This Just In

I just got turned onto this Browns DNS site which is like internet Radio. At first I loved it, but then they started repeating the Eric Wright BS and bashing Daboll. The black helicopters came out: Mangini got Daboll to make sure he'd look good in comparison.

Still, it's better than NFL Radio for even an objective Browns fan.

Anyway, I had forgotten a huge new reason for hope vs. the Pats: Ryan's defense is finally managing to disguise it's intentions pre-snap, like the Stoolers and Ratbirds do! They did it to Big Benny--no bigee. But then they did it to Drew Brees, all day long. THAT is impressive. Brees is right there with Brady and Manning reading stuff pre-snap. (Benny is comnparatively dumb as a rock. He just waits till he's half way to the ground in the grasp, then intentionally grounds it to avoid sacks,)

That's massively important. The 3-4 surrenders it's biggest advanatage over a 4-3 when it shows a quarterback who the blitzer is, and always covers the way it appears they're going to cover as the QB is calling signals. He and the center tell somebody to pick this guy up here and the recievers to change their routes.

Throughout Crennel's tenure, it was that way. How many times did I see a safety OUTSIDE the box moving toward the line pre-snap, or a linebacker shuffling and leaning? JFC why don't you get on the helmet frequency and just TELL the QB what you're doing?

It probably took this long for the parts and pieces to get used to Ryan's version of the scheme (which is unique, and not a carbon copy of anybody else's).

One way to disguise stuff is start everybody out right on the line, showing an all-out blitze--then after the QB does his checks, and as the playclock winds down, drop the guys that are going to drop. The QB has to GUESS. The danger of this is the QB coming to the line and saying "HIKE", and his recievers getting behind coverage.

The other way is real simple: Body language. Simply don't go up on the balls of your feet, don't lean, don't jump around in place. If you're showing man/press and go to zone, don't freaking pull back with ten freaking seconds left on the playclock, or vice-versa.

And part of that last part is, you need to have the ability to adjust instantly if the QB does get the snap early and you're "caught" in man or zone. Inexperience makes that part tough, because the safeties both have to recognize that they have to do something other than what they'd intended...because everybody has to adjust together instantly.

Oh. It's Billy Yates at RG again. Well, ok--he did a good job last week. I was really hoping for Lauvao though. Benches 500, strong man competitor...damn.

But I digress: yes--if this crew was able to decieve Drew Brees, it can decieve Tom Brady. For that matter, if it was able to beat up Brees, it might be able to beat up Brady.

And hey: Who told you that Daboll has consciously decided not to throw to wide recievers? I really doubt that. Delhomme tried, and Wallace hit them some. But when the big inside guys are such easy targets and you're starting a rookie, he will default to the safest possible throw any time he feels pressure. Wouldn't you?

That said--I don't know the answer. I just know that we have a rookie quarterback and priority one is to make his reads simple and get the ball out of his hands quickly.

It'll probably work out anyway. McCoy is no doubt planning to hit them and get it deeper whenever he gets the time AND THEY GET OPEN, which...are they getting open?

Oh, I forgot: If not, that would be because Daboll has them running boring patterns or something, right?

Jeez...