Quinn has firm grasp on playbook

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Quinn has firm grasp on playbook

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008 1:12 AM EST

By Jeff Schudel

[email protected]

For some reason there are people in the media, and maybe some fans, under the impression Brady Quinn spent a year and a half primping in front of a mirror just because he wasn't starting at quarterback for the Browns.

It wasn't that way at all.

On Monday a television reporter from a station that will remain unidentified said, "Is it hard learning all the plays — I know you know most of the plays — but ...

Before the young guy could continue, Quinn set him straight while wearing a wide smile so the reporter wouldn't think Quinn was being pompous.

"I'm pretty sure I know all the plays," Quinn said.

He should.

Quinn has had the same playbook since August of 2007, and even while he was holding out as a first-round draft choice he was studying the playbook while working out in Arizona.

The coaches know Quinn knows all the plays, too, and as time goes on he will get more opportunities to demonstrate his knowledge of the playbook.

Menu selections were limited in his debut last week because it was his first start and because the Browns played Thursday instead of Sunday. The decision to make Quinn the starter was not made until three days before the Browns played the Broncos.

Quinn completed 23 of 35 passes against the Broncos, who ranked 29th defensively before the game. He completed 10 passes to tight end Kellen Winslow, three to tight end Steve Heiden, two to running back Jamal Lewis, one to fullback Charles Ali and one to running back Jerome Harrison. That means only six passes were caught by wide receivers — four by Donte Stallworth, one by Braylon Edwards and one by Syndric Steptoe.

Scouts from the Bills, the Browns' opponents Monday in Buffalo, were in the press box Thursday, noting Quinn's tendency to throw to Winslow. It will not take long for defenses to neutralize him if he does not start involving his wide receivers more.

Quinn said the main reason Winslow caught so many passes is the Broncos used defenses to take Edwards out of the play.

"He handled himself very well, so I think you gradually feed him," Coach Romeo Crennel said Monday. "I don't think you want to throw the whole thing at him, but he has been in the system now for a year and a half.

"He showed he can manage the team, handle the pressure of the game. Now, against a different opponent, we'll see how he does against those guys."

Quinn had just two days of practice to digest the game plan and practice with the first team last week.

Since the next game is Monday, he and the offense have an extra day of practice. And though he has long had knowledge of the offense, he did not work extensively with the starters until last week with the exception of the two weeks in preseason when Derek Anderson was recovering from a concussion.

Even though the Browns scored 30 points against the Broncos, Quinn blamed himself for the loss because the Browns turned the ball over on downs on their final possession. Winslow also accepted blame for dropping a fourth-down pass with 50 seconds to play.

Quinn completed 23 of 35 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns. He threw no interceptions and wasn't sacked. His passer rating was 104.3. Five-year veterans would be satisfied with that stat line.

"I played OK," he said. "I can play a lot better than that. I'm used to playing better than that. This week, especially with an extra day, I'm going to be extra hard on myself to make sure we tighten things up and get a win."

Something has to give. The Browns (3-6) have lost two in a row. The Bills (5-4) have lost three straight.

[Lumbergh]

@shepwrite said:

Quinn's best quote: "I'm pretty sure I know all of it." With a cocky smile.

Kid's a quarterback.

That's incredible that he knows the playbook. Amazing I tell ya.

[AZBrowns]

@lumbergh said:

That's incredible that he knows the playbook. Amazing I tell ya.

This must be affecting you emotionally inside. Have you gone to see a shrink yet?

[OconRecon]

I like a QB with swagger, yet we know he has the modest thing down too.

[Mr. T]

Menu selections were limited in his debut last week because it was his first start and because the Browns played Thursday instead of Sunday. The decision to make Quinn the starter was not made until three days before the Browns played the Broncos

yeah he was stuck with the $5.00 sub menu. maybe he can get us an italian BMT this week.

[Legacy Fan]

@azbrowns said:

This must be affecting you emotionally inside. Have you gone to see a shrink yet?

AZBrowns-

Hands down the greatest avatar on the board. Hands down.

[ballpeen]

I don't know why he wouldn't.

[lemosley01]

@lumbergh said:

That's incredible that he knows the playbook. Amazing I tell ya.

Well it is, considering the now backup QB of the Cleveland Browns/team 'Captain' didn't, and he had ACTUAL playing time with it.

But then, I'm sure you Oralgonians find intelligent quarterbacks who actually know their position something of an oddity.

[Pumpkin Eater]

please stop quoting lumbnuts. I have him on ignore and would never see his gay ass posts if people stopped quoting him.

[Lumbergh]

Pumpkin Pumper is this video really you?

[Masters]

@lemosley01 said:

Well it is, considering the now backup QB of the Cleveland Browns/team 'Captain' didn't, and he had ACTUAL playing time with it.

But then, I'm sure you Oralgonians find intelligent quarterbacks who actually know their position something of an oddity.

Hey, hey hey, DA had a firm grasp of the playbook. Well, more correctly, the playbook had a firm grasp on DA's wrist. Man it was nice seeing a QB w/o the flip open wrist playbook that went by the waste side 20 years ago

[Lumbergh]

Masters said:

Hey, hey hey, DA had a firm grasp of the playbook. Well, more correctly, the playbook had a firm grasp on DA's wrist. Man it was nice seeing a QB w/o the flip open wrist playbook that went by the waste side 20 years ago

hey masterbater, what's that thing on BQs wrist look like to you?

[Masters]

@lumbergh said:

hey masterbater, what's that thing on BQs wrist look like to you?

That's a play script like all QBs have now, not the flip open play book DA wears

untitled.bmp

[mz.]

@lumbergh said:

That's incredible that he knows the playbook. Amazing I tell ya.

What's truly amazing is the fact that your boy couldn't.

[Lumbergh]

Masters said:

That's a play script like all QBs have now, not the flip open play book DA wears

take a closer look masterbater.

[Lumbergh]

mz. said:

What's truly amazing is the fact that your boy couldn't.

Haha! you're a real Rodney Dangerfield mz the pussy. What's amazing is that some dumbshit goes out of his way to write an article to say that BQ knows the teams' effing plays. What's gay is that shep and co think that's some kind of accomplishment.

[Masters]

@lumbergh said:

take a closer look masterbater.

Still not a flip open there Lummy (read, buddy, read). Of course if you watched the game, you would have seen BQ's didn't flip open, while DA flips his open like he's Don Strock. Oh, and look at DA's photo again, he's got one on each arm.

[nickers]

@lumbergh said:

Haha! you're a real Rodney Dangerfield mz the pussy. What's amazing is that some dumbshit goes out of his way to write an article to say that BQ knows the teams' effing plays. What's gay is that shep and co think that's some kind of accomplishment.

You have over extented your stay here...have some class and dignity...if you have any...and just leave "us real browns fans" alone!

[mz.]

@lumbergh said:

Haha! you're a real Rodney Dangerfield mz the pussy. What's amazing is that some dumbshit goes out of his way to write an article to say that BQ knows the teams' effing plays. What's gay is that shep and co think that's some kind of accomplishment.

I prefer Mitch Hedberg, but thank you for admiring my skill.

Point is, Lum, we're (fans, writers, whoever) not amazed that someone can actually memorize the plays, we're relieved that we now have a QB actually capable of doing so.

[Masters]

@lumbergh said:

Haha! you're a real Rodney Dangerfield mz the pussy. What's amazing is that some dumbshit goes out of his way to write an article to say that BQ knows the teams' effing plays. What's gay is that shep and co think that's some kind of accomplishment.

Actually, if you read Sheps post you'd see he went out of his way to single out how Brady answered the question. Like a NFL QB does.