Five Questions for an Enemy Blogger: Brown Edition

Out of nowhere, I got an email last week from TheNaturalMevs who runs a Browns blog called TheNoseBleeds, wondering if I would be up for answering his Ten Questions regarding blogging and the upcoming game.

Being a well documented feedback whore, of course I obliged!

I then sent him an email describing the Five Questions for an Enemy Blogger series, and wondered if he would be so kind to reciprocate.

He was!

1. Cleveland gave up 20 points to the Rams, and 31 to the Dolphins, squeaking out victories against both winless squads. What changes do you expect your defense to make with a bonafide NFL offense comming to town?

At this point there is only so much the Browns can do,as it's more about personnel then the scheme when discussing the problem with this team's defense. D'Qwell Jackson is out this week and that hurts more than most people will realize. The problem mainly is that our defensive line fails to get pressure. If that unit was being graded in this league on terms of overall talent I think they'd be graded around D-minus talent there. Since we cannot penetrate and get pressure on the Quarterback, our secondary is being hit pretty hard with longer passes and we're once again atrocius to stopping the run. It's never been any different really since we came back into the league. Running backs have huge days against the Browns. Shaun Alexander vs. the run defense of the Browns is easily this game's most important matchup. If Alexander can have a day, the Seahawks offense will really flow through him and we'll have to outscore you guys to win.
In short, they're going to really key on Alexander as most teams do and make Hasselbeck beat them by also not allowing the big play, just intermediate and short.
Keep an eye on Kamerion Wimbley, our outside linebacker. He's having a sophomore slump thus far; so I could see him being a non-factor again.


2. With the emergence of Derek Anderson, I know you don't miss Charlie Frye, but tell me how much you miss having hard hitting safety Brian Russell roaming in the defensive backfield?

Yeah it's remarkable how much of a difference that Brian Russell made quietly here in Cleveland. I was excited about his replacement, Brodney Poole; but it's not the same. Poole has had to learn a new position and Russell was a seasoned veteran, the 'QB of this defense'. He brought a nasty and mean attitude and set the tone for the younger guys. It's funny because when he signed from Minnesota a few years back it was pretty ho-hum. When he was here he wasn't appreciated, and now finally that he is gone people are realizing what a good player he was. He's a poor man's John Lynch.


3. Jamal Lewis is having a down year, only having 443 on 94 carries for two TDs, as is Shaun Alexander, at 460 yards on 135 carres and two TDs. Which running back do you think will have a better day and why?

For the Browns recent fortunes at RB since 1999; this season is really being savored from Lewis. We've had only 1-1,000 yard back since the return. The buzz on having Lewis out there is very positive. He's running hard, he's worked his butt off and we finally have some semblance of a run game to hang our hat on.
This is a really tough question. I'm going to say Alexander has a nice day in Cleveland. He'll get 21-110 and TD. Lewis goes 18-76 and without a TD.


4. When Joe Jurevicus was with the Seahawks, we nicknamed him the "unlucky hooker", because the dude caught EVERYTHING! What do Cleveland fans call him?

Haha that's classic. We all call him "JJ". It's honestly been awesome having him in Cleveland. Amazing story a few years back in Sports Illustrated about Joe's return home. Turns out he visits the grave of his fallen son each morning before his way to work. The guy is an absolute gamer, leader, and probably has top-5 receiving hands in the league. He's a huge reason Braylon Edwards is evolving into a star. JJ is on of my favorite Browns of all time already. He's been to a superbowl everywhere he has been, so hopefully he can help the Browns follow suit.


5. Two seasons ago, Joey Porter was famous for calling out Seahawks TE Jerramy Stevens during Super Bowl week. Last season, he made headlines for refusing to shake Brown's TE Kellen Winslow Jr.'s hand. How great is it that the loud mouthed a-hole is stuck playing for the winless Dolphins?

Is there a bigger loud-mouthed, ghetto-gutter rat a-hole than Joey Porter? I can't believe I actually wanted the Browns to acquire this guy at one point to replace Andra Davis. If I was Joey Porter I think I'd change my ways quickly, although we all know that won't happen. It's all been downhill since that Superbowl win for him, and things probably will continue on that trend for the remainder of his career. His Pro-Bowl days are long past him I believe.