Former Offensive Lineman Geoff Schwartze weighed in on Baker Mayfield and his Offensive Line, and it wasn't kind to the Quarterback.
Like other real expert analysts, Goeff introduced exhibits A through Z in the form of film-clips, but this time with more depth:
Geoff compares Mayfield to Mariota, as both Quarterbacks have been guilty of holding the ball too long. In Baker's case, he's also fleeing a good pocket, and at times dropping too deep.
Schwartz says that if that Quarterback gets a yard deeper than where he is supposed to be, he's sticking it to his tackles, who are protecting the spot where he is supposed to stop his retreat.
The tackle is slowing and preparing to anchor, to prevent a bull-rush or inside move. The Quarterback dropping too deep allows the edge-rusher to get around him.
Schwartz isn't bashing Mayfield. He stipulates that the Browns' Offensive Line is not an elite unit, and lists scheme and personnel (coaching) as possible culprits.
Indeed, Doug Farrar has a lot to add to what Mitchell's brother said, and (sigh) yet again proves my humble self a humble genius -blush-blush-:
Last season, Freddie ran "big" personnel (21 or 12 sets) over one third of the time. This season, he is running it less than 10% of the time (it's 3-wide all the time).
The extra Tight End or Running Back in the 21 or 12 sets is a blocker, as well as a receiver.
Freddie didn't get overly cute with these guys, either. At least one, and often both, Tight Ends were right off the tackles, and at least one running back was in the actual backfield, ready to run or protect.
(*This is partly why Duke Johnson wanted out: He was protecting Mayfield more than he was running or going out for passes*).
This was kind of the opposite of a "spread" offense. The Browns successfully ran the ball out of it, but also it concentrated the defense inside and opened up the sidelines;
Yes, the 2 Wide Receivers had cornerbacks on them, but they were rarely double-covered, and if the corner didn't nail them immediately, it was off to the races.
The receivers ran shorter routes, across the middle or to the sidelines. Baker was under center or in the Pistol a lot, and Freddie's 2018 Browns ran a lot of play-action.
Mayfield got rid of the ball quickly (and on the money) most of the time.
So what, Doug wonders, tf happened!?!
Baker is partly holding the ball too long because the routes are now vertical, and take longer to develop, especially against zone coverages custom-made to take the deep stuff away.
The West Coast Offense was designed to beat these coverages (and edge-rushers), and press/man corners were designed to beat the West Coast.
Maybe Todd Monken isn't listening to Steve Wilks, but Freddie should be. I'm pretty sure he's shouting "do what you did last season!!!"
Last season, Freddie ran a fast-paced offense, often with pre-snap motions. As Doug Farrar points out, defenses had issues substituting, matching up, and diagnosing before the ball was snapped.
Now, each down is a laborious, sluggish, agonizingly slow Broadway production, giving the defense plenty of time to get a nice bead on what the Browns are about to do wtf!?!
Steve Patsko plays Captain Obvious here as he suggests that more play-action would help Baker Mayfield and the offense a lot...
...and yes, that's another thing that's been all but deleted from the 2018 Offense.
I remember a Browns assistant talking about how Freddie Kitchens intended to run a "collaborative" offense with input from everybody (presumably starting with new OC Todd Monken).
This sounded good to me at the time...but then, I was assuming that Freddie would retain ultimate control.
I repeat that I think Freddie Kitchens is smarter than everybody else, but doesn't believe it. How can he say that the schemes and alignments aren't a problem? The only one he's fooling is himself!
Humility is good, Freddie. But this is rediculous. In 2018 YOU YOU YOU turned this offense around, and it's the changes that are destroying it (and a great Quarterback) right under your nose!!! OMFG!!!!
You're committing suicide, Freddie. GROW A PAIR and take your fkng offense back!
Why are the Browns doomed vs the juggernaut Ravens in the minds of nearly everybody?
The Browns confronted 2 top 10 defenses while the Ravens faced 2 of the worst in the NFL.
Lamar and company sputtered and lost to the Chiefs, while Mayfield and the Browns lost to the Superbowl Rams.
There's no denying that Lamar Jackson is much better as a pure QB in year 2, or that that running game is awesome, but waitaminnit:
The Ravens defense is NOT as good as it was last season, and it's early stats are inflated by two tomato cans.
While both secondaries are decimated by injuries, the Browns are the team with OBJ, as well as better secondary depth---coached by Steve Wilks (a "zone" guy).
Have they faced anybody like Nick Chubb yet? Or OBJ? Aside from KC, has this "dominating" Ravens defense faced an Offensive Line like the Browns?
And aside from Mahomes, a Quarterback like Mayfield? A defensive line like this?
But noooo! The Ravens are vastly superior to the lowly Browns, and will no doubt dominate them, like they did last...pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
I can't predict a Browns win in Baltimore, but it's idiotic to predict a Ravens win by 6 points.
In seclusion, my updated Browns W/L prediction is 14-2. I will update this when new data shows up.
As for Browns vs Ravens, Kitchens' Browns will win. The "consensus" Browns will lose.
(Late note: Fantasy Expert thinks Monken calling plays would fix everything. Wow.)
There it is.
Okbye.
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