Crennel’s clock is ticking

Photo

Romeo Crennel

It’s been a rough 10 days for Romeo Crennel since Browns general manager Phil Savage proclaimed that there is not a countdown clock ticking on his coach’s job.

Tick, tick, tick ...

First, defensive back Leigh Bodden was arrested last week after an incident at Hopkins International Airport when he reportedly drove backwards in a one-way lane and then resisted arrest.

One day later, Crennel downplayed the seriousness of Bodden’s knuckleheaded actions and lamely suggested it was too soon for him to pass judgment, saying he didn’t have all the facts.

Really. Why not?

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is anything but shy about handing out punishment for off-the-field antics. Coaches, who are part of NFL management, should realize that the side that their bread that is buttered is not the one facing the NFL Players Association.

If Crennel had said what we all thought when we heard about Bodden’s airport adventure, who (other than Bodden’s attorney) wouldn’t have respected him?

Sunday couldn’t have
started any worse

Things turned much worse for the Browns and their frustrated fans about 14 minutes into their first game. That’s how long it took for the Steelers to grab a 17-0 lead.

Before the game was 25 minutes old, the Browns became the first NFL team of the 2007 season to produce a quarterback controversy as Charlie Frye was — mercifully — yanked.

Frye’s day turned into a nightmare after completing 4 of 10 passes for 34 yards. He badly underthrew a pass to wide receiver Tim Carter that was intercepted by cornerback Deshea Townsend. Oh, and he was sacked five times. His passer’s rating was 10 (on a scale that runs to about 159.3).

Backup Derek Anderson generated one scoring drive in the third quarter and had 13 completions for 184 yards. More importantly, he was only sacked once.

One game does not a season make, but what hope is there in Cleveland that the Browns can generate a turnaround?

Frye hasn’t shown
anything in two years

Who’s responsible? Many want to blame Frye and he deserves a share of the responsibility. Frye has shown over the past two seasons that his NFL role is, at best, is to be a backup.

In a division that has Ben Roethlisberger, Steve McNair and Carson Palmer, Frye is not the solution.

In a conference that has Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in their prime, the Browns’ dreams of playing for a championship soon are futile.

And fair or not, Crennel and his staff have to be blamed.

The Browns have known for months that the Steelers and their Blitzburgh defensive schemes would be the opening day opponent. The Browns had a month of preseason games to prepare.

The result was a 17-0 deficit against an archrival after 15 minutes of play.

Could Bill Cowher
be next to get call?

Adding to the intrigue is the status of former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, now a member of the CBS studio team.

As far as anyone knows, Cowher is not being paid by the Steelers this fall after declining to complete the final year of his contract.

Whether Cowher was free to accept a NFL job this season is a moot point. There’s nothing preventing him from being a head coach again in 2008.

The scuttlebutt around the NFL is that the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Browns will wave open checkbooks at Cowher to end his retirement.

Would Browns ownership want the former head coach of their archrival? Why not?

Would Cowher risk his Pittsburgh legacy by going to Cleveland? That’s hard to say.

In Pittsburgh, it’s believed that Cowher loves and respects owner Dan Rooney. Cowher’s relationship with Rooney’s son, team president Art II, was not so warm.

Cowher isn’t the only candidate who will surface over the next 16 weeks. But he is the most intriguing.

Barring a tremendous turnaround (with or without rookie quarterback Brady Quinn), the clock is ticking on Crennel’s stay in Northeast Ohio.

XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at williams@vindy.com.