You sheep who knelt for the National Anthem are useful idiots.
Before you protest an issue, do a modicum of independent research and attempt critical thinking. Because, you know--you look like an idiot when you protest a manufactured, fictional "problem" because marxist puppeteers want us all fighting eachother.
Hook, line, sinker. Try protesting this: "Don't snitch". Babies sleeping in bathtubs to avoid stray bullets. Parents teaching kids that cops are their enemies. LYING. Being a TOOL. Protest that.
Clowns.
And anybody who thinks Briean Boddy-Calhoun did a damn thing wrong is biased as hell too. This is more of the same kind of see what you want to see instead of what's there stupidity. He was off-balance and he went for the thigh. He had to stop him.
Beckham himself isn't among the crybabies. Ed McCaffery and everybody else on NFL Radio said that it was not only legal, but unavoidable. Briean might as well be a...COP.
Everybody is having tantrums over bullcrap. Everybody living in Fantasy Land. Sheep.
But I digress: The defense looks terrific!
The Browns just released Gramps Bryant. Big surprise.
Brandon Thompson is a good player!
Hate to see Tank Carder go down like that, but note to Andrea Hangst:
1: Joe Schobert had already passed Tank up. He's an upgrade.
2: Why do you think the Browns want to get rid of Dominique Alexander or Olugbode? I mean, what's this "vedderunn" crap? They need a veteran so they can get rid of more young talent right?
How many veteran linebackers do we need besides Kirksey and Collins? Schobert and Alexander are second year players. How many years til you get your PHD in linebacking?
Jeez vedderrunn this vedderunn that let the young guys hang around and become veterans ok? And you know what else? A lot of veterans suck!
This just in: The Ohio Supreme Court Justice must have been partying to call the sheep/tools who knelt "draft dodgers", but I grok. For many veterans (and dead police officers' families), you can't wring the blood out of that flag.
But he "misses the message" as well: Let's talk about the real issue: It's all fake bullcrap. NEXT!
Wow Shon Coleman was almost perfect vs the Giants first team defense (per PFF)! Very promising!
McCourty is clearly all the way back too--I see why they wanted to keep him at cornerback.
Rodney Nassibfield got a really high grade too, but I'm not sure how many snaps he got with the ones, and nobody blocked him on his sack. Still, encouraging.
Olivier Vernon ate Greco's lunch. He won't do that to Bitonio.
Schobert? Too obvious. Gregg is indeed finding ways to get him on the field. He plays his best players, and Schobert is one of them.
Corey Coleman is looking good, and didn't get hurt!
I didn't see grades on Roderick Johnson, who started at left tackle, but apparently he's become pretty decent when he's not up against Myles Garrett.
That's part of it, though, isn't it? He'd better learn fast!
No Crowell, so Duke did most of the running. He was just okay, but the Giants are tough.
Osweiler only semi-sucked ok? Kessler was actually better. He got rid of the ball immediately. The problem is it was always to the closest receiver, even on third and long.
Sometimes you have to go short and hope your guy can get it past the sticks, but you're supposed to look deeper first. It looked to me like Cody knew where he was going before the snap, and that's not always good.
Kizer came back down to Earth somewhat, but didn't suck. Hue indeed modified the offense to help him out, and that's a sign of things to come.
As I write this, Hue hasn't picked his game 3 starter yet, but I'm not sure it's Kizer. He held the ball too long too often, and regressed mechanicly. When he overthrew Njoku, I can't say he stepped too far forward, but I do know that that's what makes balls "sail", and that this was a bad habit he brought here with him.
Hue doesn't want him to start repeating this stuff, and that becomes a lot more likely under real pressure in real games.
It's a tough call, since frankly Kizer is already the better quarterback. Despite this, if it's Osweiler, I wouldn't be too shocked.
...Ok it's Kizer.
Well he's not exactly being "thrown to the wolves". Shon Coleman's encouraging performance promises no significant weak spots in one hellacious offensive line.
Ed McCaffrey on NFL Radio questioned this line based on the Giants game. Well Ed, no Joe Thomas or Joel Bitonio. Didn't notice those minor details, huh?
Anyway they'll run a lot, and what you saw of this defense monday night was no mirage. The 2004 Steelers comparison comes back to light:
The rookie Big Ben didn't have to carry his team. He handed off a lot, and was seldom more than a few points behind. He had good field position. His offense was brutally physical.
Jackson will use the pistol, read-option, and rollouts more to let Kizer do what Kizer does best (that's different: Ben was no such athlete. Cowher couldn't do this for him).
Ok stop. I did not just say the 2017 Browns will win the Superbowl like the old Steelers team did. The Division was weaker back then. The 2017 Browns can't bulldoze any of the other three teams offensively, and can only dominate the Ravens defensively.
The more experienced, "settled" veteran teams will tend to win the close games. The 2017 Browns aren't as well situated as that Steeler team was.
What I do say is that the 2017 Browns will be respectable.
I just hope Kizer has his foundation set up. I hope he can maintain his polished form, and start throwing with anticipation.
I also hope Osweiler does great with the twos, so maybe they can get a draft pick for him, because (shhh...Hogan...)
Late notes: Grossi thinks Peppers will start at free safety. I thought that was silly before, but then Kindred pulled into first in that race. If Gregg says Kindred can do it, then Peppers can do it. I stand corrected Bub.
If you want to know who Brandon Thompson is, check out Trevon Coley. Thompson is a tad bigger, and even stronger. Crappy scouting reports aside, he's 6'2", but has extra-LONG arms, demonstrated really good athleticism at his combine, and beat up on everybody he faced at his Senior Bowl.
Like the also mal-scouted Coley, he can play any inside position. Collapses pockets sheds and stuffs holds his ground penetrates (in short makes messes).
He's a third round pick who some projected into the first round. The Bengals are overloaded at defensive tackle, and Thompson suffered an acl tear last season.
Wow six defensive tackles now. I don't know who will win (or survive) this Royal Rumble, but they are gonna be scary, man!
Oh! Oh! And Thompson is a VEDDERRUNN!!!
AH! Pat Kirwan has weighed in on Kizer/Osweiler:
He calls this a brilliant move, because Hue is putting Kizer on the spot in the dress-rehearsal game to see how he'll handle the pressure. Pat calls this a "test", and part of his development.
He's right! Pat says if Kizer stinks up the joint, they'll go right back to Osweiler and put Kizer back in Doctor Jacksonstein's laboratory.
And Kizer could fall on his face! And it might not have to be Osweiler if he does! Kessler will get the bulk of the backup reps, so let's take another look at him. You can't be too quick to write a second or even third year player off, especially when he played well in a terrible situation as a rookie.
Pat talked a lot about what happened to Kizer in his senior season, and it really was alarming. He thinks Hue himself isn't so sure the kid is really as good as he's looked, and figures this game will tell him whether or not he can handle it at this point.
My inner-fan expects Kizer to do okay, but my inner-analyst doesn't know. Well...
Like I said, Hue will adapt his offense to him. His ability make plays with his legs restricts how defenses can come after him. The running game should come out of mothballs for this one. He played a lot of snaps vs the Giants starters--without Thomas or Crowell--and didn't fall apart.
He just overthrew Njoku by about two feet and held the ball too much. Pat is getting stuff like this all out of proportion.
We'll see. If he does maintain his new mechanics and his judgement in this game, it will help "cement" them in, and Hue can relax (a little)...and we can really look forward to the Kizer era.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Monday, August 21, 2017
Browns vs Giants GET RID OF THE DAMN BALL
This is great! McAdoo plans to play his starters into the third quarter monday night! That's an acid test for Osweiler and the (Joe Thomasless) Browns first units.
In fact, with Rod Johnson at left tackle, it could get ugly. Roderick may eventually grow into a good left tackle, but right now? Not good. Not good at all.
But that's good in a way too: Hue and Osweiler will have to cope with this adversity. He still wants to work on the passing game, but in this situation he'll have to play it like it counts and run the rock.
They'll also have to get rid of the ball in a hurry, and keep a tight end in to help Johnson out sometimes, and run some two-back sets (with a fullback).
That's a pretty good defense. Hue might put Kizer in with the first unit some. Good test I like it!
The Giants are loaded with receivers, both wide and tight ends. Their offensive line isn't really good though. Let's see what this front seven makes of that (especially Garrett).
The Browns should win again off superior depth (not that important of course). Kessler should slice up the Giants third string, and the Browns third string front seven should wreck their opposite numbers.
You realize we're talking maybe Tyrone Holmes, Nassib, Cooper, Alexander, Olugbode? They insist on shopping Des Bryant, so you could see Ogunjobi in there too come on now who else has that kind of depth what you kiddin me?
I'm already ready to make some predictions for the regular season (subject to change of course):
1: Myles Garrett will start...ok ok that one doesn't count
1: Coley will get around the same number of snaps as any of the defensive tackles, as he will play both left and right and is a BEAST.
2: Des Bryant will be gone.
...well that's it. I mean I can't predict which defensive ends won't make it. I'm almost ready to put Carl Nassib on the bubble here (now watch him tear up the Giants).
It's too deep. After Garrett and Ogbah, there are usually two more defensive end slots, and they're looking at Tyrone Holmes, Nate Orchard (very similar players btw), Nassib and Cam Johnson.
Johnson has the disadvantage of being the oldest.
Some will say that Orchard wasn't drafted by the current regime. Irrelevant.
Carl Nassib has not, to this point, been impressive at all, while all of the other guys have been. But he's hard to figure, because he has some situational potential inside, and on both sides of the punt teams, and might fit better in short yardage defenses than the other guys do because of his length and size.
There is always the practice squad for some of these guys, but most of them wouldn't make it without getting nabbed, and Johnson isn't eligable.
Linebackers, tight ends, wide receivers and defensive backs make the best special teamers on kickoffs, but field goals and (especially) punts are different.
So maybe between Tabor and Williams, the Browns can find a way to keep some of these guys.
That's another thing: The Browns special teams should actually be special this season. This team is jam-packed with athletic young talent (yes it is!) and Tabor is excellent.
They just addedJosh Cribbs Jabrill Peppers as a returner.
Peppers is a lot like Cribbs. He's very strong, and breaks tackles. Unlike smaller guys, he doesn't try to run around you, but rather by you. He's more "downhill" than other returners, as he fakes and darts just enough to make sure you can't meet him with force, and runs right through your arm-tackles.
You don't catch him from behind, or converge on him. Many returners are faster, but Cribbs/Peppers run more-or-less straight ahead. They need less "daylight". They're avoiding square hits, but not contact, see?
Peppers is the next Josh Cribbs. Make that prediction #3.
Back to the Giants:
They just drafted Tight end Evan Engram. He's a freak who clocked 4.41 at 6'3" 235. Many local yokels thought Hue Jackson needed a tight end who couldn't block and thought the Browns would draft him.
Peppers will help in trying to contain this guy, and look like a nickel back, going where he goes.
I've deleted a bunch of stuff here that got too deep in the weeds, but here's this:
Gregg Williams is different from what you are used to. He uses off-man and zone coverage a lot. Here, we're used to press/man.
Conventional wisdom says that if you blitze, you need press coverage outside to...
Nevermind just know that Williams is different. Okbye
THIS JUST IN: Peter Smith backs me up on Hue Jackson's preseason playcalling, but gets deeper.
I really like his power right, zone left blocking ideas--Pete knows his players!
In fact, with Rod Johnson at left tackle, it could get ugly. Roderick may eventually grow into a good left tackle, but right now? Not good. Not good at all.
But that's good in a way too: Hue and Osweiler will have to cope with this adversity. He still wants to work on the passing game, but in this situation he'll have to play it like it counts and run the rock.
They'll also have to get rid of the ball in a hurry, and keep a tight end in to help Johnson out sometimes, and run some two-back sets (with a fullback).
That's a pretty good defense. Hue might put Kizer in with the first unit some. Good test I like it!
The Giants are loaded with receivers, both wide and tight ends. Their offensive line isn't really good though. Let's see what this front seven makes of that (especially Garrett).
The Browns should win again off superior depth (not that important of course). Kessler should slice up the Giants third string, and the Browns third string front seven should wreck their opposite numbers.
You realize we're talking maybe Tyrone Holmes, Nassib, Cooper, Alexander, Olugbode? They insist on shopping Des Bryant, so you could see Ogunjobi in there too come on now who else has that kind of depth what you kiddin me?
I'm already ready to make some predictions for the regular season (subject to change of course):
1: Myles Garrett will start...ok ok that one doesn't count
1: Coley will get around the same number of snaps as any of the defensive tackles, as he will play both left and right and is a BEAST.
2: Des Bryant will be gone.
...well that's it. I mean I can't predict which defensive ends won't make it. I'm almost ready to put Carl Nassib on the bubble here (now watch him tear up the Giants).
It's too deep. After Garrett and Ogbah, there are usually two more defensive end slots, and they're looking at Tyrone Holmes, Nate Orchard (very similar players btw), Nassib and Cam Johnson.
Johnson has the disadvantage of being the oldest.
Some will say that Orchard wasn't drafted by the current regime. Irrelevant.
Carl Nassib has not, to this point, been impressive at all, while all of the other guys have been. But he's hard to figure, because he has some situational potential inside, and on both sides of the punt teams, and might fit better in short yardage defenses than the other guys do because of his length and size.
There is always the practice squad for some of these guys, but most of them wouldn't make it without getting nabbed, and Johnson isn't eligable.
Linebackers, tight ends, wide receivers and defensive backs make the best special teamers on kickoffs, but field goals and (especially) punts are different.
So maybe between Tabor and Williams, the Browns can find a way to keep some of these guys.
That's another thing: The Browns special teams should actually be special this season. This team is jam-packed with athletic young talent (yes it is!) and Tabor is excellent.
They just added
Peppers is a lot like Cribbs. He's very strong, and breaks tackles. Unlike smaller guys, he doesn't try to run around you, but rather by you. He's more "downhill" than other returners, as he fakes and darts just enough to make sure you can't meet him with force, and runs right through your arm-tackles.
You don't catch him from behind, or converge on him. Many returners are faster, but Cribbs/Peppers run more-or-less straight ahead. They need less "daylight". They're avoiding square hits, but not contact, see?
Peppers is the next Josh Cribbs. Make that prediction #3.
Back to the Giants:
They just drafted Tight end Evan Engram. He's a freak who clocked 4.41 at 6'3" 235. Many local yokels thought Hue Jackson needed a tight end who couldn't block and thought the Browns would draft him.
Peppers will help in trying to contain this guy, and look like a nickel back, going where he goes.
I've deleted a bunch of stuff here that got too deep in the weeds, but here's this:
Gregg Williams is different from what you are used to. He uses off-man and zone coverage a lot. Here, we're used to press/man.
Conventional wisdom says that if you blitze, you need press coverage outside to...
Nevermind just know that Williams is different. Okbye
THIS JUST IN: Peter Smith backs me up on Hue Jackson's preseason playcalling, but gets deeper.
I really like his power right, zone left blocking ideas--Pete knows his players!
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Political Correctness, Hue, Gregg, Qbs and the Browns
Naturally, Danny Shelton is in a big hurry to re-injure his calf by coming back the instant he can walk without a limp, but hopefully the team doctor won't let him.
His likely absence vs the Steelers in the opener--and concerns over his health--could mean that both Coley and Meder make the final cut.
You just wonder then, what about when Danny does come back? Would they consider rolling on with five defensive tackles?
I can tell you one thing: Come cut-down time, it won't matter that Brantley and Ogunjobi were drafted by the Browns, and Coley was a free agent. Coley hasn't been fighting for a roster spot. He's been in the running to start at right dt and be the top left dt from day one, and right now he is ahead of both draft picks.
I'm already sick of hearing the mindless "long way to go/a lot to learn" mantra about Myles Garrett.
Everybody thinks they have to say that about every rookie, to make sure nobody accuses them of irrational fandom. Some poor misguided amateurs even call him a "project"!!!.
Here, WFNY's Joe Gilbert makes my opening argument for me:
One of the reasons why Garrett was the hands-down consensus first overall pick was the fact that he was ready to rock. He already had a variety of moves, and used his hands well.
Indeed, there's not much left to teach Garrett. He's already a Pro. As Joe illustrates with the three play-tapes he picked out from his very brief appearance in the Saints game, he sets the tackle up to convert speed to power, to spin inside, etc.
He's got a second, third, and fourth move. He baits and springs traps, and has great instincts. Swim, rip--that's kindergarten stuff for this guy!
It's great that (per Simmons his position coach, and Smith), he's eager to learn what they can still teach him, and is "humble". And no doubt, he does have room for improvement...carefully hidden somewhere...
Anyway cut the PC crap out. Myles Garrett as a rookie is at least almost as good as Myles Garrrett the third year player will be. Joe Thomas will tell you that if you ask him. The Saints left tackle, Coleman, Erving, and Rod Johnson will testify too.
As this writer (Thomas Moore) points out, DeShone Kizer IS a project quarterback, but a whole bunch of people have been ignoring that.
Tom quotes Hue Jackson and Kizer himself (told you he was smart and mature for his age!).
Tom wondered for a few seconds why, prior to, and shortly after, Kizer was nabbed in the second round, everybody including his college coach agreed that he should have stayed in college for another year, and would be a long-term project...
Then almost immediately thought he should start game one vs the Steelers.
He's mostly right about the "why" of it: Osweiler.
Tom quoted a Bronco beat writer who said what Terry Pluto and I have been saying, but more importantly points out that in this Division, the Browns aren't ready for the playoffs in 2017.
Tom led with his chin there, but I'll head the counterpoint off at the pass:
The Browns were 1-15 last season, and remain a joke in many pseudo-minds. Yeah if you're going no where anyhow, that's a great time to develop a quarterback, but not for the 2017 Browns.
Marty Schottenheimer said "Winning is a habit". So is losing.
This is perhaps the youngest team in the NFL, and "tanking" would do more harm than good long-term. It's not just Jimmy Haslam. It's also Gregg Williams, who might take a better offer. The free agents who want a premium to come here, or refuse to negotiate at all. Our own free agents (like Crowell) who need to see progress themselves before they commit long-term.
The Browns need to WIN now. And Hue Jackson--who makes all the critical decisions--will play the quarterback who gives him the best chance to win, period.
If Osweiler is disasterous vs the Giants and Kizer shreds their second team, I guess he wins, but I expect no such contrast between the two.
Understand this: Hue Jackson does see DeShone Kizer as a future stud. So he is trying to keep him "in the gym" as long as he can, so he can "reprogram" him...
Nevermind check previous Blogs: Muscle memory, balance, stress...if you don't get it, you never will. If Hue starts DeShone too soon, a few things could happen:
Best case: If he's made any progress at all in trusting his receivers and throwing with anticipation (and touch), he will quickly revert to eyeballing them while holding the ball, then throwing a low bullet into a tight window after they turn and make eye contact with him.
He can pull this off, but it pretty much eliminates RAC yards, causes more drops, and gets him beat up and sacked more ok? And instead of becoming Tom Brady, he becomes Doug Williams ok? Get it? Hue wants Brady, right?
I won't get into "more likely", but you can check out his last season at Notre Dame and find it there.
Do you get this yet? DeShone Kizer has a lot to unlearn here! It's like quitting smoking ok? Get it? You go 3 weeks without and hit a bar and "one can't hurt" and boom there you go 2 packs a day get it?
Yeah okay, Kizer has amazing upside etc. and Osweiler has a much lower ceiling, but Brock is also much more advanced at this point, and does give the Browns the best chance to win games.
...well ok I think so...and so does Hue...right now...
Justin Currie has come out of nowhere to replace the injured Ibraheim Campbell at strong safety atop the depth chart.
It's interesting that Jabrill Peppers didn't step in here, but that doesn't mean much (Peppers will be on the field somewhere).
Currie is another just plain football player. He's a decent, but not exceptional athlete. He's not a "playmaker", but he tackles and hits people. A blue collar guy. It's interesting that Gregg Williams likes this guy that much.
Along with Kindred at free safety, Carder over Schobert, and Peppers despite his lack of big plays in college. It's looking like Gregg Williams has been misunderstood by the punditry.
Yeah, he likes guys who get sacks and interceptions we knew that. But it looks like he also likes lunchpail guys who do their jobs and don't screw up as well!!! Who wooda thunk it!?
Gotta hit this next time okbye
His likely absence vs the Steelers in the opener--and concerns over his health--could mean that both Coley and Meder make the final cut.
You just wonder then, what about when Danny does come back? Would they consider rolling on with five defensive tackles?
I can tell you one thing: Come cut-down time, it won't matter that Brantley and Ogunjobi were drafted by the Browns, and Coley was a free agent. Coley hasn't been fighting for a roster spot. He's been in the running to start at right dt and be the top left dt from day one, and right now he is ahead of both draft picks.
I'm already sick of hearing the mindless "long way to go/a lot to learn" mantra about Myles Garrett.
Everybody thinks they have to say that about every rookie, to make sure nobody accuses them of irrational fandom. Some poor misguided amateurs even call him a "project"!!!.
Here, WFNY's Joe Gilbert makes my opening argument for me:
One of the reasons why Garrett was the hands-down consensus first overall pick was the fact that he was ready to rock. He already had a variety of moves, and used his hands well.
Indeed, there's not much left to teach Garrett. He's already a Pro. As Joe illustrates with the three play-tapes he picked out from his very brief appearance in the Saints game, he sets the tackle up to convert speed to power, to spin inside, etc.
He's got a second, third, and fourth move. He baits and springs traps, and has great instincts. Swim, rip--that's kindergarten stuff for this guy!
It's great that (per Simmons his position coach, and Smith), he's eager to learn what they can still teach him, and is "humble". And no doubt, he does have room for improvement...carefully hidden somewhere...
Anyway cut the PC crap out. Myles Garrett as a rookie is at least almost as good as Myles Garrrett the third year player will be. Joe Thomas will tell you that if you ask him. The Saints left tackle, Coleman, Erving, and Rod Johnson will testify too.
As this writer (Thomas Moore) points out, DeShone Kizer IS a project quarterback, but a whole bunch of people have been ignoring that.
Tom quotes Hue Jackson and Kizer himself (told you he was smart and mature for his age!).
Tom wondered for a few seconds why, prior to, and shortly after, Kizer was nabbed in the second round, everybody including his college coach agreed that he should have stayed in college for another year, and would be a long-term project...
Then almost immediately thought he should start game one vs the Steelers.
He's mostly right about the "why" of it: Osweiler.
Tom quoted a Bronco beat writer who said what Terry Pluto and I have been saying, but more importantly points out that in this Division, the Browns aren't ready for the playoffs in 2017.
Tom led with his chin there, but I'll head the counterpoint off at the pass:
The Browns were 1-15 last season, and remain a joke in many pseudo-minds. Yeah if you're going no where anyhow, that's a great time to develop a quarterback, but not for the 2017 Browns.
Marty Schottenheimer said "Winning is a habit". So is losing.
This is perhaps the youngest team in the NFL, and "tanking" would do more harm than good long-term. It's not just Jimmy Haslam. It's also Gregg Williams, who might take a better offer. The free agents who want a premium to come here, or refuse to negotiate at all. Our own free agents (like Crowell) who need to see progress themselves before they commit long-term.
The Browns need to WIN now. And Hue Jackson--who makes all the critical decisions--will play the quarterback who gives him the best chance to win, period.
If Osweiler is disasterous vs the Giants and Kizer shreds their second team, I guess he wins, but I expect no such contrast between the two.
Understand this: Hue Jackson does see DeShone Kizer as a future stud. So he is trying to keep him "in the gym" as long as he can, so he can "reprogram" him...
Nevermind check previous Blogs: Muscle memory, balance, stress...if you don't get it, you never will. If Hue starts DeShone too soon, a few things could happen:
Best case: If he's made any progress at all in trusting his receivers and throwing with anticipation (and touch), he will quickly revert to eyeballing them while holding the ball, then throwing a low bullet into a tight window after they turn and make eye contact with him.
He can pull this off, but it pretty much eliminates RAC yards, causes more drops, and gets him beat up and sacked more ok? And instead of becoming Tom Brady, he becomes Doug Williams ok? Get it? Hue wants Brady, right?
I won't get into "more likely", but you can check out his last season at Notre Dame and find it there.
Do you get this yet? DeShone Kizer has a lot to unlearn here! It's like quitting smoking ok? Get it? You go 3 weeks without and hit a bar and "one can't hurt" and boom there you go 2 packs a day get it?
Yeah okay, Kizer has amazing upside etc. and Osweiler has a much lower ceiling, but Brock is also much more advanced at this point, and does give the Browns the best chance to win games.
...well ok I think so...and so does Hue...right now...
Justin Currie has come out of nowhere to replace the injured Ibraheim Campbell at strong safety atop the depth chart.
It's interesting that Jabrill Peppers didn't step in here, but that doesn't mean much (Peppers will be on the field somewhere).
Currie is another just plain football player. He's a decent, but not exceptional athlete. He's not a "playmaker", but he tackles and hits people. A blue collar guy. It's interesting that Gregg Williams likes this guy that much.
Along with Kindred at free safety, Carder over Schobert, and Peppers despite his lack of big plays in college. It's looking like Gregg Williams has been misunderstood by the punditry.
Yeah, he likes guys who get sacks and interceptions we knew that. But it looks like he also likes lunchpail guys who do their jobs and don't screw up as well!!! Who wooda thunk it!?
Gotta hit this next time okbye
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Gregg Williams: the Analytical Football Guy
First, a note to Oblivions:
The Browns are unlikely to carry six active wide receivers, so stop saying that.
While you were busy living life in Oblivia, the Browns designated Duke Johnson as the primary slot reciever, added tight end Njoku to Seth DezValve, and have indeed been practicing a lot of two-tight end offenses (even with Njoku dinged and unavailable).
I know this seems unfathomable, but you see, even two actual wide receivers will have a hard time getting on the field at the same time in this offense. The Browns will probably hold onto four tight ends (note: tight ends catch passes too!).
They're all fixed for waterboys and equipment managers, so it will be hard to make room for a fifth, let alone sixth, wide receiver.
I read a good article on Gregg Williams last week:
We already know that he has no set scheme, and adapts his basic defense to make the most of what talent he has available.
All defensive coordinators say that, but Williams walks the walk.
This is why I told you as soon as he was signed that he would run a 4-2 base. Long before anybody else caught on...
He further tweaks his scheme from week-to-week (and down-to-down) based on offensive personnel and individual mathups (the latter is another reason why every defensive player learns two or more positions).
As I've said, here, with these players, Gregg will probably almost always have four down linemen, even if one or two of them stand up occasionally. Why mess with a strong unit and complicate things?
I told you that before they drafted Garrett and two 3-tech defensive tackles, and stole another defensive tackle from the Ravens remember?
But what I was thrilled to hear Williams say was that he wouldn't be running any of his defensive players into the ground.
I believe I read somewhere that last season, Danny Shelton played 95% of 2016's defensive snaps. I was outraged. Especially with this specific player, who's extra-heavy, and was getting double-teamed most of the time.
Gregg pointed to Myles Garrett, playing around 80 snaps per game as a college senior, and managed to edit his opinion of that down to "that's too many".
Terry Pluto misread Gregg's comments on rotations: Gregg never said he wanted to limit his players to 50% of the defensive snaps. He just used "fifty percent" as a very generic example.
The main point is that Gregg won't be setting up weekly fourth-quarter defensive collapses because Shelton's legs have turned to spaghetti, Haden with his twin groin injuries has played every single snap, etc.
Every DC rotates his defensive line to keep them fresh, but they usually run their defensive backs and linebackers into the ground for some reason.
Williams is different. This is partly why he says "forget starters". For all his bombacity (yeah I know I invent words get with the program), Gregg Williams is extremely smart. He is a "football guy" who fits right in with "analytics" (kinda like that Belichick guy)...
Anyway here it is:
Myles Garrett is the best defensive end here. But unlike everybody else but me, he knows that he's got FIVE more guys who are like 75-80% as good as he is.
Well now, Garrett on snap one is that much better. On snap five, the guy who's been just hanging out might be as good as Myles is, because Myles is getting tired.
Williams will have Garrett in in every third and long (I'll bet at defensive tackle in a "Nascar" package, because he's solid muscle and Gregg is eyeball-deep in edge-rushers he's dying to use), but he might take him off the field in short yardage.
Garrett might play 75% of the snaps. Shelton is one guy who might get 50%.
But I'll bet you that Jamie Collins and the defensive backs won't exceed 80% either.
Gregg Williams understands exactly why fourth quarter and late season defensive collapses happen: Hero-worship. Most coaches ride their best players into the ground.
They want to let the younger guys play, and rest the top guys, but as the game unfolds, every down just looks too important, and they get "whatifitis". Perhaps even the majority of them would play Garrett, Shelton, Collins, Haden, etc. on every single snap.
Guys like Orchard, Johnson, Holmes, Currey, Nacua, and even Schobert might not play at all.
I love Gregg Williams, because he lets everybody play. This is one of the reasons why all of the players who played for him love him.
If you screw up, you're benched, of course, and he won't use you if you don't show up in practice either.
But the veterans loved him because he prolonged their carreers and didn't humiliate them by wearing them out and getting them burned, and the young guys loved him because he gave them a chance.
I can't wait. The Browns lost so many games at least partly due to late defensive collapses (vs the pass and the run alike). I guarantee you: Whatever else happens in 2017, this defense will not cave in in the 4th quarter, and won't weaken significantly if key players are injured.
Nevermind what he said to Joe Haden: "I would have cut you if you hadn't played hurt". I'll tell you right now, Gregg would have benched Joe as soon as he saw he was ineffective. He was only referring to Haden's guts and heart.
(In fairness to Ray Horton, he had Calhoun, but really nobody else who was actually better than even the lame Haden, so I'm not bashing him for that).
But that's another thing: Gregg Williams has a lot more talent than Ray Horton had to work with. He has LOTS of cornerbacks, for one thing, plus Peppers.
Ray kinda had to run a 3-4 too. Bryant and Orchard weren't here. Collins came in late. Nassib fell off the map...Ogunjobi, Brantley, Coley weren't here, Cooper disappointed, Shelton could play nose, and...just trust me Horton isn't a bumb is all I'm saying.
I do think Gregg Williams is better: His record backs me up. On top of that, though, he's got Garrett, an experienced Ogbah, Orchard and Scobert back where they belong, Holmes, three new defensive tackles, a healthy Kindred and Haden, McCourtey, a settled in Collins, Peppers, Wilson on-deck I mean can you see why he can't stop smiling?
Gregg Williams died and went to heaven. He has outstanding depth and versatility throughout his defense, and can lean hard on a four-man front to make it easier.
Ok see a 4-man defensive line is a foundation. It automaticly generates a 4-man passrush, and gobbles up the offensive line vs the run. Edge-rush check. Inside rush check. If you have that, you can concentrate your indidious diabolicality on the back 7 and be even sneakier!
But I semi-digress:
I hereby predict that at the end of 2017, the Browns defense will rank no lower than 15th overall, and will rank in the top ten in turnovers.
I also need to explain critical analysis 101 to a lot of pundits:
If Brock Osweiler plays well, he can be traded for a decent draft pick OR can win games for the Browns. Kizermaniacs tend to overthink this. Look up "OR" in your Funk&Wagnall. A trade is NOT the only conveivable reason for Hue starting the worst quarterback in history over the best ever.
Listen to Hue Jackson, in his own words. He will serve no quarterback before his time, and Kizer is not ready, in Hue's opinion. If you think you know better...well that's just sad.
The Giants offense is scary, and will sorely test this defense...
Well maybe not, because they might not use several of their veterans including Manning, Marshall, Lyte or Beckham at all...ok nevermind.
The Browns are unlikely to carry six active wide receivers, so stop saying that.
While you were busy living life in Oblivia, the Browns designated Duke Johnson as the primary slot reciever, added tight end Njoku to Seth DezValve, and have indeed been practicing a lot of two-tight end offenses (even with Njoku dinged and unavailable).
I know this seems unfathomable, but you see, even two actual wide receivers will have a hard time getting on the field at the same time in this offense. The Browns will probably hold onto four tight ends (note: tight ends catch passes too!).
They're all fixed for waterboys and equipment managers, so it will be hard to make room for a fifth, let alone sixth, wide receiver.
I read a good article on Gregg Williams last week:
We already know that he has no set scheme, and adapts his basic defense to make the most of what talent he has available.
All defensive coordinators say that, but Williams walks the walk.
This is why I told you as soon as he was signed that he would run a 4-2 base. Long before anybody else caught on...
He further tweaks his scheme from week-to-week (and down-to-down) based on offensive personnel and individual mathups (the latter is another reason why every defensive player learns two or more positions).
As I've said, here, with these players, Gregg will probably almost always have four down linemen, even if one or two of them stand up occasionally. Why mess with a strong unit and complicate things?
I told you that before they drafted Garrett and two 3-tech defensive tackles, and stole another defensive tackle from the Ravens remember?
But what I was thrilled to hear Williams say was that he wouldn't be running any of his defensive players into the ground.
I believe I read somewhere that last season, Danny Shelton played 95% of 2016's defensive snaps. I was outraged. Especially with this specific player, who's extra-heavy, and was getting double-teamed most of the time.
Gregg pointed to Myles Garrett, playing around 80 snaps per game as a college senior, and managed to edit his opinion of that down to "that's too many".
Terry Pluto misread Gregg's comments on rotations: Gregg never said he wanted to limit his players to 50% of the defensive snaps. He just used "fifty percent" as a very generic example.
The main point is that Gregg won't be setting up weekly fourth-quarter defensive collapses because Shelton's legs have turned to spaghetti, Haden with his twin groin injuries has played every single snap, etc.
Every DC rotates his defensive line to keep them fresh, but they usually run their defensive backs and linebackers into the ground for some reason.
Williams is different. This is partly why he says "forget starters". For all his bombacity (yeah I know I invent words get with the program), Gregg Williams is extremely smart. He is a "football guy" who fits right in with "analytics" (kinda like that Belichick guy)...
Anyway here it is:
Myles Garrett is the best defensive end here. But unlike everybody else but me, he knows that he's got FIVE more guys who are like 75-80% as good as he is.
Well now, Garrett on snap one is that much better. On snap five, the guy who's been just hanging out might be as good as Myles is, because Myles is getting tired.
Williams will have Garrett in in every third and long (I'll bet at defensive tackle in a "Nascar" package, because he's solid muscle and Gregg is eyeball-deep in edge-rushers he's dying to use), but he might take him off the field in short yardage.
Garrett might play 75% of the snaps. Shelton is one guy who might get 50%.
But I'll bet you that Jamie Collins and the defensive backs won't exceed 80% either.
Gregg Williams understands exactly why fourth quarter and late season defensive collapses happen: Hero-worship. Most coaches ride their best players into the ground.
They want to let the younger guys play, and rest the top guys, but as the game unfolds, every down just looks too important, and they get "whatifitis". Perhaps even the majority of them would play Garrett, Shelton, Collins, Haden, etc. on every single snap.
Guys like Orchard, Johnson, Holmes, Currey, Nacua, and even Schobert might not play at all.
I love Gregg Williams, because he lets everybody play. This is one of the reasons why all of the players who played for him love him.
If you screw up, you're benched, of course, and he won't use you if you don't show up in practice either.
But the veterans loved him because he prolonged their carreers and didn't humiliate them by wearing them out and getting them burned, and the young guys loved him because he gave them a chance.
I can't wait. The Browns lost so many games at least partly due to late defensive collapses (vs the pass and the run alike). I guarantee you: Whatever else happens in 2017, this defense will not cave in in the 4th quarter, and won't weaken significantly if key players are injured.
Nevermind what he said to Joe Haden: "I would have cut you if you hadn't played hurt". I'll tell you right now, Gregg would have benched Joe as soon as he saw he was ineffective. He was only referring to Haden's guts and heart.
(In fairness to Ray Horton, he had Calhoun, but really nobody else who was actually better than even the lame Haden, so I'm not bashing him for that).
But that's another thing: Gregg Williams has a lot more talent than Ray Horton had to work with. He has LOTS of cornerbacks, for one thing, plus Peppers.
Ray kinda had to run a 3-4 too. Bryant and Orchard weren't here. Collins came in late. Nassib fell off the map...Ogunjobi, Brantley, Coley weren't here, Cooper disappointed, Shelton could play nose, and...just trust me Horton isn't a bumb is all I'm saying.
I do think Gregg Williams is better: His record backs me up. On top of that, though, he's got Garrett, an experienced Ogbah, Orchard and Scobert back where they belong, Holmes, three new defensive tackles, a healthy Kindred and Haden, McCourtey, a settled in Collins, Peppers, Wilson on-deck I mean can you see why he can't stop smiling?
Gregg Williams died and went to heaven. He has outstanding depth and versatility throughout his defense, and can lean hard on a four-man front to make it easier.
Ok see a 4-man defensive line is a foundation. It automaticly generates a 4-man passrush, and gobbles up the offensive line vs the run. Edge-rush check. Inside rush check. If you have that, you can concentrate your indidious diabolicality on the back 7 and be even sneakier!
But I semi-digress:
I hereby predict that at the end of 2017, the Browns defense will rank no lower than 15th overall, and will rank in the top ten in turnovers.
I also need to explain critical analysis 101 to a lot of pundits:
If Brock Osweiler plays well, he can be traded for a decent draft pick OR can win games for the Browns. Kizermaniacs tend to overthink this. Look up "OR" in your Funk&Wagnall. A trade is NOT the only conveivable reason for Hue starting the worst quarterback in history over the best ever.
Listen to Hue Jackson, in his own words. He will serve no quarterback before his time, and Kizer is not ready, in Hue's opinion. If you think you know better...well that's just sad.
The Giants offense is scary, and will sorely test this defense...
Well maybe not, because they might not use several of their veterans including Manning, Marshall, Lyte or Beckham at all...ok nevermind.
Monday, August 14, 2017
First Browns Preseason Game Re-analysis
Every Peter Smith article is a treat for me. He just published this one, no doubt because he's been actually looking at the game-tape from Thursday's Preseason win over the Saints.
But even Peter isn't perfect:
1: Level of competition is almost irrelevant for a quarterback. If he's playing against truck drivers and accountants, he's playing with phys ed teachers and cabbies. What Kizer did meant every bit as much as what Osweiler did in this vanilla game.
2: Nobody will be surprised if Coley makes the final cut.
I get it. Peter is looking at two defensive tackles just drafted and Jamie Meder (with Shelton)...and (oh yeah) X Cooper, which, along with Coley, makes six guys fighting over (we think) four roster spots.
But Coley is not a rookie. He's been through two training camps and been trained for two seasons--most recently by the Ravens (which matters).
As I pointed out in an earlier post (blush-blush) Brantley and Ogunjobi are not at this point very good one-tech prospects (they're right dt penetrators), whereas Coley can play both positions (or nose tackle, for that matter).
I don't expect him to "disappear" like other preseason wonders have, either. I'm guessing X is a gmf, and...I can't say it...
Pete is correct: Jamie Meder will play a lot somewhere in the NFL this season.
That's all for the nit-picky corrections (I never catch Pete for anything worse dammit).
I can add to some of the other stuff he said, however:
Hell yes on both Vitale and Telfer. If Vitale keeps growing as a lead-blocker, his abilities as a receiver and a runner will be valuable, and if Telfer keeps doing what he's doing as a receiver, he's a viable weapon in a two-tight end offenses.
I've repeated this for years. A "blocking tight end" is a skinny offensive lineman, and you might as well just use a spare lineman. If a tight end can't make at least underneath catches, why bother?
Telfer has, throughout this preseason, demonstrated not only that he can catch the chain-moving wall-off short passes, but actually get upfield and do more damage. He FITS.
Mayes did show nice vision on his touchdown, but also patience. I studied that one:
Vitale got stood up, and Mayes confronted a solid wall. Most smaller backs would run laterally and try to sneak around the edge, but Mayes did a Laveon Belle:
He just kinda "hovered", watching the blockers and defenders struggling, waiting for some little seam to appear. (By the way, as he shifted and danced, every defender who saw him reacted to him. Laveon Belle deliberately does this stuff to help his blockers get the upper hand--sorry Black Cloud);*
Some people don't get this: Once everybody is standing still, and it's all leverage and brute force, offensive linemen are winning. At least one of them will push one defender backward; maybe only a couple feet.
Moreover, when a back doesn't race for the edge, the defensive player assigned to hold it attacks around the blockers nevermind too deep.
Mayes waited for that. It was impressive (and unusual).
Understand Vitale's role as a lead-blocker: He's supposed to target off-the-ball linebackers and safeties trying to fill holes or seal edges. When he can, he's supposed to "chip" bigger guys who are already locked up with his own bigger guys to knock them off-balance so the blocker gets the upper hand and leverage.
On that play (I didn't check it out well enough to be sure of this), the Saints front seven did a great job stonewalling the Browns offensive linemen, and the gap Vitale was supposed to go through to blast the safety didn't exist.
He did the right thing. He just hit the wall as hard as he could and joined the melee. Mayes went outside of him, but Vitale might have stifled penetration and bought Mayes and the other blockers time.
I say this not even knowing whether or not Vitale makes the team. I CAN predict that Mayes has, already.
More recently, Jabrill Peppers has joined the first team defense and already impressed everybody. I don't know where they played him yet...none of the reporters seemed to care.
Fortunately it's not important. He is hitting people, deflecting and intercepting passes, stripping people and all that good stuff. I guess I don't care either.
Osweiler is hitting both DeValve and Njoku, which might indicate the two tight end base I predicted (because it was obvious) is being worked on (and is working out. No drops for Njoku! That makes one day in a row!)
Peter thinks Cam Erving can be salvaged. I don't think the Browns will undertake that project. Not now. Not again.
Hue is still buying Gregg's beers on the goal line, but the offense is getting in the end zone anyway. The offense is catching up.
Keep watching for WR Rodney Lesliefield. If Britt doesn't get his head out, Louis will take his job, and Leslie will knock him off the team.
...then the Browns would have to find two vederrunn wide receiverzz...
But even Peter isn't perfect:
1: Level of competition is almost irrelevant for a quarterback. If he's playing against truck drivers and accountants, he's playing with phys ed teachers and cabbies. What Kizer did meant every bit as much as what Osweiler did in this vanilla game.
2: Nobody will be surprised if Coley makes the final cut.
I get it. Peter is looking at two defensive tackles just drafted and Jamie Meder (with Shelton)...and (oh yeah) X Cooper, which, along with Coley, makes six guys fighting over (we think) four roster spots.
But Coley is not a rookie. He's been through two training camps and been trained for two seasons--most recently by the Ravens (which matters).
As I pointed out in an earlier post (blush-blush) Brantley and Ogunjobi are not at this point very good one-tech prospects (they're right dt penetrators), whereas Coley can play both positions (or nose tackle, for that matter).
I don't expect him to "disappear" like other preseason wonders have, either. I'm guessing X is a gmf, and...I can't say it...
Pete is correct: Jamie Meder will play a lot somewhere in the NFL this season.
That's all for the nit-picky corrections (I never catch Pete for anything worse dammit).
I can add to some of the other stuff he said, however:
Hell yes on both Vitale and Telfer. If Vitale keeps growing as a lead-blocker, his abilities as a receiver and a runner will be valuable, and if Telfer keeps doing what he's doing as a receiver, he's a viable weapon in a two-tight end offenses.
I've repeated this for years. A "blocking tight end" is a skinny offensive lineman, and you might as well just use a spare lineman. If a tight end can't make at least underneath catches, why bother?
Telfer has, throughout this preseason, demonstrated not only that he can catch the chain-moving wall-off short passes, but actually get upfield and do more damage. He FITS.
Mayes did show nice vision on his touchdown, but also patience. I studied that one:
Vitale got stood up, and Mayes confronted a solid wall. Most smaller backs would run laterally and try to sneak around the edge, but Mayes did a Laveon Belle:
He just kinda "hovered", watching the blockers and defenders struggling, waiting for some little seam to appear. (By the way, as he shifted and danced, every defender who saw him reacted to him. Laveon Belle deliberately does this stuff to help his blockers get the upper hand--sorry Black Cloud);*
Some people don't get this: Once everybody is standing still, and it's all leverage and brute force, offensive linemen are winning. At least one of them will push one defender backward; maybe only a couple feet.
Moreover, when a back doesn't race for the edge, the defensive player assigned to hold it attacks around the blockers nevermind too deep.
Mayes waited for that. It was impressive (and unusual).
Understand Vitale's role as a lead-blocker: He's supposed to target off-the-ball linebackers and safeties trying to fill holes or seal edges. When he can, he's supposed to "chip" bigger guys who are already locked up with his own bigger guys to knock them off-balance so the blocker gets the upper hand and leverage.
On that play (I didn't check it out well enough to be sure of this), the Saints front seven did a great job stonewalling the Browns offensive linemen, and the gap Vitale was supposed to go through to blast the safety didn't exist.
He did the right thing. He just hit the wall as hard as he could and joined the melee. Mayes went outside of him, but Vitale might have stifled penetration and bought Mayes and the other blockers time.
I say this not even knowing whether or not Vitale makes the team. I CAN predict that Mayes has, already.
More recently, Jabrill Peppers has joined the first team defense and already impressed everybody. I don't know where they played him yet...none of the reporters seemed to care.
Fortunately it's not important. He is hitting people, deflecting and intercepting passes, stripping people and all that good stuff. I guess I don't care either.
Osweiler is hitting both DeValve and Njoku, which might indicate the two tight end base I predicted (because it was obvious) is being worked on (and is working out. No drops for Njoku! That makes one day in a row!)
Peter thinks Cam Erving can be salvaged. I don't think the Browns will undertake that project. Not now. Not again.
Hue is still buying Gregg's beers on the goal line, but the offense is getting in the end zone anyway. The offense is catching up.
Keep watching for WR Rodney Lesliefield. If Britt doesn't get his head out, Louis will take his job, and Leslie will knock him off the team.
...then the Browns would have to find two vederrunn wide receiverzz...
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Kizer, Brockytop, Defensive Sleepers, and the Browns
The media has been unusually solid in their coverage of the Browns, which is always frustrating for me. I can't even pick on MKC today, as she seems to have beamed back down from the Kizer Nebula (or wherever she was).
Still, she repeated that heading into Friday's scrimmage, Kizer had been outperforming the other quarterbacks, so she hasn't admitted to having hallucinations yet.
Still, progress is progress, and she's ready to let Osweiler sink or swim while Kizer maxes out the reps and keeps trying to catch up.
But for a full recovery, Mary needs to confront her delusions. For me, this would take somebody informing me that Kizer was completing only 52% of his passes. I would say "Oh. Nevermind". But I'm rare like that.
Chris Pokorney was really informative in providing defensive player-by-player stats for thursday's preseason game.
The Coaches will have to consider specific matchups and stuff for the guys lower on the depth chart, but these numbers do offer some good clues to how they're performing.
Chris even broke them down by percentages; how much they played.
By the numbers, Tyrone Holmes actually outplayed Nate Orchard. He played significantly less, and still did more (especially in the opposing backfield).
But again, I think Orchard entered the game earlier, against tougher players, so we can't take that to the bank.
Des Bryant got a "no stats recorded", and I earlier read another article which singled him out in a bad way. Per the writer, he was blown off the ball repeatedly on run plays.
I need to mention here that per PFF, in 2015, Bryant was really weak vs the run. I think he's doomed. Nothing personal.
And in the same article, the writer said the same thing happened to Danny Shelton!
Trevon Coley played 32% of the snaps, but outdid everybody else (I think mainly from left defensive tackle; Shelton's spot). I always credit Sashi Brown for nabbing these guys off other people's practice squads, but Andrew Berry (a "football guy" btw) is the guy who targets them.
Coley and Brien Boddy-Calhoun are really shining bright right now, and they're just the obvious ones.
That was the linemen. Joe Schobert was the Coley of the linebackers. Playing only 19%, he piled up two tackles, a tackle-for-loss, a quarterback hit, a sack, and a pass defended!!! That's just downright amazing.
Sorry, Tank Carder. You just got served. In fact, Gregg Williams is probably trying to figure out how to get Schobert on the field more.
In fact, Christian Kirksey had best watch his back (you heard that here first).
Sadly, a bunch of guys we've never heard of really kicked ass. Most notably, Olugbodi with five tackles (57% though--maybe not enough.)
Olugbodi or Alexander are two guys who, if they're cut loose, will probably start somewhere else. As I've been saying, questioning the Browns' linebacker depth is insane.
At cornerback, Darius Hillary played a whopping 69% of the plays, and got two tackles, but Chris points out that the cornerbacks weren't challenged much, so it's a tad early to start calling guys losers and bumbs.
Everybody who isn't deaf and blind knows Briean Boddy-Calhoun now. That undrafted free agent has just kicked ass ever since he's been here, and is even better now than he was in 2016.
Listen to me here: This guy will challenge Taylor and Haden for playing time. He's just that good! Williams has worked him at free safety. You heard that here first too.
And no, it wasn't just that fourth-down tfl. He covers, gets interceptions, and is in on way more run-stops than you'd expect out of a cornerback. He's like Nate Orchard and Joe Schobert: a "football player".
Nobody really stands out at either safety spot, except Derrick Kindred got 3 tackles playing only 20%. That's actually sad, because he was tackling running backs who ran right tf through the front 6-7.
On that issue (the run defense): Gregg Williams will fix it. Danny Shelton had a bad game. You have to know he'll be fine. Des Bryant never was very good vs the run, and he won't be sticking around. Schobert is better than Carder, and will replace him (no offense Tank I love ya man).
Chris thinks Justin Currie (3 tackles) is making a case for backup safety, and that Calvin Pryor probably won't make it. I concur. I had some hopes for Pryor, but he's not standing out like any older player on this roster needs to.
Williams blitzed everybody from everywhere, which I was glad to see. Williams walks the walk. I don't think you can be on his field if you can't blitze.
Don't misinterpret that; he usually blitzes one guy at a time, except on third and long. But it could be anybody.
That's one of the reasons his players all love him. Playing for Gregg Williams is fun!
I do get to correct some people today, including Terry Pluto:
Joe Thomas (as well as my humble self) has told you, you don't really need to practice run-blocking a lot. Regardless of scheme, it's pretty straightforeward, and every good running back is instinctive too.
The passing game is a lot more complex, and you need all the live reps you can get. This is why Hue passed about twice as often as he ran in this first preseason game. It's that simple. Don't overthink it.
The running game is in the bag.
Speaking of which, I was encouraged by Isaiah Crowell implying that he wants to be paid like Devonta Freeman (around 8 mil/year) because that's a reasonable demand.
I had feared he was looking at Ebeneezer Belle's rediculous situation with the Steelers.
Now that Freeman (now the highest-paid non-franchised running back in the NFL) is signed, contract talks should get moving again for the Crow.
I heard that! No, Crow isn't the best running back in the NFL (yet), but niether is Freeman ok? This has to do with salary cap inflation and the need to lock players down for long periods.
Crow is still young (and improving), has been durable, and has "low mileage" on his tires. I hope Sashi (and Andrew) see the budding "Beast Mode" I do in this guy, and pays the man.
I was stunned when Sashi took Mitchell Schwartze's offer off the table, though, so we can't count on it.
I just saw another breathless headline "DESHONE KIZER PROMOTED TO FIRST TEAM!" Stop it! He and Brock split the reps, like Kizer and Kessler did throughout camp. They've got like a month til their next preseason game, and Hue just wants Kizer to be in tune with the starting skill guys.
Hue, if you listen to him and watch his face, is amazed by all this. I'm sure he expected the intense scrutiny, but the conclusions people leap to shock and amaze him.
He'll probably say in his next interview, for the thousanth time (sigh) "It doesn't mean anything. I'm just spreading it out. It's way too early. He has a lot to clean up why do I have to keep repeating this every goddam day stop it stop it stop it "@%%#÷×>`#;`?!!!"
I guess I might have projected a little there, but I promise you, it's what Hue wants to say.
Even Mary Kay finally gets it.
Mitch Trubisky was amazing in his own preseason debut. DeShaun Watson was pretty good (not as good as Kizer). I don't know about Mahomes yet. But all of these guys are being "protected" so far.
Frankly, Mitch Trubisky actually looks "ready" right now, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting game one for da Bearss, despite the fact that Mike Glennon is actually pretty damn good.
Permabashers would love that. "Day blew idd again". "Day cooda hadd him"
Yeah for like their entire draft. I like Garrett how bout you? And Peppers, and Njoku et cetera?
Wait three years. Trubisky still won't have Kizer's arm or amazing deep accuracy. He won't get any taller, or much faster. Wait 3 years, and let's see where Trubisky, Wentz, and Kizer are respectively. I can't wait.
Kizer has more physical talent than all of them (although Mahomes and Watson are close). Nobody is 6'4", 236 lbs, or has that arm. (Mahomes is close on the arm).
Intelligence doesn't always translate to live games, but DeShone Kizer is as smart or smarter than all of them. And he is the only one not picked in the first round.
My readers remember me wanting Trubisky, Garropollo, Mahomes, and Watson, and NOT Kizer. In fact I kinda bashed Kizer!
But that was before last thursday.
I hope this time it's real: Right now, it looks like the Browns (especially Sashi) found their guy. Everything he did wrong was due to inexperience, and is predictably (or inevitably) fixable.
Now, nobody else gets this yet, but Hue Jackson had DeShone running early on purpose, to back the defense off.
Cam Newton never had this kind of accuracy. I'm not sure any quarterback has as strong an arm.
Yes, I guess you could say I'm cautiously optimistic about DeShone Kizer.
But I think Osweiler is as likely as not to be pretty good again (we'll see vs the Giants). If he does okay in that game, he should be the starter through game 4, at which point Kizer could indeed take over.
They'll probably keep depriving Kevin Hogan of live reps so they can sneak him back onto the practice squad. If it works out, they can trade Brockytop for an actually decent draft pick, maybe without a significant bribe.
Then Hogan is suited to take over Kizer's offense if he goes down.
Call me Robbydamus.
Okbye.
Still, she repeated that heading into Friday's scrimmage, Kizer had been outperforming the other quarterbacks, so she hasn't admitted to having hallucinations yet.
Still, progress is progress, and she's ready to let Osweiler sink or swim while Kizer maxes out the reps and keeps trying to catch up.
But for a full recovery, Mary needs to confront her delusions. For me, this would take somebody informing me that Kizer was completing only 52% of his passes. I would say "Oh. Nevermind". But I'm rare like that.
Chris Pokorney was really informative in providing defensive player-by-player stats for thursday's preseason game.
The Coaches will have to consider specific matchups and stuff for the guys lower on the depth chart, but these numbers do offer some good clues to how they're performing.
Chris even broke them down by percentages; how much they played.
By the numbers, Tyrone Holmes actually outplayed Nate Orchard. He played significantly less, and still did more (especially in the opposing backfield).
But again, I think Orchard entered the game earlier, against tougher players, so we can't take that to the bank.
Des Bryant got a "no stats recorded", and I earlier read another article which singled him out in a bad way. Per the writer, he was blown off the ball repeatedly on run plays.
I need to mention here that per PFF, in 2015, Bryant was really weak vs the run. I think he's doomed. Nothing personal.
And in the same article, the writer said the same thing happened to Danny Shelton!
Trevon Coley played 32% of the snaps, but outdid everybody else (I think mainly from left defensive tackle; Shelton's spot). I always credit Sashi Brown for nabbing these guys off other people's practice squads, but Andrew Berry (a "football guy" btw) is the guy who targets them.
Coley and Brien Boddy-Calhoun are really shining bright right now, and they're just the obvious ones.
That was the linemen. Joe Schobert was the Coley of the linebackers. Playing only 19%, he piled up two tackles, a tackle-for-loss, a quarterback hit, a sack, and a pass defended!!! That's just downright amazing.
Sorry, Tank Carder. You just got served. In fact, Gregg Williams is probably trying to figure out how to get Schobert on the field more.
In fact, Christian Kirksey had best watch his back (you heard that here first).
Sadly, a bunch of guys we've never heard of really kicked ass. Most notably, Olugbodi with five tackles (57% though--maybe not enough.)
Olugbodi or Alexander are two guys who, if they're cut loose, will probably start somewhere else. As I've been saying, questioning the Browns' linebacker depth is insane.
At cornerback, Darius Hillary played a whopping 69% of the plays, and got two tackles, but Chris points out that the cornerbacks weren't challenged much, so it's a tad early to start calling guys losers and bumbs.
Everybody who isn't deaf and blind knows Briean Boddy-Calhoun now. That undrafted free agent has just kicked ass ever since he's been here, and is even better now than he was in 2016.
Listen to me here: This guy will challenge Taylor and Haden for playing time. He's just that good! Williams has worked him at free safety. You heard that here first too.
And no, it wasn't just that fourth-down tfl. He covers, gets interceptions, and is in on way more run-stops than you'd expect out of a cornerback. He's like Nate Orchard and Joe Schobert: a "football player".
Nobody really stands out at either safety spot, except Derrick Kindred got 3 tackles playing only 20%. That's actually sad, because he was tackling running backs who ran right tf through the front 6-7.
On that issue (the run defense): Gregg Williams will fix it. Danny Shelton had a bad game. You have to know he'll be fine. Des Bryant never was very good vs the run, and he won't be sticking around. Schobert is better than Carder, and will replace him (no offense Tank I love ya man).
Chris thinks Justin Currie (3 tackles) is making a case for backup safety, and that Calvin Pryor probably won't make it. I concur. I had some hopes for Pryor, but he's not standing out like any older player on this roster needs to.
Williams blitzed everybody from everywhere, which I was glad to see. Williams walks the walk. I don't think you can be on his field if you can't blitze.
Don't misinterpret that; he usually blitzes one guy at a time, except on third and long. But it could be anybody.
That's one of the reasons his players all love him. Playing for Gregg Williams is fun!
I do get to correct some people today, including Terry Pluto:
Joe Thomas (as well as my humble self) has told you, you don't really need to practice run-blocking a lot. Regardless of scheme, it's pretty straightforeward, and every good running back is instinctive too.
The passing game is a lot more complex, and you need all the live reps you can get. This is why Hue passed about twice as often as he ran in this first preseason game. It's that simple. Don't overthink it.
The running game is in the bag.
Speaking of which, I was encouraged by Isaiah Crowell implying that he wants to be paid like Devonta Freeman (around 8 mil/year) because that's a reasonable demand.
I had feared he was looking at Ebeneezer Belle's rediculous situation with the Steelers.
Now that Freeman (now the highest-paid non-franchised running back in the NFL) is signed, contract talks should get moving again for the Crow.
I heard that! No, Crow isn't the best running back in the NFL (yet), but niether is Freeman ok? This has to do with salary cap inflation and the need to lock players down for long periods.
Crow is still young (and improving), has been durable, and has "low mileage" on his tires. I hope Sashi (and Andrew) see the budding "Beast Mode" I do in this guy, and pays the man.
I was stunned when Sashi took Mitchell Schwartze's offer off the table, though, so we can't count on it.
I just saw another breathless headline "DESHONE KIZER PROMOTED TO FIRST TEAM!" Stop it! He and Brock split the reps, like Kizer and Kessler did throughout camp. They've got like a month til their next preseason game, and Hue just wants Kizer to be in tune with the starting skill guys.
Hue, if you listen to him and watch his face, is amazed by all this. I'm sure he expected the intense scrutiny, but the conclusions people leap to shock and amaze him.
He'll probably say in his next interview, for the thousanth time (sigh) "It doesn't mean anything. I'm just spreading it out. It's way too early. He has a lot to clean up why do I have to keep repeating this every goddam day stop it stop it stop it "@%%#÷×>`#;`?!!!"
I guess I might have projected a little there, but I promise you, it's what Hue wants to say.
Even Mary Kay finally gets it.
Mitch Trubisky was amazing in his own preseason debut. DeShaun Watson was pretty good (not as good as Kizer). I don't know about Mahomes yet. But all of these guys are being "protected" so far.
Frankly, Mitch Trubisky actually looks "ready" right now, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting game one for da Bearss, despite the fact that Mike Glennon is actually pretty damn good.
Permabashers would love that. "Day blew idd again". "Day cooda hadd him"
Yeah for like their entire draft. I like Garrett how bout you? And Peppers, and Njoku et cetera?
Wait three years. Trubisky still won't have Kizer's arm or amazing deep accuracy. He won't get any taller, or much faster. Wait 3 years, and let's see where Trubisky, Wentz, and Kizer are respectively. I can't wait.
Kizer has more physical talent than all of them (although Mahomes and Watson are close). Nobody is 6'4", 236 lbs, or has that arm. (Mahomes is close on the arm).
Intelligence doesn't always translate to live games, but DeShone Kizer is as smart or smarter than all of them. And he is the only one not picked in the first round.
My readers remember me wanting Trubisky, Garropollo, Mahomes, and Watson, and NOT Kizer. In fact I kinda bashed Kizer!
But that was before last thursday.
I hope this time it's real: Right now, it looks like the Browns (especially Sashi) found their guy. Everything he did wrong was due to inexperience, and is predictably (or inevitably) fixable.
Now, nobody else gets this yet, but Hue Jackson had DeShone running early on purpose, to back the defense off.
Cam Newton never had this kind of accuracy. I'm not sure any quarterback has as strong an arm.
Yes, I guess you could say I'm cautiously optimistic about DeShone Kizer.
But I think Osweiler is as likely as not to be pretty good again (we'll see vs the Giants). If he does okay in that game, he should be the starter through game 4, at which point Kizer could indeed take over.
They'll probably keep depriving Kevin Hogan of live reps so they can sneak him back onto the practice squad. If it works out, they can trade Brockytop for an actually decent draft pick, maybe without a significant bribe.
Then Hogan is suited to take over Kizer's offense if he goes down.
Call me Robbydamus.
Okbye.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)