Colt McCoy has now faced two of the best, and most complicated, defenses in the NFL and done well. Quit presenting it as a choice between developing a young quarterback or winning. That's a massive ass umption which ignores the young guy's actual, real, measurable performance.
I do like Seneca Wallace a lot, and he's obviously proven something. I was disappointed with Jake, but when healthy I defer to Holmgren on him. I don't deny that all rookies will make mistakes.
You've seen Jake, Seneca, and McCoy. Are you trying to tell me that the older guys are really better? They're NOT!
There we go with the preconceptions again. You had it in your head that McCoy wasn't ready, and now you're ignoring what you see with your own eyes. McCoy isn't as good as he will be, but he's already on a par with the veterans. It's real.
I see that thinking on the boards all the time, like this guy who passionately hates Mangini. Do you hear that screaming? That's his logic.
The game-plan vs. the Saints? No doubt Holmgren or Fujita's idea. The best special teams in the NFL? Of course--that's because Mangini only gets special teamers. If you try hard enough, and squint your eyes, and put your blinders on, and only look in certain places, you can manage to see what you need to see to confirm what you've made up your mind about.
McCoy is good enough to start and win right now. The fact that he needs experience is only the tie-breaker.
You wouldn't think that with these wide recievers it's a good environment for a young guy, but actually it is. This team can run even against stacked fronts, and has an abundance of tight ends and backs who can catch. It's a good offensive line, which is getting healthier in the bye-week.
By the way, in re MCoy's "lack of production" vs. the Saints? When you're up by seventeen points at halftime, you run the ball. DUH.
What are you numbskulls voting for Wright as the goat for? Still seeing what you expect to see (I mean hallucinating)? He covered well. AGAIN. Like he did before and after the Ravens game. I guess NOW he has to be Darryl Revis to clear where you've set the bar. I guess he has to shut guys down completely AND cover for Haden and Brown too! Gimme a break.
And when Haden comes in as the third cornerback, Wright covers the slot guy. So quit talking about Haden's challenge facing Wes Welker. Wright will be on Welker, and rightfully so. He's among the fastest players in the NFL. Welker might make some catches, but he won't outrun Wright.
Doctor Evil up there in New England will no doubt have all sorts of interesting stuff prepared for McCoy (and if it's not him, I'll bring the rope). He's got two games worth of tapes on him, too.
But what weakness will he see? McCoy hasn't shown any. Even the interception that one normally very good analyst said "He wishes he could take back" should have been caught. And I'll bet he'd do it again.
At any rate, Bill has to first and foremost stop the run. And as smart as he is, good luck with that. Nor is it just "the run" that you can blitze to try and blow up in the backfield. It's also the little dump-offs that wreck that strategy. The blitzer is out of the play inside and behind Hillis. Sometimes they don't even bother blocking him.
I don't think even Bill can shut that stuff down completely. He can stifle it somewhat to create some second and third-and-longs. He can flood the short zones to make it hard to catch anything inside.
But this is a hard offense for insideously diabolical defensive evil geniuses to stop, because the running/dumpoff game is one of brute force, and so far the Browns have simply been stronger. Defenses did everything right, but it didn't matter.
The Browns have a chance.
I'm revising my win/loss prediction to 11-5. I will update it next monday after I get more information.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Mitchell, Lauvao Time?
At the beginning of this season, the one prediction I made that was accurate was that the Browns would not contend this season.
Regardless of what Mike Holmgren said, he had to know that this would be a season for growth. After the draft, there remained issues at safety, defensive line DEPTH, WR, and QB (Jake is a "hold-the-fort" guy who they massively overpaid--and don't blame that on Mangini). Other areas could use improvement, like right tackle and right guard...(I repeat they had solid journeymen, but we want a pro bowler everywhere).
Additionally, MoMass, Robiskie, and Mack were entering only their second seasons. Ward is a rookie. Jackson and Rogers were injured. It's the second season of a new system, and several new players were brought in.
Finally, this is the AFC North, and they got the schedule they did.
Now, a lot of you can point at the Rams, KC, etc. (while I counterpoint at Dallas, Arizona, Cinci, etc.), and use this opportunity to bash a perfectly good offensive coordinator and head coach. I don't care. The offense lacks a deep threat, and the defense has been unable to generate a consistant pass rush, mainly due to injuries.
There has been too much heat on the quarterbacks, due to the lack of the deep threat and injuries/disruption on the right side of the line.
But I digress. I'm personally stunned that the Browns lost to KC and the Rams, but never expected a contender in the first place anyway. And if you measure competitiveness and improvement simply in terms of wins and losses, you're being lazy. This team almost beat the Ravens, hung with Pitt in Pitt despite multiple disasters, and led in most of their games until the fourth quarter.
Those in the Mangini/Daboll lynch-mob hate to hear it, but that's improvement.
Now we got McCoy at the helm, and after his debut, rational fans will acknowlege that it's not too soon for him to continue. If the level of performance is similar, then in a growth season you go with the young guy and get him his experience.
I really have to mention this: One comment-poster was not impressed by McCoy because he didn't win. The fact that he was a rookie vs. Dick LaBeau with few practice reps who lost his top two wide recievers didn't matter to this person. Only the win. Black-and-white thinking is childish, if not insane. You don't judge a first-game rookie the same as a veteran, and you don't just ignore everything but the final score.
But enough on Corky-Dawg: So, down goes Pashos, and St. Clair seems perpetually injured. Okay, maybe it's time to unveil another rookie named Lauvao. Move Womack to tackle and start him at guard.
The orginal plan might well have been to make this move during the bi, so that Lauvao could heal more completely, and have two weeks to settle in, but injuries might well have forced the Browns' hand again.
Lauvao has great talent, and is not as raw as many rookies. Right guard is easier to learn than center, and Lauvao has at least had the first several games to learn the mental part. Alex Mack, on the other hand, had to start from the beginning last season.
If Colt could do it, maybe Lauvao can. Let's try.
Mitchell I wouldn't try it with, but they may well have to. If he hasn't got his short and intermediate patterns and reads down, they could always just send him deep every time he's deployed.
This is a guy who can be covered like a blanket, step-for-step, but still outreach/dive/leap or overpower the defender(s) for the ball, and we now have a pinpoint-accurate quarterback who can really elevate those percentages.
Even if he's only targetted once or twice in a whole game, it only takes one big play, and defenses know it.
And don't start with this "arm" stuff again! No, McCoy doesn't have a howitzer, but he reads and quickly and has adequate range to burn a defense deep, especially when a high trajectory floater is the best way to go anyway. Jeez is that all you think about? How many "long bombs" did Popgun Sipe complete? Stop it you're killing me!
Until Mitchell catches (or almost catches) a deep pass, defenses will continue squeezing down on short and intermediate routes and attacking the run aggressively out of stacked fronts.
After he does, even if the defense's game-plan doesn't change, the thinking of the safeties will. He'll make them nervous. They might set up a yard or two further back off the line, with one a little closer to the perimeter on his side of the field. They'd be more hesitant in diagnosing play-action. If they take that first step and it's NOT a run, they'll never catch up to Mitchell.
What have you got to lose, Brian? Who cares even if Mitchell only does the one thing: Goes vertical? Who cares if the defense knows it? Even if he's 95% decoy and catches just one pass in a game, that pass completion nails down a field goal if it doesn't score a TD.
Mitchell, if neccessary, can still learn the rest of his role here--but for now, he can already just run in a straight line and holler "hit me!", and catch the ball in his big mitts.
What else have you got? Robiskie, if he does get open, is short and intermediate. You've also got Moore for that, and the three of them for the middle. You've got plenty of big possession guys and middle guys and Hillis for all the dink-and dunk stuff...put Mitchell in to pry the lid off these stacked fronts!
Next season, when these young guys have that experience to build on, it could well mean that this team is ready.
The season is DOA. Go nuts.
Regardless of what Mike Holmgren said, he had to know that this would be a season for growth. After the draft, there remained issues at safety, defensive line DEPTH, WR, and QB (Jake is a "hold-the-fort" guy who they massively overpaid--and don't blame that on Mangini). Other areas could use improvement, like right tackle and right guard...(I repeat they had solid journeymen, but we want a pro bowler everywhere).
Additionally, MoMass, Robiskie, and Mack were entering only their second seasons. Ward is a rookie. Jackson and Rogers were injured. It's the second season of a new system, and several new players were brought in.
Finally, this is the AFC North, and they got the schedule they did.
Now, a lot of you can point at the Rams, KC, etc. (while I counterpoint at Dallas, Arizona, Cinci, etc.), and use this opportunity to bash a perfectly good offensive coordinator and head coach. I don't care. The offense lacks a deep threat, and the defense has been unable to generate a consistant pass rush, mainly due to injuries.
There has been too much heat on the quarterbacks, due to the lack of the deep threat and injuries/disruption on the right side of the line.
But I digress. I'm personally stunned that the Browns lost to KC and the Rams, but never expected a contender in the first place anyway. And if you measure competitiveness and improvement simply in terms of wins and losses, you're being lazy. This team almost beat the Ravens, hung with Pitt in Pitt despite multiple disasters, and led in most of their games until the fourth quarter.
Those in the Mangini/Daboll lynch-mob hate to hear it, but that's improvement.
Now we got McCoy at the helm, and after his debut, rational fans will acknowlege that it's not too soon for him to continue. If the level of performance is similar, then in a growth season you go with the young guy and get him his experience.
I really have to mention this: One comment-poster was not impressed by McCoy because he didn't win. The fact that he was a rookie vs. Dick LaBeau with few practice reps who lost his top two wide recievers didn't matter to this person. Only the win. Black-and-white thinking is childish, if not insane. You don't judge a first-game rookie the same as a veteran, and you don't just ignore everything but the final score.
But enough on Corky-Dawg: So, down goes Pashos, and St. Clair seems perpetually injured. Okay, maybe it's time to unveil another rookie named Lauvao. Move Womack to tackle and start him at guard.
The orginal plan might well have been to make this move during the bi, so that Lauvao could heal more completely, and have two weeks to settle in, but injuries might well have forced the Browns' hand again.
Lauvao has great talent, and is not as raw as many rookies. Right guard is easier to learn than center, and Lauvao has at least had the first several games to learn the mental part. Alex Mack, on the other hand, had to start from the beginning last season.
If Colt could do it, maybe Lauvao can. Let's try.
Mitchell I wouldn't try it with, but they may well have to. If he hasn't got his short and intermediate patterns and reads down, they could always just send him deep every time he's deployed.
This is a guy who can be covered like a blanket, step-for-step, but still outreach/dive/leap or overpower the defender(s) for the ball, and we now have a pinpoint-accurate quarterback who can really elevate those percentages.
Even if he's only targetted once or twice in a whole game, it only takes one big play, and defenses know it.
And don't start with this "arm" stuff again! No, McCoy doesn't have a howitzer, but he reads and quickly and has adequate range to burn a defense deep, especially when a high trajectory floater is the best way to go anyway. Jeez is that all you think about? How many "long bombs" did Popgun Sipe complete? Stop it you're killing me!
Until Mitchell catches (or almost catches) a deep pass, defenses will continue squeezing down on short and intermediate routes and attacking the run aggressively out of stacked fronts.
After he does, even if the defense's game-plan doesn't change, the thinking of the safeties will. He'll make them nervous. They might set up a yard or two further back off the line, with one a little closer to the perimeter on his side of the field. They'd be more hesitant in diagnosing play-action. If they take that first step and it's NOT a run, they'll never catch up to Mitchell.
What have you got to lose, Brian? Who cares even if Mitchell only does the one thing: Goes vertical? Who cares if the defense knows it? Even if he's 95% decoy and catches just one pass in a game, that pass completion nails down a field goal if it doesn't score a TD.
Mitchell, if neccessary, can still learn the rest of his role here--but for now, he can already just run in a straight line and holler "hit me!", and catch the ball in his big mitts.
What else have you got? Robiskie, if he does get open, is short and intermediate. You've also got Moore for that, and the three of them for the middle. You've got plenty of big possession guys and middle guys and Hillis for all the dink-and dunk stuff...put Mitchell in to pry the lid off these stacked fronts!
Next season, when these young guys have that experience to build on, it could well mean that this team is ready.
The season is DOA. Go nuts.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Anticipating Joe Twelve Pack
1: Just heard James Harrison on NFL Radio: "How can I play the way I was taught?" He forgot the violin.
OK: I now understand that Cribbs was a running back, and his helmet was fair game. Therefore, Harrison saw the opportunity to damage a fellow player's brain and maybe spine, and eagerly tried to do so, as he was taught to. By Coach De Sade, I assume. Since it was legal, it was okay!
I had originally thought the attempted homicide on Cribbs was illegal, but stand corrected.
I had thought that the hit on Massequoi was legal, but had forgotten the defenseless reciever rule. Massequoi had not taken two steps with (or juggling) the ball. Harrison also blamed Masseqoui for "ducking down". .....? He hit him IN THE HEAD with his forearms. He could have decked him with pads-do-sternum or hands to chest, but of course that wouldn't have damaged the other guy's brain 0r spine, and he was taught to kill or maim whenever possible.
James? Burn in hell.
2: McBride kills me. He's another Yoda wannabe: McCoy was adequate. He might have even said "decent" once.
I don't get the guy. IN CONTEXT, Colt was sensational. One of the top defenses in the NFL, weak wide recievers, hostile environment, first NFL start after only five games. THEN losing both Cribbs and Massequoi, and falling behind. Barry, what did the rookie have to do to rate a "pretty good" from you?
NonoNO it's not the same as Quinn! Once defenses got a bead on Quinn's INACCURACY, they adjusted coverages to exploit it. McCoy doesn't have that weakness--in fact is exceptionally accurate. The only questions about Colt were his arm-strength and height.
For sure, they'll take what they can from this game-tape and have a better idea of how to screw up the NFL version of McCoy, but it will be a ton harder than it was to mess up an inaccurate thrower.
I believe that Colt's practice time was nil until week three, when he was temprarily the number two and got about 30% of the reps. Then there was the one week when he prepped to start. So, he did what he did on very little practice time.
3: Daboll had an EXCELLENT game-plan for a rookie quarterback with weak wide receivers facing a Steelers defense. Will you guys never let up? You got it in your heads that he sucks based on recievers dropping balls and quarterbacks making crappy throws last season that Daboll sucks, and now are systematicly filtering everything that happens through that prejudice. Daboll has done, and is doing, a good job.
4: So has Wright. Yes he has, except the one game vs. the Ravens. Now you got another prejudice stuck in your head, and every completed pass gets blamed on him. The issues with that are two-fold:
1: The SAFETIES are a day late and a dollar short and
2: The blitzes are getting stopped, and quarterbacks sometimes have too much time.
That's Ryan: he's taking calculated risks. You can rush four without a lot of disruption, but when you HAVE TO send five, you're taking people out of coverage, and if they don't get to the quarterback in three seconds THREE SECONDS DO YOU HEAR ME, ANY ANY ANY cornerback is just about in deep shit.
On some occasions, I've seen teams pick up the single blitzer, but the QB unable to find anybody open for more like seven seconds--that's just absolutely exceptional coverage. It happened several times vs. Pitt. Like the time Ben intentionally grounded it, and the two times he was in the grasp and going down and sort of dropped it for incompletions,
Moving Brown to safety is one good option, but I'd prefer "single high" coverage with ADAMS at free safety; then you still have three really good corners and TJ Ward in the Chris Rockins role. Adams is actually a ballhawking, human missile tackling free safety ala Felix Wright.
5: Terry Pluto shame on you for generalizing. The Browns do NOT lack offensive talent at tight end, running back, fullback, or offensive line. Only at wide reciever (and that just got worse).
Well okay--you can add quarterback too, if you muddy the definition. Since at quarterback nowadays you just about have to have an elite player--not just a guy. Flacco, Ben, Brady, Manning, Brees,,,
Colt might be that guy, but despite his great start vs. Pitt, he's still a rookie, and will make mistakes.
One mistake might well have been the throw to Massequoi. On that pattern, the wide reciever needs to come to a stop and "sit down" vs. zone coverage. If he's in motion when he catches the ball, that OLB will do what Harrison did (albeit much more cleanly and legally. Most NFL players are human beings,)
I suspect that Colt led him, rather than throwing to where he was supposed to stop.
6: Mangini feels he needs wins now to avoid getting fired, so he might want to bring Delhomme back if he can. But he might not. McCoy did so well that Mangini might agree with most of us that McCoy actually does give his team the best chance to win now.
Those of you who long since made up your minds to hate Mangini and carefully ignore or distort anything good that happens will no doubt ass ume that Holmgren overrode him in any good decision. But Mangini has always started the best players, regardless of their draft position or experience. It's actually the biggest single reason that I defend him against mindless attacks.
7: Back to Colt, and what I saw: I didn't see any bombs, but did see him fire throws with velocity/low trajectories into tight spaces (as I did in game four of the preseason...while you were sleeping).
The ball that was intercepted, in fact, was a perfect, unbelievably accurate pass into the middle of three defenders, delivered to like a two-foot square spot where only his own guy could (and should have) caught it.
YOU guys probobly all just groaned and cursed, but I personally said "wow-what a pass!"
I love that he had the guts to make that "stick" (as Rich Gannon calls those darts into coverage). You can't teach that kind of accuracy, and over 90% of the quarterbacks in the NFL wouldn't even try that stuff, because they're not sure they can get it to that little tiny window, and know that if they're six inches off it's a pick.
And defenses can't stop it. They have perfect position, but can't prevent a perfect throw from getting in that tiny little space. all they can do is interfere, try to pry it loose, or blow the reciever up after the fact.
Trust me: This is a rare TALENT we have here. And you'll see: He'll make the wide recievers look a lot more talented.
He was baptized in fire, and came out stronger. Just wait. Just wait.
OK: I now understand that Cribbs was a running back, and his helmet was fair game. Therefore, Harrison saw the opportunity to damage a fellow player's brain and maybe spine, and eagerly tried to do so, as he was taught to. By Coach De Sade, I assume. Since it was legal, it was okay!
I had originally thought the attempted homicide on Cribbs was illegal, but stand corrected.
I had thought that the hit on Massequoi was legal, but had forgotten the defenseless reciever rule. Massequoi had not taken two steps with (or juggling) the ball. Harrison also blamed Masseqoui for "ducking down". .....? He hit him IN THE HEAD with his forearms. He could have decked him with pads-do-sternum or hands to chest, but of course that wouldn't have damaged the other guy's brain 0r spine, and he was taught to kill or maim whenever possible.
James? Burn in hell.
2: McBride kills me. He's another Yoda wannabe: McCoy was adequate. He might have even said "decent" once.
I don't get the guy. IN CONTEXT, Colt was sensational. One of the top defenses in the NFL, weak wide recievers, hostile environment, first NFL start after only five games. THEN losing both Cribbs and Massequoi, and falling behind. Barry, what did the rookie have to do to rate a "pretty good" from you?
NonoNO it's not the same as Quinn! Once defenses got a bead on Quinn's INACCURACY, they adjusted coverages to exploit it. McCoy doesn't have that weakness--in fact is exceptionally accurate. The only questions about Colt were his arm-strength and height.
For sure, they'll take what they can from this game-tape and have a better idea of how to screw up the NFL version of McCoy, but it will be a ton harder than it was to mess up an inaccurate thrower.
I believe that Colt's practice time was nil until week three, when he was temprarily the number two and got about 30% of the reps. Then there was the one week when he prepped to start. So, he did what he did on very little practice time.
3: Daboll had an EXCELLENT game-plan for a rookie quarterback with weak wide receivers facing a Steelers defense. Will you guys never let up? You got it in your heads that he sucks based on recievers dropping balls and quarterbacks making crappy throws last season that Daboll sucks, and now are systematicly filtering everything that happens through that prejudice. Daboll has done, and is doing, a good job.
4: So has Wright. Yes he has, except the one game vs. the Ravens. Now you got another prejudice stuck in your head, and every completed pass gets blamed on him. The issues with that are two-fold:
1: The SAFETIES are a day late and a dollar short and
2: The blitzes are getting stopped, and quarterbacks sometimes have too much time.
That's Ryan: he's taking calculated risks. You can rush four without a lot of disruption, but when you HAVE TO send five, you're taking people out of coverage, and if they don't get to the quarterback in three seconds THREE SECONDS DO YOU HEAR ME, ANY ANY ANY cornerback is just about in deep shit.
On some occasions, I've seen teams pick up the single blitzer, but the QB unable to find anybody open for more like seven seconds--that's just absolutely exceptional coverage. It happened several times vs. Pitt. Like the time Ben intentionally grounded it, and the two times he was in the grasp and going down and sort of dropped it for incompletions,
Moving Brown to safety is one good option, but I'd prefer "single high" coverage with ADAMS at free safety; then you still have three really good corners and TJ Ward in the Chris Rockins role. Adams is actually a ballhawking, human missile tackling free safety ala Felix Wright.
5: Terry Pluto shame on you for generalizing. The Browns do NOT lack offensive talent at tight end, running back, fullback, or offensive line. Only at wide reciever (and that just got worse).
Well okay--you can add quarterback too, if you muddy the definition. Since at quarterback nowadays you just about have to have an elite player--not just a guy. Flacco, Ben, Brady, Manning, Brees,,,
Colt might be that guy, but despite his great start vs. Pitt, he's still a rookie, and will make mistakes.
One mistake might well have been the throw to Massequoi. On that pattern, the wide reciever needs to come to a stop and "sit down" vs. zone coverage. If he's in motion when he catches the ball, that OLB will do what Harrison did (albeit much more cleanly and legally. Most NFL players are human beings,)
I suspect that Colt led him, rather than throwing to where he was supposed to stop.
6: Mangini feels he needs wins now to avoid getting fired, so he might want to bring Delhomme back if he can. But he might not. McCoy did so well that Mangini might agree with most of us that McCoy actually does give his team the best chance to win now.
Those of you who long since made up your minds to hate Mangini and carefully ignore or distort anything good that happens will no doubt ass ume that Holmgren overrode him in any good decision. But Mangini has always started the best players, regardless of their draft position or experience. It's actually the biggest single reason that I defend him against mindless attacks.
7: Back to Colt, and what I saw: I didn't see any bombs, but did see him fire throws with velocity/low trajectories into tight spaces (as I did in game four of the preseason...while you were sleeping).
The ball that was intercepted, in fact, was a perfect, unbelievably accurate pass into the middle of three defenders, delivered to like a two-foot square spot where only his own guy could (and should have) caught it.
YOU guys probobly all just groaned and cursed, but I personally said "wow-what a pass!"
I love that he had the guts to make that "stick" (as Rich Gannon calls those darts into coverage). You can't teach that kind of accuracy, and over 90% of the quarterbacks in the NFL wouldn't even try that stuff, because they're not sure they can get it to that little tiny window, and know that if they're six inches off it's a pick.
And defenses can't stop it. They have perfect position, but can't prevent a perfect throw from getting in that tiny little space. all they can do is interfere, try to pry it loose, or blow the reciever up after the fact.
Trust me: This is a rare TALENT we have here. And you'll see: He'll make the wide recievers look a lot more talented.
He was baptized in fire, and came out stronger. Just wait. Just wait.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
If it Sounds Too Bad to be True, it Might be.
Well, why the hell not?
Here are some rays of hope:
1: Josh Cribbs and the Flash offense. Yeah, Pitt will be prepared for it, but at least our guys are vets, and it only takes a small mistake for them to cough up a first down or something.
It might work better now that Cribbs seems to be allowed to actually pass once in awhile.
1a: You guys don't know this, so I'll tell you: Colt can run that offense. I never even looked at his clock times, but I saw several of his runs in college, and he's got speed and moves.
2: Yeah that and he's a scrambling threat out of the conventional offense.
3: Roll-outs and the shotgun can be used to help protect the kid and simplify his reads.
You guys are all acting as if the fourth preseason game was meaningless because of the level of talent. That's not quite true for a quarterback. Their worst DB's are still trying to cover your worst recievers. Their worst front 7 is still trying to beat your worst linemen to kill the quarterback.
Accuracy is accuracy, and he showed that in spades; accuracy and touch.
It's true that he's up against a lot more complexity and general speed here, and that these guys will bait him and con him. That preseason game can't compare to what he'll face here. So stipulated. But you guys are, as usual, overboard in dismissing the outstanding talent he displayed.
If they don't get to him quick, he can do a variety of damage. You just cross your fingers that he doesn't get suckered by these devious, sneaky....
4: I hate that Hillis isn't being allowed to recover from his bruised thighs, but in this case I have to admit it's critical that he play. If they muffled Harrison, they can muffle Davis. Hillis is the physical type who can give them trouble.
I want to see Polumalu meet THIS guy in the hole!
Unfortunately, the only two ways smaller linebackers and secondary guys can stop or slow him are to try to pry the ball loose or throw themselves at his legs.
5: Big Ben will be rusty, and even if he isn't, he's stubborn and holds the ball. Pitt's offensive line isn't that good in pass protection. Until the last couple weeks, Benard and Roth haven't been 100%. Rogers might get his old form back. Ward has some experience now. They'll be expecting Wright blitzes...but it might not matter.
6: The Browns can also help protect Colt with personel, ie using Moore (two tight ends). Both these tight ends can deploy outside , pulling potential passrushers (and run stuffers) with them, and making it dangerous to pull Polumalu out of coverage.
Yeah yeah the Stoolers can cancel out and in-line tight end or even one on a wing, but their base personel will have a problem dealing with two of them.
7: If the Browns do that, it'll be hard for them to help a cornerback with Massequoi. Better believe Colt will want to get it to him--he'll have to to loosen the coverage.
8: Colt's accuracy plus these THREE (with Hillis) big, short/intermediate, crossing recievers can help him get rid of it in a hurry.
9: I have my Polumalu and Big Ben voodoo dolls ready to go. They worked pretty good last season!
Here are some rays of hope:
1: Josh Cribbs and the Flash offense. Yeah, Pitt will be prepared for it, but at least our guys are vets, and it only takes a small mistake for them to cough up a first down or something.
It might work better now that Cribbs seems to be allowed to actually pass once in awhile.
1a: You guys don't know this, so I'll tell you: Colt can run that offense. I never even looked at his clock times, but I saw several of his runs in college, and he's got speed and moves.
2: Yeah that and he's a scrambling threat out of the conventional offense.
3: Roll-outs and the shotgun can be used to help protect the kid and simplify his reads.
You guys are all acting as if the fourth preseason game was meaningless because of the level of talent. That's not quite true for a quarterback. Their worst DB's are still trying to cover your worst recievers. Their worst front 7 is still trying to beat your worst linemen to kill the quarterback.
Accuracy is accuracy, and he showed that in spades; accuracy and touch.
It's true that he's up against a lot more complexity and general speed here, and that these guys will bait him and con him. That preseason game can't compare to what he'll face here. So stipulated. But you guys are, as usual, overboard in dismissing the outstanding talent he displayed.
If they don't get to him quick, he can do a variety of damage. You just cross your fingers that he doesn't get suckered by these devious, sneaky....
4: I hate that Hillis isn't being allowed to recover from his bruised thighs, but in this case I have to admit it's critical that he play. If they muffled Harrison, they can muffle Davis. Hillis is the physical type who can give them trouble.
I want to see Polumalu meet THIS guy in the hole!
Unfortunately, the only two ways smaller linebackers and secondary guys can stop or slow him are to try to pry the ball loose or throw themselves at his legs.
5: Big Ben will be rusty, and even if he isn't, he's stubborn and holds the ball. Pitt's offensive line isn't that good in pass protection. Until the last couple weeks, Benard and Roth haven't been 100%. Rogers might get his old form back. Ward has some experience now. They'll be expecting Wright blitzes...but it might not matter.
6: The Browns can also help protect Colt with personel, ie using Moore (two tight ends). Both these tight ends can deploy outside , pulling potential passrushers (and run stuffers) with them, and making it dangerous to pull Polumalu out of coverage.
Yeah yeah the Stoolers can cancel out and in-line tight end or even one on a wing, but their base personel will have a problem dealing with two of them.
7: If the Browns do that, it'll be hard for them to help a cornerback with Massequoi. Better believe Colt will want to get it to him--he'll have to to loosen the coverage.
8: Colt's accuracy plus these THREE (with Hillis) big, short/intermediate, crossing recievers can help him get rid of it in a hurry.
9: I have my Polumalu and Big Ben voodoo dolls ready to go. They worked pretty good last season!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Dreamer (a genuine imitation)
Brian Tarcy is a unique and hysterical writer. In his "The Dreamer" persona, he writes for the Orange and Brown Report, and cracks me up.
As a professional unsuccessful writer, I have, over time, imitated a number or writers that I liked. I'm pretty good at it. I can THINK like them.
But over time, all the imitation sort of got stuck in there and mixed around, and I developed multiple personalities of my own.
So now, I have several writing personalities, and don't imitate anybody else any more. Except in this case, I simply have to imitate Tarcy. Okay well that is, one of my personalites needs to imitate him, so I'm going to imitate myself imitating the Dreamer.
Imitation being the most sincere form of flattery, I'm sure that he would be flattered, were he ever to read this. I know I am.
If I were to write a football book, I would of course need for it to be about a bad team. Kind of like Rocky. A bad team getting better.
Lots of underdogs. Like a college possession reciever that was a longshot, but somebody turned him into a tight end and he survived long enough to get pretty good. Maybe my team still calls him a tight end, but he's more a huge, massive wide reciever.
Then um...a "too small" running back. Like Barry Sanders or Emmitt Smith or Tiki Barber or Priest Holmes...all those little guys that had no chance. Those are classic underdogs.
Oh yes--and a too BIG running back. SO big that the team that reluctantly drafted him made him a backup fullback, and then traded him for a bad quarterback to my underdog team, which made him a running back again.
Then there's another "too small" guy, only a quarterback. Got to give it some pizzazz, though, so we'll make him the winningest quarterback in NCAA history.
I'll make him REAL small. Almost as small as Jeff Garcia and Joe Montana. Almost as short as Drew Brees and Brian Sipe. I'll make him a whole 5/8" inches under 6'2"!
Let's say they say he has no arm. That's rediculous, since in every picture there it is. In fact, he has two of them. But that's what they always say about any quarterback who threw a lot of short passes.
The plan is to let him learn on the bench for at least one season, while two old veteran journeymen take care of the team and help teach him. Maybe I'll spice it up and make one of these guys even shorter than him. And the other one a half inch or so taller.
I'll have him look horrible in preseason until the fourth game, where he throws a shutout with and against bartenders and bus drivers (so he's got that going for him).
"Not ready", they'll say. "Good thing we got those two guys in front of him!"
Okay so now we've got to do the "Rocky" thing. What else?
I'll get both of those older quartebacks hurt. And the monster running back. And a bunch of other guys...let's knock out half a dozen or so starters, okay?
Okay so now the little running back and the rookie quarterback will start the next week.
Good set-up, but incomplete. Now for the bad guys: First, this devious, insideously diabolical defensive coordinator who befuddles seasoned vet quarterbacks all the time, and sacks them a lot. Let's toss in a super-safety, since safeties are quarterbacks' arch enemies, and we've got to have our Apollo Creed, see?
Then...we've got to give the little running back a hard time: The bad guys will have the best run defense in the NFL.
Let's see, what else? Oh yeah--and the bad guys' Pro Bowl quarterback is coming back off suspension! Perfect!
Naturally, in my movie, the underdogs heroicly upset the bullies, and become famous and never look back. And in my sequals, they beat them up again and again, worse each time. (Nobody will watch them, but I'll already have made my money, so I won't care).
It's a great story.
Too bad in the real world it rarely ever happens. But that's why I'm imitating myself imitating the Dreamer.
Next I will see if I can dial up some of my established multiple personalites. I will see if I can talk about the upcoming game vs. the Pittsburgh Stoolers. I'm glad I've still got my Big Ben and Polumalu voodoo dolls. They've worked pretty well so far.
Thank you, Brian Tarcy, for the inspiration. I tried to stay in-character, but slipped out. There's only one you.
As a professional unsuccessful writer, I have, over time, imitated a number or writers that I liked. I'm pretty good at it. I can THINK like them.
But over time, all the imitation sort of got stuck in there and mixed around, and I developed multiple personalities of my own.
So now, I have several writing personalities, and don't imitate anybody else any more. Except in this case, I simply have to imitate Tarcy. Okay well that is, one of my personalites needs to imitate him, so I'm going to imitate myself imitating the Dreamer.
Imitation being the most sincere form of flattery, I'm sure that he would be flattered, were he ever to read this. I know I am.
If I were to write a football book, I would of course need for it to be about a bad team. Kind of like Rocky. A bad team getting better.
Lots of underdogs. Like a college possession reciever that was a longshot, but somebody turned him into a tight end and he survived long enough to get pretty good. Maybe my team still calls him a tight end, but he's more a huge, massive wide reciever.
Then um...a "too small" running back. Like Barry Sanders or Emmitt Smith or Tiki Barber or Priest Holmes...all those little guys that had no chance. Those are classic underdogs.
Oh yes--and a too BIG running back. SO big that the team that reluctantly drafted him made him a backup fullback, and then traded him for a bad quarterback to my underdog team, which made him a running back again.
Then there's another "too small" guy, only a quarterback. Got to give it some pizzazz, though, so we'll make him the winningest quarterback in NCAA history.
I'll make him REAL small. Almost as small as Jeff Garcia and Joe Montana. Almost as short as Drew Brees and Brian Sipe. I'll make him a whole 5/8" inches under 6'2"!
Let's say they say he has no arm. That's rediculous, since in every picture there it is. In fact, he has two of them. But that's what they always say about any quarterback who threw a lot of short passes.
The plan is to let him learn on the bench for at least one season, while two old veteran journeymen take care of the team and help teach him. Maybe I'll spice it up and make one of these guys even shorter than him. And the other one a half inch or so taller.
I'll have him look horrible in preseason until the fourth game, where he throws a shutout with and against bartenders and bus drivers (so he's got that going for him).
"Not ready", they'll say. "Good thing we got those two guys in front of him!"
Okay so now we've got to do the "Rocky" thing. What else?
I'll get both of those older quartebacks hurt. And the monster running back. And a bunch of other guys...let's knock out half a dozen or so starters, okay?
Okay so now the little running back and the rookie quarterback will start the next week.
Good set-up, but incomplete. Now for the bad guys: First, this devious, insideously diabolical defensive coordinator who befuddles seasoned vet quarterbacks all the time, and sacks them a lot. Let's toss in a super-safety, since safeties are quarterbacks' arch enemies, and we've got to have our Apollo Creed, see?
Then...we've got to give the little running back a hard time: The bad guys will have the best run defense in the NFL.
Let's see, what else? Oh yeah--and the bad guys' Pro Bowl quarterback is coming back off suspension! Perfect!
Naturally, in my movie, the underdogs heroicly upset the bullies, and become famous and never look back. And in my sequals, they beat them up again and again, worse each time. (Nobody will watch them, but I'll already have made my money, so I won't care).
It's a great story.
Too bad in the real world it rarely ever happens. But that's why I'm imitating myself imitating the Dreamer.
Next I will see if I can dial up some of my established multiple personalites. I will see if I can talk about the upcoming game vs. the Pittsburgh Stoolers. I'm glad I've still got my Big Ben and Polumalu voodoo dolls. They've worked pretty well so far.
Thank you, Brian Tarcy, for the inspiration. I tried to stay in-character, but slipped out. There's only one you.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Notes to Oblivia
1: It's easy to repeat what people were saying last month or last year, and easier still to armchair quarterback a coach. While the former coaches and players on NFL Radio are listing Brian Daboll among the Browns best assets, around here it's bashing as usual.
One call that one armchair offensive coordinator mentioned--which was picked up by all the sheep and lemmings: Third and 2.5. Wallace went deep.
First, it was Wallace's call. He saw a weakness and went after it, like he's allowed to. Second, all you clowns are saying is that unless, on every single play, you do exactly what the defense expects you to do, you are an idiot. I hope if we ever go to war, the bad guys make you a general.
And you are the same clowns who wanted him to be more "creative". You think Bernie Kosar is god, but stick your fingers in your ears when he tells you Daboll was fine LAST season.
2: Peyton Hillis has the hot hand. They don't hate Harrison. Vs. Baltimore, Harrison was injured, but they were inserting James Davis until he also got hurt. Cincinnati had Rey Maluaga and two excellent run-support safeties, and Hillis was the best matchup.
A Falcon player (duh) said that the big emphasis in their practice has been on stopping Hillis. They're scheming against him. I would expect Harrison to get some action.
Hillis is a hammer and I love him. But I don't forget what Harrison did, or can do. On Hillis's biggest plays, he reached the open field without contact. Hillis racked up huge gains, but in each case, Harrison probably scores a touchdown. I don't believe that's lost on the coaches.
The way they were inserting Davis vs. Baltimore tells me their intentions. Even if Hillis is the bellcow, they don't intend to run him into the ground and ruin him, as Bum Phillips ruined Earl Campbell. They'll rest him, and if Harrison (or Davis) catch fire, they'll use them more.
3: I do love Hillis, and also Matt Roth. These two guys inspire everybody else, and make the teams the Browns will play respect this team.
Nice article by Mary Kay: Roth is being used on the tight end, wherever he is. He considers it his job to mug him. I really like that! And he said it himself: If he knocks the guy down, he doesn't have to cover him! (He's in trouble if he doesn't, by the way.)
He's a great tactical asset, because he can run right through a tight end enroute to the quarterback, and he makes it really tough for any QB to find the tight end.
I thought he'd be in trouble when the Browns had to face K2, who can split wide on a wing. This week, so can Tony Gonzales. I wasn't able to see how the defense covered that; if Roth went out there with them or what. It makes it much tougher to mug them, and he can't run them over on his way into the backfield, or be there to stuff the run.
If I know Ryan, he kept him near the end of the line and sent him--putting a coverage linebacker or safety on the tight end.
Either way, he screws up offensive game-plans. They have to get the tight end help to block him, meaning an offensive lineman or fullback has to come off somebody else. They can't rely on an in-line tight end to be a reciever. They are discouraged from trying to get around outside him--he's set up on the tight end, and can string it out.
And he's not fast or tricky. He just gets under your pads and drives you back. Not much you can do about that.
Roth and Hillis. Hear us roar.
4: Eric Wright has had some rough times, but is a top cornerback. Opponents target him with bigger, taller guys. He's almost always right there, but can't stop a perfect pass. He's been expecting help from Ward that didn't get there. Ward will be awesome, but is a rookie.
Nobody expects any cornerback to hang with a legit number one reciever for longer than about four seconds. They have to get to the quarterback sooner, or else get Ward more experience.
He was blamed for ALL of Owens yards vs. Cincinnati, when in fact he toasted Haden twice, and Brown at least once. In reality (I watched the replay)--Owens only beat Wright twice that I saw, and I think on one of those plays, Wright was peeling off another reciever.
But you clowns had it in your heads in advance that they would pick on Wright, so you just ass umed that every catch Owens caught was on him.
I do love how Ryan blitzes him often and frequently, even on neutral downs. He's one of the fastest players in the NFL, and they have to keep a running back in or else pull a guy (never the tight end thanks to Roth haha) off a big guy to TRY to get in his way in time.
And quit saying he won't tackle! That was last year--this season he seems to have taken that criticism to heart, because he's doing an EXCELLENT job tackling even big guys. Give him his props--watch what is really happening and quit repeating obsolete cliches!
That said, Haden could take over outside sometime this season. That's why they drafted him so high. But it won't make much difference. In the NFL the top three cornerbacks all play about the same number of downs, and Wright covers the slot guys anyway.
Up until the Ravens game, you all knew that Wright was a good/improving cover corner. After that one game, he sucks.
Grow up.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
One call that one armchair offensive coordinator mentioned--which was picked up by all the sheep and lemmings: Third and 2.5. Wallace went deep.
First, it was Wallace's call. He saw a weakness and went after it, like he's allowed to. Second, all you clowns are saying is that unless, on every single play, you do exactly what the defense expects you to do, you are an idiot. I hope if we ever go to war, the bad guys make you a general.
And you are the same clowns who wanted him to be more "creative". You think Bernie Kosar is god, but stick your fingers in your ears when he tells you Daboll was fine LAST season.
2: Peyton Hillis has the hot hand. They don't hate Harrison. Vs. Baltimore, Harrison was injured, but they were inserting James Davis until he also got hurt. Cincinnati had Rey Maluaga and two excellent run-support safeties, and Hillis was the best matchup.
A Falcon player (duh) said that the big emphasis in their practice has been on stopping Hillis. They're scheming against him. I would expect Harrison to get some action.
Hillis is a hammer and I love him. But I don't forget what Harrison did, or can do. On Hillis's biggest plays, he reached the open field without contact. Hillis racked up huge gains, but in each case, Harrison probably scores a touchdown. I don't believe that's lost on the coaches.
The way they were inserting Davis vs. Baltimore tells me their intentions. Even if Hillis is the bellcow, they don't intend to run him into the ground and ruin him, as Bum Phillips ruined Earl Campbell. They'll rest him, and if Harrison (or Davis) catch fire, they'll use them more.
3: I do love Hillis, and also Matt Roth. These two guys inspire everybody else, and make the teams the Browns will play respect this team.
Nice article by Mary Kay: Roth is being used on the tight end, wherever he is. He considers it his job to mug him. I really like that! And he said it himself: If he knocks the guy down, he doesn't have to cover him! (He's in trouble if he doesn't, by the way.)
He's a great tactical asset, because he can run right through a tight end enroute to the quarterback, and he makes it really tough for any QB to find the tight end.
I thought he'd be in trouble when the Browns had to face K2, who can split wide on a wing. This week, so can Tony Gonzales. I wasn't able to see how the defense covered that; if Roth went out there with them or what. It makes it much tougher to mug them, and he can't run them over on his way into the backfield, or be there to stuff the run.
If I know Ryan, he kept him near the end of the line and sent him--putting a coverage linebacker or safety on the tight end.
Either way, he screws up offensive game-plans. They have to get the tight end help to block him, meaning an offensive lineman or fullback has to come off somebody else. They can't rely on an in-line tight end to be a reciever. They are discouraged from trying to get around outside him--he's set up on the tight end, and can string it out.
And he's not fast or tricky. He just gets under your pads and drives you back. Not much you can do about that.
Roth and Hillis. Hear us roar.
4: Eric Wright has had some rough times, but is a top cornerback. Opponents target him with bigger, taller guys. He's almost always right there, but can't stop a perfect pass. He's been expecting help from Ward that didn't get there. Ward will be awesome, but is a rookie.
Nobody expects any cornerback to hang with a legit number one reciever for longer than about four seconds. They have to get to the quarterback sooner, or else get Ward more experience.
He was blamed for ALL of Owens yards vs. Cincinnati, when in fact he toasted Haden twice, and Brown at least once. In reality (I watched the replay)--Owens only beat Wright twice that I saw, and I think on one of those plays, Wright was peeling off another reciever.
But you clowns had it in your heads in advance that they would pick on Wright, so you just ass umed that every catch Owens caught was on him.
I do love how Ryan blitzes him often and frequently, even on neutral downs. He's one of the fastest players in the NFL, and they have to keep a running back in or else pull a guy (never the tight end thanks to Roth haha) off a big guy to TRY to get in his way in time.
And quit saying he won't tackle! That was last year--this season he seems to have taken that criticism to heart, because he's doing an EXCELLENT job tackling even big guys. Give him his props--watch what is really happening and quit repeating obsolete cliches!
That said, Haden could take over outside sometime this season. That's why they drafted him so high. But it won't make much difference. In the NFL the top three cornerbacks all play about the same number of downs, and Wright covers the slot guys anyway.
Up until the Ravens game, you all knew that Wright was a good/improving cover corner. After that one game, he sucks.
Grow up.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Tantrums
Some of you clowns are little babies. Eric Wright starts out good, and has now become recognized by everybody who knows anything as one of the elite corners in the NFL. He has one bad game against an elite reciever, and you call him a bum. "WAAAH!" Shut the hell up.
Anyway, on more than one of those plays, rookie TJ Ward almost certainly misread things and was late to help him, and Flacco had too much time. Wright caught all the ignorant spears, but he was doing Ward a favor.
Why didn't Davis get the ball? Hillis. If it aint broke, don't fix it.
Benard should be back for this game. The team still needs Rogers (and the rest of the starting defensive line--which except for Rubin missed the Ravens), but Benard is pretty special, and should get heat on Palmer.
The Browns can run the ball against anybody. I'm with Terry Pluto on what Daboll said: If you got second and nine, don't automaticly pass. That "tough mindset" that running teams have is partly the willingness to risk three-and-outs early in a game.
It's also a tendancy that defenses draw a bead on in a hurry. With power football, they can draw the bead as fast as they want--it doesn't matter if you just can't stop it.
A running team is like a shorter boxer: It attacks the body, bruising ribs and weakening core muscles. It often seems ineffective in the early rounds, but later the opponent weakens and slows down.
Running lets the offensive big people slam into the defensive little people. It makes defenders hesitate before they fire into gaps after a quarterback, depriving them of that most critical advantage. It gives the blockers the first shot and makes defenders struggle against superior leverage, down after down.
An often overlooked part of this is our big, strong recievers, extra backs, and tight ends blocking safeties and cornerbacks. They're keeping these fastest defenders away from the backs until they're well past the line of scrimmage, and then they have to pursue with bad angles in space.
Of course, we can't go nuts. You MUST pass now and then to keep the safeties uncommitted--especially when there are so many check-down options, and the pass can be a long handoff, and when you've got two tight ends with deep speed and a wide reciever who averaged nearly twenty yards per catch as a rookie with inferior quarterbacks.
Ask Jeff Fisher. He passes the ball sometimes as often as 40% of the time. Lots of play-action.
Brian, you lack reach and you're not fast, but you can slip punches and are strong like bull. USE IT.
Don't worry about Harrison. He couldn't be more different from Hillis, but is no less effective. It depends on the matchups. Maybe this week. Maybe not. With Mal...that linebacker there...hard to say.
I think last week they woke up. They got a real shot today.
I HAVE SPOKEN.
Anyway, on more than one of those plays, rookie TJ Ward almost certainly misread things and was late to help him, and Flacco had too much time. Wright caught all the ignorant spears, but he was doing Ward a favor.
Why didn't Davis get the ball? Hillis. If it aint broke, don't fix it.
Benard should be back for this game. The team still needs Rogers (and the rest of the starting defensive line--which except for Rubin missed the Ravens), but Benard is pretty special, and should get heat on Palmer.
The Browns can run the ball against anybody. I'm with Terry Pluto on what Daboll said: If you got second and nine, don't automaticly pass. That "tough mindset" that running teams have is partly the willingness to risk three-and-outs early in a game.
It's also a tendancy that defenses draw a bead on in a hurry. With power football, they can draw the bead as fast as they want--it doesn't matter if you just can't stop it.
A running team is like a shorter boxer: It attacks the body, bruising ribs and weakening core muscles. It often seems ineffective in the early rounds, but later the opponent weakens and slows down.
Running lets the offensive big people slam into the defensive little people. It makes defenders hesitate before they fire into gaps after a quarterback, depriving them of that most critical advantage. It gives the blockers the first shot and makes defenders struggle against superior leverage, down after down.
An often overlooked part of this is our big, strong recievers, extra backs, and tight ends blocking safeties and cornerbacks. They're keeping these fastest defenders away from the backs until they're well past the line of scrimmage, and then they have to pursue with bad angles in space.
Of course, we can't go nuts. You MUST pass now and then to keep the safeties uncommitted--especially when there are so many check-down options, and the pass can be a long handoff, and when you've got two tight ends with deep speed and a wide reciever who averaged nearly twenty yards per catch as a rookie with inferior quarterbacks.
Ask Jeff Fisher. He passes the ball sometimes as often as 40% of the time. Lots of play-action.
Brian, you lack reach and you're not fast, but you can slip punches and are strong like bull. USE IT.
Don't worry about Harrison. He couldn't be more different from Hillis, but is no less effective. It depends on the matchups. Maybe this week. Maybe not. With Mal...that linebacker there...hard to say.
I think last week they woke up. They got a real shot today.
I HAVE SPOKEN.
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