the group has yet to be solidified. The preseason, starting at Green Bay, will be a golden opportunity for these players to step up and prove that they belong catching passes in the NFL.
A New Look Secondary
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The Browns' defensive secondary was another area of concern in 2009 and the team wasted no time in addressing it in the off-season. Cleveland traded for CB Sheldon Brown and drafted rookie CB Joe Haden along with safeties T.J. Ward and Larry Asante.
Starters CB Eric Wright and S Abram Elam return alongside utility DB Mike Adams and should combine with the new additions to make a formidable secondary for the Browns. Expect the preseason to be used to shuffle the players around a bit to find the right combination to open the regular season.
Ward and Asante are bruising safeties who could be enforcing the secondary for years to come, and the trio of Wright, Brown and Haden could become one of the better coverage units in the NFL, but the group has yet to be tested on the playing field.
With three rookies expected to contribute heavily in 2010, the preseason will be important in the development of the unit. The Green Bay Packers possess one of the most potent passing attacks in the league and should be a good initial test for the young secondary. Once the final whistle blows on Saturday night, fans should have a good indication of how the team will hold up in pass coverage in 2010.
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Team Chemistry
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One of the most underrated aspects of any NFL team is the chemistry that develops among the players. Good chemistry can turn an average team into a winner while a lack of chemistry can cause a team to fall apart at the seams. From blitzing linebackers to the big guys in the trenches, the Browns will have to play as one unit to win games in 2010.
Last season, Cleveland was one of the league's least penalized teams, but penalties have been an issue during training camp. Reducing penalties will be important because the Browns are not a team that can afford to just give away yards. Therefore don't just look for the team to be in sync with the play book because the Browns will also need to get in step in order to limit the number of penalties throughout the game. Penalties can make or break a team, and you can bet your best Cribbs Jersey that head coach Mangini will hold depth players to the same level of accountability as the starters.
The Cleveland Browns have been developing chemistry all off-season and hopefully that chemistry will improve as the players square off against a common opponent. On paper, the Green Bay Packers look to have a higher level of talent than the Browns, but if everybody is on the same page for Cleveland, the game could remain competitive until the final gun. If the chemistry isn't there, things could get ugly very quickly.
Welcome To The NFL!
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One of the most fun aspects of any preseason game is getting to watch all the rookies get their first taste of what it means to play in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns have several rookies who are expected to contribute in 2010 and the game against the Packers will be their first chance to take the field against a team wearing different colors.
Joe Haden and T.J. Ward could be fixtures in Cleveland's secondary so it will be important for them to get plenty of playing time against Green Bay's elite passing attack. Guard Shawn Lauvao has the size and strength to earn a starting job with a solid preseason and it will be exciting to watch him opening holes for Cleveland's talented running backs. RB Montario Hardesty is still out with a leg injury and probably will watch from the sidelines, but defensive linemen Clifton Geathers and Kwaku Danso will be there trying to wrap up opposing ball carriers. Perhaps receivers Mitchell and Haggerty will find a place on the team by cutting through the secondary and making big plays downfield or maybe Larry Asante will showcase some of the big hitting ability that earned him the nickname "The Assassin."
Of course, let's not forget third-round pick Colt McCoy, the man Cleveland fans hope will become the fabled franchise quarterback of the future. Team president Mike Holmgren has made it clear that he doesn't want McCoy to see the field in 2010, so fans will pretend that they don't care how he performs in his NFL debut. Let's not kid ourselves, everyone in Cleveland is going to want to see what the kid can do.
These guys are the future of the Cleveland Browns and starting on August 14th, there will be plenty of rookie action.
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