I'm glad to see that most of the punditary predictions of the outcome of the season opener are realistic (ie the Browns lose).
I have a problem with Chris Pokorney's introductory analysis, however:
It was nearly perfect, except when he got to the Browns' Linebackers--citing their inexperience as the fatal difference in this game, and the fact that none of them were drafted above the middle rounds (here Chris implies that they lack talent, ok?)
All you people need to do is scan my last 5 posts to see what's wrong with Chris's take:
Why did Joe Woods ask Andrew Berry to draft somebody like Jacob Phillips instead of his uber-athletic teammate, Patrick Queen?
Seems to me, Joe prefers "downhill" Linebackers who stuff the run.
Then there's Karl Joseph, Ronnie Harrison, and "run-stuffing" Linebacker BJ Goodson. Then there's the fact that former DE Sione Takitaki was a "starter" before Mack Wilson went down.
Then there's the types of Defensive Tackles who fill that entire room: There are zero zeros (true Nose Tackles). ALL of them are quick-twitch penetrators first.
Can't Chris et al add this up?
Sigh Joe Woods' Linebackers need to be real Linebackers, who can shed blocks, are sure tacklers, and stop the run first.
Honest, Chris: This isn't like first year Cornerbacks or Wide Receivers or Quarterbacks or Left Tackles, ok?
The best (off-the-ball) Linebackers read plays quickly (are "instinctive"), and as part of a Defense have clear gap-responsibilities vs the run (ps they fire into those gaps rather than hang around and try to ankle-tackle people).
Pokorney et al are no doubt expecting these youngsters to "take the cheese" sometimes, (and more often than not, that's in their NFL Draft profiles), but...
...stay with me here: In the NFL, a Linebacker rarely has more than two choices vs a run.
Sure, Zone-blocking and no clear or fixed gaps make it more complicated, but they still just stay between a Guard and Tackle (or whatever) and attack between them when they see the RB has nowhere else to go...
Chris Pokorney is also paranoid about these inexperienced Linebackers in coverage.
Sigh obviously Joe Woods wants to field five actual DBs who can actually cover, so that his two Linebackers don't have to cover much (remember: Queen vs Phillips).
Sigh don't expect Takitaki or Goodson 15 yards upfield in footraces with Ertz or Kittle (good grief).
Phillips might jam and run with a Tight End, but even he won't be asked to shadow him through his route (for now).
Joe Woods' Linebackers will cover in zone (when not blitzing).
Remember James Harrison (the dirtiest cheap shot artist in the NFL with the Steelers):
His biggest claim to fame was sacking Quarterbacks, but he was also great at knocking receivers out in zone coverage.
Harrison wasn't drafted, and was cut and stashed for several years, because he was 6' tall, and not very fast (*sucked in coverage*).
Once Harrison got his shot, he proved one of the best Edge-rushers in the NFL, but also caused fumbles and got interceptions in "coverage".
"Coverage" haha: James Harrison backed up a few yards (to a predesignated spot), and became a human land-mine.
Really, you people...Big Linebackers standing there with bad intentions force potential receivers to (ahem) avoid them, and this is by design.
Still with me here?
In addition to screwing all the timing routes up, the Safeties and Cornerbacks can leverage their coverage off their predisignated human check-points.
Joe Woods isn't Dick LaBeau, but I strongly suspect that he intends to icorporate some of the same common sense in this 4-2 defense.
Chris Pokorney is a terrific analyst, but none of the yokel pundits seem to comprehend the obvious Joe Woods scheme, or why the "inexperienced" Linebackers (who were drafted low--like a lot of the Linebackers in the Hall of Fame were).
You get it? Joe Woods has the Linebackers he wanted, and it's not rocket science.
Jeez and anyway, you need to surround and attack Lamar Jackson! These Linebackers Pokorney are custom-made to seal off his favorite escape routes!
If Joe Woods is as smart as my humble self, he will blitze (with a Linebacker) a lot.
He will press/man both outside WRs, trust his excellent depth and legit FS vs Brown...
Pearls b4 swine last call okbye
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