Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn?

Really, the only thing worth discussing with the Cleveland Browns is the quarterback situation. It seems year in and year out that there's always a "controversy" with the Browns.

1999- Tim Couch/Ty Detmer
2000- Tim Couch/Doug Pederson
2001-2003- Tim Couch/Kelly Holcomb
2004- Jeff Garcia/Luke McCown
2005- Trent Dilfer/Charlie Frye
2006- Charlie Frye
2007- Charlie Frye/Derek Anderson
2008- Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn
2009- Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson
2010- ????

You'd think that one day the Cleveland Browns would find a quarterback worth something... But then again, we are the Browns."We're not looking to move Brady Quinn." and "We get calls all the time that we listen to. Brady is a Cleveland Brown and that's not anything we're looking to do."per the Cleveland Plain Dealer.


Focusing on the current controversy at hand, I am working on showing why Derek Anderson (so far) isn't much better, if at all, an option to help the Cleveland Browns offensively. As noted in my recent blog, the offense as a whole is just plain terrible. Let's look at some statistics:

Derek Anderson

22 total first downs- 14 pass-8 rush
5/18- Cincy- 14th against the pass

9 total first downs- 1 pass- 8 rush
4/16- Buffalo- 28th against the pass

Brady Quinn

11 total first downs- 10 pass-1 run
3/14- Denver- 4th against the pass

17 total first downs- 10 pass-5 run-2 penalty
3/12- Minnesota- 11th against the pass

This is what's confusing.

Sure against Cincy we did pretty well. They a solid defense against the pass.

Buffalo was a disaster (I know there were drops, but considering the drops and drive killing penalties BQ had, I considered it a wash).

I left out the Baltimore game because it's not completely fair to judge either QB considering the circumstances. Some could argue that Baltimore changed their coverage to more of a bend but not break because of the huge lead. Either way, 3 interceptions by Anderson was obviously not helping his cause as "being a better option".

So BQ combined for 28 first downs, 20 of them passing compared to DA's 29 first downs, 15 have been through the air.

Third down conversions, there hasn't been much difference. BQ was around 23.8% converting on 3rd down, and DA is around 26.2% converting on third down. And BQ's play was against much tougher defenses AND he didn't have much help in the run game. Some argue that the run game has been helped because of DA's arm. I call BS. The running game has been helped because of Jerome Harrison against Cincy's mediocre rush D, and Jamal against Buffalo's terrible rush D. I don't think that DA starting against Denver and Minny would have yielded a different or more impressive outcome.

I just don't see how "taking chances" is so much better, when we aren't completing passes and converting any differently. The chances DA takes are usually ones that aren't in the Browns' favor, consistently throwing into double, sometimes triple coverage. Quinn is the exact opposite being more hesitant to throw down the field and checking down too much.

I think these stats just go to show you how it's not necessarily on the QB's, compared to the rest of the offense.

So DA fans, let's not act like he's doing anything much better, if at all. And BQ fans, don't get excited because BQ wasn't doing that well, but he wasn't doing terribly either, especially given the circumstances.

Cleveland just needs to figure out what they want to do. Coach Eric Mangini already stated

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2009/10/brady_quinn_says_home_sale_doe.html

Derek Anderson has already proven that he cannot be the quarterback of this football team and win football games consistently. Anderson specializes at beating up on teams significantly inferior, as in 2007 he threw 19 of his 29 touchdowns against teams who drafted in the top 9 of the 2008 NFL Draft. Against playoff teams, Anderson was significantly worse, turning the ball over on many occasions, and often hurting his team more than helping him. Opening up the 2008 season, Anderson started with embarrassing losses to Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore, all statistically top defenses, which only reinforced the argument that he can't succeed versus great teams.

All in all, if Cleveland wants to be smart financially, I understand. Let DA start a few more games, then give Quinn the rest of the season so he can't hit escalators. But it's piss poor management like this in Cleveland that gives us 2 winning seasons in 9 years.