The Browns punked the mighty Cowboys in Jerry World, convincingly.
But I have to agree with Steve Jessick Jr: Free Safety Andrew Sendejo needs to be repaced.
Sendejo has a ton of experience, and played well last season with the Vikings. He's played both strong and free, and may be, like Jabrill Peppers, better suited to the latter.
He was never going to replace a healthy Karl Joseph at that spot, and defaulted to Free.
Father Time may also have overtaken Sendejo.
It's too late to blame his costly mistakes on the new system and the lack of a preseason, but it goes without saying that Joe Woods saw what we've all been seeing, and will make one or more of the moves Steve recommended.
It's likely that Joe planned to ease Ronny Harrison or Rodney Redwinefield ahead of the more experienced Sendejo all along after the first quarter of the season (after "preseason", see?)
I've heard conflicting scouting reports on Redwine. Some say he's better suited to Strong Safety, but he's listed behind Sendejo at Free on the Our Lad's depth chart (with Harrison at Strong).
Ronny Harrison, entering his third NFL season, was rated (at least by the linked analyst) as one of the best Safeties in his draft class, and is definitely capable of playing "center field".
The weaknesses cited in this profile were all correctable, and Harrison has had two NFL seasons (and starting experience) to work on them, and he is a "specimin".
The worst of these weaknesses was the fact that he sometimes misread things and came forward prematurely--doing exactly what Sendejo did at least twice vs Dallas (2 Dallas TDs).
You can understand Woods' hesitation to start Ronny if he's still doing this, but the Dallas game probably forced his hand. I expect Harrison to start at Free Safety vs the Colts.
Like Steve says, Sendejo has been terrible, and it really can't get worse, so why not?
One minor point: Free Safeties rarely expect "help" over the top. They are the help. In general in a cover 1 or cover 3, they are expected to stay "on top of" the deepest receiver.
A few more notes: Denzel Ward has the same groin injury that Joe Haden had here the year before he was allowed to leave, and we can't expect him to play as well as he did in 2019.
Groin issues inhibit Cornerbacks more than anybody else.
Greedy Williams might be back for the Colts game, but I agree with Elliott Kennel et al that the Browns will need to address Cornerback again.
Ward's own health isses are getting blown out of proportion, since several of his missed games were due to concussions and, as Gregg Williams said, these were Ward's fault, for trying to take down Tight Ends face-to-face (correctable; He's too tough for his own good).
Williams might be worse, though. He's been dinged up with assorted injuries since before his first preseason game. We can hope these are anomolous, but can't count on it.
Meanwhile, Rodney Mitchellfield is the best Cornerback on this roster at this time, and should be extended.
(I can't believe some of you people, predicting Mitchell would be released! DOYEEE)
Next up it's the Colts.
Ellis L Williams did a great preview of this game, which mostly speaks for itself.
The biggest issue here is that the Colts' Defense might be the best in the NFL! Better than the Steelers and Ravens, even!
But then, the Washington Defense was ranked near the top until they ran into the Cleveland Browns, and as Ellis mentioned, the Colts haven't played good teams so far.
The Colts drafted human wrecking ball Jonathan Taylor high, and are trying to do what the Browns are doing (run first), but it hasn't been working for them so far.
The Bengals just beat the Jags 33-25, and are still being underrated, but the Browns' stompage of the Cowboys, and 45+ point per game average over the last 3 games (including vs Washington's Defense) say that the Browns are a force to not be reckoned with.
The Browns should win.
One could argue that the Browns' Defense would be at least above average with a decent Free Safety and Greedy Williams on the perimeter.
I've all but given up on Pegleg Vernon (nice move, Dorsey, dammit)
Now for some corrections:
Get up off the Browns' Linebackers! They've been weak in coverage, but that's why Joe Woods uses an extra safety sometimes. His Linebackers are Linebackers, and stop the run (or rush the passer) first.
Jacob Phillips finally got on the field and single-handedly stopped a classic Dak Prescott comeback at a critical time in the game with a hurry, a "stuff", and finally nailing a receiver 3 yards short of the sticks (out of coverage).
Zeke Elliott never got off the ground vs these guys--don't you get this?
Phillips and Takitaki are near the bottom of their growth curves, and it would be stupid to replace them with another old "meh" geezer who can cover and can't shed blocks.
I forgot Rodney Wilsonfield, who can cover!
Kristopher Knox lists 5 reasons why the 2020 Browns are contenders:
Kris covered it pretty well, but 3 points he made warrant more depth:
1: The Offensive Line is suddenly one of the best in the NFL. This is more important than anything else for an Offense, just as a Defensive front is most important for a Defense.
Running Backs get holes and Quarterbacks get time. It's not rocket science. Give Berry (and Dorsey) credit here for Conklin and Teller.
2: Kris calls Baker Mayfield the "ultimate game manager", but he's more than that.
Steven A Smith scoffed at a colleague who called the 2020 Browns a playoff team, saying that Kevin Stefanski had figured out how to win games "without a Quarterback".
I respect Steven, but he's fulla beans on this one:
"Gunslinger" is Baker Mayfield's default setting. He hasn't been required to carry this Offense yet, but that doesn't negate his history from Highschool through 2018 in the NFL. It doesn't mean he can't do it again.
Jeez, Steven! He's hard-wired to be like Brett Favre! He's working hard to override those instincts! He'll manage games until his team falls too far behind, and then he'll hurry up and be HIMSELF again.
3: There are indeed playmakers on Defense, aside from Myles Garrett:
Phillips will become one. What he did on that Prescott comeback drive was just a sneak preview. He's 6'3" tall and will add muscle. He's faster than most Tight Ends and even some Wide Receivers. He's a tackling machine.
Porter Gustin is no flash in the pan, and has remained healthy.
Ward and Williams are extremely fast, and Ronnie Harrison has big plays written all over him in year 3.
The bad news is in, as Nick Chubb goes on IR.
You can’t replace this extraordinary player (nice pick Dorsey), but look at the Dallas game:
With Kareem Hunt not at 100%, Stefanski made “third string” RB D’Earnest Johnson his primary RB, and D’Earnest towm UP!!!
Johnson (and Hilliard) are underrated, mainly because they’re smallish, at a little over 200 lbs.
Niether can be expected to “carry the load” like the bigger, stronger Hunt and Chubb.
But the Shanahanian Zone scheme makes “little” quick guys like this look great.
I wish I could remember and give credit to the Film Room guy who told me this, but so far, the Browns have blocked almost as much G-power and gap as they have zone in 2020.
They can do this because Wyatt Teller is a “road-grader”, and Joel Bitonio can do that stuff too. Hunt is 217 lbs and Chubb over 225; they blow through arm-tackles and run people over.
Hilliard and Johnson are different, but (as he did with Dalvin Cook), Stefanski can lean harder on zone-blocking to help them out.
That’s assuming Kareem Hunt doesn’t get back to 100% for the Colts game.
Okbye
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