Found a couple of good reads today while at work actually.
The first one former NFL GM <>Ted Sundquist actually scouts the Browns/Cowboys matchup over at Pro Football Talk.
Cleveland must seize the initiative and take control of the ground game early. Jamal Lewis had a rebirth of sorts in 2007, rebounding for 1,304 yards over 15 games, but more importantly adding almost a full yard to his per-carry average. Behind Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach on the left side, Lewis and the rest of the Browns’ running game pounded out over 5 yards per carry.
Cleveland needs to stay on schedule and keep the chains moving. Their offense was one of the more consistent and successful units when faced with short yardage on third down. The front five OL combination is more than capable of holding their own against a Dallas defensive line that was one of the League leaders in short yardage situations.
The second is from the Dallas Morning news, and it is Cowboys Coach Wade Phillips stating that he doesn’t believe the Browns current Dawg Pound environment is anything close to what the Browns had at the old stadium. You’d have to agree with him but I think that this comes from so many factors, including that the world is just a different place today.
The only route from the press box to the Municipal Stadium field was through the stands, so Phillips got face time with Cleveland’s crazy fans on more than a few occasions. He thinks the Dawg Pound has mellowed a bit since the the creatively named Cleveland Browns Stadium was built.
“I think they still have some semblance of it, but it’s not near what it used to be,” Phillips said. “They threw a lot more stuff back then.”
I think that this sunday will be one of those games in which he sees some Old Municipal on the Lake.
