Retraction: I screwed this up on Jordan Leslie: He pulled a hammy and was ruled out for the game, so disregard my rant about Hue continuing not to use him. I won't delete it since I still think Hue hate him.
Disclaimer: most entry-level assistant coaches/scouts know more about the nuts and bolts of NFL football than I do.
The Ben Gals obviously just blew the Browns out in Cleveland. The biggest single reason for this was Hue Jackson:
1: He started and relied on Kenny Britt again.
2: When he got the predictable results he did, he turned to Kasen Williams, rather than Jordon Leslie. Verily, it was anybody but Leslie. The blown connections between Kizer and Williams were predictable. Jackson's refusal to let Kizer have the guy he was in synch with is incomprehensible.
3: Isaiah Crowell is a prototype "one-cut" zone running back, but Hue won't use zone blocking, despite the fact that his entire offensive line is well-suited to execute it.
4: Inside zone-blocking on runs is almost indistinguishable to defenders from pass blocking. It fits read-options and play-action beautifully. Kizer is at his best off play-fakes.
5: Zone-blocking is very simple for offensive linemen. A guy can be signed on friday and start on sunday. It's ideal for oh, I don't know...a team that starts a second year player at right tackle and signed a new center and right guard.
5a: A defense can't safely run slow-developing stunts vs an inside zone.
Marty Schottenheimer was pretty good, and I'm not saying Hue is worse. Indeed, the way he's using Duke Johnson is impressive.
Nor are Kizer's issues on Hue. Kizer is a project, who thus far seems incapable of throwing a pass in under 3-5 seconds. Hue is also the best guy to develop him.
But I'm officially off the Hue Jackson train.
A lot of real experts (ex-coaches, players, and GMs) will be politically correct here, and tiptoe through the tulips. But a few will come out and tell you what I just did. It's got to be hard for Crowell to keep his mouth shut already, but Big Joe might make some noise.
Crow stormed out of the locker room after the game. Guess why.
Once again, Kevin Hogan did better than Kizer. He may not have Kizer's upside, but for right now, he is the better quarterback.
But even when he came in (in garbage time), Jordan Leslie wasn't used.
The good news was Duke Johnson. That's one thing Hue Jackson got right. Unfortunately now, rather than adapting his blocking scheme to Crowell, Duke Johnson will simply be used more, and we can kiss the rotation and two-back good bye.
Now, I expect a lot of people to blame the front office and cite a "lack of talent" again. Anybody but Hue.
There is plenty of talent on this team. One running back is running behind a blocking scheme which doesn't let him do what he does best. The most reliable wide receiver is collecting splinters. The entire offensive line is in the same boat as the running back.
The talent is here. It is not being used.
I've been telling everybody that Hue Jackson adapts his schemes to his personnel, rather than the reverse. I was disgustingly wrong. Hue Jackson is a blockhead.
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