First off, what's all this about "zone-blocking"? How the hell can you block a zone, and how will that do your running back any favors? And everybody knows that offensive linemen can't block unless they have big potbellies for balast! Wile E., methinks you think too much!
Here's how the new offensive line should go: First, we need to cut that Isaak Sowells guy, since he is obviously a bust. Next, we need to get Andruzzi back (with a raise) and start him at right guard. If he won't come back, then I guess you just stick Kevin Shaffer there, or else Shaffer at right tackle and move Tucker inside...
Wait! Fraley is pretty small, so just put Shaffer at center! Ok now that that's settled, we can leave Tucker at right tackle. But who will play right guard, since that Seth McKinney doesn't have enough ballast to push nose tackles around? Ah! Nat Dorsey! He's a monster! Ok so there you go: Shaffer at center, Dorsey at guard. See how easy that was?
OK now the wide recievers: We need to trade Braylon Edwards, but not for less than a third round pick! Next, we need to cut Travis Wilson, who is obviously also a bust. Now this Sanders guy is really experienced, so he can start opposite Jerry Vicious, and make Josh Cribbs the third reciever, since he is from Northern Ohio.
We desperately need to fill the gapingly massive and huge black hole at running back, after cutting Jerome Harrison. I think we might be able to get a good one for next year's second, third, and fourth round draft picks.
At Quarterback, we need to get rid of either Anderson or Frye. Make it Anderson because Frye is from here), and then sign Kerry Collins so we have a starter.
ME: Hey what the hell are you doing messing up my blogsite?
JOE: Well somebody has to be the voice of reason around here! All I've read here is senseless insanity! Look at this, you even deny the deperately urgent need we have for a bellcow running back!
ME: This is called a "tire billy". Want to see how it works?
JOE: OK ok, I'm going. But just--SLAM!
The minute I turn my back. Yeah, Shaffer at center. There you go--before it was ASSumed that Shaffer would be a better right tackle than Tucker in a man scheme. Now some people ASSume he'd be better than McKinney at GUARD! If McKinney is healthy, and if Sowells isn't now better, McKinney is the best right guard on this roster, and Tucker the best right tackle, period.
But Tucker is getting up there in years, and his feet are slowing down. He does not fit a zone scheme, although with a tackle, you can work with that. I don't know all the intricacies of zone schemes, but sense that having a big mauler like Tucker at guard (as in between the quick, athletic center and a quick, athletic tackle) could be more difficult.
In his prime, Tucker was very athletic for a right tackle, which was what made him pretty special at a position normally occupied by thugs. Maybe he has enough of that left to get by at guard in a zone scheme, though I doubt it. Still, I think about how they'd bull-rush to collapse the pocket, and the thought of Tucker there duking it out with a DT is comforting.
I suppose--well as a guard he's got a nose tackle to his left, sometimes a DT in his face, a DE to his right--he's nifty enough to go get in a linebacker's face and at least make them run around him, I guess. Maybe just have him forget about everything else and just drive the first guy he hits into the turf, and let the other guys do the fancy stuff.
Oh well. Yeah I read some more about the offense. They have indeed altered the original vertical-passing scheme for the sakes of both Frye and Quinn. That makes me feel a lot better, and gives me a clue as to why these coaches were picked out.
The best coaches are adaptable. They might have their favorite schemes that they want to run, and draft and sign free agents toward that end--but once they have their roster settled, they look at what they've got, and try to figure out how to make the most of it.
Belichick, though not ready to be what he became yet, came here as a "3-4 guy". Everybody thought he'd immediately make MDP a nose tackle and stuff. But he didn't. He ran more 4-3 at first, and only brought in more 3-4 after he'd changed some of the people. And he didn't use MDP like a normal nose tackle. MDP attacked and penetrated.
Micheal Dean didn't like how he was used, but Bill was right. He got sacks and tackles for losses. He wrought havoc.
We need to throw the Frye stuff out the window, because this will be a much more Chuck-friendly passing scheme than the one they had last season. I believe that Anderson may actually be the better quarterback of the two, but in this system he has no advantage. I would not count Charlie out. This is his third season, and not until we see him this year can we really know what he's about.
That is, all you assholes put the ropes down and let's wait for the circuit judge.
I heard that part of the problem last season was exactly that: Carthon established a vertical offense, despite having more of a west coast type quarterback, and it was too late to re-do it when he was fired and Davidson took over (running pretty much the same plays, by the way--if we want to stick to reality and substance here).
I'm very glad we got that old superstar WR coach here, because he's going to have to FORCE Edwards to run the correct patterns sharply, and ream him when he drops passes. Travis Wilson will compete for a starting slot, and probably win it. He has all the talent to do it, and his game-speed is incidentally underrated.
We'll have two big WR's running crosses and slants over top of Winslow, and Edwards remains a deep threat--moreso than he was last season, before his ACL had completely healed. Both these guys can take a short pass and turn it into something.
The key is the pattern. If the QB knows exactly where they will be, he'll put the ball there and the reciever will catch it at near full-speed--not having to slow down or dive for it. That's where all the big yards after catch come from.
Remember what Infante, one of the REAL pioneers of this system said? Some of the short passes are really like long hand-offs. The real yards are gained after the guy has it.
I was overjoyed to hear Quinn say that if he throws a little behind, or a little ahead, he's his own worst critic. Sometimes you wonder if a QB really cares that much, or has those kinds of standards for himself. But Quinn came out and put it in words. It's not good enough that the reciever can catch it. He has to catch it without slowing down, leaping, or diving. Without Montanna's deadly accuracy, Jerry Rice would often have eaten turf the instant he caught the ball.
I hope also that Josh Cribbs will show up and make more plays at flanker or wide reciever this season. He's obviously an awesome broken field runner, if he can just get open, and be trusted to hold onto it. He, moreso than either Wilson or Edwards, could take a little 7-yard reception to the house at any time.
In Cleveland, if you want to sound wise and intelligent, you hear Bub say what he said about maybe winning eight games, and automaticly say "Ah, grasshopper. Does the seed blossom overnight?"
That always pissed me off, because it's pretentious, and just trying to impress people.
Here's the concrete reasons for it: IF it's a zone-blocking offensive line, there will be holes for ANY running back. It WORKS! It's just tough to integrate--the linemen can't just be quick and athletic, but also very smart, and able to read the field and not just their area. They have to improvise sometimes, and make choices that can't be coached. It's too much trouble for most teams to undertake, with this and the personnel changes required.
But the Browns do have those people. Maybe they just got lucky--who cares? They're here, and they can put it in.
All we need out of Lewis (or MOSS!!!) is the abilty to break a tackle or two and get 3-6 yards consistantly, and with the holes this line (if the obvious is done) creates, that will be no problem. Now, you throw Jerome Harrison in there, and any running play could go to the house.
The QB's backside will be protected like it hasn't been since the team was re-created. We have one of the best TE's in the league, and (I believe) also one of the top, and most dangerous wide-outs. This crew can attack any part of the field, short or deep.
This defense can terrify quarterbacks and can now man-cover their best two recievers. It's very fast, and will swarm. It now has a legit nose tackle and one elite DE (Robaire Smith), plus Wimbley's highly underrated opposite number (Antwan Peek), and excellent inside backers. DEPTH there and in the secondary, which might include the best safety tandem in the NFL.
They now have the personnel to set up in most of the formations the Patriots use. Even the Pats can't pull the man-coverage curve-ball like this one now can.
By the way, I think there's a decent chance that Leon Williams will overtake D'Qwell Jackson.
Here's some reasons: Williams has the same quickness and speed, but his bigger and taller. He can line up outside if both Wimbley and Peek put their hands down, or it becomes a 4-3. He can stand up to a guard better, and can't be bumped or out-grabbed as easily by a tight end in coverage. He has more flat-out speed and can probably be a more effective blitzer.
It appears now that Thompson will be retained. Jackson would back up inside and Thompson outside (though those lines blur). Regardless of who officially starts, there will be liberal rotation of all these guys, to keep them fresh and adapt situationally.
This defense, sans Peek, both Smiths, Baxter and McCutcheon and starting two rookies and an inexperienced safety, ranked near the top of the league prior to the hand-grendade rolling into the tent. It's now much deeper, everywhere, with another year under it's belt. If you have that kind of defense, you can win some games.
Also, I now think that Pitt will take a step back. I don't think the Ravens are as good as others think. Cinci will still be pretty scary, but has not improved as much as the Browns have in the offseason. Hell, nobody in the division has!
The schedule is absolutely barbaric, yes. Bub, keep your head down up there--I promise not to tell anybody you thought we might win as many as eight games. And I concur. Let everybody else pretend to be wise sages, watering down every trace of optimism they hear. It will be funny to watch them start pretending they knew it all along when the boys start winning.
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