DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Lewis:no sign of stopping

You guys are killing me today. Cut lewis? He can still drag 2-3 guys down the field. Who's going to break tackles? Vickers (sweep right)? Josh cribbs?

He doesnt even gain 2-3 yards most carries. carrying defenders? Yes in 2007 and previous, now? Uh, no. He doesnt even run anymore, he just taps around behind the LOS, the same stuff that got Willie Green crucified on this board.

Davis is fast enough to read the line, find the hole and then hit, before it closes. Plus Davis can run outside and inside, Jamal is strickly between the guards anymore.

Jamal isnt Jamal anymore, blame the OL, the play calling, injuries, whatever it is, the guy isnt the same guy we signed in 2007, adn now we have a better option. And I'm very excited to see Davis and Harrison be our RB tandem.

Like I said, I don't think he will be cut, just never even thought about it before.

He has looked pretty horrible though.

Only reason I don't want to cut Lewis THIS season is because of his ties with James Davis... Lewis can teach the young one the tricks of the trade.... Let him do it!

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Cutting him saves pocket change at this point, he goes nowhere.

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...and rightfully so, in my book.

There's still a place for JLew on this team. "Feature back?" Perhaps those days are behind him, but you don't just chuck a guy who can still produce for you. He's still strong, and can break tackles when used on screens. Saw a couple of those on Sat. night.

Until Harrison shows that he can stay healthy, we need 3 backs in rotation.

I think Lewis will settle down as the season starts, and begin riding Vickers' hip on off-tackle sweeps for more yards than we've seen this preseason. Add in his ability to gain 4-6 in space on screens, and you still have a chain-mover, imho.

He stays this year. Next? -meh. Who knows? That's for next year. (Assistant RB coach?)

"With the emergence of Davis and Harrison"

Problem with all this Lewis being cut stuff is he's been a big part of our Offense - has done well in the RedZone....and Harrison I don't think has seen NOT ONE REP in the Preseason - so just how much has he been "emerging"?

Hey if Davis and Harrison have been both lighting it up all Preseason while Lewis maintains a 3 YPC I say there might be some merit in this SPECULATION.

Just keep in mind Lewis is in during Running downs and teams have been playing 8 or more in the box. Davis has been coming in a lot on 3rd downs.

JMHO - never say never but 99.9% sure Lewis makes the team...unless you all are Herron believers

JMHO

Yeah, I have been saying all along that I don't think he will be cut. I just never thought it was a possibility. But the more you think about it the more it seems a little possible, although still unlikely.

Next year - Yes...this year? I don't think so.

JMHO - the staff and Mangini have been praising Lewis from day one. It would not build team "TRUST" with Mangini if we cut him. And that is one of the KEY WORDS in Mangini's Mantra of Football!

Jamal Lewis is not washed up!
The long term future could be helped by new prospects at runningback, every year.
Do the Browns have a player who will challenge for the rushing title this year?

Is there any good player on the Browns that Crfs15 you don't want to dump?

I never said I wanted to dump anyone. I have said that I am surprised that cutting Lewis is even in anyone's mind. But, if he's not one of the best 53 players, he shouldn't be on the team. And from what he have seen from Lewis this past season and this pre-season do we really even know he's a good player?

I don't want Lewis to be cut. I want him to be on the team and I think he will make the team. But if he is not good enough, as determined by Mangini/Kokinis, then he shouldn't make the team.

J/C

he is our best bet for a short-yardage / goalline back on the team though, so even if he isn't #1 back worthy, I couldn't imagine us cutting him.

and if the coaching staff doesn't think he is even good enough for that anymore, we should have brought in Duckett when he was released (or whatever other player they thought could take that role)

A little food for thought ......

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2009/09/terry_plutos_talkin_about_the_3.html

About The Browns . . .

Just pointing out some stats. . .

1. No matter who plays quarterback, Braylon Edwards and Jamal Lewis are just as important to improving the Browns' offense. Both had dramatic declines last season, and the regression began long before the quarterbacks started getting hurt. I'm going to use some material compiled by Pro Football Outsiders coming from their new book, "Football Outsiders Almanac 2009." Some of the material is complicated, but lots of great stuff can be found in more than 500 pages.

2. In 2008, Lewis had three runs for more than 20 yards, his longest being a 27-yarder. In 2007, he had runs of 66, 47, 31, 31, plus six other runs of more than 20 yards. That means 10 runs of at least 20 yards compared with three last year.

3. Last season, 135 of Lewis' 279 runs were for 2 or fewer yards. That was 48 percent, up from 44 percent in 2007. He had 40 runs that resulted in no yards gained or a loss. Lewis also ranked fifth in the NFL in percentage of dropped passes (16 percent), even higher than Edwards (11 percent). That's why simply looking at Lewis running for 1,002 yards doesn't tell the true story of 2008.

4. Nor was the decline in Lewis' running due strictly to the Browns losing all their quarterbacks to injury, a situation which allowed defenses to stack the line to defend the run. When Derek Anderson started the first eight games, Lewis had 535 yards, 3.7 yards per carry. In the last eight, it was 467 yards, 3.4 yards per carry. Both numbers were way down from his 4.4-yard average in 2007 when he gained 1,304 yards.

5. Much is made of the Browns being 10-3 when Lewis receives at least 20 carries. But part of the reason he's getting 20 carries in those games is the team is playing well, he is running well and that leads to more carries. They were 7-1 in 2007 and 3-2 in 2008 when he carried the ball at least 20 times.

6. This is not to write off Lewis, or immediately write in impressive rookie James Davis as the starting running back. It is to say that this is a critical year for the 30-year-old Lewis, who needs to show he can occasionally break off a big run. If not, then the Browns need to use some sort of dual-back system with Lewis and a younger, faster back. They play six games (two each against Pittsburgh and Baltimore) against teams that ranked in the top five in run defense in 2008. Somehow, the Browns must find a way to get some yardage on the ground or it will be a very, very long season.

bumping this up, for a more close "looksee" after Jamal's 2009 debut.

I only got to see the last quarter live, and some highlight-type clips... but he seems to still have some in the tank. He seemed especially effective catching swing passes in space, then making YACs.


Observations?

he can make do if the opportunities are generated but i believe, being one who felt lewis should be replaced, that a younger/fresher/better back can make more opportunites on his own instead of only relying on what the line does for him. obviously, to a certain degree.

that said, lewis looked pretty good in the opener. looked solid but i wonder if a better back would've turned some of those runs into even bigger and better things.

I believe someone used to say this about A. Davis. The day he goes to the bench or isn't our best RB option is a day that the Browns will have taken another step forward however, today is not that day. I have always liked Lewis but next year will need to find a replacement. Unforunately there isn't a can't miss RB prospect like Peterson and we have more serious problems QB and Defense, which, actually next years draft looks like be in rich supply of Taylor Mays, Eric Berry, Bradford, Tebow, McCoy...etc therefore whatever upgrade we get we will need to most likely get in FA or a trade.

Anybody have an idea of FA RBs next year?

**I like to focus on the future cause the present kinda sucks atm. However I will say our coaches had us prepared to win and that's the first time that can be said in quite awhile.

Claim Gartrell Johnson from the Chargers and let him take over for Jamal in 2010...in a commitee with Harrison or Davis...or some 2010 rookie

anyway....claim G.Johnson NOW

Its time for Lewis to go. seriously, just watch him, if the hole hes supposed to go thru isnt open, he just takes a few of those fast baby steps and gets tackled.

He's done, thanks for a couple good years, but your body cant handle the pounding anymore. Time to say good bye

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Call me a sadistic SOB, but I just had to share the laugh I got out of the irony of the title of this thread and where he was today:

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OK. You're a sadistic SOB.