Mr. T Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Cleveland Browns zero in on defensive and offensive co-ordinators 6 hours ago CLEVELAND — Their head coach has settled in and his top assistants are coming soon. All the Cleveland Browns are missing is a general manager. They may be waiting on one for a while. Still in his first week on the job, new Browns coach Eric Mangini is expected to pick Rob Ryan as his defensive co-ordinator and Brian Daboll to run his offence in the next few days. Mangini, fired by the New York Jets and hired by the Browns last week to replace the fired Romeo Crennel, worked with both men in New England. Ryan is the son of former NFL coach Buddy Ryan and his twin brother, Rex, is Baltimore's defensive co-ordinator and a candidate for the Jets' coaching job. Both Ryan and Daboll, who coached New York's quarterbacks last season, were in Cleveland over the weekend to meet with Mangini. Ryan coached the Patriots' linebackers from 2000-2003 when Mangini coached the club's defensive backs. Daboll will replace Rob Chudzinski, who was considered a rising star when the Browns scored 402 points in 2007. But Cleveland's offence was ravaged this season by injuries, changed starting quarterbacks halfway through, and failed to score a touchdown in its final six games. Chudzkinski, who signed a two-year extension last January, interviewed with San Francisco coach Mike Singletary about his co-ordinator opening a few days ago. Meanwhile, the Browns are in a holding pattern in their search for a GM. Owner Randy Lerner interviewed George Kokinis, Baltimore's director of pro personnel, on Sunday in New York. The meeting was productive but the Browns cannot offer Kokinis a job until the Ravens' season ends. Baltimore plays at Pittsburgh in Sunday's AFC championship, meaning the earliest Kokinis could be hired by the Browns is Monday. If the Ravens advance, Kokinis would not be available until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 in Tampa. Lerner is in no rush. Since firing GM Phil Savage and Crennel, he has felt getting the coach in place was more important than his top executive. Kokinis has been at the top of Lerner's GM list since Mangini recommended him during his interview. Kokinis and Mangini have been friends since beginning their careers together in Cleveland during the 1990s. Lerner, who also owns soccer club Aston Villa in the English Premier League, is in Europe and won't be back in the U.S. until later this week. As of now, he has no other interviews scheduled for his GM vacancy. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianp...Hws5VVyI54eOb8g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 The Browns recorded 17 sacks in 2008. Only the Chiefs and Bengals were worse. Combined, those three teams were 10-37-1. They have three of the first six picks in the draft in April. The NFL playoffs this season reinforce the importance of having a defense that can sack and intimidate. The league average for sacks in 2008 was 32.4. Nine of the 12 teams that made the playoffs finished above the average. The exceptions are the Cardinals with 31, the Colts with 30 and the Chargers with 28. The Steelers had 51 sacks, the Eagles had 48, the Vikings 45, the Titans 44, the Giants 42 and the Dolphins had 40. Mangini’s Jets had 41 sacks in 2008. It wasn’t defense that let them down. They would have been in the playoffs and Mangini would still be their coach if Brett Favre hadn’t thrown two touchdown passes and nine interceptions in the last five games. Thirteen of the Jets sacks were by starting outside linebackers Calvin Pace (seven) and Bryan Thomas (six). The Browns got five sacks combined from starting outside linebackers Kamerion Wimbley and Willie McGinest. Mangini, and whoever is general manager, has to find aggressive pass rushers, and then new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has to turn them loose. For the past four years, the Browns have been a 3-4 defense. That defense doesn’t work if the outside linebackers don’t pressure the quarterback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Masters Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 The last part isn't 100% true. See the NYJ last year. They got 41 sacks, but with no one in double digits and them not coming really from the OLB position. At the end of the day the 3-4 is about disquising the blitz, be it from outside LB or inside guys (see NE). RAC just always sent from either LOLB or ROLB. It was telegraphed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fooleeze Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'm not sure who wrote that article, but they need to learn to spell 'offense' or hire an editor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 The last part isn't 100% true. See the NYJ last year. They got 41 sacks, but with no one in double digits and them not coming really from the OLB position. At the end of the day the 3-4 is about disquising the blitz, be it from outside LB or inside guys (see NE). RAC just always sent from either LOLB or ROLB. It was telegraphed. I like Mangini's numbers there it shows promise. the Jets only had 13 sacks from there OLB's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Masters Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I like Mangini's numbers there it shows promise. the Jets only had 13 sacks from there OLB's It's all about being clever with where you send that 4th and 5th rusher from. I can't recall ever seeing an ILB blitz for CLE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Maybe Romeo or Tucker should of earned the name as Patrick Starfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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