Month: November 2021

On a day where loses by teams like the Chargers, the Colts and the Steelers would have helped the Browns in their playoff chase, they go into Baltimore and leave their offense in Cleveland. Or maybe they left it in Cincinnati because they’ve scored 30 points over their last three games. On the defensive side of the ball, the Browns play their best game as a unit and their best game against Lamar Jackson. What a waste. It’s been 48 hors, so let’s get to it.

Positives. The defense. That’s it. According to Pro Football Focus, four of the top five grades went to defensive players. Safety Grant Delpit (91.5), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (88.1), S John Johnson, III (77.8) and CB Greg Newsome, II (77.7). Newsome and JOK make the 2021 NFL draft for the Browns a big success. Both are studs. The Browns took what the Bengals and the Dolphins did to the Ravens and combined them. Now please do it for four quarters.

Negatives. The Offense. That’s it. Only LG Joel Bitonio graded in the top five with PFF at 89.5. If the defense is going to put eight and nine players in the box, how about we try a screen pass or a designed roll out. And when your injured quarterback throws you the ball, freaking catch it. It’s time for head coach Kevin Stefanski to let OC Alex Van Pelt call plays. Breaking News: The Browns still have 12 men on the field. It’s also time to find a new punter, sorry Jamie, you’re a nice story, but damn.

As for the state of the team. They are 6-6 and can still make the playoffs. The wildcard is their only hope. No one will be fired in the off-season. For all the Baker haters, he’s still the guy. Aaron Rogers is not coming to Cleveland. Russell Wilson is not coming to Cleveland. I know all the kitchen table GM’s think it’s possible, but that’s not how the NFL works. That’s not how this front office works. Mayfield didn’t forget how to play football, he’s hurt. Apparently, an injured Mayfield is a better option than a healthy Keenum. I really didn’t want to see Case Keenum against that defense. Finally. the Browns aren’t going to blow it up and start over. Are you insane? Do really want to start over with another retread NFL QB or a rookie? Do you not remember Doug Peterson, Trent Dilfer, Jake Delhomme, Jason Campbell, Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan and DeShone Kizer?

Let’s hope this coaching staff takes the bye week to look at themselves and the state of the team. The talent is still there and like I said, the playoffs are still in sight. Use the bye week appropriately or it’s bye-bye playoffs. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.

Victory Monday, I think. On an ugly nasty day, the Browns won in an ugly nasty way. Should QB Baker Mayfield played yesterday? Yes. Should he have continued to play after the latest injury? Probably not. Apparently, an injured Mayfield is better than a healthy Case Keenum. One thing that’s obvious though, an injured Mayfield is not good for the Browns offense, which hasn’t scored more than 17 points in five of the last six games. So, let’s get to it.

Positives. When the offense was clicking, like the first touchdown drive, it really is a thing of beauty. Head coach Kevin Stefanski showed why he was coach of the year last year on that drive. I don’t know who WR Jaris Landry was supposed to throw the ball to, but I’m glad he didn’t. Highest graded players on offense according to Pro Football Focus were, LG Joel Bitonio (90.9), RB Nick Chubb (83.8), RB D’Ernest Johnson (79.1), C J.C. Tretter (78.1), TE David Njoku (75.7) and RG Wyatt Teller (72.5). On defense the highest graded players were CB Denzel Ward (85.9), S Ronnie Harrison (79.9), CB Greedy Williams (79.7) and DE Myles Garrett (75.5). The Browns defense did what it needed to do in the first half to slow down the Lions. Ward is playing his way back into a contract extension and LB Malcolm Smith makes plays when he’s on the field.

Negatives. Throwing from inside the ten-yard line instead of running the ball with that guy named Chubb was not the brightest idea. Of course, your injured QB overthrew a wide-open Jarvis Landry and it ended up being an interception. Both of Mayfield’s interceptions were bad. Ten penalties, it’s freaking week 11 and the Browns are still committing stupid penalties. Brace yourself folks, it too late in the season for this to get any better. On defense, the Browns continue to not make adjustments at half time. After three weeks of very good play by safety John Johnson, III, he regressed during this game. The lack of consistency on this team is maddening. Who kidnaped our kicker and replaced him? Finally, whoever thought former player LaVar Arrington would be a good fit in the booth must have pictures on someone. How in god’s name do mispronounce Jim Browns name?

Yes, the Browns won yesterday and yes, it’s victory Monday. If your happy about the victory, like I am, then do yourself a favor, stay off Browns twitter for the day. I’m sure Bills fans, Packer fans and Titan fans would have like to have won ugly yesterday. Now the Browns go to Baltimore and play the luckiest team in the league. Hopefully the team will clean up some things this week and Stefanski will keep it simple next week. Also, it looks like RB Kareem Hunt and RT Jack Conklin will be back this week. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.

It’s been 48 hours and I’ve calmed down enough to write about a Sunday embarrassment. That’s the only word I can use. To follow a total team win with a total team loss is an embarrassment. There was only one positive to Sunday’s game, the first drive. Then the football yoda, Bill Belichick saw enough and made the adjustments that needed to be made, after one drive. Think about that, defensive adjustments after one drive. The Browns failed to counter with adjustments in the passing game after the Patriots took away the run. Did head coach Kevin Stefanski abandon the run too soon? Yes he did, but to not adjust the passing game to compensate is ridiculous. On defense the fault belongs to not only defensive coordinator Joe Woods, but also the players. Wood’s defense is too passive and too predicable. As for the players, the talent is there, it’s the effort I question. DT Malik once told the media, the NFL is not a 9-5 job, implying the commitment with of some his teammates might not be 100%. But on a positive note, those Halloween costumes looked great.

I’m still on board with QB Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski. To put the blame on one person is silly. But if Mayfield is hurt, rest him against the Lions and start Case Keenum. It appeared to me, his plant foot was bothering him. Now add a knee injury to the shoulder injury and the foot injury and it’s time to take bench for a game. Rest up and get ready for the stretch run. Hopefully RB Nick Chubb will be ready to go this Sunday. By the way, has anyone seen WR Rashard Higgins? He seems to have disappeared. I’ll say it again, no one is getting fired right now. However during the off-season, that’s a different matter.

It’s very apparent that the 2021 NFL season is a season of parody. Three weeks ago, the Bengals were the flavor of the month. Two losses later, nope. It wasn’t too long ago that the Los Angels Rams were the number one team in the league. Last time I checked, nope. Two weeks ago the Bills lost to the Jags 9-6 and the Cowboys trailed the Broncos 30-0 going into the fourth quarter at home. This past week the vaunted Ravens with MVP Lamar Jackson lost to the Dolphins, Tampa got embarrassed by the Washington Football Team and the Steelers tied the winless Lions at home. Insert your own joke about kissing your sister and Pittsburg. My point is, the Browns can still make the playoffs with seven games to go, however I hope to see a better team effort this weekend or the Loins may get their first win. And please, on defense get off the damn field on third down and on offense no more wildcat plays to the fullback. Is that asking for too much? Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.

Victory Monday and after a week like that, it was a well deserved win. Apparently having an all-pro wide receiver on your team running whatever routes he wants is a problem. Not only for the offense, but also for the defense. Let’s look at the positives and the negatives.

Positives. Quarterback Baker Mayfield. He was 14 of 21 (67%) for 218 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a QBR of 132.6. Under pressure, Mayfield had a QBR grade of 94.3. He is now 6-1 versus the Bengals. Other Pro Football Focus grades for the offense, RG Wyatt Teller 93.8, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones 91.8, QB Baker Mayfield 89.9, TE Harrison Bryant 80.7, TE David Njoku 78.9, RB Nick Chubb 75.5, LG Joel Bitonio 72.1, LT Jedrick Wills 71.1 and C J.C. Tretter 70.4. The Browns Sunday became the first NFL team since 2012 to have a defensive touchdown of 60 yards or more, a touchdown pass for 60 yards or more and a touchdown run for 60 yards or more. On defense the highest graded players according to PFF were, CB Denzel Ward 93.1, John Johnson, III 85.8, LB Anthony Walker 77.5,Myles Garrett 75.7, LB Elijah Lee 74.3, DT Sheldon Day 73.6 and Ronnie Harrison 70.6. The Browns defense showed what they could do when they finally have a healthy secondary. CB Greg Newsome, Ward, Johnson and CB Troy Hill balled out. Imagine this defense when they get LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah back from injury. The Browns defense have held two teams to 15 and 16 points in back-to-back weeks and in the second half, gave up only 99 yards in total offense. Outstanding job by defensive coordinator Joe Woods on the game plan.

Negatives. Ten freaking penalties. Gentlemen don’t line up offsides, please. The coaching staff needs to put an end to this crap this week, inexcusable. I’m not the conspiracy theory type a guy, but you’re letting someone at the home office call a roughing the passer play? Really? Then you don’t call a helmet-to-helmet penalty, but still tell the wide receiver who got hit to go to the sidelines to get checked for a concussion? The NFL referees have it in for the Cleveland Browns. If the only other negative is your kicker missed a field goal, that’s a pretty positive performance.

Injuries and IR. CB Greedy Williams (shoulder) and DE Takk McKinley (groin) are both day to day. RT Jack Conklin was placed on IR Saturday with an elbow injury. RB Kareem Hunt and LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah are eligible to come off the IR this week, but head coach Kevin Stefanski told the local media today he’ll have more information on both Wednesday.

It was a great team win Sunday. The defense is finally playing up to its talent and the offense played like it was 2020. Great game plans on both side of the ball. Next up, the Patriots. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.

This is head coach Kevin Stefanski’s standard answer when asked by the Cleveland media about the Browns lack of execution. He says it when they lose and he says it when they win. Yes coach, everyone has to do a better job. So far the 2021 Cleveland Browns aren’t doing their jobs. From catching the football, to blocking and to tackling, the 2021 Cleveland Browns are having a season of missed opportunities. The Browns have led going into the fourth quarter in three of their four losses. Last year this team knew how to close games. Sometimes recovering an onside kick was necessary to secure the win, but they still closed out the game. So who’s to blame for this pile of average? There’s plenty of blame to go around.

Let’s start with the head coach. The Browns lead the NFL in penalties. The last time they did that, Freddie Kitchens was the head coach. If you’re a Browns head coach, the person you don’t want to be compared to is Freddie Kitchens. Penalties are placed at the foot of the head coach, it shows lack of attention to detail. A key third down and your wide receiver has a false start? What a freaking joke. Last year the whole team fed off of Stefanski’s calm, cool demeanor, this year there’s a sense of stressful nervousness. As for the play calling, yes wide receivers, tight ends and running backs were dropping routine passes, but the play calling in the second quarter was horrendous. I know Kevin Stefanski can be an offensive genius, he proved it with the first offensive possession in the second half. It was a nice mix of passing and running plays. Finally you have to keep running the ball, don’t give up on the run.

Next up, QB Baker Mayfield. Yes he had some high passes, but my problem was he’s not seeing the whole field. He’s missing wide open receivers while trying to force the ball into uncatchable situations. Where the hell was TE David Njoku for three quarters yesterday? He’s the ninth highest graded TE in the NFL. For weeks, everyone was saying the Browns missed having Jarvis Landry on the field. Now their saying the team really misses Donovan Peoples-Jones. Last time I looked, Njoku has been there every game. He can be a nightmare for a defense.

On a day where the defense held their opponent to 15 points and lost, quarterbacks like Trevor Siemian, Cooper Rush and Mike White were winning NFL games. Hell, even Geno Smith won yesterday. The Browns have scored 41 points their last three games. That’s a little over 13 points a game. This offense has become boring and inconsistent. All a defense has to do is put seven or guys in the box to take away the run and dare the Browns to throw the ball. What the hell happened to the offense that was used in the first game against Kansas City? Or the offense that was lighting up scoreboards in 2020? Opposing defenses were afraid of that offense. I think Kevin Stefanski was so worried about other teams figuring last years offense, he lost his creativity. Where are the trick plays? I could have sworn the Browns drafted a wide receiver with world class speed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling for anyone to be fired and I still think Stefanski is the coach that can lead this team to the promise land. I also still have faith in QB Baker Mayfield. My advise to Kevin Stefanski, not that he cares what a self-employed accountant thinks, relax, don’t overthink things. This team was built to score a ton of points, get the lead and then run the ball to hold onto the lead. That way, the opposing team is in panic mode and making mistakes. The Browns can still make the playoffs, but they’re going to have to score more than 13 points a game. The whole team needs do a better job. I still think this is the most talented Browns roster I’ve seen. Let’s relax and refocus, because right now the team looks like they’re disoriented. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.