Injury Report
Cleveland: Did Not Participate in Practice: TE Steve Heiden (ankle), LB David McMillan (knee), LB Antwan Peek (knee); Limited Participation in Practice: DL Ethan Kelley (knee), DL Orpheus Roye (knee), RT Kevin Shaffer (knee), DL Robaire Smith (neck), CB Eric Wright (knee); Full Participation in Practice: DE Simon Fraser (illness).
New York Jets: Did Not Participate in Practice: WR Jerricho Cotchery (finger); Limited Participation in Practice: WR Laveranues Coles (ankle), TE James Dearth (foot), C Nick Mangold (calf), DL Dewayne Robertson (knee); Full Participation in Practice: TE Chris Baker (back), WR Chris David (shoulder), TE Joe Kowalewski (shoulder), WR Brad Smith (back), WR Wallace Wright (thigh).
News and Notes
The Century Club: Browns center Hank Fraley played in the 100th game of his NFL career last week in Arizona. This Sunday he will be making his 100th career start in the NFL. Fraley was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles eight days before the start of the 2006 season and went on to start in all 16 games for the Browns last season, while starting in all 12 in 2007.
Century Club, Part 2: Browns K Phil Dawson has 98 points through 12 games in 2007 – needing two points to reach the 100-point mark for the fourth time in his career. Dawson reached the 100-point mark (his career-high for points in a season) in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Dawson, who moved into third-place on the Browns all-time scoring list earlier this season, needs three points to set a new career-high, 18 points to pass Browns Hall of Fame K Lou Groza (115 points in 1964) for most points in a single season by a Browns kicker and 29 points to surpass Browns Hall of Fame RB Jim Brown and set a new franchise single season record for points in a season (126 in 1965).
In addition, if Dawson reaches the 100-point plateau, he will become the first player in Browns history to have four seasons of 100 points or better. Brown is the only other player in franchise history to have had three seasons with 100 points or more (1958, 1962, 1965).
Honor Roll: Browns KR/WR Joshua Cribbs was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month. Cribbs currently leads the NFL with 1,560 kickoff return yards and a 31.2 kickoff return average, ranks sixth in the NFL with an 11.6 punt return average and leads the Browns with 17 special teams tackles.
During November, Cribbs had 19 kickoff returns for 664 yards (35.0 avg.) and one touchdown, 11 punt returns for 119 yards (10.8 avg.), with six special teams tackles and one forced fumble as the Browns were 3-1 in those contests. Cribbs is the franchise all-time leader with 4,148 kickoff return yards and 156 kickoff returns.
Additionally, Browns LT Joe Thomas was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month. Thomas is part of an explosive offensive unit that currently ranks fourth in the NFL with an average of 28.0 points per game and ranks sixth in the league with an average of 353.5 yards per game.
Thomas helped the Browns to a 3-1 record in the month of November as he and the offensive line provided QB Derek Anderson time to throw for 364 yards and RB Jamal Lewis to rush for four touchdowns in a 33-30 overtime win over Seattle on Nov. 4. They also aided Lewis to rush for 92 yards and one touchdown in a 33-30 overtime win at Baltimore on Nov. 18, and Lewis to rush for 134 yards and one touchdown in a 27-17 win over Houston on Nov. 25. Through 12 games this season, Thomas has helped QB Derek Anderson to throw for 3,062 yards and 24 touchdowns and RB Jamal Lewis to rush for 803 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Browns sign Bockwoldt: The Browns placed LB Kris Griffin on Injured Reserve and signed free agent LB Colby Bockwoldt (BACH-walt).
Griffin appeared in 12 games this season for the Browns and was a key member of the special teams unit as he was fourth on the club with 14 special teams tackles. Griffin suffered a right knee injury last Sunday at Arizona on the opening kickoff and did not return.
Bockwoldt is a three-year NFL veteran and has played in 48 career games, including 24 starts with New Orleans and Tennessee. Originally a seventh-round draft choice of New Orleans in 2004, Bockwoldt started 16 games with the Saints in 2005 and had a career-high 93 tackles. Last season with Tennessee, Bockwoldt led the club with 20 special teams tackles.
In the Community
Shop with a Jock: On Monday, Dec. 10th at 5:30 p.m. at the Wal-Mart in Strongsville, Willie McGinest and many of his teammates will host a group of 50 children from Beechbrook for a shopping trip filled with fun. During the event, McGinest will provide spending money to help the children shop for gifts throughout the store. This is the second consecutive year McGinest has hosted the Shop with a Jock event.
United Cerebral Palsy Holiday Party: On Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 11:00 a.m., Antwan Peek will host a special holiday party for the United Cerebral Palsy. His financial contribution will provide the opportunity for the holiday party and for the children to receive a present from Santa.
From the Locker Room
Head Coach Romeo Crennel
(On the importance of getting the running game going in the last four games)- “I think everybody in the NFL throws the ball. I think you have to have the capabilities of being able to run the ball and I think that we have that. I think we have a good, big back that can run. Our offensive line, they’re better. I think that we can do what we need to do to win the games in December.”
(On the biggest differences with this year’s offense) – “It’s a different offense for one. The offensive line is better for two. We’re getting more consistent play from our playmakers, three. And I think the quarterback is playing pretty well for four. Those four things, you can harp on those.”
(On whether it will be difficult to play at the Meadowlands) – “The big thing about the Meadowlands is the wind. You’re always going to have wind down there. Being able to deal with the wind is the biggest thing you need to be concerned with.”
QB Derek Anderson
(On whether he is the type of player who can put a tough loss behind him pretty quickly)- “You have to. We came in, watched it and I was still disappointed. When I left the building I said, ‘It’s over.’ You can’t let what happened last week carry over to this week.”
(On how confident he is that he can correct the mistakes that were made early in the Cardinals game)- “We’ll be fine. We’ve bounced back before and we’ve had bad games. I think guys are willing to come in and keep preparing to correct those mistakes.”
(On what they can do to start fast on offense)- “Just pay attention to detail and go out and execute our assignments. Slowly, methodically, get it going and one small play leads to bigger plays and the next thing you know we get it going a little bit.”
WR/KR Joshua Cribbs
(On whether he is surprised that it ‘took 11 games for someone to realize not to kick to him’)- “Well, you have a confident – not cockiness – ego sort of thing that goes on in the league. It’s not very disrespectful to me, but kickoff teams will feel disrespected if they feel like they can’t kick it to a certain player. But enough is enough. Certain teams – when they see what happened against Baltimore – they basically took that factor of making plays out of the game. Eliminating the kickoff return for us, they’re just giving us the ball on the 30, 40-yard line. We’ll take that.”
RB Jamal Lewis
(On the weather at the Meadowlands possibly meaning an increased workload for him)- “That’d be great. I hope it’s windy. I hope it’s cold. It just makes my job – I’m not going to say easier, but guys don’t want to tackle sometimes and it’s just tough, hard sledding. I think that’s the running backs game. This is running back weather when it’s cold and windy.”