CLEVELAND BROWNS

PRESS RELEASE

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Cleveland Browns Communications Department

Ken Mather, Manager · Amy Palcic, Coordinator · Nathan Boudreaux, Coordinator · Matthew Carson, Intern

www.clevelandbrowns.com · 76 Lou Groza Blvd., Berea, Ohio 44017 · Phone: 440-891-5000 · Fax: 440-891-5010

Each Thursday the Browns will send out “Browns Bits” with updated news & notes, transactions and quotes as a supplement to the weekly release.

INJURY REPORT

CLEVELAND: OUT: TE Steve Heiden (knee); DOUBTFUL: NONE; QUESTIONABLE: DL Ebenezer Ekuban (groin), DL Corey Jackson (ankle), RB Lee Suggs (neck), DL Gerard Warren (pectoral); PROBABLE: OL Melvin Fowler (ankle)

DALLAS: OUT: WR Randal Williams (shoulder); QUESTIONABLE: C Tyson Walter (knee), OG Andre Gurode (knee), FB Richie Anderson (knee)

NEWS & NOTES

AN END AWARDED WITH A STRONG BEGINNING: DL Kenard Lang was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for games played on NFL Kickoff 2004 Weekend (September 9-13). Lang was instrumental in the victory over the Ravens. He recorded three sacks on the day for 25 yards, which tied a career-best for Lang. He also had 3 tackles, 2 QB pressures and 1 forced fumble.  As a defensive unit, the Browns defense held the Ravens to only 254 net yards of offense, including only 88 net yards rushing, and held Baltimore RB Jamal Lewis to 57 yards rushing on 20 carries (2.9 avg.).

WHAT A RUSH: Who was the only quarterback to have a rushing touchdown after week one? QB Donovan McNabb? No. QB Michael Vick? No. QB Brett Favre? No. Browns QB Jeff Garcia was the only quarterback in the NFL with a rushing touchdown last weekend. Garcia’s three-yard scamper in the fourth quarter solidified the Browns victory. Over the last two NFL seasons, Garcia leads all NFL QBs with eight rushing touchdowns (7-2003; 1-2004).

Rushing touchdowns by a quarterback from 2003-2004

Quarterback Rushing TD

Jeff Garcia (SF/CLE) 8

Daunte Culpepper (MIN) 4

Steve McNair (TEN) 4

Donovan McNabb (PHI) 3

Jake Plummer (DEN) 3

Kordell Stewart (CHI) 3

Michael Vick (ATL) 1

CONSISTENTLY KICKING IT: K Phil Dawson, is the owner of the longest current streak of consecutive field goals made in the NFL. His current streak of 12 straight FGs is the second longest of his career. His longest career streak is 21 straight, which he accomplished, over two seasons (from 10/7/01 - 9/22/02). Indianapolis Colts K Mike Vanderjagt holds the NFL record for consecutive field goals with 42, but that streak ended last week when he missed a field goal in the Colts season opener against New England.

Longest Active NFL Streak/Consecutive Field Goals Made

12 Phil Dawson (Cle.)

11       Jason Hanson (Det.)

9            Jason Elam (Den.)

Jeff Wilkins (St.L.)

FULL CIRCLE: The last time the Browns and Cowboys faced off at Texas Stadium (Dec. 10, 1994), Dallas veteran QB Vinny Testaverde was calling signals for the Browns.  Testaverde is a 17-year NFL veteran and spent three seasons (1993-95) in Cleveland.  Browns rookie TE Kellen Winslow (7/21/83) was just four years old when Testaverde (11/13/63) began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987.

CARRYING THE LOAD: Last week, with RB Lee Suggs listed as inactive on Sunday, the Browns looked to RB William Green (22 carries-65 yards) to carry the load. Green, the Browns first round (No. 16 overall) pick in 2002, has started 18 career games in Three seasons and racked up 1,511 yards and 7 TDs. Here’s a look at the Browns record in games where Green gets the lion’s share of the work:

· 5-0 record when Green rushes for 100+ yards

· 5-1 record when Green scores a rushing TD

· 8-3 record when Green has 20+ carries

· 6-0 record when Green has 25+ carries

RAISING CANE: The University of Miami (Fla.) has produced 43 players that were on opening day rosters for all NFL teams. The pipeline of bringing in talent from the Hurricanes has continued in Cleveland. Head Coach Butch Davis, who was formerly the head coach at University of Miami (Fla.), has six former Hurricanes on his roster, the most in the NFL.

MIAMI TIGHTS: The University of Miami (Fla.) has not only produced Browns Head Coach Butch Davis, but it have also produced three first round draft picks at tight end.  TE Bubba Franks of the Green Bay Packers, TE Jeremy Shockey of the New York Giants and TE Kellen Winslow of the Browns, who made his debut last Sundaywith four receptions for 39 yards; are all former Hurricanes. Listed below is the result of the first game at tight end for Franks, Shockey and Winslow:

Rec      Yards   Avg.  TD

Kellen Winslow (CLE)     4          39         9.9      0

Jeremy Shockey  (NYG)    3          44        14.7     0

Bubba Franks     (GB)     1          4          4.0       0         

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM

Head Coach Butch Davis

(On playing against the Cowboys) – “This is our first opportunity since I have been here and the team has been back to have the opportunity to play against Dallas. There is a lot of extra work that we must get done to familiarize ourselves with their players and schemes. Defensively, they present a lot of challenges and at least as many if not more than Baltimore did last week. It is a 4-3 defense and not a 3-4 defense, so we have to make a quick transition. They have three outstanding receivers that have excellent hands and catch the ball as well as any threesome in pro football. They have a veteran experienced quarterback in Vinny Testaverde, who threw the ball extremely well last week. He has an excellent arm. He has been in the league so long there are not many ways that you can trick him. He is very smart and makes good decisions with the ball. I know they are going to run the ball. Last week, they got out of their running mentality a little bit in Minnesota because they got behind a little early in the ball game. They had to play catch up and throw the ball.”

“They were the number one rated defense in the NFL last year. DB Terrence Newman in the secondary is an excellent cover corner and S Roy Williams is one of the best eight men in the box. He is one of the best strong safety/free safety combinations in the NFL. DT La’Roi Glover is a werewolf. He is 60-minutes of hell every time that the ball is snapped. He gives phenomenal effort every time the ball is snapped. They have fast, experienced linebackers like LB Dexter Coakley that have played together for six or seven years. They are an experienced veteran group. It will be quite a challenge for us.”

QB Jeff Garcia

(On playing at 40 years old like QB Vinny Testaverde) – “I take it from year to year at this point. For him to still have the emotional up for the game and to still physically be able to do it, gives him great credit for what he has gone through throughout his career.. At 40, I don’t know if I will still be able to scratch and claw like I do today, but you never know. You take it one game at a time and one year at a time, but I give him tremendous credit for what he is doing.”

(On the difference between Baltimore’s defense and Dallas’ defense) – “They are obviously both very good defenses. You can’t look at what happened in Minnesota as being indicative of what Dallas is as far as a defense is concerned. I have played against them in the past. They are very solid at what they do. They bring a good pass rush up front. They have blitzes every now and then. They have good leadership at the linebackers position and some excellent athletes in the defensive backfield. Game wise, I don’t think that they are all that tricky in what they do, but what they do they know well and do it well. They play within their scheme well and create difficult situations like third and long. They have played great team defense over the past few years. I don’t see them being any different than Baltimore. It is something that we have to prepare for and be excited for the next challenge that we face, because nothing is going to come easy. We are going to have to work extremely hard to be successful on the field.”

TE Kellen Winslow

(On S Roy Williams) – “He is almost like another linebacker when they put eight guys in the box. He becomes an extra linebacker for them. He is very similar to S Ed Reed with the Ravens.”

OL Kelvin Garmon

(On the weather in Texas) – “It gets really hot down there. I laugh at guys here who complain when it is 85 or 86 degrees. I never complain about the heat. I know what it can be like. We need to stay well hydrated and when we get there we will do our best.”

DE Kenard Lang

(On the difference in the defense) – “One of the main things about this team now is we have more depth than we’ve had before. We keep rotating people in and out so I don’t think we’re going to miss a beat.”

(On how to keep the focus and intensity going this week after a big win vs. Baltimore in the opener) – “(We want to go to the) Super Bowl. The easiest way to get to the Super Bowl is to win every game. I’m not saying we have to win all of them at home and split on the road. We’re trying to win every game. Is it a possibility? Yes. Is it going to be hard? Yes. But, the possibility is still there of us doing it and we can’t depend on anybody by ourselves.”

(On the identity of this team) – “We’re going to get our true identity after the first four or five games – then we’ll be able to tell how this team is really going to be. Consistency is what great teams have and that’s what we need to have. These first four or five games should be able to dictate what kind of team we really have.”

LB Andra Davis

(On facing Dallas this week) – “We played a good game as a team (last week), but we have another tough challenge this week against Dallas. They lost their first game and this is their home opener so I’m sure they are going to be ready for us. We just have to match their intensity and keep the same focus that we had last week against Baltimore.”

(On keeping the intensity going on defense) – “If we want to be the defense that we want to be – in the top three – then we have to keep the intensity every week. We have to keep up with the same intensity and the same prepareation as we did for Baltimore week and just keep going.”

DL Gerard Warren

(On missing some time last week) – “One individual person doesn’t make up our defensive unit. Every now and then one or two of us will go in and get the shine on, but with us as a defensive unit, everyone has to get the shine on. Physically I wasn’t on the field (last week) but mentally and spiritually I was (out there). I was just trying to help any way that I can.”

DL Michael Myers

(On the defense) – “We can be real good. We have a lot of interchangeable athletes (on the defensive line). We just want to keep rolling and keep guys fresh.”

(On going back to face his former team) – “I’m not really that excited. We just want to take it game-by-game this season. I left on good terms. They really didn’t give me a reason why (I was released). I just try to go out there and play.”