Where Do We Go From Here?

Discussion in 'Cleveland Browns' started by TopDawg, Oct 2, 2017.

  1. TopDawg Legend

    I'm not sure what that means, but I will say, watching Kizer's passes is very similar to J.T. Barrett's.....Rarely where they should be.
     
  2. IrishDawg42 Legend Manager Browns Buckeyes Fighting Irish

    I'll make some more excuses...

    Watson came out with guns blazing, I'll give you that...at the end of the day, a running QB had a season ending injury after only 6 games...and it wasn't even in a game...That could easily become his M.O.
    9 Players with 10 or more targets 25% less than the Browns

    Wentz, during his rookie year, weeks 11-16 he threw at least one INT in every game, 9 total during that stretch. It's easy to forget his shortcomings 3/4 of the way through his second full season.
    8 players with 10 or more targets 33% less than the Browns

    Keenum has been a professional QB for 5 1/2 years, let me know how Kizer has adjusted after 5 more seasons...
    9 players with 10 or more targets 25% less than the Browns

    If you, and I quote, "could name literally hundreds of others from over the years, that walked into new situations, and were able to be successful"...and I will add, 21 year old rookie starting day one needing to use 12 different receivers with 10 or more targets over a 12 week period...Hell, give me ONE name that was put in that situation and was much better after that period...

    Like I said, Watson played lights out entering week 2 as the starter, for 6 weeks....He also threw to DeAndre Hopkins 34% of the time...Up until yesterday, Kizer hasn't had anyone even remotely close to his skill level.

    I want to keep talking about Watson, because the reality is, he is the ONLY one on the list that is relevant. Take your other examples and they had patches of rookie flaws (or no record of rookie time at all) that were just as flawed.

    It's easy to compare someone that is in the system to a 21 year old rookie...Now, if Kizer is the starter next season and he is still performing at this level, then so be it, call for his head as I will be also. But my gosh, give the kid a chance to become a pro.
     
  3. TopDawg Legend

    lol! Oh I didn't realize it had to be the exact same situation as Kizer, with the exact same WR's, at the exact same time of day etc..That's ridiculous. Obviously I was simply talking about QB's that come into an unfamiliar situation, yet still somehow had the ability throw a catchable pass to an NFL WR. Even without 10 days of practice, or even 1 day...But if you want some names of rookies that earned the starting nod in preseason, during my lifetime , and managed to look better than Kizer, I'm comfortable with saying all of them...

    You shouldn't get all bent every time someone criticizes Kizer...My god man, that's going to be an endless fight for ya....He's awful. We aren't going to see some miraculous Jared Goff-like turnaround with Kizer I'm afraid. He didn't come in with anywhere near that type of pedigree. All 32 passed on him and many more than once, for a reason...Questionable decision making and accuracy. Okay, maybe two reasons...

    I'm not trying to get under your skin about Kizer. I root for him every Sunday, and I love when he puts it on the money. It just doesn't happen enough. I don't know that accuracy and touch is a fixable thing. I just know Kizer struggles with both and I'm tired of watching it.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2017
  4. TopDawg Legend

    Josh Gordon showed Sunday just what type of weapon he could be for head coach Hue Jackson and rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.

    Now they both have to learn how to use him.

    “I just think it is going to get better and better and better every week that we play because there is a better understanding of Josh and what he can do and what he does not do as well,” Jackson said Monday. “That is how you start to build your offensive football team as you move forward.”

    Gordon played 48 of a possible 63 snaps – or 76 percent – in Sunday’s 19-10 loss to the LA Chargers that saw him catch 4 of 11 targets for 85 yards.

    But he could’ve done so much more had Kizer put a few footballs in better positions.

    “I think there are quite a few opportunities within that game where if I just give a guy a chance to go make a play with his size and his ability, he will come down with it,” Kizer said.

    In the second quarter Gordon beat Chargers safety Adrian Phillips easily and a good throw would’ve equaled a TD. Instead, Kizer overthrew him and 3 plays later running back Duke Johnson got stuffed on a fourth-and-1 from the LA 35 ending the drive.

    Kizer missed short on another deep ball to Gordon with 9:13 left in the third quarter up the far sideline that nearly resulted in an interception. With some air under the ball from Kizer, Gordon could’ve caught it and walked to the endzone.

    “We saw some plays that were made. We saw some plays that were left out there,” Jackson said. “I think until they have these game situations and you start to understand Josh’s body language and how he goes about doing things and whether as a quarterback I need to quicken up my drop or stretch my drop or these things, the anticipation when the ball comes out, you are learning. I thought that was a huge learning piece for DeShone.”


    Gordon caught a quick 9-yard slant to open the game, made a sensational catch on the far sideline for 28 yards out-jumping Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward to move the Browns into LA territory at the 28 as the 2-minute warning of the first half hit and he added a 39-yard catch-and-run on a crossing route in the second half.

    The scary thing is considering Gordon hadn’t played a regular season game in 1,077 days before Sunday, he can get better.

    “The guy can play football. He was obviously built to play football,” Jackson said. “He just has to continue to work in our system – again, that was his first game getting football legs underneath you and understanding what that is play in and play out – I think better Josh is going to be.”


    I don't disagree with any of the above...I understand Kizer is a rookie. Certainly there are nuances with each individual WR that QB's can pick up on over time... I just think if Kizer was going to be a real franchise guy, he'd have a much better touch and feel for the game. Obviously he can improve with his WR's with more repitition. Nobody would argue that....I'll bet if we put a guy like Baker Mayfield in the exact same situation, we'd see much much better results. His touch shows every Saturday. We didn't really see that with Kizer at Notre Dame. Ya gotta believe what your eyes see. There's not a doubt in my mind that we will take a QB early in the next draft. That says as mucvh about Kizer as needs to be said...
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2017
  5. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    Don't tell @showstopper - although admittedly since he doesn't understand football he probably wouldn't get it anyway.

    We draft Bae-ker Mayfield at No. 1 overall and start him next season, we win 10 games. Don't @ me.
     
  6. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers


    Trade him for a second rounder!!
     
  7. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    First ever true freshman walk-on to start in an FBS game: 43 of 60 (71.7%), 413 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 151.5 rating plus a rushing touchdown.

    [​IMG]

    I bet this guy could do it.
     
  8. TopDawg Legend

    Newsflash: Vontaze Burfict is a dirty player. Listening to the Steeler fans on the radio whining about how dirty Burfict is, and it's just comical to me. Did James Harrison not make a career of hits like that? Followed by a million excuses from every yinzer in the world? I think so...

    They had 240 yards in penalties in last nights game. lol! One could say that things were a little chippy...
     
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  9. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    We're all wasting our time talking about Kizer. He's being "mentored" by Hue Jackson - the QB Killer. To his credit, Kizer has lasted the longest of the guys who Hue believed "played the position better than any guy he'd ever coached".

    He quit on Bob Griffin after 5 games.
    He quit on Cody Kessler after 8 games.
    He quit on Kevin Hogan after 1 game.
    He quit on Josh McCown after 3 games.
    He quit on Brock Osweiler before seeing him start any games.
    He forced the owner to step in and trade for A.J. McCarron, seeming giving up on Kizer after only 7 games.

    Does anyone believe for a moment that if Hue Jackson somehow survives this season that A.J. McCarron won't be the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns? Or that he won't force the F/O's hand in drafting a QB at No. 1?

    Spoiler: he already said he's okay with that and it's rumored that he likes Rosen.

    On the flip side, if Hue Jackson is fired, is the next head coach and/or F/O going to want to be saddled with an 0-16 QB who's 56th out of 67 qualified post-merger quarterbacks (starting 10+ games). Especially considering that they'll have No. 1 overall pick and a boat-load of cap space?
     
    TopDawg likes this.
  10. TopDawg Legend

    Honestly, I don't even understand why Hue still has his job... He's done more than enough to warrant termination in my opinion. It feels like Haslam is holding onto him, only because he doesn't want more turnover.

    The other guy that needs to go is Paul Depodesta. I feel certain he is the main reason why we don't have Carson Wentz as our QB. Had he not told the world what he thought, we'd probably never know, but for some reason he wanted his opinion of Wentz broadcasted for all to hear. Nobody even knows what a "Chief Strategy officer" is anyway...
     
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  11. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    I think you're right. Also, Hue was Jimmy's first choice of coach who he landed for the first time - everyone else rebuffed him in past hiring opportunities. If he fires him mid-season, it likely doesn't change anything.

    I feel like you can give the fans their pounds of flesh in Hue and Paul without having to upset all the waters. However, that's tricky and would limit the next coaching search.
     
  12. IrishDawg42 Legend Manager Browns Buckeyes Fighting Irish

    I would be willing to bet on him...but, he is the only QB in this class that I would say that about...
     
    SAS likes this.
  13. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    IT'S HAPPENING!!!
     
  14. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    This should be on Hue's coaching epitaph at year-end:

    Scouting Report of DeShone Kizer reads like a year-end review of DeShone Kizer. Bottom line: he's the same player after an offseason and 15 NFL games that he was as a 21-year old prospect out of college, and that's on the "QB Guru" head coach.
     
  15. beachbum M.V.P. Manager Steelers

    You guys say this every year I think.
     
  16. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    Gotta keep saying it until we get one right.
     
  17. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    To take this further... the Browns haven't always been in the position to get the top guy - barring a substantial trade-up.

    In 2017, Mitch Trubisky was my No. 1 QB. We didn't take him. I had DeShone Kizer as "undraftable" and we took him.

    In 2016, Jared Goff was my No. 1 QB. We didn't take him.

    In 2015, I thought the best QB was Winston but also didn't think the Browns should take one. There was still a chance for Manziel to turn it around. He did go 2-4 that year, which is double the wins we have since then.

    In 2014, Johnny Manziel was my No. 1 QB. That obviously didn't work out - but drug addiction was more of a reason he didn't work out. He was still extremely talented.

    In 2013, everyone thought the QB's were crap. I didn't want one.

    In 2012, Bob Griffin was my No. 1 QB. We didn't take him. Again, circumstances around injury and franchise instability hurt his career, but he was rookie of the year and looked pretty darn good early on. I had Brandon Weeden as "undraftable" and we took him.

    In 2011, Cam Newton was my No. 1 QB. We didn't take him.

    In 2010, I didn't have a No. 1 QB - very sour on Bradford - and actually thought McCoy was the best move we made, but that's a third round long-shot who was forced into action too early and stunted his growth: great article on it right here.

    In 2009, Matt Stafford was my No. 1 QB. We didn't take him. There was still hope the two-headed monster of Anderson/Quinn could work out.

    In 2008, I didn't have a QB need because the thought was Derek Anderson, off a Pro Bowl season and new 3-year deal was the incumbent starter.

    In 2007, my actual No. 1 QB was Troy Smith - thought the Browns could have him in the third round. Truth be told, I didn't like Quinn and didn't think we'd take him (I thought he was going to be the No. 1 overall pick). Once we took him, I was all-in, but pre-draft he was never my guy.
     
  18. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    One to watch:
     
  19. demolisher43 Franchise Player Steelers

    Ugh. Even one Harbaugh in this division is too much. :confused:
     
    SAS likes this.
  20. SAS M.V.P. Rams Chargers

    Obviously a long-shot and one that likely won't happen. That said, there are some interesting points around it: a football Czar - big personality, all power - is the only approach Haslam hasn't tried yet.

    1. Leave incumbent structure in place - fail (Holmgren/Heckert/Shurmur)
    2. Hire GM and President, let them hire coach - fail (Banner/Lombardi/Chudzinski)
    3. Hire coach first, appoint GM - fail (Pettine/Farmer)
    4. Hire coach, promote analytics approach - fail (Jackson/DePodesta)

    The fact that a rival game among sibling head coaches would be played twice a year is good for ratings and intensity.

    And lastly, the only way a guy like Harbaugh shows up is with the promise of complete control and no owner intervention - a good thing, since the Haslam's have proven inept when football meddling.
     

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