...because when you a-s-s-u-m-e, you make an ass out of yourself. (Feel free to use that.)
One assumption which has prevailed until now is that Isaiah Crowell will get cut. Now, based on the last quarter of the last preseason game, everyone is assuming that he makes the team. I kind of agree with the latter assumption, but in my case it's not an assumption since I felt he had a decent chance all along.
We could all still be wrong, though. Kyle and Mike might feel that having that little scatback is more important, or possibly even the versatile Obgannaya.
I'd put my money on Crowell, though. Talent-wise, a lot of real pros regarded this guy as as good as any back in this draft. His off-the-field issues just plain killed him.
He is quite similar to Terrence West and Ben Tate, so to keep him would just about eliminate that third down, change-of-pace waterbug option, unless they opt to carry only one fullback...
But this is where it gets interesting: I personally feel that Marqueis Gray will be retained with a "FB" label. However, he eats an extra roster spot, as he can play tight end (or H-Back).
In fact, he's the only guy who can back up Jordan Cameron, really.
Ray Agnew is a true smashmouth fullback who has lately proven that he can catch the ball as well, but it's possible he'll get stashed on the practice squad and they'll keep Lewis too--that's right, one fullback. Grossi will freak out. Not even a true fullback oh, the humanity!
It's not at all true that a blocking fullback is critical to the zone-blocking scheme. I don't know who came up with that. Shanahan has operated with and without one. Tight ends can also block in space--it's not rocket science.
Another assumption is that Charles Johnson is a GMF. I could be wrong, but since he is the only reciever aside from pegleg Austin who is over six feet tall, and because he has done okay in limited preseason reps, the coaches are chuckling about that one.
Johnson is the only wide reciever on this roster who has the potential to do what Josh Gordon does. Austin lacks his speed, and can't be relied on to stay healthy, and everybody else is a comparative lilipution.
Austin and Burleson probably make it, but I wouldn't even take that to the bank. The coaches know better than any of us do how healthy they really are, or can be expected to be. In the case of Austin, it's even possible that he's lost that critical step. Down-for-down, Johnson has outdone him as it is!
Then there's Hawkins. But I wouldn't count on even him. Taylor Gabriel is very much like Hawk, only apparently better. And I believe that the assumption that that kid has made the team holds water.
You're assuming that Benjamin is a shoe-in? Well, is he better than this undrafted rookie? He's not--as a reciever or as a returner. And these guys didn't draft him.
Willie Snead? He's showed some really good stuff, no doubt about it. He's also a lilipution without their speed.
Most slot recievers are called slot recievers because they aren't tall enough to present a target outside, or strong enough to defeat a jam. Last night vs. the Bears, Hawkins played outside. Check the results.
The Browns are overloaded with slot recievers, but the only three real outside recievers left on the active roster are Burleson, Austin, and Johnson.
And you're going to cut the only healthy one? The one who resembles Josh Gordon? Really?
Even if they feel that right now a Snead or somebody is better than Johnson, they could well keep Johnson because of his size, and try to sneak the other guy onto the practice squad. (Johnson won't make it. He's a hot prospect among those who pay attention).
Another big assumption is that Jim Leonhard is a shoe-in because he's tagged along with Pettine everywhere. But Leonhard was on the FA market for weeks before the Browns signed him. He's tiny, and he's 31.
Pettine probably won't let sentimentality tell him to cut a younger player who he feels is better than his old buddy.
I think Obgannaya has run out of room here. I liked most of Daryl Ruiter's projections. He thinks they might keep four backs and Gray as well. But he also remains eager to get rid of Josh Aubrey in favor of Pettine's best freind Leonhard...
...Well if I had to make a firm guess I might guess the same thing so how can I pick on the guy? No I think you can pretty much call me Daryl this time. Except Johnson.
So there it is. Now we'll see how dumb Daryl and I are.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Well THAT Sucked...
As is my wont, I'll leave most of the bad news to all the other commenters.
...ok well I'll try. I mean there's so much of it. But as I sift through the wreckage, I do come up with some chunks and pieces that, with a little superglue, steel wool, and solvent are salvageable. Also, several excuses.
The third down defense was horrific. In most cases, the very long conversions were accomplished through short passes. Defenders were in position, but missed tackles or failed to wrap up.
Two excuses are no Skrine and no Haden. The great Terry Pluto in his first half summary mentioned this, then went one to say "but"---
But nothing, Terry! The dropoff from these two players is significant. This is two of your top three cornerbacks, do you get this? Who was targeted the most? Leon McFadden, who still might not even be on the team next week!
On that, I don't agree that he sucked. He only sucked compared to the guys he replaced. Gilbert played pretty well overall, but did get torched a few times, but he's a RROOOOKKKIIEEE who will get BETTER ok?
One bright spot was Kirksey. He was all over the place. I knew he'd be good, but not this good this soon. And he's certainly brought out the best in Robertson.
At any rate, what happened here should alarm nobody. The talent is here, and Mike Pettine and his protege Jim O'Neil are here, so this will get fixed. Unless there really is something in the Cleveland water that turns excellent coaches into dumbasses.
The offense is a different story. Still, there were some good things. They ran the ball pretty well. THIS time, Hoyer was shaky and off-target sometimes. The interception was all his fault (I think). The recievers didn't drop as many catchable passes, but one was in the end zone.
Hoyer got most of the first team reps, but only for the first week. Austin was rusty, too. This will improve through repetition.
And Rodney Johnsonfield: Once again, Charlie took his limited reps and caught some passes. Today, I seem to be the only one not tossing him out with the bathwater. He did drop a tough third down catch, but Gordon dropped some as a rookie himself.
He ran almost exclusively underneath routes for Manziel. Kyle Shanahan simplified the offense for Johnny to help him get rid of the ball quickly, and this was part of it: A big guy crossing in front of him short.
He couldn't turn any into big plays, as the Rams were fairly shallow and closed too quickly. I guess to Grossi and others that means that's all he can do.
Hawkins looked much better. Nobody noticed that either.
Marqueis Gray showed some good things. He ran vertically in front of Manziel after the other recievers had cleared the clutter out for him. This won't work in game one, though.
And Johnny. He was sharp and decisive. He looked like the Heisman winner. But again, this was with a "cut down" offense which Kyle tailored to him (and a great job he did, by the way!). He played with and against second and third stringers. Fortunately for him, two of those were Johnson and Gray.
And the hurry-up! Great job for a rookie!
Head Coaches use this time to evaluate the bottom third of their rosters, so things get pretty vanilla. I loved what I saw from the kid, but vs. Dick LeBeau and his ilk in a real game with the big boys, you need the whole playbook, and he's still not ready.
But now I know: When he gets it, look TF out!
Pat Kirwan, to my amazement (not), picked the Steelers to win the AFC North again. This was before they got humiliated by the Eagles thursday night.
But this is how it goes: Pat will say new offense, new personnel, the drug-bust distraction, etc. and not change his mind. Then he'll look at the Browns' game and say "I'm not surprised".
Don't say preseason is meaningless. It means everything to the guys fighting for their professional lives; their whole futures. Without preseason, a number of Hall of Fame players would have retired as anonymous grocery store managers.
One last note: Tyler Gabriel (the microbe), almost certainly made this team with his returns. I love it. 168 lbs. And he is a scary reciever, too!
...ok well I'll try. I mean there's so much of it. But as I sift through the wreckage, I do come up with some chunks and pieces that, with a little superglue, steel wool, and solvent are salvageable. Also, several excuses.
The third down defense was horrific. In most cases, the very long conversions were accomplished through short passes. Defenders were in position, but missed tackles or failed to wrap up.
Two excuses are no Skrine and no Haden. The great Terry Pluto in his first half summary mentioned this, then went one to say "but"---
But nothing, Terry! The dropoff from these two players is significant. This is two of your top three cornerbacks, do you get this? Who was targeted the most? Leon McFadden, who still might not even be on the team next week!
On that, I don't agree that he sucked. He only sucked compared to the guys he replaced. Gilbert played pretty well overall, but did get torched a few times, but he's a RROOOOKKKIIEEE who will get BETTER ok?
One bright spot was Kirksey. He was all over the place. I knew he'd be good, but not this good this soon. And he's certainly brought out the best in Robertson.
At any rate, what happened here should alarm nobody. The talent is here, and Mike Pettine and his protege Jim O'Neil are here, so this will get fixed. Unless there really is something in the Cleveland water that turns excellent coaches into dumbasses.
The offense is a different story. Still, there were some good things. They ran the ball pretty well. THIS time, Hoyer was shaky and off-target sometimes. The interception was all his fault (I think). The recievers didn't drop as many catchable passes, but one was in the end zone.
Hoyer got most of the first team reps, but only for the first week. Austin was rusty, too. This will improve through repetition.
And Rodney Johnsonfield: Once again, Charlie took his limited reps and caught some passes. Today, I seem to be the only one not tossing him out with the bathwater. He did drop a tough third down catch, but Gordon dropped some as a rookie himself.
He ran almost exclusively underneath routes for Manziel. Kyle Shanahan simplified the offense for Johnny to help him get rid of the ball quickly, and this was part of it: A big guy crossing in front of him short.
He couldn't turn any into big plays, as the Rams were fairly shallow and closed too quickly. I guess to Grossi and others that means that's all he can do.
Hawkins looked much better. Nobody noticed that either.
Marqueis Gray showed some good things. He ran vertically in front of Manziel after the other recievers had cleared the clutter out for him. This won't work in game one, though.
And Johnny. He was sharp and decisive. He looked like the Heisman winner. But again, this was with a "cut down" offense which Kyle tailored to him (and a great job he did, by the way!). He played with and against second and third stringers. Fortunately for him, two of those were Johnson and Gray.
And the hurry-up! Great job for a rookie!
Head Coaches use this time to evaluate the bottom third of their rosters, so things get pretty vanilla. I loved what I saw from the kid, but vs. Dick LeBeau and his ilk in a real game with the big boys, you need the whole playbook, and he's still not ready.
But now I know: When he gets it, look TF out!
Pat Kirwan, to my amazement (not), picked the Steelers to win the AFC North again. This was before they got humiliated by the Eagles thursday night.
But this is how it goes: Pat will say new offense, new personnel, the drug-bust distraction, etc. and not change his mind. Then he'll look at the Browns' game and say "I'm not surprised".
Don't say preseason is meaningless. It means everything to the guys fighting for their professional lives; their whole futures. Without preseason, a number of Hall of Fame players would have retired as anonymous grocery store managers.
One last note: Tyler Gabriel (the microbe), almost certainly made this team with his returns. I love it. 168 lbs. And he is a scary reciever, too!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Browns' Quarterbacks are being Framed.
You didn't see what you think you saw because you weren't looking. I didn't see what you think you saw because I was. Or something.
Philosophical question: If a quarterback throws a catchable pass, and it is not caught, was it catchable?
Armani Tumor on NFL Radio mentioned this:
The Redskins were running a zone defense, and the Browns recievers were ALL running through them when they were supposed to "sit down" (ie stop at a designated point, at which the pass should be arriving, see?)
Remember James Harrison knocking Mohammud Massequoi into next week? That's right--it was zone coverage, and he kept running. That's WHY you stop.
The quarterbacks both threw to where the reciever was supposed to stop. It went behind them. It was the reciever's fault. Get it?
The very first pass to Cameron, (who has no excuse for acting like a rookie), is the best example: Nobody was near him, because it was zone coverage. Hoyer threw the ball before he broke, to where he was supposed to STOP, and he overran that spot. The pass was accurate. I repeat: The pass was accurate. Hoyer threw an accurate, well-timed pass. Any of this sinking in?
Part of the problem is that Pettine's defense runs mostly man coverage. The young and new recievers haven't been working against zone coverage, and they just did what they've been doing--kept running hard after their break, so they can separate.
And get this, too: When a reciever gets both hands on a ball, he is supposed to catch it DO YOU UNDERSTAND? You can pick on the ball placement and call it a tough catch yes, but it's supposed to be caught.
Why are we lowering the standards for our wide recievers here? Is it simply that it's easier to just blame the quarterback? One pass to Hawkins in the end zone was perfect. It was a burner. It was high, so he had to jump for it. He's 5'8", and it was designed that way. It should have been a touchdown, but he dropped it.
Later, in the QB-bashing frenzy, this DROP was included as an example of the QB's ineffectiveness!
Hoyer only threw six passes, beginning with the one Cameron blew by not sitting down in the zone. There were two more drops. He threw four or five catchable passes, and because the recievers dropped them, HE sucked? Bullshit.
That's what you would have seen if you had been looking.
Those recievers need to be taken behind the wood shed--ALL of them. And who is their position coach, anyway? Everybody's got Greg Littleitis! Maybe he caught it from Scissorhands Edwards! What is it--a bacteria? A virus?
Listen: You can't say the quarterbacks AND the recievers sucked equally. They didn't. I'll bet there were over TEN drops of catchable passes--and I don't care if they were imperfect--CATCHABLE, see? Blown routes. They should have been reminded and drilled on recognizing and reacting to zones (it's common knowlege--this is a fundamental rule.)
It's ok I got some consolations for you: Now that I've defended the quarterbacks (yes Manziel too), I can say that the recievers are a bunch of stone-handed mow-rons and the coaching staff did a horrible job preparing them too.
See? I can bash people too! I just bash the RIGHT people!
Johnny continues to astound me! On top of everything else, he knows sign language!
Defense check. The offense ran pretty well.
NFL Radio is making a big deal out of Gordon playing so much with the suspension looming. Read my older blogs. He's got a civil case against ANY suspension, and if he files it, an injunction forestalling the suspension is pro forma.
I'm the only one who told you this. Remember it.
Philosophical question: If a quarterback throws a catchable pass, and it is not caught, was it catchable?
Armani Tumor on NFL Radio mentioned this:
The Redskins were running a zone defense, and the Browns recievers were ALL running through them when they were supposed to "sit down" (ie stop at a designated point, at which the pass should be arriving, see?)
Remember James Harrison knocking Mohammud Massequoi into next week? That's right--it was zone coverage, and he kept running. That's WHY you stop.
The quarterbacks both threw to where the reciever was supposed to stop. It went behind them. It was the reciever's fault. Get it?
The very first pass to Cameron, (who has no excuse for acting like a rookie), is the best example: Nobody was near him, because it was zone coverage. Hoyer threw the ball before he broke, to where he was supposed to STOP, and he overran that spot. The pass was accurate. I repeat: The pass was accurate. Hoyer threw an accurate, well-timed pass. Any of this sinking in?
Part of the problem is that Pettine's defense runs mostly man coverage. The young and new recievers haven't been working against zone coverage, and they just did what they've been doing--kept running hard after their break, so they can separate.
And get this, too: When a reciever gets both hands on a ball, he is supposed to catch it DO YOU UNDERSTAND? You can pick on the ball placement and call it a tough catch yes, but it's supposed to be caught.
Why are we lowering the standards for our wide recievers here? Is it simply that it's easier to just blame the quarterback? One pass to Hawkins in the end zone was perfect. It was a burner. It was high, so he had to jump for it. He's 5'8", and it was designed that way. It should have been a touchdown, but he dropped it.
Later, in the QB-bashing frenzy, this DROP was included as an example of the QB's ineffectiveness!
Hoyer only threw six passes, beginning with the one Cameron blew by not sitting down in the zone. There were two more drops. He threw four or five catchable passes, and because the recievers dropped them, HE sucked? Bullshit.
That's what you would have seen if you had been looking.
Those recievers need to be taken behind the wood shed--ALL of them. And who is their position coach, anyway? Everybody's got Greg Littleitis! Maybe he caught it from Scissorhands Edwards! What is it--a bacteria? A virus?
Listen: You can't say the quarterbacks AND the recievers sucked equally. They didn't. I'll bet there were over TEN drops of catchable passes--and I don't care if they were imperfect--CATCHABLE, see? Blown routes. They should have been reminded and drilled on recognizing and reacting to zones (it's common knowlege--this is a fundamental rule.)
It's ok I got some consolations for you: Now that I've defended the quarterbacks (yes Manziel too), I can say that the recievers are a bunch of stone-handed mow-rons and the coaching staff did a horrible job preparing them too.
See? I can bash people too! I just bash the RIGHT people!
Johnny continues to astound me! On top of everything else, he knows sign language!
Defense check. The offense ran pretty well.
NFL Radio is making a big deal out of Gordon playing so much with the suspension looming. Read my older blogs. He's got a civil case against ANY suspension, and if he files it, an injunction forestalling the suspension is pro forma.
I'm the only one who told you this. Remember it.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Browns Coverage Ahead of Redskins Game
Mike freeman of the Bleacher Report had me expecting more Manzielmanic garbage with this article. It said in it's opening that Hoyer should get the Browns through the first five games, then it's Manziel.
But no, it was a very insightful and smart article. Regardless of his opening assertion, most of what he said was fact-based and logical.
I have only a couple issues with this article:
1: Mike says that Jimmy Haslam has a little Jerry Jones in him, and would have a big say in who starts. This is an assumption based on a couple of shaky rumors and misinterpreted public statements. Maybe also on the fact that he fired almost everybody after his first year as owner.
The preponderance of evidence so far says that Jimmy is involved and does have opinions, but defers to his professionals. It's perfectly normal for an owner to say "Let's go get him" after watching a quarterback who many thought would go on the top ten slide into the lower third of the first round.
This had been discussed before, along with everything else. Pettine and Farmer probably just nodded "good idea."
Jimmy said "act like a backup". His coach and GM had already said Hoyer is the starter--big deal.
2: Mike sells Hoyer short. He still thinks of him as a game manager, when in his short stint last season he came from behind and made several long throws. In the Detroit preseason game, the biggest reason Manziel had a much higher completion percentage was because Hoyer was throwing much deeper. Most of Johnny's passes were dumpoffs and shorties.
I could very well be wrong, (and Mike right) about Hoyer as we see to what extent defenses with film on him can shut down what he does best. He could get hammered back down into a game manager (which would still be a win for this team). Right now, I don't think so. Brian Sipe and Kelly Holcomb weren't game managers, and I don't think Hoyer is either.
But Mike was absolutely right about LeBeau's comments and their intent: Johnny Manziel is a bug on the windshield vs. that defense in game one.
Tom Reed is one of my favorites, and here names five Browns who need to make an impression vs. the Redskins. I agree with Crowell, McFadden, Dion Lewis, and Willie Snead. Josh Aubrey?
I don't think so, despite the fact that Pettine mentioned that he was "fighting for a spot". Aubrey is not a pure safety, but a cornerback/safety hyrbrid who can fill a number of roles in nickel and dime defenses.
Tom probably has separate boxes and labels for "cornerbacks" and "safeties", and has decided that if there is an "s" next to Aubrey's name, there isn't room for him. Pettine has a "DB" box, and Aubrey is probably one of the top eight of those.
Nor is Josh strictly a situational guy. He can START at safety. He can cover, and he makes plays.
At least Tom didn't include Charles Johnson on this list. I sure hope it's because common sense says he's a good bet for the roster, rather than another mistake waiting to be made.
Retraction: I underestimated the Steelers. My bad. Laveon Bell is pretty good, especially as a reciever, and I sold the guy short. Archer could be another Eric Metcalf. Their recievers are really good. They'll be running more no-huddle, and incorporating zone-blocking themselves.
However, Castillo and their center aside, I don't know if their offensive line is built for that blocking scheme, they don't have great tackles, and Miller at tight end is really old.
Shazier is a beast on defense, they've got a second-year first-rounder at OLB, a new stud defensive end, and an old decrepid vulnerable secondary and numerous geezers--so this aint no Steel Curtain.
Yeah, without Gordon the Stoolers and their referees could beat the Browns in game one. The refs have a new and improved tool: They can call pass interference on virtually every play. All Ben has to do is throw one near the goal line and the referees will do the rest.
What a crock.
I'm rooting for Rodney Johnsonfield tonight. I think the coaches know what he is and will become, but it seems that nothing he does as a raw de facto rookie player coming off surgery (way ahead of schedule) even registers.
People--even including Doug Dieken (say it aint so!) decry the Gordonless Browns lack of a deep threat when they're looking right at this guy! He's FASTER than Gordon! More explosive out of his breaks, too!
It's like if you're not all of Josh Gordon yet, you're nothing! It's driving me nuts! There he is! Right there! I think I'm the only guy in Cleveland who comprehends that young players usually get better, can see when they are getting better, and yo have the apparently rare genius to think about how good they'll be by game one...game five...etc.
And we SAW this before with Josh! Heckert you idiot! A second rounder for this bumb? Bullcrap he showed "flashes" as a rookie. By the end of his rookie season he was ALREADY one of the best wide recievers in the NFL! And they're talking "if he continues to improve" DUH!
I'm getting too angry...
Clarification: Emotionally I do hope the local underdog Brian Hoyer kicks butt and keeps Johnny on the bench. Intellectually I see it as more likely that Brian will at some point have to pass the baton to this kid who has greatness written all over him.
My opinion that this should not happen in game one, or without cause, is intellectual and not emotional.
This should help: Boxers do all sorts of drills and training by themselves at first. Keep your feet under you. Proper form. Combinations, over and over and over again til they're automatic.
Then they maneuver around the ring with a trainer holding pads. Then they spar. Then they fight.
They see how you'll do when you're "hunting rabbits". You don't know what they're talking about until you get hit really hard. Now you get it: You're Alice in Wonderland!
If you haven't trained enough on all that other stuff, you become a lumbering clod, or a wild windmill. Off balance and stupid. And you get beat up, real bad. Everything you've learned is gone, and you're back on the playground.
If you have trained long enough and hard enough, so that your body remembers what to do even when your brain isn't working right, you'll be ok.
Brian Hoyer is well-trained. Hard-wired. Ready. Johnny Manziel is not. Manziel has more talent, but doesn't belong in the ring with Hoyer yet.
There you go.
But no, it was a very insightful and smart article. Regardless of his opening assertion, most of what he said was fact-based and logical.
I have only a couple issues with this article:
1: Mike says that Jimmy Haslam has a little Jerry Jones in him, and would have a big say in who starts. This is an assumption based on a couple of shaky rumors and misinterpreted public statements. Maybe also on the fact that he fired almost everybody after his first year as owner.
The preponderance of evidence so far says that Jimmy is involved and does have opinions, but defers to his professionals. It's perfectly normal for an owner to say "Let's go get him" after watching a quarterback who many thought would go on the top ten slide into the lower third of the first round.
This had been discussed before, along with everything else. Pettine and Farmer probably just nodded "good idea."
Jimmy said "act like a backup". His coach and GM had already said Hoyer is the starter--big deal.
2: Mike sells Hoyer short. He still thinks of him as a game manager, when in his short stint last season he came from behind and made several long throws. In the Detroit preseason game, the biggest reason Manziel had a much higher completion percentage was because Hoyer was throwing much deeper. Most of Johnny's passes were dumpoffs and shorties.
I could very well be wrong, (and Mike right) about Hoyer as we see to what extent defenses with film on him can shut down what he does best. He could get hammered back down into a game manager (which would still be a win for this team). Right now, I don't think so. Brian Sipe and Kelly Holcomb weren't game managers, and I don't think Hoyer is either.
But Mike was absolutely right about LeBeau's comments and their intent: Johnny Manziel is a bug on the windshield vs. that defense in game one.
Tom Reed is one of my favorites, and here names five Browns who need to make an impression vs. the Redskins. I agree with Crowell, McFadden, Dion Lewis, and Willie Snead. Josh Aubrey?
I don't think so, despite the fact that Pettine mentioned that he was "fighting for a spot". Aubrey is not a pure safety, but a cornerback/safety hyrbrid who can fill a number of roles in nickel and dime defenses.
Tom probably has separate boxes and labels for "cornerbacks" and "safeties", and has decided that if there is an "s" next to Aubrey's name, there isn't room for him. Pettine has a "DB" box, and Aubrey is probably one of the top eight of those.
Nor is Josh strictly a situational guy. He can START at safety. He can cover, and he makes plays.
At least Tom didn't include Charles Johnson on this list. I sure hope it's because common sense says he's a good bet for the roster, rather than another mistake waiting to be made.
Retraction: I underestimated the Steelers. My bad. Laveon Bell is pretty good, especially as a reciever, and I sold the guy short. Archer could be another Eric Metcalf. Their recievers are really good. They'll be running more no-huddle, and incorporating zone-blocking themselves.
However, Castillo and their center aside, I don't know if their offensive line is built for that blocking scheme, they don't have great tackles, and Miller at tight end is really old.
Shazier is a beast on defense, they've got a second-year first-rounder at OLB, a new stud defensive end, and an old decrepid vulnerable secondary and numerous geezers--so this aint no Steel Curtain.
Yeah, without Gordon the Stoolers and their referees could beat the Browns in game one. The refs have a new and improved tool: They can call pass interference on virtually every play. All Ben has to do is throw one near the goal line and the referees will do the rest.
What a crock.
I'm rooting for Rodney Johnsonfield tonight. I think the coaches know what he is and will become, but it seems that nothing he does as a raw de facto rookie player coming off surgery (way ahead of schedule) even registers.
People--even including Doug Dieken (say it aint so!) decry the Gordonless Browns lack of a deep threat when they're looking right at this guy! He's FASTER than Gordon! More explosive out of his breaks, too!
It's like if you're not all of Josh Gordon yet, you're nothing! It's driving me nuts! There he is! Right there! I think I'm the only guy in Cleveland who comprehends that young players usually get better, can see when they are getting better, and yo have the apparently rare genius to think about how good they'll be by game one...game five...etc.
And we SAW this before with Josh! Heckert you idiot! A second rounder for this bumb? Bullcrap he showed "flashes" as a rookie. By the end of his rookie season he was ALREADY one of the best wide recievers in the NFL! And they're talking "if he continues to improve" DUH!
I'm getting too angry...
Clarification: Emotionally I do hope the local underdog Brian Hoyer kicks butt and keeps Johnny on the bench. Intellectually I see it as more likely that Brian will at some point have to pass the baton to this kid who has greatness written all over him.
My opinion that this should not happen in game one, or without cause, is intellectual and not emotional.
This should help: Boxers do all sorts of drills and training by themselves at first. Keep your feet under you. Proper form. Combinations, over and over and over again til they're automatic.
Then they maneuver around the ring with a trainer holding pads. Then they spar. Then they fight.
They see how you'll do when you're "hunting rabbits". You don't know what they're talking about until you get hit really hard. Now you get it: You're Alice in Wonderland!
If you haven't trained enough on all that other stuff, you become a lumbering clod, or a wild windmill. Off balance and stupid. And you get beat up, real bad. Everything you've learned is gone, and you're back on the playground.
If you have trained long enough and hard enough, so that your body remembers what to do even when your brain isn't working right, you'll be ok.
Brian Hoyer is well-trained. Hard-wired. Ready. Johnny Manziel is not. Manziel has more talent, but doesn't belong in the ring with Hoyer yet.
There you go.
Monday, August 11, 2014
The Screaming You Hear is your Logic
One article I read on Fanatix.com (by Ian O'Brien) cited five reasons why Manziel should start over Hoyer in game one vs. the insideously diabolical Dick LeBeau in Pittsburgh.
5 was higher upside. Check.
4: Hoyer starts with a small sample size. Technically true, except that Manziel starts with a non-existant sample size. Ian is one of those who thinks Jim Miller, Rich Gannon and I are wrong about five seasons of scout-team reps against starting defenses being valuable experience, along with all the preseason reps.
Ian makes it worse by pointing out that Hoyer threw three interceptions in one of his three starts. To Ian and those like him, it's irrelevant that one of the picks was a deflection, and the rest came early in his first start, and he was perfect after that.
3: Leadership. Ok this one is just plain funny. Hoyer comes in and suddenly the whole offense, which was putrid before and after him, comes alive and they win. In the first game--with the three interceptions--he took the team on his shoulders and came back for two quick scores to salvage the game.
Johnny Manziel is unquestionably a leader. But so is Hoyer. There's another one that Ian shouldn't even have brought up.
2: Chip on his shoulder. Sure enough, but what about Hoyer? Reading articles like this one, that dismiss him? Being called a "career backup" as if nothing he did last year means a damn thing? Having just about all the national media treating him like furniture? If I'm Hoyer, I'm real, real angry.
1: The Browns sell more tickets. Well, the Browns can only sell so many, and sell out every game as it is. And it's pretty cool that Brian Hoyer played right here, for St. Ignatius.
So if I'm editing this article, I'm telling Ian to re-title this ONE Reason why Manziel Should start, and to delete one through four.
Pat McManamon guesstimates the Browns opening day roster, and for the most part made sense. Except here:
Wide receivers (5)
We’ll assume that Josh Gordon is suspended. If he’s not, add him and remove Johnson. Willie Snead made
strides in practice, but didn't in the game. He needs to do better.
We’ll assume that Josh Gordon is suspended. If he’s not, add him and remove Johnson. Willie Snead made
strides in practice, but didn't in the game. He needs to do better.
I really doubt that Johnson is the one on the bubble. As I explained in my
last blog, he did well vs. Detroit, has astronomical upside, and would
never make it to the Practice Squad.
In fact, this is obvious. Height check. Speed check. Hands check. All
Chuck has to do now is keep it up. Unless he screws up, he's a lock.
last blog, he did well vs. Detroit, has astronomical upside, and would
never make it to the Practice Squad.
In fact, this is obvious. Height check. Speed check. Hands check. All
Chuck has to do now is keep it up. Unless he screws up, he's a lock.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Browns vs. Lions Analysis Analysis
First, when a pass is batted at the line and sails over a reciever, it was batted--not overthrown.
Second, when catchable balls are dropped by recievers, it doesn't mean that the throws were not on-time or on the money. You don't say "Niether quarterback distinguished himself" and, in effect, blame the drops on them.
Hoyer was 6 for 14 and should have been 8 or 9 for 14. Johnny Selfie was 7 for 11 and should have been 9 for 11. The recievers didn't distinguish themselves, but the quarterbacks did.
Nor is it accurate to even say that the recievers in general failed to make an impression. Have you counted how many wide recievers are on this roster? Their reps were neccessarily limited, especially with Josh Gordon getting his in.
You look at a guy who doesn't even play more than one and a half quarters--see him make three catches, and are unimpressed! That's downright stupid! It translates to eight or nine catches in a full game!
Charles Johnson caught three for 30 yards. Nobody with a brain will talk themselves into thinking this guy can't "burn", but here he was running short slants and crosses like a possession guy and delivering...although--I think he was guilty of one of the drops (as was Josh Gordon btw). Still, this did not suck. Update: 0 drops.
Jordan Cameron didn't play, and the mislabeled MarQueis Gray did what he did (dropped one himself I think though dammit). He also made a sweet block way downfield to spring--was it Johnson? Anyway the blocking should not be overlooked.
In re both these guys: I TOLD YOU.
The guy that did surprise me was Taylor Gabriel, who one analyst said is faster than Benjamin and Hawkins. He's a microbe, but a lot like Hawkins.
These coaches are not married to Travis Benjamin or any other player they inherited, and if this kid keeps it up he has a good chance here.
As Hoyer said, the offensive line protected the pocket well. The asterisk there is that the Lions didn't do anything fancy to screw them up. Still, this just might be the best four-man defensive line in the NFL, and that's pretty good.
The Lions yanked Bush and Stafford early, and kept Megatron out, but then the Browns kept Wilkins out . The Lions offense, as noted in my last blog, is loaded for bear, especially at tight end. I learned last night that they also have nice depth at running back.
The Browns defense did a nice job against a very potent offense on their field here. That's a good thing.
Notes: the Lions haven't changed much on defense, so they had continuity on that side of the ball going in. The Browns have made more changes.
The Browns had more rookie starters and contributors in Kirksey, Bitonio, West, and Manziel. This was the first real NFL-game action for them ever.
No, I'm not getting too excited over one game. I just needed to point out the massive, gaping holes and flaws in the analysis I've been reading.
As for the QB thing, this game meant less than for any other players because of the vanilla defenses and depth issues in the Detroit secondary.
You can't not be impressed by Johnny's accuracy, even running to his left and throwing on the move, and even touch. You can see it's not "too big" for him.
But Manzielmaniacs will ignore the fact that he either didn't see or ignored open recievers, held the ball longer--which might well indicate uncertainty about what he was seeing--and that on a couple plays he scrambled when he didn't have to.
I saw enough to make me think that he's going to be awesome in time, but he isn't, and won't be, ready very soon. He's known to be an incredibly fast learner with an unusually high conceptual grasp of schemes, yes. But this doesn't transfer to the field overnight.
On the field, they'll show zone and run man, they'll shift after you've done your check, they'll show one guy blitzing and send another instead, delay blitze after the blockers have committed, and pull all sorts of dirty tricks like that which throw the whole classroom thing right out the window.
To master this takes a lot of real reps, including on the scout team in practice, where a Pettine or a Belichick will be practicing what he's going to pull on the upcoming opponent. (They don't warn the quarterback, see?)
Don't say it: of course Manziel's best asset is his ability to improvise when the world is collapsing. But you can't do that over and over again, and it's just no good when one of the reasons for the collapse is the fact that you didn't pull the trigger when you were supposed to, because you weren't sure who your target was, or where he would be!
Also, Mike Pettine has said that a decision on which QB would start next week has not been made. He doesn't know where the report that it would be Manziel came from.
I can tell him: It came from a Manzielmaniac who saw what he wanted to see, and decided that Johnny Selfie had already overtaken Hoyer.
It doesn't matter anyway. Mike might start the kid to see him against and give him a taste of a first string defense that might pull some dirty tricks on him. If that happens, it won't mean anything more than that.
I'm not bashing the kid, either. He did good! So did the defense, Gray, and Johnson. Oh yeah and Armonty Bryant (told you about him too).
Second, when catchable balls are dropped by recievers, it doesn't mean that the throws were not on-time or on the money. You don't say "Niether quarterback distinguished himself" and, in effect, blame the drops on them.
Hoyer was 6 for 14 and should have been 8 or 9 for 14. Johnny Selfie was 7 for 11 and should have been 9 for 11. The recievers didn't distinguish themselves, but the quarterbacks did.
Nor is it accurate to even say that the recievers in general failed to make an impression. Have you counted how many wide recievers are on this roster? Their reps were neccessarily limited, especially with Josh Gordon getting his in.
You look at a guy who doesn't even play more than one and a half quarters--see him make three catches, and are unimpressed! That's downright stupid! It translates to eight or nine catches in a full game!
Charles Johnson caught three for 30 yards. Nobody with a brain will talk themselves into thinking this guy can't "burn", but here he was running short slants and crosses like a possession guy and delivering...although--I think he was guilty of one of the drops (as was Josh Gordon btw). Still, this did not suck. Update: 0 drops.
Jordan Cameron didn't play, and the mislabeled MarQueis Gray did what he did (dropped one himself I think though dammit). He also made a sweet block way downfield to spring--was it Johnson? Anyway the blocking should not be overlooked.
In re both these guys: I TOLD YOU.
The guy that did surprise me was Taylor Gabriel, who one analyst said is faster than Benjamin and Hawkins. He's a microbe, but a lot like Hawkins.
These coaches are not married to Travis Benjamin or any other player they inherited, and if this kid keeps it up he has a good chance here.
As Hoyer said, the offensive line protected the pocket well. The asterisk there is that the Lions didn't do anything fancy to screw them up. Still, this just might be the best four-man defensive line in the NFL, and that's pretty good.
The Lions yanked Bush and Stafford early, and kept Megatron out, but then the Browns kept Wilkins out . The Lions offense, as noted in my last blog, is loaded for bear, especially at tight end. I learned last night that they also have nice depth at running back.
The Browns defense did a nice job against a very potent offense on their field here. That's a good thing.
Notes: the Lions haven't changed much on defense, so they had continuity on that side of the ball going in. The Browns have made more changes.
The Browns had more rookie starters and contributors in Kirksey, Bitonio, West, and Manziel. This was the first real NFL-game action for them ever.
No, I'm not getting too excited over one game. I just needed to point out the massive, gaping holes and flaws in the analysis I've been reading.
As for the QB thing, this game meant less than for any other players because of the vanilla defenses and depth issues in the Detroit secondary.
You can't not be impressed by Johnny's accuracy, even running to his left and throwing on the move, and even touch. You can see it's not "too big" for him.
But Manzielmaniacs will ignore the fact that he either didn't see or ignored open recievers, held the ball longer--which might well indicate uncertainty about what he was seeing--and that on a couple plays he scrambled when he didn't have to.
I saw enough to make me think that he's going to be awesome in time, but he isn't, and won't be, ready very soon. He's known to be an incredibly fast learner with an unusually high conceptual grasp of schemes, yes. But this doesn't transfer to the field overnight.
On the field, they'll show zone and run man, they'll shift after you've done your check, they'll show one guy blitzing and send another instead, delay blitze after the blockers have committed, and pull all sorts of dirty tricks like that which throw the whole classroom thing right out the window.
To master this takes a lot of real reps, including on the scout team in practice, where a Pettine or a Belichick will be practicing what he's going to pull on the upcoming opponent. (They don't warn the quarterback, see?)
Don't say it: of course Manziel's best asset is his ability to improvise when the world is collapsing. But you can't do that over and over again, and it's just no good when one of the reasons for the collapse is the fact that you didn't pull the trigger when you were supposed to, because you weren't sure who your target was, or where he would be!
Also, Mike Pettine has said that a decision on which QB would start next week has not been made. He doesn't know where the report that it would be Manziel came from.
I can tell him: It came from a Manzielmaniac who saw what he wanted to see, and decided that Johnny Selfie had already overtaken Hoyer.
It doesn't matter anyway. Mike might start the kid to see him against and give him a taste of a first string defense that might pull some dirty tricks on him. If that happens, it won't mean anything more than that.
I'm not bashing the kid, either. He did good! So did the defense, Gray, and Johnson. Oh yeah and Armonty Bryant (told you about him too).
Saturday, August 9, 2014
About the Lions and Browns
Hoyer-hater Pat Kirwan on NFL Radio was bored by the Browns and just couldn't wait to get on to LaTrobe PA to check out a real team. But now that he's had his chance to rant and rave about the perpetually awesome Steelers, he and Jim Miller went to Detroit.
This time his keen, knowlegable mind was functioning, and he had actually studied the Lions--almost as much as he studies the Steelers annually. This time, he was in-ter-es-ted.
This is the good Pat, and he and Jim Miller (who is always objective and fair btw) enlightened me a lot about the Lions personnel and most likely systems.
The Lions' tight end corps is like the Browns defensive line--they're up to their eyeballs in athletic, pass-catching tight ends. The new wide reciever opposite Megatron is now Golden Tate, who excels at run-after-catch yardage and is the ideal number two reciever. They've also got Reggie Bush in the backfield.
This offense piloted by Matthew Stafford could be a juggernaut, and right through the second and third strings will present an excellent test for the Browns new defense.
But the way Pat and Jim described how new head coach Jim Caldwell might use these guys struck me:
They could well use a lot of THREE tight end formations (with Bush and two wide recievers)--like San Fransisco does. They most certainly will in the red zone. Fauria is 6'7", 267!!!
Pettrigrew (6'5", 275) is the most likely in-line blocker, but even he is a dangerous reciever who can split out wide. Stafford has to be grinning ear-to-ear about this crew, because he can hardly miss with any of them.
This offensive set could easily break the huddle and turn into, basicly, a five-wide, and Bush is quite capable of lining up on or near the line of scrimmage as an undisguised reciever.
Or, it could keep Pettigrew and another tight end next to the tackles for a max-protect look while still sending Tate, Johnson, and a fast, athletic tight end outside. This is scary stuff, boys and girls!
This formation overmatches most NFL defenses. Jim Miller said that they'd have to run a big nickel (the fifth DB an extra-good coverage linebacker or strong safety) or 4-4 (with two of the linebackers specializing in coverage, and one of them maybe really being a strong safety).
This made me think about the Browns, and I realized that the Browns defense is better equipped than most to meet this threat.
This is partly because, as (so far) I and only I seem to realize, Mingo can and will cover. Mingo would most likely line up over Fauria the skyscraper, wherever he set up.
The Browns also added Christian Kirksey in the draft. He is 6'2", and so good in coverage that in college he sometimes covered wide recievers. Gilbert is 6', and Desir is 6'1".
The Browns most likely personnel grouping vs this 3-tight end set would include these four guys, including Desir.
I'm not sure what they'd call it, and it doesn't matter anyway. Technically, Desir is the substitute player, so it's a nickel. The other six guys would include two linebackers in Mingo and Kirksey, and I believe that (in this case, due to that damn Reggie Bush and his own underrated ability in coverage), Gramps Dansby would have to work overtime.
With a number of the potential down linemen, including Sheard, either Bryant, or Kruger, zone-blitzes could work from any point.
Did Ray Farmer look at San Fransisco and Detroit and see this new (3-TE) trend emerging before the draft? Is this why he went out of his way to get Kirksey and Desir? Could be! At any rate, while NO defense can really shut a crew like this down consistantly, the Cleveland Browns might be right there with the Seahawks in this regard--thanks to Ray.
Just for fun, the Browns own situation could well force them to run extra tight ends. They have Cameron, and then the underrated MarQueis Gray, so that two tight ends could line up wide. The other guys are conventional tight ends who block well and don't get enough credit for being decent recievers as well (they can move the chains but can't do much more).
The Lions might have the best 4-man defensive line in the NFL, and will be a great test for the Browns' blockers.
I can't wait to see Jacobbi McDaniel in action! At 6' tall, he's not a good DE candidate. He's quite small for a nose tackle, but uses his leverage advantage exceedingly well, and this is more of an attacking defense than many, so he could well fit in there, as well as at 4-3 defensive tackle.
Willie Snead is listed way down the WR depth chart, but has a real shot at not just making the team, but playing a lot. He's been compared to Josh Cooper, but Brian Brennan might be more accurate. Snead is bigger and faster--though still smallish by today's standards--but he gets separation and drops nothing.
Nor is he as lilipution as many of the other recievers. He has adequate height and strength to play outside as well as inside.
But Charles Johnson is the guy with Gordanian upside--a big play waiting to happen. Both these guys should get liberal chances in this first game.
By the way, the depth chart is deceptive. Pettine obviously slanted it towards the veterans, and I think Greco at right guard might also be about continuity. It could get messy if both guards were inexperienced. After Joe Thomas's comments including Greco as one of the fast, athletic guys, I have to say I might have been selling the guy short in that area.
(Unlike most online blabberers, I don't second-guess guys like Joe Thomas or Kyle Shanahan.) In fairness to me, the beat writers felt the fact that Greco had lost 25 lbs was too unimportant to mention...
Anyway, McDaniels is short and was injured, so he dropped off the radar--except for Ray. He's healthy now, and some short guys can kick ass, and right now it looks like Ray found him a gem.
If he makes the team (and my money is on that), Rubin, who makes a lot of money or Hughes, who is overrated, could be the odd man out.
Look, I don't hate Hughes. He's good against the run and could be in many 4-3 rotations. It's just that he's not a 3-4 defensive end, and McDaniels is probably better than him at DT or NT. At lot of you are selling Billy Winn short and overrating Hughes based purely on where they were drafted.
Manziel should be getting most of the snaps. Because Detroit should run a fairly vanilla offense and cornerback isn't their strong suit, he might kick butt. Good for him, but it would be sad in a way. Too many Manzielmaniacs won't know or care how far down the depth chart opposing players are, or how obvious the passrush and coverage will be.
I don't look forward to monday morning quarterbacks declaring that Johnny Selfie has moved into the lead based on a glorified scrimmage.
The guys who can really prove something (or not) are the guys in coverage and recievers, and the guys in the trenches who win or lose one-on-ones. For quarterbacks, this first game means the least, and should have the least impact. Nobody's trying to outsmart them, or sending extra people after them.
Billy Winn: Probably THE most underrated player on this roster.
Stay tuned.
This time his keen, knowlegable mind was functioning, and he had actually studied the Lions--almost as much as he studies the Steelers annually. This time, he was in-ter-es-ted.
This is the good Pat, and he and Jim Miller (who is always objective and fair btw) enlightened me a lot about the Lions personnel and most likely systems.
The Lions' tight end corps is like the Browns defensive line--they're up to their eyeballs in athletic, pass-catching tight ends. The new wide reciever opposite Megatron is now Golden Tate, who excels at run-after-catch yardage and is the ideal number two reciever. They've also got Reggie Bush in the backfield.
This offense piloted by Matthew Stafford could be a juggernaut, and right through the second and third strings will present an excellent test for the Browns new defense.
But the way Pat and Jim described how new head coach Jim Caldwell might use these guys struck me:
They could well use a lot of THREE tight end formations (with Bush and two wide recievers)--like San Fransisco does. They most certainly will in the red zone. Fauria is 6'7", 267!!!
Pettrigrew (6'5", 275) is the most likely in-line blocker, but even he is a dangerous reciever who can split out wide. Stafford has to be grinning ear-to-ear about this crew, because he can hardly miss with any of them.
This offensive set could easily break the huddle and turn into, basicly, a five-wide, and Bush is quite capable of lining up on or near the line of scrimmage as an undisguised reciever.
Or, it could keep Pettigrew and another tight end next to the tackles for a max-protect look while still sending Tate, Johnson, and a fast, athletic tight end outside. This is scary stuff, boys and girls!
This formation overmatches most NFL defenses. Jim Miller said that they'd have to run a big nickel (the fifth DB an extra-good coverage linebacker or strong safety) or 4-4 (with two of the linebackers specializing in coverage, and one of them maybe really being a strong safety).
This made me think about the Browns, and I realized that the Browns defense is better equipped than most to meet this threat.
This is partly because, as (so far) I and only I seem to realize, Mingo can and will cover. Mingo would most likely line up over Fauria the skyscraper, wherever he set up.
The Browns also added Christian Kirksey in the draft. He is 6'2", and so good in coverage that in college he sometimes covered wide recievers. Gilbert is 6', and Desir is 6'1".
The Browns most likely personnel grouping vs this 3-tight end set would include these four guys, including Desir.
I'm not sure what they'd call it, and it doesn't matter anyway. Technically, Desir is the substitute player, so it's a nickel. The other six guys would include two linebackers in Mingo and Kirksey, and I believe that (in this case, due to that damn Reggie Bush and his own underrated ability in coverage), Gramps Dansby would have to work overtime.
With a number of the potential down linemen, including Sheard, either Bryant, or Kruger, zone-blitzes could work from any point.
Did Ray Farmer look at San Fransisco and Detroit and see this new (3-TE) trend emerging before the draft? Is this why he went out of his way to get Kirksey and Desir? Could be! At any rate, while NO defense can really shut a crew like this down consistantly, the Cleveland Browns might be right there with the Seahawks in this regard--thanks to Ray.
Just for fun, the Browns own situation could well force them to run extra tight ends. They have Cameron, and then the underrated MarQueis Gray, so that two tight ends could line up wide. The other guys are conventional tight ends who block well and don't get enough credit for being decent recievers as well (they can move the chains but can't do much more).
The Lions might have the best 4-man defensive line in the NFL, and will be a great test for the Browns' blockers.
I can't wait to see Jacobbi McDaniel in action! At 6' tall, he's not a good DE candidate. He's quite small for a nose tackle, but uses his leverage advantage exceedingly well, and this is more of an attacking defense than many, so he could well fit in there, as well as at 4-3 defensive tackle.
Willie Snead is listed way down the WR depth chart, but has a real shot at not just making the team, but playing a lot. He's been compared to Josh Cooper, but Brian Brennan might be more accurate. Snead is bigger and faster--though still smallish by today's standards--but he gets separation and drops nothing.
Nor is he as lilipution as many of the other recievers. He has adequate height and strength to play outside as well as inside.
But Charles Johnson is the guy with Gordanian upside--a big play waiting to happen. Both these guys should get liberal chances in this first game.
By the way, the depth chart is deceptive. Pettine obviously slanted it towards the veterans, and I think Greco at right guard might also be about continuity. It could get messy if both guards were inexperienced. After Joe Thomas's comments including Greco as one of the fast, athletic guys, I have to say I might have been selling the guy short in that area.
(Unlike most online blabberers, I don't second-guess guys like Joe Thomas or Kyle Shanahan.) In fairness to me, the beat writers felt the fact that Greco had lost 25 lbs was too unimportant to mention...
Anyway, McDaniels is short and was injured, so he dropped off the radar--except for Ray. He's healthy now, and some short guys can kick ass, and right now it looks like Ray found him a gem.
If he makes the team (and my money is on that), Rubin, who makes a lot of money or Hughes, who is overrated, could be the odd man out.
Look, I don't hate Hughes. He's good against the run and could be in many 4-3 rotations. It's just that he's not a 3-4 defensive end, and McDaniels is probably better than him at DT or NT. At lot of you are selling Billy Winn short and overrating Hughes based purely on where they were drafted.
Manziel should be getting most of the snaps. Because Detroit should run a fairly vanilla offense and cornerback isn't their strong suit, he might kick butt. Good for him, but it would be sad in a way. Too many Manzielmaniacs won't know or care how far down the depth chart opposing players are, or how obvious the passrush and coverage will be.
I don't look forward to monday morning quarterbacks declaring that Johnny Selfie has moved into the lead based on a glorified scrimmage.
The guys who can really prove something (or not) are the guys in coverage and recievers, and the guys in the trenches who win or lose one-on-ones. For quarterbacks, this first game means the least, and should have the least impact. Nobody's trying to outsmart them, or sending extra people after them.
Billy Winn: Probably THE most underrated player on this roster.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Says Dick
Per this article on Fansided, Steelers defensive coordinator confidently predicts that Johnny Manziel, and not that bumb Boyer or whatever--will start vs. his defense in game one.
Dick ought to know. Before mutating into a defensive mastermind specializing in destroying inexperienced quarterbacks, he was a quarterback himself.
Dick says Manziel will start because his college heroics will translate to the NFL. Hell, Dick's D practices against Big Ben, who shakes off tackles and extends plays when he should be sacked. It's a pain in the butt!
Are you sold? Well, Dick knows that his words carry a lot of weight, and he is sure hoping that Mike Pettine and Kyle Shanahan are sold on his really believing this. And/or that pundits and fans will start parroting his words and pressure the Browns' coaches into this. (Well, he knows that will happen.)
Because Dick LeBeau can't wait to get Manziel in his sights and sic Shazier and Polumalu on him. Dick really likes enemy quarterbacks who can't read his coverages or passrush correctly pre or post-snap. He likes them confused, and either desperate or intimidated. The basis of his defense is deception.
Dick knows that Hoyer will be decisive, and get rid of the ball quickly. He'll change plays at the line, and won't force anything. Hoyer practiced against Bill Belichick's first team defenses four four years it matters!!!
Dick hopes Manziel will start, because he knows that his defense has secondary issues, and the last thing he needs is a quarterback who will identify his blitze quickly, and nail a crossing reciever--especially if it's Hawkins.
Dick wants Manziel because he's got the answers to his running around in Shazier and Polumalu.
Dick's not lying about his opinion of Johnny's talent or future in the NFL. He's just trying to manipulate the Browns into handing him a rookie quarterback, trying to run a West Coast, in game one.
As an intelligent analyst, I have great respect for disinformation and propaganda. All's fair in war. Good try, Dick!
Dick ought to know. Before mutating into a defensive mastermind specializing in destroying inexperienced quarterbacks, he was a quarterback himself.
Dick says Manziel will start because his college heroics will translate to the NFL. Hell, Dick's D practices against Big Ben, who shakes off tackles and extends plays when he should be sacked. It's a pain in the butt!
Are you sold? Well, Dick knows that his words carry a lot of weight, and he is sure hoping that Mike Pettine and Kyle Shanahan are sold on his really believing this. And/or that pundits and fans will start parroting his words and pressure the Browns' coaches into this. (Well, he knows that will happen.)
Because Dick LeBeau can't wait to get Manziel in his sights and sic Shazier and Polumalu on him. Dick really likes enemy quarterbacks who can't read his coverages or passrush correctly pre or post-snap. He likes them confused, and either desperate or intimidated. The basis of his defense is deception.
Dick knows that Hoyer will be decisive, and get rid of the ball quickly. He'll change plays at the line, and won't force anything. Hoyer practiced against Bill Belichick's first team defenses four four years it matters!!!
Dick hopes Manziel will start, because he knows that his defense has secondary issues, and the last thing he needs is a quarterback who will identify his blitze quickly, and nail a crossing reciever--especially if it's Hawkins.
Dick wants Manziel because he's got the answers to his running around in Shazier and Polumalu.
Dick's not lying about his opinion of Johnny's talent or future in the NFL. He's just trying to manipulate the Browns into handing him a rookie quarterback, trying to run a West Coast, in game one.
As an intelligent analyst, I have great respect for disinformation and propaganda. All's fair in war. Good try, Dick!
Monday, August 4, 2014
Josh Plays this Season: BOOK IT
I missed this before, but Tony Grossi and one other person did not:
It is likely that the Gordon will lose his arbitration due to the letter of the law. But it is a stupid and arbritrary rule, tailor-made for a court challenge.
Further, the discrepancy between the two samples calls into question the validity of the test which, as a separate issue, also invites a court challenge.
When they stick it to the Cleveland Brown because he's a Cleveland Brown, his lawyers will file suit and get an injunction delaying the execution of the suspension, meaning he can play pending a verdict.
Now, I want to see if they try to suspend Josh for blowing .01 over the limit for longer than they did Ray Rice for knocking out his wife.
Late addition: 8 games maybe? I hope he doesn't take that plea bargain. He can win in civil court.
It is likely that the Gordon will lose his arbitration due to the letter of the law. But it is a stupid and arbritrary rule, tailor-made for a court challenge.
Further, the discrepancy between the two samples calls into question the validity of the test which, as a separate issue, also invites a court challenge.
When they stick it to the Cleveland Brown because he's a Cleveland Brown, his lawyers will file suit and get an injunction delaying the execution of the suspension, meaning he can play pending a verdict.
Now, I want to see if they try to suspend Josh for blowing .01 over the limit for longer than they did Ray Rice for knocking out his wife.
Late addition: 8 games maybe? I hope he doesn't take that plea bargain. He can win in civil court.
Don't Dismiss Charles Johnson
In the scrimmage, WR Charles Johnson dropped a touchdown pass, therefore he is Greg Little and should probably be released now, right?
Not exactly. Now that I've been able to find some more out about him, I can tell you that throughout college, he had reliable hands.
Yeah, it was his first chance against real competition, and he probably choked. It doesn't mean he'll always feel that way, or always drop the pass. His history says that won't happen.
The good news is, he was where he was supposed to be, and he was open. Given the fact that Johnson has no history of drops, this is actually very good news, loaded with promise.
Do you think Kyle and Mike should keep him on the bench now to punish him? I don't think they will. I think he'll get more first and second-team reps.
The fact is, Shanahan's hybrid West Coast is complicated for a wide reciever, so we can't expect Johnson to blossom overnight. He can't be reliable until he consistantly reads coverages the same way his quarterback does.
But Pettine loves how hard he works, so it's just a matter of time. I'll bet that he at least rotates in here and there vs. Pittsburgh--after making some big plays in preseason.
Miles Austin is Miles Austin when he's not lame. How he played in the scrimmage is what the Browns will get so long as he is healthy, and that's pretty good. Austin is enough to keep a safety back and Cameron in single coverage.
I haven't been giving Willie Snead any props but will here: He can't do everything Austin can do, but is a reliable target who can move the chains.
A Gordonless WR crew with Miles Austin can balance the offense. If Austin goes down again it will get tougher...well until Charles Johnson is ready...because when he is, he'll be like Gordon.
Imagine Johnson growing into that role, and then Gordon coming back. Wow--TWO of those guys!!! On the same team!!! With Jordon Cameron!!!
Don't get me wrong--I'm not kidding.
It's not optimism, really. Gordon is one inch taller, and Johnson is a little faster, but in every other way, these two are strikingly similar. If Johnson wants to learn how it's done, all he has to do is watch Gordon films and do everything he does--because he can.
The only thing that can stop Charles Johnson from becoming an elite wide reciever is Charles Johnson. I'm betting he won't let himself down.
As it stands, with Miles Austin this offense is balanced. If he does go down before Johnson is ready or Gordon is back, Kyle will have to run a Lindy Infante short-passing offense.
As Jim Miller says, that can still work, if you don't make mistakes. In reality, that's what the 49er dynasty with Montana and Rice ran. Most of Jerry's big plays were off short passes. Jerry Rice was not a real deep threat.
Hmm...Gordon, Johnson, AND Austin...jeez...
Jim Leonhard is not a minor signing. He's not a great athlete now, and isn't here to start, but he's extremely smart, and will help the safeties and cornerbacks a LOT in assimilating Pettine's scheme. He can also teach them dirty tricks.
One ignorant caller to Pat Kirwan (on Pat's Manziel campaign in Cleveland) bemoaned the Browns lack of depth at safety and Gipson's weakness deep.
I keep telling you, Josh Aubrey is a very good player! He can cover and he can tackle, and if not for Gipson and an injury he'd be starting and doing well!
I don't care that he was undrafted, nor do the coaches, nor should you. I know what I saw, and what I read about him.
This clown called after Leonhard was signed, too, so I guess he thinks he's also a bumb.
I don't know much about the other guys, but there are a bunch of them.
Pat Kirwan was, of course, almost eager to agree with the caller about anything wrong with the Browns. Pat ignores, and the caller was oblivious to, this fact about safeties:
Most of the best safeties are converted cornerbacks, and many were drafted low, or went undrafted. They most commonly suck at press/man coverage, but do well in off-man or zone coverage. As cornerbacks, they are special teamers, but as safeties could be great.
Every GM including Pat know this, and have tried to exploit it to find great safeties cheap.
In fairness to Pat, however, he might not have known about Josh Aubrey. Cuz you know...it's the Browns, after all--
Not exactly. Now that I've been able to find some more out about him, I can tell you that throughout college, he had reliable hands.
Yeah, it was his first chance against real competition, and he probably choked. It doesn't mean he'll always feel that way, or always drop the pass. His history says that won't happen.
The good news is, he was where he was supposed to be, and he was open. Given the fact that Johnson has no history of drops, this is actually very good news, loaded with promise.
Do you think Kyle and Mike should keep him on the bench now to punish him? I don't think they will. I think he'll get more first and second-team reps.
The fact is, Shanahan's hybrid West Coast is complicated for a wide reciever, so we can't expect Johnson to blossom overnight. He can't be reliable until he consistantly reads coverages the same way his quarterback does.
But Pettine loves how hard he works, so it's just a matter of time. I'll bet that he at least rotates in here and there vs. Pittsburgh--after making some big plays in preseason.
Miles Austin is Miles Austin when he's not lame. How he played in the scrimmage is what the Browns will get so long as he is healthy, and that's pretty good. Austin is enough to keep a safety back and Cameron in single coverage.
I haven't been giving Willie Snead any props but will here: He can't do everything Austin can do, but is a reliable target who can move the chains.
A Gordonless WR crew with Miles Austin can balance the offense. If Austin goes down again it will get tougher...well until Charles Johnson is ready...because when he is, he'll be like Gordon.
Imagine Johnson growing into that role, and then Gordon coming back. Wow--TWO of those guys!!! On the same team!!! With Jordon Cameron!!!
Don't get me wrong--I'm not kidding.
It's not optimism, really. Gordon is one inch taller, and Johnson is a little faster, but in every other way, these two are strikingly similar. If Johnson wants to learn how it's done, all he has to do is watch Gordon films and do everything he does--because he can.
The only thing that can stop Charles Johnson from becoming an elite wide reciever is Charles Johnson. I'm betting he won't let himself down.
As it stands, with Miles Austin this offense is balanced. If he does go down before Johnson is ready or Gordon is back, Kyle will have to run a Lindy Infante short-passing offense.
As Jim Miller says, that can still work, if you don't make mistakes. In reality, that's what the 49er dynasty with Montana and Rice ran. Most of Jerry's big plays were off short passes. Jerry Rice was not a real deep threat.
Hmm...Gordon, Johnson, AND Austin...jeez...
Jim Leonhard is not a minor signing. He's not a great athlete now, and isn't here to start, but he's extremely smart, and will help the safeties and cornerbacks a LOT in assimilating Pettine's scheme. He can also teach them dirty tricks.
One ignorant caller to Pat Kirwan (on Pat's Manziel campaign in Cleveland) bemoaned the Browns lack of depth at safety and Gipson's weakness deep.
I keep telling you, Josh Aubrey is a very good player! He can cover and he can tackle, and if not for Gipson and an injury he'd be starting and doing well!
I don't care that he was undrafted, nor do the coaches, nor should you. I know what I saw, and what I read about him.
This clown called after Leonhard was signed, too, so I guess he thinks he's also a bumb.
I don't know much about the other guys, but there are a bunch of them.
Pat Kirwan was, of course, almost eager to agree with the caller about anything wrong with the Browns. Pat ignores, and the caller was oblivious to, this fact about safeties:
Most of the best safeties are converted cornerbacks, and many were drafted low, or went undrafted. They most commonly suck at press/man coverage, but do well in off-man or zone coverage. As cornerbacks, they are special teamers, but as safeties could be great.
Every GM including Pat know this, and have tried to exploit it to find great safeties cheap.
In fairness to Pat, however, he might not have known about Josh Aubrey. Cuz you know...it's the Browns, after all--
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Browns Scrimmage: We're All Doomed!
NOT.
Yes, the offense looked pretty bad. I doubt this surprised the coaches more than it did me.
I read one article talking about how bad the offense was, and expressing alarm over it.
It's amazing how some people completely and utterly ignore the fact that the defense is as important as the offense, and was half of that scrimmage.
The defense is always ahead of the offense at this stage, and here the gap is understandably wider. Most of the defensive starters, and even the backups, are veterans. Last season's defensive system is very similar to this one, so the change isn't that great.
You've got Kirksey and Gilbert as the only high profile rookies--certainly that undrafted rookie McDaniel made himself known in a big way--but the rest of them know what they're doing, and are doing many of the same things this season as they did last season.
Conversely, the offensive system is quite a bit different than Norv Turner's. If Josh Gordon doesn't play and Charles Johnson doesn't emerge quickly, Shanahan will have to run a more conventional West Coast. The zone-blocking is new. Several of the competing guards are young and/or new.
Almost all of the recievers are new, and all but two of the tight ends. Of course the offense was going to look bad.
I saved the best for last: This defense is stacked with great talent from top to bottom. It will smother and screw up every offense it faces.
Not like it did to this one in this scrimmage (since this offense isn't yet ready for prime-time)--but still, talent-wise, it compares favorably to any defense in the NFL.
Why are so many writers so unwilling to acknowlege this? It doesn't matter how often in the past the guys in the orange helmets have underachieved and fallen below expectations. It's irrelevant do you get this?
The owner is in his second season, the coaches, systems, and front office are new, the team is overall very young and on the upswing. It doesn't matter what happened last season--these are not the same people, period.
When I read these comments predicting that the Browns will fail "like they always do", I hear an irrational person talking. The only rational way to see this team is with an open mind.
And yes, this defense will be elite.
The offense is indeed far from perfect, but will certainly get better with practice and repetition. The best news is that it will be practicing against this defense, and if it can make things hard for this crew, it will be ready for any defense in the NFL.
This McDaniels guy might be a huge sleeper. I see that he's only 6' tall, and that's all I need to see to understand why he wasn't drafted. He might yet come back down to earth, but Mingo doesn't seem to think so.
As stacked as the defensive line is, this would result in a pretty good player being released.
And it could be Rubin. Or Hughes.
Yes, the offense looked pretty bad. I doubt this surprised the coaches more than it did me.
I read one article talking about how bad the offense was, and expressing alarm over it.
It's amazing how some people completely and utterly ignore the fact that the defense is as important as the offense, and was half of that scrimmage.
The defense is always ahead of the offense at this stage, and here the gap is understandably wider. Most of the defensive starters, and even the backups, are veterans. Last season's defensive system is very similar to this one, so the change isn't that great.
You've got Kirksey and Gilbert as the only high profile rookies--certainly that undrafted rookie McDaniel made himself known in a big way--but the rest of them know what they're doing, and are doing many of the same things this season as they did last season.
Conversely, the offensive system is quite a bit different than Norv Turner's. If Josh Gordon doesn't play and Charles Johnson doesn't emerge quickly, Shanahan will have to run a more conventional West Coast. The zone-blocking is new. Several of the competing guards are young and/or new.
Almost all of the recievers are new, and all but two of the tight ends. Of course the offense was going to look bad.
I saved the best for last: This defense is stacked with great talent from top to bottom. It will smother and screw up every offense it faces.
Not like it did to this one in this scrimmage (since this offense isn't yet ready for prime-time)--but still, talent-wise, it compares favorably to any defense in the NFL.
Why are so many writers so unwilling to acknowlege this? It doesn't matter how often in the past the guys in the orange helmets have underachieved and fallen below expectations. It's irrelevant do you get this?
The owner is in his second season, the coaches, systems, and front office are new, the team is overall very young and on the upswing. It doesn't matter what happened last season--these are not the same people, period.
When I read these comments predicting that the Browns will fail "like they always do", I hear an irrational person talking. The only rational way to see this team is with an open mind.
And yes, this defense will be elite.
The offense is indeed far from perfect, but will certainly get better with practice and repetition. The best news is that it will be practicing against this defense, and if it can make things hard for this crew, it will be ready for any defense in the NFL.
This McDaniels guy might be a huge sleeper. I see that he's only 6' tall, and that's all I need to see to understand why he wasn't drafted. He might yet come back down to earth, but Mingo doesn't seem to think so.
As stacked as the defensive line is, this would result in a pretty good player being released.
And it could be Rubin. Or Hughes.
Friday, August 1, 2014
NFL Radio at Browns' Camp
I haven't been able to hear the whole discussion between Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller, but just came back to it in time to hear Pat saying "They need to find a third passrusher. I don't know that I like the backups".
Jim Miller gently followed up with a statement of his own, mentioning Kruger, Sheard, and Mingo. Pat didn't even seem to hear him.
This wasn't a psychotic break. I'm telling you: This is how BORED Pat Kirwan was!!! He couldn't have even been talking about this team!!! He was probably nodding off when Miller talked.
At the END, Pat himself mentioned all the passrushers, and said the Browns were in good shape there!
But Jim Miller wasn't perfect. He talked about Bittonio potentially "making some noise" by mid-season, and Greco starting at LEFT guard when healthy!
He's got all the wrong sources! He's reading the Bleacher Report, and other clueless box-boys! Even Kirwan caught him: "Bittonio will start game one". And Greco can play left guard, but shouldn't except in emergencies. The scheme matters for crying out loud don't you get it yet?
Pat's "player to watch" was Terrence West. Pat likes Tate a lot, but says that West can "pull away" from people and make big plays. He says Tate is the consistent grinder, but West can turn little stuff into big stuff. I hadn't heard this before.
Pat also warns us: The zone blocking scheme will take two years to work right. If one blocker makes a mistake, the run is often blown up. He repeats: new coaches new players new schemes--a lot will go wrong early on.
...Then he also says they'll run the ball effectively.
He points out that in a Gordonless offense, or an offense without a scary X-reciever, defenses will stack the box and dare the Browns to pass.
Well, he isn't really talking about the recievers. He thinks Hoyer sucks.
Especially with Kyle Shanahan splitting the slot guys wider, and with Cameron outside: Pat--you mean that defenses will put eight guys in the box and single cover Cameron, Hawkins, and another guy? Do you really think Hoyer can't complete that pass? Do you really think he's that bad?
What if he completes it? Now you think Cameron can't break a tackle or Hawkins can't make somebody miss?
Pat ticks me off sometimes. He's right about the newness of everything, and the mistakes that will happen on offense. But that's not the case with the defense. The defense will start out way ahead, relatively speaking. They'll make mistakes too, but nonetheless will immediately be scary as hell because it's loaded from top to bottom.
Pat, who really wanted to be in LaTrobe instead, predicts 6-10. He says they'll win more later as they get used to the new systems, but he really means after Manziel takes over...since, you know, that Boyer guy is so bad...
Alex Mack, along with everybody else, was asked by Pat about Manziel splitting first team reps. Like all the players, Mack was carefully neutral, but said what a lot of fans need to listen to and believe:
The backups need to be ready to step in with the first team at any time. All the positions are rotating now so they can mesh. No, Mr. Kirwan, it doesn't mean Johnny Selfie has suddenly overtaken my guy.
On that subject: I like this. Kyle is installing some read/option early on, and laying a broad foundation for this offense. They're mixing up the players, including the quarterbacks, so that when people get hurt everybody will have at least some idea of how to fit in with the first team.
Later, they'll back it off a little, and make sure the first team gets integrated as well as it can. Because Manziel will not overtake Hoyer, that means Hoyer will take most of the first team reps again.
Pat Kirwan doesn't think using a read/option package for Manziel early is the way to go with him. Pat feels that this might sort of stunt his growth. He needs to keep focusing on the skills he hasn't learned yet.
I get his point, but everything he says is tainted by his adamant anti-Hoyer bias, and the fact that he expects Manziel to start anyway as soon as Hoyer loses a bunch of games.
More people are noticing Charles Johnson. Even as Pat talked about how defenses would put eight in the box and pressure the career backup, he ranted a little about this kid. But it sounds as if Pat doesn't think he'll do anything at all this season. Oh yeah...Hoyer...
Why, he might only just do what Gordon did as a rookie...huh, Pat? I'll go out on a short, thick limb here and predict that by mid-season Johnson is starting, and that he'll catch at least 45 passes this season...and make some big plays.
Miller once again gently offset Pat on the stacked box theory by saying something like "Without a dominant X reciever, can the quick-passing West Coast work? Of course, but--"
But DUH! Once again, do the Seahawks or 49ers have a dominant X-reciever? Do 25 other teams? Pat?
Brian Hoyer, I hope you're soaking all this in. I hope you get with Johnson after practice. I hope you stick it in Pat's face.
Jim Miller gently followed up with a statement of his own, mentioning Kruger, Sheard, and Mingo. Pat didn't even seem to hear him.
This wasn't a psychotic break. I'm telling you: This is how BORED Pat Kirwan was!!! He couldn't have even been talking about this team!!! He was probably nodding off when Miller talked.
At the END, Pat himself mentioned all the passrushers, and said the Browns were in good shape there!
But Jim Miller wasn't perfect. He talked about Bittonio potentially "making some noise" by mid-season, and Greco starting at LEFT guard when healthy!
He's got all the wrong sources! He's reading the Bleacher Report, and other clueless box-boys! Even Kirwan caught him: "Bittonio will start game one". And Greco can play left guard, but shouldn't except in emergencies. The scheme matters for crying out loud don't you get it yet?
Pat's "player to watch" was Terrence West. Pat likes Tate a lot, but says that West can "pull away" from people and make big plays. He says Tate is the consistent grinder, but West can turn little stuff into big stuff. I hadn't heard this before.
Pat also warns us: The zone blocking scheme will take two years to work right. If one blocker makes a mistake, the run is often blown up. He repeats: new coaches new players new schemes--a lot will go wrong early on.
...Then he also says they'll run the ball effectively.
He points out that in a Gordonless offense, or an offense without a scary X-reciever, defenses will stack the box and dare the Browns to pass.
Well, he isn't really talking about the recievers. He thinks Hoyer sucks.
Especially with Kyle Shanahan splitting the slot guys wider, and with Cameron outside: Pat--you mean that defenses will put eight guys in the box and single cover Cameron, Hawkins, and another guy? Do you really think Hoyer can't complete that pass? Do you really think he's that bad?
What if he completes it? Now you think Cameron can't break a tackle or Hawkins can't make somebody miss?
Pat ticks me off sometimes. He's right about the newness of everything, and the mistakes that will happen on offense. But that's not the case with the defense. The defense will start out way ahead, relatively speaking. They'll make mistakes too, but nonetheless will immediately be scary as hell because it's loaded from top to bottom.
Pat, who really wanted to be in LaTrobe instead, predicts 6-10. He says they'll win more later as they get used to the new systems, but he really means after Manziel takes over...since, you know, that Boyer guy is so bad...
Alex Mack, along with everybody else, was asked by Pat about Manziel splitting first team reps. Like all the players, Mack was carefully neutral, but said what a lot of fans need to listen to and believe:
The backups need to be ready to step in with the first team at any time. All the positions are rotating now so they can mesh. No, Mr. Kirwan, it doesn't mean Johnny Selfie has suddenly overtaken my guy.
On that subject: I like this. Kyle is installing some read/option early on, and laying a broad foundation for this offense. They're mixing up the players, including the quarterbacks, so that when people get hurt everybody will have at least some idea of how to fit in with the first team.
Later, they'll back it off a little, and make sure the first team gets integrated as well as it can. Because Manziel will not overtake Hoyer, that means Hoyer will take most of the first team reps again.
Pat Kirwan doesn't think using a read/option package for Manziel early is the way to go with him. Pat feels that this might sort of stunt his growth. He needs to keep focusing on the skills he hasn't learned yet.
I get his point, but everything he says is tainted by his adamant anti-Hoyer bias, and the fact that he expects Manziel to start anyway as soon as Hoyer loses a bunch of games.
More people are noticing Charles Johnson. Even as Pat talked about how defenses would put eight in the box and pressure the career backup, he ranted a little about this kid. But it sounds as if Pat doesn't think he'll do anything at all this season. Oh yeah...Hoyer...
Why, he might only just do what Gordon did as a rookie...huh, Pat? I'll go out on a short, thick limb here and predict that by mid-season Johnson is starting, and that he'll catch at least 45 passes this season...and make some big plays.
Miller once again gently offset Pat on the stacked box theory by saying something like "Without a dominant X reciever, can the quick-passing West Coast work? Of course, but--"
But DUH! Once again, do the Seahawks or 49ers have a dominant X-reciever? Do 25 other teams? Pat?
Brian Hoyer, I hope you're soaking all this in. I hope you get with Johnson after practice. I hope you stick it in Pat's face.
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