DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Cribbs is feeling insignificant...

I'm amazed that all you guys that are as far away from the locker room as I am know exactly what's going on in there. Just exactly how do you all do that?

Face it. You're all over-reacting. Big time. They lost a game. They're gonna lose more. If anyone actually thought this was a playoff caliber team this year I'd like some of what you're smoking.

Cribbs spoke out of turn. Hillis put his foot in his mouth regarding his agent a week or so ago. Show me a team where this doesn't happen occasionally. You can't because it happens on every team at one time or another.

No one has lost the locker room. They just lost a game and they're pissed. They should be. But making it the apocalypse is just stupid.

I usually spend time each year defending the fans and the way we act sometimes. But you guys are making that damn near impossible this year.

Shurmur losing the locker room is the most assinine thing I've heard yet. These players are whining because they are losing and playing bad. I clearly see Cribbs as not complaining about his time on offense, but knowing that he can help as a gunner is willing to give up his attempt at being a starting WR and do what he does best.

Hillis put his foot in his mouth along with his agent. Now he gets hurt and the rumors are look at as truth. IMO Hardesty did better than him on Sunday. I'm not saying Hillis should be demoted, but Hardesty is not a drop off.

IMO this team is frustrated, and until they master both the defense and the offense that are new, it will continue.

This fanbase is so wishy washy it is sickening. It is hard to read this board anymore with all the foolish knee jerk crap that is spewed after every loss.

If anybody has lost this locker room, it is McCoy. His play was putrid most of the day.

-jc-

When the Raiders squib kicked it the one time and the up blocker picked up the ball, Cribbs ran past him like a bat out of hell and smashed the gunner. He leaves it all out on the field and gives 110%. I don't call this complaining about Shurmur, he just wants to win, IMO, and is willing to do what ever it takes to win.

We just gave up a 100+yd kick off return and a fake punt TD in the same game so maybe we need someone like him on the ST Coverage.

Personally (as in if you care about my two cents ) I don't think the Cribbs thing is anything to worry about. I understand his frustration.

He has been a star and has done everything right on the field - plus everything off the field (except for maybe his extension and *pay the man*) like a true workhorse and franchise player.

Since 2005 he has been here and has seen the turnover, the losses, and the problems.

I think now he understands (just my speculation)

1. that the longevity of returners isn't long in the league
2. with the kickoff rules changing his value as a kick returner isn't as important (still very important ... but the rules did make a change for returners and made it harder)
and 3. he realizes that he might be better able to help the team as a coverage guy. That's where he made his name.

I just don't know if there is enough to say Shurmur lost the locker room from that- I think he just wants to see his second winning season since 2005.

Moore? That's a big question mark. They gave him an extension, want him around, and started off the season where he was a stupid 1 handed (should have been 2 handed) catch from having 3 TD's in the first 2 games.

And then he only gets targeted about 7 or 9 times the next 3 games. I can understand his frustration and don't know why it is that way.

Hillis? Players get upset and things happen when it's contract talking time ... and it's probably a mix of that and the injuries/illness that are frustrating him.

There are probably other players who are mad as well just due to various reasons and frustrations that occur when you are 2-3. But I don't know if that's a locker room that is lost. If we came out flat and didn't care and took plays off ... then I think we are done. But as ugly as it was I don't think the team has quit yet before the clock read all zeros.

Josh Cribbs back on special teams? 'Sure, absolutely,' says Pat Shurmur: Browns Insider
Published: Monday, October 17, 2011, 10:13 PM Updated: Monday, October 17, 2011, 10:18 PM
Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer
Follow
Share Email Print
Cleveland Browns News and Notes following loss in Oakland Cleveland Browns News and Notes following loss in Oakland Cleveland Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur talked with the media the day after their 24 - 17 loss to the Oakland Raiders. Hosted by Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Pat Shurmur says Josh Cribbs is making an impact on offense despite Cribbs' comments after the Raiders loss, but he wouldn't be opposed to putting Cribbs back on coverage teams.

"Sure. Absolutely. Put him out there the whole game," said Shurmur.

Cribbs said Sunday that he wants to re-focus on his bread-and-butter special teams because his role on offense is "very insignificant." He said he'd be more valuable on kick coverage.

"I know how hard it is for me to get my emotions in check in that 10-minute window," said Shurmur. "I'm sure it's the same for the players. Josh is disappointed we lost. I think he has an impact on offense. He did some good things for us. And I'm glad he wants to have more of an impact and a role on special teams.

"We're obviously trying our darndest to make sure he gets his returns. I'm glad he wants to help."

He indicated Cribbs will remain as the third receiver, behind Mohamed Massaquoi and Greg Little. Cribbs caught a 23-yard pass on the Browns' first touchdown drive, and a 7-yarder in the second half.

"We put our best players out there whether it's special teams or offense," Shurmur said. "We'll give him every opportunity to help."

He didn't fault Cribbs -- or several other players -- for questioning touches of the ball this season.

"You've got guys that are very highly competitive, that want to make a difference at winning football games and when you don't win, they're asked questions and they answer them and the fact that they want to make a difference, I think is tremendous," said Shurmur. "We'll help them do that."

Left tackle Joe Thomas also had no problem.

"You can look at it as guys are selfish or you can look at it as the guys are competitors, they want to win, they want the ball in their hands, they have great confidence. That's kind of the way I look at it.

"It's a good thing we've got guys in this offense that want the ball, they're going to demand the ball in crunch time and I think those are the type of guys that you need on your offense."

Cornerback Sheldon Brown would prefer players not go public.

"My thing is the coaches watch more film than the players, than the media, than the fans, than everyone," he said. "So they put a game plan together and it's our job to go out and execute a game plan no matter what's called or how you feel about it.

"I've always been a believer in when you start pointing fingers, then you're making excuses and you find a way not to blame yourself for what's going on. Sometimes guys say things in the heat of the battle or the heat of the moment and coaches do things, vice versa. At the end of the day, championship athletes finds a way to get it done no matter what the situation is and that would be my message to whomever's complaining."

Injury update: Shurmur had no timetable for Scott Fujita (concussion) and Joe Haden (sprained knee). He said defensive back Ray Ventrone pulled a hamstring during the game.

Quarterback review: Shurmur said Colt McCoy isn't having difficulty reading the pressure, but the offense isn't always reacting correctly. The Raiders threw some new packages at the Browns and Montario Hardesty, for one, said he had trouble picking up some of the blitzes.

"There was a couple of times where we had pressures that should have been picked up that weren't," said Shurmur. "It may have appeared that Colt didn't see it coming. He saw it coming and thought that it was picked up."

Shurmur did say that McCoy, who earned a 75.7 rating and completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes for the third time this season, "does a decent job of knowing exactly where to throw the football and he's just got to get better."

McCoy getting the ball downfield is not the issue. "What we need is completions and general efficiency," the coach said. "When we do throw downfield we need to do it better. We just keep honing in on the fundamentals and catching and throwing."

Receiving praise: Shurmur complimented Little on his first game as a starter. "(He) had six catches. I still think he can play a lot, lot better than he did." He was happy with the way the defense settled down after the first drive and kept Darren McFadden in check. "We were concerned about big plays over the top, that's why you could see at times there was some underneath stuff that they got. But I felt for the most part they battled and Dimitri Patterson stepping in for Joe Haden did a pretty good job."

He singled out Brad Maynard for "one of his best days as a Brown. You saw at the end there on a questionable snap, he got the ball down and we got it kicked through."

Falling for the fake: Shurmur assumed blame for the Raiders' fake field goal that became a touchdown.

"It was obviously surprising to us they had a fake called. It was a good job on their part. It's my responsibility to make sure that gets covered."

Handshake protocol: Shurmur didn't see the heated exchange between Lions coach Jim Schwartz and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh after San Francisco upset Detroit.

"I was made aware of it though," he said. "This is an emotional game. The handshakes are harder for the team that lost. ... I don't know what was said, what was perceived. I'll leave it at that."

Did it give him pause for the game in San Francisco in two weeks?

"Well, no. I want to shake hands with a victory," he said.

Feeling the pain: Shurmur said he hasn't been caught off guard by the fans' reaction to the 2-3 start.

"No. I've lived this before," he said. "First for 10 years in Philadelphia and two years in St. Louis, and we were building. I get it. I understand it. It's about winning football games. I'm not surprised by any reaction to anything. I anticipate it, quite frankly."

Appreciating a teammate's toughness: Thomas wasn't surprised center Alex Mack played 13 days after his appendectomy.

"Knowing Alex for three years, and seeing the type of competitor, the type of player he is, the type of toughness he has, it was never really a doubt that he was going to play," said Thomas. "I know he was a in a great deal of pain especially early on in the week, and he didn't get to practice. But unless he was in a wheelchair, he was going to be out there playing."

web page