Obviously, we can say “A WIN’ or “MORE BOOZE” or “NOT SUCKING” ... but in all reality, specifically what do you need to see from this team to make you feel better on Thursday? I have a few things:

- Baker not look so unsure and lost. His problems reading a defense and stuff have been well documented, but aside from that he looks so lost. He has zero confidence. It might take Stefanski to put in some easy rollouts/drag routes/etc ... nothing more than elementary throws.

- Stefanski’s offense look like we all thought it would. This was mind boggling to me. It looked SO SIMILAR to last year’s drop back, long developing routes, lose focus of the run game, etc. What happened to the ZBS/PA combo? What happened to misdirection? Rollouts? Keeping the defense off balance? I want to see that Kubiak/Shanahan offense.

- OBJ have zero drops. I dont care about the highlight catches .. I’d like to see a STEADY game. Like 6 catches for 65 yards.

- More involvement from Hooper. He was invisible, and that shouldn’t be the case.

- More pressure from Garrett ... IDK if Woods has him in the wrong spot as some mentioned, but he can’t be a non-factor for us to be successful

- NO MISSED XP’S OR KICKS UNDER 50 YARDS

- Sendejo demoted

A new owner!

Let Baker play his game and use his talents to it's fullest. More easy roll outs and short passes like you said. He needs to trust the talented players around him and not try to win the game all by himself.

The play calling must be better, that's on the OC and coaches. Stefanski must do a better job.

Myles Garrett has to wake up and be more aggressive. He needs to forget about what happened last year.

-The team coming out strong (ability to get past the Balt game and refocus quickly)

-Improvement across the board. No reason why we can't look good against a bad team.

I'm not sure there is anything they can do to make me feel better. They'd have to improve so much in so many areas across the board, it's just not likely to happen at all.

Pretty much what you said.

Baker getting his head straight and keeping it straight.

Improved play-calling & game plan.

RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, and then RUN some more.

More tight ends in general, not just Hooper.

No more FORCING it to OBJ. Let him be strictly a decoy if that's what it takes. He has yet to do anything to deserve any ego-stroking or rewards in Cleveland.

Members of the secondary sharing the TV screen with the Bengal receivers.

Definitely a monster, show-me-why-you-got-paid game from Garrett. Although I have a hard time judging him against LJ and that Ravens offense. It's just so ridiculous it should almost be against the rules.

A WIN.

Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes

I'd like to see the following:

- A coherent game plan.

- A confident Baker Mayfield.

- OBJ to play intelligent football w/ a positive demeanor.

- Myles Garrett to disrupt the game (in a good way!).

- YAC. It seems like our guys catch the ball and are immediately brought down.

- A made FG and XP.

- Zero turnovers.

- A defense that can get off the field.

- Stefanski to competently manage the clock before halftime.

- A touchback on a kickoff.

- Improved 3rd down efficiency on offense.

- A back 7 of the defense that at least pretends to know what they are doing.

- No more 3rd and 41 situations.

I have a feeling this game will be similar to the Jet game last year. We will win but I will come out of the game feeling worse than before it.

We will get out butts kicked. What would make me feel better is if we actually call a game that suits the strengths of our players.

I'd like to see 2018 Baker Mayfield again; then I think the rest of our offensive woes (except for maybe a certain diva WR) take care of themselves. Throw in a competent defense - not great, just competent, and likewise from our special teams; just do your jobs.

Ha. This is my fear as well.

To avoid that I'd like to see --

Baker with two or more TDs, no interceptions, and 65%+ completion percentage.

The defense not make a rookie QB look like an all pro.

Low number of penalties.

No coaching blunders.

Myles with 2 or more sacks.

Convincing win.

I can be excited about week 3 if the team can pull that off. It's really not that much to ask.

time travelling to draft lamar jackson #1 overall like i said we should.

What would make me feel a lot better would be to see OBJ get involved early and often. While I don't consider him to be a cancer, the situation can become cancerous. It is week-in-week-out fodder for the media; and regardless of the cliched statements from players, in the locker room as well. There are enough dark clouds swimming over this franchise.

A solid win with Baker and OBJ looking the part would go a long way towards alleviating some of the pain and stress from the fanbase and media.

I remember you liked him, but what were your reasons, and did you really want us to draft him with the first overall or later?

this is my thought as well

Nice point about the situation w/OBJ. He’s really not done much wrong ... it’s just his presence

Cincy fans are saying the same thing.

True...

I also forgot one thing... enough e with the dang injuries. Is like to go into the next week, with extra days, with no new injuries.

Well, to be fair, he hasn't done himself many favors. We can complain about drops, but it's not like he's trying to drop the ball... OBJ doesn't need any extra work on the JUGS machine (if he did, he'd probably just practice one-handed catches anyway).

If I'm going to complain (which I shouldn't here, there are enough other threads to do that), I would complain about jerking a players face mask after a 1 yard gain... Especially after watching he and said player jawing at each other the two previous plays.

That goes deeper than OBJ and whether he's a good player... it also falls at the feet of his coach (imo). If I'm coach, he's spending the rest of the series on the sideline - no explanation required and none given.

I'm opposite, I would be happy running the ball and sticking with it and not abandon the run to make one player happy. OBJ doesn't seem to run a route, He seems to just run out there and expect the ball to get to him. I would be happy with smash mouth running and seeing several players getting involved with the game, especially Higgins.

I wanted him #1 overall. I posted a lot about my reasons but mainly because the guy played in a pro style offense at Louisville, tough ACC conference, and put up great passing numbers despite not having anywhere near the talent or weapons that the other QBs had.

For the record, I was fine and understood why mayfield went #1 since he was more refined as a passer. I just prefer lamar because he is a duel threat.

I can’t claim that baker is a better passer than lamar anymore. No one can.

Swish was so, so right.

You nailed it.

I think the thing that no one could have predicted was his work ethic. They said on the broadcast on Sunday his MVP trophy is still in the wrapping.

That's pretty cool.

I don't mind Lamar having success, especially if he's a good dude that has put in the time. I just wish it wasn't for the Ravens. I keep thinking about the sports cycles where teams are bad and good and bad and good. The Ravens are never bad even when transitioning from once dominant players to new players. And the Browns are always bad. Why do their fans deserve all of that good fortune and we don't?

Seems like in the cosmic universe of sports fandom, we just keep getting kicked in the groin over and over and over again.

At some point, the "will it ever be our turn" turns into "I don't think we'll ever be good". I'm pretty much there.

What would make me fell better? Starting 2-0 and not having the 2nd game of the season be a "must win" every year

J/c

I can’t say I wanted Lamar. I would have been OK with him, but I preferred Allen or Darnold to Baker or Lamar.

I also WILL say that I really wanted Watson. He’s one guy I thought would do well

bro i hate that the rats drafted him. but i heard about him back when he was still in high school, and followed him his entire college career. so its impossible for me to not root for him. i just wish he was great but on 8-8 teams so it wouldn't matter lol.

my biggest gripe is that theres guys who go "no one could have predicted this."

uhh, yes we could've. people "predict" guys who are supposedly first rounders who end up busting all the time, so in reality, everyone is guessing on any player.

however, Ed was on the train, i was. Chris Simms was. just watch the tape in college in and talent literally explodes in your face.

but to bring it back to the thread and how it relates, what would make me feel better is baker playing to the strength of his game.

look at his footwork. bro, you're not wilson or Murray. he's all over the pocket like he's athletic. he's not that athletic. his is a pocket passer and needs to play like one. stop rolling out for no damn reason. set your feet when you throw the ball. guys on the D line are easily able to predict when the ball is coming out. he's gonna end up leading the league in batted balls, and it has nothing to do with his height.

and what would make me feel better is Baker actually showing that he is THE man on this team. shut the media and us fans up with this 'appeasement' of OBJ. play your game, spread the ball around the field and make a statement that you're the undisputed leader of this team.

We need to not "Browns it".

Chubb was averaging 6 yards a carry, Hunt had 5.5

We probably had no chance to win the game, but wouldn't have gotten blown out if not for the super browns plays like missed xp, Odell's drop, missed FG, fake punt, Hodge's short arm attempt, fumbles, etc.

If we didn't give them 18 free points in the first half, maybe we can keep running in the 2nd half and end up only losing by 10 or less and then against a weaker team have a shot at the win.

I think people really underestimate how disruptive and deflating poor quarterback play is to an entire team. Offense, defense, special teams. The deflating feeling that you have no chance to win.

It would not surprise me at all to learn that Baker has been so bad in camp that the team kind of so this coming and just rolled over as soon as it started materializing in the game. That's how the team kind of played.

NFL players aren't dumb. They know if you don't have a QB, you don't have a chance to win.

I'd like to see them come out the tunnel looking like they're angry. Not reckless, just looking like they care, are focused, and aren't already thinking about surrender. Preferably, they look like that until the final whistle.

I need to see 3 TD's and at least 250 passing yards to feel any better whatsoever.

The defense is just not going to be good, but if the offense isn't good, it's another top 5 pick.

well said. I think there are a lot of games where I get the vibe like we’re just out there

We are a mentally soft team.

Wilt at even the smallest adversity.

What would make me feel better, (in the course of one game)?

Offense completing drives for TD's like they moved their first 3 possessions down field last week,

An 11 point or more win, that is not in doubt from the lead until the finish.

The Defense to do Way better at making their offense look like it doesn't know what to try next.

The turnover battle being +2 or better.

Seeing 2nd half adjustments that make it look like the Browns figured the opponent out, not the other way around.

Baker and Odell on the same page
Looking like the offense did in 2018, catches spread around to 7 or more receiving options, and just looking like you can pass at will.

The running backs just imposing their will, which I put last because it's the closest to already going on, already.

Oh, and the defensive and Offensive lines,
I thought the O-line did well in Run bloking last week, the other 3,
OL pass block, DL against the pass, DL against the run,
didn't look as well as the OL run blocking.

I wanted Watson and Baker,

That's not important, what IS important,
is
I still think Baker was and is the better quarterback,
side by side, one v one vs.
The Jets Qb
The Bills Qb,
Lamar on the Ravens

and it's a close, well probably not vs Watson,

But.
The important thing is,

Any one of them that would have come to the Browns, would have fallen off somewhat in their abilities,

I feel the Browns make players worse because the organization is a firestorm, since 2006.

And I wish they could learn from all the other, at least half of the 31 other football teams don't make the stupid moves the Browns make all throughout the calander year,
but the Browns always think they have to, to get better,
and it never works.

It's not "one game" this is a pattern since before Randy Lerner let the Walrus, (I really forget his real name) represent the team in owner meetings,
which was before the Haslems even bought the team,
soo...

Not particularly good.



https://twitter.com/wildlifeluvr/status/1305942608628396037

I am curious as to why people think the Brown's YAC was so low?

Yes, we all know.

You even have staunch Baker supporters who are changing their tune. Isn't that good enough?

Baker sucks?

No need to get snarky, y'all.

I brought it up because some will look at that stat as an indicator that our receivers suck. Don't try and tell me some won't have that take.

I do think that we have made a lot of throws that lead receivers out of bounds. I do think a lot of throws are late. I do think that a lot of throws have been behind and high, which makes it harder to run after the catch.

Am I wrong?

Baker is awful. It is known throughout the fanbase and amongst the football world. If there was ever any doubt that doubt is now gone. Because he's awful and doesn't know what he's doing of course he's leading receivers out of bounds, throwing behind them, etc.

And to answer the other question you've been asking, we all know this team would look and perform much better with Keenum. He knows what he's doing. The issue is he's not dynamic enough to win with long term. And no guarantee he would win short term either.

I was a Baker believer until midway through last year when he seemed to be regressing and seemed to be more focused on his image.

At this point it’s pretty safe to say (in my opinion) that he sucks and we’ll be moving on from him soon enough. If you can’t read a defense post-snap, you’re limiting the offense too greatly ... the book is out on him and everyone knows he’s garbage.

A game plan with execution.

that’s what we’ll see from the Bengals.

I have a bad feeling about this one folks. Hope I’m wrong.

While the defense that we played shares some of the responsibility, I'm sure... ball placement has historically been an issue.

If we lose this one the season is over!

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

IT WAS MAYFIELD'S FAULT...

...right, ME AGENDA?

...define historically.

It was one of his positives at Oklahoma.

He's had new HCs and schemes every year in the NFL. This year he had a new scheme and limited practice with no preseason.

It's hard to be on the same page with receivers when you're doing things for the first time.

Edit: "First time" can sound a bit of an oversimplification. But, it was their first time running these plays at game speed. First time seeing these plays against certain looks on D. "Knowing" how someone will adjust his routes against an unfamiliar look isn't easy.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought ball placement went hand-in-hand with throwing accuracy. An inaccurate QB is simply always going to have issues with ball placement.

Watching the games, I thought Mayfield was spotty with ball placement in his rookie year. He'd have good and bad runs with this, much like other parts of his game. Last year, I thought his ball placement was mostly negative (again, along with a lot of his overall game).

Thinking about it more, I'm sure timing and familiarity with his receivers plays a role. I just didn't think it was that much.

It would make me feel better if our PK hits a straight down the middle between the uprights extra point on the first TD of the game.

It can play a big role. For example, a throw "behind" a receiver could actually have been where Baker wanted to throw it because he expected his receiver to sit down at the hole in zone coverage.

Deep throws can also be difficult because it's hard to predict how much a receiver will get jostled, and how much that "incedental" contact will slow the receiver down.

Even the low throw over the middle that OBJ couldn't corral last week could have been placed low to try to protect OBJ.

Baker did have some inaccurate, loose spirals. However, it's hard to know how accurate some of his passes were without knowing where he was trying to throw them. It's not an instantaneous process. Anticipation is required, and if the receiver doesn't do what he anticipates, it can look inaccurate while going exactly where he was trying to throw it.

I'm not saying this was always the case against Baltimore, it definitely wasn't. But, it's one of the reasons coaches say they have to look at the film. It's another layer you have to try to take into account.

Moving the Team Facility's out of Berea : There is diffidently some thing wrong with the water !

And you still haven't said anything.

Why don't you at least make some kind of attempt to explain your thinking and reasoning?

After having a few days to distance myself from the dismal display Sunday, I find myself coming back around to what I predicted weeks ago: that we'd seem like a misfiring engine. We definitely did.

I think that, to a large degree, we are still installing and learning our offense. It looked and felt that way, too. I think the O looked pretty basic because it likely was just the basics. I don't think the team had enough time to do anything more than that; they were trying to teach a new offense and defense and also evaluate a brand new roster in one third the normal amount of time and without any of the work against another team you'd normally get.

So, I expect tomorrow night to also look very ugly and have plenty of misfires. I expect us to again look pretty basic with the exception that we may see some new wrinkles on things we did Sunday, but I don't think there will be some "night & day" difference, despite the lower competition level.

I think the competition will have plenty of its own misfires, it usually does, but they also have lots of new moving parts exasperating things same as us. Baltimore had the luxury of having the same coaches, systems, and core players for at least three years; that puts them light years ahead of a team like ours.... a talented roster simply isn't enough to overcome them.


So, in short... back to expecting misfires and sputtering. I'll still be on here espousing how crappy they are come Friday morning, however

We made mistakes and Baltimore made us pay on just about all of them. I don't think Cinci will be nearly as deadly WHEN we make mistakes.

I would also hope that we look good against their offense. We have the talent up front.

I just want to watch the game and see improvement at this time ... man it burns every time I go to write a post and need or want to write "hope" - "expect" - "should" - "think" ..... Dang team and players and coaches need to show up n show us all.

We don't have to look like SB champs - we don't have to put up 40 points. We need to look like we have a freaking clue. We need to look like - even if we have a decimated LB core and the Safeties suck - like we have a plan and can coach and scheme to help cover some of the deficiencies and prep for a rookie QB.

I'm really looking forward to the game. I can't say why - because then I'd have to type one of those cursed words above.

Matchup to Watch: Browns pass rush vs. Joe Burrow

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/matchup-to-watch-browns-pass-rush-vs-joe-burrow

In Week 1, the Browns faced the reigning NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson and, despite pressuring him on 48.3 percent of his dropbacks — by far the highest percentage in the league — they were not able to slow down the Ravens offense.

This week, however, the Browns are facing No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow in his second career start, and that kind of pressure could have much more of an effect on the Bengals passing game.

When under pressure by the Chargers in Week 1, Burrow completed just three of his 10 pass attempts (30 percent) for 31 yards and quarterback rating of 40.0. He was sacked three times in that game and was under duress on 17 of his 44 dropbacks, (38.6 percent). When Burrow was in a clean pocket, the rookie showed great prowess, completing 20-of-26 attempts (77 percent) for 162 yards and a quarterback rating near 80. His completion percentage from a clean pocket was 11th-best in the league Week 1, while his 30 percent completion rate when under pressure ranked in the bottom third of the league.

The Browns secondary is definitely depleted, and the Ravens were able to take advantage of that in Week 1. The Bengals have an excellent receiving quartet featuring A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd (back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons), John Ross and Tee Higgins. Given that Greedy Williams (shoulder) and Kevin Johnson (liver) could miss their second consecutive games, it is critical the Browns are able to disrupt Burrow in the pocket. It is even more important they are able to generate that pressure with their front four so they can deploy seven defenders in coverage.

In Week 1, the Browns defense pressured the quarterback on 14 of his 29 dropbacks, and the defensive line totaled 13 of the team's 16 total pressures (multiple players pressured the quarterback on two plays). Myles Garrett (five) led the way, while Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon chipped in three pressures each. Larry Ogunjobi — who was Pro Football Focus's highest graded defensive lineman in Week 1 — and Adrian Clayborn each had one pressure against the Ravens, with Clayborn notching the lone sack for the defensive line.

The Bengals offensive line was graded as the fourth-worst pass blocking unit in the NFL in Week 1 by PFF and right tackle Bobby Hart allowed a league-high six pressures against the Chargers. Garrett, who rushed exclusively against the right tackle in Week 1, could have a monster game in primetime, as he and the defensive line will be counted on to dominate this game and disrupt Burrow.

I’d like to see our vaunted pass rush in action. It surely wasn’t Sunday

It was but we were playing against a transcendent talent.

My son and I commented on one of Lamar's skills during the game. He has done this repeatedly in the NFL. There is pressure in his face and it looks like he is about to be engulfed, and he bounces away from the pressure w/lightening speed, rolls out a bit to buy time, and finds an open receiver between the hashes. It's uncanny.

He also does this thing where puts on the breaks and they fly right by.

#topgun

He does. He is such an instinctual player.

What astounds me is how much he has improved his accuracy and his decision making. It's truly amazing.

What's crazy is the grace in which he does it, particularly when he's rolling out. Almost as graceful as Russell Wilson, savvy beyond his years. Russ will run exactly one split-second faster than his defender, use the geometry between defender and sideline like a mathematician, and wring out every possibility of space and time until he finds the perfect place to put the dagger in your heart... Lamar doesn't seem to be far behind.

Dude's gonna make me jump off the 480 bridge before it's all said and done.

LOL about the bridge.

Add Aaron Rodgers to the list. Dude throws off of crazy platforms on the freaking run.

A complete team win.

Special teams make contributions and not lose games.

The defense stop the run game and limit Mixon to under 80 yards. Sacks and constant pressure on Burrow.

Win the turnover and field position game.

Offense: Establish the run game and stay patient with that approach.

Be a play action team.

Baker needs to get the ball out quickly from play action. Be decisive. Do not play scared. Play confident.

Receivers run good routes. Gain separation and win matchups.

Runners just do your thing.

OL cover for each other and play as a unit.

Be the aggressor. Set the tone early by stopping Mixon.

Play to the strength of the team. Run the damn ball.

The defensive backfield needs to play tight. Know your responsibility.

Act like a winning team.

Also, can we please run some quick screen to the RBs? We do those WR screens that always seem to go nowhere, but seemed repulsed by the idea of getting either of our superstar RBs the ball in space.

j/c...

If for once they stop Mixon

thats big

A WIN!!!!

That made me feel a little better. But not all the way better. Not even close. I need another couple games like that.

I’m with you here. I felt better about the offense, especially the way we looked (formations, shifting, usage of Chubb/Hunt, PA, etc). But I’m so wary of the defense. We seem to be extremely porous

We came away w/o any more major injuries. I think that's key. Let's get guys healthy.