Thoughts on the game (Cleveland)

[sc85sis]

Hurt needs to teach the EDGE rushers how to set the fricken edge. Cleveland damn near hard 200 yards passing of screens and slipscreens. And almost every one was the result of our OLBs getting sucked inside.

I think we missed Chenna today on some of the run plays and screens. Pete said they were expecting screens and practiced for it but didn’t execute as well as they wanted.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

That was 100% on Geno. He had a few.good throws to DK but all the others were either late or of by several yards.

Is he feeling too much pressure to get DK lots of targets?

Agreed. I wonder if the offense would improve by subtraction. I do like DK and what he can bring but if we can get some good draft capital for him then maybe? There were a lot of awful throws to DK so he was not at fault the whole time but he wasn’t getting much separation either. Decisions like this make me glad for my day job and not coaching in NFL.

 

[mistaowen]

Was a strange game overall. Very happy to win, Browns even with all their injuries are a solid team. I'd say they are 1A/1B to the Eagles OL, just really really dominant in the trenches. They surely get away with some holding but how they block is every OL coaches dream.

Geno and the offense continue to come out with a terrific script to start games. They look like world beaters most weeks during Q1. Then, something happens whether it is defensive adjustments, Waldron struggling, or Geno imploding. Today I would say all 3 occurred, with Geno shouldering more of the blame. I think we are really starting to see a concerning downtrend with him and a lot of the Genoism's that got him benched in NY are appearing. Last year you'd put up with those mistakes because he cost nothing and no one expected the Seahawks to be competitive. Now - the roster is young, filling out and Geno got paid to be the guy who carries the team to a win when needed. That pass to DK with ~50 seconds left should be benchable. He was double covered (by a pro bowl CB too), they were in FG range to at least tie, and he threw an ugly underthrown pass to a spot that could easily have been intercepted. This isn't to say put Lock out there (and Pete absolutely won't make a change at 5-2) but if there's a guy JS likes in the draft next year, I hope they make the moves needed to go get him.

Defense held up. They got beaten up for sure but that's to be expected by this dominant Browns OL. Even with Watson and Chubb missing, holding this team to 20 points is impressive. At the end they made enough plays to win the game. Nwosu's presence was for sure missing, Adams definitely not 100% right with how often he was coming off and on. Doesn't get easier next week in Baltimore.

Usually I don't bark at refs but today was something else. So many obvious calls missed to benefit the Browns but routine whistles against the Seahawks in momentum changing situations. It won't appear like a 15-0 discrepancy but every single one had purpose. Free first downs, ignored PI's to get the Browns the ball, blatant holds on big Browns plays, those phantom hands to face calls, etc. When it was 14-0, you felt the refs get involved. Sports betting is absolutely creeping into games and I don't think there's anything we as fans can do about it. No surprise Seahawks were 4 point favorites and won at exactly 24-20.

Gotta feed Zach Charbonnet going forward too. He has that same lateral agility and horizontal burst that Marshawn did, his college comp is very appropriate. Won't make K9 happy but he's very much deserving more opportunities.

 

[Mad Dog]

Kind of strange, lost most stats and won by 4. Won most stats against Cincy and lost by 4

That’s why stats are for losers

 

[HawkRiderFan]

It feels like Waldron comes out with a great plan and game script but then his play calls get suspect, ie going away from the run. He had a great plan for Garrett today. 1 sack given up against him is pretty darn good.

On that first pick should a receiver not come back to the ball on an out like that? If DK runs the route back towards the line, the defender doesn't have the angle to cut in front of him.

 

[toffee]

That’s why stats are for losers

Learning from the big one, Football God also moves in mysterious ways, it's a God thing.

 

[Ozzy]

Some of DK’s issues were on Geno as he flat out missed him multiple times. It does feel forced though and not sure why they’re forcing it. I’d rather they manufacture stuff for JSN if anything but ultimately just let the plays come to you

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Overall I thought we played well. We aren't really dominate in any one part, but we do a lot well. Just feels like we would be getting a lot of "B's" and "B+" across the board. We don't do anything all that bad, but we don't do anything great.

The penalties are the biggest issue with this team. If we can clean those up, we could sneak our way to 11 wins possibly. Still can't believe how far the Niners have fallen. The division is ours to take, especially if we can find a way to split with the Niners.

 

[toffee]

I missed Pocic bad last year. Evan and Olu are both good, so it's hard to cry over it now... but I always thought he got a raw deal from the fanbase here, and I'm not surprised that he's a bona fide stud in Cleveland.

I was shocked totally disapproved of not keeping Pocic. Even more sad when he played well elsewhere.

 

[MORGULON]

Funny how they'd be a better team if they'd just kept Baker instead of trading the farm for Deshaun "oops, the towel slipped, haha crazy" Watson. Should've kept him, or let Stefanski draft his own dude.

Yeah as good as the Browns are , they have a 230MM GUARANTEED problem
For the next several years holding them back. I might get attacked for this but they played better today for much of the game. We won, yes but they came back and had the edge from the 2nd quarter all the way to the end of the 4th and if not for a ball bounced off a helmet Sea loses.

Cleveland is a nice team.

 

[LTH]

• Weird M.O. for a Carroll team to start with their hair on fire and lose their way in the middle, but that's how it's been going for them. It seems like it's related to the tendency that they have to kinda forget the run game for the middle two quarters. Two good running backs, but they seem intent on driving the offense through the pass game, and it feels forced.
• More Geno regression. I don't think he's playing terrible football, but he clearly isn't his most comfortable out there and he's locking on more.
• I love DK, but his involvement right now is so forced. They're not moving the ball when they're force-feeding him, and I'm worried that he's demanding the force-feeding. They're at their best when they're spreading the hell out of the ball and running it otherwise.
• The defense has some things to clean up, but they're still dawgs. They play with their hair on fire. They were really screwed over by a couple of super ticky-tack hands to face calls, the type that the Browns were getting away with the whole game.
• Browns were offside on the Geno interception on the out route. Can't assume it's a free play, but they were right to be pissed and had likely alerted the refs to look for it beforehand, as they lined up in the neutral zone several times in the first half.
• They still came away with an ugly dub against a ridiculously intimidating defense and an offense that runs through an amazing offensive line. They're a team that is solid fundamentally, which is why they've got a winning record despite having very iffy quarterback play. Coming away with ugly dubs is something that every single winning team in the NFL does more often than not. Take a look at the Chiefs, Niners, Eagles, etc. All of 'em. They don't just blow out every team - at least, not for more than very short stretches at a time. Enjoy the win, and enjoy being on top of the division as the Bengals just whipped their nuts out against the Niners (PS: As much as you may want Geno gone, he wasn't as bad as Purdy was for the Niners today.)

I don't think people are giving the Browns O enough credit. That O line played very well! They dominated the TOP 37 to 23. I dontbthink people give the Browns D enough credit. The Hawks beat a very good football team that is well coached.

The Hawks flashed in the first quarter. When they run the ball, the passing game is way more effective and I think this game demonstrates that. Especially when Geno spreads the ball out and spreads it out to different receiver's other than Metcalf and Lockett..

It's just a matter of time before the Hawks O puts it all together.

LTH

 

[JPatera76]

Yeah as good as the Browns are , they have a 230MM GUARANTEED problem
For the next several years holding them back. I might get attacked for this but they played better today for much of the game. We won, yes but they came back and had the edge from the 2nd quarter all the way to the end of the 4th and if not for a ball bounced off a helmet Sea loses.

Cleveland is a nice team.

They wouldn't have come back so easily ... and effortlessly if the officials didn't help them out.

 

[MORGULON]

They wouldn't have come back so easily ... and effortlessly if the officials didn't help them out.

True . I had tried to push that out of my mind. It was horrible officiating. I don't watch a lot of football (only Seattle) so I wonder if this is league wide.

 

[Torc]

True . I had tried to push that out of my mind. It was horrible officiating. I don't watch a lot of football (only Seattle) so I wonder if this is league wide.

I glanced at the Browns forums briefly. There are people complaining about the officiating being our favor. Every team's fans believe the refs are for the other team.

 

[MORGULON]

I glanced at the Browns forums briefly. There are people complaining about the officiating being our favor. Every team's fans believe the refs are for the other team.

Thank you. How do the Cleveland fans possibly think that ? They got 95% of the calls and at the worst possible time for us.

 

[LTH]

They wouldn't have come back so easily ... and effortlessly if the officials didn't help them out.

My wife was pissed...she does not like the officials.. it all started with the SB loss to the Steelers. Ever since that game she thinks officials are crap!

And then there was the time the plummer came to work at the house wearing at steelers cap talking crap about the Seahawks because of the Seahawk poster on the wall. No! No no no bad move. Lmao!!!

LTH

 

[Double Tribble]

Nice write up dude! I for one am getting a bit tired of winning ugly.

Me too. Remember those years when we regularly scored 30-40 pts/game? Seems like an eternity ago.

 

[Double Tribble]

My wife was pissed...she does not like the officials.. it all started with the SB loss to the Steelers. Ever since that game she thinks officials are crap!

And then there was the time the plummer came to work at the house wearing at steelers cap talking crap about the Seahawks because of the Seahawk poster on the wall. No! No no no bad move. Lmao!!!

LTH

Lol! Did you jaw at him as you paced back and forth while he was working on your plumbing? Seems to be SOP.

 

[SNDavidson]

We overcame two or three ginormous terrible calls for wafting too much air around a players facemask, and DK Metcalf, I see you man, you are going to have a Megatron game or three this year, but your intangibles today, you are the unwritten story. Thank you for saving Geno from an endzone pick in the fourth quarter.

 

[LTH]

Me too. Remember those years when we regularly scored 30-40 pts/game? Seems like an eternity ago.

It's coming man...once they get in rhythm it's going to be fun to watch. I think this might have been their break out game. Maybe a couple more games but this was a big win as far as the team totally believing together. It really was a big win...that last D stand and the last O drive they were as dialed in as I've ever seen in a long time.

It's just a matter of finding consistency...

LTH