NFL Feature Capsules - AFC: Colts embark on quest for 16-game winning streak
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are getting perfectly picky these days.
Indy is off to its fourth 6-0 start in five years, is one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the league and with a win Sunday against San Francisco would become the eighth team in league history to win 16 consecutive regular-season games.
When outsiders look at the numbers and see Sunday's matchup as a chance at "perfection," the insiders contend there is still plenty of work to be done. Indy wants to reduce the number of penalties, the number of turnovers and improve its running game, for starters.
Perhaps that's the best explanation for why Indy is closing in on a version of the perfect season.
"What have we got, 16 in a row or something like that?" defensive end Dwight Freeney said when asked about the quest. "Fifteen? I didn't even know that. I don't think anybody in here knows that."
Everybody's counting these days, though.
New England set the NFL record for consecutive wins (21) between 2006 and 2008. The Patriots also won 18 straight in 2003 and 2004, and Chicago won 17 in a row from 1933-34. Only four other teams have ever won 16 — Chicago in 1941-42, Miami from 1971-73 and again in 1983-84 and Pittsburgh in 2004-05. The 2007 Patriots are the only team to ever finish a 16-game season undefeated, though they lost in the Super Bowl.
But the question making the rounds this week is whether a 16-game winning streak, broken up over two seasons and two coaches and interrupted by a painful overtime loss in the playoffs at San Diego, would be the NFL equivalent of golf's Tiger Slam?
"I guess so," left tackle Charlie Johnson said. "But I don't know what you'd call it. I'm not creative enough to come up with that."
Indy knows the perils of this chase better than just about any team.
Players like Freeney, three-time MVP Peyton Manning, three-time Pro Bowlers Reggie Wayne and Jeff Saturday, tight end Dallas Clark and defensive captain Gary Brackett were all around back in 2005 when the Colts started 13-0, finished 14-2 and then lost a divisional round playoff game at home to eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.
The hype was building again the next season when Indy started 9-0. It finished 12-4 but won the Super Bowl, making the lesson clear to everyone about what really matters.
"There's only one title and that's 'Super Bowl champs,' and that's it," cornerback Marlin Jackson said. "Sixteen in a row, that's good. But you won't remember it if you don't win a Super Bowl."
What has made the Colts winning streak most impressive is how they've done it.
Since their last loss, Oct. 27, 2008, at Tennessee, the Colts have knocked off both of last year's Super Bowl teams, all four 2008 AFC division champs and the 2008 NFC West champion — all on the road. They also won at Minnesota, the NFC North champ, last year, before the streak began.
This season, they are already 4-0 on the road, have topped 30 points in four straight games and won all four by at least 17 points. Manning is on pace for his second 40-touchdown season, Freeney is chasing the NFL record for most consecutive games with a sack and the usually maligned defense has given up just one touchdown per game.
The veterans realize there's a long way to go.
"Perfect season? What, are we going to start the playoffs the following week?" Clark said, drawing laughter. "I don't look at it (the streak) that way. We're just trying to keep that drive, keep that focus and keep that consistency going."
Coach Jim Caldwell couldn't have said it any better himself.
He has matched the best six-game start by any rookie coach since the 1970 merger. A win against the 49ers could make Caldwell the first coach in league history to win his first seven games — if Denver's Josh McDaniels doesn't beat him to it. Both coaches have early afternoon starts Sunday.
So would a win create another perfect chapter in the Colts' streak?
"No," Caldwell said without hesitation. "I think the thing that we try and do and we've always done is you never really get out in front of yourself. We like to add them up at the end. For us, the 49ers are walking in here and we've got to be ready to play."
Fisher will announce starting QB on Thursday
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jeff Fisher knows he can't keep the identity of his starting quarterback secret until kickoff Sunday even if he wants to.
So the Tennessee coach is trying to keep it quiet for another 24 hours.
Fisher said Wednesday he will announce his starter Thursday, trying to carve out another day of competitive advantage for the winless Titans against Jacksonville (3-3).
"I'm going to assume that as long as we can keep this thing a mystery, the better chances we have. There's clearly a difference in skill-sets between the two quarterbacks. That's obvious," Fisher said.
The coach stuck with Kerry Collins as his starter all season. But the Titans are 0-6, and owner Bud Adams reportedly wants to see Vince Young start Sunday.
Neither Collins nor Young spoke to reporters Wednesday, and offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was not available to three reporters asking to speak to him after practice. The Titans signed John David Booty to the practice squad Wednesday, and he worked with the scout team — duties that had been handled solely by Young since Patrick Ramsey was cut Oct. 3.
The quarterbacks are very different.
Collins is the pocket passer with the accurate arm. But the 15-year veteran has eight interceptions — one more than all of last season. His receivers have dropped at least 18 passes, Collins is completing just 54.8 percent of his passes, the offense ranks last in the NFL in time of possession and the Titans haven't scored a touchdown in eight quarters.
Young remains best known for his legs than his arm, having rushed for 979 yards since being drafted No. 3 overall in 2006. He is 18-11 as a starter, a job he lost to Collins in the 2008 season opener against the Jaguars after being intercepted twice and spraining his knee.
"I still have faith in Kerry Collins, that's our guy," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "No one in this locker room, no one on this team said anything. That call came from the head."
Asked if Young would be ready if promoted to starter, Bulluck referred questions to the quarterback. But he said Young's got to be ready because people can look great in shorts during offseason workouts but not be up to playing at kickoff.
"I have confidence in both of our quarterbacks. Right now Kerry is our starter, and I'm fine with that," Bulluck said.
Both quarterbacks worked with the first-team offense Wednesday. Center Kevin Mawae said he didn't know of a change and that quarterback switches can produce mixed results. He noted Young taking over for Collins in 2006 when the Titans were 0-3 with the team finishing 8-8 and how Collins replaced Young in 2008 as part of a 10-0 start.
Mawae said team owners can do what they want but he thinks Adams will leave final decisions up to Fisher.
"I know everyone wants a quarterback change because a quarterback change is the one thing that can incite something. But if everybody else is doing their job, including the offensive line and receivers, then everybody looks better, including the quarterback," Mawae said.
Receiver Justin Gage indicated he senses a change is coming, while tight end Bo Scaife, who played with Young in college at Texas, said he was not the coach when asked about a change at quarterback. Scaife said he knows Young, the 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year, wants to play.
Is Young, who has more career interceptions (33) than touchdowns (22), ready?
"I hope he's ready," Scaife said. "Only Vince knows if he's ready. He's been looking good in practice, looked good in training camp. Only Vince knows when he's ready. Practice is different than the game."
Notes: RB Javon Ringer hurt his lower back or hip near the end of practice and was carted off the field before being helped inside the team's building. Fisher did not have any information on the severity of the injury, though the rookie was in obvious pain. ... DB Vincent Fuller (broken right arm) was not listed on the injury report, and Fisher said he has been cleared to return. CB Nick Harper (broken right arm) was limited. CB Cortland Finnegan (right hamstring) did not practice, but Fisher said he could be on the field Thursday.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Veteran punter Mitch Berger joins unbeaten Broncos
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sixteen years into a vagabond NFL career that most recently featured a championship season, Mitch Berger has come full circle.
The 37-year-old punter had his first practice Wednesday with the Denver Broncos since being signed this week as the replacement for second-year pro Brett Kern, who was waived. It was a homecoming of sorts for the Canadian-born Berger, who starred at the University of Colorado in the early 1990s.
"It's been a long time since I've been back in this area," Berger said. "I loved being at Colorado and have good memories of that. It's been a while since I've been there and I'm happy to be back."
The Broncos are counting on Berger, who joined his 12th NFL team since being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1994, to steady their punting game. He'll make his debut Sunday, when the Broncos (6-0) visit the Baltimore Ravens (3-3).
Kern had the 10th-best punting average (46.1 yards) in the league, but struggled with his directional game. He put an NFL-high six of his 27 punts into the end zone for touchbacks, a no-no for coach Josh McDaniels, who places a high premium on the battle for field position. The capper may have come Oct. 19 in Denver's 34-23 win at San Diego, when he got off a long punt with little hang time that Darren Sproles returned 77 yards for a touchdown.
"It certainly wasn't something where Brett was the only person that had made any mistakes or had done anything that we didn't like on the punt team," McDaniels said. "We just felt like, with some of the things we're asking our punter to do, that Mitch would give us an opportunity to improve in that area. We made the change and we're going to work hard to make sure that it's the right move."
Berger, who won a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, was out of football until being signed Monday. McDaniels said critical factors in adding Berger were his experience and grasp of the art of punting, including the ability to take something off his kicks or direct them in a bid to pin opposing teams deep in their territory. Berger also will replace Kern as the holder for place-kicker Matt Prater.
"We don't just tell our punter to kick it as far as you can on every play," McDaniels said. "We ask a lot of them. Mitch has been asked to do that before in his career. We think he can do it the way we want it done and be productive in our system, not really worrying about or concerning himself with statistics or numbers."
Over a long career, Berger said he has come to appreciate the importance of directional punting and the demands that go with it.
"It's just about trying to be able to hit the ball that you need when they need it," he said. "You need all the kicks in your bag. I think it's more than trying to hit more than one kind of kick. You try not to have touchbacks and try making sure you cut them deep, sometimes being able to kick out of bounds."
Raiders try to fix leaky run defense
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Lost in all the attention surrounding JaMarcus Russell's benching in Oakland's latest blowout loss was a historically bad performance by the Raiders' shoddy run defense.
Shonn Greene, Thomas Jones and the New York Jets gashed the Oakland defense for 316 yards rushing in a 38-0 victory, the second-most yards any team has ever recorded on the ground against the Raiders.
"Defensively we have to be tougher than that," defensive lineman Jay Richardson said. "We have to play better, we have to play our gaps tougher, all of us all across the board. It takes 11 guys to stop the run. We can't just have a few guys here and there trying to run after it. It takes all of us."
Instead, there was blame for just about everybody on the Oakland defense on a day the Raiders knew the Jets were going to rely heavily on the run. Coach Tom Cable counted 15 missed tackles, players were out of position on some plays and did a bad job of staying in their gaps.
That all led to the defensive breakdowns in the Raiders' most lopsided home loss in history.
"I don't think you would single out any one individual or two individuals or any one position — 316 is 316," Cable said.
That marked just the third time the Raiders had ever allowed 300 yards rushing in a game, giving up a franchise-worst 319 to Seattle in 2001 and 306 to Buffalo in 1962 — the year before Al Davis arrived in Oakland
The Jets came into the game vowing to run in order to take some pressure off rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. Two early turnovers deep in Oakland territory set up New York for two short touchdown drives in which they gained only 8 total yards.
With the Jets leading 14-0 early, they stuck with the run all day long.
"I think we just started out in some bad situations and it just got progressively worse as the game went on," defensive lineman Richard Seymour said. "I think it's important for us to start fast in games and I think once we start fast we can carry it on through the game. But if we start in a hole I think some games are going to be that way and we have to be mentally tough and be able to move forward."
Seymour said the problems are so basic — tackling and gap integrity — that they shouldn't be difficult to fix. He said the team needs to do a better job in practice, suggesting that the Raiders may even need to "practice live" — meaning, actual tackling.
Cable said if the problems keep recurring, he would consider doing live tackling in practice, but isn't at that point yet.
The Raiders are 30th in the league in rushing defense, allowing 169.7 yards per game. They have allowed 32 runs this season of at least 10 yards, one shy of the most in the NFL, and a league-worst 10 runs of at least 20 yards.
The one reprieve this week is Oakland's opponent, the San Diego Chargers, has the second-worst rushing offense in the league this season at 70.5 yards per game despite having LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles. The Chargers were held to 77 yards rushing in winning the opener at Oakland 24-20 and topped the 100-yard mark for the first time all season last week in Kansas City.
"Based on what we've been through a couple of times now in terms of run defense, we'd be fools not to think they would try to run it," Cable said.
The problem with run defense in Oakland dates back many years, and even a change in defensive coordinator from Rob Ryan to John Marshall this season hasn't solved it.
Since going to the Super Bowl following the 2002 season, Oakland has had the worst run defense in the NFL, allowing 143.6 yards per game on the ground and 133 touchdowns rushing. The Raiders have allowed a 100-yard rusher in more than half of their games the past three years, with nondescript backs such as Ron Dayne, Maurice Morris, Kolby Smith and now Greene all reaching the mark.
The change in coordinator and addition of Seymour and defensive end Greg Ellis this season was supposed to upgrade that facet of Oakland's defense but the results haven't shown through just yet.
"It's never been an ability issue," Richardson said. "We have all the necessary pieces it's just about getting everybody to trust each other and do their jobs."
-- Josh Dubow
After strong game, Meriweather stays humble
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Brandon Meriweather won't spend time during his bye week watching perhaps his best game as a pro. He might take a peek, though, at his next opponent.
The emerging leader in the New England Patriots secondary is more concerned with the upcoming challenge, not the last one.
"Everything is a work in progress," Meriweather said Wednesday. "Nothing is ever perfect, but everything can get better."
The three-year veteran had two interceptions on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first 12 offensive plays on Sunday. He returned the first one for a 39-yard touchdown that began the 35-7 rout in London.
"The guy is a playmaker," said Brandon McGowan, who plays next to Meriweather at the other safety position. "Most of the time he's in the right spot."
Meriweather was the 24th pick in the first round in 2007 after setting the career record at Miami for tackles by a defensive back. As a rookie, he had trouble holding onto the ball. Last season, he corrected that with four interceptions, but the secondary gave up some big plays.
Now he's making them.
"I kind of forgot about last year and moved on to this year," Meriweather said. "Any time you can make big plays it does a lot for your confidence and it does a lot for the team."
The Patriots are spending their bye week in first place in the AFC East with a 5-2 record after blowout victories over winless teams, 59-0 over the Tennessee Titans before Sunday's victory over Tampa Bay.
They'll come back to face the Miami Dolphins, who nearly upset the New Orleans Saints before a loss dropped them to 2-4, although quarterback Chad Henne is 2-1 since replacing Chad Pennington, out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Meriweather isn't looking past the Dolphins to tougher opponents later in November.
"They have a great running game," he said. "They have a quarterback who's been getting better and better every week. So I'm just trying to look at this Miami game and get ready for that."
Meriweather said he would leave town to spend time with his daughter and might watch some video of the Dolphins. He's not focused beyond that game.
"I don't even know who we play" after Miami, he said.
Does he know he'll play on the road against Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Drew Brees of the Saints, both unbeaten teams, in two of the last three games next month?
After a brief pause, Meriweather said, "I know I'm going to be facing the Miami Dolphins next week."
He played in all 16 games with no starts as a rookie, then started 11 of his 16 games last season with safety Rodney Harrison sidelined most of the season. Harrison retired and Meriweather has started all seven games this season, leading the team in tackles.
"He taught me the little things — how to stay healthy, how to read quarterbacks," Meriweather said. "Nothing major, but he just showed me how to put myself in position to let my athletics take over."
Harrison, now a football analyst for NBC, said last Sunday that Meriweather is the Patriots MVP.
"It means a lot, but you've always got to take things with a grain of salt," Meriweather said. "I can't look at it too hard because when you start looking at things too hard then you start to play like it. You start to fall off and your head gets big. So I'm still trying to stay humble and just continue doing what I've been doing."
He wants to keep showing the ability that convinced the Patriots to draft him in the first round.
"I kind of show little glimpses of it every now and then. I really don't think that I hit my peak yet," Meriweather said. "I still have a lot to learn and a lot to get better with."
-- Howard Ulman
Bills WR Owens upbeat despite 'pathetic' numbers
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Terrell Owens isn't ready to give back the key to the city just yet.
Though bluntly describing his statistics as "pathetic," the Buffalo Bills receiver on Wednesday shrugged off suggestions that he's lost a step in his 14th NFL season. As for the guarantee he made last spring to Buffalo mayor Byron Brown that he'll score 10 touchdowns this year or give back the key, well, there's still time.
"The season's not over yet. I can still get those 10," said Owens as the Bills (3-4) prepare to host Houston (4-3) this weekend. "I've got to hold up my end of the bargain."
It'll take some doing because so far T.O. in Buffalo has amounted to something pretty close to zero. And that's not what anyone expected from the prolific receiver when he generated a major buzz in March by signing a one-year $6.5 million contract with the Bills.
Through seven games, Owens has 18 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown, which marks the worst start to a season since 1996, his rookie year in San Francisco. Worse, Owens had his 185-game reception streak snapped when he failed to make a catch in a 27-7 loss to New Orleans on Sept. 27.
His most productive game with the Bills has been a three-catch, 60-yard outing in a 38-10 loss to Miami. He had previously never gone seven games without a 70-yard performance in a season.
"They're pathetic to be honest," Owens said, referring to his statistics. "Definitely, for myself, it's very, very frustrating. I hear a lot of people saying I've hit the wall, I can't play any more, this and that. I mean, I know I can play.
"I'm frustrated, but I mean, what can I do? I just continue to try to work hard, continue to try to do the best I can."
His best hasn't been enough in an offense that's banged-up, features an offensive line with four of five players who hadn't started a game before this season, and is already on a new coordinator after Turk Schonert was fired in September.
Protection has been an issue. The Bills have given up 21 sacks, which means quarterbacks Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick have had little time to wait for Owens or fellow receiver Lee Evans to get deep.
Owens has only three catches of 20 yards or more, including a 43-yard touchdown. But he's seen many errant throws attempted his way because of quarterbacks under a heavy rush.
Owens, however, has at times appeared uninterested, especially when he was only thrown to 13 times in his first three games. And he has eight drops, though Owens did make a clutch 18-yard catch in traffic to convert a third-and-11 in a 20-9 win at Carolina last weekend.
Fitzpatrick expressed surprise the Bills haven't been able to get Owens more involved.
"Nobody would have guessed he would be where he is now," said Fitzpatrick, preparing to make his second start in place of Edwards, who is recovering from a concussion. "But it is going to be a constant point of emphasis for us to get him the ball."
Coach Dick Jauron said Owens' lack of production is a reflection of the offense's struggles, and not the receiver.
"We've got to do a better job, all of us," Jauron said. "I'm disappointed in our production on the field and our inability to score points. And we're trying to ramp that up, and he'll be a big part of it."
Owens sees injuries and youth as reasons the NFL's 27th-ranked offense is struggling, having failed to generate 300 yards six times already this season. He also said he's not accustomed to an offensive philosophy that forces him to line up in one position before the snap, allowing defenses to account for him.
Owens provided a mixed response when asked if he had any regrets about signing with Buffalo.
He began by saying, "No, not at all. Everything happens for a reason." Owens then added: "There are times. I'm human. And it's frustrating. I never want to go back and rethink things. But that's the nature of it. I have a year here and whatever. I just want to go out and try to play as hard as I can."
Owens remains upbeat. He joked that his objective is to put up better numbers than Cowboys receiver Roy Williams, who's taken over the No. 1 job Owens previously had in Dallas. Williams has 12 catches for 230 yards and a TD, though he's missed one game with a rib injury.
"As long as I'm doing better than him, I'm good," he said, grinning.
Owens was also playful during practice. After making a catch, he ran past a group of reporters on the sideline and exclaimed, "I'm bound to have a breakout game one of these days."
He's got nine games left.
-- John Wawrow
Ginn Jr. silent about possible lineup shakeup
DAVIE, Fla. — Miami Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn Jr.'s status as a starter has become a hot topic, although he's not contributing to the conversation.
Ginn has yet to speak to the media since his poor performance Sunday in a loss to New Orleans. He didn't line up with the first team during the portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media, raising speculation about a lineup change.
"Just shuffling some things around in practice, doing some of those things, just make sure everybody is on their toes," coach Tony Sparano said.
When asked if Ginn had lost his starting job, Sparano said, "We'll see where we are at the end of the week.
"I'm just kind of upsetting the whole apple cart, and let's see how this thing goes. I don't want to say yes, I don't way to say no right now. Today we just said, let's let it fly. We've got five guys there that are playing this position, so let's let them all work and see where we go from there."
Rookie Brian Hartline took Ginn's place with the first-team offense during the open portion of practice. Against the Saints, Hartline caught a 67-yard pass that set up a touchdown, and he finished with three receptions for 94 yards.
"When you get the opportunity you've got to take advantage," Hartline said. "And if you can do that, hopefully you can get more and more."
In addition to Ginn and Hartline, the Dolphins' receivers are starter Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess and rookie Patrick Turner, who has been inactive for each of the first six games.
The Dolphins (2-4), last in the AFC East, are on the road Sunday against the New York Jets (4-3).
Ginn dropped three passes against New Orleans, including one that deflected off his hands to safety Darren Sharper, who returned the interception 42 yards for a momentum-changing touchdown.
Ginn has yet to fulfill his projected potential since being taken with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft. This year he has 18 catches for 211 yards and one touchdown, and ranks third on the team in receptions behind Bess (26) and Camarillo (19).
Ginn didn't talk to the media after Sunday's game. On Monday he said through a team spokesman he would talk Wednesday, but didn't.
His silence coincides with Sparano opening a news conference Monday by taking blame for an ill-advised timeout, saying he wanted to be accountable for mistakes because he expects the same from his players.
Notes: LB Channing Crowder sat out practice with a shoulder injury. NT Jason Ferguson was limited because of a foot injury. RB Ricky Williams took full part but is nursing a thumb injury.
Browns QB calls his stats 'garbage'
BEREA, Ohio — Derek Anderson stepped up to the podium and began his weekly news conference with a weather update.
"It's raining," the Browns beleaguered quarterback said.
It seems Anderson has spent weeks under a metaphoric cloud.
Since replacing Brady Quinn as Cleveland's starter in Week 3, Anderson has been awful. He's made bad throws, poor decisions, fumbled, stumbled and generally looked lost. It hasn't helped that the Browns recently traded his top target, wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but Anderson's poor play has contributed to the current messy state the Browns (1-6) are in.
As personal policy, Anderson doesn't look at his statistics. He knows they're not pretty.
"Honestly, they are garbage," he said Wednesday. "I haven't looked at them since I started playing."
Good thing. In his case, Anderson's ignorance is bliss.
A Pro Bowler in 2007, Anderson is currently the lowest-rated quarterback in the NFL with a 40.6 mark — the third-worst rating through seven weeks this decade. According to STATS LLC, only Ryan Leaf (34.5 in 2000) and Kerry Collins (37.5 in 2006) have started a season as poorly.
Anderson's performance over a three-game span against Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Green Bay is one for the NFL history books. He has completed only 32.9 percent of his passes (23 of 70) in the three games, the smallest percentage of any QB with at least 70 attempts since the Los Angeles Raiders' Steve Beuerlein (31.9) in 1988.
Also, Anderson's 244 passing yards in the span are the fewest for a QB with 70 passes since Chicago's Vince Evans (212) in 1981.
That's not the kind of company you want to keep.
And yet, Browns coach Eric Mangini believes Anderson gives Cleveland's offense the best chance to move the ball.
Anderson is grateful for the support, but it's not like Mangini has guaranteed him the job for the remainder of the season.
"I haven't actually had a conversation with him about that," he said.
These are not the best of times for the Browns, but the fun-loving, down-to-earth Anderson is keeping his chinstrap up and working hard to improve. He's been staying late to study film with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, looking for ways to get Cleveland's offense in gear.
The Browns have scored four offensive TDs all season, and their lone rushing score came on a 1-yard scramble by Anderson.
Progress has been slow and the season, not even halfway over, is spiraling downward. But Anderson said it's not any tougher to come to work.
"I've probably learned more this year so far, more football and understanding things," he said. "I'm enjoying the football aspect of it — not necessarily the games right now. That's the disappointing part. But I'm learning more and getting better."
Anderson threw 29 TD passes two years ago, but that was when he had an arsenal of offensive weapons.
Edwards is gone, Kellen Winslow was traded and Joe Jurevicius retired. In their place are rookie wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie; Mike Furrey, who is in his first year with Cleveland; and Chansi Stuckey, who came over from the New York Jets for Edwards.
Anderson said he's developing chemistry with his receivers, but the formula is still incomplete.
"It's frustrating because we can do it," he said. "I know we can do it. I've seen us do it. Carrying it over to Sundays is our problem."
Anderson's commitment has made an impression on his teammates and Cleveland's coaching staff.
Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas said Anderson, known simply as D.A., hasn't let his struggles change his demeanor or affect his development.
"You can see that he has grown as far as his leadership on offense, not necessarily with a throw here or there, but as far as running the offense as a whole," Thomas said. "It seems like he's doing a much better job at that."
Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has observed Anderson and admires the way the 26-year-old has handled himself during a difficult season.
"The guy is a leader, a great leader," Ryan said. "You can see the way he runs the team. The guys respect him. He's always in the office with (Brian) Daboll. Sometimes he's bringing Whoppers with jalapenos to the rest of the coaches that are still there at night, so I appreciate a guy like that. He's always around and it's hard not to pull for a guy like him."
Sure enough, Anderson has delivered late-night snacks to Cleveland's coaches.
"I don't eat them but Rob is on a diet — a Burger King diet," he said, laughing. "He's supposed to be on a diet. I brought about 10 burgers. I don't know who ate them all, I can't point any fingers."
-- Tom Withers
