Saturday, September 30, 2017
More Rodney Lesliefield by Captain Obvious
I try not to redundate (and yes I invented the word @all rights preserved), but usually can't help it. Guys like Terry Pluto, who aren't ripping me off, keep leading with their jaws, and I just can't resist:
Obligitory disclaimer: I love Terry. He is smart, and knows his stuff. He is objective, too. But occasionally, he is oblivious:
As Terry tries to figure out what's wrong with the 2017 Browns' passing game, he's right about the quarterback "making" wide receivers, rather than the reverse---in general.
(I say "in general" because Josh Gordon made every quarterback he played with look like Tom Bady).
He was also right that the blame here and now is likely a toss-up between Kizer and his ham-handed receivers.
But he tosses Jordan Leslie into the same "discard bin" as Kasen Williams.
Well, these guys are both really talented undrafted guys who have been in the NFL briefly and made big splashes in preseason.
...but then Terry repeats how he wanted another vedderrunn wr not named Britt, and...I can't fathom this...cites a lack of chemistry between Kizer and all his new receivers.
See where I'm going here?
For the one of you who might be new around here: Jordan Leslie has BEEN HERE as long as Kizer, and stuck at the bottom of the depth chart WITH him, and these two already have "chemistry"!
Terry dismisses both (equally and context-free) because they were initially undrafted, and were then repeatedly waived by various teams.
Hue seems to agree with Terry. When asked about that great critical one-handed catch, Hue broke the sound barrier going into "all these young guys" mode! But aside from Coleman and Leslie, everybody else keeps falling on their faces over and over again!
Why is the highlight reel clutch-catcher who was obviously THE best wide receiver on this roster regarded as the crumbs left over after "all these guys?" Why can't Hue Jackson even force himself to focus on this one player for one short sentence?
The Browns real "key to victory" over the Bungles this sunday might be Jordan Leslie...or more accurately, whether or not he is allowed to play.
I said, allowed to play. Ahead of Dwayne Bowe and the Invisible man.
Moving along, the dirtiest player in the NFL is back from his latest suspension. I was thinking he might cost the Browns this game, but then remembered he might also GIVE the Browns a win.
Vontaze Burfict is sub-human. He never learns. Jerome Harrison and Suh have backed off, a little...but Burfict is hell-bent on inflicting as much brain damage as possible on his fellow players, and no doubt dreams of achieving Jack Tatum status: Rendering somebody a quadrapalegic.
Burfict should be a Steeler. Head Enabler Mike Tomlin could point to him as and example of how he wants his defense to "play".
Burfict would be all-in on a trade, since, as Steeler, he knows he can keep trying to maim/cripple/kill other football players without sanction, or even significant league punishment.
It's amazing how second hand smoke and drinks on a plane can end a carreer, while this psychopath can keep maiming people, taking brief suspensions off, and returning to do it again into perpetuity!
Anyway, Burfict will stiffen (how appropriate a description for this particular player's impact) the Bengals defense. I couldn't take Crowell in Daily fantasy because of him.
And I do not forsee many short crossing patterns by anybody smaller than DeValve or Njoju (ok well maybe Duke because he can DUCK and burn a decapitation attempt)...
No Garrett this week. Well GOOD! That is, LET HIM HEAL. FOR SURE. 100%.
The Browns will win if Kizer has r e l i a b l e receivers...I mean if the most reliable guys, who he is most familiar with, are allowed to play--but noooo ok sorry bye
Monday, September 25, 2017
GIVE JORDAN LESLIE WHAT HE HAS EARNED
Before I say anything else, I need to ask Hue Jackson why Kenny Britt keeps starting, and Jordan Leslie is being screwed. Is this some personal grudge?
Because it almost certainly cost you this game. All of us "know-nothings" have seen enough of Leslie to know that he probably would have caught two Britt and at least one Ricardo Louis drops. He reached behind him throughout preseason to snag inaccurate passes.
We ignorant masses know when we're surprised that player A caught a pass, or that player B did not. For us, this is pretty simple. We kinda prefer the guy who catches the goddamn pass over the guy who drops it, ok?
This is personal, right? Jordan looks like somebody you really hate, right? Or you just...well just don't like him?
Hue, you really need to fix that glitch that keeps returning my messages "could not be delivered", but maybe you'll be getting all this anyway, since you probably read Pokorney's stuff, and he's my sock-puppet.
Didn't you want to win this game? If so, why did you stick with an older guy who has proven himself (as unreliable)? And beyond that, why was it anybody but Leslie before and after his one-handed catch that put you on the goal line? Normally, you bench a player for doing something wrong.
In addition to his obvious reliability, how can you place receivers who haven't even been with the team for two weeks ahead of a guy Kizer worked with throughout preseason? Do you have Alzeimers or something?
You say "We'll look at the tape" each week when you get tough questions. This is great! Since you've decided to ignore Leslie already, you only have one play to fast-forward through (while averting your eyes). If you had let Leslie play more, you might have a hard time explaining why you hate him.
Not that this bothers me or anything.
Except this: "the Browns need help at wide receiver". I feel for ya, Jordan. They won't give you a chance, and here are these people saying this stuff, like you don't even exist. They're already trying to get you off the roster again!
Oh stop it Mary Kay describes this roster as lacking talent. I don't need to go over this again, do I? She was half of the previous link that dumped all over Jordan Leslie AND Coates and Kasen Williams.
Does anybody out there hear me? Gordan Leslie is my perfect example of this kind of bizzarre, irrational analysis:
He does all this great stuff, right in front of everybody. He PROVES himself. Outperforms every other wide receiver on the roster.
Doesn't matter. Never happened. The Browns need help at wide receiver. I'm astonished that Jordan Leslie hasn't gone postal yet...I'm sorry I can't deal with this talk amongst yourselves
Update: my God read this! This article actually cites wr-qb chemistry as one of Kizer's big issues, and specifies an incompletion to Kasen Williams (to be clear I like Kasen too).
You see Kasen has only been here for two weeks. See where I'm going here? Jordan must be banging his head on the wall ya know? It's like you "lost" your keys, and search your house for two hours, except your keys are on the counter next to the garage entrance, and you LOOKED RIGHT AT THEM SIX OR SEVEN TIMES.
PLEASE Hue, please: Cancel the call to the locksmith. Look down...a little to the left, next to the phone charger. See it? Right in fkng front of you?
Not that I'm bothered by this or anything.
Ah Dudovich to the rescue: Leslie was on the field for 21 snaps, while the ball-droppers got 3 times as many. I get it now: Higgins is much more experienced at not getting open, and Louis and Britt have more experience dropping passes.
I do need to mention here that one of the issues here is that despite his SPEED, for some reason throughout preseason Leslie ran almost exclusively short routes...which that's fine if you're trying to hone those skills, or you're better than everybody else at it, or...
No I'm sorry I can't figure this out I mean wtf🤔
Because it almost certainly cost you this game. All of us "know-nothings" have seen enough of Leslie to know that he probably would have caught two Britt and at least one Ricardo Louis drops. He reached behind him throughout preseason to snag inaccurate passes.
We ignorant masses know when we're surprised that player A caught a pass, or that player B did not. For us, this is pretty simple. We kinda prefer the guy who catches the goddamn pass over the guy who drops it, ok?
This is personal, right? Jordan looks like somebody you really hate, right? Or you just...well just don't like him?
Hue, you really need to fix that glitch that keeps returning my messages "could not be delivered", but maybe you'll be getting all this anyway, since you probably read Pokorney's stuff, and he's my sock-puppet.
Didn't you want to win this game? If so, why did you stick with an older guy who has proven himself (as unreliable)? And beyond that, why was it anybody but Leslie before and after his one-handed catch that put you on the goal line? Normally, you bench a player for doing something wrong.
In addition to his obvious reliability, how can you place receivers who haven't even been with the team for two weeks ahead of a guy Kizer worked with throughout preseason? Do you have Alzeimers or something?
You say "We'll look at the tape" each week when you get tough questions. This is great! Since you've decided to ignore Leslie already, you only have one play to fast-forward through (while averting your eyes). If you had let Leslie play more, you might have a hard time explaining why you hate him.
Not that this bothers me or anything.
Except this: "the Browns need help at wide receiver". I feel for ya, Jordan. They won't give you a chance, and here are these people saying this stuff, like you don't even exist. They're already trying to get you off the roster again!
Oh stop it Mary Kay describes this roster as lacking talent. I don't need to go over this again, do I? She was half of the previous link that dumped all over Jordan Leslie AND Coates and Kasen Williams.
Does anybody out there hear me? Gordan Leslie is my perfect example of this kind of bizzarre, irrational analysis:
He does all this great stuff, right in front of everybody. He PROVES himself. Outperforms every other wide receiver on the roster.
Doesn't matter. Never happened. The Browns need help at wide receiver. I'm astonished that Jordan Leslie hasn't gone postal yet...I'm sorry I can't deal with this talk amongst yourselves
Update: my God read this! This article actually cites wr-qb chemistry as one of Kizer's big issues, and specifies an incompletion to Kasen Williams (to be clear I like Kasen too).
You see Kasen has only been here for two weeks. See where I'm going here? Jordan must be banging his head on the wall ya know? It's like you "lost" your keys, and search your house for two hours, except your keys are on the counter next to the garage entrance, and you LOOKED RIGHT AT THEM SIX OR SEVEN TIMES.
PLEASE Hue, please: Cancel the call to the locksmith. Look down...a little to the left, next to the phone charger. See it? Right in fkng front of you?
Not that I'm bothered by this or anything.
Ah Dudovich to the rescue: Leslie was on the field for 21 snaps, while the ball-droppers got 3 times as many. I get it now: Higgins is much more experienced at not getting open, and Louis and Britt have more experience dropping passes.
I do need to mention here that one of the issues here is that despite his SPEED, for some reason throughout preseason Leslie ran almost exclusively short routes...which that's fine if you're trying to hone those skills, or you're better than everybody else at it, or...
No I'm sorry I can't figure this out I mean wtf🤔
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Brownss Sseventy-Fife, Coltss Minuss Tree
It's been hard to find stuff on the Browns vs the Colts (aka "The Battle of Titans")
But I did find this article by Zak Keefer of the Indy Star.
Zak doesn't do much research, but that's okay. I live in a glass house here, and say dumb stuff about opponents a lot because I'm too lazy to do the grunt work, and rely too much on other blabbermouths.
But he really shouldn't have said "can't lose", or "the lowly Browns", or cited any matchup histories prior to 2017. I'm so weary of this fuzzy thinking! Both these teams have changed radically in every way since even their most recent meeting.
That stuff is "filler" material (read: irrelevant garbage). Nevermind--pet peeve.
Anyway Zak mentioned our old friend Rob Chudzinski, who is the Colts offensive coordinator...which I hadn't even bothered to notice myself.
That's not good, because Rob is the guy who got a raw rookie Cam Newton kicking the NFL's collective asses with read-options and stuff. And his newest toy is Jacoby Brisset.
Further, Rob was a former tight end, and really likes using tight ends as offensive weapons...like the Ravens just did vs the Browns last week...and he has Jack Doyle, who is no joke.
All this zinged over Zak's head, of course, but this was overall a pretty good article, sort of...well anyway it was quite useful for me, anyway.
Zak is optimistic about Jacoby Brissett. Brissett came in late, and had to learn a whole new language. He is very inexperienced himself; drafted in 2015 out of an offense even farther away from the NFL than Kizer's Notre Dame.
The Sith Lord traded him out of New England because he favors Garopollo and draft picks. Indeed, Lord Insideous drafted this freak athlete in the first place with a potential trade in mind.
Brissett really is talented as hell, and has demonstrated that in real NFL games. He is dangerous, especially in Chud's hands, and has looked good this season.
Zak expects him to be more comfortable with his (really good) receivers, and to have a few more pages of the playbook available to him this week. All of this is logical.
Where Zak screws up is most of what he said about the Browns.
He cited Kizer's overall stats, but doesn't seem to realize how much better the Steelers' and Ravens' defenses are to that of his Colts, and appears oblivious to the fact that the majority of Kizer's sacks were his own fault, and the second and third guiltiest parties were tight ends and running backs.
Zak seems to think that if you can avoid Joe Thomas, you can perforate this offensive line at will. If he were aware that Kizer leads the NFL in holding the ball, he'd ignore the possibility that this week might be different.
At least he acknowleged Hue Jackson's sneakiness and Kizer's ability to run...
But here we go again with this "no playmakers" stuff again! More fuzzy thinking crap! Julio, Antonio, Laveon etc are not "standard" freaking "equipment" in the NFL. Ted Ginn Jr is a "playmaker", but in the real world Golden Tate is much more valuable (and so is Rashard Higgins, if he keeps this up).
Jack Doyle is a really good tight end, but not the sort of weapon DeValve or Njoku are (and for that matter, Telfer might be as good as he is overall). The Colts wish they had a Duke Johnson (or any Browns running back).
Dammit I'm confiscating the word "playmakers". It will be returned to you when you prove that you can use it responsibly.
Buzzwords are verbal cliches. Lazy or dumb people latch onto them.
"Playmaker" is a word somebody invented, and none of us knows what the hell it means, or where you're supposed to draw the line between a Hall of Fame "playmaker" and a Hall of Fame "grunt"...but who cares?
A guy who catches 100 passes for 1200 yards isn't a "playmaker", I guess, unless he accidentally gets into the end zone 11 or so times.
But I digress:
Chud will try to do with Doyle to Gregg's defense what the Ravens did with Watson, especially now with Collins out of commission.
But Jacoby Brissett isn't Joe Flacco, and Doyle is needed to chip before he--nevermind but Brissett will NEED those legs of his, and won't be allowed to see more than half the field, because he WILL be fleeing pressure.
Here's some more fuzzy thinking:
Why do you assume that Jamie Collins has to be replaced with a linebacker? Burgess looks like another Kirksey, but Collins is a much different type of player, and Williams will use the best player he can to match up to this specific offense, and that might be a defensive back. He's fresh out of 6'4", 260 lb linebackers here okay?
No knock on Burgess--he's a real find! ...actually, he might use him like a strong safety...ok but anyway Gregg won't run an identical defense; Collins going down has changed everything.
The Colts defensive backfield wasn't great in the first place, and has now been decimated by injury. Zak looked at all those sacks, and presumes says that Joe Thomas can only stop one of the Colts' two passrushers.
That's just sad. I guess Shon Coleman is in for a long day, since he sucks so bad.
The Colts defense has been really good vs the run so far, but Hue Jackson said he would run so he has to right?
No. Not this time. The Colts defense will be stacked to stuff the run. They cannot sell out attacking because they know Kizer can run and hurt them.
They'll be vulnerable deep. It's okay! The Browns can run later, when the Colts defense is chasing all the Browns non-playmakers around downfield!
Yeah I forgot: DeShone Kizer has not forgotten how to throw the ball deep. It is not time for him to curl up in a fetal position because he had a bad game vs a great defense.
The Colts are expecting the run and will be focussed on stopping Crowell. So you toss it over their heads duh. Then they back off. Then you run. Then they stack up again...rinse and repeat that's how it works.
Running Crow into a wall over and over again won't do him or the team any favors.
Now that I've said that, I can just about guarantee that Crow will take a handoff on the first snap and never look back.
THEM.
But I did find this article by Zak Keefer of the Indy Star.
Zak doesn't do much research, but that's okay. I live in a glass house here, and say dumb stuff about opponents a lot because I'm too lazy to do the grunt work, and rely too much on other blabbermouths.
But he really shouldn't have said "can't lose", or "the lowly Browns", or cited any matchup histories prior to 2017. I'm so weary of this fuzzy thinking! Both these teams have changed radically in every way since even their most recent meeting.
That stuff is "filler" material (read: irrelevant garbage). Nevermind--pet peeve.
Anyway Zak mentioned our old friend Rob Chudzinski, who is the Colts offensive coordinator...which I hadn't even bothered to notice myself.
That's not good, because Rob is the guy who got a raw rookie Cam Newton kicking the NFL's collective asses with read-options and stuff. And his newest toy is Jacoby Brisset.
Further, Rob was a former tight end, and really likes using tight ends as offensive weapons...like the Ravens just did vs the Browns last week...and he has Jack Doyle, who is no joke.
All this zinged over Zak's head, of course, but this was overall a pretty good article, sort of...well anyway it was quite useful for me, anyway.
Zak is optimistic about Jacoby Brissett. Brissett came in late, and had to learn a whole new language. He is very inexperienced himself; drafted in 2015 out of an offense even farther away from the NFL than Kizer's Notre Dame.
The Sith Lord traded him out of New England because he favors Garopollo and draft picks. Indeed, Lord Insideous drafted this freak athlete in the first place with a potential trade in mind.
Brissett really is talented as hell, and has demonstrated that in real NFL games. He is dangerous, especially in Chud's hands, and has looked good this season.
Zak expects him to be more comfortable with his (really good) receivers, and to have a few more pages of the playbook available to him this week. All of this is logical.
Where Zak screws up is most of what he said about the Browns.
He cited Kizer's overall stats, but doesn't seem to realize how much better the Steelers' and Ravens' defenses are to that of his Colts, and appears oblivious to the fact that the majority of Kizer's sacks were his own fault, and the second and third guiltiest parties were tight ends and running backs.
Zak seems to think that if you can avoid Joe Thomas, you can perforate this offensive line at will. If he were aware that Kizer leads the NFL in holding the ball, he'd ignore the possibility that this week might be different.
At least he acknowleged Hue Jackson's sneakiness and Kizer's ability to run...
But here we go again with this "no playmakers" stuff again! More fuzzy thinking crap! Julio, Antonio, Laveon etc are not "standard" freaking "equipment" in the NFL. Ted Ginn Jr is a "playmaker", but in the real world Golden Tate is much more valuable (and so is Rashard Higgins, if he keeps this up).
Jack Doyle is a really good tight end, but not the sort of weapon DeValve or Njoku are (and for that matter, Telfer might be as good as he is overall). The Colts wish they had a Duke Johnson (or any Browns running back).
Dammit I'm confiscating the word "playmakers". It will be returned to you when you prove that you can use it responsibly.
Buzzwords are verbal cliches. Lazy or dumb people latch onto them.
"Playmaker" is a word somebody invented, and none of us knows what the hell it means, or where you're supposed to draw the line between a Hall of Fame "playmaker" and a Hall of Fame "grunt"...but who cares?
A guy who catches 100 passes for 1200 yards isn't a "playmaker", I guess, unless he accidentally gets into the end zone 11 or so times.
But I digress:
Chud will try to do with Doyle to Gregg's defense what the Ravens did with Watson, especially now with Collins out of commission.
But Jacoby Brissett isn't Joe Flacco, and Doyle is needed to chip before he--nevermind but Brissett will NEED those legs of his, and won't be allowed to see more than half the field, because he WILL be fleeing pressure.
Here's some more fuzzy thinking:
Why do you assume that Jamie Collins has to be replaced with a linebacker? Burgess looks like another Kirksey, but Collins is a much different type of player, and Williams will use the best player he can to match up to this specific offense, and that might be a defensive back. He's fresh out of 6'4", 260 lb linebackers here okay?
No knock on Burgess--he's a real find! ...actually, he might use him like a strong safety...ok but anyway Gregg won't run an identical defense; Collins going down has changed everything.
The Colts defensive backfield wasn't great in the first place, and has now been decimated by injury. Zak looked at all those sacks, and presumes says that Joe Thomas can only stop one of the Colts' two passrushers.
That's just sad. I guess Shon Coleman is in for a long day, since he sucks so bad.
The Colts defense has been really good vs the run so far, but Hue Jackson said he would run so he has to right?
No. Not this time. The Colts defense will be stacked to stuff the run. They cannot sell out attacking because they know Kizer can run and hurt them.
They'll be vulnerable deep. It's okay! The Browns can run later, when the Colts defense is chasing all the Browns non-playmakers around downfield!
Yeah I forgot: DeShone Kizer has not forgotten how to throw the ball deep. It is not time for him to curl up in a fetal position because he had a bad game vs a great defense.
The Colts are expecting the run and will be focussed on stopping Crowell. So you toss it over their heads duh. Then they back off. Then you run. Then they stack up again...rinse and repeat that's how it works.
Running Crow into a wall over and over again won't do him or the team any favors.
Now that I've said that, I can just about guarantee that Crow will take a handoff on the first snap and never look back.
THEM.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Jordan Leslie, Gregg Williams Sharing, and the Browns
Gregg Williams is da man! He explained why he plays Jabrill Peppers so deep. It should sound really familiar to you, including the "but I must not be as smart as you" face-slap.
Clearly, Gregg reads what people write, and is a tad more direct than Hue in expressing his opinion of those opinions. I love this guy!
He's right about the late Antonio Brown deep reception vs the Steelers. They had THREE GUYS on Brown, literally surrounding him. Gregg calls it a "punt", because it was a high-arcing bucket pass.
If Brown was 6'4", that's a high-percentage pass, but this dude is 5'10", and I guarantee you, Williams chewed all three of those defenders out. At least one of them should have reacted to the ball in the air and got his hands in the way.
Of course, with that crew of referees, getting into the same camera shot with Antonio Brown equals pass interference so....
Anyway I was also pleased to hear Gregg talk about that, and share his feelings on the subject. Gregg shares a lot! See how evolved he is?
I'll keep this general for now, but some weekly fantasy experts are naming some Browns as sleepers vs the Colts this week shhh!
Good sign: The guy the Browns released to make room for Rodney Lesliefield was a wide receiver. This indicates that they may have stopped taking whatever they were taking and admitted to themselves that Jordan Leslie is really, really good.
Part of this could be concern overDwayne B Kenny Britt's ongoing mediocrity.
We can't forget Ricardo Louis here, of course. He might ultimately emerge as something special, but Hue Jackson and company are 0-2 right now.
Their raw rookie quarterback just got punked, and one part of that was his inability to trust his receivers.
Kizer worked with Jordan Leslie quite a bit in the offseason and, like Osweiler, Hogan, and Kessler........came to trust him ok?
I know that Hue Jackson could "school" me on a white board (me vs Brown or DePodesta would be more entertaining), but he'd have to answer these questions from me:
1: What makes a quarterback trust a receiver (enough to throw to a spot, before he makes his move)? (Correct answer: He will BE there, and will fight for the ball).
2: Who was the most productive receiver throughout preseason?
3: Have you asked Kizer, Hogan, and Kessler what they think of Jordan Leslie?
On that last question: Every Head Coach AND general manager should consult with their quarterbacks about every wide receiver, and rely heavily on their opinions before they start monkeying around with the depth chart and roster.
Makes too much sense, right? The quarterback is the real expert on this subject, even if he's a raw rookie. It's like asking him who he wants to be in a foxhole with when his perimeter is overrun, ya know? Who do you trust with your freaking career and future?
Every quarterback's answer will discount combine numbers and even history, and zero in on personal experience with the receiver. It will discount big plays, as well. The quarterback will care first and foremost about:
Will he be where he's supposed to be? Will he win contested catches? Can I TRUST him?
I'm sorry, but I can't stop bashing the Browns over their trreatment of Jordan Leslie, because it's irrational. I don't give a damn that nobody else signed him--they're all stupid too!
Maybe it's the modern NFL. Everybody wants big plays, all the time. While Leslie's measurables are pretty damn good, he didn't make any huge splash-plays in the offseason.
No, he just got open and caught everything that was thrown to him.
Question 4 for Hue Jackson is which is more important: Yards per-catch or completions per-target? You want a guy to catch 2 of 4 and get 40 yards, or is 5 of 6 for 50 yards better?
Hue himself was a quarterback, so WE know how he'd answer!
I won't get near LaCanfora Place here, but I suspect that the geeks made these bad calls on Leslie--not Hue Jackson. However, Hue didn't put his foot down over it. I predict that he will get a lot more assertive really fast...and it won't be a problem.
I can't imagine that Hue Jackson was cool with letting Terrelle Pryor go in exchange for Kenny Britt, for example. (Well that's a tough call: You know Britt was an eggzbeeryunzed vedderrunn right? Can't put that kind of blockheadedness past any Head Coach).
This should be the topic for my next entry, now that I'm interested in it:
Figuring out what's going on behind closed doors in Berea. Who made what decisions? Is there friction? Is Hue Jackson, as I've suggested, getting more assertive in re personnel?
Oh yeah. Stay tuned: whenever I write that post, I guarantee you Pokorney will copy it and then so will everybody else!
Clearly, Gregg reads what people write, and is a tad more direct than Hue in expressing his opinion of those opinions. I love this guy!
He's right about the late Antonio Brown deep reception vs the Steelers. They had THREE GUYS on Brown, literally surrounding him. Gregg calls it a "punt", because it was a high-arcing bucket pass.
If Brown was 6'4", that's a high-percentage pass, but this dude is 5'10", and I guarantee you, Williams chewed all three of those defenders out. At least one of them should have reacted to the ball in the air and got his hands in the way.
Of course, with that crew of referees, getting into the same camera shot with Antonio Brown equals pass interference so....
Anyway I was also pleased to hear Gregg talk about that, and share his feelings on the subject. Gregg shares a lot! See how evolved he is?
I'll keep this general for now, but some weekly fantasy experts are naming some Browns as sleepers vs the Colts this week shhh!
Good sign: The guy the Browns released to make room for Rodney Lesliefield was a wide receiver. This indicates that they may have stopped taking whatever they were taking and admitted to themselves that Jordan Leslie is really, really good.
Part of this could be concern over
We can't forget Ricardo Louis here, of course. He might ultimately emerge as something special, but Hue Jackson and company are 0-2 right now.
Their raw rookie quarterback just got punked, and one part of that was his inability to trust his receivers.
Kizer worked with Jordan Leslie quite a bit in the offseason and, like Osweiler, Hogan, and Kessler........came to trust him ok?
I know that Hue Jackson could "school" me on a white board (me vs Brown or DePodesta would be more entertaining), but he'd have to answer these questions from me:
1: What makes a quarterback trust a receiver (enough to throw to a spot, before he makes his move)? (Correct answer: He will BE there, and will fight for the ball).
2: Who was the most productive receiver throughout preseason?
3: Have you asked Kizer, Hogan, and Kessler what they think of Jordan Leslie?
On that last question: Every Head Coach AND general manager should consult with their quarterbacks about every wide receiver, and rely heavily on their opinions before they start monkeying around with the depth chart and roster.
Makes too much sense, right? The quarterback is the real expert on this subject, even if he's a raw rookie. It's like asking him who he wants to be in a foxhole with when his perimeter is overrun, ya know? Who do you trust with your freaking career and future?
Every quarterback's answer will discount combine numbers and even history, and zero in on personal experience with the receiver. It will discount big plays, as well. The quarterback will care first and foremost about:
Will he be where he's supposed to be? Will he win contested catches? Can I TRUST him?
I'm sorry, but I can't stop bashing the Browns over their trreatment of Jordan Leslie, because it's irrational. I don't give a damn that nobody else signed him--they're all stupid too!
Maybe it's the modern NFL. Everybody wants big plays, all the time. While Leslie's measurables are pretty damn good, he didn't make any huge splash-plays in the offseason.
No, he just got open and caught everything that was thrown to him.
Question 4 for Hue Jackson is which is more important: Yards per-catch or completions per-target? You want a guy to catch 2 of 4 and get 40 yards, or is 5 of 6 for 50 yards better?
Hue himself was a quarterback, so WE know how he'd answer!
I won't get near LaCanfora Place here, but I suspect that the geeks made these bad calls on Leslie--not Hue Jackson. However, Hue didn't put his foot down over it. I predict that he will get a lot more assertive really fast...and it won't be a problem.
I can't imagine that Hue Jackson was cool with letting Terrelle Pryor go in exchange for Kenny Britt, for example. (Well that's a tough call: You know Britt was an eggzbeeryunzed vedderrunn right? Can't put that kind of blockheadedness past any Head Coach).
This should be the topic for my next entry, now that I'm interested in it:
Figuring out what's going on behind closed doors in Berea. Who made what decisions? Is there friction? Is Hue Jackson, as I've suggested, getting more assertive in re personnel?
Oh yeah. Stay tuned: whenever I write that post, I guarantee you Pokorney will copy it and then so will everybody else!
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Eager Beavers, the Colts, Hue, Crow, and the Browns
First, please do not let eager beaver Garrett play vs the Colts, period.
Anybody ever read the instructions on how to use glue? You get a "set" time, and a "cure" time. This glue will set in 4 hours, and cure in 24.
Ask the doctors: this is how injuries heal. With torn ligaments in particular, a lot of little micro-fibers need to regenerate; let's say 500.
Well, you can walk and run after 400 have regenerated, but the 400 are not at full strength yet, and the last 100 aren't even there yet.
You know how you just can't wait 24 hours to start monkeying around with something you glued? You just can't help taking the clamps off, and poking at it?
The fact is, Myles Garrett's ankle is still vulnerable to re-injury. It might have set, but it hasn't cured. I know he'll probably be dancing around with that big grin "See? I'm fine!"
Don't let him play. You start re-injuring stuff, and it deteriorates. Axe Dr David Chow, NFL Radio's go-to football injury expert. PROTECT THIS PLAYER, dammit.
I know the Colts best offensive player predicted a Colts victory, and don't care. This did more for the Browns than it did for the Colts. In reality the Browns are a better team than the Colts, including at quarterback. They should win without Garrett anyway.
In this sensationally titled article, Isaiah Crowell stood up for himself, and quickly backed off.
Look: He's in a contract year and wants the rock, and that concludes his criticism of Hue Jackson's playcalling.
Fortunately, this was actually an excellent article by Mary Kay, who may or may not have chosen it's misleading but hit-generating title.
Crow himself understands that defenses are stacking up to stop the run, and daring Kizer to pass. Isaiah feels he can beat this, and PFF backs him up.
BUT BUT BUT as Hue points out, the NEW offensive line hasn't gelled yet, and Crow GETS IT.
Perhaps some of you need to learn this for the first time: The success or failure of any running back not named Sanders or Brown is greatly influenced by his B L O C K E R S DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D!?!
The offensive line is talented and will get it together. Hue told YOU that, along with Crow, and one of you heard him.
Chris Pokorney wrote a pretty good article on the national vs local perceptions of the Browns, and I'm now pretty sure he's one of the shameless scumbags who read this blog and then regurgitate it, sometimes almost verbatum.
Click the link, since it might be the last one you will see here. I had to include it so that you can see how familiar it looks gdammit.
MKC isn't stealing my analyses (at least as obviously), and here wrote another great article on the real problems the Browns are having.
Yes, obviously she's mostly saying stuff I said before, but she's been doing this for a long time, and I believe she has sort of cooincidentally arrived at the same conclusions I have through actual original thought (and face-to-face interrogations of the stars in this play).
Nevermind. Anyway my crickets, ignore Porkorney but click MKC. You will find the former boring because you've read it all here first, but find that Mary Kay thinks for herself.
Back to the Browns:
This is the third real week that this 60% new offensive line has played together. Objectively, I cannot compare the Colts front seven (or defense) to that of the Steelers or Ravens.
Nor can I objectively compare the Colts offensive line to that of either team.
Even if Andrew Luck was starting, the Browns should win, because they are better, period...sans Myles Garrett.
Now stay tuned to Pokorney for these thoughts shortly after I publish this:
1: DeShone Kizer's removal might have had more to do with his ineffectiveness than with a migraine.
1a: Kizer's migraine might have had a lot more to do with his ineffectiveness than he admits.
1c: Who cares? Rodney Hoganfield is pretty damn good!
2: The Colts are not as talented as the Browns...or Steelers...or Ravens.
3: The Colts will presumably stop the run better this week, but the Browns will run better, and the Colts defense is not like...crap dead horse.
4: Kizer probably won't have a migraine.
5: #4 doesn't even matter.
MKC's interview of Hue Jackson was pretty cool, because Hue wasn't politically correct. He hasn't minced words withDwayne Bowe Kenny Britt or DeShone Kizer...but watch him start Britt yet again this sunday (bet you a buck).
Hargrove was a really good Indians manager, but he signed this old pitcher named McDonald. Guy had an ERA pushing five. Grover says "but he gives you innings".
Blockheadedness might just be a dominant Head Coach gene we can't breed out. They all want eggzbeeriunnzed vedderrunz whether they suck or not.
Asked about Rashard Higgins really good performance vs the Ravens, Hue stressed his familiarity with Hue's offense as a key factor. Higgins and Coleman were the only two wide receivers who were here for any significant time last season.
Higgins knew what to do, when.
So did Seth DeValve, by the way. This is the main reason why he's outproducing Njoku. Randall Telfer is actually pretty close to Njoku too (by the way Telfer is a legit veteran).
But I digress: Hue lays most of the sacks on Kizer, including the strip-sack (by the way Shon Coleman is quietly doing a good job at right tackle). Unlike most Head Coaches, Hue wants his quarterback to run more, and I like that.
Everybody is all paranoid about a guy who outweighs all safeties and some linebackers running downfield. You can be paranoid about his getting stubborn and not "taking a dive" (or of course any Steeler defender spearing his helmet as he slides), but please cut it out. RG3 is a much thinner, smaller man. DeShone Kizer is a real football player (and he'll slide).
But I redigress: Hue is disciplined, but I read between the lines of these transcripts, and he's irked by some of the criticism he's taken, including from my favorite writer Peter Smith.
He hammered the newness and lack of integration of the offensive line repeatedly, and in general the fact that rookies do make mistakes, new additions need to play and practice to fit together.
Brady Quinn (NFL Radio) and a couple retired left tackles offered some tidbits:
A stunt is where one defender loops around behind another (or sometimes whan two attackers crisscross as they approach the line). It's the defensive version of a "pick" play.
The simplest way to handle this is for the blocker the stunting defender is running away from to take over for the guy who is blocking the defender the aforementioned stunter is sneaking around, and for the blocker who is...
I'm sorry let's just say both of the offensive linemen shuffle in the direction of the stunt, and one of them releases his block to the other and picks up the stunter, see?
Well, offensive linemen can't see everything, so they have to communicate. A guy stunts away from Joe Thomas, around the guy Bitonio is duking it out with, see? Bitonio has a face full of defensive tackle, so Joe has to tell him about the stunter, so he knows he needs to pass his guy off to Joe and head the miscreant off at the pass.
Between these two, that probably works great, but Tretter, Zietler, and Coleman have never played with anybody next to them before, so it's not so easy.
Defenses are throwing wierd new stunts at them. I'm not sure, but I assume they have code words they yell at eachother to tell eachother what to do.
But the possible stunts a defense can run are exponential, can combine with edge-blitzes, and are used against zone-blocked runs, power-blocked runs--- well it's not as simple as it seems: We're talking a whole BUNCH of "code words", ya know?
Too deep I know sorry. I need to figure out how to draw stuff here.
But to summarize, the offensive line is still miscommunicating, but this issue was not unexpected, because it was inevitable. It will just as inevitably resolve itself, so the sky really isn't falling.
This and Kizer's holding the ball are the two biggest problems with this offense. They all just need reps together.
Rodney Lesliefield is back on the roster. My understanding is that the best and most reliable Browns receiver throughout preseason is no longer eligable for the practice squad, so he should be on the 53-man roster.
It's downright irrational that it took Corey Coleman's broken hand to make room for this guy...what tf are we all missing here? 95 times out of 100, I side with Front offices and Coaches against the unwashed masses, but I insist it was stupid to kick this guy to the curb in the first place, dammit.
And I hope Hue actually uses him, like he used Higgins, before he defaults to his eggzzbeereeunzzed vedderrunz, because if he does, Jordan Leslie will EARN it.
Kizer has good chemistry with Leslie. ...ok well so did Hogan...oh yeah Kessler too $%#!!?"#$ what does this guy need to do?!?
I take this stuff personally, because I have been in situations where I performed above and beyond any reasonable standards, and was still treated like the laziest, sneakiest, and most disloyal scumbag.
Jordan Leslie is there, right now. GIVE THIS GUY A FREAKING CHANCE IN A REAL FREAKING GAME HUE! HE HAS E A R N E D IT!!!
I pity the Colts defense, because this is game three, and the Steelers and Ravens defense were not only talented, but insideously diabolical. Coleman aside, these linemen are all seasoned veterans, and the "gelling" stuff won't take that long.
Kizer just downright sucked vs the Ravens (as Rodney Hoganfield demonstrated), but later in preseason and vs the Steelers was pretty good. Why would you expect him to suck vs the Colts?
Jacoby Brissett is a lot like RG3, except he's shiftier on the run. His physical talent is off the charts, but...ahem...he is not Big Bird, let alone Big Ben.
The consensus of ESPN writers says the Browns go 0-16 again.
That's amazing...I can't handle this anymore okbye
Anybody ever read the instructions on how to use glue? You get a "set" time, and a "cure" time. This glue will set in 4 hours, and cure in 24.
Ask the doctors: this is how injuries heal. With torn ligaments in particular, a lot of little micro-fibers need to regenerate; let's say 500.
Well, you can walk and run after 400 have regenerated, but the 400 are not at full strength yet, and the last 100 aren't even there yet.
You know how you just can't wait 24 hours to start monkeying around with something you glued? You just can't help taking the clamps off, and poking at it?
The fact is, Myles Garrett's ankle is still vulnerable to re-injury. It might have set, but it hasn't cured. I know he'll probably be dancing around with that big grin "See? I'm fine!"
Don't let him play. You start re-injuring stuff, and it deteriorates. Axe Dr David Chow, NFL Radio's go-to football injury expert. PROTECT THIS PLAYER, dammit.
I know the Colts best offensive player predicted a Colts victory, and don't care. This did more for the Browns than it did for the Colts. In reality the Browns are a better team than the Colts, including at quarterback. They should win without Garrett anyway.
In this sensationally titled article, Isaiah Crowell stood up for himself, and quickly backed off.
Look: He's in a contract year and wants the rock, and that concludes his criticism of Hue Jackson's playcalling.
Fortunately, this was actually an excellent article by Mary Kay, who may or may not have chosen it's misleading but hit-generating title.
Crow himself understands that defenses are stacking up to stop the run, and daring Kizer to pass. Isaiah feels he can beat this, and PFF backs him up.
BUT BUT BUT as Hue points out, the NEW offensive line hasn't gelled yet, and Crow GETS IT.
Perhaps some of you need to learn this for the first time: The success or failure of any running back not named Sanders or Brown is greatly influenced by his B L O C K E R S DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D!?!
The offensive line is talented and will get it together. Hue told YOU that, along with Crow, and one of you heard him.
Chris Pokorney wrote a pretty good article on the national vs local perceptions of the Browns, and I'm now pretty sure he's one of the shameless scumbags who read this blog and then regurgitate it, sometimes almost verbatum.
Click the link, since it might be the last one you will see here. I had to include it so that you can see how familiar it looks gdammit.
MKC isn't stealing my analyses (at least as obviously), and here wrote another great article on the real problems the Browns are having.
Yes, obviously she's mostly saying stuff I said before, but she's been doing this for a long time, and I believe she has sort of cooincidentally arrived at the same conclusions I have through actual original thought (and face-to-face interrogations of the stars in this play).
Nevermind. Anyway my crickets, ignore Porkorney but click MKC. You will find the former boring because you've read it all here first, but find that Mary Kay thinks for herself.
Back to the Browns:
This is the third real week that this 60% new offensive line has played together. Objectively, I cannot compare the Colts front seven (or defense) to that of the Steelers or Ravens.
Nor can I objectively compare the Colts offensive line to that of either team.
Even if Andrew Luck was starting, the Browns should win, because they are better, period...sans Myles Garrett.
Now stay tuned to Pokorney for these thoughts shortly after I publish this:
1: DeShone Kizer's removal might have had more to do with his ineffectiveness than with a migraine.
1a: Kizer's migraine might have had a lot more to do with his ineffectiveness than he admits.
1c: Who cares? Rodney Hoganfield is pretty damn good!
2: The Colts are not as talented as the Browns...or Steelers...or Ravens.
3: The Colts will presumably stop the run better this week, but the Browns will run better, and the Colts defense is not like...crap dead horse.
4: Kizer probably won't have a migraine.
5: #4 doesn't even matter.
MKC's interview of Hue Jackson was pretty cool, because Hue wasn't politically correct. He hasn't minced words with
Hargrove was a really good Indians manager, but he signed this old pitcher named McDonald. Guy had an ERA pushing five. Grover says "but he gives you innings".
Blockheadedness might just be a dominant Head Coach gene we can't breed out. They all want eggzbeeriunnzed vedderrunz whether they suck or not.
Asked about Rashard Higgins really good performance vs the Ravens, Hue stressed his familiarity with Hue's offense as a key factor. Higgins and Coleman were the only two wide receivers who were here for any significant time last season.
Higgins knew what to do, when.
So did Seth DeValve, by the way. This is the main reason why he's outproducing Njoku. Randall Telfer is actually pretty close to Njoku too (by the way Telfer is a legit veteran).
But I digress: Hue lays most of the sacks on Kizer, including the strip-sack (by the way Shon Coleman is quietly doing a good job at right tackle). Unlike most Head Coaches, Hue wants his quarterback to run more, and I like that.
Everybody is all paranoid about a guy who outweighs all safeties and some linebackers running downfield. You can be paranoid about his getting stubborn and not "taking a dive" (or of course any Steeler defender spearing his helmet as he slides), but please cut it out. RG3 is a much thinner, smaller man. DeShone Kizer is a real football player (and he'll slide).
But I redigress: Hue is disciplined, but I read between the lines of these transcripts, and he's irked by some of the criticism he's taken, including from my favorite writer Peter Smith.
He hammered the newness and lack of integration of the offensive line repeatedly, and in general the fact that rookies do make mistakes, new additions need to play and practice to fit together.
Brady Quinn (NFL Radio) and a couple retired left tackles offered some tidbits:
A stunt is where one defender loops around behind another (or sometimes whan two attackers crisscross as they approach the line). It's the defensive version of a "pick" play.
The simplest way to handle this is for the blocker the stunting defender is running away from to take over for the guy who is blocking the defender the aforementioned stunter is sneaking around, and for the blocker who is...
I'm sorry let's just say both of the offensive linemen shuffle in the direction of the stunt, and one of them releases his block to the other and picks up the stunter, see?
Well, offensive linemen can't see everything, so they have to communicate. A guy stunts away from Joe Thomas, around the guy Bitonio is duking it out with, see? Bitonio has a face full of defensive tackle, so Joe has to tell him about the stunter, so he knows he needs to pass his guy off to Joe and head the miscreant off at the pass.
Between these two, that probably works great, but Tretter, Zietler, and Coleman have never played with anybody next to them before, so it's not so easy.
Defenses are throwing wierd new stunts at them. I'm not sure, but I assume they have code words they yell at eachother to tell eachother what to do.
But the possible stunts a defense can run are exponential, can combine with edge-blitzes, and are used against zone-blocked runs, power-blocked runs--- well it's not as simple as it seems: We're talking a whole BUNCH of "code words", ya know?
Too deep I know sorry. I need to figure out how to draw stuff here.
But to summarize, the offensive line is still miscommunicating, but this issue was not unexpected, because it was inevitable. It will just as inevitably resolve itself, so the sky really isn't falling.
This and Kizer's holding the ball are the two biggest problems with this offense. They all just need reps together.
Rodney Lesliefield is back on the roster. My understanding is that the best and most reliable Browns receiver throughout preseason is no longer eligable for the practice squad, so he should be on the 53-man roster.
It's downright irrational that it took Corey Coleman's broken hand to make room for this guy...what tf are we all missing here? 95 times out of 100, I side with Front offices and Coaches against the unwashed masses, but I insist it was stupid to kick this guy to the curb in the first place, dammit.
And I hope Hue actually uses him, like he used Higgins, before he defaults to his eggzzbeereeunzzed vedderrunz, because if he does, Jordan Leslie will EARN it.
Kizer has good chemistry with Leslie. ...ok well so did Hogan...oh yeah Kessler too $%#!!?"#$ what does this guy need to do?!?
I take this stuff personally, because I have been in situations where I performed above and beyond any reasonable standards, and was still treated like the laziest, sneakiest, and most disloyal scumbag.
Jordan Leslie is there, right now. GIVE THIS GUY A FREAKING CHANCE IN A REAL FREAKING GAME HUE! HE HAS E A R N E D IT!!!
I pity the Colts defense, because this is game three, and the Steelers and Ravens defense were not only talented, but insideously diabolical. Coleman aside, these linemen are all seasoned veterans, and the "gelling" stuff won't take that long.
Kizer just downright sucked vs the Ravens (as Rodney Hoganfield demonstrated), but later in preseason and vs the Steelers was pretty good. Why would you expect him to suck vs the Colts?
Jacoby Brissett is a lot like RG3, except he's shiftier on the run. His physical talent is off the charts, but...ahem...he is not Big Bird, let alone Big Ben.
The consensus of ESPN writers says the Browns go 0-16 again.
That's amazing...I can't handle this anymore okbye
Monday, September 18, 2017
Mister Spock's Lessons Learned from Browns v Ravens
I just realized something that might make some of you lose your minds, with the help of Pro Football Focus (warning: This article is not for the faint of heart).
The Ravens offense last sunday was a model of the offense which Hue Jackson tried to run against the Ravens defense.
This is offensive coordinator Marty Mornhingweg and Head Coach John Harbaugh, so you need to be mature and objective, and respect it.
Vs the Bengals the week prior, the Ravens offense chugged and sputtered somewhat, and many of their locals were wondering what was wrong with Joe Flacco.
Not so last sunday, as Flacco threw quick, accurate darts to stifle what was, in reality, a good Browns passrush. As you saw, the ageless Ben Watson was his favorite target, and fellow tight end Jack Doyle got in on that act as well.
Next came his running backs. Flacco attacked the short middle, mostly, with high-percentage passes. The Ravens were also ABLE TO run the ball almost as often as they passed it.
The Browns' strengths and weaknesses are similar talent-wise, and Hue is trying to run a similar offense with his own triad of tight ends and stable of sure-handed running backs.
So why did it work for the Ravens and not for the Browns? Don't be an idiot and say it's because the Ravens offense and defense are more talented.
No, it's because Flacco is a seasoned veteran, along with most of the other players on that team. Most of them have been there for awhile, too. Conversely, the Browns quarterback was a rookie. Their top receiver is a second year player. A first and second year tight end. Higgins (mainly from the slot) was a second year player.
Most of the Ravens offensive linemen came up from within the organization, whereas Tretter and Zietler just got here, and of course Shon Coleman is a second year player himself.
There's really no comparison between the two teams' experience.
As I mentioned, Flacco shocked me (and no doubt the linebackers) with his quick release and superb short accuracy, especially after his sloppy performance in Cincinnati, but maybe it shouldn't have.
A couple weeks ago, I said Flacco wasn't good at short passes. I was fulla crap.
PFF singles out tight end Jack Doyle with almost a 100 blocking grade. I guess the Ravens used a bunch of two tight end sets, and held Doyle in as a sixth pass-protector (and run-blocker).
I'm not sure how Telfer did in that role, but I can promise you that DeValve and Njoku weren't in Doyle's zip code, and that's another issue: DeValve and Njoku were never intended to be elite in-line blockers, but they do need to be proficient, and so far, they are not.
This has contributed to the ineffectiveness of the running game, and accounted for several sacks already.
For that matter, Ben Watson is a pretty good blocker too.
Anyway, two of the reasons the Ravens attacked the Browns defense this way were their pass-rush and (pay attention here) Jabrill Peppers.
Livingston doesn't get this, and it bugs Terry Pluto as well, but Peppers lines up as deep as he does to limit the depth of passes the opposing offense can throw. I don't care if it's Green or Jones, if you put him in a jump-ball situation with Peppers, your risks no longer justify your rewards, and if he's not leaping in the air to pick you off, he's going to TRASH your receiver.
I keep trying to explain this, and nobody seems to get it: Gregg Williams blitzes and plays some zone. Both of these leave things open, and he knows he'll cough up some plays.
Peppers is back there to (ideally) make sure that no one pass play outside the red zone turns into six points. LEAVE him back there, Coach Whoeveryouare!
Don't start saying the linebackers can't cover. You CAN NOT prevent a perfect pass from being caught, and linebackers who can really cover are called "safeties", except a lot of strong safeties can't cover that well either.
All coaches know this! It's rare that a Joe Montana or a white-hot Joe Flacco can hit those tiny windows over and over again without drops or deflections, and if you can stop it near where it's caught, that is deemed acceptable.
If you keep a lid on the big plays (see "Peppers, Jabrill"), you play the odds and expect a timely sack, a batted pass interception, rushed/inaccurate passes, drops, balls knocked loose, and strip-fumbles.
You don't expect to face Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers and elite receivers each and every week, and unless they're damn near perfect, your defense will win this way...unless you put your free safety close to the line of scrimmage, and give up 40-60 yard touchdown passes.
Enough on that. I can't close the subject without addressing the Ravens veteran defense:
They mainly rushed four (did not blitze, and Suggs is one of the four). They did stunt a bit, but the Browns offensive line actually gave Kizer time to throw more often than not. The problem was, he didn't throw.
Ask PFF. Kizer was tops in the NFL not only in how long he held onto the damn ball, but also in how long it took him to get SACKED (That was five seconds--and that should tell you something about this offensive line DO YOU UNDERSTAND?)
Self-correction: Tretter held his ground against that big monster in pass protection, earning and excellent grade in pass-pro. I still doubt that he did more than wall him off on runs, though...haven't checked that out yet. Still I feel a lot better about him now. Alex Mack spoiled all of us.
Anyway, the Ravens held seven "in coverage", mostly, but this is a deceptive term, because at least one (often two) safeties and two linebackers were in the box, looking to stuff the run first.
They did not fear Kenny Britt, (Dear Hue Jackson: H I N T!!! H I N T!!!!), and figured they could keep a lid on Coleman with a deep safety on top.
They weren't afraid of Kizer, either...well, more accurately, they wanted to do exactly what they did, and deprive him of the run first and foremost, to put it all on the rookie's shoulders.
And they could do this partly because they have two of the best safeties in the NFL. Browns fans can hope our own safeties will eventually get that good, but right now? Chuh!
Oh god would you shut up Vince Lombardi with this "no excuses" crap!?
I get why Vince said that stuff---it's motivational speaking. He pioneered it in football.
In reality, Vince was a highly educated, brilliant guy (with a big heart by the way). In reality, he won a ton of games, but he lost a few, as well. Do you think when he lost, he stood in the middle of that locker room and called everybody a bunch of losers?
Get real! Quit repeating cliches you don't even understand!
One reason I like ex-offensive lineman Ross Tucker (NFL Radio) so much is that he talks about this stuff:
"Next man up": Well yeah, every team wants to think the backup is as good as the starter, but that is uh, what's the word...oh yeah insane.
Pat Kirwan, at least two or three times per-show, uses this "next man up" philosophy in re the Steelers, as if it's unique to them. This guy knows more about football than I ever expect to learn, but he's just silly sometimes.
The fact is, missing Collins and Coleman will hurt the team. Inexperience IS hurting the team. Those aren't excuses. Those are facts.
"Injuries are no excuse" what? Really? Who backs up Matt Ryan? Antonio Brown? Gimme a break just shut tf UP ok?
This is why I can't even talk to some people. It's like Mister Spock vs a cult member. I'd end up burned at some stake.
I haven't checked out the Colts depth yet, but do know they're not very good overall.
They have a terrific big-play wide receiver, and Jacobi Brisset is a lethal running quarterback (ala Micheal Vick), but their offensive line aint all that, which is partly why Andrew Luck is on IR, and before he got there couldn't win his own self.
Bud Shaw is really funny and smart, but doesn't know football that well. He knows a lot of Browns fans will pencil in a win vs the Colts, but figures many Colts fans will be doing the same with the Browns.
I speak from experience, because PA and Indy have been like my second homes for years now: People in Indiana can almost all spell their names right and use two-syllable words. They can even count to one hundred.
Colts fans will see the Browns as a chance to win a game for sure, but only a few will expect it.
Even before I do any real homework, I do pencil this one in as a win for the Browns. The 2017 Colts aren't even in the same league as the 2017 Browns, even 3 games in. And Bud Shaw? Most Colts fans hope Brissett will break loose and RUN for a couple touchdowns, but otherwise are not very optimistic.
Colts fans might be as knowlegable as real Browns fans, Bud. They saw the Ravens game, but also the Steelers game--and believe it or not, they remember BOTH, and know they're outgunned.
The Browns enter the soft spot in their schedule here, and can get well.
Hue Jackson wants to keep Kizer on the field, as he sees benching him for Hogan as harmful to him. In reality, avoiding a fierce passrush is not important at all. Establishing a running game is.
And as I posted most recently--with respect to Peter Smith--that's on this offensive line and its' ancillary blockers, and not the running backs or coaches.
As I posted a couple before that one, run-blocking (whether power or zone) is more "attitude" than anything else. Everybody says this stuff, and it rings as hollow as "injuries are no excuse". But the Browns offensive line is STACKED, two tight ends is a base, and they HAVE THE PEOPLE to do it!
...well Njoku and DeValve need to work on in-line blocking, but you know except for that...
Vs the Ravens, the three tight ends accounted for nearly 100 receiving yards. Unfortunately, Rodney Hoganfield was on the other end of at least half of that during his brief stint at quarterback.
Hogan's statline was mediocre (except compared to the annointed one's), but he accounted for every freaking point in that game.
Kizer can do this too. He just needs to see what Hogan did...and GET RID OF THE DAMN BALL GDAMMIT...
Kizer needs to back off: "Wow Duke got 22 yards off that lob! I SAW that! Why didn't I pull the trigger? I'm such an idiot!"
At least I HOPE Kizer is thinking like this. As far as his hitting the freaking broad side of a freaking barn consistently...I just don't know.
But he sure as hell had better beat the Colts.
The Ravens offense last sunday was a model of the offense which Hue Jackson tried to run against the Ravens defense.
This is offensive coordinator Marty Mornhingweg and Head Coach John Harbaugh, so you need to be mature and objective, and respect it.
Vs the Bengals the week prior, the Ravens offense chugged and sputtered somewhat, and many of their locals were wondering what was wrong with Joe Flacco.
Not so last sunday, as Flacco threw quick, accurate darts to stifle what was, in reality, a good Browns passrush. As you saw, the ageless Ben Watson was his favorite target, and fellow tight end Jack Doyle got in on that act as well.
Next came his running backs. Flacco attacked the short middle, mostly, with high-percentage passes. The Ravens were also ABLE TO run the ball almost as often as they passed it.
The Browns' strengths and weaknesses are similar talent-wise, and Hue is trying to run a similar offense with his own triad of tight ends and stable of sure-handed running backs.
So why did it work for the Ravens and not for the Browns? Don't be an idiot and say it's because the Ravens offense and defense are more talented.
No, it's because Flacco is a seasoned veteran, along with most of the other players on that team. Most of them have been there for awhile, too. Conversely, the Browns quarterback was a rookie. Their top receiver is a second year player. A first and second year tight end. Higgins (mainly from the slot) was a second year player.
Most of the Ravens offensive linemen came up from within the organization, whereas Tretter and Zietler just got here, and of course Shon Coleman is a second year player himself.
There's really no comparison between the two teams' experience.
As I mentioned, Flacco shocked me (and no doubt the linebackers) with his quick release and superb short accuracy, especially after his sloppy performance in Cincinnati, but maybe it shouldn't have.
A couple weeks ago, I said Flacco wasn't good at short passes. I was fulla crap.
PFF singles out tight end Jack Doyle with almost a 100 blocking grade. I guess the Ravens used a bunch of two tight end sets, and held Doyle in as a sixth pass-protector (and run-blocker).
I'm not sure how Telfer did in that role, but I can promise you that DeValve and Njoku weren't in Doyle's zip code, and that's another issue: DeValve and Njoku were never intended to be elite in-line blockers, but they do need to be proficient, and so far, they are not.
This has contributed to the ineffectiveness of the running game, and accounted for several sacks already.
For that matter, Ben Watson is a pretty good blocker too.
Anyway, two of the reasons the Ravens attacked the Browns defense this way were their pass-rush and (pay attention here) Jabrill Peppers.
Livingston doesn't get this, and it bugs Terry Pluto as well, but Peppers lines up as deep as he does to limit the depth of passes the opposing offense can throw. I don't care if it's Green or Jones, if you put him in a jump-ball situation with Peppers, your risks no longer justify your rewards, and if he's not leaping in the air to pick you off, he's going to TRASH your receiver.
I keep trying to explain this, and nobody seems to get it: Gregg Williams blitzes and plays some zone. Both of these leave things open, and he knows he'll cough up some plays.
Peppers is back there to (ideally) make sure that no one pass play outside the red zone turns into six points. LEAVE him back there, Coach Whoeveryouare!
Don't start saying the linebackers can't cover. You CAN NOT prevent a perfect pass from being caught, and linebackers who can really cover are called "safeties", except a lot of strong safeties can't cover that well either.
All coaches know this! It's rare that a Joe Montana or a white-hot Joe Flacco can hit those tiny windows over and over again without drops or deflections, and if you can stop it near where it's caught, that is deemed acceptable.
If you keep a lid on the big plays (see "Peppers, Jabrill"), you play the odds and expect a timely sack, a batted pass interception, rushed/inaccurate passes, drops, balls knocked loose, and strip-fumbles.
You don't expect to face Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers and elite receivers each and every week, and unless they're damn near perfect, your defense will win this way...unless you put your free safety close to the line of scrimmage, and give up 40-60 yard touchdown passes.
Enough on that. I can't close the subject without addressing the Ravens veteran defense:
They mainly rushed four (did not blitze, and Suggs is one of the four). They did stunt a bit, but the Browns offensive line actually gave Kizer time to throw more often than not. The problem was, he didn't throw.
Ask PFF. Kizer was tops in the NFL not only in how long he held onto the damn ball, but also in how long it took him to get SACKED (That was five seconds--and that should tell you something about this offensive line DO YOU UNDERSTAND?)
Self-correction: Tretter held his ground against that big monster in pass protection, earning and excellent grade in pass-pro. I still doubt that he did more than wall him off on runs, though...haven't checked that out yet. Still I feel a lot better about him now. Alex Mack spoiled all of us.
Anyway, the Ravens held seven "in coverage", mostly, but this is a deceptive term, because at least one (often two) safeties and two linebackers were in the box, looking to stuff the run first.
They did not fear Kenny Britt, (Dear Hue Jackson: H I N T!!! H I N T!!!!), and figured they could keep a lid on Coleman with a deep safety on top.
They weren't afraid of Kizer, either...well, more accurately, they wanted to do exactly what they did, and deprive him of the run first and foremost, to put it all on the rookie's shoulders.
And they could do this partly because they have two of the best safeties in the NFL. Browns fans can hope our own safeties will eventually get that good, but right now? Chuh!
Oh god would you shut up Vince Lombardi with this "no excuses" crap!?
I get why Vince said that stuff---it's motivational speaking. He pioneered it in football.
In reality, Vince was a highly educated, brilliant guy (with a big heart by the way). In reality, he won a ton of games, but he lost a few, as well. Do you think when he lost, he stood in the middle of that locker room and called everybody a bunch of losers?
Get real! Quit repeating cliches you don't even understand!
One reason I like ex-offensive lineman Ross Tucker (NFL Radio) so much is that he talks about this stuff:
"Next man up": Well yeah, every team wants to think the backup is as good as the starter, but that is uh, what's the word...oh yeah insane.
Pat Kirwan, at least two or three times per-show, uses this "next man up" philosophy in re the Steelers, as if it's unique to them. This guy knows more about football than I ever expect to learn, but he's just silly sometimes.
The fact is, missing Collins and Coleman will hurt the team. Inexperience IS hurting the team. Those aren't excuses. Those are facts.
"Injuries are no excuse" what? Really? Who backs up Matt Ryan? Antonio Brown? Gimme a break just shut tf UP ok?
This is why I can't even talk to some people. It's like Mister Spock vs a cult member. I'd end up burned at some stake.
I haven't checked out the Colts depth yet, but do know they're not very good overall.
They have a terrific big-play wide receiver, and Jacobi Brisset is a lethal running quarterback (ala Micheal Vick), but their offensive line aint all that, which is partly why Andrew Luck is on IR, and before he got there couldn't win his own self.
Bud Shaw is really funny and smart, but doesn't know football that well. He knows a lot of Browns fans will pencil in a win vs the Colts, but figures many Colts fans will be doing the same with the Browns.
I speak from experience, because PA and Indy have been like my second homes for years now: People in Indiana can almost all spell their names right and use two-syllable words. They can even count to one hundred.
Colts fans will see the Browns as a chance to win a game for sure, but only a few will expect it.
Even before I do any real homework, I do pencil this one in as a win for the Browns. The 2017 Colts aren't even in the same league as the 2017 Browns, even 3 games in. And Bud Shaw? Most Colts fans hope Brissett will break loose and RUN for a couple touchdowns, but otherwise are not very optimistic.
Colts fans might be as knowlegable as real Browns fans, Bud. They saw the Ravens game, but also the Steelers game--and believe it or not, they remember BOTH, and know they're outgunned.
The Browns enter the soft spot in their schedule here, and can get well.
Hue Jackson wants to keep Kizer on the field, as he sees benching him for Hogan as harmful to him. In reality, avoiding a fierce passrush is not important at all. Establishing a running game is.
And as I posted most recently--with respect to Peter Smith--that's on this offensive line and its' ancillary blockers, and not the running backs or coaches.
As I posted a couple before that one, run-blocking (whether power or zone) is more "attitude" than anything else. Everybody says this stuff, and it rings as hollow as "injuries are no excuse". But the Browns offensive line is STACKED, two tight ends is a base, and they HAVE THE PEOPLE to do it!
...well Njoku and DeValve need to work on in-line blocking, but you know except for that...
Vs the Ravens, the three tight ends accounted for nearly 100 receiving yards. Unfortunately, Rodney Hoganfield was on the other end of at least half of that during his brief stint at quarterback.
Hogan's statline was mediocre (except compared to the annointed one's), but he accounted for every freaking point in that game.
Kizer can do this too. He just needs to see what Hogan did...and GET RID OF THE DAMN BALL GDAMMIT...
Kizer needs to back off: "Wow Duke got 22 yards off that lob! I SAW that! Why didn't I pull the trigger? I'm such an idiot!"
At least I HOPE Kizer is thinking like this. As far as his hitting the freaking broad side of a freaking barn consistently...I just don't know.
But he sure as hell had better beat the Colts.
Kizer Giving Me a Migraine: Browns vs Ravens
I just read player quotes after the Ravens squished the Browns like bugs, and can save you time:
"We didn't play well/get the job done. You can't turn the ball over. We have to play better." About what John Madden would tell you.
The elephant in the room was Kizer. He was terribly inaccurate (and admitted it). The Ravens covered quite well, but as he said, a good quarterback can get the ball into tight windows.
Terry Pluto wants to focus on the receivers. It wasn't the receivers! Until Hogan had his brain-fart, he moved this team up and down the field. He played better than Kizer, and might have pulled the game out.
And they couldn't run again (Duke was better than Crow). And the defense caved in.
As usual, people are hallucinating about things, like the amount of time Flacco had. Flacco was decisive, and got rid of the ball quickly. There was usually good pressure on him. Stop piling on.
Higgins was terrific, substantially because he can leap, dive, and reach back to salvage inaccurate throws. He was impressive, and needs to start. Good for him!
Coleman broke his hand heroicly trying to catch another inaccurate pass...jeez what the hell Kizer?
He looked like a promising rookie vs the Steelers, but he was just terrible in week two!
Hue remains confident that he'll take this in stride and continue to develop. We can only hope. But uhh...I liked Hogan better shhh!
Well it's the Colts next week, and they're not the Steelers or Ravens. The talent and the coaching are here. They stunk the joint up in this one, but it's still very, very early, and Kizer is still very raw, and starting because he had to.
The Ravens defense surprised nobody, but Flacco stunned me, and that offense deserves credit as well. If Flacco goes down, they'll be in trouble, though. Unlike Kizer, he was exceptionally quick and accurate, except for that one dumb throw.
Now, I'm still getting "message could not be delivered" from Hue Jackson, but I have recommended that if Kizer stinks the joint up again like that, he should get another migraine and not return next time.
Kevin Hogan is a second year player, familiar with this offense and these receivers, with more experience in college as well as the pros. Don't go digging your heels in, Hue. You said you wanted to win.
Kizer will still be here, and a short vacation might be just what the Doctor ordered.
...of course he might be just fine next week, in which case nevermind.
And the defense will be fine. Coaching and talent.
Just read some comments. Corey Coleman doesn't suck. What the hell is the matter with you?
Coleman breaking his hand for the second year in a row is disturbing, but unless he has osteoschlerosis doesn't mean he's fragile (although he might be).
Kenny Britt? Yeah ya got me on that one. This time he didn't drop anything, but that pushoff was really obvious (and unneccessary). There's your vedderrunn wide receiver (Terry with respect shut up with that please).
Higgins is inexperienced, but he got open and caught the ball, ok? See? See?
Apparently Collins was playing concussed (don't bash the coaches it's seldom obvious). Odds are they go to Indi minus Collins, as well as Coleman.
The recent free agents signed have been here for a couple weeks now, and one should replace Coleman. Higgins or another should replaceBowe Britt, but I don't know if Hue will do that since he is an eggzzbeeriunzzed vedderrunn.
As I've said it's not that urgent, as Duke can return to the slot and the two tight end sets are prevalent.
How they'll handle the Collins absence is more complicated. Gregg Williams might "check down" to a 4-2 with an extra strong safety, or might give Burgess more opportunities. Collins is different from the rest of these guys.
There's always a silver lining when starters miss time. Younger players get more reps, and as a result overall depth improves.
They also might re-sign Jordan Leslie, and give him the same opportunity they gave Higgins...nah!
2017 is, afterall, a developmental season. We hope that by the last few games of 2017, DeShone Kizer will be getting rid of the damn ball and throwing accurate passes, for example.
Guys like Njoku are like that too.
Live and learn.
THIS JUST IN:
Peter Smith just blistered Hue Jackson's playcalling. I disagree (somewhat), but always link Peter's articles, because even when he's wrong, he makes good points.
Peter's main issue is that Hue has not actually run a balanced offense since he's been here. This season, he's passing about twice as often as he runs.
That is irrefutably very bad, especially for a raw rookie quarterback.
But the fact is that the running game was not working, and as a result of that, Kizer kept finding himself in second and third and longs.
Early vs the Ravens, Hue did keep hammering the run, then put Duke Johnson in instead of Crowell. There were a few signs of "Infantyization"; using dumpoffs--these are backfield passes, and in effect run plays.
As the team fell behind, and the run still didn't work, Hue resumed passing more again.
Vs Pittsburgh, Bitonio talked about the mostly new line not being integrated yet, and failing to pick up stunts. I assume the Ravens pulled the same stuff, and also that Tretter was driven back by the Ravens version of Danny Shelton.
Pete says the offensive line will turn on Hue. That doesn't make sense. They are not getting the job done, and they know it. Hue had to pass, and they know why. These guys don't blame other people when they fail to execute!
Peter also talked about Crowell being hesitant. Well, Laveon Belle is hesitant. Even so, that wasn't accurate. He didn't have anywhere to go! Jeez the guy can't win! Last season, people knocked him for his lack of vision because he slammed into the line head-first when he had nowhere to go!
Peter does make sense when he talks about certain situations, such as inside the five yard line with downs to burn. Hue should have run it. But having Kizer peel out on an option pass there is playing to that quarterback's strengths.
Yes, the Browns need to put on their big boy pants and start knocking people around, but when it doesn't work, it doesn't work!
The offensive linemen (and tight ends) are the guys who need to get this thing fixed--not Hue Jackson. The Browns will run the ball when they CAN run the ball.
Peter is right that until they do present a serious and consistent running game, DeShone Kizer will keep getting hammered, and isn't learning a damn thing.
...of course, there's always Hogan...
"We didn't play well/get the job done. You can't turn the ball over. We have to play better." About what John Madden would tell you.
The elephant in the room was Kizer. He was terribly inaccurate (and admitted it). The Ravens covered quite well, but as he said, a good quarterback can get the ball into tight windows.
Terry Pluto wants to focus on the receivers. It wasn't the receivers! Until Hogan had his brain-fart, he moved this team up and down the field. He played better than Kizer, and might have pulled the game out.
And they couldn't run again (Duke was better than Crow). And the defense caved in.
As usual, people are hallucinating about things, like the amount of time Flacco had. Flacco was decisive, and got rid of the ball quickly. There was usually good pressure on him. Stop piling on.
Higgins was terrific, substantially because he can leap, dive, and reach back to salvage inaccurate throws. He was impressive, and needs to start. Good for him!
Coleman broke his hand heroicly trying to catch another inaccurate pass...jeez what the hell Kizer?
He looked like a promising rookie vs the Steelers, but he was just terrible in week two!
Hue remains confident that he'll take this in stride and continue to develop. We can only hope. But uhh...I liked Hogan better shhh!
Well it's the Colts next week, and they're not the Steelers or Ravens. The talent and the coaching are here. They stunk the joint up in this one, but it's still very, very early, and Kizer is still very raw, and starting because he had to.
The Ravens defense surprised nobody, but Flacco stunned me, and that offense deserves credit as well. If Flacco goes down, they'll be in trouble, though. Unlike Kizer, he was exceptionally quick and accurate, except for that one dumb throw.
Now, I'm still getting "message could not be delivered" from Hue Jackson, but I have recommended that if Kizer stinks the joint up again like that, he should get another migraine and not return next time.
Kevin Hogan is a second year player, familiar with this offense and these receivers, with more experience in college as well as the pros. Don't go digging your heels in, Hue. You said you wanted to win.
Kizer will still be here, and a short vacation might be just what the Doctor ordered.
...of course he might be just fine next week, in which case nevermind.
And the defense will be fine. Coaching and talent.
Just read some comments. Corey Coleman doesn't suck. What the hell is the matter with you?
Coleman breaking his hand for the second year in a row is disturbing, but unless he has osteoschlerosis doesn't mean he's fragile (although he might be).
Kenny Britt? Yeah ya got me on that one. This time he didn't drop anything, but that pushoff was really obvious (and unneccessary). There's your vedderrunn wide receiver (Terry with respect shut up with that please).
Higgins is inexperienced, but he got open and caught the ball, ok? See? See?
Apparently Collins was playing concussed (don't bash the coaches it's seldom obvious). Odds are they go to Indi minus Collins, as well as Coleman.
The recent free agents signed have been here for a couple weeks now, and one should replace Coleman. Higgins or another should replace
As I've said it's not that urgent, as Duke can return to the slot and the two tight end sets are prevalent.
How they'll handle the Collins absence is more complicated. Gregg Williams might "check down" to a 4-2 with an extra strong safety, or might give Burgess more opportunities. Collins is different from the rest of these guys.
There's always a silver lining when starters miss time. Younger players get more reps, and as a result overall depth improves.
They also might re-sign Jordan Leslie, and give him the same opportunity they gave Higgins...nah!
2017 is, afterall, a developmental season. We hope that by the last few games of 2017, DeShone Kizer will be getting rid of the damn ball and throwing accurate passes, for example.
Guys like Njoku are like that too.
Live and learn.
THIS JUST IN:
Peter Smith just blistered Hue Jackson's playcalling. I disagree (somewhat), but always link Peter's articles, because even when he's wrong, he makes good points.
Peter's main issue is that Hue has not actually run a balanced offense since he's been here. This season, he's passing about twice as often as he runs.
That is irrefutably very bad, especially for a raw rookie quarterback.
But the fact is that the running game was not working, and as a result of that, Kizer kept finding himself in second and third and longs.
Early vs the Ravens, Hue did keep hammering the run, then put Duke Johnson in instead of Crowell. There were a few signs of "Infantyization"; using dumpoffs--these are backfield passes, and in effect run plays.
As the team fell behind, and the run still didn't work, Hue resumed passing more again.
Vs Pittsburgh, Bitonio talked about the mostly new line not being integrated yet, and failing to pick up stunts. I assume the Ravens pulled the same stuff, and also that Tretter was driven back by the Ravens version of Danny Shelton.
Pete says the offensive line will turn on Hue. That doesn't make sense. They are not getting the job done, and they know it. Hue had to pass, and they know why. These guys don't blame other people when they fail to execute!
Peter also talked about Crowell being hesitant. Well, Laveon Belle is hesitant. Even so, that wasn't accurate. He didn't have anywhere to go! Jeez the guy can't win! Last season, people knocked him for his lack of vision because he slammed into the line head-first when he had nowhere to go!
Peter does make sense when he talks about certain situations, such as inside the five yard line with downs to burn. Hue should have run it. But having Kizer peel out on an option pass there is playing to that quarterback's strengths.
Yes, the Browns need to put on their big boy pants and start knocking people around, but when it doesn't work, it doesn't work!
The offensive linemen (and tight ends) are the guys who need to get this thing fixed--not Hue Jackson. The Browns will run the ball when they CAN run the ball.
Peter is right that until they do present a serious and consistent running game, DeShone Kizer will keep getting hammered, and isn't learning a damn thing.
...of course, there's always Hogan...
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