Yes, you did read that correctly.  No, I did not make a typo.  I believe we can use Wimbley effectively and get him back to playing at a respectable level for a first round pick.

Continue reading this post »

Sometimes Chudzinski is a genius.  He knows how to use TEs and Fullbacks, and since we don't have a whole lot of WRs that are productive right now, we need to do more things like this.

We break the huddle with Charles Ali, Jamal Lewis, Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, and Donte Stallworth at the skill positions.  This means 2rb, 1te, 2wr, typical I-formation personnel, and a set of players that hints (but doesn't scream) that we are running the ball.  Since defensive personnel is based on who we send in to the huddle, they bring in their base D, more geared to 1st down run stopping than 3rd down blitzing.

Instead of lining up in the I-formation, we appear to line up 3-wide:

Ali is in the slot to the high part of the screen, with Winslow in-line.  I am guessing that when you play us, your defense knows where Kellen Winslow is on every down, and they know that he is more of a pass-catching threat than a threat to blow up DEs while run blocking.  That means we are flashing potentially 4 pass catchers here, which is supposed to make the D nervous about the pass. 

I was expecting Ali (who is really not known for catching balls) to motion in to the backfield and for us to run the ball, or play-action-fake off of the run.  The threat of a 4-wide/3-wide+Winslow passing formation here is designed to have the defense thinking "they are trying to trick me, here, but I know what they are doing and I am 100% comfortable".

What I expected:

via farm4.static.flickr.com

Instead, Jamal Lewis motioned out of the backfield:

via farm4.static.flickr.com

Now, with absolutely no threat of a typical run, I had no idea what was going on.  A defensive player had to be thinking about the possibilities of what we (the Browns) might be trying to do. Reverse?  Screen?  QB sneak?  Furthermore, the defense tipped its hand as to what type of coverage they were playing.  Whitner came down from his SS spot to man up on Winslow.  Right after the snap it is easy to read one LB blitzing up the middle, one LB man-to-man on Lewis, and the last one playing man on Ali.  This leaves the CBs man-to-man on our WRs with the FS (not pictured) in a deep zone: Man Cover-1 coverage.

via farm4.static.flickr.com

Because Winslow is dangerous enough that he can't be left 1-on-1 with a LB, and because both of our FBs can actually catch the ball--in other words because of our versatility--the defense had to not only tip their hand to Quinn before the snap, but also play a fairly easy coverage.  Although Winslow isn't a dominant blocker, because he is at least decent, opposing teams can't bring in their Nickel packages when he is on the field in these types of situations and the types of players we have in he, Heiden, Vickers, even Harrison tip the scales in our favor on offense.  Here, it resulted in a 12 yard gain to Ali on a slant.

via farm4.static.flickr.com

I don't buy the idea that we can't find ways to use our players.  Get the people who can make positive plays on the field.

Lets assume Romeo is a gonner, at least after this season.

Should Phil Savage also be shown the door? 

Pro Phil:

Our roster is better now than at any point in time since the Browns came back.  He drafted actual star players or players with star potential such as Braylon Edwards, Joe Thomas, and Brady Quinn.  He has signed quality free agents to contracts that aren't turning us in to the Raiders.  He has done all of this with 3 offseasons and (I believe) short preparation for the 2005 draft. He grabbed 3 centers when LCB went down with an injury on the first day of camp, and all 3 have been decent for us, and he gave up basically nothing in return.  He wasn't afraid to be agressive in trading away our 2nd and 3rd round picks to get one of few bright spots on the team in Shaun Rogers.

Anti Phil:

He doesn't hit on enough draft picks.  He has yet to have one of his later round guys really become a star.  Travis Wilson.  He got rid of Leigh Bodden and our secondary is very shallow.  Our roster is far from the Patriots', Chargers, etc.  We don't have a pass rush.  We aren't deep enough at any position except OL.  We havn't drafted a young OT or OG to develop when Tucker or Fraley gets too old/falls off/gets hurt (Isaac Sowells absolutely does not count).  Chase Pittman.

Although, it may feel like it.

Winslow is expressing frustration over staph and Savage not calling him in the hospital.  Probably justified.

QB controversy is in full effect.

Braylon is saying all the right things, although that doesn't make up for his horrible game.

He also said this:  "we might've underestimated the Redskins." Thats the most probably the most dissappointing part of today for me.  At 2-3 you know every game is still important.  You know you have to win these types of games and you had to learn the hard way last year with losses to teams like Oakland.

You also know that at 2-4 you have a chance to get back to respectability.  You have to press on.  You have to think that there is still hope for the playoffs for a winning record, for anything positive until it is mathematically impossible (regardless of the odds).  Until there are 9 games in the L column, there is a chance to be .500 which is more than I could have dreamed for after some 4-12 and 6-10 years.

So if you expect your sports heroes to play until the whistle, never give up, and to believe it isn't over till the fat lady sings, up your fanhood and do the same.  Have some admirable qualities yourself.  No, things aren't looking up right now, yes, we are underachieving.  There is every reason to be frustrated right now.  But failure of your team's success is hardly a reason to stop being a fan.  If you want to talk about giving up on the Cleveland Browns or the season, that is your right, but you should probably take it to Cleveland.com or just fair-weather yourself to another team.

No one is picking us to get in to the playoffs and it realistically isn't looking good.  But to me, real fans never give up.  I am a Cleveland Browns fan win or lose, period.  I will stick by my team and watch game after game even if it means my blood pressure takes a hike and I am pissed off every Sunday.  I urge you to do the same.

Monday night was awesome.

Zero punts.  A ton of yards.  Clock-devouring drives. 35 points.  What contributed to our offense?  Are we back to where we were a year ago?  Here are some things I saw that I loved on Monday:

-Jerome Harrison.  He got the ball several times.  He got big chunks of yardage.  He even was in on several special teams tackles.

-Moving Jerome Harrison TO or FROM the wide receiver position.   I have been looking for this for weeks.  His versatility is huge, and because he can make explosive plays happen anytime he gets the ball, opposing defenses look for him.  He can be part of a personnel package that really makes the opposing D guess if we are running or passing.  The substitution packages that are so popular now are limited if we use these types of pieces.  Speaking of...

-Steve Heiden.  He blocked well (taking out Justin Tuck on a key Jamal Lewis run comes to mind).  He caught the ball.  We flexed him in to the slot.  We put him in...

-Motion.  The Browns' offense was practically based on motion and formation shifts last year.  We got back to it tonight, confusing NY, and using our role players and their versatility.

-Stallworth.  He was in motion a LOT.  I hope the motion and shifts were a function of getting Donte back, and not having 2 weeks to prepare (meaning that the motion will continue).  I also hope he doesn't miss more games.  I am OK with Steptoe as our 3rd WR.  I would love it if he barely broke in to the top 4.  Having a legit WR opposite Braylon appeared to help.  He also blocked surprisingly well.

-Our offensive line is really good.  Tucker=huge.  If Joe Thomas isn't the best LT in the NFL, I don't know who is.

-Jamal Lewis repeatedly running through 5+ guys to run out the clock.  Gotta give a lot of credit to the Oline, but Jamal was looking quite nimble for being 29ish and 230+ lbs.

-The WIldCribbs package.  The read-option worked really well once.  We need to continue using him in multiple ways.

-Overcoming penalties.  We had FAR too many flags.  Thankfully, they were for not much yardage and we were able to make plays to overcome them.

-Shaun Rogers.  I could clearly tell when he was in the game versus when he wasn't.  I could not clearly see his number due to my crappy DVR.

-The healthy members of our starting secondary and Dline.  I don't know if Corey Williams just needed to talk a little bit to get himself fired up, but he actually did some positive things tonight which has not been the case in other games.  Wright clearly had a good game, Pool had a nice pick, McDonald continues his great play.  Our depth in both of these areas is not good.  Mike Adams was so-so and I think we could replace him with a late-round pick. Daniels and Cousin didn't look too hot.  Sorensen looked ok.  Louis Lenoard and Rubin didn't show me anything.

-The re-emergence of Good Derek and the DA to Braylon connection.  He took some risks, and maybe a throw or two of his should have been picked off.  He made up for it, however, by being agressive down the field and connecting on deep passes.  He got the "reward" part of the equation to go along with his "risk" tonight.  Braylon only missed one pass, and it was a zinger.  He also made big plays.  BIG plays.  I honestly don't care if these guys don't have the highest completion %, as long as they capitalize on valuble opportunities and big plays.  Derek could have been 2/30 with Braylon dropping 8 passes against pitt, but if those 2 were for 150+yds and TDs, we win that game.  I'd feel a lot better about games with 2 or 3 INTs if they were also games with 4 or 5 TDs.  I still would like to see Quinn at some point (garbage time if DA continues this), but DA is driving up his worth to us or someone else and I am fine with that for now.

I'll save the negative for another time.  Imagine the Browns with Shaun Smith, Robaire Smith, Kellen Winslow, Martin Rucker, Sean Jones, etc. all back...

The internet is the place for random ranting and complaining, right?

I am thankful to have great reporters at the PD like Terry Pluto, and reporters decent enough not to suck 100% of the time like Toni Grossi.  But let's be honest; Bud Shaw is terrible.

His jokes are catered to a snooty, upper class-type crowd, and aren't even all that funny.  Meanwhile, you get the impression he thinks he is hilarious.  You can see that graying mustache and those thick glasses giggling like a schoolgirl as he mocks pretty much every athlete in Cleveland.  He likes to talk a lot of shit about athletes because they make so much money, thinking it will somehow endear him to a working class town like Cleveland.  Then he makes beer jokes at the Dawg Pound's expense.  He is worse than an elitist; he is an elitist posing as a working class dude.

I just can't help thinking that this guy is singlehandedly chasing LeBron to Brooklyn.

Ok so the Matt Jones guy has talent.  And JJ might not be ready to start the season/play this year/play ever again.  I thought we could get Jones for next to nothing, and I thought it would be a good idea to bring him in to compete with guys like Wilson and Hubbard.

That was before Matt Jones was arrested on felony drug charges.   I don't want that guy anywhere near Cleveland now.  For the record.

This is probably way too soon.  But Lost is done for the season, the Celtics are going to win the Finals in 5-6 games, and I am curious as to how the final roster will look without LCB.  If this has already been done, I apologize.

QB: This is pretty set.

1. DA

2. BQ

3. Ken Dorsey

RB: You have got to think the 3 we had last year can all beat out the likes of Austin Scott.

1. J. Lewis

2. Jason Wright

3. Jerome Harrison

FB: I like Vickers' versatility, will Ali's special teams play get him on the team?  I say no.

1. Lawrence Vickers

TE: K2 is a pro bowler, Heiden is solid in all aspects of the position, we didn't trade up for Rucker to cut him, Dinkins is the odd man out

1. Winslow

2. Heiden

3. Rucker

4. Kolomona Kapanui (practice squad)

WR: Braylon, JJ, Donte', Cribbs...then what?

1. Edwards

2. Stallworth

3. Jurevicious

4. Cribbs

5. Wilson

6.  Hubbard (practice squad)

7. Lance Leggett (practice squad)

OT: Joe Thomas = mancrush.

1. Thomas

2. Shaffer

3. Nat Dorsey

4. Isaac Sowells

OG: Soooo glad we have depth.

1. Eric Steinbach

2. Ryan Tucker

3. Rex Hadnot

4. Lennie Friedman

OC:

1. Hank Fraley

2. Seth McKinney

DL: This looks so much better than last year.  I am ignorant to practice squad rules and regulations, but the 5 and 6 spots are up for grabs between Rubin, Louis, Purcell, and Pitman.  One will have to be on the practice squad.

1. Shaun Rogers

2. Corey Williams

3. Shaun Smith

4. Robaire Smith

5. Ahtyba Rubin

6. Leonard Louis (Practice Squad--is he eligible again?)

7. Chase Ortiz (practice squad)

OLB:

1. Wimbley

2. Peek

3. McGinest

4. David McMillan

5. Alex Hall (Practice Squad)

ILB:

1. D'qwell (p.s. awesome name)

2. Andra Davis

3. Beau Bell

4. Leon WIlliams

5. Shantee Or

S:

1. Pool

2. Jones

3. Adams

4. Baxter

CB: Thin.

1. Eric Wright

2. McDonald

3. Cousin

4. Mil'von James

5. Darnell Terrell

6. Jereme Perry

Special Teams:

1. Dawson

2. Zastudil

3. Pontbriand

Once again, I have no idea about practice squad rules, so I used mostly rookies who looked like they had potential.