Browns GM Savage on Steelers: 'It's the biggest game of the year'

[mesaSteeler]

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=430591&Category=17&subCategoryID=26

Browns GM Savage on Steelers: 'It's the biggest game of the year'
Thursday, September 11, 2008
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
STEVE.DOERSCHUK@CANTONREP.COM

The Giants rebounded from an 0-2 start to win the Super Bowl last season. Browns General Manager Phil Savage is interested in following them to the Super Bowl but not to 0-2.

Browns fans were disturbed by the severity of the beating the Browns took from Dallas in the season opener.

"Nothing would calm the waters better than beating the Steelers," Savage said on his weekly radio show Thursday. "It's the biggest game of the year. Quite frankly, it's probably the biggest game we've had since I've been here."

Savage was hired by the Browns on Jan. 6, 2005. The team is 0-4 in season openers and 0-6 against Pittsburgh since then.

The Browns and Steelers play at 8:15 p.m. Sunday. Pittsburgh blew out Houston in its opener.

"We've got to put everything we have in it. It's a critical game," Savage said. "These next three weeks are probably gonna define our season if you really analyze it. Three division games ... and this first one is almost a must win if you can have one in the second game of the year."

The Browns have been hit hard by injuries but are unlikely to make a notable player move, Savage said.

"We're always open to doing something to help our team, but quite honestly, we're pretty much tapped out on our budget for this year," he said. "There's really not a lot of extra room to go grab an extra player.

"At this point, there's not a lot to pick from that's on the street right now that's gonna come in and help you beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I know people think that there are players out there, but if they were that good they would be on a team right now playing."

[TazmanianDevil43]

wow.......i love the stakes here.


I mean that city is going insane right now. They're setting themselves up for a big emotional let down. From the front office to players to the city itself. I don't think they remember the last time they beat Pittsburgh.

The Steelers won the division, went to the playoffs, and here the Browns talking about beating the Steelers in the summer. The media's been on the team and the OL. Steelers said they were motivated by Browns talk of taking the division.

We, Steeler fans know this, they don't. I mean seriously they don't, they have no idea whats coming at 'em lol


This Steeler team has the pontential to be as good as the 2004 team........personally I think we'll have more of a dominating pass rush than the '04 team.

The Browns are setting themselves up for a beat down on National TV, seeing across the country, in their own backyard.

I can't phucking wait!!!!!!!!!!

[Vader]

I thought last year's 2nd game was the biggest game since he had been there???

[Smooth Criminal]

I'm really starting to get scared of this game. Cleveland is going to come out ready to play, primetime against the Steelers.

This has the makings of a trap game all over it. Hopefully Tomlin gets this team ready to play.

[TazmanianDevil43]

I'm really starting to get scared of this game. Cleveland is going to come out ready to play, primetime against the Steelers.

This has the makings of a trap game all over it. Hopefully Tomlin gets this team ready to play.

scared? seriously?


I watched the entire Dallas/Clowns game, and I tell ya, these clowns don't scare nobody. They might put up a more decent fight because of their situation, but they're no way going to win this game.


No god damn way........I really believe this season is going to be special and the foundation of many years of greatness is being built.

Steelers offense has evolved, and thanks to some youth+speed infusion on the defense, not to mention a much much better special teams, this has a making of a complete beatdown of the Browns on a level they haven't even seen yet.

[t-bone]

Steeler semi runs over Brown puppy.

[CHam59]

I'm really starting to get scared of this game. Cleveland is going to come out ready to play, primetime against the Steelers.

This has the makings of a trap game all over it. Hopefully Tomlin gets this team ready to play.

From another thread - judging by the tone of yesterday's practice, I feel sure they're going to be ready for the clowns:

Hoke echoed Taylor's "what's at stake" line, saying the team understands the importance of Sunday night's game against the Browns and may be on edge a bit. Tomlin, though, wouldn't blame it on the Browns.

"All these games are important," the coach said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from this rivalry we have with Cleveland. It's special. But this is the National Football League. Every one of them is precious. We'd better have that edge to us every week."

[TX Steel]

All the buildup to this game has given me a chubby.

I'm freakin' stoked for Sunday night--national TV, two teams that hate each other, fans hate each other...Brownies think they have a shot and must win. I can't wait to see their hopes crushed.

[Sean]

Don't get me wrong...I'm just as excited about Sunday night as the next Steeler game and enjoy the pregame hype...

But isn't Week 2 a little early to be proclaiming the "Game of the Year" for any franchise?

Kinda gives you the feeling that IF the Browns lose, and they should, then Phil Savage is throwing in the towel on the very young season.

[aSteelerFanDamnit]

Once again we are Cleveland's 'Super Bowl' equivalency (maybe in this place a playoff of game). LOL

[bearcatsno69]

Suicide watch will be on high alert in Cleveland Sunday night.

[STEELERDYNASTY]

Once again I ask.......was Dallas that good,or is Cleveland that bad?????


we will find out Sunday night.





Silverback & Woodley, theres a meeting at Andersons chest & back

[Stryker]

This Steeler team has the pontential to be as good as the 2004 team........personally I think we'll have more of a dominating pass rush than the '04 team.


I was thinking 1994/1995 good for defense.

We have to keep this in perspective. We went to Playoffs with QBs like Brister, O'Donnell, Stewart, and Maddox. We made it to the playoffs with each of those QBs because we played incredible defense. The difference between those teams and our Superbowl teams of the 70s and 05 is we now have offense to help carry the load. We could be standing on the edge of a golden age for the black and gold, and I'm excited to watch this team become great!

As long as we don't turn the ball over, we should win easily vs the Browns. No game is a gimmie (especially after watching that Houston game vs Maddox back in 2002).

[K from Cal]

and Tomlin said it's just another game.

Nothing like keeping things in perspective and remembering it's a fine line between winning and losing. Keeping the proper perspective can be the difference.

Bill Cowher must be proud of his old team.

[mightyguru]

He's right (for a change, lol). This is The Game...for the Browns. For the Steelers it is a heated rivalry and a big game. It's everything for the poor brownies. Like I said in another browns thread, they will throw everything at the Steelers Sunday evening...everything...perhaps even Romeo Crennell.

[hamster]

The Giants rebounded from an 0-2 start to win the Super Bowl last season. Browns General Manager Phil Savage is interested in following them to the Super Bowl but not to 0-2.



BWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHhahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahh ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahahahhahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drewcary]

We wipe the stains away. By 17. I can't wait to see browns fans crying in the stands on national TV.

[Schadenfreude]

It will be intresting to see if the Steelers can get to Anderson; the Cowboys pass rush had a hard time trying to sack him (they forced a fumble at the very end of the game, which counts as a sack for some strange reason).

[Kdiddy71]

I smell sh*t ... oh wait it's just the browns ...
seriously, their secondary just got worse, if that's even possible. The Steelers are going to knock this team out early. I get feeling that browns are making more of this game than the Steelers are. Kinda of reminds me of the Bengals a few years ago, we already know what happened to them.

[SteelerFan448]

That is quite the statement this early in this season. If I'm a player, I don't feel like I'm getting a lot of support from above.

[TazmanianDevil43]

It will be intresting to see if the Steelers can get to Anderson; the Cowboys pass rush had a hard time trying to sack him.



very good point. But I think we have a better DL and a better overall front 7 than the Cowboys defense.


we're gonna knock Anderson silly.

[markymarc]

It will be intresting to see if the Steelers can get to Anderson; the Cowboys pass rush had a hard time trying to sack him (they forced a fumble at the very end of the game, which counts as a sack for some strange reason).

They may have only registered 1 sack against the Stains, but they still put a lot of pressure on him most of the night.

[markymarc]

I thought last year's 2nd game was the biggest game since he had been there???

I remember that. Guess that means with the new year he is allowed to have the biggest game since he joined the Stains organization.

[CurtinofHurtin]

Went over to the Browns board. Funny thing is half of them are "doom and gloom" about the teams long list of injuries, the other half don't think it really matters against an overrated Steelers team that only beat the Texans. :D

[STEELERDYNASTY]

very good point. But I think we have a better DL and a better overall front 7 than the Cowboys defense.


we're gonna knock Anderson silly.



IDK as much as I hate to admit this....Demarcus Ware is pretty damn good,so is Ellis


but over-all I would take our LB's over theirs ALLDAY!

[markymarc]

Went over to the Browns board. Funny thing is half of them are "doom and gloom" about the teams long list of injuries, the other half don't think it really matters against an overrated Steelers team that only beat the Texans. :D

Guess that means when we beat them down tomorrow night then their team is overrated as well.

[SteelBuck10]

very good point. But I think we have a better DL and a better overall front 7 than the Cowboys defense.


we're gonna knock Anderson silly.


Anderson is looking for the quick and easy completion. The key to getting to him is to make him hold onto the ball for a second or 2 more. That means initial coverage has to be there, giving our LB's a chance to get to him.

[CAH]

He's right (for a change, lol). This is The Game...for the Browns. For the Steelers it is a heated rivalry and a big game. It's everything for the poor brownies. Like I said in another browns thread, they will throw everything at the Steelers Sunday evening...everything...perhaps even Romeo Crennell.
You must be kidding about throwing Crennell. They'll need a crane. :D

[mightyguru]

You must be kidding about throwing Crennell. They'll need a crane. :D

But imagine the carnage!;)

[CAH]

But imagine the carnage!;)

The Browns' stadium will have to be closed for two weeks to clean up the blubber. :D

[thesteelcity]

damn, if we are overrated then what does call them when they g0 0-2 and are the favorites of the AFCN? This is THE year the Turds make the stride, right? The old saying "well, they're the Browns. We expect to be letdown" HAS to be getting old.
If we wipe their asses on their own turf on Nat.TV, Crennel will need a bodyguard to exit the stadium. They live to beat us. That's all they think and care about. Every other game is just a warm-up to get us and we've toyed with them since '99.
I honestly think we will get a repeat of the massacre against the Rats on Nat. TV that made Harrison a household name last year. Not that I'm overconfident of our team, but their intensity to beat us is so great that one TD, one mistake will feel magnified 10x's in front of the football world and their fans. Panic will set in and the floodgates will open.

Bring it, Turds!

[markymarc]

Still find it hilarious how it's only the 2nd week of the 2008 NFL season and it's already the biggest game for the Stains.