2008 Cleveland Browns season

Infobox NFL season
year = 2008
team = Cleveland Browns
coach = Romeo Crennel
general manager = Phil Savage
stadium = Cleveland Browns Stadium
record = 1-3
division_place = 3rd AFC North
playoffs = N/A
previous = 2007
next = "Current season"

The 2008 Cleveland Browns season is the team's 62nd season as a franchise and will also be the team's 58th season as a member of the National Football League. The Browns will be attempting to improve upon their 10-6 record and second-place finish in the AFC North in the 2007 season. The Browns will remain under the supervision of head coach Romeo Crennel, and they will play all of their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.

Off-season

Coaching staff changes

On January 7, the Browns signed offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski to a two-year contract extension, effectively allowing the coach to remain in Cleveland through the 2011 season.cite web|author=Jackson, Zac|date=2008-01-07|title=Chudzinski signs 2-year extension|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=8099|publisher= [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com clevelandbrowns.com] |accessdate=2008-01-07] Chudzinski declined an opportunity to interview for the vacant head coach position of the Baltimore Ravens to remain in Cleveland.

On January 11, it was announced by Crennel that the team had fired defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, and that a replacement would be announced soon.cite web|author=Press Release|date=2008-01-11|title=Grantham not retained for '08|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=8114|publisher= [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com clevelandbrowns.com] |accessdate=2008-01-12] Grantham's firing comes just months after signing a two-year contract extension.cite web|author=Associated Press|date=2008-01-11|title=Poor defensive showing costs Browns coordinator his job|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d805e7538&template=without-video&confirm=true|publisher= [http://www.nfl.com nfl.com] |accessdate=2008-01-12] The next day, it was announced that Mel Tucker, defensive backs coach for the Browns, was given the job. [cite web|author=Jackson, Zac|date=2008-01-12|title=Tucker named defensive coordinator|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=8116|publisher= [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com clevelandbrowns.com] |accessdate=2008-01-12] After spending three years on the Browns defensive coaching staff, Cory Undlin was promoted to defensive backs coach to replace Tucker. [cite web|author=Press release|date=2008-01-12|title=Undlin named defensive backs coach
url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=8117|publisher= [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com clevelandbrowns.com] |accessdate=2008-01-12]

On January 29, the team announced that it had re-signed head coach Romeo Crennel to a two-year contract extension. [ [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=8167 Crennel signs 2-year extension] ] General manager Phil Savage stated that Crennel did not ask for an extension, but rather that the team felt that it was the proper thing to do for the head coach.cite web|author=Walcoff, Jeff|date=2008-01-09|title='We'll do right by him'|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=8110|publisher= [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com clevelandbrowns.com] |accessdate=2008-01-10]

Free agents

2008 NFL Draft

The Browns did not have a selection in the first three rounds. [The Browns do not have a first, second, or third round selection due to trades made to other teams. The first-round selection was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in order to acquire quarterback Brady Quinn in the 2007 Draft, the second-round selection was traded to the Green Bay Packers for defensive tackle Corey Williams, and the third-round selection was traded to the Detroit Lions for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers]

Roster

chedule

Division standings

Regular season week-by-week results

Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Cowboys
R1=7
R2=14
R3=7
R4=0
RT=28
Home=Browns
H1=0
H2=7
H3=0
H4=3
HT=10"at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio"
* Game time: 4:15 PM EDT
* Game weather: 71°F (Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 73,012
* Referee: Bill Carollo
* TV announcers: (FOX) Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver

The Browns began their 2008 campaign at home against the defending NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. In the first quarter, Cleveland trailed early as Cowboys RB Marion Barber got a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Browns responded with QB Derek Anderson completing a 2-yard TD pass to TE Kellen Winslow. Dallas would respond with QB Tony Romo completing a 35-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens, along with another 1-yard TD run from Barber. In the third quarter, Cleveland's defensive struggles continued as RB Felix Jones got an 11-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Browns tried to rally, yet all they could come up with was a 34-yard field goal from kicker Phil Dawson.

With the loss, Cleveland began its season at 0-1.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
* 6:40 DAL - Barber 1 yard run (Folk kick) 7-0 DAL

2nd Quarter
* 12:43 CLE - Winslow 2 yard pass from Anderson (Dawson kick) 7-7
* 9:48 DAL - Owens 35 yard pass from Romo (Folk kick) 14-7 DAL
* 0:26 DAL - Barber 1 yard run (Folk kick) 21-7 DAL

3rd Quarter
* 6:24 DAL - Jones 11 yard run (Folk kick) 28-7 DAL

4th Quarter
* 10:13 CLE - Dawson 34 yard field goal 28-10 DAL

Week 2: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Steelers
R1=0
R2=7
R3=3
R4=0
RT=10
Home=Browns
H1=0
H2=0
H3=3
H4=3
HT=6"at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio"
* Game time: 8:15 PM EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 80° F, Wind: SSW 40 mph - gusts to 70 mph
* Game attendance: 73,048
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers: (NBC) Al Michaels, John Madden & Andrea Kremer

Hoping to rebound from their dissapointing home loss to the Cowboys, the Browns stayed at home for the first of five primetime games with a Week 2 AFC North duel against their hated rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in very high winds due to the remnants of Hurricane Ike. After a scoreless first quarter, Cleveland trailed as Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger completed an 11-yard TD pass to WR Hines Ward. In the third quarter, Pittsburgh increased its lead with kicker Jeff Reed getting a 48-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Browns got on the board with kicker Phil Dawson getting a 31-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland tried to rally, but the only thing that came out of it was Dawson's 38-yard field goal.

With their 10th-straight loss to Pittsburgh, the Browns fell to 0-2.

coring Summary

2nd Quarter
* 6:29 PIT Ward 11 yard pass from Roethlisberger (Reed kick) 7-0 PIT

3rd Quarter
* 7:58 PIT Reed 48 yard field goal 10-0 PIT
* 1:25 CLE Dawson 31 yard field goal 10-3 PIT

4th Quarter
* 3:21 CLE Dawson 38 yard field goal 10-6 PIT

Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Browns
R1=0
R2=10
R3=0
R4=0
RT=10
Home=Ravens
H1=0
H2=7
H3=21
H4=0
HT=28"at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland"
* Game time: 4:15 PM EDT
* Game weather: 77°F (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 71,104
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers: (CBS) Bill Macatee & Steve Beuerlein

Trying to snap their two-game losing streak, the Browns flew to M&T Bank Stadium for a Week 3 AFC North duel with the Baltimore Ravens. After a scoreless first quarter, Cleveland got on the board with QB Derek Anderson completing a 19-yard TD pass to RB Jerome Harrison. The Ravens would respond with RB Willis McGahee getting a yard TD run. The Browns would close out the half with kicker Phil Dawson nailing a 38-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, Baltimore took control as RB Le'Ron McClain got a 1-yard TD run, safety Ed Reed returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown, and McClain getting another 1-yard TD run. Cleveland tried to respond, but the Ravens defense was too much to overcome.

With the loss, the Browns stumbled to 0-3.

coring Summary

2nd Quarter
* 14:52 CLE Harrison 19 yard pass from Anderson (Dawson kick) 7-0 CLE
* 6:40 BAL McGahee 5 yard run (Stover kick) 7-7
* 1:04 CLE Dawson 38 yard field goal 10-7 CLE

3rd Quarter
* 11:13 BAL McClain 1 yard run (Stover kick) 14-10 BAL
* 10:23 BAL Reed 32 yard interception return (Stover kick) 21-10 BAL
* 4:49 BAL McClain 1 yard run (Stover kick) 28-10 BAL

Week 4: at Cincinnati Bengals

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Browns
R1=3
R2=0
R3=0
R4=17
RT=20
Home=Bengals
H1=0
H2=6
H3=0
H4=6
HT=12"at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio"
* Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
* Game weather: 74°F (Mostly Sunny)
* Game attendance: 65,541
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers: (CBS) Kevin Harlan & Rich Gannon

Still searching for their first win of the year, the Browns flew to Paul Brown Stadium for a Week 4 AFC North duel with the Cincinnati Bengals in Round 1 of 2008's Battle of Ohio. In the first quarter, Cleveland drew first blood as kicker Phil Dawson got a 25-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Bengals responded with kicker Shayne Graham getting a 42-yard and a 45-yard field goal. After a scoreless third quarter, the Browns began the fourth quarter with QB Derek Anderson completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards and RB Jamal Lewis getting a 1-yard TD run. Cincinnati would answer with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Chad Ocho Cinco (with a failed 2-point conversion), yet Cleveland pulled away with Dawson nailing a 29-yard field goal.

With the win, the Browns went into their bye week at 1-3.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
* 9:29 CLE Dawson 25 yard field goal 3-0 CLE

2nd Quarter
* 10:22 CIN Graham 42 yard field goal 3-3
* 0:08 CIN Graham 45 yard field goal 6-3 CIN

4th Quarter
* 13:05 CLE Edwards 4 yard pass from Anderson (Dawson kick) 10-6 CLE
* 11:06 CLE Lewis 1 yard run (Dawson kick) 17-6 CLE
* 7:46 CIN Ocho Cinco 4 yard pass from Fitzpatrick (two-point conversion failed) 17-12 CLE
* 0:32 CLE Dawson 29 yard field goal 20-12 CLE

Week 6: vs. New York Giants

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Giants
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Browns
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT="at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio"
* Game time: 8:30 PM EDT
* Game weather:
* Game attendance:
* Referee:
* TV announcers: (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Tony Kornheiser, Michele Tafoya, & Suzy Kolber

References