Most of the stuff I noticed other people have covered, here's a few weirder observations:
* Cam Erving - Maybe the oddest player story I've ever seen. He is a SPECIMEN physically. Look at him when he's in the right place, he crushes defenders, but he's almost never in the right place lol I wouldn't be shocked if like 2 more years from now he revitalizes his career at RT or G (probably on another team). Dunno, maybe the light will come on sooner and we'll benefit, but he's just soooo confused all the time. Never seen the mental part of the game stymie someone as badly as it has him (maybe Gilbert, but that was mostly due to off the field distractions).
* Mullaney - My favorite part of preseason is watching when "the game doesn't matter" but seeing these young guys playing like it's the Super Bowl. He definitely earned himself practice squad or a look from other teams.
* Kizer - The thing nobody seems to mention is the composure. When he's back there you don't get that feeling like he was panicking like I do for almost every other Browns QB. Honestly the only other QB we've had since Couch that I felt also had the "It factor" was Colt McCoy, but Kizer has the prototypical size to make it count.
* Playcalling - There were a few clunkers, but for the most part I wasn't frustrated by inane calls like 3 yard pass on 3 and 9 type stuff we've been seeing forever. Nice to see.
* Orchard and "Nasty" Nassib - I love these 2 guys, really thought they were gonna both breakout last year, but on a 1-15 team that's hard for anyone. High motor guys with football instinct. Was fun to see Nassib vs Nassib. As a younger brother I was routing for a big sack but didn't quite get it :-P
They couldn't have waited til our game was over to announce Zeke's suspension ... *LOL* .. they cut away right after the 1 yard TD ... now i gotta wait til like Wed. To see the rest of the 4th ...
- the announcers SUCKED ... they should have had their cheerleading outfits on ... *L*
- LOVED the team speed on D ... MUCH MUCH IMPROVED as it should be ...
- Did Peppers play? ...
- Thought we'd hear MG's name more ... how long did he play? ...
- they said Williams only has 16 of 46 packages in ... wonder how much of his D we'll get put in and how affective we'll be ...
Excited to see the D more ...
- BO was BO .. not impressed ... he is our best option right now .. MY WORST FEAR ... one thing he didn't do last night was force it much or make horrible decisions ... he threw into coverage a few times .. but it wasn't as bad as last year ...
- CK does not appear to have improved one iota ... he may have actually - regressed ... ...
- DK played pretty much like i expected ... the reaction is pretty much what i expected ... *L* ...
He by far has the most upside ... we always knew that ... i hope Hue don't rush him ... he needs to sit and learn ... work on his mechanics ... don't be wowed by his physical skills and rush him ...
- not happy with Erving or Coleman .. i really hope the plan isn't for Erving to take over for Joe .. *LOL* ...
- Louis actually caught the ball ... thats improvement for him ...
- lazy play by Britt on what should have been a TD ...
- underwhelmed with the OL run blocking ... 6 carries for 15 yards ... PLEASE ...
- Hue has a weapon with Duke ... nice to see him being utilized ....
Glad we won for Hue's sake ... hate to see him melting down this early in the PRE-season ... *L* ...
Lets see what game two brings ... Pitt can't get here soon enough ...
NFL network has 24/7 to talk about Elliot. Why they cut the game is disturbing.
Overall the defense looked improved. The offense, not so much. The receivers in general looked weak. The run game was ok but hard to tell under these conditions.
Schobert was very active. Garrett looks very quick. Orchard played well.
The future is obvious. Osweiler has a long delivery and pushes the ball. Kessler is Kessler. He is not starter material.
Kizer is learning but there is no denying his potential. He moves well in the pocket. He has escapability. Live arm with a quick release.
Kizer has the look of a player. Excited to see him develop.
I am well aware this is the first pre-season game. We all know pre-season is not the regular season.
However, when you look at where the Browns are at this point in time. It is my belief they have more to gain by starting Kizer and accepting the results good or bad than going with Osweiler.
Osweiler may win more games this year than Kizer although that is an unknown. No matter he is not the future. Kizer maybe the future. Starting him from this point forward gives him the opportunity to learn and develop. At the end of the season the coaching staff will know a lot more about Kizer and how to work with him.
The upside is just not there with Osweiler and Kessler.
Take the lumps with Kizer. Let him gain that valuable experience. It could pay off in spades next year.
I agree with U 100% on Kizer and his potential .. I don't want him to start ... not cause BO can possibly win more games for us (I'm not sure thats true) ...
I don't want Kizer RUINED ... he needs a lot of work and he needs to build some confidence ... after what he went through last year .. he is "mentally fragile" ... let him sit and learn and work on his mechanics ...
We'll see how he develops ... his mechanics, decisions making, going through reads and his accuracy all need WORK ... he needs to make his mechanical changes part of his muscle memory .. throwin him out there before he's ready are not going to help any of those things ..
I agree with U 100% on Kizer and his potential .. I don't want him to start ... not cause BO can possibly win more games for us (I'm not sure thats true) ...
I don't want Kizer RUINED ... he needs a lot of work and he needs to build some confidence ... after what he went through last year .. he is "mentally fragile" ... let him sit and learn and work on his mechanics ...
We'll see how he develops ... his mechanics, decisions making, going through reads and his accuracy all need WORK ... he needs to make his mechanical changes part of his muscle memory .. throwin him out there before he's ready are not going to help any of those things ..
Thats why i want him to sit ...
This sure sounds right.
Unfortunately, can you imagine the pressure Hue is gonna be under the first games Osweiler and Kessler throw a couple interceptions?
I agree, there is future potential and we all know only to well what happens when we throw out a rookie before he is ready, problem being we never really had a choice and probably not this time around either.
I've seen several people make comments about Desmond Bryant not looking very good. I am legitimately surprised we have made it this far in the off-season with him still on our team. Cutting him (at some point) makes a lot of sense. We suddenly/hopefully have a glut of young guys that can play the same position as him (Ogunjobi, Shelton, Coley, Meder, Brantley) and we would gain a pretty good chunk of cap space back (that we would be able to roll over to next year).
I would hate to cut one of the younger guys for, what probably is, one season of Desmond Bryant.
I've seen several people make comments about Desmond Bryant not looking very good. I am legitimately surprised we have made it this far in the off-season with him still on our team. Cutting him (at some point) makes a lot of sense. We suddenly/hopefully have a glut of young guys that can play the same position as him (Ogunjobi, Shelton, Coley, Meder, Brantley) and we would gain a pretty good chunk of cap space back (that we would be able to roll over to next year).
I would hate to cut one of the younger guys for, what probably is, one season of Desmond Bryant.
I agree. And, this year is different from a roster perspective. The talking heads were talking about that last night-only one cut this year, not a series of them during the preseason. I'd actually wait until a team loses a DL this preseason and call them to see if we can pick up a late round pick for him. Otherwise, maybe it is best to cut him.
While Kizer's arm was obviously impressive, the thing I liked the most was his ability to move/stay calm in the pocket. The plays at 1:17, 1:29, 2:34, and 4:01 show his ability to stay calm in the pocket and make a throw.
If I remember correctly, Kizer's ability to maneuver within the pocket was one of his strengths in college. The problem was he didn't make accurate throws and/or didn't throw to the correct receiver.
One preseason game means nothing, but I found several promising signs from Kizer.
Alabama was on national TV basically every week in 2015 (and every other year too) and I don't remember seeing Richard Mullaney at all. He had 38 receptions for 390 yards in 2015. It seems like he was a graduate transfer from Oregon State (where he played for three years).
Originally signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2016…Waived by the Texans on July 25, 2016…Signed by the Dallas Cowboys on Aug., 16, 2016…Waived by the Cowboys on Aug., 30, 2016…Signed by the Cleveland Browns on June 12, 2017.
I expected Rod Johnson to be pretty green and needing some time ... but man, he's bad
The 45 yard TD and the 52 yard pass to the 1, would not have been possible without text book blocks by Johnson on those plays, so he is showing some potential imo.
Thoughts about the game: [I am going to try and mention a few things that others have not, but will address some of the more popular items]
--Very impressed w/#52, Burgess. Played the Mike. Got off blocks. Very quick. Instinctive. Made a lot of downhill plays in the backfield. Too bad dumb ass announcers didn't see his plays. I did, though! Kid was good. Not the most physical tackler, but man, he made plays. Anyone have info on him?
--Disappointed w/Shelton and Bryant.
--Thought Meder and Coley played very well.
--Kirksey missed an early tackle that was embarrassing, but he played okay after that.
--Collins was pretty good.
--Boddy is a flasher. I don't like him in man, but I do like him in zone.
--Peppers is amazingly strong. I wanna see him on special teams an offense.
--Our WRs are very, very bad. They do not run good routes. That's going to be an issue.
--I thought Shobert looked good. Much better than last year.
--I probably missed them, but I did not see DeValve throw one good block. He's pathetic at blocking. Sheesh!
--Colquitt had a bad night.
--Coleman and Irving made too many errors.
--Too many dumb penaties.
--I had to watch the tape delay and didn't get to see past the 14 to 14 point, but here is my view on the qbs.
+Brock: Hurt by penalties, poor routes [Louis], drops, and ignorance [Britt]. I thought he played the best.
Kessler: Loved that long throw in the middle. That was impressive. He holds the ball too long and looks lost, in my opinion.
Kizer: Holds the ball too long. Showed good arm strength. Again, I missed the 4th quarter after the TD to tie it at 14.
Secondary: Nacua looked terrible. Kindred should be a SS. He's a downhill safety. Currie was pretty impressive. Seems like a smart dude.
--Glad the team got the win. Losing is contagious and despite what some posters are saying, I agree w/Hue that getting a win in preseason was important.
one that i forgot: Schobert looked like a new player. I was impressed with him last night
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Someone posted every throw Kizer made. Worth the watch. I think the longer he played the better he looked. I agree he did hold the ball too long on a couple of occasions.
Some good posts on here, enjoyable reads. A few thoughts:
Kiser looked composed.. At times. He obviously has a cannon arm, made deadlier with his quick release. Schobert looked good,,as someone else said, a different player. Geez, who knew a guy could get better in his 2nd NFL season!
It was against second-teamers but Nassib looked good. Boddy-Calhoun also stood out to me, as did the big dude Coley. Our d seems faster.
Cameron isn't good enough. He will likely be gone soon.
At this point, Kessler starting week 1 would be the most surprising to me. But, there are still 2 weeks really to have some shifting
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Kizer def has an NFL arm. I still think its too soon to start him though. He needs time to sit and learn,
I need to ask...
How do you learn by sitting? IMO Kizer has to go out there and get reps, make mistakes, etc.
There is PLENTY to learn by sitting. Most of which has to do with seeing defenses versus our own playbook and learning what we should do in each situation. There are 1000 things our offense can do and a 1000 things the defense can do as well. The closer you are to knowing the correct reaction to all 1 million of those combinations, the better QB you're going to be. There's plenty to LOSE when you start a guy early. Mainly confidence.
The Browns don't seem to ever get that. We switch coordinators and offenses every year and quarterbacks just as often. We throw our QB to the wolves when they barely know a fraction of what they should do against various looks, and they quickly lose confidence when they are pummeled to the ground every play.
I'd say 40% of QB'ing is knowing those "million combinations" of what you can actually do in your offense. Another 40% is having the confidence to actually do it. I'd say maybe only 20% is having the physical tools to pull it off. We keep trying to rush QB's in there when they don't have anywhere close to that 40% knowledge, and it quickly erodes that 40% confidence.
Kizer def has an NFL arm. I still think its too soon to start him though. He needs time to sit and learn,
I need to ask...
How do you learn by sitting? IMO Kizer has to go out there and get reps, make mistakes, etc.
There is PLENTY to learn by sitting. Most of which has to do with seeing defenses versus our own playbook and learning what we should do in each situation. There are 1000 things our offense can do and a 1000 things the defense can do as well. The closer you are to knowing the correct reaction to all 1 million of those combinations, the better QB you're going to be. There's plenty to LOSE when you start a guy early. Mainly confidence.
The Browns don't seem to ever get that. We switch coordinators and offenses every year and quarterbacks just as often. We throw our QB to the wolves when they barely know a fraction of what they should do against various looks, and they quickly lose confidence when they are pummeled to the ground every play.
I'd say 40% of QB'ing is knowing those "million combinations" of what you can actually do in your offense. Another 40% is having the confidence to actually do it. I'd say maybe only 20% is having the physical tools to pull it off. We keep trying to rush QB's in there when they don't have anywhere close to that 40% knowledge, and it quickly erodes that 40% confidence.
and besides that, its not just about the games. It is also about being coached in practice ,in the filmroom , and getting bigger and stronger with top fitness coaches
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
one drawback to being the backup or 3rd string guy is the lack of reps you get with the 1's during the season. I'm not opposing letting a guy sit and learn for a year, but it's largely a mental year and not a physical.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
one drawback to being the backup or 3rd string guy is the lack of reps you get with the 1's during the season. I'm not opposing letting a guy sit and learn for a year, but it's largely a mental year and not a physical.
In most cases your right ... not with with DK ...
Hue's changed some of his mechanics ... u need to commit them to muscle memory ... u need reps for that ... and not under game pressure (mental and physical game pressure) ... as the pressure rises in a situation the more likely u are to revert back to bad habits ...
He needs a "good base" when it comes to that ... let him be as ready as possible ...
I think BO STINKS .. but I'd rather see him out there than DK this year ...
DK should start when he's ready and on his timeline .... not ours ...
one drawback to being the backup or 3rd string guy is the lack of reps you get with the 1's during the season. I'm not opposing letting a guy sit and learn for a year, but it's largely a mental year and not a physical.
In most cases your right ... not with with DK ...
Hue's changed some of his mechanics ... u need to commit them to muscle memory ... u need reps for that ... and not under game pressure (mental and physical game pressure) ... as the pressure rises in a situation the more likely u are to revert back to bad habits ...
He needs a "good base" when it comes to that ... let him be as ready as possible ...
I think BO STINKS .. but I'd rather see him out there than DK this year ...
DK should start when he's ready and on his timeline .... not ours ...
which is fair enough. I'm resigned to the fact that we'll be a BAD team again this year. Our offense is putrid, regardless of the QB in my opinion.
But here's the real question. Let's assume that Kizer does sit (or plays very minimally) and we are a 3-4 win team ... do we draft a QB in the top 5? That's the gray area that is my worst nightmare ... not knowing Kizer's value and not knowing what the next move is. Because if you draft a top 5 QB, splitting reps the following offseason is counterproductive.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I agree with everything u just said ... problem is ... even if DK was ready to play for game 1 and we had 16 games for him to play ... rookie years can be fools gold ... RG3 and Kap are the two most recent examples ...
And thats if the QB is ready .. DK is no where's near ready ... ALL ROOKIES STRUGGLE ... Dak is the exception ... he actually went back to college to finish his masters and spent 5 years there .. then he walked into the perfect situation ...
IMO .. even if DK somehow managed to come in and light it up we should stil do what we need to do to get the QB we LOVE next year .. if there is one .. if not, then we shouldn't take one even if they "fall" to us ...
In this case .. your doing DK and our football team a MAJOR DISSERVICE by letting what DK does this year affect what we do next year as far as QB goes ... DK is not ready ...
DON'T REACH for a QB u don't at least have a HUGE CRUSH on .. *L* ...
It SUCKS for us .. but that's not new .. *L* .. nor does it change the reality of the situation and the proccess for all ROOKIE QB'S not named Dak ...
Having a whole year to get used to our offensive system will help a lot too.
Thats is an overlooked thing we have also done to hinder the development of our young QBs. Our coordinator coaching carousel has been even worse than our head coaching carousel.
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
Having a whole year to get used to our offensive system will help a lot too.
Thats is an overlooked thing we have also done to hinder the development of our young QBs. Our coordinator coaching carousel has been even worse than our head coaching carousel.
Yes, that's valid and true as well.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Kizer is going to play, and hopefully a lot this year. He might not start week one, but there is a large benefit to getting year one snaps. The list of QBs that were drafted in a meaningful position and didnt get a lot of first year snaps over the last ten years is not a good list.
Week one is probably too early. Jets game is what I would target, but not playing meaningful snaps this year is out of the question. Sitting a year is antiquated and backwards thinking.
I often think of this, and it's like the chicken or the egg haha
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Well, considering none of them went on to greatness with another Team, I would have to say None. Or is it One and Done? when we say we ruined them? Is there no going back? Are you ruined forever? Enquiring minds wnat to know
Dawginit since Jan. 24, 2000 Member #180 You can't fix yesterday but you can learn for tomorrow #GMSTRONG
I want to do it as a Cleveland Brown because that's who I am.”
Let's imagine that we drafted Donovan McNabb .. or Derek Carr for that matter ... do they turn out to be the same players?
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
... 
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