The Steelers are doomed-doomed, I tell you!
Ok maybe not. But there has been a lot of good stuff in these last two preseason games. I think you can see that our scrubs are better than Chicago's scrubs, for one thing. (Actually, this is true. The Browns have excellent depth, almost everywhere-and most are youngsters who will mutate into starters over time.)
It's true that the playbooks were held close to the vest, but everybody seems to think that works only one way. The Browns offense showed little of what's in store for real opponents, and Grantham's defense, now entering it's third season and with more appropriate personnel, has yet to show what it can do.
I noticed that both Quinn and Frye--and perhaps Anderson and Dorsey, as well, have thrown behind Jerome Harrison more than once (whereas Quinn has been on the money with everyone else.) This probably only means that he's significantly faster than both the other running backs. They're all pretty short and stocky, and flare-outs and similar passes are a staple. This is easy to fix. Don't worry about it.
Gil Brandt clarified some things for me today on NFL Radio. Quinn was not accurate until his senior year. He was not accurate at his work-out, and in the Browns mini-camp (when he was CHANGING HIS MECHANICS at the behest of the coaches.) He HAS been VERY accurate throughout preseason in real fake games.
This is with many different recievers--the least of which were Winslow and Edwards. He seems to like Josh Cribbs better than anybody else. That TE I told you about--Faulk? Or something. He's adjusted to each of them. That's impressive.
That goober Wilson sure enough dropped an easy pass, but then caught three. Can't give up on him. Northcutt, very sure-handed in college, went through this. Turned out to be a vision probem for him, but for Wilson--by his own admission--it's a headuphisass problem. (Well, he didn't use those exact words.) Chandler won't let him get away with it.
More later.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The Lights Went On!
Denver is an elite and balanced team, and in their third preseason game, they opened up the playbook and meant business. It's true that preseason musn't be taken too seriously, but those who will say that this game meant nothing need head-extraction surgery. (As I've mentioned, stupid people often swing to absolutes.)
Jevon Parker won't drop passes when it counts, so there was luck. On the other hand, it's pretty "iffy" that Jurevicious was out of bounds in the end-zone.
More important were the individual battles. While the Browns defense got trampled, it did pretty well against a pretty potent passing attack. The two-minute defense was atrocious, mainly because it was in "prevent" mode. ("Give them the stuff underneath...under thirty yards. Give them a ten-yard cushion".)
I really doubt that they'll be so soft in the real games. Grantham has never been Martonian like that. He usually sneaks in a safety blitze or something and blows them up, and the cushions are never that rediculous...or...hey, is Romeo....NAH!
The Browns O-line protected and opened holes, even without Steinbach. And do NOT forget: Joe Thomas is brand-spanking new, and absolutely WAS making mistakes that he won't be making even in his next game. This offensive line will be significantly better than the one which pushed the Broncos around, once Thomas gets his reps and Steinbach returns. AND, it will continue to improve throughout the season, as they get used to working as a unit within the new system.
The performance of all three QB's had less to do with their own lights going on (though that was part of it) as it did with improved protection.
I do need to make some corrections: Last week, Shaffer was beaten and Anderson was stripped. The fumble was not his fault. Anderson called a time out because he didn't get the playcall in his helmet. Why do you cretins blame him for this stuff? Because he's just the most obvious target for the mentally-challenged? And in this last game, I read about his "brain-cramp" when he got sacked ON THE FIVE YARD LINE. What--did he endanger the field-goal? Brain-cramp? Huh?
As far as I, or any rational person, is concerned, he's still neck-and-neck with Chuckie. Alas, we're running out of time, and Chuckie did a nice job without any stupidity--and has many more real games under his belt, so it looks like he da man.
What separates him showed up in this game: his ability to take off and run with it. And I hope that his arm-strength won't be questioned again, at least until the next game (JEEZ!)
Quinn? Savage and Crennel are right. As long as the Anderson-Frye survivor is servicable, you NEED to keep him on the bench for as long as possible, despite his stellar performances (this time vs. Denver's first-stringers, as well as a mix of them and backups.) The longer he is kept hungry on the sidelines, watching all the dirty tricks, the better he prepared he'll be when the real bullets fly.
Looks like they'll keep Dorsey and Frye or Anderson (looks like Frye). Dorsey is a good emergency guy, but more importantly has been around for awhile, accepts his role, has the brain of a coach, and will be invaluable in helping a baby QB acclimate.
Yes, Quinn was the best-prepped QB, and I even think that he'd do pretty well if thrown in immediately. But listen: When it's for real, do you know what new and different things the Pittsburgh Steelers can throw at him? And then, there's that thing I talked about before: A rookie QB can kick butt for one or two games, until defensive coordinators have the film to find his weaknesses. Then he gets murdered. He learns from this, and adjust...but it happens again, and again.
Carson Palmer spent an entire season on the bench, and never looked back. Leinart, Cutler, and Smith all came on later in their rookie seasons. ALEX Smith started instantly. NOW, he's highly-respected, but THEN, many felt he was a bust--he was so atrocious. PEYTON MANNING started right away, and HE sucked as a rookie! Check out his brother! Get it?
If Frye or Anderson had continued being putrid, I'd have to agree with you about Quinn needing to start right away--but when you DO have a capable veteran ready to go, you protect the kid. Same as you'd protect a young boxer: You keep him away from the contenders, and let him beat up tomato cans at first. Too fast too soon, and he'll hever recover from the beating.
For that matter, Tom Brady never started until Bledsoe got hurt. Kosar had Danielson in front of him. See it?
But boy, the future looks very bright. Jamal Lewis--wow did YOU know he could be a pass-catching weapon out of the backfield? How you like Chudzinski? And he's really cookin'! LOOKS like he's 27! This guy can break defenses backs. Do you know that Lewis is historicly a slow starter? He's been one of those guys that can be stifled through the firt half (give or take some series), and only starts trampling defenses when they're tired, and he's spotted some weak spots.
But here he is right out of the gate ripping off yardage. Back to the offensive line: THEY did a nice job.
Travis Wilson? Like I keep telling you, he's a bust!
...ok-ok, I said he'd be great. Well, he gets open. How does a guy who never drops anything in college start dropping EVERYTHING all of a sudden? Maybe his vision-he should see Northcutt's optometrist, maybe. Or a shrink. A hypnotist.
But the recievers behind Jurevicious (I like Sanders best) are doing well, and the Browns will have to give one or even two pretty good tight ends their walking papers.
Another correction: The Browns got plenty of pressure on the QB. Which idiot hallucinated a lack of pressure? That's a BOWTBW thing (baby-out-with-the bathwater). Stupid people...like I said. The got ran over, but did well against the pass.
D'Quell Jackson has reached another level. He now knows the defense well enough to stop thinking, and is just all over the place. Chaun Thompson, playing outside where he should be, is likewise excellent. Then there's that very first DE they drafted low and converted to linebacker; the project. Third season--there ya go!
Peek--told you about him, too. He made some of his plays in coverage, too.
Still it's the AFC North, and maybe the toughest schedule in the NFL. On the other hand, both the Steelers and Ravens (the Ravens as usual) are getting overrated.
8-8 in 2007 would be HUGE. Looking at the schedule, all the NFL gurus I know whould be hard-pressed to project even three wins for the Browns. I don't blame them...much.
Edwards Lewis Winslow Heiden Wimbley Wright Jones Pool Jackson Bodden Thomas Steinbach Quinn...I do blame them some. They need white canes and guide dogs, ya know?
OH! How bout Quinn and...whos' that ex-quarterback they turned into a returner and are working at WR? Yeah him. Is it that he doesn't get open, or that they just won't throw to him? Maybe they need to take Quinn aside and tell him not to throw to him anymore. But anyway, you see what a weapon he could be. Maybe.
Oh okbye.
Jevon Parker won't drop passes when it counts, so there was luck. On the other hand, it's pretty "iffy" that Jurevicious was out of bounds in the end-zone.
More important were the individual battles. While the Browns defense got trampled, it did pretty well against a pretty potent passing attack. The two-minute defense was atrocious, mainly because it was in "prevent" mode. ("Give them the stuff underneath...under thirty yards. Give them a ten-yard cushion".)
I really doubt that they'll be so soft in the real games. Grantham has never been Martonian like that. He usually sneaks in a safety blitze or something and blows them up, and the cushions are never that rediculous...or...hey, is Romeo....NAH!
The Browns O-line protected and opened holes, even without Steinbach. And do NOT forget: Joe Thomas is brand-spanking new, and absolutely WAS making mistakes that he won't be making even in his next game. This offensive line will be significantly better than the one which pushed the Broncos around, once Thomas gets his reps and Steinbach returns. AND, it will continue to improve throughout the season, as they get used to working as a unit within the new system.
The performance of all three QB's had less to do with their own lights going on (though that was part of it) as it did with improved protection.
I do need to make some corrections: Last week, Shaffer was beaten and Anderson was stripped. The fumble was not his fault. Anderson called a time out because he didn't get the playcall in his helmet. Why do you cretins blame him for this stuff? Because he's just the most obvious target for the mentally-challenged? And in this last game, I read about his "brain-cramp" when he got sacked ON THE FIVE YARD LINE. What--did he endanger the field-goal? Brain-cramp? Huh?
As far as I, or any rational person, is concerned, he's still neck-and-neck with Chuckie. Alas, we're running out of time, and Chuckie did a nice job without any stupidity--and has many more real games under his belt, so it looks like he da man.
What separates him showed up in this game: his ability to take off and run with it. And I hope that his arm-strength won't be questioned again, at least until the next game (JEEZ!)
Quinn? Savage and Crennel are right. As long as the Anderson-Frye survivor is servicable, you NEED to keep him on the bench for as long as possible, despite his stellar performances (this time vs. Denver's first-stringers, as well as a mix of them and backups.) The longer he is kept hungry on the sidelines, watching all the dirty tricks, the better he prepared he'll be when the real bullets fly.
Looks like they'll keep Dorsey and Frye or Anderson (looks like Frye). Dorsey is a good emergency guy, but more importantly has been around for awhile, accepts his role, has the brain of a coach, and will be invaluable in helping a baby QB acclimate.
Yes, Quinn was the best-prepped QB, and I even think that he'd do pretty well if thrown in immediately. But listen: When it's for real, do you know what new and different things the Pittsburgh Steelers can throw at him? And then, there's that thing I talked about before: A rookie QB can kick butt for one or two games, until defensive coordinators have the film to find his weaknesses. Then he gets murdered. He learns from this, and adjust...but it happens again, and again.
Carson Palmer spent an entire season on the bench, and never looked back. Leinart, Cutler, and Smith all came on later in their rookie seasons. ALEX Smith started instantly. NOW, he's highly-respected, but THEN, many felt he was a bust--he was so atrocious. PEYTON MANNING started right away, and HE sucked as a rookie! Check out his brother! Get it?
If Frye or Anderson had continued being putrid, I'd have to agree with you about Quinn needing to start right away--but when you DO have a capable veteran ready to go, you protect the kid. Same as you'd protect a young boxer: You keep him away from the contenders, and let him beat up tomato cans at first. Too fast too soon, and he'll hever recover from the beating.
For that matter, Tom Brady never started until Bledsoe got hurt. Kosar had Danielson in front of him. See it?
But boy, the future looks very bright. Jamal Lewis--wow did YOU know he could be a pass-catching weapon out of the backfield? How you like Chudzinski? And he's really cookin'! LOOKS like he's 27! This guy can break defenses backs. Do you know that Lewis is historicly a slow starter? He's been one of those guys that can be stifled through the firt half (give or take some series), and only starts trampling defenses when they're tired, and he's spotted some weak spots.
But here he is right out of the gate ripping off yardage. Back to the offensive line: THEY did a nice job.
Travis Wilson? Like I keep telling you, he's a bust!
...ok-ok, I said he'd be great. Well, he gets open. How does a guy who never drops anything in college start dropping EVERYTHING all of a sudden? Maybe his vision-he should see Northcutt's optometrist, maybe. Or a shrink. A hypnotist.
But the recievers behind Jurevicious (I like Sanders best) are doing well, and the Browns will have to give one or even two pretty good tight ends their walking papers.
Another correction: The Browns got plenty of pressure on the QB. Which idiot hallucinated a lack of pressure? That's a BOWTBW thing (baby-out-with-the bathwater). Stupid people...like I said. The got ran over, but did well against the pass.
D'Quell Jackson has reached another level. He now knows the defense well enough to stop thinking, and is just all over the place. Chaun Thompson, playing outside where he should be, is likewise excellent. Then there's that very first DE they drafted low and converted to linebacker; the project. Third season--there ya go!
Peek--told you about him, too. He made some of his plays in coverage, too.
Still it's the AFC North, and maybe the toughest schedule in the NFL. On the other hand, both the Steelers and Ravens (the Ravens as usual) are getting overrated.
8-8 in 2007 would be HUGE. Looking at the schedule, all the NFL gurus I know whould be hard-pressed to project even three wins for the Browns. I don't blame them...much.
Edwards Lewis Winslow Heiden Wimbley Wright Jones Pool Jackson Bodden Thomas Steinbach Quinn...I do blame them some. They need white canes and guide dogs, ya know?
OH! How bout Quinn and...whos' that ex-quarterback they turned into a returner and are working at WR? Yeah him. Is it that he doesn't get open, or that they just won't throw to him? Maybe they need to take Quinn aside and tell him not to throw to him anymore. But anyway, you see what a weapon he could be. Maybe.
Oh okbye.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Wellesville, KS
Stuck on I-35 behind a fatal wreck. Southbound truckers describe a grisley scene, with certain fatalities and evidence of same.
Truckers react in different ways. Most are merely impatient, and angry with both the dead and the survivors. Clearly, also, it was all everybody's fault. How DARE they go get carried off in pieces in order to inconvenience ME?
I finally got through all the BS and delivered a load from Van Buren to Wichita. I was on my way to a New York load when, 22 miles from the shipper and 25 seconds away from the wreck, I got into this parking lot.
USA's Qualcom macros are rather irritating. With each pickup, delivery, or hours-of-service report, they want to know how many hours I have left to work, to drive, my mother's maiden name, etc. I'm going to start leaving a lot of it blank and let them slap my wrists, if they must.
On the other hand, I have Pikepass and EZPass for tolls in several states, so I can now blow by tollbooths.
My dispatcher, Matt, is has been there for seventeen years, and is sharp. He seems all-business, which I like. This load--I was to pick it up at 1600 on friday, and deliver late monday, only about 1300 miles away. I think they don't differentiat3e between 75 mph O/O's and their regular 63 mph company guys.
That's ok with me. I'll just deliver early when I can, and take 34 hr. resets when I need to. When I can't deliver early, I'll hit hotels when I have the time to make the most of it. Money isn't everything.
Before releasing me upon the unsuspecting public, all the top company officers had me in for a brief interview. They seemed ok, and this seemed genuine.
There's good and bad to everything. You just make the best of it.
THEY have launched an all-out assault on every single one of my diversified stocks, but are too late. I'm retreating, mopping blood and sweat out of my swollen eyes and covering up. Of course, THEY don't fight fair. Horseshoes on gloves, bottles and bricks thrown by cronies in the crowd...oh I'm free okbye
Truckers react in different ways. Most are merely impatient, and angry with both the dead and the survivors. Clearly, also, it was all everybody's fault. How DARE they go get carried off in pieces in order to inconvenience ME?
I finally got through all the BS and delivered a load from Van Buren to Wichita. I was on my way to a New York load when, 22 miles from the shipper and 25 seconds away from the wreck, I got into this parking lot.
USA's Qualcom macros are rather irritating. With each pickup, delivery, or hours-of-service report, they want to know how many hours I have left to work, to drive, my mother's maiden name, etc. I'm going to start leaving a lot of it blank and let them slap my wrists, if they must.
On the other hand, I have Pikepass and EZPass for tolls in several states, so I can now blow by tollbooths.
My dispatcher, Matt, is has been there for seventeen years, and is sharp. He seems all-business, which I like. This load--I was to pick it up at 1600 on friday, and deliver late monday, only about 1300 miles away. I think they don't differentiat3e between 75 mph O/O's and their regular 63 mph company guys.
That's ok with me. I'll just deliver early when I can, and take 34 hr. resets when I need to. When I can't deliver early, I'll hit hotels when I have the time to make the most of it. Money isn't everything.
Before releasing me upon the unsuspecting public, all the top company officers had me in for a brief interview. They seemed ok, and this seemed genuine.
There's good and bad to everything. You just make the best of it.
THEY have launched an all-out assault on every single one of my diversified stocks, but are too late. I'm retreating, mopping blood and sweat out of my swollen eyes and covering up. Of course, THEY don't fight fair. Horseshoes on gloves, bottles and bricks thrown by cronies in the crowd...oh I'm free okbye
Sunday, August 12, 2007
BROWNS END QUINNLESS STREAK!
Here's a copy/paste I had to correct from a disgruntled postal...err, Browns fan:
I'm 46 years old and I decided I cannot be a fan any longer. This team has been rebuilding since 1990. I cannot defend why i'm a fan. This sucks and it will suck for years to come.
CORRECTION: Phil Savage has just concluded his second offseason, and had nothing to do with any previous regime. Since his arrival, the roster has turned overand grown younger. I myself have issues with and misgivings about Romeo Crennel, but he's only just arrived! After last season, Savage took over and replaced most of the assistant croni...I mean, coaches.
With Quinn, Winslow, Edwards, Lewis (I hope), Wimbley, the THREE inside backers, all the safeties, Wright, Thomas, Bentley on the way, and a lot of very solid vets and stars-under-construction, you need to be absolutely retarded to declare this newest project, under this new regime, doomed.
There is no day light at the end of the tunnel. There is no tunnel, just tunnel vision by an organization that has no vision.
What the hell does that mean? "Vision"? QUIT WATCHING CHICK-FLICKS! IT'S FOOTBALL!
After 3 weeks,once the season starts they will be out of the running. I'm going to stop because they are not worth my time. Good luck to all who think they will rebound.
This idiot will have one season to pretend he was right. In the AFC North and with their YOUTH, CHANGES, and schedule, it'll be a tough season.
Dude, Butch Davis and the rest of those guys are gone, along with most of their players. They do not even remotely resemble Phil Savage (EdwardsWimbleyJacksonJonesPoolWrightQuinnThomasWilliamsHolly etc.) You're just a dumbass.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
Everybody is fixating on Frye's two mistakes. The bad pass: ok. The attempt to score the TD rather than throwing it away, I wonder about. I'm disadvantaged by not having seen it, but I do know that if I were him, and thought I could get seven rather than three, I would have tried it!
All this stuff about taking the sure thing is just one theory. My theory is that being up 7 points is better than being up 3, and Frye has some pretty good wheels on him to get a lousy five yards against a spread-out defense.
I can pick on him for oversetimating his chances, but not for making the attempt. It's the same thing that last season made him hold the ball and not get rid of it. He just wants to make the play, and has a hard time giving up on it.
But then there's that negative fixation, which ignores the fact that he completed almost all of his passes and moved the offense up and down the field. The trouble with the 2-minute offense and within the red-zone IS a problem, but certainly Chud's new system and they way he's split time with Anderson are factors in this.
Bernie Kosar said that the Anderson-Frye thing needs to go another week to see what happens before they settle on a starter. He also points out that Frye has about eighteen NFL starts.
I was glad to hear Lewis do some good stuff and catch passes. He, Winslow, and Edwards were yanked early (good idea!), and there was a lot of transition going on. Individuals distinguished themselves.
Harrison didn't suprise me, and shouldn't have suprised you. He won't repeat the mistake of giving up on the bad lateral--gotta watch the fumble thing, of course. Nice blocking! Told ya!
Jason Wright is underrated. Ryan Krauss delivered! Who the hell is this Buck Ortega? What are we gonna do with all these extra tight ends? Somebody will get cut here and go start for somebody else.
Sanders and Mosely did some good stuff there. And Wilson--he made a nice play to make up for his drop, and maybe (MAYBE) the real-game action will help him perform his badly-needed head-extraction. (After all, it appears that Edwards did!) We may be in better shape depth-wise at WR than we'd thought.
The Oline protected well and run-blocked adequately--tough going inside where the stuffages happened. Thomas especially really did great, except for the holding stuff. (#73--musta looked familiar). But Dieken said what do you expect from a brand new rookie, and holding beats the hell out of a smashed QB.
Good point.
Romeo might not be able to screw Eric Wright in favor of a less-effective geezer now.
How bout that wierd defense? Smith and Smith as the only down linemen, then McMillan, Wimbley, and various combos of other guys? (I know I know, McMillan had his hand in the dirt a lot and so must have Wimbley sometimes--what a scary look, though!)
Romeo also couldn't screw Antwan Peek in favor of the older McGinest so much, either, and look what he did. (No issue with McGinest. Guess he was hurt last season, but he's still pretty old, and I want the younger guys to get reps is all.)
Two picks resulting fromm pressure, sacks...didn't like how KC was able to run, of course, but overall it sounded ok.
Please don't tell me it doesn't count or I will find you wherever you are and egg your house. What on earth makes you think that saying obvious stuff like that makes you sound smart?
Well okbye.
I'm 46 years old and I decided I cannot be a fan any longer. This team has been rebuilding since 1990. I cannot defend why i'm a fan. This sucks and it will suck for years to come.
CORRECTION: Phil Savage has just concluded his second offseason, and had nothing to do with any previous regime. Since his arrival, the roster has turned overand grown younger. I myself have issues with and misgivings about Romeo Crennel, but he's only just arrived! After last season, Savage took over and replaced most of the assistant croni...I mean, coaches.
With Quinn, Winslow, Edwards, Lewis (I hope), Wimbley, the THREE inside backers, all the safeties, Wright, Thomas, Bentley on the way, and a lot of very solid vets and stars-under-construction, you need to be absolutely retarded to declare this newest project, under this new regime, doomed.
There is no day light at the end of the tunnel. There is no tunnel, just tunnel vision by an organization that has no vision.
What the hell does that mean? "Vision"? QUIT WATCHING CHICK-FLICKS! IT'S FOOTBALL!
After 3 weeks,once the season starts they will be out of the running. I'm going to stop because they are not worth my time. Good luck to all who think they will rebound.
This idiot will have one season to pretend he was right. In the AFC North and with their YOUTH, CHANGES, and schedule, it'll be a tough season.
Dude, Butch Davis and the rest of those guys are gone, along with most of their players. They do not even remotely resemble Phil Savage (EdwardsWimbleyJacksonJonesPoolWrightQuinnThomasWilliamsHolly etc.) You're just a dumbass.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
Everybody is fixating on Frye's two mistakes. The bad pass: ok. The attempt to score the TD rather than throwing it away, I wonder about. I'm disadvantaged by not having seen it, but I do know that if I were him, and thought I could get seven rather than three, I would have tried it!
All this stuff about taking the sure thing is just one theory. My theory is that being up 7 points is better than being up 3, and Frye has some pretty good wheels on him to get a lousy five yards against a spread-out defense.
I can pick on him for oversetimating his chances, but not for making the attempt. It's the same thing that last season made him hold the ball and not get rid of it. He just wants to make the play, and has a hard time giving up on it.
But then there's that negative fixation, which ignores the fact that he completed almost all of his passes and moved the offense up and down the field. The trouble with the 2-minute offense and within the red-zone IS a problem, but certainly Chud's new system and they way he's split time with Anderson are factors in this.
Bernie Kosar said that the Anderson-Frye thing needs to go another week to see what happens before they settle on a starter. He also points out that Frye has about eighteen NFL starts.
I was glad to hear Lewis do some good stuff and catch passes. He, Winslow, and Edwards were yanked early (good idea!), and there was a lot of transition going on. Individuals distinguished themselves.
Harrison didn't suprise me, and shouldn't have suprised you. He won't repeat the mistake of giving up on the bad lateral--gotta watch the fumble thing, of course. Nice blocking! Told ya!
Jason Wright is underrated. Ryan Krauss delivered! Who the hell is this Buck Ortega? What are we gonna do with all these extra tight ends? Somebody will get cut here and go start for somebody else.
Sanders and Mosely did some good stuff there. And Wilson--he made a nice play to make up for his drop, and maybe (MAYBE) the real-game action will help him perform his badly-needed head-extraction. (After all, it appears that Edwards did!) We may be in better shape depth-wise at WR than we'd thought.
The Oline protected well and run-blocked adequately--tough going inside where the stuffages happened. Thomas especially really did great, except for the holding stuff. (#73--musta looked familiar). But Dieken said what do you expect from a brand new rookie, and holding beats the hell out of a smashed QB.
Good point.
Romeo might not be able to screw Eric Wright in favor of a less-effective geezer now.
How bout that wierd defense? Smith and Smith as the only down linemen, then McMillan, Wimbley, and various combos of other guys? (I know I know, McMillan had his hand in the dirt a lot and so must have Wimbley sometimes--what a scary look, though!)
Romeo also couldn't screw Antwan Peek in favor of the older McGinest so much, either, and look what he did. (No issue with McGinest. Guess he was hurt last season, but he's still pretty old, and I want the younger guys to get reps is all.)
Two picks resulting fromm pressure, sacks...didn't like how KC was able to run, of course, but overall it sounded ok.
Please don't tell me it doesn't count or I will find you wherever you are and egg your house. What on earth makes you think that saying obvious stuff like that makes you sound smart?
Well okbye.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Depth Chart
Romeo sent his preliminary depth chart to the league. It doesn't mean too much right now, but does fit Romeo's pattern:
Kenny Wright is listed as the starting RCB. Why? League seniority. The fact that he's been a fourth and fifth CB throughout his carreer and is getting up there in years means much less than the simple fact that he's been around for a long time.
I might be knocking a good player here, of course, as all the reports of his performance in training camp are very positive. I can't bash Memorex Morons and be one myself, after all! So if Kenny is the best, then so be it.
But he's almost certainly NOT. ERIC Wright is playing like he's been doing it his whole life, and his upside is as close to unlimitted as you can get.
Shaun Smith is listed as the starting LDE. I've said in previous posts that he's no DE, but I reckon Grantham knows better than me, and hereby magnanimously defer to him. Probobly, in Grantham's system, the LDE doesn't need to be very fast, and he's one of those guys who can overcome a big height disadvantage.
But he's most likely NOT a passing down, and maybe not even neutral down, DE. But he's been around longer than the Parker or Fraser, ergo must start ahead of the taller, faster, more versatile and athletic players.
Jason Wright ahead of Harrison. Mmm-hmm. Could be that at this point he really is better. But he doesn't need to be. Not with Romeo.
If Savage hadn't cut Gramps Russell, guess who would still be keeping Brodney Pool on the bench.
Well, Kenny Wright is dinged up, so Romeo will be forced to give Eric Wright the practice time, and because of this, may be unable to screw him out of a starting job.
SELF-CORRECTION: In a previous post I referred to Kelly Butler by some other guy's name. All references to the RT behind Shaffer and Tucker mean Butler. We have this other veteran guy who backs up left and right tackle, and has even been experimented with at guard, but this guy is a journeyman back-up, and that's all.
Undrafted Charles Ali is now listed right behind Vickers at fullback. I think he's going to make the team, because he's a phenominal blocker with underrated recieving skills. Probably, at 6'2", 265, he can help on most, of not all, of the special teams units, and would belong on the field anytime the offense goes "jumbo" and tries to run somebody over (or get them all bunched up and then sneak a pass in there).
I think local boy Steve Sanders might make it, too. He's not a home run hitter by any means, but he seems to get open and make the catch, wherever it is. Like Jurevicious. We've got Carter and Edwards...and Cribbs, if he gets better...and Winslow for the big plays, but you also need clutch guys on your team.
I was surprised to read reports about Jamal Lewis running around making catches out of the backfield (and looking good doing it). He's never been used that way before, and I stupidly assumed that he couldn't. Well, that's cool: another dimension; another variable the defense must cope with.
That's great. I mean, here on a neutral down, when it's a pass and there's no blitze (or "leak") for him to pick up, it could mean a big mess for the defense. Now he flares outside, in space, and might get the ball outside the tackle.
More reports on him: He's quicker than he was last season, and more explosive. Sounds good.
Hanford Dixon feels that the Browns will be a suprise this season. They've added a lot of very good players, with many young guys just emerging.
DUH!
Kenny Wright is listed as the starting RCB. Why? League seniority. The fact that he's been a fourth and fifth CB throughout his carreer and is getting up there in years means much less than the simple fact that he's been around for a long time.
I might be knocking a good player here, of course, as all the reports of his performance in training camp are very positive. I can't bash Memorex Morons and be one myself, after all! So if Kenny is the best, then so be it.
But he's almost certainly NOT. ERIC Wright is playing like he's been doing it his whole life, and his upside is as close to unlimitted as you can get.
Shaun Smith is listed as the starting LDE. I've said in previous posts that he's no DE, but I reckon Grantham knows better than me, and hereby magnanimously defer to him. Probobly, in Grantham's system, the LDE doesn't need to be very fast, and he's one of those guys who can overcome a big height disadvantage.
But he's most likely NOT a passing down, and maybe not even neutral down, DE. But he's been around longer than the Parker or Fraser, ergo must start ahead of the taller, faster, more versatile and athletic players.
Jason Wright ahead of Harrison. Mmm-hmm. Could be that at this point he really is better. But he doesn't need to be. Not with Romeo.
If Savage hadn't cut Gramps Russell, guess who would still be keeping Brodney Pool on the bench.
Well, Kenny Wright is dinged up, so Romeo will be forced to give Eric Wright the practice time, and because of this, may be unable to screw him out of a starting job.
SELF-CORRECTION: In a previous post I referred to Kelly Butler by some other guy's name. All references to the RT behind Shaffer and Tucker mean Butler. We have this other veteran guy who backs up left and right tackle, and has even been experimented with at guard, but this guy is a journeyman back-up, and that's all.
Undrafted Charles Ali is now listed right behind Vickers at fullback. I think he's going to make the team, because he's a phenominal blocker with underrated recieving skills. Probably, at 6'2", 265, he can help on most, of not all, of the special teams units, and would belong on the field anytime the offense goes "jumbo" and tries to run somebody over (or get them all bunched up and then sneak a pass in there).
I think local boy Steve Sanders might make it, too. He's not a home run hitter by any means, but he seems to get open and make the catch, wherever it is. Like Jurevicious. We've got Carter and Edwards...and Cribbs, if he gets better...and Winslow for the big plays, but you also need clutch guys on your team.
I was surprised to read reports about Jamal Lewis running around making catches out of the backfield (and looking good doing it). He's never been used that way before, and I stupidly assumed that he couldn't. Well, that's cool: another dimension; another variable the defense must cope with.
That's great. I mean, here on a neutral down, when it's a pass and there's no blitze (or "leak") for him to pick up, it could mean a big mess for the defense. Now he flares outside, in space, and might get the ball outside the tackle.
More reports on him: He's quicker than he was last season, and more explosive. Sounds good.
Hanford Dixon feels that the Browns will be a suprise this season. They've added a lot of very good players, with many young guys just emerging.
DUH!
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Good and Bad Stuff
I've reviewed all the camp-logs and blogs I could get my orbs on, through the appropriate history-of-source, bias, and cross-check filters, and am now prepared to provide my...anybody who reads this an intelligence estimate on the Browns.
1: Chud's system and methods: Chud is simulating game-situations in camp. In his system, there is a lot of movement and shifting. Rather than call a play and just go with it--or check off to another out of the same formation, this offense will adapt to the defense in order to cofuse it and create mismatches. This would mean moving Winslow outside, or across the field, in order to spread the defense out, or aim him at a guy who can't run with him. Or a reciever in motion, to flood one side. Or sending a Harrison or somebody to the slot, rather than in the backfield, where a weakness appears there.
Only one guy can move at a time, and sometimes there are multiple shifts--creating a whole new (and ideally unexpected) offensive alignment (and tendancy). This takes time, so the play must get called and the huddle broken quickly.
Another reason for this is that it wears a defense down, both by making them jump around in answer, and by depriving them of recovery time from the previous play.
As you recall, last season there were delay-of-games, unneccessary time-outs, illegal motions, etc. Chud is using a stopwatch, and relaying the plays to the QB through his helmet mike, so that when they're doing it for real, it will be second nature.
I like it.
Braylon Edwards: I have dug up only one drop. He is making circus catches and fighting for the ball--catching everything thrown to him. He's also now fully recovered from his injury/surgery, and as explosive as he was coming out of college. This guy, so far, is rising to expectations, and looks like a lethal weapon.
K2: What we've come to expect. And they seem to be sending him deep more. Another lethal weapon.
Jurevicious: Haven't heard much about him, but I guess that means he's catching some passes.
Travis Wilson: He's coming on, just a little, of late, but is still really inconsistant, and drops way too many catchable balls. He never did in college, so I can't imagine where it's coming from. Maybe they shouls send him to a hypnotist.
Tim Carter: Mr. unreliable and injured from the Giants has actually been making a number of good snags himself without dropping them! You've got to be guarded with this guy, however, as I believe the NY fans have been through really good training camps and then disappointment in games before. He is, verily, right now between the second and third reciever. Let's hope he keeps up the good work. If he does, he's a gamebreaker.
Cribbs: Haven't heard much about him. Except that he's dropped a couple. I wish him luck.
Maurice Mann and Home-boy Steve Sanders are making an impression, making some nice catches. Both were undrafted free agents. Sanders spent this offseason kicking butt in NFL Europe. He's 6'3" and has an edge on the other guys. He's a possession guy who won't stretch any defenses, but is reliable
I can't cover everybody--I think these are all the guys with the best chances to make the roster. It's possible that the Browns will only keep five, as they might keep four TE's and/or 2 FB's.
Charles Ali is a great lead-blocker! It's not true that he's one-dimensional, as many have said. He caught nine balls in nine games for 154 yards in college. Don't go comparing this guy to tight ends and scat-backs--taint fair. We don't know about Arkansas-Pine Bluff's scheme (or QB), and he may well be an effective reciever out of the backfield. As a blocker, he blows people up, and may be too good at that to cut. Just don't expect him to CARRY the ball.
Anderson: Inconsistant. And the recievers seem to drop more of his passes. Maybe he lacks Charlie's touch--I don't know.
Frye: Inconsistant, with an asterisk. Both QB's are victimized by some pretty impressive coverage guys, and overall I believe at this moment in time that Frye is doing better. Sometimes he even looks downright GOOD!
Andra Davis has lost some weight. Haven't heard much on him, but everybody knows he's a damn good player--who might be a little quicker this season.
Nat Dorsey: Doing pretty good. Solid.
Hank Fraley: Doing REAL good. He seems even quicker than he was last season, and has depositted Shaun Smith on his butt at least once, too! This guy is a PLAYA! They have him listed at 315!
Justin Hamilton: Ma man's getting kilt out there. It's still early for him, though, and he was trying to cover the wide recievers. The guy had one year's experience at safety coming out of college. Now weighing in at 222, on some teams he could be a strong safety who matches up against backs and tight ends. On this team, he appears on his way to nickel linebacker.
Andrew Hoffman: Looks like hell.
CB Brandon McDonald: He is looking pretty damn good for a rookie!
WR Kendrick Mosely: Forgot him. He's made some catches--he's in the mix as a depth guy. Has the stature.
Jereme Perry: Has made a couple mistakes, but overall is doing really good, complete with interceptions and stuff.
Davin Holly: Better than Perry.
Brodney Pool: One dink obviously confused him with Hamilton and bashed him. He's been doing an awesome job, batting passes away and picking them off all over the place. Outstanding size/speed combo. Great draft pick!
Shaffer: Loooking really good at left tackle, and good at right as well. His transition to the other side is quite smooth.
Shaun Smith: Looks pretty good. In Roye's absence they've worked him some at DE, but forget that except in obvious-run or other situational defenses. One reporter talked about his athleticism--nuh-uh. He has average-at-best speed for a DT. I know I could be wrong-the coaches know best. We'll see.
Isaac Sowells: EEwww!
Ted Washington: Looks real good, provided he's not required to MOVE. Seriously, he can still clog things up.
Leon Williams: All over the place! Outstanding, except that he's been torched in coverage a few times and needs to work on that.
Eric Wright: Will start opposite Bodden and be awesome. A natural.
Jason Wright: Big suprise here! I'm guessing that he's a much better zone than man-corner. He's smart, reads things fast, and is usually in position. We appear to have more cornerbacks, now, than we can keep.
Jason Wright: Doing really well. Always this guy was underrated, and now he's being used more in the passing game--and doing really well.
Jerome Harrison: Haven't heard much about him, except for one guy commenting about Ali decking him. Big deal!
Thompson: Wimbley has toasted him with that shoulder-dip at least twice, but he's generally doing a good job and looking like an old vet.
Wimbley: Appears to be the fastest linebacker, and now to read/react a lot quicker, in coverage and in run-stopping. He's turning into a complete linebacker who could actually play OLB for a lot of 4-3 teams. He uses leverage extremely well, and is quite strong for his size.
That's all I got so far. But here's a few things to build into your media filter:
The talent and continuity on this defense is superior in the secondary and linebackers. Recievers are making mistakes on routes, and QB's are probably also making mistakes which they won't later on. When you hear about interceptions, read between the lines a little. Often, the speaker or writer is clueless as to the cause, and it's just a mindless reflex to lay in on the QB.
1: Chud's system and methods: Chud is simulating game-situations in camp. In his system, there is a lot of movement and shifting. Rather than call a play and just go with it--or check off to another out of the same formation, this offense will adapt to the defense in order to cofuse it and create mismatches. This would mean moving Winslow outside, or across the field, in order to spread the defense out, or aim him at a guy who can't run with him. Or a reciever in motion, to flood one side. Or sending a Harrison or somebody to the slot, rather than in the backfield, where a weakness appears there.
Only one guy can move at a time, and sometimes there are multiple shifts--creating a whole new (and ideally unexpected) offensive alignment (and tendancy). This takes time, so the play must get called and the huddle broken quickly.
Another reason for this is that it wears a defense down, both by making them jump around in answer, and by depriving them of recovery time from the previous play.
As you recall, last season there were delay-of-games, unneccessary time-outs, illegal motions, etc. Chud is using a stopwatch, and relaying the plays to the QB through his helmet mike, so that when they're doing it for real, it will be second nature.
I like it.
Braylon Edwards: I have dug up only one drop. He is making circus catches and fighting for the ball--catching everything thrown to him. He's also now fully recovered from his injury/surgery, and as explosive as he was coming out of college. This guy, so far, is rising to expectations, and looks like a lethal weapon.
K2: What we've come to expect. And they seem to be sending him deep more. Another lethal weapon.
Jurevicious: Haven't heard much about him, but I guess that means he's catching some passes.
Travis Wilson: He's coming on, just a little, of late, but is still really inconsistant, and drops way too many catchable balls. He never did in college, so I can't imagine where it's coming from. Maybe they shouls send him to a hypnotist.
Tim Carter: Mr. unreliable and injured from the Giants has actually been making a number of good snags himself without dropping them! You've got to be guarded with this guy, however, as I believe the NY fans have been through really good training camps and then disappointment in games before. He is, verily, right now between the second and third reciever. Let's hope he keeps up the good work. If he does, he's a gamebreaker.
Cribbs: Haven't heard much about him. Except that he's dropped a couple. I wish him luck.
Maurice Mann and Home-boy Steve Sanders are making an impression, making some nice catches. Both were undrafted free agents. Sanders spent this offseason kicking butt in NFL Europe. He's 6'3" and has an edge on the other guys. He's a possession guy who won't stretch any defenses, but is reliable
I can't cover everybody--I think these are all the guys with the best chances to make the roster. It's possible that the Browns will only keep five, as they might keep four TE's and/or 2 FB's.
Charles Ali is a great lead-blocker! It's not true that he's one-dimensional, as many have said. He caught nine balls in nine games for 154 yards in college. Don't go comparing this guy to tight ends and scat-backs--taint fair. We don't know about Arkansas-Pine Bluff's scheme (or QB), and he may well be an effective reciever out of the backfield. As a blocker, he blows people up, and may be too good at that to cut. Just don't expect him to CARRY the ball.
Anderson: Inconsistant. And the recievers seem to drop more of his passes. Maybe he lacks Charlie's touch--I don't know.
Frye: Inconsistant, with an asterisk. Both QB's are victimized by some pretty impressive coverage guys, and overall I believe at this moment in time that Frye is doing better. Sometimes he even looks downright GOOD!
Andra Davis has lost some weight. Haven't heard much on him, but everybody knows he's a damn good player--who might be a little quicker this season.
Nat Dorsey: Doing pretty good. Solid.
Hank Fraley: Doing REAL good. He seems even quicker than he was last season, and has depositted Shaun Smith on his butt at least once, too! This guy is a PLAYA! They have him listed at 315!
Justin Hamilton: Ma man's getting kilt out there. It's still early for him, though, and he was trying to cover the wide recievers. The guy had one year's experience at safety coming out of college. Now weighing in at 222, on some teams he could be a strong safety who matches up against backs and tight ends. On this team, he appears on his way to nickel linebacker.
Andrew Hoffman: Looks like hell.
CB Brandon McDonald: He is looking pretty damn good for a rookie!
WR Kendrick Mosely: Forgot him. He's made some catches--he's in the mix as a depth guy. Has the stature.
Jereme Perry: Has made a couple mistakes, but overall is doing really good, complete with interceptions and stuff.
Davin Holly: Better than Perry.
Brodney Pool: One dink obviously confused him with Hamilton and bashed him. He's been doing an awesome job, batting passes away and picking them off all over the place. Outstanding size/speed combo. Great draft pick!
Shaffer: Loooking really good at left tackle, and good at right as well. His transition to the other side is quite smooth.
Shaun Smith: Looks pretty good. In Roye's absence they've worked him some at DE, but forget that except in obvious-run or other situational defenses. One reporter talked about his athleticism--nuh-uh. He has average-at-best speed for a DT. I know I could be wrong-the coaches know best. We'll see.
Isaac Sowells: EEwww!
Ted Washington: Looks real good, provided he's not required to MOVE. Seriously, he can still clog things up.
Leon Williams: All over the place! Outstanding, except that he's been torched in coverage a few times and needs to work on that.
Eric Wright: Will start opposite Bodden and be awesome. A natural.
Jason Wright: Big suprise here! I'm guessing that he's a much better zone than man-corner. He's smart, reads things fast, and is usually in position. We appear to have more cornerbacks, now, than we can keep.
Jason Wright: Doing really well. Always this guy was underrated, and now he's being used more in the passing game--and doing really well.
Jerome Harrison: Haven't heard much about him, except for one guy commenting about Ali decking him. Big deal!
Thompson: Wimbley has toasted him with that shoulder-dip at least twice, but he's generally doing a good job and looking like an old vet.
Wimbley: Appears to be the fastest linebacker, and now to read/react a lot quicker, in coverage and in run-stopping. He's turning into a complete linebacker who could actually play OLB for a lot of 4-3 teams. He uses leverage extremely well, and is quite strong for his size.
That's all I got so far. But here's a few things to build into your media filter:
The talent and continuity on this defense is superior in the secondary and linebackers. Recievers are making mistakes on routes, and QB's are probably also making mistakes which they won't later on. When you hear about interceptions, read between the lines a little. Often, the speaker or writer is clueless as to the cause, and it's just a mindless reflex to lay in on the QB.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)