I'm a big fan of Lesmerisis, but have some issues with this article.
The writer criticized Hue Jackson's playcalling, and (not for the first time) exhibited some cognative disonance (bet I know how he votes).
His early disclaimers all but excused Hue the playcaller, as he stipulated that failed plays were often the result of poor execution and/or on the quarterback.
But, aside from once saying "You'll have to ask the front office about that", what are these "between the lines shots at the front office" by Hue that Doug is talking about? Jeez Doug, I know you read the latest pile of LaCanfora, but...
Doug refers a few times to lack of talent again, and that's a pant-load too (I'm sick of repeating myself; read earlier posts, or better yet, go position-by-position and compare these players to their counterparts...and look up "talent" in your Funk and Wagnals.)
He could have said lack of proven experience, like Buzzkill Bill Polian thankfully did, and I wouldn't have had a problem with it.
Then Doug cites specific third and fourth down plays, two of which were inside the five yard line---both of which gave the ball back to the Jets.
On one play, Kizer targetted a tight end (out of motion) in the end zone, but a smart defender anticipated and stepped in front of it.
Well, Doug implied that this play was an easy read for the defense. Well lookie here:
1: That tight end could have been the lead blocker on a sweep, or a decoy, drawing a bigger defender away from the real target area.
2: If it's an easy read, why does every offense run it?
3: The quarterback--especially in that confined space--is expected to spot the defender sitting on that route and not throw that pass, ok? There is a second and third option, and the fourth is running with it yourself.
Doug even criticized Hue for saying that throwing the ball away was a good option on third and goal, because he had lost faith in his kicker (Gonzalez was atrocious, and cost the Browns six points).
1: Gonzalez had not missed from inside extra point range.
2: Hue is not afraid to go for it.
Lesmerisis also did go after Hue for going for it on a fourth and one inside the five yard line, rather than kicking a game-tying field goal.
Well here, I do have to not disagree with Doug too much, because it was a straight ahead run over the a-gap...which as usual did not exist. (Still no zone runs, see? Oh, heaven forfend we do any of that icky Shanahan stuff!).
Then Doug somehow manages to make the botched pitch-out left to Crowell Hue's fault. I just can't fathom what Doug was talking about though most of his article.
Lesmerisis is really good about using full and complete quotes from Hue Jackson, and did so in this article. And you know what? Hue kinda smoked Doug, and I can't figure out how Doug doesn't seem able to see it.
"We had a play we thought would work there", "It wasn't about the play, but about execution", "Throwing it away is okay" etc. is right there in his own article...
Cognative Disonance: Even really smart people sometimes do it (and Doug is extremely smart).
Oh well nobody's perfect. Get well soon Doug!
The urge to scapegoat somebody when things go wrong is overpowering, especially in Cleveland.
Since you've already got the wood piled up and the rope next to the stake, allow me to offer up DeShone Kizer (wait a minute -squirt-squirt- ok all pre-soaked with charcoal starter).
I personally would just put him in stocks for awhile, because he's really inexperienced and is doing his best and could be a great one in time, but I know you really really need to burn somebody, and I can't find anybody else right now (except maybe Kenny Britt oh! Oh yeah take him instead okay?)
You can't burn inexperience at the stake.
Sashi Brown? For every bad move he's made, he's made three good ones. You really have to get into some heavy-duty cherry-picking (or psychosis) to be bashing him for this, especially when he warned you this would take awhile...and you pretended to accept that.
Doug couldn't help himself. He made Hue Jackson the playcaller the goat.
It's like another of my favorites, Peter Smith, decrying Hue Jackson's "abandoning the run" too early, even as he acknowleged the fact that teams trying to come back in games have to pass more.
This is a pattern! A writer writes a "disclaimer" up front, and then proceeds to write what he wants to write as if his stipulations were irrelevant. Pretty soon, I'll start reading the part before the "but" and just skipping to another article, because the part after the "but" often makes little sense.
And most people not named ME see what they expect to see, rather than what is there.
What do you think is wrong with Isaiah Crowell? Half of you will say "lack of vision", and the other half will say "hesitation".
Those (like Peter) who question his vision actually hallucinate. They can somehow look at a big wall-to-wall scrum and say that Crow was dumb not to just uh...run all the way around it or something...
Those who say "hesitation" are seeing typical adjustments to the solid wall of defenders in front of him, as he tries to get stuffed for one yard, instead of for a loss.
In reality, it's the power/man scheme. Tretter is not a powerful people-mover like Alex Mack. Bitonio and Reiter are okay at that, but not exceptional (I believe Bitonio is the slightly better pancake chef).
In reality, Crow is kinda shifty and fast, but can't "bounce outside" back across the center. Modern linebackers (let alone safeties) have the wheels to mirror and meet him. He can get outside on the short side of the field, because he can explode into a nice head start.
Defenses defend him accordingly. They stack up inside, looping a stunter from the long side to clog the A-gap (and usually seal off that lateral cutback option anyway as he penetrates).
In short, there is NOTHING THERE. NO HOLES. NO ESCAPE.
This is why I wish Lesmerisis or Smith would pick on Hue for not just running more zone-blocking! Tretter and Thomas excel at it! Reiter is better at it than he is in power/man, and for crying out loud Isaiah Crowell is a PROTOTYPE one-cut back, precisely because he does have great vision!
That's how you thrive on chaos, Virginia: VISION. All "one-cut" backs have great insincts and vision!
The scheme Jackson stubbornly insists on running gives Crowell few options. Go here, or go there, as fast as possible, period. It's not his thing. It's not Beast-Mode's thing either, by the way.
And THAT is what is "wrong" with Isaiah Crowell, and why two weeks ago he stormed out of the locker room after the Bengals plowed them, refusing to talk. He wanted to talk! He wanted to shout "Trade me to San Fransisco dammit!!!"
Except his contract expires after this season, so he couldn't.
At least a few of you come close to "what's wrong with the Crow?": You say "Nothing. The blocking sucks". That is technically correct.
I now have a glimmer of hope vs the Texans, as not only Watt, but Whitney Mercillus are gone (get well soon guys--that sucks).
There goes a big part of that Texan pass rush. They've still got Clowney, who was the Myles Garrett of his draft class, and finally lived up to that billing throughout 2016, but you simply can't replace Watt, and Mercillus was exceptional as well.
This means that Kevin Hogan (I hope) might have a few seconds to throw sometimes! The offensive line can slide to Clowney (you couldn't do that before), and the Texans might need to blitze to create pressure.
Just as the Browns offense gets a big upgrade (a ready-for-primetime Q U A R T E R B A C K ), the Texans defense is downgraded by two of their three best passrushers!
The glimmer continues even on the other side of the ball. I heard about Myles Garrett "limping visibly" during the game, but haven't seen anything further on it, so I'm optimistic that he'll at least play a situational role vs DeShaun Watson.
I know PFF panned him for his mediocrity vs the run against the Jets, but two sacks and two hits make that news easier to live with, for some reason.
Shelton didn't register any stats, but the Jets run was stifled, meaning he did his main job.
The Texans offense is MUCH better than the Jets, and DeShaun Watson is the real deal. But the Browns defense is only now getting it together.
Mark my words: by the end of the season, this defense will rank in the top half in points allowed, and in turnovers.
I still expect the Texans to beat the Browns, unfortunately, but would now be a lot less surprised if the Browns won.
Kevin Hogan must have a huge, massive chip on his shoulder. If it wasn't there before, it sure as hell is now. He just completed 16 of 19 passes for two tds and ran for a bunch of yards.
I don't know what some people were looking at on his lone interception, but he was hit as he threw and somebody got a paw on the ball.
This guy had every right to expect a modicum of respect...finally...when he checked out the columns the next day, and all he sees is "we're all gonna die!"
I've got to dive deeper on this guy! He's just coming out of no where. I kept being impressed, but expecting him to stumble--but he never did. Third and long, Kevin Hogan: What do YOU expect now? See what I'm saying?
What did you expect on third and long with Kizer? Ya see it? Ya get it?
But then, there will be...oh yeah...Crowell...running...power/man...ok well still fewer third and longs because on second and 8 Hue is willing to pass, and Hogan (unlike some quarterbacks I could name) will take a 4-yard dink if that's all he can get...or just run for it.
See it yet? Hogan thinks faster, and is decisive.
I'm a geezer, and in some ways, Kevin Hogan reminds me of Brian Sipe. Sipe was drafted, but that was only because back then the draft went on forever. Sipe came in the twelvth round or later.
The term "taxi squad" originated in Cleveland. The guy Art Modell bought the team from owned Yellow Cab, and the Browns "scrubs" drove cabs for subsistance. (Just some fun trivia).
Anyway, Sipe was "nobody", and on the cab squad for several years, until he was finally elevated to back up the vastly more talented Mike Phipps😉.
Phipps got hurt. Sipe entered a game. That was all she rote for Mike Phipps. Brian Sipe turned the whole team around, instantly.
Suddenly, Reggie Rucker wasn't mediocre, this Dave Logan guy turned into a real wide receiver, etc. What a coincidence, huh🤔?
Rodney Hoganfield is physically bigger/faster/stronger than Sipe was, even adjusting medians by era, but I'm talking about psychology and mental stuff here: Hogan has the same effect on his team.
Phipps=Kizer, see?
...ok time to dig into Kevin Hogan now. I'll be back with a full report.
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