The Cleveland RB situation

[mapache2]

Between Suggs' spinitosis, tough week one and week two opponents and a #2 who really seems to be the coach's guy, how long do you think it will take to determine if Suggs or Green have real value and how do you think it will play out?

[P. Griffin]

I think you will know after this week, but I don't have a clue which one it will be. Hopefully Green, because I have him on my roster.

[fishsauce9]

Most likely Green will end up starting, but i don't believe any of the RBs in CLE have much value....

[moochman]

I think they will try to get Suggs some action if he does well in practice, but Green will get most of the work. It scares me to hear any player having a spinal stenosis. There have been many players who had had to retire because of it. They get concussed or a severe stinger and find the stenosis then are told to retire or risk paralysis. Maybe Suggs case is a mild stenosis, or narrowing, and it won't affect his career because he looks like he could be a studly good RB.

[bryan1327]

Here is a link of an article that our local news papaer had out today..might shed some light on the subject...
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http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/foo ... 870.htm?1c
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Ok..link not working..sorry about the length..but here is the article..
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Posted on Fri, Sep. 17, 2004

No pain, Suggs anxious to gain

Back at practice, RB wants to play. Green seeks improvement

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal staff writer


BEREA - Browns running back Lee Suggs sounds like the frustration of not contributing for two weeks is eating him alive.

``It doesn't hurt,'' he said. ``That's the hardest part. I don't feel injured right now.''

Suggs practiced for the second consecutive day after suffering a stinger on Sept. 1, but Browns coach Butch Davis doesn't allow contact on Thursdays. Suggs remains questionable for Sunday's 4:15 p.m. game at Dallas.

In his absence last weekend in a 20-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, William Green carried 22 times for 65 yards. But the Browns managed just 85 yards as a team and averaged 2.9 yards per carry. The lone touchdown on the ground came from quarterback Jeff Garcia.

The fact that the Browns' running game ranks 23rd in the league this week has no impact on Suggs' state of mind.

``If they did rush for 100 (yards) or they don't, it doesn't matter,'' he said. ``Every game, every practice, I just hate it.

``I've been rarin' to go the last two weeks. I feel good, I feel like I can play.''

Asked if he was upset because he's missing the chance of a lifetime, Suggs said, ``Exactly'' and let out a long sigh.

The hurdle Suggs must clear is regaining strength in his shoulder. Asked if he was back to 100 percent, he said, ``Close to it.''

As for a mild case of stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that Davis said Suggs has but is unrelated to the stinger, Suggs said, ``I don't know anything about the stenosis. I don't know what's going on. I'm just concentrating on my injury and trying to get back.''

In simple terms, Suggs explained what a stinger feels like.

``It doesn't hurt,'' he said. ``Your arm is weak. It's not doing what it's supposed to do. You can't make it do what it's supposed to do.''

Davis is encouraged that Suggs is so antsy, but Suggs' availability will be a medical decision.

``I could have a broken leg and I'd tell them I could play. They don't really listen,'' Suggs said. ``They're trying to protect me and themselves.''

The Browns could use their full stable of backs against the Cowboys because the forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-90s with high humidity. The hole in the roof at Texas Stadium will provide no relief. The Cowboys also have an undersized linebacking corps with Dat Nguyen and Dexter Coakley that a physical running attack could exploit.

If Suggs can't go, Green will concentrate on the flaws he saw in himself on the Ravens' film.

``I did pretty good. I also left some yards out there,'' Green said. ``I wasn't as patient as I should have been.

``I think I was a little too hyped up. You've got Ray Lewis and those guys, you want to get out there and be physical. I think I was a little too fast.''

Davis said Green was too hard on himself.

``I admire what he said because it's not necessarily all true,'' Davis said. ``We made some mistakes. He made some. There were enough mistakes by just about everybody in the first quarter trying to get in a rhythm and get our poise and composure. We'll get better at that.

``A couple times, William was in a hurry wanting to make something good happen. I thought in the second half he ran very hard and made good decisions with his cuts.''

Davis said he might play three running backs every week, which means Green must adjust to running behind a true fullback. He didn't have one at Boston College or in his first two years with the Browns.

Several times against the Ravens, fullback Terrelle Smith smashed into Baltimore's defensive front -- knocking himself woozy on an encounter with Lewis -- and Green didn't follow his lead. At least once, Smith went to the outside, Green to the inside.

The man responsible for teaching Green, Suggs, James Jackson and Dee Brown how to stay on Smith's hip will be first-year running backs coach Kennedy Pola. The fullback for Marcus Allen at USC, Pola was the body in student body right.

``It is important and something I've got to get used to,'' Green said of his timing with Smith. ``I've got to work harder this week in practice, getting a good pace behind Terrelle.''

Following the fullback might be a hot-button issue with Davis, if his reaction to the question is any indication.

He responded with a pregnant pause and a long stare, then said, ``That's one of our issues. That's some of the things we have to get better at.''

[Canadian Seahawk]

personally the coach (and I am not a Browns fan so I may be wrong) must really like Green, I fully expect ole Willy to come out on top, even if they are both used I would still expect Green to get the bulk and get the goaline,,,,something just tells me Butch loves this guy................any browns fans?????? help am I right,,,,kinda right?????

[Vlad the Impaler_ffc]

I think your right about Green. Anyone who watched the pre-season saw that Suggs was the more capable back, yet Davis seemed reluctant to admit it. Davis claims this is a wide open competition, but I detect a little bias for their former first round pick who they are paying first round money.

[JrcWy]

Butch is a moron. He seems more intent on proving his theories right than winning games for his organization. He thought he could make a star out of Green. In his mind, he was going to show the world how much better Green was than Portis. Now he has taken a lot of heat for this decision for obvious reasons. The problem is that Davis is willing to sacrifice his career by holding on to his dreams for Green rather than move on to his more promising back.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

I know a lot of people here suggested this would be a season long battle, and I have to agree. I seriously doubt one of them will start for more than 3 games in a stretch. Davis has a reputation for giving the hook after a bad performance or two, and since this is basically a .500 team - give or take a couple either way - we should expect a lot of flip flopping.