I Can’t Take Much More of This!
September 24, 2009Poppin’ Champagne: Akron Aeros 2009 Championship Season-in-Review (Part 2)
September 24, 2009
Sometimes, you have to give a guy credit for maintaining a positive stance when the world appears to be crumbling around him. You have a guy that took half of the first-team snaps (at best) this preseason, and is now fielding two-hop shotgun snaps while getting no protection from the right side of his offensive line. Sure, some of his passes were errant, but it’s not like Brady Quinn is getting the same level of help as those he’s being compared to.
But it isn’t getting to him. At least he’s not letting anyone know that it is.
Following a game that saw him on his back more often than not in the second half, Quinn is looking forward to this week’s game in Baltimore. Which makes one of us. “I feel good. I’m ready to go,” claimed the third-year quarterback.
The difficult part lies with the constant comparisons that he now has against other young quarterbacks – especially those that are inherently more successful than Quinn has been. No. 10 is quick to realize that those other guys are setting the bar, but is also quick to point out the bevvy of Pro Bowlers that surround them.
“They’ve done a great job. You have to give them a lot of credit but I think you have to give their team a lot of credit as well. Whether it’s Matt Ryan in Atlanta or Joe Flacco or Sanchez in New York, I think you’ve noticed that their whole team is really producing well. They have a solid running game, their special teams is putting them in good positions to make plays. It kind of opens things up more downfield for them.”
Quinn emphasized that with an improved running game comes higher success rates as an offense. Having players like Michael Turner, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Thomas Jones, and Leon Washington could do wonders to open up the pass game. When all an opposing defense has to do is stack the box and blitz, it makes for a long, long day. Third and long is not the best situation for any quarterback; third and long many times per game makes it that much worse.
“You have to understand the best way to open up things downfield is to have a running game, to get more production there,” said Quinn. “I think that is something we’re working on, we’re trying to get better at, so when you do all those play action fakes they’re more meaningful and they can pull guys up.”
Some may argue that Quinn’s play fakes could also use some work. It also doesn’t help when two-thirds of the current group of running backs are featured on this week’s injury report. But when things are not exactly going as well as Quinn would prefer, he definitely has quite the support group to fall back on for advice or a simple ear to listen.
“I still talk to Coach (Charlie) Weis pretty often. He’s busy with things, but every once in a while when he’s able to check out the game, he’ll give me some advice. My mom’s usually a pretty strong indication of that at well. She doesn’t know football that well, but she knows the difference between winning and losing and she’ll always let me know that. My dad and my uncle, my core group of friends, they’re always pretty blunt and pretty honest. They’ll always be tough about things. That’s just them. You have to understand the people that are closest to you, want the best for you and they’re going to try to push you, just like anyone else has in my life.”
Hopefully, this support group will be that much more comforting after this week. Perhaps, they may need to be outfitted with some ice packs. But point is, despite being 0-2 in a season where not much was expected to go right, Quinn has maintained his composure about the way his team has played to this point.
An improvement in the running game could work wonders for this current Browns team. Then again, that’s easier said than done.
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(image via skiereast64/Flickr)
20 Comments
Even if he’s not the best QB ever, he’s certainly one of the more well-spoken QB’s
I hate to think that the Browns’ O-Line seriously diminishes Quinn’s chances of ever proving whether he is a legitimate starter.
There have been times when Quinn has missed a throw here or there or held onto the ball a bit too long, but the Browns’ offensive woes are not all his fault by any stretch of the imagination. I think the offensive line is a source of major problems for this team and Quinn especially.
That being said, the QB gets the lion’s share of the glory when things go well and the lion’s share of the blame when things go wrong. It is what it is.
Matt – you hate to believe that because it’s what we’ve come to know to be true.
“I hate to think that the Browns’ O-Line seriously diminishes Quinn’s chances of ever proving whether he is a legitimate starter.”
Tim Couch and Jeff Garcia agree…
BQ is a CLASS act. Well spoken, articulate, postive-demonstrates leadership on and off the field. Contrast that with how sulking crybaby DA would be handling this situation, mumbling his way around the clubhouse.
This kid is a competitor, leader, and winner. Give him his time to develop the NFL game and approach, and he’ll apply the traits he so aptly has inbred to play the position. He’s got no tight end, and a right side of the line manned by Porkfat and a Pear. He’s got no second receiver. He’s got a rookie offensive coordinator.
BQ is perhaps the one hope that Mangini has, he better now screw it up.
Even if it’t true, i don’t like him skapegoating the running game for the team’s struggles.
It doesn’t make you better, and it sure doesn’t win you any friends.
GIVE BRADY TIME TO DEVELOP–AFTER ALL, HE WAS A FIRST ROUND PICK. SURE, MACK WAS TOO, BUT HE SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SINCE WE HAD A GREAT O-LINE ALREADY. AS FOR ROBO, MASSAQUOI, AND VEIKUNE: TO HECK WITH ALL THOSE NO-TALENT, OVERRATED, DRAFTED-TOO-HIGH BUSTS–CUZ SECOND ROUNDERS SHOULD BE CONTRIBUTING, PRO-BOWL-CALIBER PLAYERS BY NOW AFTER TWO GAMES.
He’s poised in the media, much more so than in the pocket. Then again, when it’s a jailbreak into your face at most every snap, I can imagine steady feet and calm thinking are hard to come by. Right side of the line and some RB help next year, please. Maybe BQ will still be here and in one piece to benefit from it.
Let’s see how he’s talking after 50+ sacks and a concussion. 🙁
I was at the press conference and whoever transcribed it for the Browns left off the best part. When asked about playing the Ravens defense he said he was “Excited”.
Quinn seemed very arrogant as well. You would have thought he thrown for 700 yards already, the Browns were 2-0, and he was an early candidate for MVP by his body language. Only in Cleveland….
@10: Uh…how do you want him to act?
“OMG DUDEZ WE TURRIBLE!!11! I CAN”T DO NOTHIN RIGHT! I SUX AT FOOTBALL”
I like the confidence, and how he’s not afraid to lay blame on the O-Line, the running game, and himself. I hope more than anything in the 2009 season, that BQ establishes himself as the starter for the Browns both this year, and years to come. I think with a solid QB, the rest starts to fall into place (on the offensive side of the ball). We get Harrison/Davis to beging to find holes to run thru (and develop) and the O-Line to open said holes (and develop chemistry) we’re well on our way.
I think on some level Brady is right, but on some level is hanging his running game out to dry. When running doesn’t set up the pass, the pass needs to go forward and set up the run.
Brady can get better, but Jamal Lewis is not going to turn into the ’03 version of himself.
He really needs to worry less about the performance of the others and focus more on himself.
The reality of this debacle, is that one way or another you shouldn’t be waiting for “year three” of a first round picks career to see if they can play. Now, before you jump all over that statement, I know it wasn’t the Browns fault Brady got hurt last year, and it wasn’t Brady’s either.
Still though, if it was a pick at any other position on the football field(especially when you traded up to draft them) you would want to see if they can play, and probably look for them to make some sort of impact in year one, and at the very least by year two. Now we’re doing what we always do in Cleveland… “Waiting”.
“The Browns are who we thought they were! And every year we let ’em off the hook!” – Denny Green (Modified)
@ Ben – HAHAHA! Then he’d sound more like Charlie Frye.
@14- the only difference with QB is you cant really rotate them out in the process of a game like you can at every other position.
Also, seriously you guys need to count how many times Quinn is pressured, then see how many of those times he has the ball for over 5 seconds. I bet its a lot more then any of you all think. I know St Clair is a sack of potatoes out there, but Quinn is hanging on to it like Frye used to. Last year, Quinn was playing decently well, but he has really regressed so far this year. I also dont know how many good QBs rely on the TE so much when the better talent is on the outside. Maybe we need a spread offense for him, or better plays, but right now, its not working and probably wont work until something changes.
1. Brady Quinn will not be the answer for the Browns
2. He will become a star for another team.
3. The Browns will still stink.
Video speaks for itself.
[…] all of our talk earlier this week regarding the need for a running game if a quarterback is going to be successful, it does not appear that things will be getting much […]
I put a lot of blame on the playcalling. I haven’t been able to watch all of both games, but the parts that I did sure panicked and went to all pass when we were only down by a touchdown. This still feels like the same old song and dance by a different name. I live in Cincy and have to listen to Bengals fans all week. At least I used to be able to say we were at least better than the Bengals, now I can’t even hang my hat on that.
There’s no proof that a good running game creates a good passing game. Sorry guys. I know it sounds good, but it’s inaccurate. http://www.josemesaisdead.com/post/196471122/passwellthrowwell