DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2015 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 9 Steelers 30 Postgame Thoughts

That's because he's trying hard but not getting results.

That's because he doesn't know what he's doing.

And he's got no one to turn to.

I felt the same way when the Steelers took a knee at the goal line at the end of the game - they feel sorry for us. Its no longer a rivalry, at least not for them. I don't think you can even say its a rivalry for our players, because one of our OL needed to slam a forearm into Arthur Moats' grill after he nearly broke Manziel's neck with that facemask penalty - and to hell with the offsetting flag he would have gotten for doing it.

j/c:

I've read some posts on Cam Erving. I don't think he played as bad as everyone says, although I'm not trying to say he had a great game or anything. Admittedly though, I was back-n-forth from watching it on TV so maybe I missed a bunch of stuff.

Did I see Erving get blown up? Yes I did. But I also saw him handle Cam Heyward many times. I feel like some fans gravitate to a couple of plays and encapsulate it as an entire performance. Fine, I guess. The thing that frustrated me the most were his penalties at the absolute worst time. Also, there was one play (that resulted in a sack, I believe) where Erving was considered the culprit but I wasn't sure if it was his fault of Mack's. Protection call was probably a factor but maybe someone else might be able to shed more light on this.

Look, Bitonio is the LG of the future. But I'm not calling Erving a bust like some are already trying to insinuate.

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Other points:

- Des Bryant has put together a string of really good games, IMO. My biggest knock on him was his inconsistency and I think, at least recently, that may no longer be the main issue. Perhaps being at 100% health is a factor as well.

- I really like K'Wuan each week playing the slot. Still think Skrine at his current stage is better at the slot, but Williams is making progress.

- I think Shelton got marginally better. Hope it continues.

- Desir got picked on again and you can see why. Still very raw. Gaines too.

- Our pass rush is a joke. And I believe, the main issue that trickles down to people complaining about a lack of talent. We give the QB ALL DAY to throw that ball. The best talent in the world couldn't match the time opposing QBs have to throw. I think this is Kruger's last year in Cleveland. Maybe Mingo's as well.

- Speaking of jokes, so is our running game. It's is actually surprising to me that Manziel and McCown have performed as well as they have with zero balance.

- It's not a good sign when players are now beginning to question the coaching staff, as evidence of yesterday's post game comments.

- The concussions our WR are getting is very worrisome.

- Two weeks to get healthy and prepare for Baltimore. Two weeks for me to take a break from watching bad football.

You're right, Rish', with the exception of he doesn't know what he's doing. He simply doesn't currently have the "resources" to achieve what he wants...

Our wr lead the league in times concussed

Bingo, Memphis! I focused on him at times and came away with mixed results (to my eyes), some good, some not so good. Man, but we are so hard on our rookies expecting them to play like veterans...

But how much of a personnel change have we experienced from last year? We were 7-9 with most of the same people I think.

Sure Hoyer is gone, but it's kind of a wash between him and McCown. The line for the most part is the same as well as the backfield and receivers. Don't know why we don't see more of Hartline or Bowe for all the money we spent. Two big guys we could send over the middle and they're hardly around.

Defense-let some good linemen go. Don't know why, we would've had a great rotation there.

We chose not to keep Skrine, Sheard, Reubin, Winn, Taylor, Kitchen, and Leonard retired on the defensive side of the ball.

Offensively, Hoyer gets rid of the ball quick. When qbs hold the ball longer, the OL takes the blame.

Our biggest loss on the offensive side of the ball was losing Shanny. He wanted out because there was so much dysfunction and meddling from the FO.

We also need to factor in that we are playing a harder schedule this year.

I also made a thread about team morale early in the season. It got hijacked, so I just gave up posting on it. However, it's tough when players see better talent being replaced by inferior talent. You add in how Farmer treated Gipson and then gave big money to Bowe and that is not good for the locker room.

Yet you bashed Sheard, Rubin, Winn, and Taylor's performance and worth on this team last year. Now all of a sudden they're worth something??

This is why people say you have an agenda. This right here!

Orchard looked "better" yesterday ... not sure he's good, but not horrid

I do feel bad for some of the defensive players (Kruger, Dansby, Kirksey, Poyer, etc) because I think they care ... but we are ABYSMAL on defense

Whenever you realize the NFL is a business and players don't care then as a fan you'll stop caring so much. I love the Browns and I always will but they lack heart and passion for the game. They aren't a team or at least they don't play for each other, they are all playing for a paycheck. The coach doesn't say anything to anyone including the refs on the sidelines, he is a shell of a coach standing there with his arms folded collecting a paycheck. O'Neil is just collecting a paycheck, how many times did we even hit Ben yesterday with one foot? 3 or 4 times with no sacks but let's rush 3 or 4 and drop 7 or 8 and still get burnt on deep balls. Landry is hurt, Ben has one foot but let's not blitz and let him stand in the pocket and tear us apart.

Badamosi gets burnt on a slant and around the 10-15 yard line he just gives up and then lets Brown do a flip right in front of him showing off. Oh well Johnson, you are still going to collect a fat check. This team is heartless and the biggest bunch of pansies in the NFL and it starts with the head coach. They get pushed around on both sides of the line, the DBs get pushed around by WRs, our QA gets his head ripped off and everyone just stands around.

Honestly Ohio State would put 30 up on this pansy team, none of the players care if they win or even if they get embarrassed by their so called rivals why should we care as fans anymore? There are a few words for postgame comments and they are pathetic, heartless, weak, and a poor excuse for a NFL team.

I don't think OSU would put up 30 on the Browns (especially with Cardale at QB )

A two year head coach and rookies elsewhere. Rookies.........

j/c:

Cleveland Browns

– Although Johnny Manziel (+3.3) was sacked six times according to the official gamebook, Cleveland’s offensive line actually played really well and limited the pass rush of the Steelers’ defensive line. Of the six sacks, only one was really due to poor offensive line play—when Cameron Erving let Stephon Tuitt go by him. As a matter of fact, the only player on the Browns’ offensive line who graded out below +1.0 was Erving (-2.0)who started the first game of his NFL career. Consequently, Browns fans do not have to panic about the state of their offensive line, but rather about the performance of the other players who take part in avoiding sacks.

– Despite his fumble and interception, Johnny Manziel played the best game of his career. The fact that Manziel attempted 13 passes outside the right numbers compared to nine outside the left numbers shows the amount of times Cleveland rolled him out of the pocket, providing him easier reads; however, he was able to take advantage of the situation and find open receivers constantly. While Manziel still held onto the ball too long and struggled a bit under pressure, where he graded out at -0.2 compared to +2.4 from a clean pocket, he made a significant step forward in this game.

– While the final score would suggest that Cleveland did not play really well, the Browns did have some solid performances on the defense. Rookie Nate Orchard earned the highest grade (+2.9) despite being on the field for only 52.2 percent of Cleveland’s defensive snaps. Orchard did not record a single pressure while rushing the passer, however, he did bat down one of Ben Roethlisberger’s passes on a third down. He was solid in coverage, as well, as he allowed only one reception for two yards. His best work came in defending the run where he finished with two run stops on 17 run snaps that led to a run stop percentage of 11.8 percent, which was third most among 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL in Week 10. Balanced performances like this will certainly earn more playing time for the former Utah Ute.

Top performers:

QB Johnny Manziel (+3.3)
OLB Nate Orchard (+2.9)
LT Joe Thomas (+2.9)
RT Mitchell Schwartz (+2.4)
ILB Craig Robertson (+2.4)

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/11/16/cle-pit-grades-roethlisberger-thrust-into-duty/

When you look at our team objectively there is some talent and some good players. One could argue not enough of either. So what is the problem? Certainly poor drafting, bad roster decisions fa pick-ups. I feel a lot also has to fall on the coaching. Lack of discipline is a big problem IMO and also the blocking scheme on O and the D scheme. We need someone better making the draft picks no doubt but I think our coaching needs an upgrade too especially on D. Thoughts?

Thanks, Memphis. Interesting...

Look at the bright side at least our run defense improved statistically yesterday!!! We only gave up 62 yards rushing for the game.

WHOOOO hit the brakes, throw it in reverse. While it is true that some guys see it as a business and don't give a crap about the team or the fans. Other players still have heart, passion, and desire. They want to win for themselves, and for the fans and they bust their ass to try to make sure it happens.

Well said GM!

I'm surprised not a lot is said on how lack of talent at RB is affected the offense.

Time after time the constant complaint regarding receiver talent. Yet, Manziel throws 372 yards, one TD, one TD dropped, and another disallowed because of a stupid penalty. To me, that doesn't appear like a problem. Fifteen rushing yards in game, to me, is hemorrhaging.

I am sick and tired watching Crowell get the hand-off stutters dancing left or right. OL gets heat every week, because Cleveland RBs can't explode through a gap. Momentum alone will allow backs to fall forward getting 3 yards.

CBs, plain and simple, play way off the receivers at the line of scrimmage. Basically they give up easily 5-8 on first down making it impossible to blitz.

Browns won't have to worry about the run defense. Every week this defense is exposed stopping the short routes. They better get this fixed. Steelers basically exploited this weakness to nth degree.

One additional concern! Of the 6 sacks, I believe five were from an unaccounted defender. Defenses know Cleveland's TEs and RBs can't block. They simply overwhelm the OL with numbers. Erving's spot was of course heavily concentrated.

We lost this game at the National Anthem. Kudos to that opera singer, as he was awesome.

If you didn't see it, you should look him up. I was ready to go out and bust helmets after that.

Other than that, the game rather sucked. I am not putting up my opinions, as they really didn't deserve my comments.

Indeed he was! One of the best renditions that I have heard...

Best I've heard in quite a while.

I missed it.
Any place I can find it?

My thought is we sure look precious in our new unis (remember (Garanimals?). That and we battle so.

Putrid yesterday by the way.

Bugs,
Sorry, the oline has under produced since Pre-season. What people forget is that last year, we were a zone blocking team. This year, Flip and Pettine went the power blocking route with some zone blocking plays, result = less holes and a running game in the tank. Crow has to dance because he gets blown up every other play!

Memphis,
You hit that right on the head!!. IF we would have kept Rueben, SHeard, WInn and Taylor, AND went to a 4-3 look with them, our run game would have been ALOT BETTER. But then again, Browns fan's were sold/told that the D would be better without them!!.. how does that look now!

No idea.

paul kruger and tashaun both say they dont know what the other positions are doing on every play. kruger says he doesnt like how he is being used.

they dont mind saying the defense is flawed

hey, rob ryan needs a job guys!!!!

THIS THIS THIS!!!!!!!!

Watching Duke block is a joke. I love Duke with the football in his hands, but he won't get many reps with his pathetic pass pro.