7/3 is amazingly oprimistic in Browns coverage. Marc Sessler lists five reasons why he thinks the Browns can make the playoffs in 2018.
If you read this Blog it should (sigh) sound familiar.
But whoa Nellie! Steelers writer Dave Bryan reports that James Jones and Maurice Jones-Drew both predict that the 2018 Browns will sweep the Steelers!!!
Even I never went that far!
But these guys are ex-players, and they tend to dwell on nebulous abstractions like coaching and talent, rather than the stuff that really matters, like how many games a team lost last season.
Somebody tweet Colon Cowherd, and have him set these two amatuers straight like he did Baker Mayfield!
I know I'm supposed to do the Bill O'Reilly thing and throw the permabashers a bone to prove how objective I am, but...
Well I do have to say that I think a sweep is optimistic...kinda:
Well I guess these guys are looking at the mostly new secondary and Kendricks, and expecting the Browns 2018 defense to give the Steelers offense hell.
You know that Ward will be on Antonio Brown wherever he goes. While nobody in the NFL so far has done more than keep a lid on Antonio, Ward is the closest thing anybody has to his kryptonite.
Ward's recovery speed is phenomenal, and he can catch Brown from behind (he's much faster). And some teams don't try to jam Brown--Ward will.
Then there's Ebineezer Bell: When he lines up at wide receiver, it will probably be vs a nickel (unless the new OC uses 12 sets--two tight ends--more than Haley did in 2017. He shouldn't).
That means that Ebineezer might have a genuine cornerback on him---but at least Peppers or Kindred; not a true linebacker. Gregg Williams can match up with the Steelers offense now, you see?
And Big Ben: Well he's a sitting duck, okay? They can't get fancy with that big old slowpoke; they face an actual pocket, and don't need to sweat containment.
I respect that bumblebee offensive line, but there are only five of them. Now that Williams (I think) has his free safety and cornerbacks out the yinyang, he'll be sending a fifth guy all the time.
Bell thrives on vision and chaos, so he "coasts" and hesitates.
But 1: Todd Haley used inside zone-blocking to set him up for that. Will the new guy? Might be another Hue Fisher!
2: Gap-shooting/attacking defensive lines can mess up the inside zone; in fact most offenses won't try it vs that kind of defense.
3: Bell will get blitzed just like Big Ben. He'll often escape the blitzer, but still be "forced" to commit--often in the direction Williams perfers (a better term is "funneled")
The 2018 Browns defense is built to match up with the Steelers offense, and I assume that's one thing Jones and Jones Drew see when they predict a Browns sweep.
But they must also see the Browns offense (now run by the Steelers' own long-time offensive coordinator, who knows that defense intimately) vs the Steelers defense.
The Steelers defense is pretty good, but that's all. Those of you with Stockholm Syndrome think it's the Steel Curtain (and forget that Brian Sipe and co beat it several times by the way).
T J Watt is phenominal, but there's only one of him. Joe Haden is so far one of their starting cornerbacks.
The Steelers ranked 5th overall while the Browns were 14th, but:
1: The Browns started two rookies, and leaned on more rotational rookies at DT. Their starting MLB and DE were second year players, and they were generally inexperienced, ascending players.
The Steelers had TJ Watt, but only one of him. That was a veteran defense; static or in decline.
2: While the Steelers couldn't make a lot of moves, the Browns added Denzel Ward, Mychal Kendricks, two defensive linemen, Damarius Randall, two top-notch veteran corners, another drafted corner, I mean...do I need to spell it out, really?
3: The Steelers defense yielded 19.4 points per-game while the Browns coughed up over 25. It's about a two field goal difference.
The Steelers were usually in the lead, and often rendered opposing offenses one-dimensional late in games.
Tyrod Taylor, Josh Gordon, Njoku, Duke, Suggs survey says: That won't happen vs the Browns in 2018.
Maurice and James weren't picking on the Steelers. They just know coaching and talent when they see it.
I still can't predict a sweep. Some how, some way, the zebras will make sure the Steelers win one.
But both teams will sweep the perennially-overrated Ravens-check.
Martin McConnell wrote about how the Browns could win Superbowl 53 (2019).
Great article! Martin factors in dumb luck and stuff, but the second of his five reasons is "defense wins championships".
As usual, for my regular readers there's not much new here. Marty identifies most of the young talent here under Gregg Williams' insideously diabolical management.
I just need to add that not only Denzel Ward, but also Rodney Averyfield and Rodney Simeonfield will enter their second seasons in 2019, and the latter two are potential starters as well.
Redundancy alert: Marty might be stealing from my Blog, like several other scumbags, but anyway he points out how Dorsey has created intense competition at every single position on this roster.
"Iron sharpens iron". (See my post from around 5 weeks ago gdammit).
In the end, Martin sounds skeptical: Everything has to go perfectly. In 2019.
The Eagles winning the Lombardy last season wasn't about luck. They were more talented than the Patriots, Pederson and company refused to fall for Lord Insideous's Jedi mind-trick, and Nick Foles forgot he was a "loser".
Tom Brady is human. Gronk was MIA. Screw the mystical crap: The better team won.
The 2019 Browns will be one of the most talented and deepest in the NFL. If Williams and Dorsey are still here (in whatever capacities), they'll be one of the best-coached, as well.
Give Marty a day or a week, and these things might "occur" to him:
1: I'd like to see Kendricks extended, but Genard Avery is his clone, and is younger and cheaper.
1a: Jamie Collins will be very tradeable, should Dorsey/Williams think extending Kendricks instead of keeping Jamie is smarter.
2: What if BOTH Corey Coleman and Antonio Callaway emerge as lethal weapons? It's irrational to assume that either of them will just crap out. Coleman has little trade value now, but...
3: Damion Ratley is no joke. He's much closer to 6'3" than "6'1"" and he clocked 4.36 in the 40. He showed up well in the agility drills as well.
His big issue is that he's skinny and needs Hans and Franz to pump him up. Come 2019, Ratley will be bigger and stronger (and possibly even quicker and faster): I predict that if he hangs around here somehow in 2018, Ratley will be the favorite at number 3 in 2019...
Okay well I mean behind Gordon and Landry; he's an outside receiver, not a slot guy...okay I mean right behind Gordon on the outside okay? But a deep/red zone threat you get that right?
4: Tyrod Taylor is center stage in 2018, while Baker Mayfield gets to collect splinters and watch, as he did when he transferred in college.
If you don't get that Baker Mayfield was the best quarterback in this draft class (including "upside"), I can't persuade you.
But in my (well-supported by a bunch of legitimate ex-qb, coach, and GM opinions 👇), Baker Mayfield is like Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner, and Drew Brees.
Just a mention here: One ex-quarterback pointed out in a lengthy film-study how Mayfield throws from his tippy-toes. He compared him to Drew Brees, who does the same thing.
Whenever he's stationary (ie not running for his life), this is how Mayfield sets up; on his toes--and he throws from this stance (in Mayfield's case, with plus arm-strength and deadly touch and accuracy; I mean it's hardwired into him--this is "how he throws", see?)
Well I assume he's a size eleven, so (pause whilst I do complex calculations) I estimate that Baker is temporarily 6'4"-plus when he stands in a pocket (and I mean "stands", because as the former quarterback analyst pointed out, Mayfield "plays on his toes" every chance he gets.
Screw the deep analysis: Baker Mayfield was the best quarterback in this draft class, and might be better than Wentz and Watson too:
As a pure passer, Mayfield is clearly better than both (deal with it).
...well that's kinda it, aint it? I mean, Watson (assuming he's like he was before his injury) is a scary dual threat, and Wentz is bigger and stronger and (assuming he's like he was before) can run around...
I'm not bashing these guys by any means. For all I know they could both be Hall of Famers.
But I prefer Baker Mayfield to both of them.
He's more accurate (at every level, including deep). Mayfield is a natural-born leader:
Once again, I'm not bashing Watson or Wentz here: It's just that Mayfield is all over the place, talking to the whole team (offense and defense). He's "one of the guys". It's genuine, and that's why all his coaches, as well as all his teammates, loved him.
This MATTERS.
I've lost most of you here, but let me simplify it:
I prefer Aaron Rodgers or Kurt Warner or Drew Brees to Big Ben, or even Tom Brady.
In 2019, Baker Mayfield will have himself a PARTY.
Superbowl? I don't know. But with all due (or undue) respect to Martin, it won't come down to luck.
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