LANDOVER, Md. — Washington’s Jason Campbell is the NFL’s only starting quarterback who hasn’t thrown an interception.
The Browns defense is fourth in the league with nine interceptions, including eight in the last three games, and first in interception percentage.
Something’s gotta give today, and the Browns hope it’s Campbell.
“We’re going to compete with these guys and hopefully he’ll throw us a few,” said Brandon McDonald, one of three defensive backs with a pick in Monday night’s win over the Giants. “They’re trying to eliminate as many as they can and we’re trying to get as many as we can.”
Turnovers are consistently one of the most accurate indicators of success. Teams with a positive turnover ratio win, those on the negative side lose.
This year is no exception. The league’s only unbeaten, 5-0 Tennessee, ranks first in turnover ratio at plus-6. The Browns are tied at plus-4 with Pittsburgh (4-1), Indianapolis (3-2) and Washington (4-2), among others.
“Turnovers really impact the game because the ball is the most important thing on the field,” Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel said.
The Redskins have treated the ball like a family heirloom.
In the West Coast system of first-year coach Jim Zorn, the Redskins became the first team in NFL history to play the first five games without an offensive turnover. They fumbled three times in the first half against the Rams last Sunday, but remain the only team in the league without an interception.
Dating to last year, the Redskins have thrown 309 passes without a pick, and Campbell’s 201 straight are a franchise record. He is 115-for-179 (64.2 percent) for 1,262, six touchdowns and a 96.2 rating.
“Their offense is more of a control offense. They don’t really make many mistakes,” McDonald said.
“I know his plan is not to throw any (interceptions),” said safety Brodney Pool, who had an interception Monday. “He’s been doing a great job of that.”
The Browns (2-3) have been nearly as effective in creating turnovers. In their two-game winning streak, they have forced eight while committing two.
“I don’t think anybody can dictate when the turnovers are going to come and how many you are going to get, but if you are able to come up with them and you have a knack for getting turnovers that just helps your team,” Crennel said.
Pool credited a switch in philosophy under first-year coordinator Mel Tucker, the former secondary coach, for the influx of turnovers. The young cornerbacks are playing much closer to the line of scrimmage — no more 12-yard cushions — and Tucker is calling more man-to-man coverage than predecessor Todd Grantham.
“It’s a lot different this year,” Pool said. “The coaches preach on tight coverage, being in the right spot.
“We want to get picks, we’re preaching about it, we’re talking about turnovers every day in practice. Once you start thinking like that, it starts happening.”
Cornerback Eric Wright has been the best at making it happen. His three interceptions are tied for fourth in the NFL, and his 94-yard return for a touchdown clinched the win over the Giants.
“Anytime you are in position to make a play it’s your job to make it,” he said. “We have done a good job to maximize our opportunities.”
The same would be said of the team if it can pull another upset today. The Browns have a chance to get back to .500 after an 0-3 start, but the Redskins are 71/2-point favorites and one of four teams ranked in the top 10 in offense and defense.
“We’ve got two wins under us and need to keep it rolling,” linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said. “It’s like anything else, you create a habit.
“We can’t afford to come out and be flat. We’ve got to get better from last week.”
Quarterback Derek Anderson (310 yards, two touchdowns) and receiver Braylon Edwards (career-high 154 yards, touchdown) would settle for playing the same as Monday night. They finally resembled their 2007 Pro Bowl form as they ignited an offense that had been stagnant for the season’s first month.
“Derek played freer in that game,” offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski said. “At the quarterback position it is inevitable that those guys are going to make mistakes and sometimes you’re pressing or sometimes you’re playing not to make mistakes.
“Derek went out there and he wasn’t worried about that. He was going to make plays.”
If mistakes are inevitable for a quarterback, then Campbell’s due to throw an interception of two. The Browns would be more than happy to catch them.
Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Redskins RB Clinton Portis vs. Browns LB D’Qwell Jackson

D’Qwell Jackson is so excited about returning to Maryland, where the Redskins play and he played college ball for the Terrapins, he’s set his goals high.
“We want to hold Clinton Portis definitely under 100 yards this week,” Jackson said.
Easier said than done.
Portis (5-foot-11, 223 pounds) ranks first in the NFL with 643 rushing yards, is second with six touchdowns and has three straight 100-yard games. He’s carried an NFL-high 136 times and is averaging 4.7 yards.
“He has deceptive power,” Jackson said. “You think he’s a smaller guy, but he has a good dose of speed and power. To me, he’s an underrated back.”
Portis ranks seventh among active runners with 8,229 career yards. His 69 rushing touchdowns are third among active backs, and he’s fifth all time with 112.3 scrimmage yards per game.
Jackson is coming off one of his best games as a Brown, tying a career high with 16 tackles. He leads the Browns with 55 tackles, but the run defense hasn’t made a drastic improvement as hoped.
It allows 137 yards a game (25th in the NFL) and gave up 181 yards against the Giants while missing defensive end Shaun Smith. He is out again with a broken hand, and replacement Louis Leonard is a step down.
The Redskins are third in the NFL with 152.3 rushing yards a game and have 24 runs of
10-plus yards. Portis is the biggest reason.
“What does he do best?” linebacker Kamerion Wimbley asked. “I would say he’s a fast runner.”

NICKEL COVERAGE: Five points of interest in today’s game

DEATH OF PENALTIES

The Browns have been penalized 47 times in five games, never fewer than nine times. On Monday night, six of the 10 penalties were false starts — and that was at home. They better have discovered discipline during the week, because they’ll need it in a loud FedEx Field that seats 91,704 fans.
“Fortunately we were able to overcome them this week,” center Hank Fraley said. “You can’t have that week to week, though. I’d like to see a no-penalty game. That would be great.”

DON’T WAIT TOO LONG

The Browns would be well-advised to have a lead entering the fourth quarter. They’ll need the cushion.
The Redskins gave up a last-second field goal to lose to the Rams last week, but they’ve outscored the opposition 44-13 in the fourth quarter. Jason Campbell has completed 70 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and a 116.3 rating, and Washington’s 18 rushing first downs are an NFL high. The Browns are 1-3 when trailing after the third quarter.

PROTECTION PRIORITY

The Browns offense finally found its form Monday night, and perhaps the biggest reason was the play of the line. Quarterback Derek Anderson wasn’t sacked and said he was hit only two or three times all game. The line picked up the Giants’ blitzes early, allowing the Browns to hit big plays and forcing the Giants to back off.
When he’s comfortable in the pocket and able to get in a rhythm, Anderson turns into a Pro Bowler.

ONE THAT GOT AWAY

The recent history of the Browns is littered with tales of regret from draft day. Courtney Brown over Chris Samuels is one such story.
With the No. 1 pick in the 2000 draft, the Browns took Brown, the Penn State defensive end. The Redskins followed with linebacker LaVar Arrington No. 2 and left tackle Samuels No. 3. While Brown and Arrington are out of the league, Samuels continues to play at an all-star level. He’s made five trips to the Pro Bowl and has missed four games in eight years.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS

The most productive player and the most noteworthy acquisition on the Redskins defense have ties to Northeast Ohio. Linebacker London Fletcher, who has a team-high 50 tackles, attended Division III John Carroll University, and defensive end Jason Taylor, who’s dealing with a calf injury, went to the University of Akron.
Fletcher is undersized at 5-foot-10, 245 pounds but remains highly productive. He’s started 125 straight games and leads the NFL with 1,159 tackles this decade.
“He’s one of our captains, he’s one of our mainstays,” coach Jim Zorn said. “He plays an exciting brand of football.”

JUST THE FACTS

WHERE: FedEx Field, Landover, Md.
RECORDS: Browns 2-3; Redskins 4-2
LAST WEEK: Browns beat Giants 35-14 on Monday night; Redskins lost at home 19-17 to Rams
SERIES: Browns lead 33-9-1
SERIES AT WASHINGTON: Browns lead 16-3-1
LAST MEETING: Browns won 17-13 on Sept. 3, 2004, in Cleveland
COACHES: Romeo Crennel is 22-31 with Browns and overall; Jim Zorn is 4-2 with Redskins and overall
TV/RADIO: Channel 19, with broadcasters Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots; WMMS 100.7-FM, WTAM 1100-AM
NFL RANKINGS (OUT OF 32 TEAMS): Browns — offense 28th
(T-23rd rushing, 26th passing), defense 17th (25th rushing, 11th passing); Redskins — offense 7th
(3rd rushing, T-17th passing), defense 8th (6th rushing, 13th passing)
BROWNS UPDATE: LB Alex Hall leads NFL rookies with three sacks. He’s registered a sack in three straight games.
• The defense is eighth in third-down efficiency, allowing opponents to convert 42.9 percent.
• WR Braylon Edwards had a career-high 154 yards receiving vs. the Giants. It was the sixth-most receiving yards in the NFL this year.
• QB Derek Anderson raised his rating to 64.1, which ranks 29th in the NFL.
• Browns are 0-3 when scoring fewer than 20 points, 2-0 when scoring at least 20.
REDSKINS UPDATE: Washington signed P Ryan Plackemeier after waiving Durant Brooks. Plackemeier played in 33 games with Seattle with 181 punts for a 42.3-yard average and 57 downed inside the 20-yard line.
• TE Chris Cooley leads the team with 30 catches.
• WR Santana Moss leads with 443 yards and three touchdowns.
• The Redskins have outgained opponents 152.3 to 83.8 in rushing yards a game.
• CB Carlos Rogers has 12 passes defensed and an interception.
BROWNS INJURY REPORT: Out: DL Shaun Smith (hand); Questionable: S Mike Adams (hamstring), T Ryan Tucker (knee), TE Kellen Winslow (illness); Probable: T Kevin Shaffer (concussion).
REDSKINS INJURY REPORT: Out: RB Ladell Betts (knee); Doubtful: CB Shawn Springs (calf); Questionable: S Chris Horton (ankle), RB Clinton Portis (hip), CB Fred Smoot (groin), DE Jason Taylor (calf); Probable: CB Carlos Rogers (calf), T Chris Samuels (ankle), LB Khary Campbell (calf), G Pete Kendall (knee).
THE PICK: If the Browns are going to get back into playoff contention for real, they need to pull a couple of upsets on the road. Why not start this week? Browns 24-20.

TODAY

WHO: Cleveland at Washington
TIME: 4:15 p.m.
WHERE: FedEx Field, Landover, Md.
TV/RADIO: Channel 19; WMMS 100.7-FM, WTAM 1100-AM

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---