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.
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