Browns Have Mindset on Offense with Rob Chudzinksi

The Cleveland Browns offense has been anemic since their 2007 campaign when they finished No. 8 in total offense. Not coincidentally, that was the last time the Browns had a winning record. So while the hiring of Rob Chudzinski as head coach may not have created the buzz that big name coaches such as Chip Kelly or Lovie Smith would have, “Chud” may be exactly what the Browns need to turn their fortunes around.

            Chudzinski was actually the offensive coordinator of the Browns squad that finished 10-6 and sent four offensive players to the Pro Bowl in 2007. After the Browns wavered to a 4-12 finish in 2008, management decided to clean house, firing then head coach Romeo Crennel, along with his coordinators, which meant “Chud” had to find a new job. Chudzinski spent 2009 and 2010 in San Diego as a tight ends coach, before being hired by the Carolina Panthers to be their offensive coordinator in 2011.

            In Chudzinski’s first season as the Panthers offensive coordinator, he was able to lead a turnaround for the Panthers offense as Carolina set team records for total yards (6,237) and first downs (345) one year after experiencing franchise lows in both categories. The Panthers also scored 48 touchdowns in 2011, second most in franchise history, a year after the team recorded a franchise low (17) in touchdowns. The Panthers led the league with 90 plays of 20 yards or more, finishing 7^th in total offense. This past season, the Panthers finished 12^th in total offense, despite the early season struggles of QB Cam Newton.

Rob Chudzinski success in Carolina helped him become the new head coach for the Browns. (AP)

            The hiring of Chudzinki should give the Browns fan base some hope, especially given their reason woes on offense. In the past five seasons, the Browns have ranked 30th (2008), 29th (2009), 31st (2010), 30th (2011) and 24th (2012) in total offense, proving they needed an overhaul on that side of the ball. “Chud” is not the only coach who will have a positive impact on the Browns offense this upcoming season as the team announced the addition of Norv Turner to the coaching staff yesterday. He will become the team’s new offensive coordinator.

            While Norv Turner has been a mediocre head coach, posting a 114-221-1 career record, he has thrived as an offensive coordinator as he has a reputation for being one of the best play-callers in the NFL. He had stints as an offensive coordinator in San Francisco (2006), Miami (2002-03), San Diego (2001) and Dallas (1991-93) recently. Turner’s system has produced the NFL’s league leading rusher five times through three different players via Emmitt Smith (1991-1993 for the Cowboys), Ricky Williams (2002 for the Dolphins) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2007 with the Chargers). This should be music for the ears of current running back Trent Richardson. Richardson ran for 950 yards and scored 11 rushing touchdowns in 15 games this past season. The Browns rookie was able to put up these impressive numbers, despite playing with broken ribs for nine games this season. Richardson has the potential to be a top five running back in the very near future (possibly next year) and he will likely succeed under the offensive system of Turner.

            Turner’s resume speaks for itself as he led the Dallas Cowboys to consecutive Super Bowl wins as offensive coordinator in 1992 and 1993. Turner is great at developing young quarterbacks, his most recent success came in San Diego where he developed Philip Rivers. Rivers was regarded as one of the top 10 ten best quarterbacks in the league before struggling mightily these past two seasons. The porous play of Rivers could be attributed to losing talent (Vincent Jackson and Darren Sproles) over the past two years, while also having to deal with one of the leagues’ worst offensive lines. Therefore, Turner should be not criticized for Rivers declined play these past couple of years.

            Norv Turner is known for downfield passing with his quarterbacks and that could play  to the strengths of Brandon Weeden. Weeden has a strong arm and showed some signs of being a decent quarterback this season. But he will have to read defenses better this season. Turner will need to help improve Weeden’s play if the Browns are to succeed offensively.

Norv Turner helped launch the career of Philip Rivers. Can he do the same for Brandon Weeden? (AP)

            The Browns do have some weapons for Turner to work with. As previously mentioned, Richardson is a beast who could shine in Turner’s system that has a knack for producing some of the best backs in the game. Rookie wide receiver Josh Gordon could fit in perfectly to Turner’s big-play offense as he averaged 16.1 yards per reception in his first year in the league. Wide receiver Greg Little also has talent but over the course of his two year NFL career, he has dropped way too many passes and has not shown a great mental capacity on the field.  Turner has a talented offensive line that features left tackle Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack. Still, the Browns lack of talent at the play-making positions is a cause for concern. The Browns may look to free agency to solve their issues at tight end and wide receiver. Overall though, the Browns ability to turn the corner will hinge on whether or not Turner can develop Weeden into a top-notch quarterback, which is a major question mark.

            The Browns may not have been able to reel in Chip Kelly or lure Bill Cowher out of retirement but the franchise may have hit jackpot  with offensive minded “Chud” and Turner. Cleveland’s offense has a chance to drastically improve in the future and for a team that has ranked in the bottom five in total offense the past five years, these hirings should at least provide hope going forward. 

Ravens at Patriots AFC Championship Preview

The Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots will square off in the AFC Championship game at Gillette Stadium for the second straight season. The Patriots won last year, 23-20, as former Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard-field goal that would have sent the game into overtime. The Ravens beat the Patriots in Baltimore in Week 3 in a controversially officiated game by the replacement refs.

            This year it looked like a long shot for the Ravens to make a consecutive appearance in the Conference title game, especially after losing four of their final five regular season games. But Baltimore has rallied behind their emotional leader, Ray Lewis, who has announced he will retire after this season. The Ravens handled the Colts with ease in the wild-card round and then upset the Broncos in Mile High Stadium in the divisional round. The Patriots stormed through the Texans last week as their offense looked remarkable in a 41-28 beatdown. Here are the key factors to look out for in this year’s AFC Championship Game:

Home-Field Advantage for Brady versus Road King Flaccco

            Tom Brady has been amazing his entire career at home, posting an 86-15 record, including the playoffs. Brady just passed Joe Montanta for most career playoff wins with his 17^th on Sunday versus the Texans. Brady has lost just twice in the postseason at home, one of which coming in 2009 against the Baltimore Ravens.

            Joe Flacco plays well on the road, recording five road playoffs wins, tied for the most in NFL history with Eli Manning. Flacco looked stellar last week at Denver, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

Joe Flacco Throwing the Deep Ball

            Ravens QB Joe Flacco has been tremendous firing the deep pass this postseason. He has averaged 20.4 yards per completion in the postseason. Flacco is 8-of-12 for 324 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on throws deeper than 20 yards down-field in the playoffs.  

            The Ravens looked finished last week at Denver when they trailed by seven with under a minute left. But Flacco was able to fire a perfect strike to a wide open Jacoby Jones for a 70-yard touchdown, forcing overtime and an eventual win for Baltimore. The Patriots struggle to stop big plays which could be an issue on Sunday. New England’s 29^th ranked pass defense gave up 74 passes of 20 yards or longer in the regular season, the most in the NFL.

Do the Ravens have Brady’s number?

            Tom Brady is just 2-2 in his last four contests against the Ravens, including last year’s AFC Championship game win and this year’s regular season loss at Baltimore. In these four games, Brady has thrown four touchdowns with a startling seven interceptions. Brady is arguably the best QB in football, especially when it comes to taking care of the football, so it is alarming to see the success the Ravens have against him. According to ESPN Stats and Information, six of the last seven interceptions Brady has thrown against Baltimore have come on passes of 10 yards or more. Therefore, Brady would be wise to look for short completions to speedy wide receiver Wes Welker and skilled tight end Aaron Hernandez or look to throw towards one of his quick running backs, such as Danny Woodhead.

Patriots' Balanced Offense

            The Patriots have transformed their once pass-heavy offense into a balance attack, using Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen in the backfield to dominate opponents. The Patriots offensive line has been a major factor, allowing Ridley and Vereen to run all over opponents. The offensive line of New England can also boast about providing arguably the best pass protection in the league for Tom Brady, who is unstoppable when he gets extra time in the pocket. Although Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edeleman are sidelined for the Patriots, the Ravens 17^th ranked pass defense will struggle to cover the likes of Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Lloyd. The Patriots also make a concentrated effort to get their halfbacks involved via the passing game as well, adding another dimension to this dominant passing game.

Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen have formed a solid running back tandem. (AP Photo)

Key Matchup: Torrey Smith versus Aqib Talib

            Torrey Smith caught two deep passes for touchdowns last week for the Ravens as he was able to get by Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey with ease. But Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib will pose more of a threat to Smith. Talib must keep Smith in front of him at all times as Smith is Flacco’s favorite down-field target. The Ravens are 7-0 in games this year in which Smith catches a touchdown pass.

Prediction

            The Ravens are playing their best football of the year as they look inspired on both sides of the football. Tom Brady and company look especially strong on offense and it appears no defense can stop them. I will give the edge to the Patriots because they have the best QB in the league (and possibly of all time) and the best coach in the NFL. I expect a shootout and close game that will be decided in the final couple of minutes.

Patriots 38, Ravens 34

Rapid Reaction: Elon Phoenix 80, Western Carolina 67

Rapid Reaction as the Elon Phoenix (9-7, 2-2) defeats the Western Carolina Catamounts (7-10, 4-1) at the Ramsey Center, 80-67.

Players of the Game

              Junior forward Lucas Troutman posted a double-double for the Phoenix, scoring 20 points and posting 10 rebounds. Jack Isenbarger, junior guard, heated up in the second half, pouring in 16 points, as he knocked down three treys and hit all five of his free throw attempts. Junior forwards Sebastian Koch and Ryley Beaumont each had strong games for the Phoenix as Koch dropped 15 points and Beaumont added 12 points of his own, following his career high 26 points on Saturday night.

            Trey Sumler carried the scoring load for the Catamounts. The junior forward exploded for 32 points, draining five three pointers.

Turning Point: 15-0 Run By Elon Aids Phoenix to Victory

            Western Carolina outscored the Phoenix 31-27 in a back-and-forth first half. The Phoenix had a 21-14 advantage at one point, but an 11-1 run by the Catamounts put Western Carolina on top as they went into intermission with a slim lead.  The Phoenix and Catamounts traded baskets and leads for the first eight minutes of the second half. A three pointer by freshman guard Rhett Harrelson gave the Catamounts a 48-47 with 11:20 to go. The Phoenix then responded with a 15-0 run that got started with a jump shot by sophomore forward Ryan Winters. Sebastian Koch added a three pointer during the run and Jack Isenbarger connected on two jumpers from behind the arc as the scoring outburst gave the Phoenix a 62-48 lead that proved to be too much for the Catamounts to overcome.

Elon Catches Break With Tankelewicz Out

            Western Carolina declared junior forward Tom Tankelewicz academically ineligible on Monday and will be out indefinitely. Tankelewicz has averaged 10.0 points per game for the Catamounts and has drained 44 three pointers in 16 games played this season. With Tankelewicz out, freshman guard Mike Brown got the start and junior Brandon Boggs moved from shooting guard to the forward position. Brown scored 10 points, while Boggs added 6 points for the Catamounts.

Austin Hamilton Leaves Game With Leg Injury

            Sophomore guard Austin Hamilton had to be helped off the court by an assistant coach after injuring his leg. Hamilton suffered the injury on a play where he drove to the hoop and went up for a layup, coming down hard on his leg. Hamilton hobbled into the locker-room with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.  Hamilton was unable to return to the game, as he was held scoreless for the night, finishing with two rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal.

What It Means

            Elon (9-7, 2-2) recorded arguably its most impressive win on the season by defeating Western Carolina, who won their first four conference games. Elon is back to the .500 mark in conference play as they won their first Southern Conference game against an opponent from the North division. The Phoenix continues their stretch of four games in seven nights with a home game against Furman on Thursday night. Elon then hosts Wofford on Saturday night at Alumni Gym to conclude its busy week. Elon and Western Carolina will square off again in a Southern Conference clash on February 16^th at Alumni Gym.

Rob Gronkowski Injured for Remainder of Postseason

        New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski re-injured his left forearm in the first quarter of Sunday’s AFC Divisional Round game versus the Houston Texans and will need surgery, causing him to miss the remainder of the postseason. After catching a second-down pass out of bounds, he fell on his left arm, re-injuring the arm. He will need surgery to repair his forearm and will not be able to return to action for this year’s playoffs.

             Gronkowski initially injured the arm on Nov. 18^th in a home game versus the Indianapolis Colts. He returned six weeks later in Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins, catching two passes for 42 yards with one touchdown. 

              Gronkowski corralled 790 receiving yards on 55 receptions with 11 touchdowns in 11 regular season games this season. Last year, Gronkowski injured his left ankle in the AFC Championship game after getting tangled up with Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard. He was able to suit up for the Super Bowl but was a non-factor. He caught just two passes for 26 yards. 
              The Patriots were able to defeat the Texans 41-28 to set up a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game versus the Ravens at Gillette Stadium.

Gronkowski will miss the remainder of the postseason. (AP)

Rapid Reaction: Appalachian State Mountaineers 80, Elon Phoenix 70

Rapid Reaction as the Elon Phoenix (8-7, 1-2) lose a tough battle at Appalachian State (6-8, 2-1), 80-70.

Stars of the Game

            Senior forward Nathan Healy had a tremendous all-around game for the Mountaineers, scoring a team-high 22 points, while also adding 10 rebounds and four steals. Sophomore guard Mike Neal drained all three of the three pointers he attempted, connected on 6 of 9 from the free throw line as he finished with 17 points and three assists. Junior forward Tevin Baskin gave Appalachian State a huge spark off the bench, pouring in 16 points and posting 10 rebounds.

            Junior forward Ryley Beaumount scored a career-high 26 points on a remarkably efficient 11 of 13 shooting from the field, while also corralling 12 rebounds for the Phoenix. Lucas Troutman, junior forward, was the only other member of the Phoenix to get into double digits as he chipped in 14 points.

Turning Point I: Appalachian State Closes First Half Strong

            The Elon Phoenix came out of the gate swinging, building an early double-digit lead on the road.  Sophomore guard Austin Hamilton gave the Phoenix a 12 point lead after connecting on a layup with 10:41 left in the half as the Mountaineers trailed 21-9. The Mountaineers still trailed by 12 with less than five minutes to go in the half, 31-19, after sophomore guard Kevin Blake scored a bucket with 4:57 to go before intermission. But the Mountaineers hung strong and finished the half on a 15-3 run to tie the score, 34-34, at halftime. Three pointers by Mike Neal, Chris Burgess and Nathan Healy keyed the Appalachian State run. Defending the three point shot as become an issue for the Phoenix, as it allowed Appalachian State to connect on 5 of 11 (45.5 percent) from behind the arc in the first half and now in the past three halves has let opponents to shoot a ridiculous 52 percent (13 of 25) from behind the arc. The Phoenix went into the break tied despite shooting a whopping 57.1 percent from the field.

Turning Point II: Mountaineers control second half en route to victory

            The Mountaineers trailed for almost the entirety of the first half but still entered the locker-room tied. After taking an early lead in this half, the Mountaineers never looked back, despite the Phoenix making constant pushes at them. Tevin Baskin nailed a three pointer with 11:39 remaining in the contest to give the Mountaineers a three point advantage, a lead they would never relinquish. The Phoenix fought hard and trailed by just two points after junior forward Sebastian Kock made both of his free throw attempts with 4:48 remaining in regulation to pull the Phoenix within two points, 63-61, but Mike Neal hit a three pointer on the very next possession for the Mountaineers. Nathan Healy drained a three with 2:43 to go to give Appalachian State an eight point lead, 71-63, that proved to be too much for the Phoenix to come back from.

What It Means

            Elon (8-7, 1-2) began a stretch of four games in seven nights with a loss. The Phoenix has now dropped six straight contests at the Holmes Center as they lost their second consecutive game in the conference. Playing in the first conference game in 42 days, the Phoenix were unable to beat Appalachian State, the first team from the Northern division of the Southern Conference Elon has played all season long. Things don’t get any easier for the Phoenix as it travels to Western Carolina to play the Catamounts on Monday Night, who are currently undefeated in Southern Conference play. Appalachian State (6-8, 2-1) hosts UNC Greensboro on Monday night in a Southern Conference clash.