2018 Season | The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

TD, I'm not arguing that Mayfield isn't the better QB of the two. But, with the current state of the O-line, playing him now would be like entering Wylie's Masaratti in a demolition derby when you have a running 1992 Ford Crown Victoria sitting in the barn.

 

To be fair, once Harrison settled down a bit in that game, he did much better - after an admittedly very rough start. He looked better in the second half in pass protection.

There was a lot more unwillingness to "pull the trigger" than even I expected, knowing he was/is a conservative passer. I think (hope) a lot of that has to do with being rattled in that game early and perhaps even the elements. Knowing that Tyrod is a lease for the team, I don't mind the fact that maybe he can't play well in weather because he's on a one-year deal.

I believe Baker Mayfield is ready.

I don't believe this team is ready for Baker Mayfield.

To your own points earlier, this offensive line is, "in flux" (to put it nicely). There's been zero chemistry between Taylor and the receivers and Mayfield received virtually no reps with the first team in training camp or the preseason. The running game, again - one game so I don't want to overreact, was poor outside of Taylor. Mayfield negotiates a pocket well, but isn't anywhere near the run-threat that Taylor is.

Once the issues along the line have been sussed out, I think it's fair to ask the question if whether or not Mayfield's time has come... but that also has to depend on how Tyrod is playing at that time. If, as I expect (and really hope) he's playing closer to the level we've seen him play at, I am okay with a conservative approach because the defense is playing well enough to win games.

Just need to see the offensive line and running game get going next.

 

If we had started Baker in the opener, we'd have won the game.....

 

I agree with that assessment.

 

You absolutely don't know that. You may think that . . . But you don't know that.

As the #1 overall pick in the draft - plus being a QB to boot - Mayfield is a HUGE investment for the franchise. That is a long term investment. I, for one, would rather they protect their long term investment and make everyone happy for years, than play him with the current surrounding cast in order to make TD happy for a game or two.

 

Lym, I don't think our O-line is in too bad a shape. Yea, there are some issues, but what team doesn't have issues? There are ways we can protect the LT, if that's the main worry. Put a TE over there. Send chip blockers that way regularly. I just think Mayfield deserves to be ouur starter, based on talent and what he showed in preseason...I was all for starting Taylor in the opener. My nerves got the best of me, and I thought maybe that was a good idea. But it wasn't, and I realized that after the 3rd turnover we created was quickly followed by Tyrods 3rd, 3 and out, following a turnover....Talk about demoralizing a team.

 

Yeah Lyman, because I'm the only one out there that thinks Mayfield should be starting for the Browns. lol! Whatever you say....

 

BTW- When the fuck did our current cast suddenly become total shit not worthy of risking our delicate rookie investment???? That's a new one on me....

 

Browns: Hey refs, can you stop with the bogus calls against us determining the outcome of the game, or at least call the blatant ones against Pittsburgh?

Ref:

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/video/2018/08/08/tony-dungy-best-to-start-baker-mayfield-sam-darnold

^^^Just to show that I'm not the lunatic out on a limb here, that some might have you believe. lol!....

 

well OK then

 

*looks over at his team's coach*



Me:

 

Wow, that is pretty amazing. It will be interesting to follow his career. Just imagine knowing exactly what works and doesn't work against different personnel groups on the field. Obviously the players have to execute it, but having a guy that can put you in the best possible position on every down...they should break records, if they have the right personnel.

 

Mayfield confirmed: Greatest of All Time.

Drew Brees didn't have to say "better than me". Brees, once he hangs it up, is a first ballot HOF QB and - in my mind - a Top 5 All-Time guy (at least Top 10 for most).

• He'll be #1 in passing yards about six more games into this season (#3 now).
• He should pass Favre for #2 in passing touchdowns this season (#4 tie with T. Brady now). If he plays two more seasons, I should be #1 and if he plays longer than Tom Brady, he won't be caught.
• He's 5th all-time in passer rating (three of the other five are still active: Rodgers, Russell, Brady).
• He's #1 all-time in pass completion percentage (67.0).
• He's a Super Bowl winner.
• He's an 11x Pro Bowler.
• He's inexplicably only been All Pro once (2006).
• He's already leading the NFL this year in yards (439) and completion percentage (82.2).

 

I'll settle for just having our coach know, in the moment, which personnel group was on the field.

Sean McVay: *remembers intimate details of a game, time, down-and-distance, playcall, and result from over three years ago*

Hue Jackson: "I didn't know Josh Gordon was on the field for the first play today."

Also Hue Jackson: "I need to check the tape."

 

Larry Ogunjobi is no longer "sneaky" good. Dude is an outright force in the middle.

 

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-cb-denzel-ward-named-pepsi-nfl-rookie-of-the-week

^^^I believe this is what they call an excellent start in one's quest for D.R.O.Y.

 

https://brownswire.usatoday.com/2018/09/13/brogan-roback-loves-his-present-from-baker-mayfield/

^^^ lol! Pretty cool.

 

Week 2: @New Orleans

The Good

• Josh Gordon. It was announced that Gordon is being cut and now we've got a reported 8-10 teams calling about a trade with an expected mid-round pick coming our way. Gordon was a play-maker, but it became painfully obvious that he wasn't going to be reliable. Maybe he doesn't want to play in Cleveland, but this is a "good" in my book because the chapter is finally closed.
  
  
• Antonio Callaway. The Browns are asking "Tony Toe-Tap" to grow up rapidly and so far, he hasn't let us down. Three catches (four targets) for 81 yards and the game-breaking touchdown after finding out probably mid-Saturday that he was going to have to start and also the biggest target (Gordon) was going to be inactive and moved. Dorsey drafted Mahomes, Hill, and Hunt in Kansas City - who look completely unstoppable in for the Chiefs. He's drafted Mayfield, Callaway, and Chubb in Cleveland, so I'm extremely optimistic.
  
  Anecdote, as relayed by Joel Bitonio post-game: As they were set to break the huddle before Callaway's TD grab, he challenged the linemen saying, "Block well, we've got a touchdown on this one." - Way to call your shot, rookie.
  
  
• The defense. Another very good overall showing from the defense. If healthy, and rested, this is looking like a force. I said in the offseason that Damarious Randall would be the linchpin for them and his play would determine the overall success - so far, he's not disappointed. Larry Ogunjobi (my guy) is a force and would have had three sacks if not for a penalty (still finished will four solos and two sacks). Terrance Mitchell had himself a ball game and T.J. Carrie looked great, too. Three of the last four Saints drives they allowed points, but held a Super Bowl contending team with a Hall of Fame QB and high-octane offense for a majority of the day.

The Bad

• Tyrod Taylor. Yuck. Two bad games in a row. No, his stat line didn't look awful, but he was again out of sync with his receivers, took some sacks that weren't a result of pass protection, and on the incredible pass play to Callaway for the tying score, was actually going for Jarvis Landry and overthrew him by about 10 yards. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Thursday is now a "must win" game for him and if he doesn't perform well, we could be seeing #6 get a lot of first team reps on the long week before Oakland.
  
  
• The defense. As noted earlier, three of the last four Saints drives resulted in points. The Browns had a 12-3 lead and while the offense squandered everything the defense gave them, holding one more of those four drives could have been the difference in the game and we wouldn't be dreaming of Dan Bailey in brown and orange right now. Two Michael Thomas touchdowns, the two-point conversion, and a field goal in the last eight minutes of play hurt.
  
  
• Carlos Hyde. I'm calling for a Browns rookie to start over the established veteran this Thursday, but it's not Baker Mayfield... it's Nick Chubb. While the run-blocking hasn't been stellar, Carlos Hyde has looked a step slow and without any power. Both he and Chubb look to bounce it outside due to the line play, the difference is Chubb has the speed to make that work. Through two games, Hyde's got 38 attempts for 105 yards (2.8 YPC), and two receptions for 10 yards. Chubb has five attempts for 35 yards (7.0 YPC). The rookie needs to see more carries, period.

The Ugly

• Zane Gonzalez. Easy to put him here - and put the loss on him - but it's a team loss in a team sport. Yes, make the kick. Make any one of your kicks (1-3 on extra points, 0-2 on field goals) and this is a different ball game. Same can be said for offense and defense as well. It's a short week and the Browns are facing a must-win against a beatable team. I'm all for having some kicking competition this week, but cutting Gonzo just to get our pound of flesh isn't the answer.
  
  
• BONUS: Browns fans. Evidently, there was a lot of hate and vitriol delivered to Zane Gonzalez by a bunch of Incel Browns fans via social media. Despicable as that is, it gets worse... they got the wrong guy.
  
• David Njoku. In addition to my lineup change above (Chubb for Hyde), I'm also giving Seth DeValve the start if I were in Hue's shoes (how have we not made that a thing here?!) next week. Njoku has been targeted 14 times in two games and I'm pretty sure he's got four or five drops in those 14 targets. He's got to play better and be better. DeValve was better than him last season, so if healthy, I don't see why he shouldn't get more reps.
  
  
• Hue Jackson. Extends his record to 1-32-1 as a Browns' head coach. The biggest reason he's here is because Hue Jackson is 1-13-1 in close games (decided by a touchdown or less). 1-13-1!! He offers no discernible advantage as a head coach. There isn't one facet of the game where he can exert influence and will a team to victory. He just doesn't have it. He's also making questionable calls and personnel decisions hunting, I believe, for an elusive win instead of what's best for the team.

 

Get Mayfield in the game, and watch Njoku develope into a star. With such erratic QB play, it makes it really difficult. It's almost like trying to grade the receivers when Kizer was chuckin it around.