Hue Fisher, Cousins, Smith, and the Browns

Mike the bartender doubts that Hue Jackson will be back for 2018, despite what Jimmy Haslam (the poor cornered guy) said when he dumped Sashi Brown.

Even if Hue beats Mitchell and da Bearss tomorrow, his record is amazingly bad, and in reality Sashi Brown did preserve and provide him with a bunch of talented players.  That's veterans (Zietler, Tretter, McCourtey, Collins, Coley) as well as draftees and undrafteds like Boddy-Calhoun.

There is and has been enough talent here to win a few games, even with a bad quarterback.

I've gone into what's wrong with Hue Jackson, but the Cliff Notes version reads: "Rigid.  Inflexible.  Not adaptable.  Entrenched.  BLOCKHEAD.  See 'Fisher, Jeff'".

It goes beyond this, however.  In my last post, I told you why Alex Smith (and Kirk Cousins, for that matter), might love the idea of having targets like Gordon, Coleman, Njoku, Johnson (AND DeValve btw dammit) to throw to, but probably want nothing to do with Hue Jackson.

This I can redundate: These are first and foremost West Coast quarterbacks.  They know that Hue Fisher will NOT let them do that, no matter what.

You hear what I'm saying?  They might play for the Browns, but not for Hue Fisher!

TRUST ME, right now Ken Dorsey is telling Jimmy Haslam exactly this.  It might go something like this:

"Boss, you're killing me here.  I know I'm not allowed to talk to agents, but little birdies are telling me that Hue Jackson is radioactive for Smith and Cousins, so where do I get the veteran who's ready to win this Division in 2018?"

"But now I'm in a jam!  I fire another Head Coach I said would be here forever after one or two seasons?  I'm a laughing-stock already!  And now here we go again with a new offensive system!  I know Hue is a blockhead, but at least--"

"I know I get it, but a veteran quarterback would iron a lot of that out.  Would you rather have Hue, or Alex Smith in 2018?"

"It's really like that?"

"These quarterbacks are running out of time, and they know it.  They can shop around, and their top priority will be somewhere where they can do what they do best.  That's emphatically NOT anywhere near Hue Jackson."

"But we have the first overall pick!  What about--"

"If we start another rookie quarterback, we have no chance of winning this Division next season.  The bulk of the roster is coming into it's own just now, and this is our window.  You have to fire Hue if you want to turn this around quickly.  You need an elite veteran quarterback to do that, and replacing Hue is how you can get one."

"You have somebody in mind?"

A lot of you don't understand how this works.  Newly-hired Head Coaches don't always want to "clean house", and most of the candidates for this position would have no problem retaining Gregg Williams and his staff.

Presumably Hue's replacement would be an offensive coach, quite possibly from the Holmgren/Reid tree, with which Dorsey is very familiar.

Yokels will insist on a "proven" Head Coach, but this translates to "somebody somebody else fired".  It's more likely to be an offensive coordinator, and you need to understand this, as well:

In his rookie season, the former offensive coordinator can mostly do what he did before and let Gregg Williams and the special teams guy do what they do.

There would be a lot of unavoidable disruptions on offense, as the players have to learn a new "language" and stuff, but a Smith or Cousins would adapt quickly (especially Smith, who has run five or more offensive systems in his career).

Listen to me:  Routes are routes.  Every NFL receiver can run all of them.  Zone-blocking is idiot-proof, and every offensive lineman can execute it (well or poorly is a separate issue) out of the gate.

The complications for these non-quarterbacks are mostly about language.  "ABC" is now "ZWB" to them.

For receivers, the West Coast is also more demanding, as they're required to read the defense just like the quarterback does, and they need to be very precise in their routes.

But hopefully, the new Head Coach would do what Hue Jackson was expected to do, and adapt his offense to his personnel:

I'm projecting West Coast offense off of Holmgren/Reid, but Gordon is a Randy Moss deep threat, Njoku is (well ok will become) a dangerous vertical threat, and Coleman can blow people's doors off too, so a smart Head Coach exploits those vertical routes as well (assuming he has the right quarterback to hold up the other end).

This (sadly) brings me back to Hue Fisher.  Remember how, in game one, the Browns barely lost to the Steelers, and Kizer looked like the real deal?

After that, opposing defenses stifled and then shut down Hue's offense.  That's partly because, well...that was his game-plan in every game since, no matter what.

We saw this just last week: Despite having a lead, he stopped running, and put the game on Kizer's shoulders.  Was Hue just so used to playing from behind that he just couldn't help himself, or what?

I have to get up off of Hue, who I like personally, but firing him is the best thing Jimmy Haslam can do (and damn the torpedos!)

The hell with DeShone Kizer.  We've seen enough of Hue Fisher to know he's not a franchise Head Coach.

THIS JUST IN: Derrick Kindred was just placed on IR.  

All due respect to Pat McNanoman, who might have just mis-written, but his replacement will probably be Jabrill Peppers, and Rodney Nacuafield will get some more playing time and, I hereby predict, play well.

Bad Analysis and the Browns

247 Sports (Josh Edwards) knows how to fix the Browns in one offseason.  I've included the link because Josh is pretty smart for a non-fan, and has some good ideas.

Unfortunately, I have no choice but to disassemble him:

1: Two of the four needs Josh listed were free safety and wide receiver.  We can dispense with wide receiver off the top.  So much for that.  Free safety might be a "need", but I'd rather give Peppers a second season, and think UFA Kai Nacua could be that guy.  Josh is in a big hurry to take two rookies off the table.

2: Josh calls CB Trumaine Johnson "better than anything the Browns have".  I want McCourtey's opinion on this.  However, going after Johnson might be a good idea.

3: Josh thinks the Browns should go after Laveon Belle.  I can't argue with that, but he'll be going for a new record salary.  Chris is underestimating the money he'll demand.  Belle is extremely greedy.

4: Josh thinks the Browns should sign Alex Smith.  This would be a great idea if Hue Jackson weren't the Head Coach.  But Hue is the Head Coach.  Smith might well tell his agent "Hue Jackson need not apply".

5: Josh's top pick in the draft is Josh Rosen.  As I explained in my last couple posts, Rosen is a scumbag, and it MATTERS.

I do like this writer's logic of putting the rookie behind Alex Smith, but acquiring Smith is unlikely, and he picked the wrong rookie.

Josh has the Browns picking safety Derwyn James right after the wrong quarterback.  I am clueless about James at this point, and if he's really awesome I'd buy that for a dollar (no comment).

Atop the second round, he has the Browns drafting left tackle Colton Miller as "Joe Thomas insurance".  I know nothing about this player, but find it hard to believe that Josh Edwards has found an instant replacement for Big Joe in the second round.  (Of course I'll look James and Miller up in case Josh dug up some sleepers, and get back to you).

6: Josh drafts a wide receiver and two linebackers with the remaining second round and top third round picks, saying "depth is starting to be addressed".

Again, I don't yet know about the players Josh lists, but can't fathom his attacking linebacker and wide receiver.

In reality, Ricardo Lewis has emerged as a solid wide receiver, and...isn't Collins due back next year? Anybody notice Schobert as a Pro Bowl alternate?  Did Josh ask PFF about Burgess?

Ok I'm done.  I could keep kicking Josh, but I'm not like most of you.  I have to do this, but not because I like it.

Political Correctness and the Browns

Here is why guys like me can't write for most publications.  The linked article (CBS Sports again--different writer) does the Ross Perot thing; you know, standing in the middle, and pointing respectful fingers equally at both sides?

Ken Dorsey now knows he underestimated the aggragate intelligence of Browns fans, and has retreated (slightly) from his astonishing Sashi/roster-bashing last week.

This writer stipulates a few Browns players like Garrett, Gordon (I know G Sashi didn't draft him quit interrupting dammit), Collins, and somebody else...then says "are there holes?  Of course!  Lots of them!"

BULL.  SHIT.

I'm so freaking sick of this!  SHOW ME THE GDAMN HOLES!!!

DEFINE "HOLE".  SHOW ME ONE "HOLE" (besides quarterback) ok?  Where is it?

Oh yeah, I forgot HEAD COACH, so that makes it plural, but this still doesn't add up to "a lot", you see?  TWO isn't "a lot".  You need at least three for the smallest possible "lot", ok?

Excuse the hell outta me for speaking english and thinking literally and coherently, and being allergic to bullshit.

Lower round players like DeValve, Shon Coleman, Schobert, Drango, Kindred, Ogunjobi, Brantley, Dayes etc are not fakes.  Free agents like Zeitler, Tretter, McCourtey, and Coley are real football players.  Undrafted free agents like Boddy-Calhoun are not fake football players.

That covers Brown, but if you've mastered arithmatic, toss in Gordon, Thomas, Duke, Crow, Bitonio, Telfer, and Kirksey and tell me where tf these "holes" are gdammit!

Dorsey was TOTALLY full of shit, PERIOD.  REALITY IS WHAT IT IS.

The Browns need a quarterback and a Head Coach, period.

DEAL with it.

And oh yeah: Think with your BRAIN.

Prick vs Darnold, Hue Lewis, and the Browns

Consensus is almost unanimous that the Browns will draft Josh Rosen first overall, and not Sam Darnold.

The reason?  He's more pro-ready.  That's it.  That's all.  More pro ready.

Clearly coachability, personality, upside, and character are all far less imortant than pro-readiness.

One prognosticator even said that Darnold and Rosen are pretty much interchangeable...then picked Rosen.

Pro readiness:  Are we really talking about starting a rookie quarterback in game one again?  A rookie quarterback will be expected to take down the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals in 2018?

Pro readiness will be a low priority for Ken Dorsey.  Upside will be the top priority, and Darnold has more.

He's more accurate, he can improvise, throw off-balance, and run like Wentz.

Not that this matters or anything, but he listens to coaches, and his teammates will run through walls for him too.

I go back to my last post, and think a veteran (quite possibly McCarron) will be brought in to start.  We can give DeShone Kizer a puncher's chance.  After all, he hasn't had time to stabalize his mechanics, and he has had his moments.

The drafted quarterback will be protected and nurtured.  If he's a little less pro ready than that prick, who cares?  Dorsey will want the best quarterback in 2019. 

Most of these guys also want desperately to replace that bumb Ogbah at defensive end with the Texans pick.

I don't understand this.  Left tackle, probably downhill running back...well that's kind of it...make more sense, unless the defensive end is like Garrett himself.

But there's a problem here:

I've been defending Hue Fisher's playcalling up til the Green Bay game, but now I've got to concede that he's pretty bad.

As Dan Labbe and others have pointed out, despite the fact that the run was working vs the Ravens, Hue scrapped it, and had DeShone Kizer back to pass for most of the game, including when the Browns were leading.

I personally noticed that the Ravens blew up dumpoffs to Crowell (for losses) at least three times.  The Ravens obviously had the answer for that play.  The second one I can understand, but the third one shouldn't have been attempted.

Just as Hue refuses to adapt to his personnel, he refuses to adapt to the opponent and game situation.

Vs Green Bay, I'm almost positive that Gregg Williams didn't willingly back off and allow the Packers to dink and dunk up and down the field and come from far behind.

I know for sure that this was one time when Hue did fall in love with the run.  Know who else knew it?  The Packer's defense.

Kizer actually looked good in that game!  But Jackson took his foot off the gas with half the game remaining.  The Browns went away from what was working, and the Packers exploited it.

Dear Mike Brown: Please come get him.  He's the perfect replacement for Marvin Lewis.  We'll take a 7th round pick.  And a bag of Doritos too.  Ok skip the pick.

This is deflating.  All the stuff I said about his Bible-sized playbook, creativity, and adaptability.  I've rarely been this wrong about anything.

Well at least I admit it.  Other stuff I was wrong about: Pryor, Britt, Dayes (I thought he was a wasted pick)...can't think of much else recent but feel free to read more posts and nail me.

Yes, I now hope that Mike Brown is crazy enough to want Hue back, and yes...to start over with yet another Head Coach of Dorsey's choosing.

I doubt it will happen, however, or that Haslam will change his mind and fire him.

Well Marvin Lewis won lots of games.  Hue can, once he has the players to fit his rigid, inflexible scheme, and the majority of those players have some experience.

The problem is, I don't trust him in critical moments anymore, and did you see it vs the Ravens again?  He was indeed yanking Josh Gordon off the field for Ricardo Lewis, including in the red zone and in come-back mode!

Look, cornerbacks stay on the field for every down, and they have to work harder than wide receivers!  Why the hell would you want your best wide receiver randomly stanting on the sidelines over 35% (I'm guessing) of the time?

Peter Smith strikes again!  This time he's all over Hue Lewis for how he handled DeShone Kizer, and he's mostly on the money.

I just disagree with Pete on a few minor points.  For one, I think Kevin Hogan shouldn't be judged on his one and only start.  If you check out his overall performance (and progress) through his first two seasons, you see potential here.

But Pete backs me up on Hue's inflexibility.  "The system is the system, no matter who is at quarterback".  I would add: Regardless of the skill-set of your running back, the types and number of tight ends you have, how bad and few your wide receivers are, or how athletic your offensive line is.

Smith is quite fair to DeShone Kizer.  He was absolutely not ready to start in the NFL, and this isn't his fault.  

I don't know how good Kizer will eventually become, or even how far his "leap" from his first to second year will take him, but he'll obviously be significantly better than he is now.

If Angelo Dundee had put Cassius Clay up against contenders in his first few pro fights, you might never have heard of Muhammud Ali.  Hue Jackson is no Angelo Dundee.

Peter takes Hue behind the woodshed in this one, and I concur about 86.2%.

If the improbable happens, and we get to replace this Marvin Lewis clone before 2018, Gregg Williams and his assistants should be safe, which would provide continuity on defense.

This defense has disappointed recently, but you have to realize that Danny Shelton, Ogbah, and Jamie Collins not being there matters.  

A few more Bullcrap corrections:

1: Deep safety was one of the few positions Jabrill Peppers rarely played in college, although he's faster than most NFL starters at that position.

2: Peppers is at deep safety something like 30% of the time.

3: He will be much better at that position in his second season, but it might not matter if Nacua (who is a true deep safety), or another high draft pick takes it over.

4: The defense's (unprecedented in Williams' carreer) lack of turnovers is alarming, but not terminal.  When Ogbah went on IR, it stifled pressure from the edge, as defenses could focus on Garrett, and roll away from him.

The majority of turnovers are forced by getting to the quarterback, obviously.  They come from deflections, strip-sacks (almost always from behind), and premature, off-balance throws.

The real experts who say that the Browns need a "bookend" for Myles Garrett are correct, but I can't understand their dismissal of Emmanuel Ogbah, who will be returning for his third season next spring.

Jamie Collins is a unique player.  All the other linebackers are around 6'2", and under 245.  Collins is 6'5", 260, and I think faster than all of them.

Collins can make interceptions, separate ballcarriers from balls, deflect passes, and (read this slowly), Gregg Williams uses him differently than he does the shorter, smaller, slower guys.

Overall, Ogunjobi, Brantley, and (especially) Coley mitigate Danny Shelton's injuries.  The Browns now have great depth at defensive tackle.

However, when Shelton is on the field, it's a lot harder for opposing offenses to run the ball.

When Shelton is there on first and sometimes second downs, running backs get stuffed more often (still with me here?).  This forces more passes on second and third downs.

When Ogbah, Shelton, and Collins were all on the field, this defense was forcing turnovers.  Rodney Ogbahfield and Collins were two of three key playmakers on this defense, and Shelton was a catalyst who set them up.

Now in 2018, two or more of the top five draft picks (from first overall to the top pick in the third round) should be starting quality defensive players.

Ogbah and Shelton will be back and healthy.  McCourtey is getting old, but as amazing as he's been this season, we can reasonably expect him to rank high at CB next season and to exploit any mistakes opposing quarterbacks make for turnovers.

I'm fuzzy on Dorsey's history with free agents (and undrafted free agents) at this point, but Andrew Berry is still here, so I expect this to go pretty well.  The Browns won't lose any important defensive players, and should land one high-profile veteran and score on a couple more undrafted guys as well.

Personally, without doing any research, I am personally leaning towards a Joe Thomas protege with the Texans' first round pick.

I can't find the left tackle Sashi drafted in 2016 because for some reason the Browns injured reserve list is too hard for me to find.  I know he's extra-tall and very athletic, but that's all.

"Project" left tackles rarely work out, however, so going by the numbers, the top of the first round is your best bet, and this is one position you need to make sure of.

If you think replacing Ogbah is more important than replacing Joe Thomas eventually, you need a brain transplant.

That would take us to the top pick in the second round (etc).

Ogbah himself was drafted much lower.  Stud running backs and free safeties are often taken here (I'm editing based on real Browns team needs--so are guards, centers, linebackers, tight ends, edge-ru...ok well just everything except quarterbacks ok?)

Dorsey should "hit" on most of the non-quarterback top five picks.  It's not nearly as hard as digging up gold in the lower rounds...

Wow, did Sashi Brown set this guy up or what?

I begin to understand why Dorsey said "AFC North Division Title or bust":

1: He expects Ogbah and Collins back.

2: He expects to add at least two Williams-freindly studs in the top three (ok get real more like the top two) rounds.

3: He expects to maybe nab another one in free agency.

4: He knows that Ogunjobi, Brantley, Peppers, Burgess, and Nacua will be better, and has to like Howard Williams.

5: He knows Gregg Williams.

Unless Ken Dorsey is just a compulsive blow-hard, he expects the 2018 Browns defense to be one of the best in the NFL.

And that is realistic.

Assuming he's stuck with Hue Fisher as his Head Coach, and that Kizer isn't the answer at quarterback, he can still push Hue around.

Hue's record is what it is.  If Mike Brown doesn't bail him out now, he'll never be a Head Coach again if he's fired here.

If Peter Smith and I can see what's wrong here, so can Ken Dorsey.  But Hue has to listen to Dorsey.

This is deep: In this organizational structure, both the Head Coach and the defacto GM answer to the owner, rather than the Coach answering to the GM.  

Well, Jimmy Haslam just replaced Sashi Brown with Ken Dorsey; kinda-sorta siding with Hue Lewis.  But Hue Fisher has since then managed to squander two leads in games, and might well manage to lose to da Bearss this week as well.

If this new voice, with a great history of achievement, tells Haslam "Hue sucks", he will LISTEN, and Hue knows it.

Dorsey can push Hue around, and he will.  He's already declared himself a scumbag with his "real players" bullcrap (which was partly to manipulate Hue...how transparent this guy is...)

Anyway Ken Dorsey has more real power here than he has ever had before in his carreer.  He WILL ask him about the Gordon rotation, the blocking scheme, the prevent offenses and defenses, and everything else all of us have seen.

Dorsey isn't a "football guy" himself, but he just said nothing short of the AFC North title was acceptable in 2018.  And HE will be asking Hue why the hell he rotates Gordon in and out, won't zone-block, won't stay with the run, etc., like we all do.

But NOW, Hue has to LISTEN.  Ken Dorsey is a despicable human being, but he just might be the answer.

Real Players, Quarterbacks, and the Browns

Asking the question "is Dorsey right?" (that Sashi and company didn't draft real players) is dumb on it's face.  He is obiously full of crap (and lying).

But Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) wrote a thoughtful and objective article on this topic, which I unfortunately need to correct:

I'll start with Chris's conclusion, which was almost predictably neutral.  I don't know Chris well enough to call him a fence-rider, but in general, too many people think that being objective=being neutral.  It doesn't.

Next, the details of that conclusion: 

Chris listed six "building block" players who were acquired in Sashi's two drafts:

1:  He did not include Tretter, Zietler, Boddy-Calhoun, McCourtey, Schobert, Peppers, or Shon Coleman (he skipped free agency, and sold some draft picks and undrafted free agents way short).

2: Chris's theory that Sashi and co focused on college production in 2015 and combine numbers in 2016 is interesting, and might be partially true, but he takes it too far.

Wilson, Peppers, Ogunjobi and Garrett were all productive in college (*Peppers didn't make a lot of splash-plays but look "production" up in your Funk and Wagnal).

Coleman, Ogbah, and (yes, Chris) Nassib all tested well (or off the charts, in Corey Coleman's case) at their combine.  (Chris said Nassib tested poorly!  He was tried out at outside linebacker!  He's an eye-blink slower than Ogbah in the 40 AT SIX FOOT SEVEN).

Chris probably confuses "building block" with "Pro Bowl Starter", but I can forgive him since that's an all-too-common mistake.

I like Chis.  He is smart and tries (way too hard) to be "fair".

But as an analyst, he has a ways to go.  You don't form a hypothesis and mold data to suit it.  You don't edit data in order to stay neutral.  And sometimes being objective means bashing somebody.

I really mean this: To be a good analyst, you need to feel as if lives depend on the accuracy of your conclusions.  You can not slant your information, or compromise for any reason (least of all to be politically correct!!!)

Dorsey was simply lying with his "real players" statement, since it's so preposterous that everybody knows he's too smart to believe what he said.

He said it partly to prop up the Head Coach Jimmy Haslam stuck him with, and partly so that he can try to bamboozle us and claim credit when the Browns inevittably start winning in 2018 (it's insulting as hell.  Even the permabashers will know better and start bashing him).

Still, as I've said, I love that Dorsey is here, because he's a proven team-builder and judge of talent.  I can hold my nose and expect this scumbag to nail down the quarterback(s) and do at least as well as Sashi in free agency and the lower rounds....

No, that last part is too optimistic:  Brien Boddy-Calhoun is a STUD.  So is McCourtey.  So is Zietler.  Tretter was a sweet signing.  Dayes is a lot like Duke.  Don't give up on Zane Gonzalez.  I think Howard Wilson will be a terrific cornerback once he heals up.  I could go on.

Let's just say that I trust Dorsey more than Sashi at the quarterback position and leave it at that.  

Speaking of which, I was GLAD the AJ McCarron trade fell through (and hope that Sashi Brown sabotaged it deliberately, like I would have.)

But McCarron is back in play now:

If you think Kirk Cousins or Alex Smith want to play for Hue Jackson, despite this impressive offensive talent, you haven't been paying attention.

To repeat myself yet again (I apologize, but nobody seems to have heard me the first seven or eight times), these guys are both West Coast quarterbacks, and Hue Jackson WILL NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, let them do what they do best, NO MATTER WHAT.

(Yes I was wrong about Hue, telling you about his huge playbook and adaptability.  I need to stop listening to experts so much.  Hue is a blockhead, married to his offensive system, regardless of his roster).

These two will will probably accept less money to avoid Hue Fisher.

Enter AJ McCarron (for a much less rediculous price):

CONTEXT:  Hue Jackson wanted to win a game or two to save his ass in 2017, and felt McCarron could do that.  At that time, we still had hope for DeShone Kizer as a franchise quarterback.

NOW, Kizer looks worse.

If Dorsey can't bring down Cousins or Smith, McCarron may be the ideal "veteran" starter to keep a rookie (Darnold I hope) out of trouble (and behind Kizer on the depth-chart too).

No, you need to listen to me here:

AJ McCarron had an awesome record of success in college, but slid in his draft due to "physical limitations" (including size and arm-strength), and accuracy...

Whah-evah!  He did what he did in Andy Dalton's stead as a starter.  He was pretty damn good!  Some Bungles fans think he's better than Andy Dalton!

Dorsey just said that winning the AFC North was the only acceptable goal next season.  If you think Kizer can do that, you're optimistic.  If you think a rookie quarterback can do it, you are delusional.  If you expect Alex Smith or Kirk Cousins here, you're even more optimistic.

McCarron is a legit veteran.  In Cinci, he was well-protected and surrounded by weapons, and coached by Hue.

Same deal here, and he's older and wiser now.  I consider AJ McCarron as the Browns day one starter in 2018 a good possibility.

Hue Jackson himself said the ingredients of a franchise quarterback are a running game, protection, weapons, and a strong defense.  The Browns quarterback in 2018 will have all this!

Shut tf up!  Darnold (I hope) will be only one of five picks ascending from the top of the third round, and as of now the pick after him is fifth overall.

Now you expect Dorsey to screw that up?  You're sick, man!  You need therapy.

And with Gregg Williams coaching this defense, Ogbah and Collins coming back, Wilson on-line, Peppers broken in etc you think Gregg Williams will fall off the map, even without free agency and the draft?

You people never cease to amaze me.  How can you expect second and third year players not to improve?

The Niners won again, leaving the Giants as the only threat to the Browns drafting first overall.  I am confident that they have it in the bag, even though they have a shot at knocking off Chicago.

The Texans pick has a good shot at getting higher as well.

By the way, Dorsey could possibly use that pick on Joe Thomas's eventual successor.  There is a project-type candidate on injured reserve who Sashi drafted low, but we really don't know.  It's very hard to find left tackles lower than that.

The Browns are like a car I once had.  At 70,000 miles, things started breaking and needing repairs.  After a couple months of this, my Dad said I should get rid of it.

I said "why?  Most of it's brand new now!"

F--k Rosen

Josh Rosen is a prick.  His teammates don't like him.  He wore a "F--k Trump" hat to one of Trump's golf courses.  The other idiots kneel for the National Anthem.  This sucker might grab his crotch.

That's not a leader.  Put a "Radioactive" hazmat sign over his face and take him off the draft board.

Dorsey is said to be big on character.  I hope so.

To my relief, Sam Darnold is thought to have more upside, and is a good teammate and an adult.

Darnold's issues are mostly mechanical.  He's never gone to a quarterback guru, and needs some work to become more consistent.  Stuff like re-setting his feet.

Darnold is a dual threat, and actually looks something like Carson Wentz as he sets up or runs.  Also like Wentz, he makes things happen when things break down.

He had issues with interceptions, but not for the last several games, during which he threw for seven TDs and two picks. Darnold also has several come-from-behind wins; always a good sign.

He is highly coachable and obviously more intelligent than Rosen.

Darnold is not considered as NFL-ready as Rosen is, but that shouldn't disqualify him.  Kizer will return with a season under his belt, and a veteran quarterback could well be signed.

Further, those who mindlessly repeat that any Browns quarterback is doomed is ignorant.  Joe Thomas will be back next season, and with him, this is easily a top five offensive line.

Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon are lethal weapons.  Crowell's future here is murky, but Duke Johnson's is not.  Njoku doesn't even have a cieling.

I was unable to watch the Ravens roll the Browns again, but I do know that DeShone Kizer couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.  That's not the supporting cast.  That's the quarterback.

I did see the 57-yard Crowell run.  That was really impressive blocking.  Crow wasn't even touched, and two blockers got to the safety and linebacker.

I don't know enough to call that inside zone-blocking.  I know the right guard and tackle were manned up and walling off, but on the left side, two double-teams turned into two big uglies running upfield, and I know Crow was running at an angle, trusting his instincts.  Close enough!  That's how you block for Crowell!

Why wouldn't a quarterback (who can hit what he aims at) want to play for Hue Jackson and the Browns?

I hope it's Darnold, and that's final for now.

Browns vs Ravens: How Can They Lose? LONG STORY

The Browns should beat the Ravens.  S H O U L D.

I know, the eternal and infernal Terrelle Suggs is back, but Jimmy Smith is not.  Coleman and Gordon are here this time.  
I know, Flacco saves his best games for the Browns, and the Browns are short a starting cornerback, and Ogbah, and Collins.  And Thomas.

But player by player, the overall Browns defensive and offensive lines are better than their counterparts.  I'll call your Suggs with my Garrett.

The Browns current wide recievers are better too.  And the running backs.  The Ravens might have an edge at tight end based on blocking and experience, as well as at quarterback.

The Ravens defense got lit up by the Steelers last week, but that's a fluke.  They're better than the Browns defense at this point in time, because they don't screw up as much, and get more turnovers.

Suggs will cramp their style.  The Browns can't leave Rango alone with him, unless they roll or run away from Suggs.

And of course Hue Jackson needs his vertical routes and deep passes so...

But Duke is here, and for that matter so is Crowell.  Hue is using them as short and bailout receivers, and the Ravens defense is vulnerable to plain old runs.

In the last game, Harbaugh and Flacco showed Hue how to cope with a scary passrush via West Coast-like dink-passes (getting rid of the ball quickly).

If Joe Flacco can do it, DeShone Kizer can do it.

Nevermind.  Hue will not do that, no matter what.  He will play Randall Telfer a lot, and DeValve or Rango less, instead.

Still, it might work!  Hue really isn't an idiot.  He has turned every running back into downfield, as well as outlet, receivers, and they're very effective in both roles.

With Coleman and Gordon both deep threats, Telfer in to help with that bastid Suggs, and a third receiver of some sort, the set-back should be able to peel out underneath more often than he has to block.

Sans Smith, no cornerback on the Ravens roster can handle Josh Gordon without help.  I'm sure that Hue will send both him and Coleman intermediate and deep all the time.

Kizer was just terrible last week, because Gordon was open constantly.  He will be open constantly again this week.  If Daunte Culpepper could hit Randy Moss, Kizer should be able to hit Gordon after three weeks together.  If he can't well...I guess we know what we got at quarterback, right?

No I mean it! Campbell, Hoyer, and Weedon all looked like Dan Marino with this guy ok?  If Kizer can't light the Ravens up with him, we definitely don't have a franchise quarterback on this roster (unless it's Rodney Hoganfield).

At any rate, the Ravens will fear Gordon (and Coleman), so they can't stack the box.

Kizer will have to exploit this.  He's actually become pretty good at that with both running backs...the Ravens defense should not be able to stop the Browns offense, if the latter executes the game-plan.

Of course, will Hue continue to rotate Gordon in and out?  If they get a lead, will they go to the prevent-the-win (offense and defense) prematurely?

Who will encroach?  Who will get in a pissing contest and get a personal foul?  What will the referees hallucinate or refuse to see this time?

If I'm Harbaugh and saw last week's Browns vs Packers game-film, I'm telling my guys to tackle Garrett and Gordon until they throw a flag (more than once).

The Browns should beat the Ravens.  But they probably won't.

THIS JUST IN: Several Browns pundits (Lesmerisis/Shaw for two) predict a Browns' victory!  (Lesmerisis says "just enough real players for a win" haha).

Look for Doug to shift his reticule from Hue Fisher to Dorsey.  His bashing of Sashi Brown was downright insane, as well as classless and rediculous.  He insulted the majority of this YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED roster.  He called them fakes.

I can't believe he said that! He must think we're a bunch of morons, seriously!

Seriously!  The Browns win nine games in 2018 and he thinks we won't know who drafted or signed who!  Yeah Gordon got 1400 yards, Garrett and Ogbah 20 or so sacks, Coleman 1,000, Peppers is all-Pro and so is Collins and this clown expects us to give HIM all the credit!

I already personally despise this guy.  He's really good at his job, but he's a backstabber and a manipulator.  Sashi didn't acquire "real players"!?  My God that's just rediculous!  That's a top ten ever dumbest statement!!!

Go get him, Lesmerisis!