Looking Ahead Past Patriots vs Browns. Browns go from Overhyped to underrated.

Ok so Greg Robinson (according to Greg Robinson) has indeed been benched, and his replacement looks like Justin McCray.

Not only was McCray undrafted, but I can't find anything on the guy prior to his 2018 appearance with the Packers as an undrafted free agent.

Well, the Packers re-signed McCray, and he has started a number of games for them, so he's not a bumb.

John Dorsey came out of the Packers' organization, and his top two front office assistants know McCray from the ground up.

Obviously, they think Justin McCray is better than Greg Robinson.

This might also be a bandaid, pending a trade (for Vaitai, which is the only Left Tackle who makes sense...for anybody with a brain.)

On to the Patriots:

Freddie Kitchens needs to keep the pedal to the metal if he should get a lead.  Pats opponents tend to get conservative way too early vs the Patriots, and then in less than 3 minutes the well-oiled offense racks up 14-17 points.

Also, they need to pressure Tom Brady up the gut and in his face.  Edge-pressure doesn't bother Tom Brady much, as he expertly steps here and there in the pocket and delivers quickly.

That's on Ogunjobi and Richardson obstensibly, but Garrett and Vernon are great stunters, and Steve Wilks doesn't need to sweat containment on Mount Tom.

Stunts open up gaps that the Patriots have the people to exploit, but inside pressure is simply the best chance any defense has against this offense.

Blitzing is not the way.  Tom Brady burns blitzes in his sleep.  With 7 guys in coverage, he's mortal.  The exception is an occasional inside blitze that goes unblocked and reaches him almost immediately.

The good news here is that these are "run-blitzes" and have a chance at blowing up handoffs between the tackles as well.

The Pats have a really good Offensive Line, unfortunately.  They're veterans too: They're ready for twists and stunts.

I don't understand why Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson have been mediocre so far, but gdammit this front 4 should defeat ANY offensive line, including this one...

It's maddening.

Oh by the way most of this isn't me.  I'm channeling Charlie Weis, who nursed Tom Brady into starterhood and built the offense the Patriots still use.

Charlie expects the Browns to lose, but not get massacred...unless they keep deflecting passes to defenders, use 7-step drops and vertical patterns, rely on power/man blocking...

Ok Charlie didn't say all that, but to my regulars it's pretty obvious.  (Feel free to "fact-check" with Charlie Weis if you dare).

Charlie expects the Browns' defense to give the Pats offense trouble, but expects the Pats defense to stifle the Browns' offense.

Sadly, so do I.

Hope for the Browns' defense to act as talented as is, for once.  If it does, it can hold the Pats under 20 points, and possibly score.

Hope for the Browns' Special Teams to at least break even.  

Hope (most of all) that Freddie Kitchens is running the offense, because:

Nick Chubb is critical here.  The Patriots defense is awesome vs both the pass and the run, so it's pick your poison time, k?

Well, in 2018 Freddie used lots of 21, 12, and even 22 sets, and short and intermediate receivers (ie checkdown options): 

Clearly, Baker Mayfield has been "holding the ball" and "seeing ghosts" in 2019, but most of that hasn't been his fault.  And (listen carefully) it isn't Freddie Kitchens' fault either.

Freddie didn't trade for OBJ.  And no fkng way did he tell Mayfield to favor him over anybody else.  And (why isn't this obvious to you cretins?) these 11 and zero sets and vertical routes are all Monken.

I REPEAT:  Freddie Kitchens is NOT the problem here.  His lack of ambition, ego, and assertiveness is.

If FREDDIE is in charge vs the Patriots, we'll see what we saw in 2018:

3-wides only when the third guy is a Tight End or a Running Back.  Play-action, pistol or short drops;

Mayfield had an immediate outlet, crossing or slanting or drifting, but also that deep flyer.

Do you get this?  

Of course not.  Anyhoo the Browns' only chance to upset the Patriots involves Freddie Kitchens (and not Todd Monken) running the Offense.

Do you get any of this?

The 2019 Pats get tons of sacks and interceptions, and OBVIOUSLY the 7-step shotgun 3/4-wide Monken stuff hasn't worked, right?

Sentient beings stick with what works.  Ask Darwin (but I digress):

The Browns have a "puncher's chance" to upset the Patriots, if they don't keep dropping passes, throwing innacurate passes, missing tackles, blowing routes and blocks and...

Well you get it, right?  The Browns have the talent to beat the Patriots, but won't.

(Even if the Bowns did win, the referees would snuff that out).

...but you never know...