Da Dawg pound

VillaMad

Panrich wrote: »

I thought that Higgins might not be back especially after taking Peoples-Jones and yet another TE in the draft. As you say though, there seems to be a bit of chemistry between him and Baker.

I read somewhere and I'm not sure if it's true but apparently Higgins is the first Wide Receiver to get a second contract at the Browns since they returned in 1999 which is crazy.

There was as he had four touchdowns but it was just bizarre that he never got any snaps once he returned from injury at the back-end of last season where guys like Damion Ratley and Khadarel Hodge were ahead of him on the roster.

OBJ did play the whole of last season but did so with an injury and also missed quite a bit of time with the Giants the previous two seasons, so a back-up wide receiver is definitely needed so it's nice to keep Higgins in the fold. People-Jones can develop in a minor role and special teams.

VillaMad

That's the schedule anyway for the upcoming season if everything goes to plan. Will be difficult for Stefanski and his coaches to get their ideas across with what looks like will be at best a limited coaching off-season.

As tough as it gets with the Ravens first up but should be a couple of winnable games against the Bengals and Redskins at home afterwards before a trip to Jerry World which would be a good barometer of this side.

4 of the last 6 are away and the two home games are against the Ravens and the Steelers so that's a tough stretch if they are in playoff contention.

Panrich

So Wilson grabs Chubb around the neck and puts him in the concussion protocol. He's relegated to seconds where he has to be carted off.

JC Tretter has gone under the knife but will hopefully be back for the first game. 5th rounder Harris is taking snaps in the meantime

Myles Garrett is sitting out practice with an injury.

A typical start to the season.

VillaMad

Not good with Mack Wilson. The Browns Linebacker position was already one of the weakest in the NFL, so this is pretty bad news. With Lamar and Baltimore in the same division this is not a good weakness to have.

As for the other injuries, they don't seem too bad and you rather have them now than a week before the season.

VillaMad

Training camp disaster for the Brown with a heck of a lot of injuries now.

Second round pick Grant Delpit's rookie season already looks in serious doubt as he went off with an achilles injury. Any tear there and he is done. It was non-contact too, so he is almost certainly a goner. Greedy Williams left practice early with a shoulder injury while another CB, MJ Stewart felt his hamstring.

Adding to this previously with Karl Joseph having a foot injury and a freak injury to Kevin Johnson who has a lacerated liver.

Depressing.

Panrich

VillaMad wrote: »

Training camp disaster for the Brown with a heck of a lot of injuries now.

Second round pick Grant Delpit's rookie season already looks in serious doubt as he went off with an achilles injury. Any tear there and he is done. It was non-contact too, so he is almost certainly a goner. Greedy Williams left practice early with a shoulder injury while another CB, MJ Stewart felt his hamstring.

Adding to this previously with Karl Joseph having a foot injury and a freak injury to Kevin Johnson who has a lacerated liver.

Depressing.

I saw Delpit go down earlier on Browns live. It was very innocuous but sometimes they can be the worst.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohShUqFGwsQ at 18:45

I don't think Ogunjobi has been involved in any action either yet and Njoku has had the last 3 days off with a wrist injury.

Silver-Tiger

So when are we signing Earl Thomas?

VillaMad

Cuts today as the roster goes from 80 down to 53.

The Browns cut 4 on Thursday, so have to say goodbye to 24 today.

Safety Ronnie Harrison was traded from the Jaguars on Thursday evening for a 5th rounder which was very decent value for a guy taken in the 3rd round a couple of years ago. Still on a rookie contract. Solid player by all accounts and gives the safety department a bit of depth after losing Grant Delpit for the season.

VillaMad

So the Browns go 2-1 and go over 500 for the first time in 6 years. A topsy-turvey game yesterday was finally settled with a good last quarter. A good team response after a chastening opening weekend when the Ravens handed them a new one. To be fair though playing the two worst teams of last year at home on consecutive weekends, it really was expected.

Seeing signs I suppose of an identity on offense now with Chubb having a greater role than last year and Hunt then coming more into the game late on. Chubb couldn't get anything going early on, but once he did, there was no stopping him. Trying to get Baker to force the ball to Beckham or Landry is not the recipe for success.

Due to injuries, it's no surprise that the secondary is struggling. Denzel Ward can't seem to go a few games without struggling with an issue again while the back-ups are average enough. The defense did well to turnover the ball on numerous occasions yesterday however.

Still give the Brown's an outside chance of getting to the playoffs provided the offense continues to go through Chubb. Going two scores behind leaves it up to Mayfield and he isn't showing signs of throwing dimes like he did in his rookie year. The schedule is quite nice with having the NFC East to face which is arguably the weakest at the moment, whilst also having the Jets late on. It could well be the games against the Steelers which will telling of where this team will go.

Panrich

4-1 start but look a bit banged up with the Steelers up next. Still would have taken this after week 1. Stefanski is really beginning to mould a team here.

happyoutscan

Team on a high, great to see.

VillaMad

4-1 is fantastic considering that opening weekend when it looked like last year all over again.

Stefanski has been excellent in recent games and it makes a huge difference.

Steelers at the weekend with the Browns slight underdogs. I have found the team to be a little Jekyll and Hyde with the offense in particular looking electric for a couple of quarters and then seemingly unable to get a first down. The defense still has huge issues at safety and always looked likely to give away big plays but on the other hand, they have had quite a number of interceptions.

Myles Garrett is absolutely unbelievable and he alone is causing havoc. Mayfield on the other hand is still a concern. If he gets pressured at all in the pocket, he starts to panic and makes silly mistakes.

Also, being without Nick Chubb for an extended period will inevitably hurt despite how good Kareem Hunt is and has been.

Silver-Tiger

I think keeping it competitive until the last play of the game would be a result this week and anything else a bonus.

The whole team is fairly banged up as said above. Garrett going to get a lot of attention and i think this could turn sour.
Just get out of here in reasonable shape. Even if it is a loss. We are 4-2 with the best roster and coach in decades and an absolute cupcake of a schedule the rest of the way bar Ravens Steelers again.

No more stupid mistakes like getting banned for half a season and we (i say it quietly) should reach a 7 team AFC playoffs.

What is the story with persistence of Sendejo at safety. He's so bad. Damm shame Delpit went down in camp.

VillaMad

Awful performance on Sunday again which echoed the Ravens defeat in Week 1. It was pretty much a carbon-copy with no positives. Dominated everywhere and honestly, the look a million miles off competing for the Division.

Anyone would have taken 4-2 before the season started but the manner of the 2 defeats have just been horrible. Mayfield albeit playing with an injury was horrendous on Sunday.

To me, this team has an 8-8 type of vibe. Too much bad along with the good. The schedule is relatively tame however with the likes of the Jaguars, Giants, Bengals and Jets still to come but when you see the display on Sunday, it's hard to be confident.

Silver-Tiger

Sometimes you're just one injury away from being a good team.

Hope it's not his ACL but not looking good for OBJ. Higgins and DPJ were excellent. And Baker... That was your finest moment. Sensational performance.

Silver-Tiger

A lot of talk that Baker may open up now that OBJ is gone but i'm not buying it. I get it but at the end of the day we're down a top 15 receiver and that's a negative.

Biggest worry is we don't have a proper deep threat. Haven't seen any talk about trading for anyone. Don't see anyone there that can properly stretch the field.

Panrich

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

A lot of talk that Baker may open up now that OBJ is gone but i'm not buying it. I get it but at the end of the day we're down a top 15 receiver and that's a negative.

Biggest worry is we don't have a proper deep threat. Haven't seen any talk about trading for anyone. Don't see anyone there that can properly stretch the field.

The biggest loss from OBJ might be in the run game. Opponents will have less to worry about downfield so can throw more at defending the run.

Tristram

Panrich wrote: »

The biggest loss from OBJ might be in the run game. Opponents will have less to worry about downfield so can throw more at defending the run.

He is a massive loss. Landry is an incredible receiver too but teams will be able to focus on him and I think your point about a negative knock on efft on the run game is spot on.

Silver-Tiger

Last two weeks were torture.

Funny that now that the playoff weight has been lifted.I think there'll be a better performance next week. Same outcome though? That's a different story. Vernon loss could be huge. Garrett very quiet today and if Cleveland want to win he'll have to be the difference in what will hopefully be Ben's last ever game.

Awful time for us next week being the NBC game on Sunday.

Baker i tip my hat to you. When he's good he's very good. Few years with decent coaching under Stefanski and should get better. He'll get the contract i think and i'm happy with that.

Stefanski should get coach of the year. So strange to have a competent coach at the helm.

Silver-Tiger

No pain like Browns pain. Heartbreaking

VillaMad

First things first, it's amazing to get to the playoffs. Ever since I've been following the Browns, you are always looking at the draft next year so to actually get 11 wins in a season is just fantastic. Baker Mayfield has proven himself enough to get a 5th year and with Stefanski looking like a proper coach, a relationship should develop between the two for the coming years which is great for the franchise.

At the start of the season with Covid and all the issues for a new head coach, I thought that just reaching the playoffs would be a magnificent achievement and so whatever happens from here on out, even a blow-out against the Steelers on Sunday night, it has been a very good season and something to build on as the organisation is finally settled behind the scenes.

Of course the Browns being the Browns, you are only allowed to celebrate for 24 hours or so and seeing that Stefanski now has covid along with plenty of coaches from the past week and today, it's almost impossible to see them now win on Sunday. Looks like a significant player has it also. As it's only Tuesday and there has been a drip-drop of cases over the past couple of weeks, I would say there are more to come before the week is over and the news will get bleaker and bleaker on that front.

Panrich

Well it's the playoffs but we'll be limping in to Pittsburgh all banged up. Even if Ward gets back, we've seen the effect that Covid can have with Garrett who has looked a shell of the monster he was earlier in the season.

Our O-line is back to full strength apart from utility Hubbard but Vernon is a huge loss on the D-line.

Peoples-Jones was coming along nicely so hopefully can clear protocols.

Panrich

https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2021/1/5/22215132/welp-browns-head-coach-kevin-stefanski-and-others-just-tested-positive-for-covid-19

And we just can't have nice things.

happyoutscan

That'll do.

Guffy

Un f*ckin real


Slept in for work this morn, don't care. Some first quarter. Baker had a good game, a few drops by Higgins. Have to watch it back again properly but buzzing. Worried Kelce and Hill will tear us asunder next week but at least we're there!! Epic!!!

BonnieSituation

Drink it in lads. It was an absolute belter.

Watching GMFB here now. Reckon I'll throw the game on again in a bit.

ELM327

That's the superbowl for the Browns IMO. Nothing says one and done like that

VillaMad

First day of free agency brings John Johnson from the Rams. The highest rated safety available according to most experts and so a massive weakness may become a big strength for the Browns next season. With Grant Delpit due back, having those two and Ronnie Harrison gives them a pretty potent group. A huge jump from Andrew Sendejo.

The Browns clearly are targeting a pass-rusher having had interest in Trey Hendrickson and Carl Lawson and previously TJ Watt but the money proved to be too much in those deals. Money needs to spent at corner also with the huge issues there also last year.

VillaMad

Greg Newsome was the Browns first pick in this draft last night/morning in Cleveland.

With the issues of so many injuries in the backfield last year, the Browns are effectively covered now on so many bases. The future of Greedy Williams is uncertain after his nerve injury last year which was shocking in its gravity and so the Browns pretty much needed to go and grab a CB. With Troy Hill also joining in free-agency, things should be ok there now. Newsome looks a really nice pick. Young, athletic and looks a really driven player.

For rounds 2 and 3, I would think possibly line-backer, wide receiver or a defensive linesman will be targeted.

Panrich

VillaMad wrote: »

Greg Newsome was the Browns first pick in this draft last night/morning in Cleveland.

With the issues of so many injuries in the backfield last year, the Browns are effectively covered now on so many bases. The future of Greedy Williams is uncertain after his nerve injury last year which was shocking in its gravity and so the Browns pretty much needed to go and grab a CB. With Troy Hill also joining in free-agency, things should be ok there now. Newsome looks a really nice pick. Young, athletic and looks a really driven player.

For rounds 2 and 3, I would think possibly line-backer, wide receiver or a defensive linesman will be targeted.

I was watching some videos of his play and he is very competitive. He has said that he hates if a receiver makes a catch of any sort and his record backs that up. No completions allowed on 3rd or 4th downs in 2020.

He doesn't get many interceptions but I'm ok with that because his sole focus is on preventing completions so he won't sell himself for the glory of an interception.

If he stays fit, he'll make a great complement to Denzel.