Despite drops, Bryant doesn't drop on depth chart

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Browns coach Romeo Crennel gave some of his offensive players the benefit of the doubt this week, and receiver Antonio Bryant was one of them.

 

Despite some recent drops in crucial situations, Crennel decided to stick with Trent Dilfer's go-to guy for Sunday's game in Houston.

 

The reason? Because if the offense as a whole was more in sync, a drop here or there by Bryant wouldn't be as catastrophic. Against the Lions, he dropped a pass in the fourth quarter that would've put the Browns in field goal range while trailing, 13-10.

 

"I think the timing of his drops haven't been what we want," Crennel said. "You put yourself in a situation where you have to make one play. If you don't make that one play, it gets magnified. I think that was the case with Antonio's drop [against the Lions]. We needed to make one play, and when you don't make the play, it's magnified because you don't give yourself any room for error. I think that's happening quite a bit with us."

 

Crennel has said all season that Bryant needs to be more consistent. He dropped a pass in the end zone against Indy during a 13-6 loss and then came back the next week with two huge TD catches against the Bears to help pull out the 20-10 win.

 

They're his only two TD catches of the season.

 

After both of his big drops, in Indy and against the Lions, Bryant stood up and took full blame.

 

"I'm a grown man," he said. "I live up to what I do. I just look at it as, I have no problem taking fault for anything."

 

The only thing is, he wants folks to give him as much credit for his good plays as they do heat for his bad ones.

 

"I just hope that if they can magnify the mistakes, they can magnify the good things, that's all I care about," he said. "When I go out there and run and catch the deep one and run past people, magnify that as well. Bring the flashlight out when it's good, that's all I look at."

 

Bryant doesn't think he's been judged too harshly for his mistakes this season.

 

"That doesn't matter to me," he said. "None of that matters to me. My character's been built a long time ago. As you get older, you learn how to cope and bounce back from things."

 

He said he hasn't been doing anything different during or after practice to try to eliminate the drops. "It's just all about focus and just trying to make every play," he said.

 

Crennel said he didn't feel it was time to make a change at receiver. Rookie Braylon Edwards' role will expand, which should help Bryant, but he's not in the starting lineup yet.

 

"I think the players on this team know they have to be accountable," Crennel said. "I've told them that many times, and they understand. Sometimes you make a change for [change's] sake. We don't want to cut off our nose to spite our face. I don't know if it would be smart, for instance, to play [rookie] Brandon Rideau over Antonio Bryant just because Rideau was moved to the active roster. I think you have to look at your team and put the guys out there that give you the best chance. Until I think differently, that's what it will be."

 

Bryant, who leads the team with 26 catches for 304 yards and the two TDs, said after the Lions game that he wishes the Browns would throw downfield more and try to hit the big play. He also said there's plenty of time to right the ship this season.

 

"There's 10 games left, and there's definitely a lot of opportunities left out there for us to do some things," Bryant said. "Me, personally, that's the same way I feel about my game. We can definitely get on the right track this year."

[Sapronos04 0]

Give the ball to REUBEN

[DamageIncVacc 6]

He dropped a few but they barley threw to him last game. Mayeb it was the drops.but they have to try to hit there best reciever ( for now) a little bit more.

 

And yes they need to give the ball to Reuben more . he is really playing well except in the TD department.

[Guest Karim Abdul-Jabbar]

DROUGHNS and BRYANT could carry this team to a respectable finish... 7-9, 8-8... give the ball to them more!

[football_scooter 0]

cite your sources or stop posting, you no talent ass clown.

[Rye & Leaf 0]

The media should leave Bryant the fock alone. This is a guy that had a bad rep down in Dallas for the Parcells incident, and now it seems that writters are trying to attack him just because they think this will illicit him to do something else stupid, so they can inturn write about it, and ultimately villify him. This guy has talent and the coaching staff knows it. The coaching staff should build him up to bring out the best in him, not cite him as the reason they lost the game last week. This is the first big mistake Crennel has made in his dealings with the media. If he keeps this up, he might get the rap that he isn't a player's coach which would dissuade free agents from signing with the team.

This may offend some fans but I feel Bryant's talent is equilivent to that of Reggie Wayne's. To add to that, this brings up another interesting point as to why Reggie Wayne can be caught on camera during the Jacksonville game last year pushing Payton Manning and not be regarded as a villan in the media. And yes, Reggie drops passes too.

[Sapronos04 0]

The media should leave Bryant the fock alone. This is a guy that had a bad rep down in Dallas for the Parcells incident, and now it seems that writters are trying to attack him just because they think this will illicit him to do something else stupid, so they can inturn write about it, and ultimately villify him. This guy has talent and the coaching staff knows it. The coaching staff should build him up to bring out the best in him, not cite him as the reason they lost the game last week. This is the first big mistake Crennel has made in his dealings with the media. If he keeps this up, he might get the rap that he isn't a player's coach which would dissuade free agents from signing with the team.

This may offend some fans but I feel Bryant's talent is equilivent to that of Reggie Wayne's. To add to that, this brings up another interesting point as to why Reggie Wayne can be caught on camera during the Jacksonville game last year pushing Payton Manning and not be regarded as a villan in the media. And yes, Reggie drops passes too.

Bryant does lead the NFL in drops with 5. Wayne has 1 or less..Its when the drops come not the #. Thats what is not good.I like Bryant but he does need to improve.

[helix 0]

Edwards is the future and the future is now. Bryant will be soon be an after thought. When you lead the league in drops, you will soon be .

[Rye & Leaf 0]

Edwards is the future and the future is now.  Bryant will be soon be an after thought.  When you lead the league in drops, you will soon be  .

With that reasoning, Chad Johnson will be riding the pine soon too. AFC leaders in dropped passes:

 

T-1 Antonio Bryant CLE 5

T-1 Chad Johnson CIN 5

T-1 Justin McCareins NYJ 5

T-4 Laveranues Coles NYJ 4

T-4 LaMont Jordan OAK 4

T-6 Drew Bennett TEN 3

T-6 Marty Booker MIA 3

T-6 Deion Branch NE 3

T-6 David Givens NE 3

T-6 Dante Hall KC 3

T-6 Greg Jones JAC 3

T-6 Eddie Kennison KC 3

T-6 Ashley Lelie DEN 3

T-6 Keenan McCardell SD 3

T-6 Samie Parker KC 3

T-6 Jeb Putzier DEN 3

T-6 Jimmy Smith JAC 3

 

NFC leaders:

 

T-1 Kevan Barlow SF 4

T-1 Muhsin Muhammad CHI 4

T-3 Plaxico Burress NYG 3

T-3 Devery Henderson NO 3

T-3 Steven Jackson STL 3

T-3 Michael Jenkins ATL 3

T-3 Bryant Johnson ARI 3

T-3 Kevin Jones DET 3

T-3 Terrell Owens PHI 3

T-3 L.J. Smith PHI 3

T-3 Steve Smith CAR 3

T-3 Donte' Stallworth NO 3

T-3 Aaron Stecker NO 3

T-3 James Thrash WAS 3

[pnorman 0]

Edwards is the future and the future is now.  Bryant will be soon be an after thought.  When you lead the league in drops, you will soon be  .

With that reasoning, Chad Johnson will be riding the pine soon too. AFC leaders in dropped passes:

 

T-1 Antonio Bryant CLE 5

T-1 Chad Johnson CIN 5

T-1 Justin McCareins NYJ 5

T-4 Laveranues Coles NYJ 4

T-4 LaMont Jordan OAK 4

T-6 Drew Bennett TEN 3

T-6 Marty Booker MIA 3

T-6 Deion Branch NE 3

T-6 David Givens NE 3

T-6 Dante Hall KC 3

T-6 Greg Jones JAC 3

T-6 Eddie Kennison KC 3

T-6 Ashley Lelie DEN 3

T-6 Keenan McCardell SD 3

T-6 Samie Parker KC 3

T-6 Jeb Putzier DEN 3

T-6 Jimmy Smith JAC 3

 

NFC leaders:

 

T-1 Kevan Barlow SF 4

T-1 Muhsin Muhammad CHI 4

T-3 Plaxico Burress NYG 3

T-3 Devery Henderson NO 3

T-3 Steven Jackson STL 3

T-3 Michael Jenkins ATL 3

T-3 Bryant Johnson ARI 3

T-3 Kevin Jones DET 3

T-3 Terrell Owens PHI 3

T-3 L.J. Smith PHI 3

T-3 Steve Smith CAR 3

T-3 Donte' Stallworth NO 3

T-3 Aaron Stecker NO 3

T-3 James Thrash WAS 3

Where did you get this info? Pretty interesting.

[helix 0]

With that reasoning, Chad Johnson will be riding the pine soon too. AFC leaders in dropped passes:

 

T-1 Antonio Bryant CLE 5

T-1 Chad Johnson CIN 5

T-1 Justin McCareins NYJ 5

T-4 Laveranues Coles NYJ 4

T-4 LaMont Jordan OAK 4

T-6 Drew Bennett TEN 3

T-6 Marty Booker MIA 3

T-6 Deion Branch NE 3

T-6 David Givens NE 3

T-6 Dante Hall KC 3

T-6 Greg Jones JAC 3

T-6 Eddie Kennison KC 3

T-6 Ashley Lelie DEN 3

T-6 Keenan McCardell SD 3

T-6 Samie Parker KC 3

T-6 Jeb Putzier DEN 3

T-6 Jimmy Smith JAC 3

 

NFC leaders:

 

T-1 Kevan Barlow SF 4

T-1 Muhsin Muhammad CHI 4

T-3 Plaxico Burress NYG 3

T-3 Devery Henderson NO 3

T-3 Steven Jackson STL 3

T-3 Michael Jenkins ATL 3

T-3 Bryant Johnson ARI 3

T-3 Kevin Jones DET 3

T-3 Terrell Owens PHI 3

T-3 L.J. Smith PHI 3

T-3 Steve Smith CAR 3

T-3 Donte' Stallworth NO 3

T-3 Aaron Stecker NO 3

T-3 James Thrash WAS 3

 

Well, I guess I was right. Bryant was an after thought for the Browns.