22 Personel

22: Two backs and two tight ends. One wide-out. It's a jumbo run-package.

The bad guys must use their base defense, re-enforced with run-stuffers. The threat is glaringly obvious: The offense intends to get a big blocker on almost everybody and beat the defense down.

Normally, it's not scary in terms of big plays, but what defensive players fear--especially when it's run in a hurry-up--is the fatigue it causes. They get sluggish, and slow. The defense has to prevent even one first down, almost at all costs, because they know that if they don't, this will happen.

The Browns have the people to do this. I now think that Luvauo will start at right guard, and am leaning towards Pashos at right tackle. Pashos has been criticized as a pass-blocker, but is a road-grader on runs. Luvauo, who did a great job vs. the unrepentant dirty player Suh, seems really good at both. Perhaps Suh was taking out his frustrations on Delhomme.

That's what I always do. When somebody only a little smaller than me is embarrassing me, I find a much smaller guy and try to break his neck, because I'm a punk.

But I digress.

Also, Watson is a good run-blocker.

The possibilities for everybody else are almost limitless. Cribbs is emerging as not just a competant, but a good wide reciever. He's as big as a running back, and an excellent blocker. Massequoi is also a very good blocker.

If they keep three tight ends, Smith is a good blocker. Moore might or might not have become a decent in-line blocker by now, but he can certainly block in space and take on linebackers.

If the Browns use 22 personel, however, it's scarier. Every single back, including Vickers, is an accomplished reciever. Watson and Moore are both dangerous recievers. Delhomme has a very quick release, and you can run screens and play-action out of this set.

In fact, regardless of who the two backs are, the Browns are almost as likely to pass as to run out of this set.

The defenses will know this, of course. But they can't do much about it. They know that if the Browns simply hand it off, they'll need just about the whole defense to prevent a big gain. They almost have to shoot gaps and attack, hoping to blow something up. As seen late last season, this offense can overpower most defenses the old-fashioned way: "Here we come--try to stop us!"

Daboll has a great toolbox, too. He can pick out two backs based on the specific situation and defense. They can deploy Moore (and even Watson) in slots to pull box-players away from the tackles, where they're badly overmatched as coverage guys, and where they'll be late to the party on any inside run.

Massequoi and Cribbs, though not true burners, do have pretty good speed. They would be neccessarily isolated in single coverage every single time. They can fight for balls and break tackles, and there's real big-play potential here.

Combined with the hurry-up, the Browns could use this set to beat down defenses early in games. It almost doesn't matter which guys carry the ball. Defenders have to do wind-sprints to track Harrison down, or weightlifting to stop the other guys. (You see a small back can wear you out, too. Of course, a Peyton Hillis can break you psychologicly--you know he's a monster---and you're not.)

Vickers, if he read this, would be grinning from ear-to-ear. He'd get to catch a pass or two, and otherwise get to go smash multiple targets down-in and down-out.

22 would make them sore, tired, and gun-shy. It's smash-mouth on steroids. It's a throw-back offense, from the olden days where men were men and before we evolved cerebral cortexes.

I'm not suggesting that they should do this all the time, but should do it often, and early in games. It's irrelevant that opposing coaches see it coming.

Rob Ryan would put his quickest players on the field and shoot every gap, trying for the running back on his way to the quarterback. He'd trade some gains for some losses, and hope the pressure would prevent any big plays. At least, that's what I would do.

But then if Watson and Moore split out, and Harrison or even Hillis also go to the line--you can't do that any more. You can't pull a coverage guy off a reciever. He's too far away from the quarterback, and Delhomme won't miss him.

The offensive line could narrow the gaps, you have Thomas and Steinbach on the left side, and a goon in the backfield. The offensive line is firing out to hit you first anyway; you lose your fist step.

With the tight ends in-line, if you sell out like that you might well get Harrison taking a dump-off near the sidelines, where you now have NOBODY, and you have to stop him in space. For that matter, Hillis could do that...

I mean, you'd track him down allright, but then be sorry you did. Even Vickers would get three or four yards and hurt somebody.

You could do an end-around, too.

A good coach adapts his offense to his personnel. There you go.

Browns vs. Lions: Battle of Titans

1: Greetings, Oblivia! While you were sleeping, the Lions got a quarterback, massively upgraded their defensive line, and got an awesome scat-back. They won't suck (much) this season.
If you just said "It's the Lions!", you are a moron.

2: When Delhomme was signed, I thought they were insane. But throughout preseason, he's been damn near perfect. It helps that here, he has tight ends to throw to. Kosar also pointed out that he's been told not to take too much on himself...
Kosar has helped me understand what went wrong with him: He partly got greedy/stubborn, trying to force things rather than accept field position or field goals.

3: I TOLD YOU about Peyton Hillis. Is it sinking in yet?

4: Jennings is DOA. For all the flashes he's shown, his stats don't lie. I like the guy, but between him and Davis, it's no contest. And I told you that, too.

5: Bobby Ingram has made some nice plays. I hope it doesn't make the braintrust do something stupid like cut Stuckey, who is still young with upside, and who can play outside as well.

6: Harrison's lower body is much, much more muscular than I remember, and I was surprised to see him power his way to 1-2 extra yards more than once. He's evolved into a complete running back.

7: The interferance call on Wright was bullshit.

8: The defense looks bad. Excuses follow:
A: Ward and Haden are babies.
B: Rogers is MIA.
C: Ryan isn't showing all his cards yet.
D: Gocong never played inside before.
E: The sun was in their eyes.

8: Josh Cribbs is no longer a WR-project. He is a WR. Ask Jake.

9: Robiskie too.

10: McCoy finally looks ok. Even if he didn't, anybody who thought there was any chance he'd be released is an idiot. He's had hardly any reps, and his upside hasn't gone away. Wallace, Brees, McMahon, Garcia, Montana, Sipe--just shut up before I have to name more short guys, ok?

11: I really like this Infantyesque offense. The stats are deceptive: Many of the passes were just long handoffs to the running backs, who couldn't be keyed on and didn't have the ball until they were in open field. Many of the yards were after the catch. NOW I know why Holmgren jumped all over Delhomme--it's what he does best.

12: Back to McCoy: the two pasases that were dropped were on the money. Also, I saw velocity. I'm greatly encouraged (for the future.).

The Browns lost vs. a mediocre (not bad anymore) team. The offense looked very promising, and the defense looked crappy. The Browns first team beat Detroit's first team.

I'm not too paranoid about the defense. I know Ryan, and can go player-by-player and recognize emerging talent. I know I sound like an infernal optimist homer, but re-read what I juat wrote, and review the last half of last season. I'm far more objective than a Stoolers fan.

So there.

Training Camp

I'm all a-twitter!

OK I'm really glad that at least Sobeleski comprehends that the two inside linebackers are different. Most fans don't. The weskside backer is a run-and-hitter and the strong inside guy is a big thumper. The weakside guy also covers a lot more (dropping into a zone..you see, he is also different from a man corner...nevermind one thing at a time).

Anyway this is why statements about jackson being replaced by Barton, Veikune, or anybody else (on this roster) are assenine. The current Browns have a truckload Macks, but only three Bucks.

Eric Barton is one other weak inside linebacker. Last year he was hung in effigy because he was playing Mack and getting pushed around. Maybe that's something you can bash Mangini about, but not Barton.

Sobo did make a mistake about Gocong, though: he played strong outside linebacker with the Eagles--not defensive end. Mangini also made a comment about both the outside and inside linebackers rushing the passer.

Well, it's true. The Patriot defense (and the way Ryan wants to run his) differs from the Stoolers 3-4. It's been a mantra around here that in order to work, the 3-4 defense has to have two edge-rushing outside linebackers, like the Stoolers do.

Well, that's always the ideal, but not completely accurate, and this is why Mangini/Ryan want versatile guys he can move around. They will send ANY linebacker (or safety) at ANY time--including neutral or probable run downs. All of these linebackers have this in common: They can rush the passer.

Inside blitzes are sometimes called "run"-blitzes because the penetration forces running backs wide when they don't stuff them. They also wipe out the pocket, taking away the quarterback's deep accuracy, wrecking his timing, denying him his pre-planned launch-point, etc.

Inside blitzes, when not picked up, also get there faster. It's not easy to rattle a Manning or a Brady. They read blitzes and react quickly. But an inside blitze is easier to disguise, and reaches them sometimes too fast for them to burn...I mean like right behind the snap.

Mangini and Ryan want opposing teams NOT to know where the fourth and sometimes fifth passrusher is coming from. If they end up with six guys with between four and seven sacks each, that's better than one with twelve.

At any rate, Barton may or may not make this team. If he does, it's only because he's needed to back up Jackson. None of the big thumpers is very good in coverage, and that's important for a Buck.

The guy who has a really good chance of sending Barton packing? Maiaiva! He's more of a strong safety than a linebacker, but with the supporting cast this team will have, that could work out quite well for him. Offenses simply can't afford to commit a blocker to him, and he's the fastest of the bunch, with great instincts.

Moreover, even as a rookie, and before he had to take over for Jackson, he played a great deal in situational defenses as a safety/linebacker hybrid (not even sure what they called him).

I agree with Sobo about Fujita being more likely to spend more time outside, but think that Gocong could go either way (as could Veikune--they're very similar).

Roth is said to be all pumped up. His personal trainer is exceptional. He is one probable outside starter. He relies more on leverage and power than speed, and that makes his performance almost predictable. We hope he's learned another fancy move or two, but power is never a fluke. This guy is drasticly different from Wimbley.

Who's suprised by Evan Moore embarrassing everybody? How can Sobo wonder if he'll make the team, when the Browns have Massequoi, Robiskie, Stuckey, Mitchell (needing work), and guys...well okay credit to Haggerty, who could be a big sleeper--but the rest are guys named Joe?

Labels. They always get you in trouble. Moore is labelled a tight end, therefore he might get cut no matter how effective he is as a reciever? Really? And quit saying a 247-lb. player needs to get bigger, okay? Why--because he skipped lunch and doesn't weigh 250? Because he's not massive enough on his 6'6" frame?

What kind of blockers were Newsome (229) and no-knees Winslow? What could Jurevicious do that Moore can't? Labels-labels-labels. And for that matter, who has decided he hasn't become a decent in-line blocker between his second and third seasons, after playing wide reciever in college? Label/assume/label/assume.

Every back can catch passes, and they will. They have the people for a two-back and they'll run one. They intend to run first. Moore, like Watson, can also play H-back.

Sobo, think "reciever" first, and forget what the label is. Can this guy save the quarterback from getting sacked? Can he be a dependable target? Can Jake let it go to him quickly, underneath, when he needs to--even if a guy is hanging on him? Is he depth at two positions?

You would call Massequoi/Robiskie/Watson/Moore a two-tight end set, and fail to notice that Moore is three yards outside, not even pretending to block. That's a three-wide! And if it works, they'll do it.

I hope Moore has become a proficient in-line blocker, but don't think it matters very much. When it comes down to it, you secretly call him your giant slot reciever and keep him.

Coolest thing I heard: Ward picks off a pass to Moore, but Moore takes it away from him before they hit the ground. THAT is why Moore sticks around.