2008-09-11 Browns Bits Vs Pittsburgh

For Immediate Release September 11, 2008 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: DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE: S Sean Jones (knee), TE Martin Rucker (knee), WR Donte' Stallworth (quadricep); LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE: WR Joshua Cribbs (ankle), LB Kris Griffin (elbow), G Rex Hadnot (knee), S Brodney Pool (concussion), T Ryan Tucker (hip), LB Kamerion Wimbley (groin). PITTSBURGH: DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE: CB Deshea Townsend (foot); LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE: QB Ben Roethlisberger (r shoulder). NEWS & NOTES BROWNS AGAINST PITTSBURGH ON PRIMETIME: Sunday night’s contest will mark the seventh time the Browns and Steelers have faced each other on primetime. The Steelers hold a 4-2 advantage in the all-time season series on primetime. Browns vs. Pittsburgh on Primetime: Date: Day Result: 9/16/85 Monday W, 17-7 11/13/95 Monday L, 3-20 9/12/99 Sunday L, 0-43 10/5/03 Sunday W, 33-13 11/13/05 Sunday L, 21-34 12/7/06 Thursday L, 7-27 BROWNS ON SUNDAY NIGHT: The Browns are 17-23 overall in primetime games, including an 11-12 mark at home. Cleveland holds a 1-8 record in Sunday night contests. FOLLOWING A WEEK 1 HOME LOSS: The Browns are 10-5 in games following a Week 1 home loss alltime. The last three times the Browns opened the season with two home games (2001, 2002, 2007), Cleveland dropped the first contest but won the second. The Browns hold an all-time record of 35-20-1 in Week 2 games since Cleveland’s inaugural season in 1946.

UPCOMING CAREER MILESTONES: Sunday night’s contest will mark LB Willie McGinest’s 200th career NFL game. It will also mark the 100th career game played by DL Shaun Rogers. Also, K Phil Dawson sits 7 points shy of 800 in his career. His 793 career points ranks 13th among active kickers. UPCOMING IN THE COMMUNITY: Race for the Cure: Members of the Cleveland Browns staff as well as several players wives and significant others will once again participate in the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure this Saturday, Sept. 13. The Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure Series raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease. In an ongoing effort to promote breast cancer awareness, the Cleveland Browns are selling pink hats throughout the 2008 season for $15, with $5 of each sale supporting breast cancer awareness and prevention through the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Cleveland Clinic Breast Center. Movie Time: On Tuesday, Sept. 16, nearly 250 youth football players and other area youth will be a part of a special viewing of the movie “The Express”, the incredible story of Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. The movie opens to the public Oct. 3, however through a partnership between the NFL and Universal Pictures, as well as Regal Cinemas, this special event is being made possible. FROM THE LOCKER ROOM Sean Jones (On his injury)- “I think the best thing for me to do right now is to get the scope tomorrow, get everything cleaned out and ready to go so I can be back as soon as possible for the rest of the season. They say typically this takes 3-5 weeks to get back. It is various on how it goes. I am just going to do everything I can – rehabbing and get back as fast as I can.” (On the game against Dallas)- “Initially I was just trying to grind it out and play, rehab and get treatment throughout the season but the way I felt on Sunday I felt I couldn’t do that. I had a lot of swelling and pain in there so I made the decision to go in there and get it done. I definitely think I wasn’t myself out there. There was a lot of pain even in the warm up but I was going to try to stick through it and play it out but unfortunately I wasn’t able to do that. The best thing for myself and the team right now is to get the scope tomorrow.” Derek Anderson (On last year’s loss in Pittsburgh)- “We just didn’t throw it and catch it. We didn’t execute in the second half. We had opportunities when you go back and look at it you missed a few throws, dropped a few balls and just

stupid little things if we convert a few third downs use a little clock and get our defense off the field we probably end up winning it. We just have to go out and execute.” (On what they need to do versus the Steeler defense)- “You just have to get the ball out, make good decisions. They bring a lot of pressure and a lot of times we can block it. It is just seeing it and identifying it and making sure we are all on the same page. Communication will be huge for us this week.” Braylon Edwards (On his expectations after last week)- “I expect a better game. I expect to go out there and play better. We have practiced hard and I think the focus has been there this week so far. I see a better focus and concentration. I think we will come out and give ourselves a better chance to fight in this game.” (On the Browns losing streak versus the Steelers)- “It hurts. I have only been here three years so I am 0-6 and there are guys who have been here longer than myself. Steve Heiden, Phil Dawson and these guys are very eager to get a win. First you have to give (the Steelers) their credit, they play well as a defense and they make plays when they need to on offense. We have to come out here and play them play by play, quarter for quarter and 60 minutes as opposed to what happened last year or (them winning) the Super Bowl three years ago. We just have to play them at face value.” Jamal Lewis (On the Pittsburg defense)- “They play the 3-4 real good. They have been playing it so they know it. They bring in guys in free agency and in the draft that they can fit in their system. They do it very well and they play it very well. At the same time, they are men just like we are men and we just have to go out there and execute and do our job.” (On comparing the Dallas defense to Pittsburgh’s)- “Nothing is different about a 3-4 but the players. It depends on what type of talent you have in the 3-4. You have to have four good linebackers to run a 3-4. They have the perfect formula. They have a big nose guard in the middle in (Casey) Hampton. They have two good ends that do their job. The 3-4 is all about being disciplined in what you do and they are.” Brodney Pool (On losing Sean Jones)- “It is going to hurt but you just have to go from it. We are going to have to build. Mike (Adams), me and Nick (Sorensen) are going to have to step up and make plays and fill that void.” (On rushing his return due to Jones’ injury)- “I’m not going to rush a head injury. It is very crucial to me and my career. I don’t need to rush things and be out even longer. I am going to try to play and hopefully I will.” Willie McGinest (On playing his 200th career game on Sunday)- “I didn’t even know about that until somebody told me. It’s a blessing to be able to be in the league that long and play in that many games.” (On the importance of the Steelers game)- “As a Cleveland Brown we haven’t beaten them in quiet a long time. They kind of run the division which is no secret but we want to change that. We didn’t get off to a great start

like we didn’t get off to a great start last year. That is one thing we don’t want to be consistent with is playing games like we played in a row. A lot of guys were bitter after the game and we didn’t enjoy the way we performed. We felt kind of embarrassed for not only our self and the team but the fans and everybody else. We are going to come out here and play hard, make a statement. We are not going to try to do anything out of the ordinary. We are going to try to play good football. It is going to be a physical game. We know these guys move quick and they are a disciplined team that is well coached so we are going to have to match their intensity. We are going to have to be disciplined ourselves, not get the penalties and do what we are supposed to do on the football field.” -BROWNS-