The Browns first teams vs the Bears backups did poorly, and the Browns backups vs the Bears future truck drivers did worse. It could be worse. Colon Kaepernick isn't a Cleveland Brown.
Chief Black Cloud really wants me to know that the Browns stink. Right now he's semi-correct. Right now.
Corey Coleman was lost. Several times, he wasn't sure where to line up. This was probably in his head too, as he dropped passes.
This isn't a huge issue. He did come from Baylor, and never learned the whole route tree in college. He is a rookie. He was also playing at X, outside.
One article I read said he is the starting X receiver. That was true Pryor to this game. Hue Jackson's Pryority is to put his players in the best positions, and as of game one, that might mean the slot for Corey. The X receiver needs to be a guy with some Pryor experience with all the routes. I wonder who the X might be...
The slot is less complicated, and for that matter Coleman is ideal for it.
Also, there is the Baylor offense itself. If the Iggles rely on 2015 Bengals and 2016 Browns film only to formulate their defensive game plan, they're in trouble. Hue ran the Baylor just a little in preseason, but will probably use it more when the rubber meets the road.
This will restore Coleman to his simpler offense, give RG3 simple reads, help the inexperienced Pryor to just play, and spread the defense out for the running backs and Gary Barnidge.
As for the rest of it, Coleman is a rookie. Many Browns fans seem unable to comprehend this concept: Young players tend to improve over time. Honest! You can look it up!
Griffin was again inconsistent with short passes, but did execute some nice, timely touch throws. He is improving, albeit slowly. He has to get a lot better in that area.
The offensive line isn't quite a seive, but is close. Right tackle will be attacked relentlessly by opposing defenses until that position gets better.
It looks like I was wrong once again, as Randall Telfer looks like the number two tight end. He's the best in-line blocker.
Hue has so many big wide receivers now, he doesn't really need a move tight end or H-back. He needs blocking from that spot, and to use a fullback, more to compensate for that right tackle (and I hate to tell you, if somebody offers a first and a third for Joe Thomas, well...)
I know from the very insightful film study I linked to in my last entry that Gary Barnidge is mostly just lazy about his in-line blocking, and can't believe the new coaches will tolerate it. Hell, when the guy first came here, it was FOR his blocking ability!
The Film Study guy pointed him out, lined up on the left side. The run was to the right side. Barnidge was supposed to take two hard steps forward, then wall off the linebacker to his left (to cut off backside pursuit).
He didn't do this, and that linebacker crossed his face and made the tackle. Sure, that was just one play, but the Film Study guy looks at all these films, and says he does this a lot. I just don't get that. The coaches must be on his case over it.
The pressure from the right side isn't all on the right tackle, either. The guy caught Greco vacating his own spot to help Pasztor on the outside when Pasztor had his guy bagged. This is a sign that he's more worried about helping his buddy out than sticking with the program.
Drango and Coleman are still here. No really, they are! They're just rookies, is all. If Pasztor doesn't get better, one of them will be ready to start at some point. Pasztor was never intended to be the long-term solution...you get that, right?
Erving is (predictably) making mistakes. Why were you expecting instant Alex Mack? Alex Mack wasn't Alex Mack as a rookie stop it just stop it.
Hassan is an instastud. It's like he's been in the pros for years. Ogbah is just getting started. Cam Johnson is a surprising passrusher, and may have elbowed Nate Orchard aside on his way to opposing quarterbacks.
The only issue for which there isn't a built-in solution is the secondary.
There are good cornerbacks here, but they're microbes. Even Joe Haden is on the small side. Gilbert doesn't suck as much as he used to, but still screws up (film study dude nailed him too btw). Desir is a player, but not a great athlete.
There is real talent among the safeties, but this secondary probably has a slightly above average cieling, and right now is in the basement.
The pass rush, however, will improve, a lot, and help them out. Black Cloud is rolling his eyes. Cam who? Cam Johnson, the guy who spends most of his time in the backfield every time he's on the field. Yeah that guy. The one who will stand up behind Hassan.
Ogbah hasn't done anything? They've experimented with him at defensive end. He was a defensive end in college. He's still learning linebacker. He's as big as Kruger, stronger than some defensive tackles, and faster than Mingo.
Guy named Joe? That's what they thought. But Shobert is too good not to play.
Film Study Dude suggested that if Ray Horton can't "scheme" a pass rush, the Browns are in trouble. He is wrong. Three of the guys I just named are rookies.
Johnson was a seventh round pick. One reason he slid was he moved from outside linebacker to defensive end as a senior. He was considered a "nine technique" or edge-rusher.
He is back at outside linebacker now and ya know what? So far, so great.
Hell, I never even mentioned Nate Orchard! Orchard's sackfest late last season, in context, was encouraging but not terrific. They tried to block him with little guys and he ran them over.
However, Orchard turned out to be a pretty good linebacker who can set the edge and stop the run, so he's not going anywhere. But the other guys (and Hassan) may be better quarterback-killers.
Ray Horton had not yet settled on his packages as of the last preseason game. He'd been experimenting with different people.
Johnson and Shobert worked their ways up from the basement, and Ogbah was sidetracked...ok this will be my next entry after I do some more homework.
Anyway Hue's got the great Iggles right where he wants em.
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