Monday, December 31, 2018

Gregg Williams and Freddie Kitchens: 'Nuff Said? Apparently Not.

The Ravens just barely beat the Browns by two points in Baltimore.  

This did not surprise me, and should not have surprised you (...well of course unless you are new to reading this Blog--or are otherwise mentally impaired).

These Baltimore Ravens just pulverized the Chargers (in San Diego).

At the beginning of this 2018 season, I underestimated the Ravens' defense, Lamar Jackson, the Ravens offensive line (and tight end crew) and (especially) Harbaugh and Martindale.

Don't get me wrong here:  The Browns are more talented overall, and have the better quarterback.  And running back.  And tight end.  And another missed field goal, not to mention an erased turnover and TD, made the difference.

Now, John Dorsey is interviewing a whole bunch of people for the permanent Head Coaching slot.

He really has to, I suppose, just to make sure (and of course to gather intelligence: Opposition research).

I will be disappointed if the Williams/Kitchens team isn't retained.  It's mind-boggling that in the minds of some knowlegable people, Gregg Williams is a dark horse.  What more could he have done?  Isn't performance the most important thing?

And how about continuity?  Does John think new systems are a good idea?

We'll see.  Dorsey has been a freaking genius so far.  Even if he does something that looks dumb to me, I'll knock him for it, but assume he knows better than I do...

Until I am proven right and he is proven wrong.

My heart bleeds for the Steelers.  Not.  I almost wonder if Punker didn't throw that last pick on purpose...did a Steeler "dis" him on Twitter?

Just kidding. (Update: It was deflected)

Damarius Randall states the obvious about the "as-is" Browns' immediate future in the Division and the NFL.  Once Dorsey "churns" the roster a second time, well...

The Steelers and Ravens will never admit to being terrified, but they are.  Because they are sane.

Speaking of sanity, bad news: The Bengals just fired Marvin Lewis.  It might work out for the Browns, however.  Brown might hire Mike McCarthy!

The Browns draft 17th in 2019.  Since they've got quarterback covered, and (sorta) left tackle as well, everybody will want a stud wide receiver.

WRONG.  Vs the best defense in the NFL, FIVE receivers (four wide-outs and Njoku) caught 3-5 passes averaging over 15 yards per.

You can get technical about Callaway's 19.8 YPC (undermined by his 1.5 yard TD), but really everybody except Perriman was over 20 yards per-catch.

Get over that crutch-receiver crap.  Like Rodgers, Brees, Mahomes, Goff, and a few others (yes including Big Ben), Baker Mayfield does not need a crutch receiver.

Burning a high draft pick on one would be wasteful and inefficient.  As it stands, opposing defenses can't key on any of Mayfield's receivers.

That's an advantage.  BAD quarterbacks need crutches.  They have trouble reading through progressions.  They need a bigger target who can overpower and out-jump coverage.

Randy Moss made Daunte Culpepper's carreer.  When he got to the Patriots,  Tom Brady continued to spread the ball around, as he had before and has since.  Culpepper needed him.  Brady didn't.

Plus, in addition to a rejuvinated Brashad Perriman, in the "big/fast" category is Rodney Ratleyfield, and Higgins has trancended his scouting reports too.

As we have seen, the catch-radius stuff hardly matters with this quarterback.  Callaway is 5'11".  Ditto Landry.

Now you think what Mayfield needs is some facsimile of Randy Moss?

Chuh!

So what do the Browns really need?

The best available player.

...or a scary passrushing defensive end, since Ogbah hasn't worked out as well as I'd expected.  (Genard Avery is the next James Harrison, but he can't put his hand in the dirt).

...or maybe another offensive tackle.  Dorsey can't bank on Des Harrison, and Robinson/Hubbard have been just okay.

OLB maybe.  Jamie Collins hasn't lived up to his contract, and Kirksey is overrated.

DT?  Yeah maybe.  Ogunjobi is fine, but not the other guy.

There's more to this:

Austin Corbett isn't a "bust".  He is a candidate at right tackle, as well as the three inside positions.  It's also possible that Dorsey trades somebody to make room for Corbett to start.

It's just barely 2019 and I'm getting hammered with craprap and can't think anymore okbye








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