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.