Berea, OH (Sports Network) - Cleveland Browns wide receiver/kick returner Josh Cribbs and running back Jamal Lewis have been listed as questionable for Sunday's tilt with the Detroit Lions.
Cribbs was hospitalized after taking a big hit on the final play of last Monday's 16-0 loss to Baltimore. He lateraled the ball after a reception on the final play and immediately was leveled by a defender. He lay on the ground while trainers attended to him, then was immobilized and taken off the field for what head coach Eric Mangini called precautionary reasons.
The injury, which limited Cribbs during the week's final two practice sessions, has since been labeled as a neck sprain.
Mangini said Friday he expected Cribbs to resume all of the roles he normally plays over the course of the game. Cribbs is also used frequently as a rusher in wildcat packages.
Lewis is dealing with a nagging ankle injury that has yet to cost him time in 2009 but continues to limit his production. The 10th-year back was limited in practice all week and rushed just 10 times for 36 yards in the loss to Baltimore.
Also listed as questionable for Cleveland is guard Rex Hadnot (knee) and fullback Lawrence Vickers (shoulder).
But the Browns? In the last 15 games, Cleveland quarterbacks have combined for only three touchdown passes and 28 interceptions.
"Well, they haven't scored a lot of touchdowns," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said, stating the obvious the way opposing coaches often do with his team. "They've been in a little bit of a transition. They've gone back and forth with quarterbacks, they traded a guy like Braylon Edwards away (in October), and they have a couple young receivers. .. They haven't had a lot of explosive plays and stuff like that; it translates to scoring. They still have talented players."
Asked Friday if he'd like to avoid breaking that record, Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll replied, "Yes, of course. We have to get some points on the board this week. Just start one step at a time. I can't think that far down the road with those numbers. I want to score as many touchdowns as we can this week."
With just five offensive touchdowns in their last 15 games, however, the Browns, who also rank last in the NFL in total defense, already have done something no team has managed to do since 1950. What's more -- or less, actually -- Cleveland hasn't had a running back or a receiver score a touchdown in a regular-season game since last November.
Of the five they've scored as a team this season, two were rushing touchdowns by Derek Anderson, the quarterback who was benched after an awful October. One was a touchdown reception by tight end Steve Heiden, who went on injured reserve this week. Another was a TD catch by backup tight end Robert Royal in the final 30 seconds of a blowout loss to Minnesota in the season opener.
"It's not fun," Daboll said. "We are going out there and working. It's not like we are not trying. We are trying our butts off. Trust me. It's not to the point where you are going to be hiding underneath the table. You can't do that. You have to wake up the next day and go out there and fight. We have to execute to keep the drives going and we have to hit some plays."
The Lions certainly have given up their share, and they rank last in the NFL in multiple pass defense categories -- yards per game, yards per attempt, passer
There’s one guy on the Saints roster that has given Tampa Bay fits throughout the years, and that’s Reggie Bush. No matter how poorly his season is going, Reggie always finds a way to score on the Bucs and steal games for the Saints. But guess who’s on the injury report after missing two practices this week? That’s right – Reggie Bush. Does his absence leave the Bucs a slight opening?
The Saints have been awfully resilient over the past four weeks, coming from behind in 3-of-4 games and holding off a near comeback by Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Compared to the Colts, however, their competition has been seriously lacking and they really haven’t been tested to the brink.
Think about it – they nearly lost to the St. Louis Rams and they absolutely gutted their betting faithful in a 28-24 win when they had a double-digit spread to cover.
I’ve been touching on this subject all season, but the league’s leading offense (36.8 points per game) is starting to show weakness, wear and tear as the season marches on. They are pushing up big scores in exciting games, but they’re just not dismantling teams like they’re supposed to be doing. With Reggie Bush out, the workload falls to the unreliable PT Cruiser and an injury prone Mike Bell.
Is it true? Can the Bucs post an upset with a rookie at quarterback facing the best team in the NFC right now? Tampa is just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games, but they’re 2-0 ATS when Josh Freeman is under center. Sure, they may be 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games when playing New Orleans, but a lot of that was attributed to their inability to catch Reggie Bush. With the former USC standout out of the picture, the Bucs sure as hell have an opening.
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