They've won 3 in a row, same record as the Browns.. Average more points per game and less opponents points per game.. We can't sleep on them. They don't have Brady, but they still have Belicheat.
They've beat: - the Jets (2x) (2-6) - the Panthers (4-5) - the Texans (1-8) - and the Chargers (by 3) (5-3) Browns big. Revenge game from 2019.
Win or lose. We need Njoku to run at least one "down and out" pattern targeting this guy on the New England sideline....
He looks like he is from Pittsburgh, lol. He just looks like an asshole. J/K I have a some lifelong great friends in Pitt.
Another Big Time game. Losing Chubb won't help and may make this a Baker game. Gotta lean on the D putting tons of pressure on their rookie QB. We may need to turn him over to come away with the W. I have to wonder if last week was the Odell motivation game. Can we keep that kind of edge and carry it through the rest of the season? If Stephanski can get them over this hump, the world is ours to take, but if last week was a one hit wonder, we're in trouble. Baker has the ability, now can he do it when the team is looking to him to make it happen? Baker has taken a lot of criticism for his play this year, and rightfully so, but with Odell gone, will we get our QB back, missing shoulder and all?
Well part of that was assuming Nick Chubb had a revenge game. Going to have to be on Baker and the defense now, unless the Browns get creative with their Covid testing.
Say what you want about Mac Jones but he fell in the draft to the perfect team for him. In just about 70 years of watching NFL football, I've never seen a coach as adept at putting players in the best possible situation to win. He always puts round pegs into round holes and, if he's out of round pegs, he makes the hole square. The only other head coach I've seen that can do that (albeit at the college level) is Nick Saban. Jones has been fortunate to play for both of them.
I'm actually pretty confident in D'Ernest! Also, I have read that he isn't ready yet, but Hunt is eligible to come off of IR this week as well. Looks like he won't play this week, but he might be an option next week if they don't clear COVID protocol before then.
I'm hoping for the latter and somehow we see #24 on the field this weekend....Not that I don't trust Bake. It's more about respecting Belichick and his knack for confusing opposing QB's.
Belichek has an afinity for speeding up the QB's internal time clock, and getting them to throw before they've scanned the field. This is where I think Baker has the most room to grow. He seems to react nervously to pressure and rush his reads. I'm sure Belichek will do exactly that, and it's up to Baker / Stephanski to be ready to counter that strategy. Maybe that means throwing the ball away more often, or even taking a sack vs throwing one up on a prayer. Let the D do it's thing against the opponent's rookie QB, and just don't hand the game away, or maybe he does believe Baker can read and make throws under duress. I think Baker has too big an ego at times to take the conservative route, and would take a loss to a rookie QB very hard. Thus I believe he will "at least in his mind" want to show out, and take some risks, quite possibly to the team's detriment, but that's Baker, and if you wanted risk avers, then Tyrod Taylor is your man. What do you think?
I think we have seen the best of baker Mayfield nearly every time OBJ hasn't been on the field... I'm not so sure it is conspiracy theory. Stefanski's offense is pure timing, nothing more, nothing less. Even on the deep throws, it is still read and throw to a spot. OBJ is the king of double and triple moves, what do these moves do? Throw off timing. If OBJ is the first read on 70% of the plays he is in, which as a #1 receiver that is very plausible, but he isn't where he is supposed to be when the read comes from Baker, then he is immediately forced to his second, third and so on. Timing becomes an afterthought most of the time once that first read is moot. Too many factors take the timing away. In a timing offense, it is much more important to dissect the pre-read to determine your actual hot receiver. Without OBJ in the lineup, I think this offense works better. Not because OBJ is not an elite player or is incapable of doing certain things, it's simply because he learned to play one way and that is the way he is going to continue to play. I don't think he gets better by going to KC. If you watch their offense, Mahomes primary success comes from timing. Ditto for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. OBJ's best option for success will require a pay cut to play for the Packers. Rodgers thrives on post read scanning of the field and finding a wide receiver just doing his thing to find an open spot on the field, which is what OBJ does best as well. They are a match made in football heaven. At the end of the day, I don't think the Packers will want to make a commitment and I think he ends up elsewhere. I haven't seen enough of the Saints offense to know if he is a fit or not. At this point, I really don't care. This offense is much better with OBJ gone, it's not because of his skills, it's because of fit. He disrupts the timing that this offense requires to be successful. With that thought thrown out there, a timing offense is the best offense against exactly what you are talking about from Belichik. quick 6 yard shots move the chains and that is frustrating for a defense that is trying to rely on pressure and getting you out of rhythm. The combination of run to pass (which is more of an extension of the run game when throwing these patterns) opens up the open field for 1 on 1 opportunities that Baker can throw to a spot and expect the receiver to be there. The more we draw the defense closer to the line, the better chance they have of completing passes down field. The ball still leaves the hand early, it is just being thrown to a spot on a timing pattern. That is what killed the Bengals last week. They dedicated themselves to stopping the run by crowding the line and that opened up some shots down field, as well as the second level hole that allowed for some big gainers. I'm looking forward to the second half of the season to see if they can perfect this offense before the playoff season begins.
Hopefully, the coaches and F/O learned a valuable lesson in all this. They tried to make the Odell Experiment work way longer than they should have. Good news is, Baker can go back to being a Top 5 QB in the NFL now.
Great insights Irish. That makes total sense, and leaves neither player "at fault". Beckham is, or at least has always been, supremely talented, but I believe you articulated the problem. He just doesn't fit the Stephanski scheme. His system doesn't allow a free lancing WR enough opportinities. Baker on the other hand is a very good QB, with superior arm talent, who is most effective in a timing scheme. Perhaps in the future Baker will become better at post snap adjustments and benefit from the kind of player Odel is, but at this point it is a moot point. This offense's effectiveness relies on timing, and as a free lancer Odel didn't fit, and in fact threw off the overall play plan. I couldn't wrap my mind around what "doesn't fit" meant, but at least for me, you've nailed what that means in the Baker-Odel-Browns Bermuda Triangle. I always liked Odel, and didn't understand how the Browns couldn't seem to find a way to utilitze that talent, which had me wondering about Baker and even Stephanski. If your explanation is correct, and it feels "right" in large part, to me, it clears up some conflicting angst I was going through. Thanks Doc. I my hour up yet?
So just watched Baltimore prop open the divisional door a little. They look a lot like we did for a few weeks, unsure of themselves. Now this week's game gets even higher stakes, with only a single game from a tie for first place on the line. C'mon Brownies!
D-did... did I misread the tweet that shows Baker is the 4th best quarterback (in a population group that includes Drew Brees) without OBJ, or...
PFF dude. Their grading system is just fricking weird. As we speak... Kirk Cousins PFF Ranking 3rd Ryan Tannehill PFF Ranking 4th Matt Stafford PFF Ranking 12th Aaron Rodgers PFF Ranking 11th Lamar Jackson PFF Ranking 16th Josh Allen PFF Ranking 17th
I agree 100%, and I'm glad he didn't wind up with Rodgers in Green Bay, because that would have been ideal spot for him, opposite Adams. Who know's how it works out for him in LA, but it's probably not good news for Van Jefferson as the #3 option behind Kupp and Woods....As mentioned, same as you, I don't care. OBJ not our problem anymore...
