In layman terms that is what I've been trying to say. Sunday was a perfect example of what happens when you play a controlled game but lose your control. Chubb down and then Hunt who wasn't delivering the way the scheme is set anyway. Suddenly, though not unexpected, in game 6 the team needs the controlled QB to suddenly become a "gunslinger" and carry the team on his back.
Now I know Baker was hurting while playing behind a makeshift line but the stats generated at the position was basically the same as with every other game. 19/28 @ 67.8% completion record for 237 yards and a 100.0 plus QB rating including a fumble, an INT combined with 5 sacks. Mayfield took five sacks in the game, but none were credited against the offensive line. The offensive line unit allowed only nine pressures, with J.C. Tretter being the only member to stay clean in pass protection. The other four linemen earned 70.0-plus pass-blocking grades upon first review. Meanwhile, Baker generated the same numbers he's averaged through the previous 5 games. Let's not forget that 57 of those passing yards came on a "Hail Mary" that was pure luck and can't be stated any other way. Eliminate that play and Baker passed for a whopping 180 yards for the game. Now let's be perfectly clear, I am not bashing Baker. The Browns scheme is not set up to play from behind. The passing offense is not set up to score quick and as I've stated before, the Browns have a nonexistent 2-minute drill offense. However, you have to ask yourself, how can the Browns be down 20-0 and allowing the Cards to score on their first 5 possessions and then continue to run a game plan scheme where your QB only throws 19 total passes the rest of the game after the team is down 20-0 at the 9 minute mark in the second quarter?
I have not and do not say Ski's scheme is bunk. What I will say is that he has clearly taken a "gunslinger" and made him into a game control QB. Having said that, Ski currently has almost totally eliminated the Browns from being able to score quickly/run a feared 2-minute offense or be competitive and close out games if the run game is weaker than expected. It is also becoming evident that Ski has no intention of either adjusting the scheme or taking his franchise QB to the next level. Love the run game all that you can but you cannot win consistently if you cannot move the ball consistently through the air. You certainly don't appear to want to win the game when your franchise QB only gets 19 pass plays in 2 and 3/4 quarters when you're losing 20 - 0.
I still say the Browns need to take the next 2 - 3 weeks of practice and work on nothing but the 2-minute offense and closing out games. They must have the ability to score quick when needed and learn how to close out games. If we're going to make the playoffs this must be fixed quickly or it's going to be a long season. We haven't beat a team that currently has a winning record and lost 3 games to potential SB contenders. This week we pay 3 - 3 Denver before getting into division play with PIT and CIN after that. We're already 2 games behind the Ravens so time is getting short to get this fixed. It doesn't matter who you want to blame or who/what the problem is - if it doesn't get fixed it could be a very difficult season to swallow.
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