DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Defensive concerns...

Injuries play a part in this.. Mingo not being the guy we hoped for plays a part in it. Shelton being a rookie doesn't help. I also think that the loss of Skrine hurt more than people want to believe.

Not sure about this but I wonder if O'neil is overmatched without the overseeing of Pettine. Something to think about.

No excuses,, just what I think is at least part of the problem.

Mingo has always been a Kamerion Wimbley clone.. I don't know why folks ever expected more than that from him.

The loss of Skrine has hurt big time I believe. Hey he was handsy but the guy could cover and I always thought the guy got picked on by the refs a bit for ticky tack stuff.

Dansby's time has passed. The guy looks weak and just too damn slow!

I know he's a rookie, but Shelton has not impressed me a bit so far. Really disappointed because I thought he was going to beast out. He looks out of shape and is easily getting eaten up by one blocker.

It's funny but he was decent last season with a banged up wing. I hoped that healthy, he could/would be a beast. That's just not happening.

I agree on Skrine obviously. Dansby had 10 tackles sunday,, he wasn't a bust out at all.

I'm also just a little concerned about Shelton but honestly, that's a tough job and he's a rook. Let's give him more than 5 games.

Is that gambling or is that trying to compensate because you lack trust in the inside guys?

I think it's gambling to try and make up for the slowness of our outside guys.

Bottom line:
This D Royally SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

This alone should seal Farmer's doom, since all he drafted were defensive linemen and first rounders that are currently busts.

I wish I knew, but I'd lean toward it being gambling as the play in mind was made by Kirksey, I believe.

Williams has been better than Skrine. If you're saying there's been some type of ripple affect with losing Skrine, I don't see it unless Haden was getting help over the top while Skrine was here and we didn't know it.

Wimbley was a far superior player to Mingo. Not only has Mingo not delivered more, he hasn't delivered even as much.

I've noticed (along with almost everyone) that we don't posses a single lineman or OLB that can properly play the edge of a defensive line. I also don't think our MLB's do a very good job engaging blockers or shedding blocks. We're just a soft defense right now, really soft. I don't know what the problem is, but it needs fixed, and fixed fast.

There is no way we keep this pace up on offense.

I was holding out hope, but Mingo is a bust at this point.

Funny how the Brown's hire s defensive coach and their defense still blows.
Time for the head coach to take over running the defense.

Well, this is what happens when you hire your friends.

They had probably talked about it for years if Pett ever got hired as a coach he'd bring O'Neil along.

Our defense blows. I think we hit Manning one time, and that really could and should have been called for late hit.

Still can't stop the run at all.

I don't know, this defense just can't get it right so you start to wonder who and why?

Entire defensive line is a HUGE issue.

We don't pressure the qb and can't stop the run. That's a terrible combo.

Good thing Pet is working w/the offense.

Yeah, factoring how the defense shows no improvement on the flaws that other teams are consistently exploiting, one must wonder wtf is going on? Mike, I know O'Neil your bud, your pal, but that defense has gotten worse.

Again, Manning was throwing floaters, missing his starting oline element(s) and still managed no pressure and allowed him to dice us up and even attack long. Manning's deep balls looked to hang so long that I could've gotten off my coach and ran to the stadium and got under his throws.

I like Jimmy, high energy guy, but he's failing at getting anything outta this defense.

The stats show how bad this defense is.

The Browns gives up on average 14% more points per game than teams average in games not against the Browns. And that takes into account the defense holding Tennessee to 14 points. If you don't include that game against a rookie in his 2nd NFL game it goes up to 23%. Which averages out to 6.62 or about a touchdown per game extra that teams score when they play the Browns vs other teams.

For all the hype that we might have a good defense we obviously don't.

stopping the run is the biggest concern. we are last. might as well blow up the scheme. if it aint working, dont continue with same scheme that isnt working

I will agree with a few here that say that Pettine should hop on-board and take over the defensive side again as he did last year.

It's just not working, it's just not improving and it's just not doing anything. The injuries we have still factored in, we shouldn't be so incredibly terrible at literally every aspect of defense, including tackling.



Ouch bro... ouch.

Or play the scheme differently. Just play harder with fewer priorities. Get off your block. Penetrate. Look at what is killing you; do some of that.

I have been hugely disappointed in Shelton. He has been way below average just like every Farmer first round pick. This guy get's thrown around like he's Benji's size. Three times I have heard his name called:

2 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties
1 tackle for loss

This guy frustrates me more than any other player because I had high hopes for him. Can he be coached up? Is the reason he looks so weak at the point of attack because of poor technique?

absolutely and absolutely.

Danny Shelton:



http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/browns...do-yet-1.634316

Interesting. I actually liked this pick, but he is not playing well. In fact, he is a downgrade from what we had last year.

Shelton was always a two down player.

We picked a backup center and a role player in the first round.

Uhmmmm..........I just admitted I was wrong. What else do you need?

I was buoying you're point.

I am not sure anyone will get this, but it's even more depressing for me when people agree w/my negativity.

Danny Shelton laments his slow start but assures critics 'I'll be a Pro Bowler'

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns rookie nosetackle Danny Shelton lamented his slow start, but promised that he'll live up to his No. 12 overall status.

"I'm always going to have that faith that I can help the Dawg Pound out,'' he said. "I'm always going to have faith that I'll make it to the Super Bowl, I'll be a Pro Bowler. It just takes time. Nothing happens quickly, you've always got to work for it.''

Shelton said critics have always questioned his worth in the beginning.

"It's the same thing, like I was in high school and college, I always had these doubters and you just have to have the faith that you're going to make plays that help turn the program around,'' he said. "It's just a matter of time.''

Drafted high to help shore up the Browns' 32nd-ranked run defense, Shelton takes personally that it's still last in the NFL heading into Sunday's game against the Rams.

"I mean, definitely it hurts me,'' he said. "If I was able to play linebacker or safety, it'd hurt me also. But I play nose tackle and so all I can do is just do my job and count on my defensive ends and my linebackers and safeties to do their jobs.

"It really doesn't play into a part whose fault is it or whatever. It's a team sport and so we all have to take that jump and we all have to take the fault for that.''

Gearing up to face rookie running back Todd Gurley -- picked No. 10 overall -- Shelton acknowledged that he's not popping off the film yet like defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil challenged him to do two weeks ago. Last week, he played a season-low 25 snaps, but largely because the Browns were in the nickel for most of the game.

"Personally, I haven't done what I want to do yet,'' Shelton said. "That's just me transitioning from college, but at the same time it's just me trying to do too much. "(It's) just not really focusing on technique, my eyes are in the backfield or whatever. I just have to continue to focus.''

He acknowledged that the adjustment to playing only about a third of the game has been the hardest. At Washington, he played mostly every snap and stayed in the flow of the game. Here, he's struggling with the constant stops and starts, and with all the standing around on the sidelines until the base defense goes back out. With teams playing three wide receivers a lot, Shelton sometimes loses his edge on the sidelines.

"I came from college where I'm on the field nonstop, so to be out here and to be just ready for whatever series, that's what I'm trying to transition in,'' he said. "I feel like I'm doing a great job just working with Weave (defensive line coach Anthony Weaver) and him helping me understand and also working with Xavier Cooper and Nate Orchard, just talking about how everything is going as far as being a rookie.''

Shelton, who's received only one positive grade this season from profootballfocus.com -- for the Oakland game -- hasn't talked to the coaches about his playing time.

"This week is going to be a heavy run team, so I'm expecting to see more of the field,'' he said. "Each game we're going to have a different package, so I'm just going to be ready whenever coach (O'Neil) or coach (Weavet have me up).''

Shelton is certain he can make an impact if the coaches choose to play him in the nickel or dime. When the Browns drafted him, they insisted he'd be an every down player.

"Definitely,'' he said. "You've got to have that confidence. When I get a chance to get out there, I'm going to have that mindset, that I'm going to make a stop and help the team win.

"I just have to continue to work and continue to make plays when I'm in there and that's not a problem for me. I want to get more reps, but at the same time, I want to do what's best for the team.''

But the coaches haven't spelled out what he needs to do to get on the field in sub-defenses.

"It's the packages and we just have an awesome depth chart,'' said Shelton. "The guys that we have on the team, you can't really minus reps for them to put another guy in. So it's really just believing in the system and trusting (the coaches).''

He said he's not discouraged by how his season has gone so far.

"Not at all,'' he said. "I have complete trust in the coaches and I know that they'll put me in the right direction.''

Shelton was asked if he gets frustrated by the impact that second-year Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the No. 13 overall pick, is making for his team. Donald has 29 tackles, including 18 solo. He also has 3.5 sacks and 13 quarterback pressures. Shelton is tied for 12th on the team with 14 tackles, including five solo. He also has one tackle for a loss.

"He's a different type of player, and he's awesome,'' said Shelton. "He's a monster when it comes to playing defensive tackle. He just has that explosive touch, explosive twitch. You just can't really be mad at the guy. He's a guy who has great work ethic and all you can do is just watch his film and learn from it.''

He said he never would've believed that the Browns would be last in run defense at seven games into the season, with an average yield of 149.8 yards a game.

"Not at all,'' he said. "Every team expects to be the best and during training camp we had a great month of training and we definitely expected to be greater than we are right now. And it's not going to slow us down at all. We're just going to continue to come with the right mindset and continue to just battle.''

Shelton knows he'll have to be on point Sunday against Gurley, who leads all NFL running backs with a 5.7-yard average. In each of the past two games, Gurley has had a 50-yard run, and has rushed for 146 yards and 159 yards, respectively.

"He's freaking awesome,'' he said. "I'm a fan. He's a guy that's going to work hard. I love going against backs that aren't going to go down after the first hit.''

Coach Mike Pettine acknowledged that the running game "is a source of frustration'' and "that it's probably the biggest issue that we deal with here.'' He called for the defense to step it up this week and acknowledged that the Rams "are certainly going to see this as a matchup of their strength against our weakness, and we are well aware of that.''

Shelton is determined to push through the rookie wall and pick up the intensity in St. Louis.

"It's basically the end of a college season,'' he said. "It's basically time for me to mature and be a professional, so I'm really focusing on just taking care of my body and being ready to play the rest of the weeks the season has for us."

Shelton has received plenty of encouragement from veterans such as Desmond Bryant.

"The speed of the game's a lot faster,'' said Bryant. "The nuances of the defense are a lot more difficult. The offensive blocking schemes that they throw at you are a lot more complex, so there's definitely a learning curve, but I think he's done a good job so far. We're all here to stop the run. As much as Danny might want to think so, the whole burden is not on his back. It's on all of our backs.

"He can be playing the best that's ever been played at that position and our defense could still be where it is, so he can't put that all on himself.'

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/10/danny_shelton_laments_his_slow.html

Maybe this will cheer you up, at least a little....

I think he's getting handled because of inexperience at the pro level. I'm willing to give him this year and offseason for some coaching, conditioning and toughening up. Start really zeroing in on him next preseason.

I'm hoping that it's a "welcome to the pros, rook" situation, and that he'll grow into the position. Hope so, because I have not been overly impressed with what I've seen so far. Not as bummed on him as other here are, but he hasn't excited me yet.


02

No reason to beat yourself up, man. You were wrong on an internet forum. Who cares? Even with you being wrong you're still equally as qualified to be our GM!

Oh Lord do you really want another GM around here. Isn't one of me more than enough

Well, when the negativity is warranted, then people will agree with it. I certainly do, and I took cfrs's response as a reinforcement of yours.

Be ready, Vers, it may happen again

Mary Kay Cabot ‏@MaryKayCabot 10m10 minutes ago
#Browns O'Neil on Gilbert: "Justin in practice right now looks as good as he's has since he's joined org.''

Damn... that's some faint praise.