Martonian Coaching, Blockheads, Browns vs Steelers and Stuff

 I must start with a couple self-corrections:

1: Hubbard replaced Teller at RG; Conlin wasn't hurt.

2: The Defense (effectively) scored 9 of the 32 points vs Indi (including the 2-point safety Myles Garrett forced).

The Offense did rack up 23 on that stingy Colts' Defense, which was pretty respectable, but the game wasn't without some red flags, as several other guys have pointed out:

Mayfield does need to get better, as he looked like 2018 in the first half, and worse than 2019 in the second.

There were some mitigating factors there, including Comrade Stefanski's determination to salt the game away by running the ball. The resiliant Colts managed to get some second and third and longs out of this, and pin their ears back.

I'm not criticizing Stefanski. For most teams, going smashmouth that soon would be dumb, but not for the 2020 Browns.

The 49ers are in trouble now, but when Kyle Shanahan got them deep into the playoffs, he sometimes ran the ball 5-10 times in a row (successfully) even early in games, vs a fresh Defense that saw it coming.  These Browns should have been able to do that vs a fatigued Colts Defense.

3rd and longs are no excuse for Mayfield, though. He has to deliver in the crunch. If he screws up like that vs the Stoolers, it'll cost them the game.

But his rib injury undoubtedly messed him up somewhat. I have experience with these injuries. I assume the trainer shot him up with cortisone or something, but still can't imagine this not messing him up.

As the red flags were there for the Browns' second half Offense, the checkered flags were there for the Defense, as the Colts' Offense only managed 16 points against it for the game.

If you want to get technical, it was Colts Offense 16, Browns Defense 9 (and 60 or so yards too), so some of you people might want to get up off the Browns' Defense a little, ok?

Despite the key injuries, the overall Defensive unit seems to be improving.

There are certainly issues at Safety, but this petition to dump Sendejo is really silly (and unneccessarily hateful--not that I want to censor or ban it or personally attack it's sponsors because I'm not a communist but I digress):

The bashing of the 33 year-old is all true.  Father Time has obviously overtaken this formerly pretty decent player, but don't you think Joe Woods and Andrew Berry can see this as well as we fans can?

I'm not sure, but suspect that with SS Karl Joseph down, Woods ran more 2-deep. This splits the field in half vertically between to hybrid Safeties, and may have been a last-ditch attempt to salvage Sendejo.

Sendejo won't start vs the Steelers, obviously, and feels bad enough without you gleefully kicking him in the face.

The Browns hope to get Karl Joseph back for the Squealers' game (He's best in the box), and have their fingers crossed about pick 6 Ronnie Harrison, who's in the concussion protocol, but Rodney Redwinefield is also languishing on the bench (and I've been trying to figure out why).

Redwine was forced into a starting role as a rookie in 2019, and had a tough time for much of the season, until his "light went on" in the last quarter of the season, and he got pretty good pretty fast.

Coaches are blockheads, so it's understandable that Joe Woods wanted experienced geezers first, and proceeded to "dry-dock" Redwine, who was a Dorsey draft pick, but Joe isn't mentally impaired, and must reluctantly force himself to actually allow a player with only just around merely 13 or so NFL starts to actually get on the field...

Ronny Harrison was drafted only one year earlier, and has only slightly more eggzzbeereeunzzz than Redwinefield, so maybe now we see why Woods kept Sendejo on the field, and these two whippersnappers off it for all these games?

Reminds me of Schottenheimer (and most other Coaches not named Belichick): They keep younger players on the bench well past the point that they've surpassed the geezers, because they can't trust the young guys not to screw up...

Comrade Stefanski isn't like this. Rookie Tight End Harrison Bryant has been allowed to step right in, along with Wilks.  Wyatt Teller is in his third season, and he used D'Earnest Johnson extensively after Chubb went down.

Rookie Center Nick Harris is the legit backup for JC Tretter.

Stefanski might need to slap Joe Woods awake behind closed doors:

Gramps Smith and Joseph are the ONLY back 7 Defensive geezers who have prospered in this Defense.

Takitaki and Phillips have outplayed Goodson, but Goodson still monopolizes the snaps.

I don't have enough info on the EDGE guys, but wouldn't be surprised if Porter Gustin was all but benched once Gramps Clayborne came (partly) back from his injury, and Joe Jackson hadn't seen a snap.

I could be wrong about Joe Woods being a Martonian, but he sure looks the part:

Guys like this destroyed Earl Campbell, and drasticly shortened the carreers of a lot of other players.

Was Myles Garrett on the field over 85% of the time? Was Vernon? Goodson? Lawrence?

Will this Defense be exhausted and cave in late in the 3rd quarter vs the Stoolers because Joe Woods is a Martonian blockhead?

Hey KEVIN STEFANSKI: You need to talk to Marty Woods right TF now about Redwine, Jackson, Gustin, Phillips, Jackson, and even Harrison!!!

I would love to play poker with Joe Woods. I'm a "grinder" my own self, but this guy I'd bully all day long!  Fold-fold-fold til he gets a pair of face cards but I digress:

We hope Ogunjobi will be back, as rookie Jordan Elliott had another tough game (it looks like the Offensive Linemen got a bead on him after his first couple games, and he needs another move or something to defeat them)

Greedy Williams to IR why tf not? But stop conflating Safety with Cornerback, you people! These are different positions DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D?

Rodney Mitchellfield has, as usual, been one of the best Cornerbacks in the NFL, and Kevin Johnson was solid starter outside before he defaulted to the slot here! Tavierre Thomas has started and would start for some teams, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

All that is in Zone or Man—sans Williams, the Browns’ Cornerbacks are still above average.

They can hang with the Steelers if Joe Woods rotates his DL depth in and lets his young Linebackers on the field...

Let us pray okbye

The Cleveland Browns Miraculously Manage to Score 32 points on the Best Defense in the NFL

The consensus was that the awesome Colts Defense would shut down the upstart Browns' Offense.

Many smart people expected the Browns to win, but nobody (except me -blush-blush-) thought that the Browns' Offense (which had averaged almost 40 points per-game since game 1) could score over 30 points vs the Colts.

I just watched the Steelers beat the Eagles in a high-scoring shootout.

The Browns' Offense is superior to the Eagles Offense, at every position except Tight End (and YES: Mayfield is better than Wentz).

The Eagles' Defense might be better than the Browns, but not by much on this planet, and it's not as good as the Colts' Defense:

The Steelers blitzed Wentz on nearly every down, but the Eagles made them pay more often than not. If the Steelers try that vs the Browns, it will cost them more...

...ok well I don't know how bad Teller and Conklin are hurt yet...

...okbye

The Browns Offensive Scheme and Punditary Corrections and Stuff

The Village Elliott (Kennel) noticed something I hadn't, and axed "Where is the Browns' 11th man?"

Elliott, as he always does, cited a ton of stats to back up everything he said.  The most important one was that vs Dallas, OBJ and Jarvis Landry were the only true Wide Receivers who were even targeted.

Tight Ends Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant caught 9 passes for 71 yards, while the 2 Wide Receivers caught only one more pass, so part of the explanation is right there.

Elliott also mentioned that Fullback Andy Janovich played (I think) 27 snaps.

So with Hooper playing almost every snap,  and Bryant or Janovich in on the majority of the rest, how are you supposed to get a third Wide Receiver on the field...and why would you?

All this happened after #3 WR Khaderal Hodge was injured pregame (leading to a whole slew of "what about Higgins?" articles).

Elliott called the 3rd Wide Receiver the 11th-best player on Offense. He should have said the 5th best skill-player, but he'd still be wrong here:

Harrison Bryant is the 5th best offensive skill player, unless the freshly activated David Njoku is.

So nothing happened to the "11th man" vs the Cowboys. He was right there, except he was a Tight End or Fullback.

I'm a big Rashard Higgins fan myself, but in this smashmouth scheme a passcatching Tight End is more imortant than a Wide Receiver.

And how 'bout Mayfield's instant chemistry with Bryant? Is Higgins supposed to rank ahead of him because he was here first, or something? This isn't Cuba, ya know.

Along with his premis, some of Elliot's numbers were skewed, as he has Carlson still pegged as the #2 Tight End...while Bryant caught 4 passes.

Bryant appears to have passed up Carlson on the depth chart, and I'm not sure Carlson ever got on the field. 

There are a bunch of misconceptions about both Carlson and Bryant. Carlson is considered the more dangerous receiver (he's a coverted WR like DeValve), so I suspect Elliot defaulted him to the "wing" TE role opposite Hooper (the blocker).

But Harrison Bryant is simply a better player, and being a converted Left Tackle is a GOOD thing. He's bigger and taller, and even shiftier than Carlson, and he averaged almost 10 YPC vs Dallas.

Still, Elliot axed some good questions and made some good points later on:

We still haven't seen the 2018 Baker Mayfield, who slung the ball to 6-8 receivers.

Elliot not only figures it's the Stefanski system, but that maybe vs Dallas checkdowns past 2-3 weren't neccessary.

I just need to mention that four receivers (not two) shared the targets and catches; 2 Tight Ends and 2 WRs, so the checkdowns went at least 3-4 deep most of the time.

Elliot supposed that later in the season (or with their backs to the wall) the Offense might "open up" more, and I concur, but:

It's looking pretty "open" to me already:

Vs the Colts' Defense, especially with Njoku back, the same attack plan makes sense.

The Colts have an answer for Hooper, but can they stop Bryant or Njoku at the same time (and how exactly DO you cover Njoku by the way *rhetorical question*)?

This Colt's Defensive Line (notably DT DeForest Buckner) is terrifying, and most intelligent analysts have zeroed in on Buckner vs Wyatt Teller as maybe THE key matchup in this game, and they're mostly right.

Buckner is 6'7". He's a basketball-player type athlete with great punch and hands (ok I'm guessing no research here):

The intelligent analysts see that Comrade Mayfield sucks vs inside pressure and think Buckner will bring Teller back down to earth and get in Mayfield's face.

It's a LOT more complicated than than that:

Teller pulls a lot here, and in straight man is a match for Buckner. In wide zone, Buckner can beat Teller and penetrate to blow things up in the backfield (if the play is to the strong side, and he reads it quickly enough).

Mayfield will only feel inside pressure from a conventional pocket anyway, and (is any of this sinking in yet?) the 2020 Stefanski Browns Offense minimizes true pass sets, even on 3rd and 8.

In point of fact, Mayfield rolls left on at least 33% of his rollouts, and is (IMO I defer to PFF) as effective on these as he is on rolls to his right.

I "get" this now: 

We think of a "rollout" as a QB running left or right, laterally. A correct-hander has to do all sorts of contortions to throw while running to his left (and ditto wrong-handed QBs running to their right).

But when a QB runs backwards at first, and then loops to his left or right to run forward to either side, it works (well if your QB is a legit athlete, anyway).

I would expect more rollouts vs the Colts (even off play action) to minimize the Colts' passrush, but also (duh) lots of RUNNING...

The Colts Defense has held the teams they have played so far to 2.7 yards per carry.

Vs the Vikings, Jets, JagWIRES, and Bearss.

With all due respect to Dalvin Cook, the Browns' Offensive Line is better than all of those, and Kareem Hunt is a bigger/stronger/slower Dalvin Cook.

The Browns ran on the Ravens, and ran OVER the R E D S K I N S, whose awesome defense was expected to stifle the Browns' overrated Offense...

Why are you writing D'Earnest Johnson and his 7+ yards per carry off as a fluke? 

Verily, the Cowpokers Defense sucks, but analysts go overboard with this stuff, especially when comparing BROWNS' opponents to Colts' opponents...

And listen, kiddies: The Browns healthy Offensive Line + Njoku vs the Colts front 7 minus 2 starting Linebackers = a problem vs a top 4 NFL Offensive Line, let alone the Tight Ends and Fullback and stuff.

Nevermind the blocking scheme and overall talent...okbye.

Colts vs Browns: Get REAL About This! Sorry Colts!

Matthew McFatridge lists 3 reasons why the lowly Browns will beat the Colts this sunday, and did a fine job. 

Matt mentions the real Colts 2020 Offensive Line (as opposed to the fictional one everybody else except ME is talking about):

The real Colts Offensive Line ranks about in the middle in both run and pass blocking...I mean, in reality...somewhere around where I’m guessing the Bengals’ Offensive Line ranks (all this is per PFF).

Other pundits have been yammering about the Colts’ running game as if it’s been successful.  What tf are they talking about!?!

You know, Jonathan Taylor was a great college RB and stuff, but in reality is averaging 3.9 YPC, ok?

That’s pretty good, but please stop talking about the Colts as if they’re the Ravens or the Browns, ok?

Matthew also lists an efficient Baker Mayfield, and the Browns Running Backs. 

Why...it’s almost as if Matt has managed to convince himself that the Chubbless Browns can actually average more than 2.7 yards per carry, and that Mayfield will have time to throw occasionally!!! Against the best Defense in the NFL!

Pitiful self-deception, I know. Poor guy...

You guys know I’m being sarcastic, right?

The closer this game gets, the dumber the analyisis gets. The Colts Offense is going to “get well” vs the crappy Browns’ Defense and the Colts awesome Defense is going to shut down the Browns’ Offense!

Nah -snap-snap- wake tf up: A top 5 Offensive Line and 2 Tight Ends (or a Fullback) are going to overpower this awesomely historically great front 7, like they overpowered everybody since the Ravens (more sarcasm there get it?  Get it?)

Njoku is back off IR. Not good news for Hollywood Higgins, because Njoku will be the third “receiver”, and that’s an upgrade.

The Browns receivers (including OBJ) are expected to block (usually in space) in this scheme, and this is vastly more important here than most fans realize.

Njoku can blast DBs and push around Linebackers in space, and as a receiver is a “can’t miss” target.

Imagine Hunt in the backfield, Hooper at TE, and Njoku, Landry, and OBJ at WR.

Nevermind, but here’s the Cliff Notes:

The Colts Defense hasn’t faced anybody in the same area code as the Browns’ Offense, and the Browns’ Defense won’t start making Phillip Rivers look good until he’s down by over 13 points.

...okbye

Bad Browns Anal ysis and Dumbassitude and Browns Beat Colts and Stuff

 Bad Analysis:

The Browns are in for a "rude awakening" because the 3 teams they beat (now) surrender an average of around 25 points, whereas the Colts' Defense leads the league with only 14 ppg.

A valid point! But don't you need to look at the other side of that? 

The Colts beat the Vikings, Jets and Bearss. Which of these is scoring over 45 points per game (like the Browns are?)

I get this: It's the Browns, so this anal yst ass umes that the Browns' scoring machine is a mirage, and this train will wreck itself against the rock of the Colts' Defense. In Cleveland.

Digging a little deeper into the aforementioned scoring machine, the Browns' own much-maligned Defense has helped, with timely sacks and turnovers.

The Offense in general has enjoyed good field position (as the return games also showed improvement vs the Cowboys).

Raw numbers aside, the Browns' Offense is unique. In game 1, it averaged over 5 YPC vs the Ravens .

Some anal ysts don't get that any Defense can't just make up it's mind to stop the run if the blockers on the other side of the ball can just plain beat the defenders physically!

He thinks the Colts giving up only 2.7 YPC means more than the Browns averaging around 6.5? Why? Because they stuffed the Jets and Bearss?

The Colts beat the Vikings 28-11, but took an 18-point lead into halftime, kind of taking Dalvin Cook off the table as a ballcarrier (Cook was 14/63/4.6 and Alex Mattison had 3 carries for 4.3 ypc)

Kirk Cousins got DESTROYED.

Let me axe you: Do YOU know the difference between the 2020 Browns and the 2020 Vikings? Well please tell this bad anal yst!

Prior to the 2020 season, PFF graded the Vikings Offensive Line 23rd in the NFL, saying they were decent zone run-blockers, but were vulnerable in pass protection.

Does that sound like the Cleveland Browns Offensive Line?

Dominant Offensive Lines beat dominant front 7’s more often than not because they’re the big uglies, and know the snap-count and the called play.

Fantasy GMs see this all the time: Defense X allows 2.7 Yards Per Carry, so you don’t use RB Y, and he racks up 150 yards and 2 TDs.

Ditto WRs and TEs, and it’s almost always in the Offense’s favor, every time that Offense has a top Offensive Line.

And the Browns run 2 Tight Ends a lot, and a Fullback sometimes. How can all this zing over your head?

The Browns WILL run the ball on the Colts’ Defense, and that’s all this Offense needs to dominate.

Furthermore, the 2020 Browns’ Defense is underrated:

The Offense has established comfortable leads in their 3 wins, and Joe Woods has gone into “prevent” mode.

He’s conceded underneath passes in order to guarantee no big plays over the top (or on the ground).

He made Burrow, Prescott, and even Haskins look awesome as they burned up all their clock-time dinking and dunking.

In reality, this Browns Defense has been fairly copecetic.

Myles Garrett leads the NFL in sacks (and strip-sacks). 

The Browns are first in the NFL with a +6 turnover differential. That’s 4 interceptions and 6 fumbles (and Garrett had a piece of MOST of them).

This Browns’ Defense has been called “bend but don’t break”, but earlier in games (without a big lead), it’s actually not been very “bendy” at all.

I can’t dig up stats by quarter, and don’t have the time to go over the last 3 games, but I can tell you that vs Cinci/Washington/the Cowboys the Browns were ahead at halftime, and that none of those teams had scored more than 17 points by halftime (including Dallas; they had 14 points and were behind by 7).

The Browns’ Defense held the Cowboys Offense to 14 points in the first half DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D?

Somebody call this anal lyst and remind him that the Colts’ Offense ranks only slightly ahead of the Redskins’ at this point.

The Colt’ Offense will do “just enough” to out-score the totally stuffe Browns’ Offense, and scrape by in a Field Goal contest really!?!

No offense to the Colts’ Defense, which absotively looks like the best the Browns have faced (including the Ravens and Washington) so far.

Why, they might just stifle the Browns’ running game to under 4.8 yards per carry, sack Mayfield as many as 2 times and stuff...

Trust me: Bitonio, Tretter, Hunt, Hooper, Teller, Landry, OBJ, Wills etc are shaking in their boots! How can they possibly score points on this historically dominating Defense?

Maybe they shouldn’t show up. Just let the Colts have the win, and focus on getting healthy.

Sorry: This was one guy, and I assume that most pundits and analysts will be smarter than that.

My early prediction is Browns 37, Colts 20.

Okbye

Dead Team Walking: Indianapolis Colts. And More Browns Stuff

 The Browns punked the mighty Cowboys in Jerry World, convincingly.

But I have to agree with Steve Jessick Jr: Free Safety Andrew Sendejo needs to be repaced.

Sendejo has a ton of experience, and played well last season with the Vikings. He's played both strong and free, and may be, like Jabrill Peppers, better suited to the latter.

He was never going to replace a healthy Karl Joseph at that spot, and defaulted to Free.

Father Time may also have overtaken Sendejo. 

It's too late to blame his costly mistakes on the new system and the lack of a preseason, but it goes without saying that Joe Woods saw what we've all been seeing, and will make one or more of the moves Steve recommended.

It's likely that Joe planned to ease Ronny Harrison or Rodney Redwinefield ahead of the more experienced Sendejo all along after the first quarter of the season (after "preseason", see?)

I've heard conflicting scouting reports on Redwine. Some say he's better suited to Strong Safety, but he's listed behind Sendejo at Free on the Our Lad's depth chart (with Harrison at Strong).

Ronny Harrison, entering his third NFL season, was rated (at least by the linked analyst) as one of the best Safeties in his draft class, and is definitely capable of playing "center field".

The weaknesses cited in this profile were all correctable, and Harrison has had two NFL seasons (and starting experience) to work on them, and he is a "specimin".

The worst of these weaknesses was the fact that he sometimes misread things and came forward prematurely--doing exactly what Sendejo did at least twice vs Dallas (2 Dallas TDs).

You can understand Woods' hesitation to start Ronny if he's still doing this, but the Dallas game probably forced his hand. I expect Harrison to start at Free Safety vs the Colts.

Like Steve says, Sendejo has been terrible, and it really can't get worse, so why not?

One minor point: Free Safeties rarely expect "help" over the top. They are the help. In general in a cover 1 or cover 3, they are expected to stay "on top of" the deepest receiver.

A few more notes: Denzel Ward has the same groin injury that Joe Haden had here the year before he was allowed to leave, and we can't expect him to play as well as he did in 2019.

Groin issues inhibit Cornerbacks more than anybody else.

Greedy Williams might be back for the Colts game, but I agree with Elliott Kennel et al that the Browns will need to address Cornerback again.

Ward's own health isses are getting blown out of proportion, since several of his missed games were due to concussions and, as Gregg Williams said, these were Ward's fault, for trying to take down Tight Ends face-to-face (correctable; He's too tough for his own good).

Williams might be worse, though. He's been dinged up with assorted injuries since before his first preseason game. We can hope these are anomolous, but can't count on it.

Meanwhile, Rodney Mitchellfield is the best Cornerback on this roster at this time, and should be extended.

(I can't believe some of you people, predicting Mitchell would be released! DOYEEE)

Next up it's the Colts.

Ellis L Williams did a great preview of this game, which mostly speaks for itself.

The biggest issue here is that the Colts' Defense might be the best in the NFL! Better than the Steelers and Ravens, even!

But then, the Washington Defense was ranked near the top until they ran into the Cleveland Browns, and as Ellis mentioned, the Colts haven't played good teams so far.

The Colts drafted human wrecking ball Jonathan Taylor high, and are trying to do what the Browns are doing (run first), but it hasn't been working for them so far.

The Bengals just beat the Jags 33-25, and are still being underrated, but the Browns' stompage of the Cowboys, and 45+ point per game average over the last 3 games (including vs Washington's Defense) say that the Browns are a force to not be reckoned with.

The Browns should win.

One could argue that the Browns' Defense would be at least above average with a decent Free Safety and Greedy Williams on the perimeter.

I've all but given up on Pegleg Vernon (nice move, Dorsey, dammit)

Now for some corrections:

Get up off the Browns' Linebackers! They've been weak in coverage, but that's why Joe Woods uses an extra safety sometimes. His Linebackers are Linebackers, and stop the run (or rush the passer) first.

Jacob Phillips finally got on the field and single-handedly stopped a classic Dak Prescott comeback at a critical time in the game with a hurry, a "stuff", and finally nailing a receiver 3 yards short of the sticks (out of coverage).

Zeke Elliott never got off the ground vs these guys--don't you get this?

Phillips and Takitaki are near the bottom of their growth curves, and it would be stupid to replace them with another old "meh" geezer who can cover and can't shed blocks.

I forgot Rodney Wilsonfield, who can cover!

Kristopher Knox lists 5 reasons why the 2020 Browns are contenders:

Kris covered it pretty well, but 3 points he made warrant more depth:

1: The Offensive Line is suddenly one of the best in the NFL. This is more important than anything else for an Offense, just as a Defensive front is most important for a Defense.

Running Backs get holes and Quarterbacks get time. It's not rocket science. Give Berry (and Dorsey) credit here for Conklin and Teller.

2: Kris calls Baker Mayfield the "ultimate game manager", but he's more than that.

Steven A Smith scoffed at a colleague who called the 2020 Browns a playoff team, saying that Kevin Stefanski had figured out how to win games "without a Quarterback".

I respect Steven, but he's fulla beans on this one:

"Gunslinger" is Baker Mayfield's default setting. He hasn't been required to carry this Offense yet, but that doesn't negate his history from Highschool through 2018 in the NFL. It doesn't mean he can't do it again.

Jeez, Steven! He's hard-wired to be like Brett Favre! He's working hard to override those instincts! He'll manage games until his team falls too far behind, and then he'll hurry up and be HIMSELF again.

3: There are indeed playmakers on Defense, aside from Myles Garrett:

Phillips will become one. What he did on that Prescott comeback drive was just a sneak preview. He's 6'3" tall and will add muscle. He's faster than most Tight Ends and even some Wide Receivers. He's a tackling machine.

Porter Gustin is no flash in the pan, and has remained healthy.

Ward and Williams are extremely fast, and Ronnie Harrison has big plays written all over him in year 3.

The bad news is in, as Nick Chubb goes on IR.

You can’t replace this extraordinary player (nice pick Dorsey), but look at the Dallas game:

With Kareem Hunt not at 100%, Stefanski made “third string” RB D’Earnest Johnson his primary RB, and D’Earnest towm UP!!!

Johnson (and Hilliard) are underrated, mainly because they’re smallish, at a little over 200 lbs.

Niether can be expected to “carry the load” like the bigger, stronger Hunt and Chubb.

But the Shanahanian Zone scheme makes “little” quick guys like this look great.

I wish I could remember and give credit to the Film Room guy who told me this, but so far, the Browns have blocked almost as much G-power and gap as they have zone in 2020.

They can do this because Wyatt Teller is a “road-grader”, and Joel Bitonio can do that stuff too. Hunt is 217 lbs and Chubb over 225; they blow through arm-tackles and run people over.

Hilliard and Johnson are different, but (as he did with Dalvin Cook), Stefanski can lean harder on zone-blocking to help them out.

That’s assuming Kareem Hunt doesn’t get back to 100% for the Colts game.

Okbye

Mayfield and the Browns Front 4 vs Prescott

 I’ve had a chance to watch the National TV punditry this week in re the Browns vs Cowboys.

It’s all been pretty objective and intelligent, except I feel the “concern” over whether or not Comrade Mayfield can hold up his end of a likely shootout with the white-hot Dak Prescott is a bit overboard:

Ever since Mayfield put on shoulderpads, shootouts have been kind of his specialty, including last 2 seasons at Oklahoma.

He NEVER.  EVER. choked.

He lost a couple of his shootouts, but nobody with a brain tried to blame him, and he won the majority.

Right up until his Dyson-level suckage in 2019, Baker Mayfield relished “you go or I go” passing duels with other QBs (search “Mayfield vs Mahomes”...but make sure you’re sitting down).

Verily, Mayfield has done nothing in this preseasonless 2020 in a new system to redeem himself after 2019, but then, he didn’t have to.

Ok I heard that and it was dumb:

Vs the Ravens Stefanski didn’t panic early, and tried to maintain a balanced offense until the Ravens had a huge lead.

That’s because most of this offense’s passing game is built off the run.

Jedrick Wills was still having issues in true pass-sets, those are Jack Conklin’s weakness, Teller had much left to prove, and Stefanski runs a Shanahanian scheme ah crap if you don’t comprehend this by now you never will:

At no point in that first game was a shootout possible. Did you notice Mayfield twice overthrowing an open OBJ? Do you get that a Tight End pausing to chip a DE eliminates himself as a deep target vs an ears pinned-back passrush like the Ravens can generate?

The Browns weren’t ready, and couldn’t run their whole offense yet. Toss that game out!

Since then, Mayfield has been a semi game-manager...

“Semi” because he has consistently struck deep, and vs Washington converted two 4th and 10-plus yard situations (the failure of either of which might well have cost the Browns the game is any of this sinking in yet?)

The Browns have now played 3 games together, and the Mayfield-OBJ connection has clearly improved (nor has he been forcing the ball to him).

Fewer penalties, screwups, etc. You don’t need to be an expert to sense all this:

This Offense has been almost as prolific as the Cowboys’ over the last two games, and it’s not a mirage, ok?

Why exactly do the Browns have to resort to 5-7 step drop-backs and deep passes to keep up with the Cowboys, when they just scored 34 points on the Washington defense?

Well ok, I get that the Dallas OFFENSE is going to wreak more havoc on the Browns’ shaky Defense, but that’s being overstated, as well:

Greedy Williams is out, but Olivier Vernon, Denzel Ward, and Rodney Phillipsfield are questionable.

Ronnie Harrison has had time to learn the system, and he and/or Rodney Redwinefield should upgrade Free Safety (where it looks like Sendejo is washed up).

More importantly, the Browns don’t need to blitze to pressure a Quarterback, and the Cowboys DO.

Aldon Smith has been sensational (and good for him btw; dude was HOMELESS last year), but he’s all the passrush Dallas has.

The extra Tight Ends aside, the Browns’ Offense is designed to neutralize Edge-rushers like Smith.

No doubt, Dallas moves Smith around (and inside) to avoid chips and match him with slower blockers, but the wide/outside zone and rollouts inhibit this as well.

The Browns Offensive Line so far has been one of the best in the NFL, and is the best the cow-pokers have faced.

Meanwhile, the Browns have Myles Garrett...and Ogunjobi, Richardson, Elliott, Clayborne, and Gustin in a Carsonian attack-scheme.

This scheme has stifled the run so far by by blowing it up or forcing it wide, so it’s working.

As intended. Vs Mixon, name your Raven RB, etc.

That’s custom-made to stop the Cowpokers...sorta.

The Cowboys might well try to ram Zeke down the Browns’ throats ah screw it:

Zack Prescott has a smorgasbord of elite receivers to throw to check. He has maybe the best RB in the NFL check.

But his Offensive Line has issues.

My inner analyst is fighting my inner fan here; I’m not sure I can trust myself, but:

The Browns should win.

Once you get past the stellar Cowboys’ Wide-outs and Zeke, Dak and Aldon Smith, the Browns are the more talented and deeper team.

The Browns’ Tight Ends are superior to the Cowboys crew, and CLUE they count as receivers.

OBJ has been there/done that.  So has LANDRY, for that matter! 

The national pundits are sensationalizing Prescott’s 4 Wide Receivers, and all but dismissing Austin Hooper, OBJ, Landry, Harrison, Hunt, Hodge etc as if they don’t matter.

But they do matter! Tight Ends COUNT. Khaderal Hodge (a deep threat) COUNTS. Comrade Mayfield has more weapons than Prescott has, here on this planet.

It’s legit to question Mayfield himself. It’s legit to call the Cowboys’ WR corps the best and deepest in the NFL.

But it’s stupid to ignore Austin Hooper, Kareem Hunt, Harrison Bryant, and (by the way) Comrade Stefanski’s offensive scheme (as if that matters oyeee...)

The Cowpokers’ Defense can’t cover everybody.  They couldn’t even without Chubb and Hunt trampling them.

In game 4, Comrade Stefanski (if I’m correct) will let Baker be Baker, and hit whoever is open deepest period.

If Mayfield is Mayfield, he can trade punches with Zack Prescott, like he did with Mahomes.

He’s HOPING for a shootout!

Okbye