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StumbleuponBrowns have safety concerns with Jones out at least a month
Thursday, September 11, 2008
BEREA — One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi. Four Mississippi. Five Mississippi...
Cleveland's pass rush was so painfully slow and ineffective in Sunday's season-opening loss to Dallas that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo could have rattled off the names of several other Southern states and maybe a few above the Mason-Dixon line before the Browns' defense finally put any pressure on him.
Unable to knock Romo out of his rhythm or on his backside, Cleveland's secondary was shredded in a 28-10 defeat that was even more lopsided than the final score showed. The Cowboys rolled up 487 total yards, 30 first downs and had drives of 80, 69, 69, 86, 76 and 66 yards — the final one eating up the game's final 10:13.
"They were hitting our zones," strong safety Sean Jones said. "They were finding the holes and Romo did a good job of finding time for himself. We definitely have to get it corrected."
Fast.
It was a disappointing debut for a defensive unit that finished ranked No. 30 overall last season and figured to be a whole lot better because of the offseason additions of nose guard Shaun Rogers and tackle Corey Williams as well as a more seasoned group of linebackers in coach Romeo Crennel's 3-4 system.
But one game into a new season, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers up next, Cleveland's defense has more holes than ever.
Jones, the top playmaker and most experienced back in a shaky secondary, will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday and will miss at least one month. Jones' injury comes one week after the Browns, who escaped major injuries in 2008, lost outside linebacker Antwan Peek for the season after he blew out his knee during practice.
Jones will be replaced by Mike Adams, who started last week for Brodney Pool. Pool sat out with a concussion — his third in four seasons — but returned to practice on Wednesday and there's hope he'll be ready for the Steelers. If not, Adams and Nick Sorensen, who has never started in eight pro seasons with St. Louis, Jacksonville and Cleveland, will be the starting safeties.
One week after they couldn't keep up with Romo, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten or Marion Barber, the Browns have a new set of problems.
"They have Hines Ward, fast Willie Paker and Ben Roethlisberger," Adams said. "Those guys are dangerous. You can't compare them too much to Dallas because they are totally different teams, but athletically they are just as good. We have to step our game up and embrace the situation."
A former defensive coordinator who won three Super Bowl titles in New England, Crennel couldn't single out a good performance from Sunday.
Notes
Browns coach Romeo Crennel said the club will continue exploring the possibility of brining in another safety. ... WR Donte Stallworth, who strained a quadriceps during warmups on Sunday, did not practice. ... WR/KR Josh Cribbs returned to the practice field and will likely be ready for Pittsburgh. The Pro Bowler had a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD against the Steelers last season. ... LB Willie McGinest will play in his 200th career regular-season game on Sunday.
