Broncos to see the mighty Quinn

Ex-Irish player earns shot as Browns quarterback

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 5, 2008 at 10:24 p.m.

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Photo by Roadell Hickman / The Plain Dealer

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn is taking over for an inconsistent Derek Anderson, whose completion rate is only 49.8 percent this season.

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For most of two seasons, Brady Quinn has been more in the public eye for his omnipresent commercials for Subway and EAS than for the reasons he appeared in those ads in the first place.

Quinn, the Cleveland Browns' second-year quarterback, cost his franchise two picks to move up and draft him in the first round last year.

He then took the clipboard behind starter Derek Anderson and waited, then waited some more.

"I've tried to stay optimistic about things," Quinn said this week. "But coming in my rookie year, all those things were done beforehand.

"So when things didn't work out in my favor, it was tough. It was something where you're thinking, 'This isn't necessarily what you'd want to happen from a marketing standpoint.'

"I'm not sure if they're going to start rerunning those commercials again or not. We'll see."

Much will depend on how the former Notre Dame player fares in his new role as No. 1 quarterback and, according to many Browns fans, possible franchise savior, beginning with tonight's home game against the Broncos (6:15 MST, KWGN-Ch. 2, NFL Network).

On Monday, Cleveland benched the inconsistent Anderson in favor of Quinn.

The organization gets a chance to gauge what it has in him while moving forward toward next season.

One byproduct of Quinn's relative invisibility on the field, coupled with a short week of preparation, is no one truly knows what to expect from the quarterback, particularly in his season debut.

The Broncos (4-4) have seen Quinn briefly. Since departed Charlie Frye started for the Browns in August 2007 in the third preseason game, which featured the longest summer stint by both teams' starters.

But Quinn started the second half of that game, leading Cleveland on a nine- play drive to a missed field-goal attempt, then capped a short march off a Broncos fumble with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Cribbs.

Quinn completed 7-of-11 passes for 81 yards. That's three more passing attempts than Quinn since has made in the entirety of his regular-season career.

"I'm sure he's ready, especially since there's been the controversy for a while," said Broncos right tackle Ryan Harris, Quinn's college teammate and close friend. "He's probably been more prepared than if this was the first talk of him going in."

The Broncos defense is wary of the unknown.

"You have to watch a guy like that, that comes in, getting a brand-new opportunity, who's ready to play," Broncos linebacker Jamie Winborn said.

Questions about Quinn

Discovering Quinn's tendencies is the tricky part.

"We know he's athletic. We know that he has a strong arm. But it's finding the little things that help all defensive linemen," Broncos end Ebenezer Ekuban said. "How he sets. Is he a runner? Is he likely to stick in the pocket under pressure? Those things are hard to find when you don't have a lot of film on a guy."

The expectation from the Broncos is the Browns coaching staff won't overwhelm Quinn with a complicated game plan. The Broncos expect to switch up defensively with multiple looks to try to confuse Quinn and make him uncomfortable in the pocket by applying pressure, especially because adjusting to the speed of the game might take the quarterback some time.

"We want to be sound on our end," Broncos cornerback Karl Paymah said. "Don't give him any keys and make his day as hard as possible. We've just got to go out there and hold our looks and just hit him to have him second-guessing himself."

Anderson started 23 games for the Browns and compiled a 13-10 record. But this season, his completion rate was only 49.8 percent, prompting the move to Quinn.

"I don't know what they're doing playwise and stuff like that," Harris said. "But I do know he's always prepared and works hard to make sure he's doing the right things. He studies a lot of game film. And he's a leader. He's got a skill set that can help his team out."

During Quinn's stint as a four-year starter with Notre Dame, he shattered 36 school records, including pass attempts (1,602), completions (929), yards (11,742), touchdown passes (95) and lowest interception percentage (2.43).

Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Quinn has shown a good command of the huddle running the scout team, where the quarterback didn't merely run the opponents' anticipated plays off cards but translated the formations and calls to his team's offensive terminology.

"I'm somewhat impressed by that," Crennel said.

Keeping it simple?

Sunday against the Dolphins, the Broncos backed off the 3-4 front they had used for several weeks and went to a more basic 4-3 alignment, stressing the fundamentals of stopping the run and taking away the deep pass.

And with two more starters out - Wesley Woodyard is expected to replace D.J. Williams at weak-side linebacker and Calvin Lowry for Marlon McCree at free safety - the Broncos might not look to get too exotic, either, especially with the short preparation.

On the other hand, Quinn likely will not have had time to study the matchups closely, given the condensed time frame and injury situation.

"This is his second year. He's been in the system a long time and he knows what's going on," Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler said. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

But Quinn's career as the other type of pitchman already has him in a hole.

The quarterback still hasn't delivered on his promise of a stack of Subway gift certificates for Harris and will have that on his to-do list, too, for the prime-time televised matchup.

"That's actually a true statement," Quinn said. "I'll have to bring some to the game and slip them to him somehow."

• November 6, 2008

  4:40 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  angryman1n writes:

  Honestly why do we care about the Iverson/Billups/McDyess trade??? These guys are ancient by NBA standards.

  Billups is a good player that brings championship experience, but he's now playing in Denver. The Broncos, Nuggets, and Rockies are all the same.... WEAK.

• November 6, 2008

  7:33 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  The_KIMN_Chicken writes:

  Broncos on the road at night equals a loss. In fact typically it's a blow out loss, they tend to not show up for these games going back 30 years. I'm not too optimistic that will change tonight, this team has shown it's true colors already and I'm sure have already decided to mail this one in. Quinn will look like Joe Montana in the Super Bowl tonight, book it.

• November 6, 2008

  8:37 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Anhydrous writes:

  You guys cant possibly be *TRUE* Denver Bronco fans because of your pessimistic outlook.Go root for the other AFCW teams or give your team support through good times and bad.There will always be bumps in the road,but you guys make it into a trench for gods sake.Not only will we beat the Brownies,we will assimilate them in true Bronco fashion tonight!
  GO BRONCOS !!! Time for the Torrain Train !!!

• November 6, 2008

  8:45 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  BlueSky writes:

  Guys, it'll be the rookies night for Denver with Royal and Torain firing up the offense, with Ryan "The Gladiator" Glady providing protections to the "soft" Cuttler. Look for good things to happen which probably will help the Broncos to regroup.

  Suggestion for Shanahan: hire Greg Robinson back to coach the D. He might not be that good, but by far he's the best D coach under Shanahan run.

• November 6, 2008

  8:51 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  BlueSky writes:

  Hoora Anhydrous !!! Remember the guy who claimed up the billboard and stayed up there for a couple weeks to protest the Broncos consecutive loses during Wade Philips days? That's the TRUE fan!!!

• November 6, 2008

  11:08 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brad writes:

  The offense does not have enough talent to compensate for the lack of talent on defense. When the offense can't out score the other team our defense can't stop the other teams offense from doing what it wants to do. I wonder if the defense players are embarrassed by the way they play and take a pay check. They should go up in to the stands and give the fans the money they make for showing up to watch them. Or they should give it back for not doing what they are payed to do.

• November 6, 2008

  11:18 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  RustyWon writes:

  KIMN Chicken must not have seen the Broncos first game this season. It was on the road, at night, and we crushed the raiders.

  I see the Broncos re-grouping and getting the win tonight.

  Cutler and Marshall will respond.

  Book It.

• November 6, 2008

  2:36 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  dilligaf writes:

  Romeo Grennel will come out smelling like a rose. What a smart way of getting a QB started in the NFL. He has paid attention enough to see that this Denver Defense has made young inexperienced QB's look like Joe Montana & John Elway. Don't buy that? Just go back a couple weeks ago at New England.

• November 6, 2008

  2:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  JCut6JElway7 writes:

  The Broncos are in 1st place in the AFC West. How it happened is irrelevant. 8 games left and we control our own destiny. Brady Quinn is Brian Griese reincarnated. As bad as the Bronco D has looked most of the year he is the perfect remedy for them. AND he's playing at home. A couple INT's a few sacks and the fans will turn on him putting on even more pressure. On the flip side of the ball Jay is going to have to throw about 40-45 passes tonite to help the running game. With Marshall, Royal, Stokley, and Scheffler back the passing game can be leathal. All we need is a "W" and there's 10 days to stay alone in 1st place and get ready for the Falcons.

• November 6, 2008

  3:26 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  The_KIMN_Chicken writes:

  I've never understood the blind faith is the only true fan mentality. I watch as a fan but if the team stinks then the team stinks and lets be real about it and get people in here who are better. This is professional sports after all. The rah rah stuff is great for college kids but these guys need to win or they're gone.

  And the guy on the billboard was Rich Goins and he wasn't a fan it was a publicity stunt for 103.5 The Fox.

• November 6, 2008

  3:33 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  chill134 writes:

  Dear Obammesiah,
  Please oh please don't let the Broncos lose to the Browns. Thanks for listening.

• November 6, 2008

  3:40 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Rutabaga writes:

  I'm doing all the right things for a Bronco win tonight. I got my lucky Bronco socks on. They haven't been washed since TD broke his knee. I just ate two quarts of Gravel Pit Super Deluxe Ice Cream with Real Snicker Chunks without a spoon. I feel a little sick, but it's a good kinda sick, a Bronco win kinda sick... Just before the game I'll chug down a sixpack Captain Wallee's All Natural Root Beer. When it mixes with the ice cream, watch out. Yep, the Broncos are going for the BIG W tonight. And when they do, I'm gonna blow my car horn till dawn or till the police come, which ever comes first... This season isn't over, no way Hoesay.

• November 6, 2008

  4:07 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  pete10000ft writes:

  Denver has who for a running back?

• November 6, 2008

  5:15 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  chip writes:

  youre right about the billboard guy Mr. Chicken & i think it was in 1990...but our defense this year makes Wade's Orange Slush group of 94 look pretty good in comparision

• November 6, 2008

  10:07 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  BlueSky writes:

  I hate to tell you this, but I told you so. It's the rookies show. Cutler was amazing on top of that.

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