CLEVELAND BROWNS

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Five of the injured Browns will come down to game-time decisions. They are Josh Cribbs, Jamal Lewis, Brodney Pool, Rex Hadnot and Ryan Tucker.

Pool (concussion) missed practice for the second day in a row Friday and will most likely sit out Sunday's opener against Dallas. He'll be replaced by Mike Adams.

Hadnot and Tucker are also not expected to be ready.

Cribbs and Lewis both participated in the first half-hour of practice, which is open to the media, but Cribbs reiterated that he didn't want to hurt the team.

If Lewis (hamstring) is unable to play, he will be replaced by Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison.

Jacksonville at Tennessee

Kickoff: 1 p.m. at LP Field

Early line: Jaguars by 3.

The skinny: Jaguars have won four of past six in this series, but teams split in 2007 by winning on road. . . . Jacksonville leads NFL on opening weekend with .692 winning percentage and 9-4 record. . . . David Garrard can stretch his streak to 11 straight games with a touchdown pass on road. . . . Titans ran for 282 yards in opener against Jacksonville last year, second best in franchise history. . . . Titans are 6-1 when Vince Young has passer rating of 90 or better.

Tony Grossi's pick: Jaguars will chase Vince Young into interceptions. Jaguars, 23-20.

Continue reading "NFL kicks off: The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi breaks down Week 1 and makes his picks." »

Browns cornerbacks have been the subject of much scrutiny in the preseason. But in Sunday's season-opener against Dallas, the safeties could be more under the gun.

The Cowboys present just about the ultimate challenge to the safeties because of their formidable troika of bruising runner Marion Barber, athletic tight end Jason Witten and towering receiver Terrell Owens.

It's a pick-your-poison dilemma for new coordinator Mel Tucker. Does he use a safety to help support the run or help in coverage of Owens? Either way, Witten can be a force without a safety roaming the middle.

Both Browns starting safeties, Sean Jones (knee) and Brodney Pool (concussion), have been limited in the practice week after missing the last two preseason games with injuries. Pool did not practice on Thursday. Mike Adams is his replacement.

Continue reading "Browns Insider: Secondary knows it's the primary concern against talented Cowboys" »

Most rookies are eased into the deep waters of the NFL. Some simply dive in.

Alex Hall?

"I did a cannonball," the Browns' newest pass rush hope said Thursday.

The angular linebacker from Division II Saint Augustine's College has gone from seventh-round draft choice to all-Berea in preseason to hopeful savior for the Browns' beleaguered pass rush.

Hall will not only play in his NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, he will be counted on as a result of a season-ending knee injury to Antwan Peek.

Peek, who was on schedule to return for the opener from July 31 knee surgery, tore the patella tendon in his right knee at Wednesday's practice and had major surgery Thursday morning, coach Romeo Crennel said.

To fill Peek's roster spot, the Browns called back veteran linebacker Shantee Orr, who didn't make the final roster cut last Saturday.

Continue reading "Rush job for Hall: Rookie Browns linebacker asked to help fill void of injured Peek" »

Hear what Terry Pluto had to say as he answered your questions about the Cleveland sports scene.

Among the questions he answers:

- Thoughts on Peak's season-ending injury?

- Do you expect the pass rush to suffer in his absence?

- Browns injury update?

- Prediction for Sunday's game against Dallas?

- Thoughts on Cliff Lee's 20-win season?

- Shoppach trade bait this offseason?

- Cavs soon to make another signing?

+ much more

Click on the play button to listen

Or download as an MP3

Next chat: Tuesday, Sept. 9 at noon

Terry will be a guest speaker at the Berea Library tonight (Thursday, September 4) starting at 7 p.m.

Browns linebacker Antwan Peek suffered a torn patella tendon in practice Wednesday and is out for the season. He underwent surgery Thursday morning to repair the tendon, coach Romeo Crennel said.

The Browns re-signed linebacker Shantee Orr to help replace Peek. Orr will see action in the linebacker rotation in Sunday's season opener at Cleveland Browns Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys.

It also means rookie Alex Hall will see playing time behind starting outside linebacker Willie McGinest.

Peek was on track to return from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee July 31st. The Browns were looking forward to a healthy Peek helping to improve the pass rush and take some double-teaming away from Kamerion Wimbley.

Browns linebacker Antwan Peek left Wednesday's practice with an apparent knee injury and did not return, a source told The Plain Dealer. The extent of the injury was not known.

Peek had just returned to practice Monday after undergoing arthroscopic surgery July 31 to remove loose cartilage from his right knee. He was hoping to be available for Sunday's opener against the Cowboys.

Peek also underwent a scope in the off-season to repair a torn meniscus suffered in the opener against Pittsburgh last season. He had his choice to have surgery during the season or wait it out, and he chose the latter. He said he learned from that mistake and had the scope as soon as possible this time to be ready for the opener.

It was not yet known if Wednesday's incident was a re-injury or something unrelated. If Peek misses an extended period of time, the Browns would be thin at outside linebacker. Seventh-round pick Alex Hall, the surprise of training camp, would rotate with starter Willie McGinest on the left outside.

Continue reading "Source: Linebacker Peek suffers knee injury" »

Will the Browns meet expectations?

Jamal Lewis returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since pulling a hamstring in the Giants game more than two weeks ago and hopes to be ready for the Cowboys.

He was limited, but moved well during the open first-half hour of practice.

"Nothing heals a muscle but time and rest," Lewis said before practice. "I've had a lot of [both]. Hopefully it feels good when I go out there and put it to the test."

Lewis suffered the injury on his last play early in the second quarter, when he and Derek Anderson botched a handoff that was returned 95 yards for a touchdown. Two plays later, Anderson was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Both players, along with several other starters, sat out the final two preseason games.

"You have a lot of guys around the league in preseason who are not really playing -- your LaDainian Tomlinsons, your Peyton Mannings," said Lewis. "I've kind of comforted myself by saying, 'OK, these guys didn't play in the preseason, they're not getting those game reps.' But now the bullets are flying and it's real."

Continue reading "Browns Insider: Lewis rejoins workouts" »

Wednesday of Browns game week is a day of energy as preparation for the Sunday opponent intensifies.

Wednesday of a season opener cranks it up a notch. Like every team, the Browns are undefeated and unblemished.

Now add the great expectations of 2008 and the glitzy Dallas Cowboys as the first opponent. No matter how this season transpires, take note that the mood at the beginning was that of a playoff atmosphere.

Romeo Crennel's opening remarks set the tone.

"Looks like what we're waiting for has finally gotten here," the Browns head coach began. "The team is excited about the start of the regular season. They've been waiting for it since the schedule came out last year. I know that our fans are excited about it as well."

Continue reading "Let's get it on: Browns don't hide their excitement as season opener approaches" »

Cleveland Browns game preview: Week 1

Browns vs. Cowboys: Who will win?

cleveland.com's pigskin prognosticators are back for another go at picking NFL games and this season we want your help.

Continue reading "The Predictors are back for 2008" »

We Clevelanders love our sports teams, so is there any doubt where tens of thousands of Northeast Ohioans will be this Sunday afternoon?

Long before the 4:15 p.m. kickoff of the Cleveland Browns home opener against the Dallas Cowboys, die-hard fans will be pulling up chairs around the TV and tuning into the pregame shows.

And they'll eat. From Dawg bowls filled with snacks to halftime spreads or dinner or dessert after the final score, food is a big part of the ritual.

For several years, Ron and Julie Wright of Mentor have thrown weekly game-day parties. They started after the Browns moved.

Ron and some of his friends held season game tickets until the Browns suddenly moved to Baltimore. When the reborn team returned to Cleveland and a new Cleveland Browns Stadium, Wright learned that personal seat licensing fees would be required. "He said, 'No -- I won't do that,' " recalls Julie.

"So we went out and bought a big-screen TV with the money that would have gone to the PSL," she says.

They began hosting the weekly gatherings around the new big-screen, for a crowd that includes their friends as well as those of their teenagers, son Mitch, 13, and daughter Jessie, 15.

Julie does the planning and the cooking.

Continue reading "Browns fans cook up tasty game-day grub" »

In his 20th year of ownership of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones would seem to have it all -- again.

His team revolves in its own galaxy of super-celebrityhood, where the line between sports and entertainment is non-existent. His quarterback, Tony Romo, is either dating Jessica Simpson or reconciling with former girlfriend Carrie Underwood, depending on your supermarket tabloid of choice.

Jones is a year away from moving into a new, $1.1 billion stadium, which will catapult the Cowboys into New York Yankees-like revenue stratosphere.

And Jones has an easy-going coach in Wade Phillips, who is happy to retreat to the background and let the owner/president/general manager soak up the headlines.

While some owners like to consider themselves their team's general manager, Jones has the title to prove it.

The fact that the Cowboys are on the verge of a Super Bowl-or-bust tour is sweet icing on his cake. Life hasn't been this good since Jones teamed with Jimmy Johnson (and then Barry Switzer) for three Super Bowl championships in four seasons in the 1990s.

Continue reading "Cowboys scouting report: America's Team? Jones just likes being America's Story" »