I've been near Cleveland for an unusually long time this week, and had the chance to watch "The Red Zone" with Andre Knott and another show with Donovan, Diek, and Grossi.
Overall I like and respect all these guys, and it's hard to find much to disagree with.
Oh, I managed, of course:
Andre has inflated the latest Johnny incident. That's fine. This Petrak reporter guy called in as an eye-witness to his reckless driving, and I believe him. So Johnny is still a kid in some ways, and needs to drive like a normal adult. Ok.
Still, I'm tired of this. When did the NFL mutate into the priesthood?
I partied a lot at/beyond his age, but never drove like a maniac. My brothers did, though. So I guess my whole family should be burning in hell or something give me a break.
I do not believe he ever struck her either. Something was wrong with her, and I heard the 911 call. The only marks on her body were on her left forearm. That's when Manziel prevented her from jumping out of the speeding car.
Unlike most of you, I put myself in his place. For her part, she went nuts. When the cops showed up she thought it'd be her vs Johnny, and didn't remember clearly anyway. The default here is "he hit me".
Ask her NOW. Dammit.
But I digress: Andre feels that Johnny can't be the guy because he's too small. He also doubted that Johnny has the arm for winter in Ohio.
And I'm sorry, Andre, but you are sooo wrong! Side-by-side I give you brees/wilson/sipe-give me a minute I'll find several more...Young, Montana, Staubach, and Rodgers are less than two inches taller. He's about six feet the COMBINE says that!
Andre is delusional here. Says he can look Johnny in the eye and he's 5'8". So I guess Andre would get taller at the combine too.
Check the heels on your shoes, Andre.
As for the arm stuff, I don't know what Andre has been looking at. Johnny Manziel has one of the stronger arms in the NFL. If McCown's is stronger, it can't be by much. And yes, I do mean ripping it to the sidelines too: ALL the throws.
Andre Knott could still end up being right about Johnny. That's why I can't call him a dumbass YET.
Somebody else (might have been Andre!) wondered if DeFellipo might have screwed up the run game a little himself with the tweaks he brought to the zone-blocking scheme. (This just in: it was Doug Dieken).
This is first and foremost a finesse offensive line. These are not the "hogs" here. In this case, maybe Flip should have left Shanahan's run-blocking scheme alone.
I honestly don't know. I mean, the center through rt are capable drive-blockers, but Bitonio and Thomas are more athletic.
In this wfny Round table, several writers tried to strategize against the Rams.
Defensively, do you stack the box to stop Gurley and dare Foles to burn you, or do you attack Foles and concede Gurley's inevitable gashes and yards?
The smartest guy (I know he's the smartest because he agrees with my humble self) says attack period.
This is how opposing defenses attack the Browns. They blitze inside. (Most often it's between Bitonio and Mack).
These are "run" blitzes, mostly, with linebackers. But let's keep this simple for a change: A defender in your backfield is a defender in your backfield, ok? If he sees its a pass instead of a run, he is still allowed to sack the quarterback. Ok?
Nick Foles is NOT a crappy quarterback, as everybody on this round table agreed he is. But his own receivers are smurfs too, and he's not accurate enough to hit them in tight windows like McCown is.
He CAN absolutely burn you deep if a smurf like Austin gets a step or two on somebody and a safety isn't in front of him.
He can shake off tackles. He's not really mobile, but not a statue either.
The Browns should rely on four defensive backs to hold the deep fort, and send 5-6 bigger people more often than not.
It's not that simple, of course: on first and ten you might stack up and just send four.
If you have a good idea that it's a handoff to Gurley and to which side, you send a blitze where it has the best chance of blowing it up in the backfield. Ditto second and less than seven.
Second or third and long? Six or even seven. It's Nick Foles, and you might nail Gurley before he can make a move!
All of the guys in this roundtable agreed that the Rams have more upside, mostly because of Gurley.
NONE of them see Johnny as a potential franchise qb, and this is why I think they're wrong.
They have likewise written Gilbert off. I'm kind of tired of this, too:
If Joe Haden had had studs in front of him, he wouldn't have started as soon as he did. As it was, he started game one, and got toasted right and left. Some ignoramusses were already declaring him a bust.
It took him several starts to get his feet under him. Even then, his rookie season was mediocre.
Gilbert screwed up, ok. But Skrine was just plain better, and there was no need to rush him.
Now Desir has passed him up...but...we should bash Farmer because his lower round draft pick has outdone him? And Gilbert is all done six games into his second season?
God I love this distorted alleged logic!
But I digress: Close call, but IF IF IF I'm right about Johnny, the Browns have more upside than the Rams.
They should also beat the Rams. By a little as-is, or by a lot if they get their heads out this week.
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