I watched most of this excellent Film Room presentation by Rufio breaking down some of the vertical spread concepts that Freddie Kitchens used vs the Ravens in their second game.
Rufio explained how and why they worked, even vs possibly the best defense in the NFL. Properly executed, and with motion, this passing attack is hard to stop.
Rufio kept stressing that each receiver has two or three options, depending on coverage...he implied that Mywayorthehighway Haley didn't give them any such discretion.
These receivers included the rookie Callaway and second-year tight end Njoku, who consistently made the right reads (and didn't screw Mayfield up).
Baker Mayfield took to it like a duck to water, because it's what he ran at Oklahoma.
I've missed a lot of this Monken-like stuff out of Freddie Kitchens. All I had noticed were multiple tight ends and triple running backs.
It really sounds like Kitchens and Monken will get along fine!
Check out that link, and you begin to understand why this offensive system not only doesn't need a "go-to" receiver, but why any such player could be counterproductive.
If that doesn't enlighten you, check out what PFF had to say about the Browns' receivers under Freddie Kitchens in 2018.
Over the last seven games, this corps was one of the best in the NFL.
I suspect that this might have a lot to do with Breshad Perriman's resurgance. Here, nobody can really "key" on him, and defenses know that he will, if he can, go deep on every single snap.
It forces softer coverages. If Mayfield wasn't Mayfield, and Perriman was his crutch, they could put their best press corner on him and back him up with the free safety, forcing the (inferior) quarterback to check down.
You can't do that here. Is any of this sinking in? Defenses this season have sometimes tried to focus on Landry, but soon learned that they can't focus on anybody.
If there are four receivers, Baker Mayfield will hit all four (and the deepest ones most often). Most quarterbacks can't do that..knock-knock anybody home?
Scott Patsco reports that some alleged experts are ranking the Browns third in the AFC North right now. (*Patsco is a smart guy: He's just telling us what these other guys said*)
I assume the Bengals are last and the other guys are first and second. You know--like how they finished in 2018? Is anybody surprised?
One guy even described how the Browns won several games they could have lost!
This crap stuns me. As we know, a good kicker would have beat the Steelers, the Ravens in the rematch, and the Saints (at least). The referees screwed them out of at least one additional win, and frankly Todd Haley probably cost them a game or two as well.
Ravens fans are excited about Lamar Jackson, but who would take Micheal Vick over Aaron Rodgers?
Are you assuming Big Ben will be great again; that losing Antonio Brown won't matter?
Nevermind. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I simply think that these analyses are superficial and devoid of extrapolation/projection/imagination.
I was very pleased to discover that the (literate) Browns' fan-base is smarter than most pundits, as the results of this poll indicate:
"Which position should the Browns draft in the first round?"
The most said DT, and 63% said DT or linebacker.
Only 11% said wide receiver.
No link here (too damn stupid), but another article cites "sources" to assert that John Dorsey wants to upgrade the INTERIOR offensive line, and will draft a CENTER to replace PFF's 5th-ranked center, 27 year-old ex-Packer JC Tretter.
You though that was brilliant? Einstein goes on to say that the Browns need major help at CORNERBACK and Tight End.
See why no link? See why "Idiocracy" looks like something Nosterdamus wrote?
This ESPN report on what an idiot Jimmy Haslam was is thought-provoking, but I can not believe that Haslam overrode all four of his "football people" to hire Hue Jackson over McDermott.
Hue Jackson was THE hottest Head Coach prospect on NFL Radio (and in ESPN)--rightly or wrongly. McDermott was NOT.
This hit-piece has compelled me to re-think my defense of the organizational structure:
It DID render Haslam the ultimate power. If the Head Coach and GM disagreed, it forced Haslam to "meddle", every time he rendered a "verdict".
As for Haslam not liking Teddy Bridgewater's handshake, big deal.
The ESPN article was somewhat biased against Haslam, but tried to be fair and balanced. It pointed out how Jimmy was in the audience (rather than on stage) as Freddie Kitchens was introduced as the new Head Coach.
This was really symbolic, of course. Jimmy (and Dee) Haslam are still in charge, and will still make decisions here and there. ESPN reported it the way Haslam's advisors predicted they would.
Really, the main reason that Sashi Brown was fired was that John Dorsey was hired. Jimmy Haslam backed off right then, because Dorsey was the guy he wanted all along.
"Dysfunction". An impressive word. Almost as impressive as "utilize"...see how smart I sound?
Anyway, here on planet Earth, Paul DePodesta (the "moneyball" guy) is still here, and still answers to Haslam. And (if you listen to the words coming out of his mouth), Mister Football Guy John Dorsey cites PFF micro-stats a lot when talking about players himself.
John Dorsey famously said that the Browns lacked "real football players" when he first came here and was forced to back up Hue Jackson (yeah...Haslam forced Hue on him big screwup check), but he didn't mean it.
Politics suck. Dorsey probably puked the instant he got off that stage, and probably did an "apology tour" to explain to his core players (Garrett/Tretter/Peppers/Njoku/Zeitler/Schobert/Kindred etc) why he had to insult them.
Yeah...Jimmy Haslam put him in that box when he stuck him with Hue Jackson instead of letting him fire him.
In short, Jimmy Haslam has been far from perfect as an embryonic owner, but has not been nearly the meddler or incompetent as pundits label him:
1: He SUGGESTED drafting Johnny Manswell. He didn't ORDER it.
2: EVERYBODY wanted Hue Jackson. Sean McDermott was not nearly as popular among the real experts. You can't call him a dumbass without calling Kirwan, Brandt, etc dumbasses.
3: Sashi Brown built the core of this team (check back a few paragraphs), and Dorsey got Denzel Ward and a couple more terrific players off extra draft picks he inheritted from Sashi.
4: Jimmy Haslam accepted the "rebuild" concept when he hired DePodesta. And because of that, the 2018 Browns were one of the youngest and most talented teams in the NFL...and did I mention that DePodesta is still here?
Jimmy lucked out with Hue Jackson, and drafting 2nd and then 1st overall. Trust me: That was not part of the plan.
5: Haslam jumped all over Dorsey despite the job Sashi Brown had done. He stuck him with Hue Jackson (see earlier posts he kinda had to for political reasons), but he backed off immediately and let Dorsey do his job, immediately.
John Dorsey did an awesome job. Drafting Mayfield (instead of Darnold or whoever) shocked a lot of people, as did Ward over Chubb.
While Chubb vs Ward might be eternally debatable, Baker Mayfield will REMAIN the best quarterback in this draft class.
NICK Chubb is the next Todd Gurley! Callaway is already an elite reciever, and Avery...
Then there's Robinson AND Harrison, plus Perriman, Mitchell, Randall...WOW!!!
6: Believe this: Jimmy Haslam fired both Jackson and Haley, and made Kitchens the interim OC on Dorsey's (and probably DePodesta's) advice.
7: It was John Dorsey who made Freddie Kitchens the new Head Coach.
Jimmy Haslam was never the "meddler" that simpletonians say he has been. He's made mistakes yes, but he's never sucked, and he's getting better.
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