Well, these referees were just plain horrible. It is NOT legal to hit ANY player in the head with their helmet, period, let alone a quarterback who is obviously starting to slide.
The referee correctly threw the flag, but was overruled, and here's the translation: It is legal to hit Browns quarterbacks in the head!!!
How can these clowns get away with this garbage?
Brad Cagnon (Bleacher Report) wrote a nice article on how the Browns Coaches are ruining Baker Mayfield's inaugural season.
I do have to say that probably one third of the 14 flags thrown against the Browns were bullcrap, but there were still too many, and this has to be on the guys in charge.
Look, some penalties you just have to deal with. If a left tackle is beaten, and his quarterback is about to get crushed, he will tackle the guy, and the Coach will accept that.
Ditto a toasted cornerback who is about to give up a certain touchdown.
But jumping offsides that often, false starts, etc are clear evidence of a lack of discipline.
But how, exactly, do you enforce discipline? You can't bench these players, as due to injuries, team depth is already being sorely tested.
Still, Belichick does it somehow. The Ravens are disciplined, as are the Saints, Rams...somehow, those coaches always have disciplined teams.
It's not just the penalties, however: Vs Tampa Bay, Mayfield's receivers held up their end, kinda--but that was the first time! If this wasn't the Browns, you could assume that chemistry has improved and they should be even more effective next week, but...
Then oh come on man! Peppers' fumble on that return? Jeez some how, some way, they find a way to LOSE!
Peppers had a great game as both a returner and a defender. As usual, just when you're smiling at a young Browns player and reaching out to pat him on the back, OOPS!
It's maddening. Senseless. Insane.
Hue Jackson is taking most of the heat for all this, but Todd Haley has been running this offense, and that offense has managed to go scoreless in the first quarter of nearly every game.
Dorsey just had to confiscate his favorite toy to force him to use Nick Chubb. I don't like that.
Read all my previous posts: I've been a huge Todd Haley fan, and expected him to rescue this offense and max out the skill players.
But so far, he's made me miss Hue! At least Hue used Duke Johnson liberally at various positions, and Njoku and DeValve combined for over 60 catches and a lot of yards.
I'm not ready to convict anybody just yet. Njoku only had one idiotic rediculous drop last week, but he IS one guy who can be benched (replaced by DeValve). (Update: DeValve never got on the field, and Pharoah Cooper was just brought onto the active roster. Haley seems to really hate DeValve!)
Njoku wouldn't even have been on the field in my offense, but Todd just really really likes him better, so the drops don't seem to matter to him.
I'm curious to compare Callaway and Ratley snap-counts too, because Ratley has PROVEN himself a lot more reliable than Butterfingers. I bet Haley used Callaway as much or more!
Way to look out for your rookie quarterback, Todd!
I mean DUH!
Ohmmm....ohmmm...
Todd Haley has a long and commendable record as an offensive coordinator, and I do not. That's why I'm reserving judgement.
His playcalling seems just fine to me. His players simply haven't executed well. As I mentioned, all those stupid drops. Every time there's a big play, you look for the flag that will reverse it.
Somehow San Diego's secondary blows up timing on every receiver and looks like...well just dammit that crew should not have been able to do that!!!
(of course, they couldn't stop Rodney Ratleyfield, but...)
Playcalling? Oh that's easy to pick on. When something doesn't work, it's a bad playcall, right? Oh how eriudite you simpletonian monday morning coordinators are! You people....
Todd Haley doesn't tell players to blow blocks, screw up patterns, or drop passes. That's not what "play calling" means, and you're not ready to step in for Todd Haley in your wildest dreams...
Ohmmm....ohmmm...
Baker Mayfield himself will probably get more assertive now. He'll let Haley know he wants Ratley and Duke on the field all the time, and won't back down.
(Interestingly, Hue might have his back here if Haley digs his heels in---ooo, the intrigue and power struggles!!! LaCanfora will jump all over it, and for once it might be legit for a change!)
The defense is doing it's job. Down Schobert and two of his top three corners, Williams forced four more turnovers and kept the Browns in it vs a decent offense, and Gregg doesn't need to be lumped in with Jackson or Haley.
Hair-trigger passrushers jump offsides sometimes. Defensive coaches can't tell them to "make sure" or whatever, because that first step is their biggest edge.
Gregg can hammer a defensive back for continuing to mug a receiver 10 yards downfield, but can't blame him for a total bullshit call (of which there have been many).
Is he supposed to tell Myles Garrett not to tackle the quarterback? To be kinder and gentler?
Don't be a spazz. Don't blame EVERYBODY.
Baker Mayfield is in charge now, and Dorsey has his back. PFF wants you to know he's the best rookie quarterback in the NFL, and already in the top half of all quarterbacks.
Mayfield has leverage, and will use it. "I want Duke. I want Ratley. I want more run/pass options, zone reads, and rollouts, and so does the whole fucking offensive line!"
Trust me: However this coaching issue sorts itself out, Baker Mayfield is NOT going to be a "good soldier", and will be heard by the Haslams.
The 2018 Browns are still contenders, because Baker Mayfield won't accept bad coaching.
Stand by.
Update: Butterfingers was on the field much more than Ratley, and is still listed ahead of him on the depth chart. No. Matter. What.
Ratley again caught most of his targets, while Callaway caught one of TWO. Doesn't matter! Todd Haley does not reward performance or penalize screwups. He has not adapted his offense to his personnel.
He is a blockhead
Yes, Hue Jackson: You DO need to step in here! I don't think you can make it worse. Maybe you can accidentally fix it.
Monday, October 22, 2018
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Baker is Real Deal, Bucs in Touble. Referees Won't Save them this time.
As this article outlines, Baker Mayfield has lost nearly 200 yards (and a few touchdowns and several first downs) to rampant drops.
I know, it's hard to fathom that multiple receivers (including Jarvis Landry) are the problem, and not the one guy they all have in common, but it's true.
Now, a few pundits are already trying to moderate how hard Baker throws the ball; criticizing his touch.
Sorry, guys. Baker has exceptional touch, and often has to rifle it into tight windows. And guys? Those receivers get paid to c a t c h the damn ball.
I'm not worried about Jarvis Landry. The guy was correct that some of the balls thrown in his direction were throwaways. The numbers sites call those "targets" (so they need to work some bugs out in judging receivers as well. They simply shouldn't count throwaways).
Jarvis nevertheless had a bad game, but he'll bounce back.
Can't wait to see Nick Chubb unchained, and Duke used more. Thank you again John Dorsey (no offense Carlos).
Good for Myles Garrett to speak out about the way the referees have been jobbing the Browns all season. They've cost the Browns at least two wins.
Don't say "well they shouldn't have let it get that close". That's irrelevant, and the other team gets a gdam vote! What, you don't deserve to win unless you win by a touchdown? If it's closer than that it's okay for the refs to help the other team win?
I know the coaches have to blabber those mindless cliches, but fans who parrot them are embarrassing. If the games had been officiated fairly the Browns would have won four games by now, period.
I fully expect Baker and this team to rebound from last week's massacre and take Tampa Bay out behind the woodshed.
Nick Chubb might sputter and chug early, but he can bust it loose on any given carry, and will seem to get stronger as the game progresses.
Tampa's defense has been soft vs both the pass and the run (and vs opposing tight ends too).
Naturally, since this is the Browns, that defense will look like a Superbowl contender for a series or two (sigh), but the new Browns offense is too explosive.
Dameion Ratley has passed up fellow ROOKIE Antonio Callaway on the depth chart, because he catches the damn ball. This is the 1-2 punch now: Ratley and Landry (Ratley at X).
Todd Haley SHOULD favor reliable hands over raw speed, and put Duke at wide receiver (when not at running back) over Callaway, until the latter proves he can catch two damn passes in a damn row.
I kinda think Njoku will be allright. His drops were mental, I think. But for sure Seth DeValve can catch.
You see? The "weapons" are here for Baker Mayfield. Haley just has to put the most RELIABLE receivers on the field!
I'm not too clear on why Callaway was assumed to be way ahead of Ratley in the first place, as Ratley actually had more college experience, and is an even more impressive physical freak too. Do these guys get extra credit for getting in trouble or something?
Mayfield got a lot of work with Ratley through camp and preseason (and since), so keeping Ratley on the field for Baker is a no-brainer.
Baker didn't get to work with Landry much at all, up until he took over. Vs the Chargers last week, this was evident.
But that will improve this sunday. Like Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry is "quarterback-freindly", and reliable as hell.
All the offensive needles are pointing up for the Browns.
The Bucs offense is a different story, with Mike Evans and DeShaun Jackson at WR.
I don't believe in Jamius Winston. I mean I think he is, or will be, pretty good--but not great. And really ditto Mariotta from the same draft class.
Somebody needs to compare that class to this one; Kinda Mariotta/Winston vs Mayfield/Darnold/Rosen/Allen. I wonder if you tossed all those guys into the same class how it would have worked out.
I don't know about the rest of it, but I can pretty much guarantee that John Dorsey still would have drafted Mayfield first overall.
Think about that.
But I digress: The Browns offense is due to work some bugs out and is explosive and potentially physically dominating. The Browns defense got punked last week, but Winston can't do what Rivers did (Baker Mayfield said "you can't stop a perfect pass"). Rivers hit a bunch of microscopic windows (and got rid of it quickly).
You people need to know that this combination of accuracy, touch, and decisiveness is rare. Big Ben, Andy Dalton, or Joe Flacco couldn't have done that (although Dalton is close).
It is concerning that Carrie is now starting opposite Ward, because he hasn't played well at all this season. Nor has Boddy-Calhoun. That's why I think Winston might do some damage.
...and then there's the fact that the Browns can't seem to cover tight ends, and the Bucs have OJ Howard AND Cameron Brate dammit...
...and Schobert is out and Kirksey will replace him...ok I'm going back and taking the "over" now but I digress:
The Bucs got big issues on their offensive line. They have a really good left guard, and guys named Joe. The Browns defensive line has them outgunned, and Genard Avery should be the starting WIL backer too.
Winston is reasonably mobile, but not dangerous, and Gregg can kitchen-sink him.
Peyton Barber is a good running back, but I frankly expect Baker, Nick, and company to establish an early lead and undermine the Bucs running game.
I guess I'm in the minority, as the Browns are 3.5 point underdawgs. That might have something to do with what Rivers did to this defense last week.
There is no comparing the Bucs offense to the Chargers' offense. They're not in the same zip code. The Chargers defense rose to the occasion last week, but is, in reality, better than the Bucs defense as well.
Winston is working off some rust check, but the Browns have superior talent and depth everywhere, and Mayfield, Ratley, Chubb, Callaway, Avery, Ward, and Robinson are all rapidly-ascending rookies, and this is Todd Haley's first season here.
I opened this post citing the article pointing out that Baker Mayfield's box score doesn't reflect his actual performance to-date, or his performance tomorrow or beyond.
Those more accurate PFF numbers describe a top 13 NFL starting quarterback...already.
We can debate about pass-protection and stuff, but Nick Chubb is a better running back than Carlos Hyde, and Duke Johnson should be on the field in some capacity on every snap. That's about to happen (thanks yet again Dorsey!!!)
Really, folks: I expect the Browns to dominate the Bucs like the Chargers dominated the Browns last week.
Bold predictions:
1: Ratley will catch 7 passes for over 100 yards and 1 TD.
2: Ditto Landry.
3: Duke and Chubb will combine for over 150 ground yards.
4: Chubb will bust loose for a long TD.
5: Duke will catch 6 passes for over 74 yards.
6: Winston will get sacked 4 times and throw two or more picks.
7: Baker Mayfield will not exceed one pick and will get at least 3 TDs (by air or himself).
8: The Browns tight ends will combine for over 90 yards. The Bucs tight ends will combine for more. Dammit.
9: The referees will screw both teams and ruin the game (*they might screw the Browns more*)
10: Genard Avery will get at least two tackles-for-losses, five overall tackles, at least a half-sack...etc.
11: The Browns will win by a comfortable margin in a high-scoring game (because of the damn Bucs damn tight ends and the Browns vulnerability to same plus the attrition in their secondary)...oh yeah "over"...definitly "over"...but I digress:
Browns 55, Bucs and Refs 24.
Update: The under/over is 52. I was kidding. That's about right.
Dammit.
Friday, October 19, 2018
The Nick Chubb/Duke Johnson Era Begins (better late than never/about freaking time)
Carlos Hyde has been traded to the JagWIRES for a 5th round pick (and some pasketti and meatballs.
I concur. While Carlos has done a good job, Nick Chubb can do what Hyde does, and more.
While Nick still needs work on pass protection, Duke (despite his smaller size) excels in that area (as well as every other area).
Speaking of which, the Dukester deserves a break today as well, and now he'll get it.
Todd Haley isn't perfect, and I wonder if Dorsey even consulted him on this move. Us unwarshed mass fans may not be the only ones who wonder why Duke and Chubb don't get more reps.
Waittilnextyear just texted that it's about rookie skill players seasoning at the same rate.
Mayfield, Callaway, Ratley and Chubb are all rookies, and all ideally integral to this offense for at least the next four seasons...and Dorsey forcing Haley to use one of them.
It's not about the Browns giving up on the 2018 season. Dorsey signed Carlos Hyde before the draft. He was covering his bases. He didn't know, at that time, that Nick Chubb would be available to him in the second round.
Nick Chubb might well have been the second-best running back in this draft class behind Barkley. A few legit experts even declared him better than Barkley (Bucky Brooks, for one).
That's all debatable, as this was an incredibly deep and diverse crop of running backs; However, Nick Chubb is definitely the best "workhorse" back next to Barkley in this class.
Running back aint rocket science. Things like pass-catching and pass-protection take longer to master for the college backs who haven't done it much, and Nick Chubb has definitely blown some blocks in pass-pro so far.
That doesn't justify keeping him (and his big play ability) off the field, as John Dorsey has.
Running backs coach Freddie Kitchens said during preseason that the Browns would probably go with the "hot hand", but he's not calling those shots, and it's been all-Hyde, all the time.
Hue and Todd keep repeating that Hyde is a guy that "gets better the more reps he gets" (ergo you have to start him and stick with him).
Kitchens (a former running back himself) is no doubt frustrated, and may even have gone to Dorsey himself over this self-fulfilling tail-chasing blockheaded lack of flexibility.
Dorsey, a former pro linebacker himself, gets this even without input from Kitchens.
NOW, Chubb is thunder, and Johnson is lightening, and Todd Haley HAS TO use both of them.
And I'm weary of this "he gets stronger as the game goes along/he needs to "find his rythm"" crap. Defenses wear down faster than offenses. Running backs rely on instincts, and don't think much. As defenses become a little slower to react due to fatigue, they look better. This "getting stronger" crap is garbage.
This just in: Lesmerisis gets it, and is less diplomatic than I've been about it.
Doug lays it all on Hue Jackson (none on Haley). I'm not sure Dorsey wasn't a co-conspiritor in the anti-Chubb (and Johnson) agenda, but he could be right:
Todd Haley made Ebineezer Bell Ebineezer Bell after all, plus Antonio Brown Antonio Brown. I could see him stifling Chubb, but not Duke.
I don't know, but Lesmerisis sure nailed the John Dorsey "override" part right!
"You WILL use Nick Chubb (and Duke Johnson) more!"
Doug nailed it, without even having read this post!
And DUH! Sorry, Eman, but this aint "giving up on the season". This is forcing a "bellcow" PLAYMAKER onto the field over a "depedable vedderrunn" and making Mayfield's 2018 offense more explosive and dangerous.
Everybody except (at least) Hue Fisher knew that Nick Chubb was better than Carlos Hyde before they drafted the guy!!!
Ohmmm...ohmm...anyway thanks Doug Lesmerisis I thought I was alone.
Time to rework my weekly fantasy lineups okbye
I concur. While Carlos has done a good job, Nick Chubb can do what Hyde does, and more.
While Nick still needs work on pass protection, Duke (despite his smaller size) excels in that area (as well as every other area).
Speaking of which, the Dukester deserves a break today as well, and now he'll get it.
Todd Haley isn't perfect, and I wonder if Dorsey even consulted him on this move. Us unwarshed mass fans may not be the only ones who wonder why Duke and Chubb don't get more reps.
Waittilnextyear just texted that it's about rookie skill players seasoning at the same rate.
Mayfield, Callaway, Ratley and Chubb are all rookies, and all ideally integral to this offense for at least the next four seasons...and Dorsey forcing Haley to use one of them.
It's not about the Browns giving up on the 2018 season. Dorsey signed Carlos Hyde before the draft. He was covering his bases. He didn't know, at that time, that Nick Chubb would be available to him in the second round.
Nick Chubb might well have been the second-best running back in this draft class behind Barkley. A few legit experts even declared him better than Barkley (Bucky Brooks, for one).
That's all debatable, as this was an incredibly deep and diverse crop of running backs; However, Nick Chubb is definitely the best "workhorse" back next to Barkley in this class.
Running back aint rocket science. Things like pass-catching and pass-protection take longer to master for the college backs who haven't done it much, and Nick Chubb has definitely blown some blocks in pass-pro so far.
That doesn't justify keeping him (and his big play ability) off the field, as John Dorsey has.
Running backs coach Freddie Kitchens said during preseason that the Browns would probably go with the "hot hand", but he's not calling those shots, and it's been all-Hyde, all the time.
Hue and Todd keep repeating that Hyde is a guy that "gets better the more reps he gets" (ergo you have to start him and stick with him).
Kitchens (a former running back himself) is no doubt frustrated, and may even have gone to Dorsey himself over this self-fulfilling tail-chasing blockheaded lack of flexibility.
Dorsey, a former pro linebacker himself, gets this even without input from Kitchens.
NOW, Chubb is thunder, and Johnson is lightening, and Todd Haley HAS TO use both of them.
And I'm weary of this "he gets stronger as the game goes along/he needs to "find his rythm"" crap. Defenses wear down faster than offenses. Running backs rely on instincts, and don't think much. As defenses become a little slower to react due to fatigue, they look better. This "getting stronger" crap is garbage.
This just in: Lesmerisis gets it, and is less diplomatic than I've been about it.
Doug lays it all on Hue Jackson (none on Haley). I'm not sure Dorsey wasn't a co-conspiritor in the anti-Chubb (and Johnson) agenda, but he could be right:
Todd Haley made Ebineezer Bell Ebineezer Bell after all, plus Antonio Brown Antonio Brown. I could see him stifling Chubb, but not Duke.
I don't know, but Lesmerisis sure nailed the John Dorsey "override" part right!
"You WILL use Nick Chubb (and Duke Johnson) more!"
Doug nailed it, without even having read this post!
And DUH! Sorry, Eman, but this aint "giving up on the season". This is forcing a "bellcow" PLAYMAKER onto the field over a "depedable vedderrunn" and making Mayfield's 2018 offense more explosive and dangerous.
Everybody except (at least) Hue Fisher knew that Nick Chubb was better than Carlos Hyde before they drafted the guy!!!
Ohmmm...ohmm...anyway thanks Doug Lesmerisis I thought I was alone.
Time to rework my weekly fantasy lineups okbye
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
NaVorro Bowman Could Help Browns. Dorsey isn't Spazzing (like some people I know)
I'm glad to hear that the Browns are kicking the tires on NaVorro Bowman, who is still at least a really good linebacker.
Bowman is 30, and has been injured; his best days are probably behind him...but then I kept saying that about Clay Matthews...
Bowman's "floor" is quite high, and he has the experience to actually call a defense in Joe Schobert's place. Once Schobert returns, Bowman can provide excellent depth, and the other players (including Joe) should benefit from his experience.
He probably can't replace Schobert as the field general this sunday, because he doesn't speak Williamseze yet. He's also been off the field for awhile, and might not even be ready to play.
Bowman was a 4-3 outside linebacker in college; a run-and-hit guy who some scouts felt needed to be protected from offensive linemen.
I can't easily dig up the exact positions Bowman played for the Niners and Raiders (yet--no time), but Joe Schobert is only slightly taller, and was a similar type of outside linebacker himself in college. I've got to think this guy (who racked up 127 tackles in 2017) can play inside behind Ogunjobi and...Coley?
I can understand why even a stud 30-year old can get waived, but not why other NFL teams weren't instantly fighting over Bowman.
Fortunately for the Browns, that lack of interest deprives Bowman of any leverage whatsoever.
I hope Dorsey goes for a 2 or even 3-year contract (with the guarantees front-loaded of course), because even as this guy enters his geezerhood, he's still going to be pretty damn good for awhile yet.
The wide receiver mania has predictably racheted up even more, as I'm reading stuff like the Browns have been relying on three rookies and it's time to take the heat off Mayfield.
Well, Landry isn't a rookie, and he is underperforming. Rodney Ratleyfield is a rookie, and HE is catching 75% of his targets.
Seth DeValve is a veteran, but he can't get on the field!!! Duke Johnson is reliable as hell as a receiver...isn't he? ISN'T HE?
The Browns are working out all these wide receivers. None of them are the proven veterans these pundits think they need.
Rightfully so! John Dorsey is trying to fill out his practice squad and the BOTTOM of his roster with kids with high cielings, because Haley and him are cool with the extant corps of receivers.
And look, guys: Baker waving and pointing as he scrambles after timing breaks down isn't a big deal. His receivers don't see what he sees. They're not idiots, or clueless. It was his second NFL start. He's used to Ratley, but nobody else. They will grow together.
Ohhmmmm....ohmmmm...I like Ratley, Landry, and Duke just fine. And Njoku/DeValve vs the Bucs. Let's just hope Callaway remembers what his fkng hands are for in case a couple more guys go down and he has to play a lot. David Zavic gets it:
John Dorsey isn't spazzing out to win now. To my own relief, he's still building this team.
Look at the Bengals, Steelers, and even the Ravens right now. I do still feel the Browns have a shot at the playoffs in 2018, but they should have a much, much better chance in 2019, because they're so young right now.
Guys like Callaway and Ratley need to play with Mayfield, for example. That's more important than some geezer who's probably not as good as they are anyway, and won't even be back in 2019!
And I repeat: These Browns aren't done yet in 2018, and I just mentioned three reasons why.
Yeah sign Dez Bryant. That will fix everything. Just...stop it. Shut up. Please.
Bowman is 30, and has been injured; his best days are probably behind him...but then I kept saying that about Clay Matthews...
Bowman's "floor" is quite high, and he has the experience to actually call a defense in Joe Schobert's place. Once Schobert returns, Bowman can provide excellent depth, and the other players (including Joe) should benefit from his experience.
He probably can't replace Schobert as the field general this sunday, because he doesn't speak Williamseze yet. He's also been off the field for awhile, and might not even be ready to play.
Bowman was a 4-3 outside linebacker in college; a run-and-hit guy who some scouts felt needed to be protected from offensive linemen.
I can't easily dig up the exact positions Bowman played for the Niners and Raiders (yet--no time), but Joe Schobert is only slightly taller, and was a similar type of outside linebacker himself in college. I've got to think this guy (who racked up 127 tackles in 2017) can play inside behind Ogunjobi and...Coley?
I can understand why even a stud 30-year old can get waived, but not why other NFL teams weren't instantly fighting over Bowman.
Fortunately for the Browns, that lack of interest deprives Bowman of any leverage whatsoever.
I hope Dorsey goes for a 2 or even 3-year contract (with the guarantees front-loaded of course), because even as this guy enters his geezerhood, he's still going to be pretty damn good for awhile yet.
The wide receiver mania has predictably racheted up even more, as I'm reading stuff like the Browns have been relying on three rookies and it's time to take the heat off Mayfield.
Well, Landry isn't a rookie, and he is underperforming. Rodney Ratleyfield is a rookie, and HE is catching 75% of his targets.
Seth DeValve is a veteran, but he can't get on the field!!! Duke Johnson is reliable as hell as a receiver...isn't he? ISN'T HE?
The Browns are working out all these wide receivers. None of them are the proven veterans these pundits think they need.
Rightfully so! John Dorsey is trying to fill out his practice squad and the BOTTOM of his roster with kids with high cielings, because Haley and him are cool with the extant corps of receivers.
And look, guys: Baker waving and pointing as he scrambles after timing breaks down isn't a big deal. His receivers don't see what he sees. They're not idiots, or clueless. It was his second NFL start. He's used to Ratley, but nobody else. They will grow together.
Ohhmmmm....ohmmmm...I like Ratley, Landry, and Duke just fine. And Njoku/DeValve vs the Bucs. Let's just hope Callaway remembers what his fkng hands are for in case a couple more guys go down and he has to play a lot. David Zavic gets it:
John Dorsey isn't spazzing out to win now. To my own relief, he's still building this team.
Look at the Bengals, Steelers, and even the Ravens right now. I do still feel the Browns have a shot at the playoffs in 2018, but they should have a much, much better chance in 2019, because they're so young right now.
Guys like Callaway and Ratley need to play with Mayfield, for example. That's more important than some geezer who's probably not as good as they are anyway, and won't even be back in 2019!
And I repeat: These Browns aren't done yet in 2018, and I just mentioned three reasons why.
Yeah sign Dez Bryant. That will fix everything. Just...stop it. Shut up. Please.
Monday, October 15, 2018
The Sky is Falling. Fire Everybody. Browns in Desperate Tailspin. We're all gonna die
The Cleveland Browns are NOT desperate for wide receivers. Take a freaking pill, Mary Kay! And again with the Dez Bryant thing? And the human fragmentation grenade from the Giants?
You're spazzing out. Calm down. You too, Terry!
Callaway isn't "ready", right? Well, he gets open, doesn't he? Then he does what? He drops the damn ball! This is an "experience" thing now, is it? He needs a couple more years to get his PHD in catching the damn ball?
See ball
And then there's Ratley. He caught six of eight passes. Yes he did! Look it up! That really happened--honest! And I just checked: Dameion Ratley is still on the roster!
So why are you acting like Callaway is the only possible current option at X?
And Lesmerisis is correct: Duke Johnson is a pretty good wide receiver. The coaches have talked about getting him on the field more often. Duke caught five passes yesterday.
You people see "RB" next to a name and that's it for you!
DeValve was a wide receiver, and did you ever see Josh Gordon and Njoku stanting side by side? Same problem: They've got "TE" next to their names, so that's that, right?
I'd like to have Amari Cooper, but at what cost? He was a first round pick. He's not an X either. The best cornerbacks shut him down without help.
Beckham--come on they'd demand half the Browns' draft class! And now you've got this drama queen spazzing out on the sidelines and driving everybody nuts! The guy belongs in an asylum!
And Dez Bryant runs crappy routes and doesn't belong in a timing offense. And he's another prima donna to boot!
Calm down! The Browns have six receivers. It doesn't matter what they're labelled on the roster. They go downfield and catch footballs.
And YOU might be utterly oblivious to what Ratley just did, but I'm not. He should end up ahead of Callaway (at X) right now, because he catches the damn ball, okay?
It's true, Terry! Dameion Ratley is a prodigy! He can already catch the football! He's taken his equivelancy exam and got his PHD in catching footballs! Amazing, right?
Yes, he dropped one in the end zone, but it was the exception, not the rule. They just need to demote Callaway until he can be more reliable, and start Ratley at X.
Put Duke on the field for a 3-wide and/or add DeValve it's no big deal people!
Perriman is here for depth, and Streater's status is up in the air (stingers are tricky). If Ratley goes down, and Callaway still can't catch a cold, then go ahead and tell everybody the sky is falling, and Dorsey needs to do something incredibly stupid ASAP.
One guy they should bring back is Jordan Leslie.
Joe Schobert pulled a hammy, and losing him definitely would hurt the defense.
Because of his experience, Chris Kirksey would be the right guy to take over inside. Physically, Avery is a better fit, but he can't be expected to read offenses and make the right calls yet.
At least Avery would get to play more, which is a good thing.
Just a few corrections here:
1: Maker Mayfield rises up on his toes as he throws. A bumb ankle will effect any quarterback's throwing mechanics, but especially Mayfield's.
2: Please pick out seven or fewer people to blame and pillary. Don't just throw everybody in Berea under the bus.
3: Tight man coverage, not height, screwed Mayfield up.
4: Philip Rivers is an elite quarterback. Most of the teams the Browns will play going forward don't have elite quarterbacks.
5: If every team going forward tries to match what San Diego's defense a: some of them will get in trouble because they don't have the safety or cornerbacks to pull it off and b: Mayfield will adapt.
The Browns should have beaten the Steelers and Saints, and did beat the Ravens and Jets. That happened.
This was one freaking game, so swallow that acidic, vicious bile some of you are spewing, bashing everybody down to the equipment manager.
It's just Spazz City around here!
You're spazzing out. Calm down. You too, Terry!
Callaway isn't "ready", right? Well, he gets open, doesn't he? Then he does what? He drops the damn ball! This is an "experience" thing now, is it? He needs a couple more years to get his PHD in catching the damn ball?
See ball
And then there's Ratley. He caught six of eight passes. Yes he did! Look it up! That really happened--honest! And I just checked: Dameion Ratley is still on the roster!
So why are you acting like Callaway is the only possible current option at X?
And Lesmerisis is correct: Duke Johnson is a pretty good wide receiver. The coaches have talked about getting him on the field more often. Duke caught five passes yesterday.
You people see "RB" next to a name and that's it for you!
DeValve was a wide receiver, and did you ever see Josh Gordon and Njoku stanting side by side? Same problem: They've got "TE" next to their names, so that's that, right?
I'd like to have Amari Cooper, but at what cost? He was a first round pick. He's not an X either. The best cornerbacks shut him down without help.
Beckham--come on they'd demand half the Browns' draft class! And now you've got this drama queen spazzing out on the sidelines and driving everybody nuts! The guy belongs in an asylum!
And Dez Bryant runs crappy routes and doesn't belong in a timing offense. And he's another prima donna to boot!
Calm down! The Browns have six receivers. It doesn't matter what they're labelled on the roster. They go downfield and catch footballs.
And YOU might be utterly oblivious to what Ratley just did, but I'm not. He should end up ahead of Callaway (at X) right now, because he catches the damn ball, okay?
It's true, Terry! Dameion Ratley is a prodigy! He can already catch the football! He's taken his equivelancy exam and got his PHD in catching footballs! Amazing, right?
Yes, he dropped one in the end zone, but it was the exception, not the rule. They just need to demote Callaway until he can be more reliable, and start Ratley at X.
Put Duke on the field for a 3-wide and/or add DeValve it's no big deal people!
Perriman is here for depth, and Streater's status is up in the air (stingers are tricky). If Ratley goes down, and Callaway still can't catch a cold, then go ahead and tell everybody the sky is falling, and Dorsey needs to do something incredibly stupid ASAP.
One guy they should bring back is Jordan Leslie.
Joe Schobert pulled a hammy, and losing him definitely would hurt the defense.
Because of his experience, Chris Kirksey would be the right guy to take over inside. Physically, Avery is a better fit, but he can't be expected to read offenses and make the right calls yet.
At least Avery would get to play more, which is a good thing.
Just a few corrections here:
1: Maker Mayfield rises up on his toes as he throws. A bumb ankle will effect any quarterback's throwing mechanics, but especially Mayfield's.
2: Please pick out seven or fewer people to blame and pillary. Don't just throw everybody in Berea under the bus.
3: Tight man coverage, not height, screwed Mayfield up.
4: Philip Rivers is an elite quarterback. Most of the teams the Browns will play going forward don't have elite quarterbacks.
5: If every team going forward tries to match what San Diego's defense a: some of them will get in trouble because they don't have the safety or cornerbacks to pull it off and b: Mayfield will adapt.
The Browns should have beaten the Steelers and Saints, and did beat the Ravens and Jets. That happened.
This was one freaking game, so swallow that acidic, vicious bile some of you are spewing, bashing everybody down to the equipment manager.
It's just Spazz City around here!
Sunday, October 14, 2018
This Sucked, but We're not all gonna Die Yet. Browns remain scary.
As I launch this post, the Browns are down 35-6 in the late third or fourth quarter. It is possible that the Browns might lose this game.
I have to get my thoughts here down before see the stats and read the post-mortem punditry:
1: The Chargers outplayed the Browns, period. They earned and deserve this win.
2: This game was fixed in favor of the Chargers. When a left tackle stands up and takes a step before the ball is snapped, you can't can't miss it. The referees were not morons. They were corrupt.
That non-call sent me back to the previous Chargers' td in which the Browns defender and wide receiver each had two hands on the ball.
As I said, the Chargers literally beat the Browns here, but a pro-Chargers bias was obvious, and nevermind the meaningless "cover-up" penalties intended to make it look fair.
3: I believe that Baker Mayfield was concussed early in the game, and fooled the guys in the tent.
He held onto the ball and took unneccessary sacks. He failed to spot open receivers. He was still accurate, but not himself. He missed every throw while moving--he looked like Brian Hoyer.
I'm an expert on concussions. Baker Mayfield was "dinged" here.
4: The wide receivers dropped a LOT of accurate passes. This is alarming. It's almost like a viral infection, and is inexplicable.
Jarvis Landry dropped at least two catchable passes, and Duke Johnson had at least one drop himself. Callaway...I gotta check this out with PFF, but I think I saw three drops for him.
That's not a big surprise, considering his suckdom thus far. And you cut rookies like Ratley a little slack, but this is rediculous.
Concussed or not, Baker Mayfield hit a lot of tight windows, and put the ball where his receivers could put both hands on it. And the receivers dropped MOST of them.
I can't find a rational explanation for this. I mean, it's ALL of them, including Landry and Johnson. I can't figure this out.
5: The Chargers offense caught the Browns defense out of position a lot in the running/dumpoff game, and broke a lot of tackles.
Nobody else thus far has managed to contain Gordon III or Ekeler, and if you want to be rational like me, you need to not bash your team's players as much as I know most of you will.
6: The Chargers (not to mention Philip Rivers) are massively underrated. As Terry Pluto pointed out, their only two losses were to undefeated teams.
7: Baker Mayfield had plenty of time. He was well-protected. His sacks were mostly his own fault (see "3").
8: Carlos Hyde is a stud. I predicted that Nick Chubb would start ahead of him early, but I was selling Hyde short. I guess Todd Haley is better at this than me (and everybody else).
9: Desmond Harrison was really good, and probably better than that. I can't say I paid much attention to him here---I just know that Baker had time, and wasn't pressured much from his blind side.
10: Todd Haley will be pillaried for his play-calls, but that's monday morning bullshit. His game-plan and calls were solid.
It's not Haley's fault that Mayfield got his bell rung, or that none of his receivers could catch a cold.
11: Njoku seems to have remembered how to catch passes. Duke and Jarvis will be fine. Butterfingers Callaway has issues, but Dameion Ratley is a natural receiver, and the one drop I saw in this game was marginally excusable, especially since he's a rookie.
12: Mayfield should be Mayfield next week.
This was not, as clueless pundits will posit, an opposing defense "figuring him out". In my opinion, Baker got his bell rung (and all his receivers dropped half of the passes he threw to them), period.
13: Rivers and his offense obviously punked the Browns' defense.
This is alarming, but the sky aint falling. This game doesn't negate the five 2018 games leading up to it.
The 2018 Browns defense is a work in progress. Everybody except Randall, Gaines, Kirksey, Collins, and Kindred are rookies, or players entering their second or third seasons.
The turnover from 2017 is massive. Gregg's "core" players are Randall, Schobert, Garrett, Ogunjobi, and Ward.
Jabrill Peppers is looking like he qualifies as a core player; Rodney Kindredfield should be another, and (laugh at me now but believe me later) so should Rodney Averyfield.
The defense we've seen thus far in 2018 is stacked with inexperienced players, plus veterans new to Gregg Williams' system.
The current Browns defense will. automatically imrove, game by game, in 2018.
Baker Mayfield couldn't win this one by himself, but you know he'll be right back next week. As an expert on concussions, I'm confident that Baker will be Baker.
The Bucs are obviously scary, but they're not as good as any of the Browns' previous opponents (except the Jets).
Is Winston really better than Fitz? Who cares?
The Browns remain more talented than the Bucs, and should win.
In my humble opinion, the better team should win...but that's just me.
The Patriots have been blasted here and there; been projected to go down in flames after blowouts like this one.
This was bad, but the Browns still get to play the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals again. This aint over.
Wierdly enough, intra-division games often boil down to the quarterback and overall talent.
The Browns remain the most talented team in the AFC North.
If you think the Chargers " figured Mayfield out" here, you are clueless.
A playoff spot is now a longshot for the 2018 Browns, but they will certainly screw things up for 1-2 teams.
...but don't count them out. The 2018 Browns are stacked with young talent.
Baker Mayfield is all that.
I despise Mike Tomlin for encouraging/defending cheap shots, but kudos to him calling bullshit bullshit and eating his 25,000. fine for calling bad calls bad calls.
...ok I just almost upchucked here saying good stuff about Tomlin, so I'm done here okbye
I have to get my thoughts here down before see the stats and read the post-mortem punditry:
1: The Chargers outplayed the Browns, period. They earned and deserve this win.
2: This game was fixed in favor of the Chargers. When a left tackle stands up and takes a step before the ball is snapped, you can't can't miss it. The referees were not morons. They were corrupt.
That non-call sent me back to the previous Chargers' td in which the Browns defender and wide receiver each had two hands on the ball.
As I said, the Chargers literally beat the Browns here, but a pro-Chargers bias was obvious, and nevermind the meaningless "cover-up" penalties intended to make it look fair.
3: I believe that Baker Mayfield was concussed early in the game, and fooled the guys in the tent.
He held onto the ball and took unneccessary sacks. He failed to spot open receivers. He was still accurate, but not himself. He missed every throw while moving--he looked like Brian Hoyer.
I'm an expert on concussions. Baker Mayfield was "dinged" here.
4: The wide receivers dropped a LOT of accurate passes. This is alarming. It's almost like a viral infection, and is inexplicable.
Jarvis Landry dropped at least two catchable passes, and Duke Johnson had at least one drop himself. Callaway...I gotta check this out with PFF, but I think I saw three drops for him.
That's not a big surprise, considering his suckdom thus far. And you cut rookies like Ratley a little slack, but this is rediculous.
Concussed or not, Baker Mayfield hit a lot of tight windows, and put the ball where his receivers could put both hands on it. And the receivers dropped MOST of them.
I can't find a rational explanation for this. I mean, it's ALL of them, including Landry and Johnson. I can't figure this out.
5: The Chargers offense caught the Browns defense out of position a lot in the running/dumpoff game, and broke a lot of tackles.
Nobody else thus far has managed to contain Gordon III or Ekeler, and if you want to be rational like me, you need to not bash your team's players as much as I know most of you will.
6: The Chargers (not to mention Philip Rivers) are massively underrated. As Terry Pluto pointed out, their only two losses were to undefeated teams.
7: Baker Mayfield had plenty of time. He was well-protected. His sacks were mostly his own fault (see "3").
8: Carlos Hyde is a stud. I predicted that Nick Chubb would start ahead of him early, but I was selling Hyde short. I guess Todd Haley is better at this than me (and everybody else).
9: Desmond Harrison was really good, and probably better than that. I can't say I paid much attention to him here---I just know that Baker had time, and wasn't pressured much from his blind side.
10: Todd Haley will be pillaried for his play-calls, but that's monday morning bullshit. His game-plan and calls were solid.
It's not Haley's fault that Mayfield got his bell rung, or that none of his receivers could catch a cold.
11: Njoku seems to have remembered how to catch passes. Duke and Jarvis will be fine. Butterfingers Callaway has issues, but Dameion Ratley is a natural receiver, and the one drop I saw in this game was marginally excusable, especially since he's a rookie.
12: Mayfield should be Mayfield next week.
This was not, as clueless pundits will posit, an opposing defense "figuring him out". In my opinion, Baker got his bell rung (and all his receivers dropped half of the passes he threw to them), period.
13: Rivers and his offense obviously punked the Browns' defense.
This is alarming, but the sky aint falling. This game doesn't negate the five 2018 games leading up to it.
The 2018 Browns defense is a work in progress. Everybody except Randall, Gaines, Kirksey, Collins, and Kindred are rookies, or players entering their second or third seasons.
The turnover from 2017 is massive. Gregg's "core" players are Randall, Schobert, Garrett, Ogunjobi, and Ward.
Jabrill Peppers is looking like he qualifies as a core player; Rodney Kindredfield should be another, and (laugh at me now but believe me later) so should Rodney Averyfield.
The defense we've seen thus far in 2018 is stacked with inexperienced players, plus veterans new to Gregg Williams' system.
The current Browns defense will. automatically imrove, game by game, in 2018.
Baker Mayfield couldn't win this one by himself, but you know he'll be right back next week. As an expert on concussions, I'm confident that Baker will be Baker.
The Bucs are obviously scary, but they're not as good as any of the Browns' previous opponents (except the Jets).
Is Winston really better than Fitz? Who cares?
The Browns remain more talented than the Bucs, and should win.
In my humble opinion, the better team should win...but that's just me.
The Patriots have been blasted here and there; been projected to go down in flames after blowouts like this one.
This was bad, but the Browns still get to play the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals again. This aint over.
Wierdly enough, intra-division games often boil down to the quarterback and overall talent.
The Browns remain the most talented team in the AFC North.
If you think the Chargers " figured Mayfield out" here, you are clueless.
A playoff spot is now a longshot for the 2018 Browns, but they will certainly screw things up for 1-2 teams.
...but don't count them out. The 2018 Browns are stacked with young talent.
Baker Mayfield is all that.
I despise Mike Tomlin for encouraging/defending cheap shots, but kudos to him calling bullshit bullshit and eating his 25,000. fine for calling bad calls bad calls.
...ok I just almost upchucked here saying good stuff about Tomlin, so I'm done here okbye
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Browns v Chargers, Why the Browns Will Win, Baker Mayfield, Ratley, and Stuff
Signing Breshad Perriman was an intriguing move, but it hadn't become a "neccessity" due to the losses of Higgins and Willies, after dumping Josh Gordon.
Landry, Callaway, Rodney Ratleyfield, and Streater are four guys, with Duke Johnson the defacto fifth. And who ever said you had to have five or six wide receivers anyway, when two of your tight ends can run wide receiver routes?
I'd be shocked if Perriman gets any snaps this sunday, as a few pundits seem to think. He is clueless about this system, and has a lot of catching up to do.
The intriguing part of Perriman is his irrefutable physical talent. Drafted in the first round, he has just plain been a bust.
His pre-draft scouting report documents stellar athletic talent and nice production, but questioned his hands, route-running, and physicality.
Certainly, the Ravens gave him every opportunity, and apparently, he just never progressed.
John Dorsey will pay Perriman peanuts to see if a change of scenery or the wake-up call of his unheralded release might get his butt in gear.
In reality, he will start at the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart. That's behind Willies, Higgins, Ratley, and even Streater.
It's sink-or-swim time for Perriman, because Higgins and Willies will be back.
This was a massively smarter signing by John Dorsey than Dez Bryant would have been. Really, he's filling out the bottom of his roster for chump-change.
Say...Perriman might help on special teams too! Might salvage his carreer that way if he doesn't get his head out as a receiver.
The Browns should NOT trade for Odell Beckham Jr., obviously. Here are a few reasons why:
1: He is a mentally unstable prima donna. He is distuptive, and a MAJOR distraction.
2: He is one of the highest paid wide receivers in the NFL.
3: The Giants would demand multiple draft picks, starting with a first rounder.
4: Some of us would like to see guys like Ratley and Willies you know...play!
Lord Insideous in New England loves to nab troubled players and max them out. Josh Gordon was the latest example (and stand by/look tf out).
But Bill wouldn't touch this guy with a ten foot pole. Note that he never even considered Dez Bryant. There are reasons for this.
Fortunately, John Dorsey is a former player. He understands what a horrific mess Beckham will make, wherever he plays.
Some of the "pump your brakes" comments on Baker Mayfield are just plain dumb. Don't start mentioning how this rookie or that rookie started out hot and then crapped out.
Baker Mayfield started 46 games in college, and has PROVEN that he sees the whole field pre and post-snap.
Per Pat Kirwan, college quarterbacks with under 28-30 starts often hit a wall in the NFL as soon as opposing defenses have enough tape to attack their weaknesses.
And (sorry to redundate here) Baker Mayfield HAS NO WEAKNESSES. He adapts, instantly, to whatever defenses try to do to him.
While Patrick Mahomes is all the rage right now, and a better athlete than Mayfield, Mayfield is more accurate, and has a similar didactic memory, and similar instincts.
If you expect Baker Mayfield to fall on his face, or even hit more than a speed-bump, you don't get it.
This week, skipping the numbers, PFF rates the Browns offensive line like this:
Tretter high quality, Zeitler and Bitonio above average, and Harrison/Hubbard average. This is great news for left tackle Des Harrison, since he's just an embryo now, and to read the reports from the Ravens game, Terrell Suggs punked him out.
He did not.
The Chargers run a 4-3, and here's PFF's take on their front four:
Ingram and Philon (weakside DE and strongside DT respectively) are high quality, weakside DT Rochell is average, and strongside DE Nwosu is below average.
I don't have time to dig into the run vs pass rankings for these players, or the Chargers' rotational/situational defensive linemen, but for the moment, I reckon Des Harrison will be ready to give Ingram a harder time than he gave Suggs (*he practices against Garrett by the way*), and well...
The analyst who expected the Browns to lose because the Chargers would pressure Mayfield too much was delusional.
Conversely, Phil Rivers has done an amazing job, considering his downright inferior (per PFF) offensive line.
Center Pouncy is above average, the right guard is average, and everybody else is below average (or worse; notably left guard Feeney, who is "poor").
Myles Garrett (high quality) will attack left tackle Tevi (average),
Interestingly, PFF rates Browns RCB Gaines as above average, and no need to mention Ward.
Allen is Rivers' "X" receiver, and Ward matches up with him. The rest of the Browns corners are (per PFF) significantly better than the Chargers' wide receivers.
But the Chargers have this guy named Melvin Gordon at running back, Austin Ekeler (a lethal weapon who can catch), and a tight end named Virgil Green.
The Browns are STILL unable to stifle opposing tight ends, and both running backs are terrific receivers.
The Chargers will target Green, try to pound the ball, use Gordon/Ekeler as second or third targets, and Philip Rivers will do some damage; he's better than Eli Manning ever was.
Green and Gordon will do more damage than anybody else. Rivers will be under intense pressure, and both these guys are easy checkdowns vs this Browns' defense.
But Rivers isn't a great athlete, and Gregg Williams can kitchen-sink him without regard to containment.
The Browns are still being underestimated. I didn't even mention Schobert and Randall ("high quality") or Peppers (above average).
Ok ok: Kirksey is below average. So is Collins, Coley, and (marginally) Ogbah. But that's numbers:
Genard Avery, Chad Thomas, Chis Smith, and Derrick Kindred are not included here, and given that the nickel is the real base defense for every team in the NFL, they matter.
I'm frankly surprised that Avery isn't starting yet/that Kirksey is. I guess I can see how you want to give Jamie Collins a lot of rope, but the fact is that he has not lived up to his hype thus far.
If I were me, I would start Genard Avery, use Kindred a lot, demote Coley and Kirksey, tell Jamie Collins that he is on thin ice, and ask John Dorsey to try to trade him.
I would also sell out to an all-one-gap front four ala Bud Carson (architect of the "Steel Curtain", former Browns Head Coach, and legendary defensive coordinator).
Gregg says he wants his best eleven players on the field as often as possible, no matter how he has to adapt to them.
...well?
Anyway, I fully expect the Browns to beat the Chargers tomorrow in First Energy Stadium, because they're more talented, have a real quarterback at long last...
Well okay there's the crappy special teams and the referees and the receivers inexplicable chronic drops...but like I said, the Browns have a real quarterback now.
Baker Mayfield is just getting started here, but he's already defeated the Ravens defense, and rallied from a 14 point deficit vs the Jets in a little over one half, despite bad calls and a BUNCH of drops.
You think, after that, the Chargers' defense will screw him up? You expect Ingram to punk Harrison? The Bolts to pressure Mayfield without blitzing? Rivers to do more than dink and dunk?
Adjusted for special teams and refs: Browns 55, Chargers 12.
Seriously, my fellow Browns fans, the "curse" is over. Baker Mayfield is the real deal, and (unlike poor Tim Couch) his arm is all good, and he is surrounded by protection, weapons, and a top-flight defense.
Just the facts, man. New paradigm. This Chargers' defense is the softest he's faced (yes: including the Jets).
The Chargers are a very good team, but the Browns are better, period, and will beat them.
Landry, Callaway, Rodney Ratleyfield, and Streater are four guys, with Duke Johnson the defacto fifth. And who ever said you had to have five or six wide receivers anyway, when two of your tight ends can run wide receiver routes?
I'd be shocked if Perriman gets any snaps this sunday, as a few pundits seem to think. He is clueless about this system, and has a lot of catching up to do.
The intriguing part of Perriman is his irrefutable physical talent. Drafted in the first round, he has just plain been a bust.
His pre-draft scouting report documents stellar athletic talent and nice production, but questioned his hands, route-running, and physicality.
Certainly, the Ravens gave him every opportunity, and apparently, he just never progressed.
John Dorsey will pay Perriman peanuts to see if a change of scenery or the wake-up call of his unheralded release might get his butt in gear.
In reality, he will start at the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart. That's behind Willies, Higgins, Ratley, and even Streater.
It's sink-or-swim time for Perriman, because Higgins and Willies will be back.
This was a massively smarter signing by John Dorsey than Dez Bryant would have been. Really, he's filling out the bottom of his roster for chump-change.
Say...Perriman might help on special teams too! Might salvage his carreer that way if he doesn't get his head out as a receiver.
The Browns should NOT trade for Odell Beckham Jr., obviously. Here are a few reasons why:
1: He is a mentally unstable prima donna. He is distuptive, and a MAJOR distraction.
2: He is one of the highest paid wide receivers in the NFL.
3: The Giants would demand multiple draft picks, starting with a first rounder.
4: Some of us would like to see guys like Ratley and Willies you know...play!
Lord Insideous in New England loves to nab troubled players and max them out. Josh Gordon was the latest example (and stand by/look tf out).
But Bill wouldn't touch this guy with a ten foot pole. Note that he never even considered Dez Bryant. There are reasons for this.
Fortunately, John Dorsey is a former player. He understands what a horrific mess Beckham will make, wherever he plays.
Some of the "pump your brakes" comments on Baker Mayfield are just plain dumb. Don't start mentioning how this rookie or that rookie started out hot and then crapped out.
Baker Mayfield started 46 games in college, and has PROVEN that he sees the whole field pre and post-snap.
Per Pat Kirwan, college quarterbacks with under 28-30 starts often hit a wall in the NFL as soon as opposing defenses have enough tape to attack their weaknesses.
And (sorry to redundate here) Baker Mayfield HAS NO WEAKNESSES. He adapts, instantly, to whatever defenses try to do to him.
While Patrick Mahomes is all the rage right now, and a better athlete than Mayfield, Mayfield is more accurate, and has a similar didactic memory, and similar instincts.
If you expect Baker Mayfield to fall on his face, or even hit more than a speed-bump, you don't get it.
This week, skipping the numbers, PFF rates the Browns offensive line like this:
Tretter high quality, Zeitler and Bitonio above average, and Harrison/Hubbard average. This is great news for left tackle Des Harrison, since he's just an embryo now, and to read the reports from the Ravens game, Terrell Suggs punked him out.
He did not.
The Chargers run a 4-3, and here's PFF's take on their front four:
Ingram and Philon (weakside DE and strongside DT respectively) are high quality, weakside DT Rochell is average, and strongside DE Nwosu is below average.
I don't have time to dig into the run vs pass rankings for these players, or the Chargers' rotational/situational defensive linemen, but for the moment, I reckon Des Harrison will be ready to give Ingram a harder time than he gave Suggs (*he practices against Garrett by the way*), and well...
The analyst who expected the Browns to lose because the Chargers would pressure Mayfield too much was delusional.
Conversely, Phil Rivers has done an amazing job, considering his downright inferior (per PFF) offensive line.
Center Pouncy is above average, the right guard is average, and everybody else is below average (or worse; notably left guard Feeney, who is "poor").
Myles Garrett (high quality) will attack left tackle Tevi (average),
Interestingly, PFF rates Browns RCB Gaines as above average, and no need to mention Ward.
Allen is Rivers' "X" receiver, and Ward matches up with him. The rest of the Browns corners are (per PFF) significantly better than the Chargers' wide receivers.
But the Chargers have this guy named Melvin Gordon at running back, Austin Ekeler (a lethal weapon who can catch), and a tight end named Virgil Green.
The Browns are STILL unable to stifle opposing tight ends, and both running backs are terrific receivers.
The Chargers will target Green, try to pound the ball, use Gordon/Ekeler as second or third targets, and Philip Rivers will do some damage; he's better than Eli Manning ever was.
Green and Gordon will do more damage than anybody else. Rivers will be under intense pressure, and both these guys are easy checkdowns vs this Browns' defense.
But Rivers isn't a great athlete, and Gregg Williams can kitchen-sink him without regard to containment.
The Browns are still being underestimated. I didn't even mention Schobert and Randall ("high quality") or Peppers (above average).
Ok ok: Kirksey is below average. So is Collins, Coley, and (marginally) Ogbah. But that's numbers:
Genard Avery, Chad Thomas, Chis Smith, and Derrick Kindred are not included here, and given that the nickel is the real base defense for every team in the NFL, they matter.
I'm frankly surprised that Avery isn't starting yet/that Kirksey is. I guess I can see how you want to give Jamie Collins a lot of rope, but the fact is that he has not lived up to his hype thus far.
If I were me, I would start Genard Avery, use Kindred a lot, demote Coley and Kirksey, tell Jamie Collins that he is on thin ice, and ask John Dorsey to try to trade him.
I would also sell out to an all-one-gap front four ala Bud Carson (architect of the "Steel Curtain", former Browns Head Coach, and legendary defensive coordinator).
Gregg says he wants his best eleven players on the field as often as possible, no matter how he has to adapt to them.
...well?
Anyway, I fully expect the Browns to beat the Chargers tomorrow in First Energy Stadium, because they're more talented, have a real quarterback at long last...
Well okay there's the crappy special teams and the referees and the receivers inexplicable chronic drops...but like I said, the Browns have a real quarterback now.
Baker Mayfield is just getting started here, but he's already defeated the Ravens defense, and rallied from a 14 point deficit vs the Jets in a little over one half, despite bad calls and a BUNCH of drops.
You think, after that, the Chargers' defense will screw him up? You expect Ingram to punk Harrison? The Bolts to pressure Mayfield without blitzing? Rivers to do more than dink and dunk?
Adjusted for special teams and refs: Browns 55, Chargers 12.
Seriously, my fellow Browns fans, the "curse" is over. Baker Mayfield is the real deal, and (unlike poor Tim Couch) his arm is all good, and he is surrounded by protection, weapons, and a top-flight defense.
Just the facts, man. New paradigm. This Chargers' defense is the softest he's faced (yes: including the Jets).
The Chargers are a very good team, but the Browns are better, period, and will beat them.
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