Browns Syndrome Maintains Its Grip, Lose to the Vikings 34-20

Money makes the world go round, world go round. Joshua Cribbs this past week was threatening to sit out the regular season games until he got a contract agreement. Thank goodness he didn't. He was the only bright spot in what otherwise was a dismal beginning to the season for the Cleveland Browns. Cribbs had a total of 207 yards of punt and kick returns highlighted by a 67 yard punt return for a touchdown. There was one minor mishap, but it was recovered. Negotiations I think will be tipped in his favor by that performance.

The dark spot was a running back by the name of Adrian Peterson. The Browns defense just couldn't contain him. He compiled 180 yards on 25 carries with 3 touchdowns. His longest was 64 yards for a touchdown. Fantasy players just had to love that performance. Jamal Lewis by comparison had 57 yards on 11 carries and 3 receptions amounting to 47 yards.

All the hipe during the week leading up to the game was about Brett Favre and Brady Quinn. Quinn involved in a quarterback hullabaloo and Favre for just being Favre. Favre had a somewhat mediocre showing, but when you have a running back like Peterson behind you it is easily overlooked. Favre could only manage 110 yards on 14 completions out of 24 attempts with one touchdown. On the other hand, Quinn faired alittle better. He had 205 yards on 21 completions out of 35 attempts. Quinn finally managed a 26 yard touchdown pass to Robert Royal with 28 seconds left. Whether-or-not that was enough to quiet the controversy, time will tell.

At least, for one half of the game, things looked good for the Browns, but then the second half began and the bottom fell out. Browns fans can take solice from the fact that it is the first game, there are 15 more yet to be played. From where they are right now, the bottom, the team can only go up. If they can take anything of value out of their performance today they now know where they need to improve or maybe they already did and just don't know how to fix it. Just an added note, things got pretty ugly in the Dawg Pound. Browns syndrome maintains its grip. Is there a cure in the near future?