mesaSteeler
09-13-2008, 12:45 PM
Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski hopes to have team ready for Pittsburgh Steelers
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1221294843284330.xml&coll=2&thispage=1
Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski kept an eraser handy all last week, not knowing until Sunday which of his playmakers would be available for the opener.
But he never dreamt he'd have to pull the eraser out during pregame warm-ups and scratch off the team's biggest offensive off-season acquisition, receiver Donte' Stallworth, who pulled a quadriceps muscle just before the game.
"It was fast and furious there right before the game, trying to make some adjustments," Chudzinski said. "We marked up the game plan quite a bit and I think the other guys that came in did a nice job. But that's tough when that happens. I've actually never been in that situation where it's happened in pregame before."
It might not have been so bad for Chudzinski if two of his other prized weapons, receiver / returner Josh Cribbs and receiver Joe Jurevicius, weren't already standing on the sidelines in street clothes. As it was, Chudzinski had to play two youngsters who had never started an NFL game, leaving Braylon Edwards as the only experienced receiver.
Luckily for Chudzinski, he's had a full week to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers without Stallworth, who is doubtful for Sunday. Problem is, Chudzinski is not 100 percent certain how much Cribbs can handle because of his high ankle sprain.
He's also unsure how much rust Edwards has knocked off after missing much of the preseason because of a foot injury.
"When you have a little bit better grasp of things, it's obviously easier," Chudzinski said. "We're still waiting to see what some guys are going to be able to do on Sunday. Even in the preseason, it's been a game plan with a lot of contingencies on it."
Because of injuries to key offensive players, Chudzinski - known as the mad scientist to players such as quarterback Derek Anderson - has had to tinker repeatedly with the offensive formula that produced 10 victories and 402 points last season. Instead of building on that success, his offense wasn't intact for even one preseason series - and it showed in a woeful 28-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday.
"It's been a little bit of a revolving door," he said. "You have to overcome injuries, but offense is very much continuity, rhythm and guys getting in a groove. We're the type of offense where that's important. We just have to expedite the process of getting guys who've been out back on the same page."
Unluckily for Chudzinski, he'll have to try to do all of that against the Steelers and their complicated zone-blitz schemes, which are designed to disrupt timing. Last week, in a 38-17 rout of the Houston Texans, the Steelers had five sacks - three by linebacker James Harrison - three takeaways and allowed the Texans to convert only 3 of 10 third downs. It was a continuation from last season, when the Steelers finished No. 1 in the NFL in defense and surrendered an average of 16.8 points per game - second-best in the league.
"They're an outstanding defense," Chudzinski said. "They get after the quarterback from all different angles and places. Fundamentally they're outstanding football players, well-coached, well-disciplined, physical, strong and tough. There are no weaknesses."
The Steelers feature playmakers across the board, including safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Farrior and new left outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who in his starting debut last week had three solo tackles, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery.
"What sets the linebackers apart from other teams is they have a great football awareness and savvy," Chudzinski said. "Seeing them get to the ball, I don't know what their clock times are, but they know where the ball is, where it's going, and they have a great sense if it's a run or a pass almost at the snap of the ball."
Hard to pick his poison? "There's a lot of poison over there," he said.
On the flip side, the Browns are coming off a game in which they dropped at least five passes, converted only 3 of 9 third downs, committed five offensive penalties (one of which was declined), and produced only 205 yards and 10 points.
What's more, they had some alignment issues because of helmet-radio problems.
"I hope we have them fixed," Chudzinski said. "We've been going through this for a little while. The toughest thing about it when it happens, it's intermittent because sometimes it happens and you're still able to get the play in but you've lost some time, and now you're rushed at the line of scrimmage."
The Browns will be rushed plenty by the Steelers without doing it to themselves.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1221294843284330.xml&coll=2&thispage=1
Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski kept an eraser handy all last week, not knowing until Sunday which of his playmakers would be available for the opener.
But he never dreamt he'd have to pull the eraser out during pregame warm-ups and scratch off the team's biggest offensive off-season acquisition, receiver Donte' Stallworth, who pulled a quadriceps muscle just before the game.
"It was fast and furious there right before the game, trying to make some adjustments," Chudzinski said. "We marked up the game plan quite a bit and I think the other guys that came in did a nice job. But that's tough when that happens. I've actually never been in that situation where it's happened in pregame before."
It might not have been so bad for Chudzinski if two of his other prized weapons, receiver / returner Josh Cribbs and receiver Joe Jurevicius, weren't already standing on the sidelines in street clothes. As it was, Chudzinski had to play two youngsters who had never started an NFL game, leaving Braylon Edwards as the only experienced receiver.
Luckily for Chudzinski, he's had a full week to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers without Stallworth, who is doubtful for Sunday. Problem is, Chudzinski is not 100 percent certain how much Cribbs can handle because of his high ankle sprain.
He's also unsure how much rust Edwards has knocked off after missing much of the preseason because of a foot injury.
"When you have a little bit better grasp of things, it's obviously easier," Chudzinski said. "We're still waiting to see what some guys are going to be able to do on Sunday. Even in the preseason, it's been a game plan with a lot of contingencies on it."
Because of injuries to key offensive players, Chudzinski - known as the mad scientist to players such as quarterback Derek Anderson - has had to tinker repeatedly with the offensive formula that produced 10 victories and 402 points last season. Instead of building on that success, his offense wasn't intact for even one preseason series - and it showed in a woeful 28-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday.
"It's been a little bit of a revolving door," he said. "You have to overcome injuries, but offense is very much continuity, rhythm and guys getting in a groove. We're the type of offense where that's important. We just have to expedite the process of getting guys who've been out back on the same page."
Unluckily for Chudzinski, he'll have to try to do all of that against the Steelers and their complicated zone-blitz schemes, which are designed to disrupt timing. Last week, in a 38-17 rout of the Houston Texans, the Steelers had five sacks - three by linebacker James Harrison - three takeaways and allowed the Texans to convert only 3 of 10 third downs. It was a continuation from last season, when the Steelers finished No. 1 in the NFL in defense and surrendered an average of 16.8 points per game - second-best in the league.
"They're an outstanding defense," Chudzinski said. "They get after the quarterback from all different angles and places. Fundamentally they're outstanding football players, well-coached, well-disciplined, physical, strong and tough. There are no weaknesses."
The Steelers feature playmakers across the board, including safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker James Farrior and new left outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who in his starting debut last week had three solo tackles, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery.
"What sets the linebackers apart from other teams is they have a great football awareness and savvy," Chudzinski said. "Seeing them get to the ball, I don't know what their clock times are, but they know where the ball is, where it's going, and they have a great sense if it's a run or a pass almost at the snap of the ball."
Hard to pick his poison? "There's a lot of poison over there," he said.
On the flip side, the Browns are coming off a game in which they dropped at least five passes, converted only 3 of 9 third downs, committed five offensive penalties (one of which was declined), and produced only 205 yards and 10 points.
What's more, they had some alignment issues because of helmet-radio problems.
"I hope we have them fixed," Chudzinski said. "We've been going through this for a little while. The toughest thing about it when it happens, it's intermittent because sometimes it happens and you're still able to get the play in but you've lost some time, and now you're rushed at the line of scrimmage."
The Browns will be rushed plenty by the Steelers without doing it to themselves.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670