Browns: Edwards failing to live up to hype
Brian Dulik | The Chronicle-Telegram
BEREA — Braylon Edwards had four 100-yard receiving games, a team-record 16 touchdown catches and a career-high 80 receptions last season for the Browns.
Through four games this year, the Pro Bowl wide receiver has 95 yards — total — and just 11 receptions.
Regardless of how one crunches those numbers, they don’t look good, which Edwards freely admits.
“There is a level I can play at that I’m not playing at yet,” he said Wednesday. “I’m still having fun, but I and our whole team are going to use this bye week as a self-evaluation period.
“With the way the offense is going, I don’t think we can go any further down.”
Edwards’ drop-off has been one of the most troubling developments for Cleveland in its disappointing 1-3 start. The Browns return to action on Oct. 13 by hosting the New York Giants on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
Despite his early-season woes, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Edwards remains one of the most confident and athletically gifted players in the NFL. That positive attitude has helped him remain focused, even as he dropped pass after pass in the Browns’ first three regular season games.
It also prompted Edwards to re-discover one of his favorite parts of the game: blocking. He delivered a number of crushing hits during the Browns’ 20-12 win Sunday in Cincinnati, leading to nice gains by running backs Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison.
“Delivering a big block or making a big hit is something I love to do,” said Edwards, whose muscular build lends itself to such plays. “I did a lot of that in college at Michigan, so it’s nothing new for me. Even when the ball isn’t being thrown my way, I know I can help my teammates by doing that.”
Not only did Edwards help his teammates, he frustrated the Bengals with his physicality, leading to several facemask-to-facemask barking matches that were broken up by the officials. Cincinnati’s anger reached a crescendo in the fourth quarter when Edwards caught his first touchdown of the year, a 4-yarder that put Cleveland in front for good.
Perhaps most important, Edwards’ aggressive play rubbed off on the rest of the squad, which is why general manager Phil Savage all but excused the unnecessary roughness penalty he took deep in Browns territory.
“Braylon was trying to be over aggressive and made a commitment to being a full receiver, not just catching the ball, but blocking, as well,” Savage said. “If he is going to make those kind of mistakes … I’d rather he make that kind, instead of the one he made in the Baltimore (loss), where he let the guy go around him and then blocked him in the back.
“If he is going to make a mistake, let’s be aggressive.”
Savage admits, though, that Edwards’ primary value to the team isn’t as a decoy or a blocker. It’s as a big play receiver, which he has not been, save his TD against the Bengals.
Edwards’ long reception this season is just 17 yards, while he ranks a dismal 32nd in the AFC in catches and 44th in the conference in total yards. Some of his struggles can be attributed to missing three preseason games after having his right foot spiked by fellow wideout Donte Stallworth, but certainly not all.
“Things are beginning to come around for Braylon and he’s beginning to look more like he did,” coach Romeo Crennel said. “When you miss time, you just aren’t going to go out there and be where you were before you got injured. He started pressing and the timing was not there. You have to get your timing and fundamentals back. It’s not easy and it takes time, but he’s coming along and he’ll get there.”
Contact Brian Dulik at (330) 721-4059 or brisports@hotmail.com.
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Filed by Brian Dulik | The Chronicle-Telegram October 2nd, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 6% |
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