Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Woods, Callahan, Mayfield's Slump, Shanahan's Offense. and Into to Capology and Basic Arithmatic

Did anybody else watch the Superbowl?

We can pick on Kyle Shahahan for what he did/didn't do with 1:48 remaining in the first half.  It was beyond Martonian:

They didn't even need to use that time out, or even risk a pass.  Just hurry up and run the ball.  If they stop you for under 4 yards, THEY might call a time out!

Who are we to question Shanahan basicly conceding that possession?  We're sentient beings!  That's the CHIEFS over there!  If you're tied with them, you are losing.

Coaches under pressure overthink this stuff, ok?  What if Mahomes gets it back at his 30 with a whole twelve seconds left?  What if a punt is returned for a touchdown?  Man, you can't coach like that!!!  I mean what if you go into halftime without putting any more points on the board?  (oh yeah we got that answer).

But Kyle Shanahan took a crappy team to the Superbowl in 2 seasons and looks to me like a future Hall of Fame Head Coach, so don't think I'm one of those dumbasses who throws out the 99% good over a 1% brain fart, ok?

Anyway the Browns now have Joe Woods as DC out of that whole deal, and his crew gave Pat Mahomes all sorts of problems.

And you saw what that zone-blocking scheme can do (and Garropolo actually looked good for most of the game off play-action too).

Check previous posts: Kevin Stefanski and Bill Callahan will definitely run a version of that offensive scheme---but I can add a little more to that, thanks to Charlie Weiss:

The "one-cut" zone-blocking running back has to break a tackle or two after his cut, (ergo Nick Chubb is the PROTOTYPE one-cut back).

Zone-blocking doesn't knock any of the big guys on their butts, or even neccessarily push them around, ok?  It just engages and "occupies" them, while the blockers who release upfield simply block any linebacker, safety, or whoever who is near their vertical lane.

It's "sloppy" in some ways, as none of the Offensive linemen know exactly where that running back will go (so they're mainly trying to just push them back rather than to get inside or outside leverage on them, see?)

The defenders, looking past them, can see where the back is going, and have a better chance to shed blocks, or at least dive at the running back as he tries to get by.

Nick Chubb barely even slows down unless you are squared up on him.  He's better than all those 'Niner running backs; more power and better long speed.  

(Previous posts) you can draft and sign offensive linemen cheaper in this system than in Hue Jackson's power/man system.  It's very simple, stresses athleticism, and makes passrushers hesitant.

I've also posted about Joe Woods maybe indeed starting a switch from 4-3 to 3-4 in 2020, since an objective look at the Browns' front 7 says that could go either way.

I need to add here that Chris Kirksey might still be a keeper in that case, as he is a better fit at ILB in a 3-4 than he was at WIL in a 4-3.

Schobert fits too, but his Brinks truck might be too big to fit in Berea.

Elliott Kennel offers several theories for Baker Mayfield's sophomore slump, including Zampese---who, like Wylie said--might have had more to do with Mayfield's success in 2018 than Kitchens had--and Wylie himself, who had the same two Offensive Tackles ranked much higher in 2018.

I repeat: I was never impressed by Campen, who replaced Wylie as Oline coach.  His lines in Green Bay were mediocre, notably in 2017.

A bunch of this is politics; the "old boys' network", and I will never again take that "highly respected" stuff at face value.

Callahan?  Whole different story! HIS Offensive Lines have ALWAYS kicked ass (SOLD!)

And then of course the OBJ factor:  DEFINITELY that screwed Mayfield up, as he abandoned his natural, instincive, "equal opportunity" field-reading and started forcing balls to OBJ.

Elliott is wrong to lump Landry in with OBJ.  Mayfield haD great chemistry with Jarvis Landry, and he's extremely reliable.  Baker Mayfield didn't force anything to Landry.  This is why Jarvis Landry outperformed OBJ (significantly).


I still favor trading OBJ and his salary for a king's ransom.  I know all those ex-players on those NFL shows are ranting about the "LSU brothers" and stuff, and OBJ feels good about Stefanski's plans for him and all, but Mayfield makes the receiver--not the reverse.


Baker Mayfield kicked ass with Landry, Higgins, and guys named Joe.  As Elliott (sorta) says, compare the receiving stats from 2019 to those in 2018...except...sorry, but Elliott?

OBJ and Hunt weren't here in 2018, and Hunt became the third receiver half way through the season.  And Freddie benched Njoku.

Jarvis Landry was never a problem.  OBJ was.  Check that out with PFF.  I stipulate that it wasn't OBJ's fault, but he caught less than 60% of his targets (I think).

In reality, Kareem Hunt was the third option, Elliott, and if he'd been here for 16 games---well there's that.

But your main point is valid: Baker Mayfield must not be forced into a "quota system" in which he has to favor a number one WR.  This is why trading Peppers, 17 overall, and a third round pick for OBJ was STUPID, and undoing some of that damage by trading the guy would be smart.

Everybody is assuming Olivier Vernon is a lock to stay at 15 million too...and I thought I sucked at math!!!

Last time I ran for office, I promised to give every family a printing press so they could make their own money.  It would have eliminated poverty!  Where were you guys when I needed your votes?






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