I was able to listen to most of the first half of the last preseason game vs the Lions, and some of the second half.
No surprise on Mayfield with/against scrubs. It doesn't mean too much, except he is capable of helping some of the other guys make the team with accurate and timely passes (like the big ones to Cajuste and Dayes).
You'll notice that he spread it around equally, too (rather than hammering Callaway over and over again, for example). I believe he was doing this deliberately, to give the coaches something to look out with each of these guys.
If you read this Blog, you know I'm a big Matt Dayes fan, and compared him to Earnest Byner. The coaches have been hammering Chubb hard, and Dayes/Hilliard have barely seen the field except on special teams.
They both looked terrific, but Dayes won this round. Both these guys fit a Duke Johnson role. Hilliard is quicker/faster but a little smaller. Dayes just has something special between his ears (like Byner did).
Dayes should make this team as a Duke sub and special teamer. I think. Not sure about Hilliard--only so many practice squad slots.
The defensive star of the game was obviously Nate Orchard.
This sideline guy keeps talking about Orchard vs Nassib. See my last post: Nate Orchard can and has played outside linebacker in both a 3-4 and 4-3, as well as defensive end in a 4-3.
Carl Nassib is a defensive end/tackle. He was tested at 3-4 outside linebacker at his combine, but since then has committed to defensive end and built himself up accordingly. The two players are totally different.
In Gregg Williams' mind, trust me: Nate Orchard is a capable linebacker in any alignment/scheme, as well as a 4-3 defensive end.
The Browns just cut Mychal Kendricks, so Nate Orchard and Carl Nassib could now both make the final cut.
As you know, I was rooting for Cajuste, but he committed two penalties that I know of, even as he made great plays both blocking and catching. I'm not sure how that will work out with Gregg Williams. I lean towards leniency, since Cajuste is still a young (and desperate) player.
Doug Dieken expressed some opinions on Desmond Harrison (who "started" at left tackle tonight)...but what does he know?
Doug is impressed by Harrison's footwork in pass-protection, and kept singling him out for pancake run-blocks earlier, as well.
Doug came right out and said what I've been saying: The Browns see Des Harrison as a potentially great left tackle. Like me, Doug and Jim are impressed by his meteoric ascent to number two left tackle, and both said he might be starting sooner rather than later.
I get the warm fuzzies when people you guys actually listen to sound like they're reading scripts I wrote (here) several weeks ago.
Dan Labbe (who I assume watched the whole game) weighs in with his angle on players who helped or hurt their chances tonight:
Dayes and Orchard naturally, but his third guy is wide receiver Da'Mari Scott, and cornerback Denzel Rice.
Dan thinks Cajuste was up-and down, and that his fate hinges on the health of Seth DeValve. I get where Dan is coming from here, but still think the Browns might keep four tight ends.
The guy Dan skips over is cornerback Jeremiah McKinnon, who was just...everywhere! Covering, tackling, making play after play. THAT guy made this team for sure! He's been kicking ass throughout camp and preseason!
I know there are a bunch of cornerbacks here, but this guy has been outperforming all of them, except Ward and Mitchell! I'm shocked that Dan overlooked him.
Good article by Fred Greetham:
Fred liked Mayfield's performance...okay (you guys know I say he was the best quarterback in this class, right)--these guys are over the top on this stuff here:
The Browns have extraordinary offensive depth, and the other ten players surrounding Mayfield generally overmatched the Lions' scrubs.
Mayfield had a clean pocket, good down-and-distance situations, and Dayes. This is why two posts ago I predicted a massacre, and pundits ranting about how great Mayfield looked (note: Fred is a pundit...is any of this sinking in yet?)
Fred's analysis of the defense and running game encompassed the whole preseason and was spot-on. Both look dominating (well except for the run vs those pesky Eagles, which Fred overlooked).
Here, the very bottom of the Lions roster racked up points vs their Browns counterparts in the 4th quarter, but the majority of these guys will be on practice squads, in Arena Football or Canada, or just plain have real jobs next week.
Fred notes too many penalties. Amen. Gotta fix that. Most were offensive, but two were on Cajuste. I still root for the guy. Haley can fix him. But yes, he is a possible cut.
Here come the Steelers. Fred points out that the Browns haven't won their opening game since forever. Irrelevant.
New GM. New Offensive Coordinator. Proven, solid veteran quarterback. If you think the Browns will lose because the Steelers have a better quarterback and are veterans who won't screw up (and oh by the way a proven top contender), I respect that.
But if you think this Browns team will lose because previous Browns teams lost all their openers, you're clueless.
These historical stats would be relevant if the given regime and the majority of the players were the same; for example for the Patriots, Steelers, Falcons, Saints, Packers etc.
But they are irrelevant for teams like the 49ers, Rams, or Browns.
As I've posted before, Todd Haley brought more than just himself to the 2018 Browns.
The Steelers new Offensive Coordinator intends to run most of Haley's system as-is (smart guy!) Naturally, they'll have to change the play-calling "language" from that which Haley used (as Haley will have changed his own)...
Well I'll get into that tactical stuff tomorrow.
For now, I came in under the wire for last call at Applebees and have already made this post too long (plus the tactical stuff vs the Steelers will be fascinating by itself).
More generally speaking, the 2018 Browns are not intimidated by the 2018 Steelers. Everybody (except maybe Hue Jackson) expects the better team to win.
You got Antonio Brown? We got Josh Gordon. And Landry. And a better defense than you, chock full of zone-block hand grenades, LaVeon Bell kryptonite safetybackers, and passrushers your quarterback can't shrug off.
More on that later: The point I'll close on here is this: Unless Hue Jackson overrides Haley or Williams, or the referees screw the Browns again, the 2018 Browns won't CHOKE this time.
And the 2018 Browns have better overall talent than the 2018 Steelers. DEAL with it.
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