At long last, the Brady Quinn era finally began in Cleveland last night. And while it ended in typical Cleveland heartbreak, the Browns must be excited about what they saw out of franchise quarterback Brady Quinn, making his first start after rotting on the sidelines for the last 24 regular season games. The former Notre Dame quarterback went 23-35 for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns, and even inaccurately blamed the loss on himself.

“I told everyone, this one is flat on me,” Quinn said. “I know I am good enough that I can make a play at the end and win. I felt comfortable out there, it’s my home away from home.”

Trotting out in a jersey two sizes too small and showing off his trademark cannons, Quinn looked very mobile and confident for the Browns. I’ve never seen a quarterback’s midriff on every play in a game, but it’s hard to criticize Quinn for much last night. Were it not for Kellen Winslow’s act of sabotage (or, in soldier-speak, treason), Quinn would be 1-0 and the Browns’ season wouldn’t be flushed down the tubes at 3-6.

For the Donks, the win ensures that Denver will sit alone in first place after this weekend, no matter what happens in the Chargers-Chiefs game. But it confirmed a few things. Jay Cutler is playing like the most reckless quarterback in football. Sure, he threw for almost 450 yards, but had at least four Favre-esque throws that were begging to get picked off and taken to the house. Also, much-hyped running back Ryan Torain tore his ACL, finishing his season. But thanks for the 12 fantasy points, Ryan!

Another story to take out of last night’s surprisingly great game? Brandon Marshall’s touchdown celebration, where he was planning on taking out a black and white glove in order to honor racial harmony and President-elect Barack Obama. Of course, wily veteran and honkey Brandon Stokley put an end to that fun, saving the Broncos a sure 15 yard penalty.

In this episode we take a look at the AFC North, one of the more interesting divisions in the NFL.  We discuss the oft-arrested and troubled Cincinnati Bengals and of course make fun of them.  We predict good things for both the Browns and the Steelers, and decide the Ravens really don’t have a place in the conversation.

Hosts: Kevin, Rich, Ryan

 

 AFC North [24:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Hosts: Sonny, Ryan, Kevin and Rich.In this episode, the entire Sportable staff discusses the AFC North. With this division featuring three legitimate playoff contenders, where’s that leave the Cleveland Browns and why the hell is Rich expecting such big things out of them? Can the Pittsburgh Steelers get back into the playoffs? Or will the Baltimore Ravens, lead by the best defense in the NFL, reign supreme again? All that and more in the latest episode of the Sportable Spot.

You can find Episode 33 here. (Download mp3)

For the entire month of August, the Sportable Staff will look at one National Football League team a day. We?ll look at their offense, defense and in the end, assess their playoff chances. Previews will be done by division, starting with the NFC East. Each new division will also feature a new podcast devoted entirely to that division.

Control the Pet Population. Have the Dawg Pound Spayed or Neutered.
You can’t say they’re not trying. The Cleveland Browns enter 2007 as a team that won’t contend for the playoffs, but will at least make an effort to get there. For the second straight offseason, the Browns were one of the most active teams in the league. They signed Eric Steinbach, Antwan Peek, and veteran running back Jamal Lewis, while trading up for their franchise quarterback, Brady Quinn. They’ve also needlessly placed their head coach, Romeo Crennell, on the hot seat. To try and stay out of the buffet unemployment line, Crennell hired ten new coaches, including a new offensive coordinator, Rob Chudzinski.

Offense
The Browns offense was horrific in 2006. They ranked 31st in total offense with a paltry 264 yards a game. Look for that to improve in ‘07 with Chudzinski, who previously coached the tight ends in San Diego. Considering the Chargers had a tight end that was a focal point of their offense, I would expect Cleveland to do the same with Kellen Winslow Jr., who is coming off a great 89 catch season. Winslow is a good blocker with great hands but more importantly, he’s a soldier. He can throw grenades, dodge mortar, and peacefully guide Iraq into decades of harmonious democracy pillage cities.

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All it took was Brady Quinn leaving Notre Dame and being drafted by the Cleveland Browns for us to find out his true colors. From his days at Notre Dame, NBC wouldn’t let us believe anything besides the fact that Quinn was a double major, shaved his arms, and was the best quarterback in the school’s history. Just a couple weeks after some questionable pictures of Quinn surfaced, we get more candid shots.

The disturbing picture to your right is from Brady Quinn’s sister’s wedding. As you probably know, Quinn’s sister Laura is now married to former Ohio State star and current Green Bay Packer AJ Hawk. By looking at the pictures, we’re guessing the reception was a casual affair. At the ceremony itself, Quinn and Hawk are seen embracing like any normal wedding. But then the tuxes come off.

Themed receptions seem something out of your Senior Prom, whether it’s something like “Tenetian Fire by Moonlight” or “One Final Maiden Voyage.” The Quinn-Hawk reception had a simple theme: Village People. How else do you explain this atrocity? We can’t wait to hear Joe Theismann’s criticism of Quinn after this. Here’s an idea Brady. Go to practice, answer questions, and lock yourself in your room the rest of the night.

When the Cleveland Browns traded up to land Brady Quinn 22nd overall, they expected a quarterback that came from a big-time program with a history of winning playing in big games. But not even a week after drafting him, they’ve learned something about their new franchise quarterback: He loves touching his friends’ package.

We found this out thanks to a story on Deadspin. Somewhere, Charlie Frye is laughing his ass off. They’re replacing me with this guy? If it wasn’t for his hands all over his friend, Quinn would just look like a typical frat boy. Hours at the gym, pink shirt, and a love for football. But this is all a bit too much.

Joe Thomas is lucky. He won’t be bending over in front of Quinn because he plays left tackle. However, if Thomas does a nice job in protecting Quinn’s blind side, he can expect the same treatment as a token of Quinn’s gratitude. Some running backs buy cars for their offensive linemen but Brady is going to do them all one better. He’s going to feel up Joe Thomas.

To top it off, there’s another picture of the madness that took place at this random golf course. This time, it’s Quinn and four friends, not just two. This set of photos (hopefully, no more are released) makes his other notable photo shoot look like harmless fun. If this doesn’t scare AFC North rivals, I don’t know what will.