Patriots still strong despite preseason forecasts

The New England Patriots ended last season badly - Tom Brady with a mediocre stretch of games, Wes Welker with a knee injury and the Baltimore Ravens with a lopsided first-round playoff win over Bill Belichick's team.
The New York Jets reached the AFC title game, then grabbed the nfl jersey
offseason spotlight by adding big-name veterans, making ''Hard Knocks'' must-see TV and signing, after a long holdout, the only player who coach Rex Ryan says can cover Randy Moss, Darrelle Revis.
Then this season's games began.
Patriots 38, Bengals 24.
Ravens 10, Jets 9.
So the national sports magazine that had New York quarterback Mark Sanchez on the cover when it picked his team to win the division over New England put Brady there this week for the 12th time, with Moss by his side.
The Patriots are off to a good start in pursuit of their seventh AFC East title in eight years, but one game doesn't make a season. How these teams compare will be clearer Sunday when they meet at the New Meadowlands Stadium, where Revis will try to shut down Moss.
''I look forward to the matchup,'' Moss said. ''I have a lot of respect for Darrelle Revis. He's a young player who definitely matured faster than most young players do. I'll get the best from him. He'll get the best from me. The only thing I can say is, collectively as a team, hopefully we get the best of the Jets.''
Three-time Super Bowl champion New England dominated Cincinnati, another team that got offseason hype when it signed Terrell Owens to join Chad Ochocinco as a dangerous wide receiving duo who also happen to be reality TV stars.
''Hype doesn't come from us,'' Patriots running back Sammy Morris said. ''We're just focused on going and playing the game.''
Brady was sharp in the opener, completing 25 of 35 passes for 258 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions just three days after he was ''scared out of my mind'' but unhurt in a two-car crash. He wasn't sacked as the Patriots overcame the absence of two-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins, an unrestricted free agent who hasn't reported.
Welker had eight catches for 64 yards and two TDs less than eight months after surgery for a torn knee ligament. Moss, despite feeling unappreciated by his lack of a contract for 2011, had five receptions for 59 yards before voicing his concerns at a postgame news conference.
Add in touchdowns on interception and Minnesota Vikings jersey
kickoff returns and the dominance was thorough.
''We put it all together,'' nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. ''We were flying around. There were times when it was like we were on another planet.''
Now they're back down to earth, where Belichick likes it.
''I don't think there's anything that carries over into the next game, per se,'' he said. ''It doesn't really matter how you did last week or who you did it against. It's different people. It's a different scheme. It's different the next time you do it. You have to prove it every week in this league. Last week doesn't mean anything.''
The Jets hope he's right.
Against the Ravens last Monday night, they gained just 176 yards with six first downs and no touchdowns. Sanchez threw for 74 yards.
Brady has said he ''hates'' the Jets and wouldn't watch ''Hard Knocks.'' On Sunday, he'll get a closeup view of the defense that was ranked first in the NFL last year.
New England's defense is rebuilding with speed and athleticism. Only four defenders who started the 33-14 playoff loss to Baltimore started against Cincinnati. The first-string cornerbacks are rookie Devin McCourty and second-year pro Darius Butler. And two reliable veteran starters, defensive end Ty Warren and cornerback Leigh Bodden, are out for the season.
''We wanted to contain them and limit the big plays,'' Butler said of the Bengals. ''You can be more aggressive and take your shot because even if you miss your tackle, there's three or four more guys coming to back you up, so it gives you more confidence when you have speed out there.''
The defense lost four mainstays before last season - Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison to retirement and Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel in trades. The current Patriots have just eight players from their last championship team that won the Super Bowl after the 2004 season.
While television viewers' eyes were on the Jets training camp and their ears on Ryan's salty language, the tightlipped Belichick kept the Patriots out of the spotlight.
''Who knows what's right or wrong?'' Brady said. ''Our style has worked for us and that's what's most important. We're not trying to be the Jets and they're not trying to be the Patriots.''
Those two styles will clash on Sunday - a loudmouthed team whose coach talks about winning the Super Bowl and a quiet club that focuses on the next game, not the next title.
''As a team, I can honestly tell you we're Indianapolis Colts jersey
not riding high,'' Moss said. ''The Jets were the Super Bowl favorites to whoever's eyes and we respected that. And I think that the only motivation that you can have as a player or coach is to go out here and just work harder every day.''

Cowboys coordinator takes blame for botched play

Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is taking the blame for trying an ill-fated play at the end of the first half against Washington instead of having Tony Romo take a knee.
''I called the play,'' Garrett said Wednesday. ''It's my fault.''
Garrett called for a Hail Mary when Dallas was at its own 46-yard line with 4 seconds left and trailing 3-0. Before the snap, a penalty pushed the Cowboys back 10 yards. Romo ended up shoveling the ball to running back Tashard Choice. He fumbled and the Redskins returned it for nfl jerseys
their only touchdown in a 13-7 victory.
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Monday he was ultimately to blame because he could've overruled Garrett. The offensive coordinator realizes he should've done it on his own.
''In hindsight, it should have been called off. Absolutely,'' Garrett said. ''We've had an aggressive style here, really throughout our football team and on the offensive side of the ball, for the last three years and it's served us well. Having said that, you have to manage situations better.
''That was a situation where we should have just taken a knee and should have gone into the locker room.''
The play loomed so big because Garrett's offense Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
cored only one touchdown, despite producing 380 yards. It's a problem they had last season, too.
''You look at our third downs, we got into some third-and-12s, third-and-13s, -14s, -15s that were all on drives after penalties,'' Garrett said. ''You have to be able to sustain your concentration and focus throughout a drive. Obviously making some big plays and having some of the drives be shorter (would) help too, but we'll continue to address it individually and collectively and make sure we get that right going forward.''
Things could change Sunday, at home against Chicago, because Dallas may have right tackle Marc Colombo and left guard Kyle Kosier back in the lineup. Both missed the opener, but practiced Wednesday.
Colombo's return would mean sitting Alex Barron, whose three holding penalties included one on the final play that wiped out a potential game-winning touchdown catch by Roy Williams.
''We emphasize the importance of Indianapolis Colts jersey
working hard each and every day in meetings and practice and rectifying some of the things that have gone wrong and going forward,'' Garrett said. ''The Bears are going to be here on Sunday. It's going to be a great challenge for us.''

NFL Injury Report

The National Football League injury report, as provided by the league (OUT - Definitely will not play; DNP - Did not practice; LIMITED - Limited participation in practice; FULL - Full participation in practice):
SUNDAY
PITTSBURGH STEELERS at TENNESSEE TITANS - STEELERS: DNP: WR Arnaz Battle (knee), DE Nick Eason (not injury related), LB James Farrior (not injury related), NT Casey Hampton (hamstring), DE Aaron Smith (not injury related), T Max Starks (ankle), WR Hines nfl jersey
Ward (not injury related). LIMITED: QB Byron Leftwich (knee), WR Emmanuel Sanders (quadricep), LB Jason Worilds (shoulder). TITANS: DNP: DT Tony Brown (not injury related), DE William Hayes (knee), T Mike Otto (knee).
BALTIMORE RAVENS at CINCINNATI BENGALS - RAVENS: Practice not complete. BENGALS: DNP: DE Jonathan Fanene (hamstring), LB Keith Rivers (foot). LIMITED: RB Cedric Benson (shoulder). FULL: WR Andre Caldwell (groin), CB Brandon Ghee (head), RB Brian Leonard (foot).
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at DETROIT LIONS - EAGLES: DNP: LB Stewart Bradley (concussion), QB Kevin Kolb (concussion). FULL: LB Antwan Barnes (wrist), RB Mike Bell (toe), DT Brodrick Bunkley (ankle), G Nick Cole (knee), G Todd Herremans (ankle), T Austin Howard (back), DT Trevor Laws (oblique), LB Ernie Sims (wrist, quadriceps). LIONS: DNP: DE Cliff Avril (knee, finger), S Louis Delmas (groin, biceps), LB DeAndre Levy (groin), QB Matthew Stafford (right shoulder). LIMITED: S C.C. Brown (forearm). FULL: RB Jahvid Best (toe).
ARIZONA CARDINALS at ATLANTA FALCONS - CARDINALS: DNP: S Hamza Abdullah (hamstring), WR Early Doucet (groin), DE Kenny Iwebema (knee). LIMITED: RB Beanie Wells (knee). FULL: WR Larry Fitzgerald (knee), RB Jason Wright (toe). FALCONS: DNP: S Erik Coleman (knee), WR Michael Jenkins (shoulder). FULL: T Tyson Clabo (ankle), G Joe Hawley (hip), CB Christopher Owens (knee), CB Dunta Robinson (ankle), CB Brian Williams (hamstring).
MIAMI DOLPHINS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS - DOLPHINS: DNP: LB Ikaika Alama-Francis (illness), LB Channing Crowder (groin), DT Jared Odrick (ankle). VIKINGS: LIMITED: CB Chris Cook (knee), CB Cedric Griffin (knee), WR Percy Harvin (hip), DT Jimmy Kennedy (knee), T Bryant McKinnie (finger). FULL: QB Brett Favre (ankle/back), RB Toby Gerhart (knee), C John Sullivan (calf).
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at CLEVELAND BROWNS - CHIEFS: DNP: DE Tyson Jackson (knee). LIMITED: DE Wallace Gilberry (back), LB Tamba Hali (foot), T Ryan O'Callaghan (groin). BROWNS: DNP: QB Jake Delhomme (ankle), LB D'Qwell Jackson (chest), T Shawn Lauvao (ankle), CB Derrick Roberson (hip), DT Shaun Rogers (ankle, hip). LIMITED: LB Marcus Benard (shoulder), C Ryan Pontbriand (ankle), S Nick Sorensen (head), G Floyd Womack (knee).
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at CAROLINA PANTHERS - BUCCANEERS: DNP: DT Roy Miller (illness), TE Kellen Winslow (knee). LIMITED: RB Kareem Huggins (groin). FULL: QB Josh Freeman (right thumb), G Davin Joseph (quadricep). PANTHERS: DNP: DE Tyler Dallas Cowboys jersey
Brayton (ankle), WR Brandon LaFell (hamstring), DT Louis Leonard (elbow), T Jeff Otah (knee). LIMITED: WR Charly Martin (concussion), QB Matt Moore (concussion), LB Jordan Senn (ankle), RB Tyrell Sutton (shoulder).
BUFFALO BILLS at GREEN BAY PACKERS - BILLS: DNP: C Geoff Hangartner (ankle), S Cary Harris (hamstring), LB Paul Posluszny (knee). FULL: LB Antonio Coleman (hamstring), LB Reggie Torbor (chest). PACKERS: DNP: LB Desmond Bishop (hamstring), DE Mike Neal (side, rib), CB Charles Woodson (toe). LIMITED: T Chad Clifton (knee), DE Cullen Jenkins (hand), LB Clay Matthews (hamstring), CB Brandon Underwood (shoulder). FULL: S Derrick Martin (ankle).
CHICAGO BEARS at DALLAS COWBOYS - BEARS: DNP: LB Lance Briggs (ankle), LB Nick Roach (hamstring). LIMITED: WR Devin Aromashodu (knee), RB Matt Forte (knee). FULL: WR Earl Bennett (hamstring). COWBOYS: DNP: RB Deon Anderson (knee), LB Sean Lee (hamstring), LB DeMarcus Ware (head), T Sam Young (knee). FULL: T Marc Colombo (knee), G Kyle Kosier (knee).
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at DENVER BRONCOS - SEAHAWKS: Practice not complete. BRONCOS: DNP: T Ryan Harris (ankle), G Chris Kuper (knee, ankle), S Darcel McBath (forearm), WR Eddie Royal (groin), LB Wesley Woodyard (hamstring). FULL: WR Demaryius Thomas (foot).
ST. LOUIS RAMS at OAKLAND RAIDERS - RAMS: OUT: LB Chris Chamberlain (toe), TE Michael Hoomanawanui (ankle). DNP: CB Kevin Dockery (hamstring), RB Steven Jackson (knee), CB Justin King (hamstring), WR Laurent Robinson (ankle). LIMITED: LB Josh Hull (knee), DT Fred Robbins (foot). RAIDERS: Practice not complete.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - JAGUARS: DNP: S Anthony Smith (foot). LIMITED: RB Deji Karim (thumb), CB Scotty McGee (shoulder). CHARGERS: Practice not complete.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at NEW YORK JETS - PATRIOTS: DNP: T Nick Kaczur (back), CB Terrence Wheatley (back). LIMITED: WR Julian Edelman (foot), RB Fred Taylor (toe). FULL: QB Tom Brady (right shoulder). JETS: OUT: LB Calvin Pace (foot). LIMITED: S Brodney Pool (ankle).
HOUSTON TEXANS at WASHINGTON REDSKINS - TEXANS: LIMITED: S Dominique Barber (shoulder), T Duane Brown (hamstring), TE Owen Daniels (knee), RB Vonta Leach (neck), CB Antwaun Molden (ankle), DT Amobi Okoye (ankle), DE Mario Williams (groin), S Eugene Wilson (back). FULL: WR Kevin Walter (hip). REDSKINS: DNP: S Kareem Moore (knee). LIMITED: DT Albert Haynesworth (ankle), LB Perry Riley (foot). FULL: QB Donovan McNabb Indianapolis Colts jersey
(ankle), RB Clinton Portis (wrist).
NEW YORK GIANTS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - GIANTS: OUT: T William Beatty (foot), TE Kevin Boss (concussion). DNP: LB Chase Blackburn (knee), LB Phillip Dillard (hamstring), CB Bruce Johnson (knee), S Michael Johnson (not injury related), WR Hakeem Nicks (ankle), DE Osi Umenyiora (knee). FULL: CB Aaron Ross (foot), LB Gerris Wilkinson (groin). COLTS: DNP: WR Anthony Gonzalez (ankle), S Bob Sanders (biceps), LB Clint Session (hamstring). LIMITED: T Charlie Johnson (foot). FULL: LB Cody Glenn (hamstring), CB Jacob Lacey (head), C Jeff Saturday (knee).

Bolts off to another slow start under Turner

SAN DIEGO (AP)—The San Diego Chargers picked up right where they left off in January.
Eight months after stumbling out of nfl jerseys
he playoffs against the New York Jets, the Chargers lost 21-14 as road favorites against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
It’s another slow start during Norv Turner’s tenure as head coach.
Before the season, Turner said he thought this team can be the best in his four seasons as head coach.
The Chargers were without holdout left tackle Marcus McNeill(notes) and Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson(notes). Even if Jackson had signed the contract he was tendered as a restricted free agent, he would have been sidelined due to a three-game NFL suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Another player the Chargers clearly missed was Kassim Osgood(notes), a three-time Pro Bowl special teams player who was allowed to leave as a free agent. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who visit on Sunday for the Chargers’ home opener.
Osgood caught the game-winning 24-yard touchdown pass from David Garrard(notes) in the Jags’ 24-17 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It was Osgood’s first TD catch since 2004. Although Osgood was a star wide receiver at San Diego State, Turner never gave him a chance to Dallas Cowboys jersey
play the position while he was the Chargers.
“You can get into that,” Turner said when asked Tuesday if the Chargers missed Osgood. “A year ago, when we lost all the guys throughout the year, we were able to replace them. I believe we can replace anyone who’s not here. I’m not going to spend a lot of time talking about people who aren’t here.”
The Bolts’ big breakdowns Monday night were on special teams, including rookie Dexter McCluster’s(notes) team-record 94-yard punt return for a 21-7 halftime lead.
“The disappointing thing, obviously, was our coverage game,” Turner said. “I don’t know if they were affected by the footing, the weather, they became tentative. But we had a number of guys, six or seven guys, who have been stellar special teams players here over the last two to three years, have tough plays and tough production on the coverage teams. It’s obviously something that we have to address and we have to address quickly and get better at.”
To put the loss in perspective, the Chargers did more in three months last year—they won their final 11 regular-season games—than the Chiefs did in three years. Kansas City won only 10 games combined the last three years.
Accustomed to scoring more than 30 points a game, the Chargers have scored 28 Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
combined in their last eight quarters. They lost 17-14 to the Jets in the playoffs.
The Chargers have nearly 10,000 tickets available for their home opener, including more than 7,000 general admission tickets needed to be sold to lift the local TV blackout. The Chargers have been able to lift the blackout for 48 straight regular-season and playoff games.

1 down, 3 to go for Roethlisberger-less Steelers

PITTSBURGH (AP)—The Pittsburgh Steelers realize it could have been a whole lot worse.
Dennis Dixon(notes) could have easily thrown another couple of nfl jerseys
interceptions. The defense could have allowed a single touchdown. Jeff Reed(notes) could have missed that 52-yard field goal.
If any one of those had happened, the Steelers might be staring at a possible 1-3 or 0-4 start without suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes). Instead, they played just well enough to beat the Atlanta Falcons 15-9 in overtime on Sunday—a victory that told them that, unlike many NFL teams, they’re good enough to win with their No. 3 quarterback.
That was one big sigh of relief exhaled by an entire football team after Rashard Mendenhall’s(notes) 50-yard touchdown run won it.
For more than five months, the Steelers knew they must get by for a month or longer at the start of the season without the quarterback who was good enough to win two Super Bowls in four seasons. They were convinced they had enough left to win without him but, until they actually did it, there was always that lingering doubt.
After all, the Steelers hadn’t won a game without Roethlisberger at quarterback since Charlie Batch(notes) started and won the 2006 season opener against Miami, a few days after Roethlisberger had an appendectomy.
Now, they might have to win for a couple of Indianapolis Colts jersey
weeks without left tackle Max Starks(notes), who has a high ankle sprain in his left leg and seems certain to miss at least one game. Such injuries commonly sideline a player for multiple weeks. He was replaced by former Bills tackle Jonathan Scott(notes).
“We’ve got some things to work on, absolutely, like all 31 other teams do,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “But we get to do it while we’re 1-0.”
Winning at Tennessee (1-0) on Sunday will be more difficult. Still, the Steelers believe if their defense can keep performing at a 2008-like level, Roethlisberger will be trying not to save the Steelers’ season once he returns Oct. 17 against Cleveland, but to keep it going.
“Obviously, we seized the moment,” said Dixon, who had a relatively rough start yet still managed the offense well enough to lead four scoring drives.
For this game, it wasn’t about who was missing but who was back—safety Troy Polamalu(notes) and end Aaron Smith(notes) on a defense was No. 5 overall in the league last season but didn’t really play up to such a level. There were too many long completions, too many blown leads in the fourth quarter, too many wide receivers who got loose downfield only a season after the Steelers had one of the best years statistically by any NFL defense since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.
One of the big question marks about these Steelers was how a defense loaded with players who are 30 or older would respond after such a season. Whether a defense that has been one of the NFL’s best for years was getting too old and fragile to play at a top-of-the-league level. Whether Polamalu and Smith would hold up after being injured and out much of last season.
For one game, this was the answer: The Falcons moved the ball inside the Steelers 20 on only one of 13 possessions.
“That was a great way for our defense to start,” James Farrior(notes) said.
This week, that defense will be challenged by Titans running back Chris Johnson, who ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns Sunday in Tennessee’s 38-13 victory over Oakland. Johnson is the NFL’s leading rusher since the start of the 2008 season, and is the only Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
running back during that time to average more than 100 yards per game (105.5 yards).
However, only the Vikings have allowed fewer yards rushing than the Steelers during that period. Since 2005, the Steelers have given up only four 100-yard games.
“That’s a great defense over there,” Falcons coach Mike Smith(notes) said.

Self-promoting Bengals get pummeled

CINCINNATI (AP)—Chad Ochocinco(notes) and Terrell Owens(notes) already have plenty of material for their soon-to-air reality show.
First topic: How could they have gotten so totally aired out in the season opener?
The Cincinnati Bengals were pushed around during a 38-24 loss at cheap nfl jerseys
New England on Sunday that brought back memories of the bad old days when such things happened regularly. Their season opener was an eye opener for the defending AFC North champs.
“We just didn’t play how we normally play,” safety Chris Crocker(notes) said Monday. “It’s just a sick feeling because we feel like we have a lot to prove, and we just got embarrassed yesterday. They just beat us in all phases.”
Even their self-styled superheroes were irrelevant.
Ochocinco had Tweeted to his 1.2 million followers that he and Owens—who are working on a reality cable show to air next month—would perform a “symphony” for the Patriots. Instead, New England did a number on them.
In the first half, the Bengals managed only 105 total yards before the final play, a desperation throw by Carson Palmer(notes) that Jordan Shipley(notes) caught at the 3-yard line as time ran out. That play became the defining moment of the dynamic duo’s debut.
Neither one was involved in the Bengals’ longest play of the day.
Ochocinco had left the field to get fluids intravenously to prevent cramping in the second half. Owens had joined him in the locker room, leaving the backups to pull off the last play. After the game, Owens declined to say why he left the field. Coach Marvin Lewis said only that Owens went to get checked out, declining to say anything more.
A day later, Lewis said TO’s absence involved a problem with his shoes.
“Well, the guy had shoes that just got here on Saturday,” Lewis said. “Again, we don’t need to get into all of Minnesota Vikings jersey
that. It’s over. It occurred, but it’s not that big a deal. We were ready to go with the (other) guys. We knew he had gone in.”
Neither receiver was available during the open locker room time on Monday. Ochocinco was headed off to host a wrestling show. Owens was promoting his fantasy football challenge on Twitter.
Both had already apologized—through their Twitter feeds, of course—for a debut that could best be described as unreal.
“Yes!! WE played bad!!” Owens tweeted. “No excuses!! There, u happy? I said it! Batman (stunk) & so did Robin! Nt how u start but how u Finish!!”
Ochocinco’s take?
“Apologies to Cincy fans, tough loss today, only week 1, we’ve a long season ahead, all of you be blessed,” he tweeted after the game.
TO and Ochocinco put up big numbers in the second half against a defense that seemed to ease up after the Patriots got ahead 31-3. Ochocinco finished with 12 catches for 159 yards. Owens had seven catches for 53 yards. Palmer passed for 345 yards, throwing it 50 times overall.
“We are playing down by a number of scores, so we had to take some shots and run some plays we normally wouldn’t run in those situations,” Palmer said Monday. “I was throwing some balls I normally wouldn’t throw in those situations, just to make touchdowns fast.”
The drubbing was complete. Palmer had an interception returned for a touchdown. The Patriots ran back the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. The defense had no sacks—Tom Brady(notes) was hit only twice during the game—and gave up 248 yards in the decisive first half.
A defense that finished No. 4 in the NFL last year had one of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
its worst days during Lewis’ eight seasons.
“We’ll just take a step back, humble ourselves, realize that we aren’t as good as we think we are and think we can be,” Crocker said. “But we still have to get where we’re going. We can’t live off last year’s defense and how good we played because it’s a new year.
“We just have to go out there and continue to try to prove that we are good, prove to ourselves now—because we (stunk) as far as what you saw yesterday.”

Browns’ Delhomme hurts ankle in opener

BEREA, Ohio (AP)—Turns out, the Browns may have more to worry about than Jake Delhomme’s(notes) two costly interceptions in their opener.
Making his regular-season debut for Cleveland, Delhomme injured his football jersey
right ankle while throwing a pick late in the first half of Sunday’s 17-14 loss at Tampa Bay. Coach Eric Mangini said Delhomme will undergo tests on the ankle, which appeared to bother the 35-year-old quarterback during the second half.
Browns president Mike Holmgren said Delhomme was “sore” Monday and that doctors intend to work on him in preparation for Sunday’s home opener against Kansas City.
Mangini said he never considered bringing in backup Seneca Wallace(notes) after Delhomme got hurt.
“His ankle got a little twisted up, but he felt good enough to continue on it, and I felt good enough with him continuing on at that point,” Mangini said, offering no other specifics about Delhomme’s injury or when he’ll have the tests.
It’s likely Delhomme will undergo an MRI, which will give doctors the most detailed look at his ankle.
With the Browns leading 14-3 and driving toward a possible score before halftime, Delhomme tried to sidearm a pass to tight end Benjamin Watson(notes) while being tackled. The errant pass was intercepted by Buccaneers defensive back Ronde Barber(notes), who returned it 64 yards to the Cleveland 3.
Tampa Bay scored on the next play, trimming the Browns’ lead to 14-10 and giving the Bucs momentum.
“That changed a lot of things,” Mangini said. “That was a big swing.”
Holmgren said Delhomme was hurt on the critical play.
Delhomme was not available to reporters during the 30 minutes that Cleveland’s locker room was open to reporters on Monday. He attended team meetings, dressed and left.
The Browns signed the former Carolina QB as a free agent in March, hoping he could stabilize their perpetual quarterbacking problems. Delhomme was nearly flawless during the exhibition season, completing 79 percent of his passes and making good decisions during limited playing time in three games.
But on Sunday, Delhomme showed some of Indianapolis Colts jersey
the bad habits that led to him throwing a career-high 18 interceptions with the Panthers, who waived him after last season.
Mangini refused to lay all the blame for the game-changing interception on Delhomme, saying it was a confluence of mistakes.
“He should have done a better job of throwing it away or eating it,” Mangini lamented. “That was one part of it. I don’t think we were firm enough in the protection and he shouldn’t have been pressured the way he was, but that wasn’t a function of a blitz or anything like that.”
Mangini said another problem was that when Delhomme looked to dump the ball over the middle, two receivers were in the same area.
“That’s how it’s going to work with a lot of interceptions,” Mangini said. “Yes, Jake should have made a better decision. He knows it and I’ll expect that in the future, but there were other components in that play that contributed just as much as that decision.”
Delhomme, the 14th different quarterback to start a game for the Browns since 1999, accepted responsibility for the first-half interception—a throw he wanted back as soon as he released it.
“I’m the one with the ball in my hands and I’ve got to be smarter than that,” he said. “Certainly that was a 10-point swing right there.”
Before committing the two turnovers, Delhomme had given the Browns everything they’ve asked since he joined them. He was elected a team captain last week by his new teammates, who have been impressed with his leadership, enthusiasm, selflessness and work ethic.
But it’s his performances on Sundays that will count most.
“I still believe in him,” center Alex Mack(notes) said. “He’s a great guy and a great quarterback. I know he will do everything he needs to do to improve.”
Mack said he didn’t notice Delhomme struggling on the tender ankle after halftime.
Last week, Mangini joked that with Delhomme around he wasn’t having to talk about quarterbacking issues following a season in which both Brady Quinn(notes) and Derek Anderson(notes) took turns winning and losing the starting job. One week into a new season, though, and his starting QB is a hot topic.
However, Mangini remains confident Delhomme will rebound Dallas Cowboys jersey
from his rough opener.
Why?
“Because he’s smart, he cares, he understands where the mistakes were,” Mangini said. “I can tell you with those interceptions, I know it always goes back to the quarterback, but it’s a group effort.”