The Donovan McNabb Experiment - A Cleveland Browns Dynasty (1999)

[SKA]

Cleveland Browns (6-9) at the Tennessee Titans (8-6)

After a tough loss in Week 13 through the season against the Tennessee Titans, the Cleveland Browns finished off the season on the road in Nashville, where they faced off with the 8-6 Titans, who were fighting all odds for a playoff spot in order for a chance to defend their AFC Championship title. If Tennessee could walk away victorious, while Jacksonville ended up losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in their final game of the season, the Titans were in. For Neil O'Donnell, Eddie George, and the rest of the Titans, it was a must-win game.

Fans got a bit nervous when Tennessee's first possession resulted in a missed field goal from the 31-yard like by Al DelGreco, but after a Cleveland three-and-out on their first offensive possession, the Titans got in a flow they would have all game with a 12-yard touchdown pass from O'Donnell to receiver Yancey Thigpen, his number one option all season long. Two failed Cleveland possessions, and one punt from Tennessee, resulted in the Titans scoring on their first possession of the second quarter, as the Titans continued to stride down field with seemingly no one in their way, going up by two scores after a 21-yard touchdown pass to his second favorite target, Chris Sanders.

After another Cleveland three-and-out, Tennessee put up another TD off a touchdown throw from O'Donnell, and would go into halftime up by 24 points, with the Browns on the board with zero. By now, you'd expect me to be like, "omg here comes the greatest comeback ever." But no, the Browns literally did nothing else throughout the rest of the game, besides giving up another 14 points while scoring only one touchdown of their own, midway through the fourth after starting on their own 18-yard line, and driving all the way down into the end zone for the only time during all 60-minutes of play.

For Tennessee, it was a great win, as they would end up grabbing the final AFC Wild Card spot after the Jaguars lost to the Chiefs, 17-9, at home, in front of thousands of pissed off fans. For Cleveland, a long and very important off-season was ahead of them...

QUOTES OF THE GAME

"**** Neil O'Donnell." - Left tackle of the Browns, Lomas Brown

"I like cheese. I like cheese. I like cheese. I like, cheese. I like cheese. I like cheese. I, like cheese. Ahhhhhhhhhhiiiiii likkeeeeee cheese." - Rookie quarterback of the Browns, Donovan McNabb

...

[SKA]

The Wild Card Round

With eight teams vying for the four open spots in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Wild Card round was underway on Saturday first in Minnesota, where the Vikings and their 11-5 record hosted the Carolina Panthers, who would finish the regular season with a 9-7 record. The Vikings entered as probably the hottest team heading into the post-season, having won their last six games to close out of the season. Carolina, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as talented as their opponents in this round, and the Panthers themselves were barely able to scrape their way into the playoffs. The Vikings, led by Randall Cunningham, completely blew away the Panthers, with 498 total offensive yards, 202 of them coming on the ground behind running back Robert Smith, who would finish as the league's lead rusher at 1,470 yards. Cris Carter led the receivers with 8 catches for 110 yards, as the Vikings coasted ahead to a 30-7 victory at home in front of a rabid fan base, who truly believed their Vikings had a great shot at this year's NFL Championship.

The second game on Saturday was a much closer affair, as the Kansas City Chiefs at 11-5 hosted the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, who were 10-6. The Broncos struggled through mid-season, but quarterback Chris Miller, was able to will his team towards a great closing out of the season, while Denver got some very important rest in Week 16 during their bye week. Of course, Denver was within its first season with franchise quarterback John Elway, who had called it quits during the off-season. Miller had done a fine job all season trying to emulate the success of the magical Elway, although things just didn't seem right with number seven on the field. Miller himself was an amazing story, a former NFL quarterback, now 34-years old, making his return to the league for the first time since 1995. Now he was the starting quarterback for a team returning almost every one of their Super Bowl champions, except their quarterback. Kansas City was also a good team, led by Elvis Grbac, who was having his breakout season, leading the Chiefs 6-1 finish on the season. Both teams collided head-on in the first quarter, and Grbac would suffer the consequences of this mayhem. Midway through the first, Grbac had to leave the game with a pulled quadracep, and it was now up to back-up quarterback, but 42-year old veteran and household name Warren Moon to do the deed. The Chiefs fanbase did all they could to give Moon the courage to do something that is seen perhaps once every decade. By the beginning of the second, the Broncos would be up by ten, but a big kick off return following Denver's first touchdown from Tamarick Vanover, would go for a touchdown, putting Kansas City right back in it. The second quarter was where all the action was... with four minutes left, the Chiefs slowly made their way out of their own territory, but a costly interception by safety Tyrone Braxton, would go all the way for a touchdown, as Denver took another ten point lead. But Warren Moon would respond in a miracle fashion, throwing both a 27-yard completion and a 30-yard touchdown pass to running back Bam Morris, setting Arrowhead Stadium on fire before the half.

The third quarter saw a Broncos field goal and another Warren Moon touchdown pass, which would put the Chiefs up 21-20 at the end of three. Another field goal put the Broncos down by four points, putting a game tying field goal out of reach. Thus, a big drive was needed, and with three minutes left, quarterback Chris Miller would lead his team down the field, eventually scoring the game winning touchdown off a 10-yard liner to tight end Shannon Sharpe. A decent return with a minute-and-a-half left gave Moon one last shot at getting in field goal range to at least send this one into overtime, but a toughened up Broncos defense would completely deny the Chiefs any shot, as the Broncos would advance after a 27-24 victory.

Sunday's games began in Nashville, as the Tennessee Titans began at home against the visiting Oakland Raiders. Throughout the whole game, the Raiders would fail to score one touchdown, settling with only two field goals, and a safety. Veteran Rich Gannon really looked like a lame duck, barely putting up 197 yards on the day, only getting his team in the Titans' red zone once. Tennessee's Neil O'Donnell looked a little better, with 257 yards and 2 touchdowns, while both had one interception. A poor performance from an underachieving Raiders squad is set to have some heads rolling this off-season, while the Titans face a tough up-hill battle against much more talented opponents.

The final wild card game to take place was between the visiting Detroit Lions, taking on Steve Young and his San Francisco 49ers. Young's team has looked like the better squad all season, just missing out on the bye week, taken by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers in the last week of the season, taking the spot while both finished at 12-4. The Lions, probably the season's biggest surprise, have also looked well all season, with the effects of Barry Sanders' retirement having worn off, and a Gus Frerotte led-team tried to prove their doubters wrong. And they would continue to do so in this opening round of the playoffs, as the Lions would fend off a Super Bowl experienced 49ers squad, taking Vegas-spinning road victory 14-10. San Francisco could only get a field goal in the first, while the Lions got a touchdown as time expired in the same quarter. The second and third quarter saw no progress on the big board for either squad, while the fourth featured a Lawrence Phillips 1-yard slammer to put his team up by three, but the Lions would steal things with perhaps the play of the entire post-season, an 81-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Sloan, who found himself in stride, wide open near the middle of Lions territory, huffing-and-puffing his way to the end zone. San Francisco fans went home in awe, as the debate over a retirement of 37-year old Steve Young, and the end of an era in the bay area began...

...

The Divisional Round

And just like that, the playoffs were under way. Just the very next week, Saturday and Sunday hosted two games each, and the conference championship games were to be set in stone. A match-up in St. Louis between the Rams and the surprise Detroit Lions started off the divisional round. The Lions came in big underdogs, and things seemed absolutely doomed as the first quarter came to a close. Just a few plays before, the team's starting quarterback and offensive leader Gus Frerotte was forced to leave the game with what appeared to be a concussion suffered at the hands of Rams linebacker Charlie Clemons, despite throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass during the play. With seven on the board, and their starting QB out of action, in came 24-year old Charlie Batch, straight out of the renowned Eastern Michigan University. Batch had started 12 games last season, but this was one of the few times he was to see action his sophomore year. The Lions had a lot to ask out of the playoff rookie, unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight, who would try his best at defeating perhaps the most coveted offense in the league, on their home turf. As soon as Batch came in, the Rams would score a field goal, but after that, the entire second quarter was nothing but a sleeper. In fact, five three-and-outs would occur, before the Rams put up only a second field goal to close out the half, still down by one point ...

Whatever head coach Bobby Ross told, gave, or force fed Charlie Batch during the half time break, it worked well...Batch would open things up on the Lions first drive with three straight completions before connecting from six-yards out with tight end David Sloan for his first postseason touchdown, one putting the Lions ahead by eight. The Rams offense continued to stall like never imagined, as the Lions defense gave it their all to give their second-string quarterback the best chance he could have at achieving a victory. As the fourth quarter rolled around, it felt like the tide was taking a turn for the home team, as Warner was finally able to get his team in the end zone with a 20-yard touchdown to his tight end Ernie Conwell. Much of the game was at stake on the Rams two-point conversion attempt, which was a successful bootleg pass to the flat where Marshall Faulk caught the ball as he crossed the plane. Now tied 14-14, and after a Lions three-and-out, things appeared to finally be coming together for St. Louis. But on a second-and-six on the DET 26, cornerback J.B. Brown would seemingly come out of nowhere to snatch a pass intended for Isaac Brown, giving his team a shot at victory with exactly three-minutes left on the clock. Things started off poorly for Detroit, as Batch was sacked on their first play for a seven-yard loss. Their possession resulted in a disappointing punt, while Warner got one more shot with only 1:39 left. The Rams started their no-huddle offense, but another bootleg play would give the Lions an unthinkable opportunity after cornerback Bryant Westbrook was able to pick off a critically poor pass from Warner. Now on the St. Louis 38-yard line, Two complete passes from Batch, one for eight, and one for ten yards would set up a 37-yard field goal attempt for Russ Pacino. Everyone held their breath as the snap went as time expired. Pacino got a good kick in, and the ball sailed directly through the uprights, and the Detroit Lions began celebrating with an absolute fever. Meanwhile, everyone in St. Louis went home extremely disappointed with their teams efforts, as this year was certainly approached with a Super Bowl or bust mentality. As for the Detroit Lions fanbase, they were experiencing absolute sensationalism, as their Lions were finally a relevant team in the playoffs for the first time since the 1950's!

After an exhilarating start to the playoff round, the west coast finished things off with an AFC West match-up between the Denver Broncos, and the 12-4 San Diego Chargers led by quarterback Erik Kramer. And despite the regular season successes of the team from California, the experience of the Broncos team, with many players defending their Super Bowl rings. The first quarter was a slow start, with Denver only getting away with a field goal. They would score the first touchdown in the second, while San Diego responded with one of their own on their only possession of the quarter. The Broncos would run away with the contest in the third however, one off a 14-yard touchdown pass from Chris Miller to receiver Rod Smith, and the other, an exciting 49-yard run from running back Terrell Davis. Their kicker, Jason Elam would tack on another three in the fourth to put his team up 27-7. The Chargers made it 14 with a 9-yard touchdown run from running back Natrone Means, but right after, the San Diego fans went back to making their way out of the stadium, as cornerback Chris Watson made the last highlight of the day, with his kickoff returned for a touchdown. At the end of the day, the Broncos were back in the AFC Championship game, after a dominating 34-14 performance.

Sunday saw the New England Patriots, who earned their bye week with a 10-6 record, hosting the Tennessee Titans on a snowy day in Foxbrough. Drew Bledsoe played a great game with 3 touchdowns and only 1 interception, for 302 yards in the air. Throughout the entire affair the Patriots handled the Titans pretty well, going up 14-0 to start, then giving up ten before the half. The third quarter was all Patriots, with two more touchdowns, one from a sexy 26-yard touchdown pass to Terry Glenn; the other, a sexy punt return for a touchdown about 48-yards out by Troy Brown to knock some serious wind out of the visiting Titans. The rest of the game saw some more control of the game by both defenses, while the Patriots played a possession-focused offense for the last 15-minutes. The Titans would score another touchdown midway through the fourth, but by the end of the day, the Patriots were a step closer to taking an AFC Championship all to their self, and were to await the Denver Broncos in the cold city of Boston.

The NFL tried to save the best for last, a Sunday night match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings. Two high-powered offenses, facing off on primetime television, with some of the biggest stars in the game. However, the game that ensued certainly didn't live up to its expected factor of excitement, as the Cowboys essentially did whatever they could to give one more shot at continuing their dynasty. The new kids were on the block, and they were the Minnesota Vikings, led by Randall Cunningham and exciting (and cocky) weapons such as Cris Carter, Randy Moss, and the league's leading rusher, Robert Smith, were perhaps the best match-up to take down an aging Cowboys team, but destiny had other plans. Experience would come out on top, as the Vikings' only points came off a field goal in the third quarter, while Dallas already entered the halftime by up 17. They would close out the competition at a final score of 28-3, as America's Team was once again in the spotlight, and they were to milk it for all its worth.

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The Conference Round

Now were the two most exciting games all season, two games, many say, are even better than what the Super Bowl usually presents, at least in terms of what happens on the field of play. It was the biggest Sunday yet, the one before the real big one, and it all began in Detroit, MI; where Lions fans packed the Pontiac Silverdome to something beyond standing room only. It was the biggest football game in Detroit Lions history, and it would certainly add to the lore of the cursed franchise that is Detroit Lions football. Although the team returned quarterback Gus Frerotte, who had to leave their last game with a concussion, his added effect was practically zero, the same number of points the Lions put up all night. The home crowd was nearly an angry mob by the end of the game, as years of frustrated Lions fans culminated on one night, where the team would essentially sum up the story of their franchise. The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, were on the last limbs of a dynasty that everyone thought had come pretty much come to a close after their 1995 Super Bowl victory. But quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, wide receiver Michael Irvin, and the whole rest of the gang were making one last statement of their storied careers. Part of the statement would take play in the 1999 NFC Championship game, as they thoroughly dominated the Detroit Lions to a point of absolute submission. The final score would be 33-0, Dallas, while the Detroit police department had a tough night ahead of them.

The 1999 AFC Championship was at least a bit more entertaining, although not by much. Going up against the New England Patriots in Foxbrough, and the 32° F snow flurries that accompany the match-up, the Denver Broncos and their wonder-man quarterback Chris Miller, would continue their way towards a second-straight franchise championship, and hopefully their first in a post-John Elway era. The Patriots appeared to make things interesting right at the end of the second quarter, as Drew Bledsoewould find his receiver Vincent Brisby in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown to make it 17-10 at the half. As the second half rolled on, and into the games final quarter, the Patriots' offense continued to stall, while the Broncos tacked on two important field goals. The middle of the fourth saw another touchdown for New England, putting things at 23-17 with 6:19 left on the clock. The fans were trying to rally their team towards a great comeback and shot at another Super Bowl appearance since their last one, a failed effort against the Green Bay Packers in 1996. However, it was not to be, as New England's attempt to get out of their own territory on a final drive resulted in an interception by cornerback Ray Crockett, to seal the deal for Denver, and setting up one of the biggest Super Bowl match-ups in recent memory.

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Super Bowl XXXIV

Now was set a match-up to define a decade of professional football, the 34th Super Bowl in NFL history, pitting the two-time defending champions, now led by a completely different quarterback, the Denver Broncos, against a team that was already three-Super Bowl's deep. The Broncos were going for an unthinkable three-NFL Championships in a row, perhaps making a statement that they were the team of the 90's, while a fourth championship win for a Cowboys team under the helm of Troy Aikman, would certainly cement their spot as one of the greatest core of players to ever grace the field together.

The Georgia Dome in Atlanta was packed with approximately 72,625 fans split between both die hard and casual Cowboys fans and Broncos fans, the two biggest bandwagon teams of the 90's. The Broncos would start things off in the first with a failed possession, which led to Dallas taking up most of the rest of the first with their possession, resulting in the first touchdown of the night, a 2-yard touchdown toss from Aikman to his running back, Emmitt Smith. But with just one minute to go in the first 15-minutes, the Broncos immediately responded with seven-points of their own. It was all set-up by an amazing 74-yard play from Chris Miller to receiver Chris Doering, which was followed by a 13-yard touchdown from Miller to receiver*Ed McCaffrey. By now, the Super Bowl was fully underway, and fans were on their feet expecting a barn-burner. The Cowboys would come back with their second touchdown off the day after their first possession of the second quarter, this one, a 21-yard touchdown run by Emmitt Smith. The Broncos, however, would fail to come back with their second touchdown, instead opting for a poor offensive performance in the second quarter, and allowing the Cowboys to enter the half up a score.

The third quarter began with a Dallas punt, a Denver punt, and then another Dallas punt. The Broncos would finally get on the board again late in the third quarter, but could only provide for themselves a 27-yard field goal by Jason Elam to go down now by four. The Broncos defense continued to do its job next, and stopped the next Cowboys' possession. However, the Denver offense failed to convert on their first of the fourth quarter, while the Cowboys would end up kicking for a field goal of their own, this one from 50-yards out. The Broncos really needed a great offensive performance on their following drive in order to keep the game within reach, but a measly three-and-out would result, as the fans were now on their knees praying for the ghost of John Elway to enter the body of Chris Miller. Instead, the highly experienced Troy Aikman showed why he should be considered the best quarterback of the decade, as he would lead his team to another touchdown to seal the deal, a 1-yard goal line crossing by back-up running back Chris Warren, as Dallas milked the clock as much as they could. With a minute left, the Broncos heaved the ball a few times, but everyone knew Dallas was winning their fourth championship as the world said goodbye to the 1990's, and perhaps, most of those guys could retire once again, world champions.

...



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FINAL PLAYOFF BRACKET

[joshrmlb]

I've been really enjoying this dynasty so far. Keep it up man. Overall, it was a learning year for McNabb's first year. Hopefully you can rebound from it. It'll be interesting to see who you get via FA and the draft.

[SKA]

Quote: Originally Posted by joshrmlb

I've been really enjoying this dynasty so far. Keep it up man. Overall, it was a learning year for McNabb's first year. Hopefully you can rebound from it. It'll be interesting to see who you get via FA and the draft.

Thanks man I appreciate you taking the time to comment and keep me going. So far I've been just re-posting what's been shared on the main forum I write this on, and I already have the off-season finished as well as the first game of next year. Hopefully you like the draft choices I made and some trades as well...

[BleedGreen710]

wow.. this is really neat! great job!

[SKA]

1999: A Year In Review

Despite the poor expectations, the 1999 Cleveland Browns squad certainly finished above where experts predicted them at. While many expected the Browns to have this year's upcoming number one draft pick, with the .375 PCT finish, the Browns finished with ninth worst record in the league, second worst in the AFC Central, but tied for second-to-last in the division. Certainly not what any fan wants out of the Browns every season, but everyone cuts an expansion team a break their first season. The Browns season began with many lessons to be learned by many of the team's young players in development. Only a 27-7 toppling of the town's biggest rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in Week 2 would provide the Cleveland fans with an exciting victory. A 1-6 start was how the Browns began, but Donovan McNabb and his Browns team would end up finishing 5-4 in their last nine games. A tough win in Chicago and another victory over the Steelers would put the Browns at 3-6. After a loss to the Ravens, the Bengals were taken down in a close 35-31 shakedown, as the Browns successfully held the Bengals back from a fourth quarter comeback in Cleveland. After that, however, was an interestingly disappointing loss to the Titans, followed by two very surprising wins over the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns failed to close out the season in the final two games, losing to a very talented Green Bay Packers team, as well as the Titans for the second time in five weeks, in the final game of the regular season.

Final Record: 6-10
Final Streak: Loss 2
Final Three Games: 1-2
1999 Avg. Points For: 21.2
1999 Avg. Points Against: 25.9 (-4.7 diff.)

1999 Avg. Attendance: 61,245 (24th)

1999 Revenue: $81,053,532 (15th)
1999 Expenses: -$79,802,544 (17th)

Final Profit: +$1,200,000 (13th)

1999 Team Payroll: $53,900,000
Off-Season Cap Room: $4,800,000

Quarterbacks Grade:C+
Running Backs Grade:C
Tight Ends Grade:C+
Wide Receivers Grade:C+
Offensive Line Grade: C+

Defensive Line Grade:C-
Linebackers Grade:C-
Cornerbacks Grade:B-
Safeties: B

Kicking Grade: B-
Punting Grade: B-
Return Teams Grade: B-

Overall Offensive Grade:C+
Overall Defensive Grade:D+

...

Browns Most Valuable Player: Donovan McNabb, QB
1999 Performance: 313/502 ATT, 62.4% PCT, 3634 YDS, 7.24 YDS/ATT, 26 TD, 16 INT, 88.6 AVG QBR

In their first season back, the Cleveland Browns put on their chips in on one player: Donovan McNabb. With the first overall pick in the 1999 Draft, McNabb was selected among much resentment from Cleveland fans, who were not interested in a mobile, and perhaps, black quarterback; instead preferring the skill-set provided by the young Tim Couch out of Kentucky. However, McNabb took advantage of his position, and used his first season to prove his worth not only as a worthy number one overall pick selection, but as the team's face and leader on, and off the field. Given the weapons provided, and blocking in front of him, McNabb did remarkably well for his first season in the pros, finishing seventh overall in the AFC for passing yards, with 3,634 acquired on the year. Even more impressive is his touchdown/interception ratio, as McNabb was able to overcome any debt to the defenses he's faced this year by a dime. With an 88.6 average QB Rating, it's obvious to someone analyzing the stats that McNabb was going through the learning processes of a normal rookie QB, but showed signs of a bright future. With no injuries suffered all year, McNabb is ready to lead the Browns to their second season back in the NFL, and to a point where Cleveland is a Super Bowl contending team, year-in, and year-out.

Browns Least Valuable Player: Dave Wohlabaugh, C
1999 Performance: 2.50 Yds/Rush, 3.25 Sacks Allowed

Before we give the heat to Dave Wohlabaugh, it's important to note that he was the worst of a bunch of players that didn't particularly have super-disappointing seasons, especially considering the teams expectation for the year; but also, they didn't have great seasons to account for. Given Wohlabaugh's salary, a $3.97M contract with four years left, he is the second-highest played player on the team, but statistically, had the worst year out of all of his fellow linemen. Giving up the most sacks on the season, while producing the lowest yards per rush, Wohlabaugh certainly did not earn his steep contract this season, and at 27-years old, expect the Browns to do some shopping in order to clear out some cap space, and hopefully improve the offensive line.

Browns Surprise Player of the Year: Tyrone Rogers, DE
1999 Performance: 72 Tackles, 4.5 Tackles/Game, 18 Assists, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble

Defensive end Tyrone Rogers was a tough choice to make, with a few others players also vying for their chance to be called the Cleveland Browns "Surprise Player of the Year", including rookie wide receiver Kevin Johnson, who had 843 yards and 5 touchdowns off 72 receptions this season, and rookie linebacker Wali Rainer, who had 52 tackles while starting 12 games this season. But the award must be given to defensive end Tyrone Rogers, also one of the Browns draft picks heading into their first season back. Rogers proved that the Browns' draft could be declared a success so far, with all of their picks who had a chance to performing well, did just that. Rogers would end up starting all 16-games for the Browns, across from 27-year old John Thierry, who finished just four tackles ahead of Rogers, with 4.5 sacks on the year. But it was Rogers who was the surprise performer for the defense, who signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama State University. The Browns may have found themselves a nice little gem to brag about, as Rogers had many defensive coordinators wondering, "who the hell is this guy and why didn't we find him." All season Rogers had beat out veteran Derrick Anderson for the starting position at on the defensive line, and lived up to the expectation coaches had set out for him. Now a legitimate starter in the NFL, it'll be up to Rogers to stay motivated into becoming not just a starting player, but one included on an All-Pro ballot.

1999 NFL Awards

NFL Coach of the Year: Bobby Ross, DET
1999 Performance: 11-5 Final Record, Playoff Appearance, NFC Championship Appearance

Most people would agree with the Associated Press' choice of Bobby Ross as the 1999 NFL Coach of the Year. In Bobby's third season in Detroit, the team was able to overcome tough odds, as well as a tough NFC North division, in order to earn a lucrative wild card spot in the playoffs. Finishing at 11-5, the Lions looked great all season under Ross, who was coaching a team that had been forced to move on from the Barry Sanders-era, into the unknown...with a roster of unknowns... On offense, the team was led by quarterback Gus Frerotte, who had a great season under Ross with 3,883 years accumulated, along with an impressive 26 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions. Running back Greg Hill had been brought in to try to do what Barry did, and performed above expectations with 1,346 yards on the ground, and 12 touchdowns, the breakout season of his career. Wide receiver Herman Moore was able to satisfy as the team's main offensive weapon, finishing with 84 receptions for 1,098 yards and 6 touchdowns. But the team's biggest strength would be on the defensive-side, where the Detroit front office has successfully built one of the most dominating defensive lines in the league, if not the most terrifying... Under Ross, a team expected to finish below-.500 made their way through some tough opponents, and into the national spotlight by not only making it into the playoffs, but also getting all the way to the 1999 NFC Championship game, although the Lions would suffer an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the eventual champions, the Dallas Cowboys. Ross ability to lead a team that was still trying to find itself, into one game shy of a world championship opportunity, has earned him an award to be respected among coaches, as the most valuable head coach of that particular season. Many expect the Lions to offer Ross an extension before his contract expires after this upcoming season.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Donovan McNabb, QB, CLE
1999 Performance: 313/502 ATT, 62.4% PCT, 3634 YDS, 7.24 YDS/ATT, 26 TD, 16 INT, 88.6 AVG QBR

It was no surprise to anyone when the number one overall pick of the 1999 NFL Draft, quarterback Donovan McNabb, was named the league's offensive rookie of the year. As the only other starting quarterback besides Jack Delhomme out of New Orleans, McNabb was able to lead his squad to a 6-10 finish on the season, despite a very rough beginning of the year. After adapting to the NFL lifestyle and increased abilities of the play, McNabb settled down strong during the latter-half of the season, and eventually finished with ten more touchdowns than interceptions, perhaps his most impressive accomplishment, as well as an average QB Rating of 88.6 to go with his 62.4% completion percentage, and his 3,634 passing yards on the year. All on a team with four starting rookies (most in the league), one of them, Kevin Johnson, a receiver that McNabb clicked well with all year.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Joey Porter, LB, PIT
1999 Performance: 122 Tackles, 10.2 Tackles/Game, 42 Assists, 7.0 Sacks, 12 Games Played

Despite spending a fifth of the season sidelined with a separated shoulder, rookie linebacker Joey Porter, a third-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, exceeded the expectations for defensive players drafted much higher such as Champ Bailey, Chris Caliborne, and Anthony McFarland. Porter started the season off strong, and never slowed down, finishing third on the team in tackles, despite missing four games, and, despite starting on perhaps the best linebacking core in the league, playing alongside Jason Gildon (to be mentioned in a minute), Mike Vrabel, and Levon Kirkland. Although the Steelers had a really poor season, finishing last in their division, Porter was able to prove himself as the league's next best linebacker, finishing with a super-impressive stat line on the season, again, despite missing a good portion of it. Had Porter played those four games on an average basis, he would have been a strong contender for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award as well...

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Gildon, LB, PIT
1999 Performance: 164 Tackles, 10.3 Tackles/Game, 44 Assists, 9.5 Sacks, 1 Interception

Fans in Pittsburgh should be extra-excited about their defense in coming years, especially after drafting the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, another Steelers linebacker was presented with the other defensive award for the season: Jason Gildon. Leading the league in tackles at 164, Gildon was a phantom all season, forcing every opponent their faced to prepare specifically for what he brings to the field. Specializing in run defense, Gildon was able to help hold the Steelers' rushing yards allowed per game to higher than the league average, although the wins didn't stack up in Pittsburgh. Although the 1999 season was the bust in Pennsylvania, there's no doubt the Steelers, with the right offensive moves made, are to become a perennial Super Bowl contender, with one of the best linebacking cores in the business. Expect Pittsburgh to focus on improving their secondary this season, as well as their defensive line, whose inability to tackle players at the line, perhaps added to the amount of tackles secured by the linebackers in Pittsburgh.

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Brett Favre, QB, GB
NFL Most Valuable Player: Brett Favre, QB, GB
1999 Performance: 421/576 ATT, 73.1 PCT, 4,996 yards, 8.76 YDS/ATT, 42 TD, 23 INT, 106.8 AVG QBR

When talking about the performance of quarterback Brett Favre throughout 1999, a few things always seem to come up. "This guys is the best in the league." "Favre fears no defense." and "This team is underperforming." Despite leading the league in passing with an incredible 4,996 yards, four yards short of the coveted 5,000-yard mark, achieved by only one other man in NFL history, the great Dan Marino. Not only was he short of the 5,000 milestone, but Favre was only 89-yards away from breaking Marino's single-season passing yards record, set by the Dolphin in fabled 1984 season. But ask anybody who knows Brett, and they'll tell you Favre could care less about the awards when his team doesn't perform well. Although Brett and the Packers already have one Super Bowl ring, achieved against the New England Patriots, the Green Bay squad would lose the next season defending their title against the AFC Champion Denver Broncos, and eventually, would fail to make this playoffs this season. Favre's acceptance speech for both the offensive player of the year and the most valuable player of the year was less about his performance, and more about his hunger for another championship, and for the Packers to get back to playoff-standard football. Despite leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns, there was a bit of controversy over the decision of his achievement as the 1999 NFL MVP. Some experts and press felt that a few other players could have earned the award, considering they were pivotal to their teams actually making the playoffs, as Favre's team did not. Players included in that category were Minnesota running back Robert Smith (332 Rushes, 1,470 Yards, 16 TD), Oakland's running back Napolean Kaufman (340 Rushes, 1,485 Yards, 18 TD), and Denver running back Terrell Davis (327 Rushes, 1,437 Yards, 10 TD) (who was last season's MVP). But all the fuss following the award's announcement was nothing more than the typical debate following the award's presentation, and history will always support Favre's presentation as the NFL's MVP of the 1999 season, now, the fourth of his career.

...

[SKA]

The 1999 Off-Season (Part I)

Welcome Back!

As the first off-season in Cleveland Browns history...well, at least since 1994, got underway, the Browns front office faced a few tough decisions to face, as well as hours upon hours awaiting them of work, scouting, research, interviewing, negotiating, and of course, traveling. It was going to be a challenge, as it is every season, but it's the time of the year that general managers live for...

First on every team's agenda, was to address their expiring contracts, and enter negotiations for re-signing those players with expiring contracts. The Browns were to deal with twelve of their own expiring contracts, most of them on the defensive side of the ball. A fourth of the players to deal with wouldn't make the cut, but in reality, the Browns were pretty friendly with returning some of their current talent, perhaps already sold on a few, or looking to feel out a few more players for another season or two.

The easier signing had to be that up linebacker Jamir Miller, who led the Browns in tackling, as well as finishing fifth in the league in solo tackles acquired. At 25-years old, Miller spent four years on the Cardinals before being traded to the Cleveland Browns, entering the reborn franchise during his contract-year. And Miller would perform better than anyone would have expected. Although the linebacking core is the weakest part of the Browns defense, Miller was able to outshine all of his co-workers with a phenomenal amount of tackles, as well as 9.6 per game, while helping out on 43 assists. The dumbest thing the Browns could have done would be to not sign Jamir Miller to a long-term contract. But Cleveland's front office wasn't blind to this as well, and would successfully negotiate a 5-year contract with Miller, earning him $1.51M per season. Miller is the kind of player the Browns hope to build their defense around in the coming years, and is already emerging as a defensive leader for a team still trying to find its identity.

The secondary was a point of much focus during this process, as four players, including three starters, were all to enter negotiations with the Browns. All four players would also receive new contracts; first, the team's starting cornerbacks: Ryan McNeil, and Antonio Langham. While neither are spectacular, the front office reportedly didn't like its chances of finding real, proven upgrades, and were impressed with both players this season, although McNeil has proven to be a bit better than Langham with around thirty more sacks, and six more pat-downs, though both finished with three interceptions on the season. The team's safeties also came under the spotlight, as star safety Marquez Pope, and back-up Earl Little, were due for negotiations. As Pope finished with 114 tackles and 3 interceptions, things wouldn't seem like a tough call, but Pope reportedly was to be turned down over wanting too much money, and quickly approaching the age of thirty on a franchise that was focusing on the development of young talents. But the input from veterans is necessary to building a great team, and Pope is one of the few proven veterans on the Browns roster. Thus, the team successfully offered him a 4-year/$1.91M contract, which he gracefully accepted. Little was also a subject to debate, as he appears to be one of the best young safeties in the game, and was still sitting behind both Pope and Corey Fuller on the depth-chart. The team was able to re-sign the 26-year old to a 3-year contract, for a hefty $1.11M contract, although expect Little to be the first name mentioned in trade negotiations with other teams.

The final player re-signed on the defense would be defensive end John Thierry, who had a decent year, despite finishing with a low sack count when all was said and done. Thierry appears to be the best defensive lineman on the team, even though that's not saying much. His agent negotiated for a minimal contract though, and it was an offer the front office couldn't say no to. Thierry would end up agreeing to a 4-year/$790k contract, allowing the 27-year old to plan for at least four more seasons in Cleveland.

On the offensive side of the roster, wide receiver Leslie Shephard was top priority for the Browns, but not just to re-sign. A good amount of time was spent debating his return to the team, as the receiver was already 29-years old, although he just finished having the best season of his career. By NFL standards, Shephard could be considered a young veteran, but a leader Cleveland needed in its first season, and perhaps as the years go on. The way the front office looked at it, Shephard was still McNabb's best go-to-receiver, and his presence was deemed necessary for the continued development of their quarterback. Shephard was offered a 3-year/$1.33M deal, which he accepted. His future after that, however, does not seem bright in Cleveland, especially since the front office considered dropping him this season.

Joe Andruzzi, who was acquired via trade during the season, would get a new contract offer from the Browns, which he accepted at 2yrs/$480k. Also re-signed would be back-up quarterback Ty Detmer, who would end up throwing 2 touchdowns from the bench in 1999, completing an impressive 15 of his 21 total attempts. Back-up quarterbacks can sometimes be an expensive necessity, as Detmer agreed to a 2-year/$955k contract.

So Long, Farewell, To You My Friend!

Who didn't make the cut? Not a big list at all, consisting of Hurvin McCormack, the previous season's starting defensive tackle for the Browns, as well as Darius Holland, a linebacker on the bench, and back-up tackle Chris Ruhan. The only one that was a real debate was that of McCormack, who didn't seem to produce at all for the Browns this season. Despite the thinness of Cleveland's defensive line, the Browns figured they could find someone who had a more positive effect on their defense, for a much cheaper price than the demand received from McCormack's agent...

To Re-Cap...

Re-Signed Players
Marquez Pope, S, (4yrs/1.91M)
Ryan McNeil, CB (3yrs/$1.55M)
Jamir Miller, LB (5yrs/1.51M)
Leslie Shephard, WR (3yrs/$1.33M)
Earl Little, S, (3yrs/$1.11M)
Ty Detmer, QB (2yrs/$955k)
Antonio Langham, CB (3yrs/$855k)
John Thierry, DE (4yrs/$790k)
Joe Andruzzi, G, (2yrs/$480k)

Released Players
Hurvin McCormack, DT
Darius Holland, LB
Chris Ruhman, T

[SKA]

The 1999 Off-Season (Part II)

2000 Draft Prospect Big Board
1. John Abraham, LB (6-4, 254 lbs., South Carolina)
2. Darwin Walker, DT (6-3, 294 lbs., Tennessee)
3. Kabir Gbaja-Biamila, DE (6-4, 254 lbs., San Diego State)
4. Julian Peterson, LB (6-3, 235 lbs., Michigan State)
5. Brian Urlacher, LB (6-3, 250 lbs., New Mexico)
6. Tom Brady, QB (6-4, 224 lbs., Michigan)
7. Shaun Ellis, DE (6-5, 283 lbs., Tennessee)
8. Shaun Alexander, RB (5-11, 225 lbs., Alabama)
9. Greg Wesley, S (6-2, 206 lbs., Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
10. Darren Howard, DE 6-3, 280 lbs., Kansas State)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Jamal Lewis, RB (Tennessee)
Darrell Jackson, WR (Florida)
Laveranues Coles, WR (Florida State)
Adalius Thomas, DE (Southern Mississippi)
Corey Simon, DT (Florida State)
Clark Haggans, LB (Colorado State)
LaVar Arrington, LB (Penn State)
Marc Washington, LB (Auburn)
Ray Thompson, LB (Tennessee)

In reality, the 2000 NFL Draft class is probably one of the greatest of all-time. Although in real life, quarterback Tom Brady would come off the bench as a sixth round pick, and eventually become one of the greatest quarterback the game has ever seen, the Cleveland/McNabb-alternate reality saw Tom Brady eventually take over as quarterback of the Michigan Wolverines, leading them to the 1999 National Championship, as Michigan would earn itself a second-national championship in three-years, and Brady became college's biggest quarterback. Embracing the spotlight, with his sense of professionalism, quality of play on the field, and good looks for the media, Brady is the consensus overall number one pick in this year's draft, although a few players in terms of their ability and potential, rank higher than him on the 2000 Draft Prospect Big Board. But the struggling Philadelphia Eagles, with their abysmal 1999 season, and firing of head coach and general manager, are expected to take Brady under their wings, and rebuild what is a storied franchise, under the young Wolverine's paw.

This year's draft finds itself stocked with tremendous defensive prospects, but two other players round out the few top players available. Quarterback Chad Pennington may not find himself within the top 10 on the big board, but he is almost as anticipated as Brady is out of Michigan. Pennington was a huge sensation out of Marshall, and seems to have caught a wave of hype among scouts throughout his time in the collegiate game. There is some concern over the arm strength of Pennington, but his accuracy is bar none some of the best to develop, as the 24-year old is a pure bred quarterback with huge hopes ahead of him. With Brad Johnson in Washington, which owns the second overall pick, there is a lot of anticipation that Pennington will go third overall to the Miami Dolphins, who are expecting the retirement of future Hall of Famer, Dan Marino. For Pennington, it could be an opportunity to acquire a throne built for, and by a king, in Dan Marino... a king, that has yet to achieve the ultimate victory, a Super Bowl victory...

The top running back prospect is undoubtedly Shaun Alexander out of Alabama. Although his team didn't field much success early on, Alexander would eventually be considered a finalist for the coveted Heisman award during his senior season, leading the Crimson Tide to a SEC Championship after defeating #3 Florida in a 34-7 romping. Alexander earned his legitimacy with his three-touchdown performance against Auburn in the annual Iron Bowl, as Alexander left the school with 15 records and over 3,500 career yards. Situation may find Alexander a bit further down than he may have hoped. Many of the teams between Washington and the tenth round pick Giants find themselves with solid franchise running backs already within the prime of their career. Some ideas are floating around that Alexander may go to the Dolphins instead of Pennington, or perhaps Chicago, but most conservative estimates have Alexander landing in the hands of the Cleveland Browns, a team that struggled immensely when it came to the rushing game.

Defensively, the linebackers are deeper than years have ever seen, with John Abraham ranking in as the top prospect available, and going number two to the Washington Redskins, a team that could really use the help behind a powerful defensive line. But also available, and not far behind the skills of Abraham, are that of Julian Peterson out of Michigan State and Brian Urlacher out of New Mexico, while the players below them are almost just as skilled as well. Defensive ends also come fully stocked, led by top prospect Kabir Gbaja-Biamila out of San Diego State. There's also Shaun Ellis, of Tennessee, and the big Darren Howard out of Kansas State. A young man by the name of Darwin Walker may be better than all of them, however, as he comes in number two on the 2000 Draft Prospect Big Board, but some rumors are floating around that his draft stock is steadily slipping after the NFL Draft Combine began.

Every single team should come out stronger than they were the season before when this one is all said and done. Years ahead, history shall look back on the 2000 NFL Draft as a dominating one, with players franchises will plan to build their rosters and future transactions around. Other great prospects available include safety Greg Wesley out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, expected to go eighth to Cincinnati, a team with a particularly weak secondary. Also available are defensive ends Adalius Thomas, James Hall, and Courtney Brown (the real life number one overall pick, ironically, of the Cleveland Browns. He was a ****ing bust.) The linebackers list has Marc Washington, LaVar Arrington, Rob Morris, Keith Bulluck, and many more... The options at cornerback and safety aren't very impressive, while the offensive line has perhaps the worst selection available out of any position.

The 2000 NFL Draft is building up to be one of historical proportions...

2000 Mock NFL Draft
1. PHI: Tom Brady, QB (6-4, 224 lbs., Michigan)
2. WAS: John Abraham, LB (6-4, 254 lbs., South Carolina)
3. MIA: Chad Pennington, QB (6-3, 226 lbs., Marshall)
4. ATL: Julian Peterson, LB (6-3, 235 lbs., Michigan State)
5. PIT: Kabir Gbaja-Biamila, DE (6-4, 254 lbs., San Diego State)
6. BUF: Brian Urlacher, LB (6-3, 250 lbs., New Mexico)
7. CHI: Darwin Walker, DT (6-3, 294 lbs., Tennessee)
8. CIN: Greg Wesley, S (6-2, 206 lbs., Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
9. CLE: Shaun Alexander, RB (5-11, 225 lbs., Alabama)
10. NYG: Shaun Ellis, DE (6-5, 283 lbs., Tennessee)

...

Cleveland has the NUMBER NINE overall pick.

Who should the Browns select?