DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Peppers: a fair evaluation

wake me up when Peppers actually returns a kick/punt for a big gain
or intercepts a few passes.
Avery
Ward
Ogenjobi are homerun picks

Peppers is a serious whiff.

Stay in the End Zone Peppers!!!

If Peppers was a talent in the open field he'd be playing offense. Also, if Peppers had hands, he would be playing on the offense. As far as returning goes, he's got Dennis Northcutt potential, might get you 6 yards a return. As far as a SS, he does a decent job at stopping the run. He rarely sits down and waits for the offensive player like Kindred does.

I’ve never seen a return man like this. He actually runs into as many defenders as he can.

He actually runs into the backs of his own men more than any defenders.

I can recall at least 2 times he ran into his own man, and fell down.

Makes you almost wish he played for Pitt.

Duke should be our return man. Peppers is more of a gunner/blocker IMHO.

This is not our return guy. I do believe he could be a hellacious gunner and replace our whiffer on coverage (first guy there who misses the tackle regularly). Peppers seems to fair catch when he can run some, and then can't decide where he is going on others. He does run into blockers who get a flag about every time. This ST group hurts us IMO. Not Peppers.

I like this idea. Maybe even Chubb. Peppers = gunner is worth a look. Ours are inconsistent and the unit needs to tackle better.

Would love to see it.

He returned 17 punts for 112 (6.6) in 2016, nothing too flashy but he takes care of the ball... and we know how he plays "in space".

Jabrill Peppers calls Browns fans “wishy-washy” for quick criticism, says he gets harassed in public, promises narrative will flip



BEREA — Browns fans are often referred to as die-hard.

Safety Jabrill Peppers has a different term.

“So that’s one thing I notice about Cleveland sports, you guys are very, very wishy-washy,” he told The Chronicle-Telegram on Wednesday. “If it ain’t going right immediately, calling for heads, calling for jobs.”

Peppers, in his second season, is off to a slow start on defense and as a kick returner and said he’s heard about it from fans and media. He said he can’t shop at his local CVS without being harassed.

“Oh, yeah, now they’re aggressive,” he said. “My boy had to pull me away one time.”

The backdrop for the frustration of the fans is the consistent losing. The Browns haven’t been to the playoffs since 2002, haven’t had a winning season since 2007 and went 1-15 and 0-16 the last two years before the 1-2-1 start to 2018.

“And I understand that, because I put myself in their shoes, as well,” Peppers said. “It doesn’t bother me, but I just like to know the type of environment I’m in. That’s why I say that, man, because I know it’s a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, why is he back there? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ But then once I show them why I’m back there, now it’s, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah.’

“I know this is the National Football League, scrutiny is at an all-time high, you’re constantly under the microscope. It’s just part of the game that comes with it, but it’s just going to be funny to see once we get this thing rolling the way we’re supposed to.”

The startling aspect of the attacks is that they happen to his face. He can’t walk around downtown in peace.

“I try to be discreet and they walk up to me,” Peppers said. “I’m not a guy that walks around with security. And me, personally, I didn’t think I was playing well enough to get noticed yet, especially with the hoodies on and everything that I do.”

He said he doesn’t really check Twitter but understands he’s fair game — “That’s what Twitter’s for,” he said — and believes his college choice of Michigan contributes to the venom in Ohio State country.

“That definitely plays a part in it, as well,” he said. “Everything else comes with the territory.”

He was warned his “wishy-washy” comments could add to the grief he receives.

“I don’t care,” he said. “That’s not something I care about.”

The criticism ramped up after the 45-42 overtime loss Sunday in Oakland. He returned four kickoffs for 64 yards with a long of 18 and none farther than the 25-yard line. He returned one punt for a yard and had two fair catches.

“It’s frustrating but I don’t really get too down on myself,” Peppers said. “As a return man, it’s a patience game and when you have your opportunity that’s when you have to hit. I know for a fact that we have the ability to have that big-play effect, we’ve just got to execute when we’ve got to execute.”

Peppers was the No. 25 pick last year and had a frustrating rookie season. He was forced to play out of position at free safety — lining up 25 yards downfield — and finished with 57 tackles, an interception, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery in 13 starts.

He’s at the more natural strong safety spot this year but shares time with Derrick Kindred and has played only 48.5 percent of the defensive snaps, as he’s dealt with cramps and minor injuries. He has 15 tackles and a fumble recovery, and had no official defensive stats in 37 snaps vs. the Raiders.

“I just got to take my opportunities when they present themselves on defense,” he said. “Try to be a force in the run and make plays on the ball when I can.”

Coach Hue Jackson remains confident Peppers will become the impact player he and the team think he can be.

“There is no question in my mind that he will get there,” Jackson said. “He has to continue to improve. We have a lot of football left to play. I think he is going to have a huge impact once it is all said and done.”

Peppers was great with the ball in his hands in high school and at Michigan — he was a Heisman Trophy finalist and played 53 snaps on offense and 154 on special teams — and told The Chronicle before the season he could rush for a “humble 800” yards if he were to go back to running back. But his lackluster returns (21.3-yard average on kickoffs, 4.3 on punts) are part of the awful special teams performance that’s played a role in the two losses and tie.

He blamed himself for not taking a touchback on one kickoff return Sunday and thinking he was in the end zone when he wasn’t on another. He insisted he isn’t discouraged.

“I’m not trippin’. I’m not built like that,” he said. “When it’s going wrong, what am I doing, what can we do well and what can we do better? And that’s all it comes down to, man, especially when the weather breaks, you get the flatter balls and no hang time, it’s plenty of opportunities to make my case and make our case and once we do that, it’s going to be funny to see how the narrative flips again.”

He’s not just talking about himself or the return game. He’s talking about the team.

“Every game we’ve played in we had the opportunity to win. Me, personally, I think we’re better than every team we’ve played, we’ve just got to execute,” he said. “We know we have all the ability in the world, we know we have everything it takes to win, we’ve just gotta in the fourth quarter, when the going gets tough in this league, that’s when the money guys make their money. We’ve got to make those plays we’re supposed to make and execute the way we’re supposed to execute, and not give any more games away.”

https://www.brownszone.com/2018/10/03/ja...tive-will-flip/

very strange quotes .. whatever, just start playing better

There's no excuse for people harassing a guy when he's out in public. We're Browns fans, not Demo ..... oh wait .... wrong forum.

Seriously, though, what good does it do to harass the guy? I think it's kinda classless to harass anyone.

At least they're not making fun of how the only thing he can catch is the clap, like we were doing just a few years ago.

Yeah, we're fickled lovers, especially with first round picks. If KW2 didn't wreck that bike, and played like his father, half of this board would let Kellen take their mother to the airport. Just look at the way we treat Jim Brown. Play good and you will have nothing to worry about in this city. Just ask TT how it was partying with Dion compared to how fun it is with JR.

A fair assessment?

Did Peppers play on defense last week?

If so, the Raiders sure stayed away from him.

It looks like he had 0 tackles, 0 assists, 0 anything on defense.

Did I miss something?

Isn't he a starting safety?

Don't safeties usually touch an opposing player?

At least I bet he didn't get hurt.

When was the last time we listened to an underperformer whine and carry on like this? His mistakes and loss of judgment become this magical we and us and our. Let somebody else take this. He has hurt us enough IMO. Until he proves himself capable, he should be done. The scoreboard is the only speech I want to listen to. This is Kommander Koolaid blather. Shut up and do your job.

Well rested.

He isn't wrong about people being wishy-washy, and people are truly, absolutely classless if they are harassing him.

I wonder how many "people" he's talking about... Two? Three?

Sounds like he's reading too much social media and using a bad experience in public to back it up. Dumb if you ask me but to each his own. That said, public harassment is pure d-baggery. Almost as bad is making brash generalizations about groups of people based on a couple experiences... and the latter certainly won't eliminate the former.

Yo Jabrill, make an impact bro.

I don't care for how he used going to Michigan as an excuse. That's baloney. I don't believe anyone cares where he went to college. He's not in college anymore. He's a member of the Browns.





I think he's feeling some pressure.

yep, he must sense that he's not cutting it himself

I wonder how many people even know what he looks like?

I wonder how many people have actually approached him and called him out?

I'm not buying it.

Braylon Edwards. Guys who are in the league who consistently bring up college rivalries (to me) don't have the mental strength to endure this league. You are completely focused on the wrong thing.

Just speaking for me personally, but let's say the worst case scenario:

Let's say I saw Zane Gonzalez in the grocery store the day after the Saints game (assuming I recognized him). I'd never THINK to say anything disrespectful ... and I don't think many people would have that gall to be honest.

Maybe I'm naive.

He’s just a guy who’s feeling the heat from not performing up to his own expectations. When he hears someone else say something, he gets defensive. Problem is, it’s literally the first time this year he’s been anything close to defensive.

Calling out die hard fans that have put up w losing seasons probably isn't your best move.

I believe he's right, though...

he knows he needs to play better so that's good enough for me. This is only his second season so I still have hope for him.

j/c

I wonder if other teams also have 'mouth-piece' players who talk too much while performing like a player who would be better served keeping their mouth shut.

So far you've shown us that you are virtually blind-folded on punt returns. On kick-offs you run in a straight line from point A to point B... with point B being you slamming into the back of one of your teammates... seemingly purposely.

He had one fair catch against Pittsburgh that literally cost us quite a bit IMO

Don't buy this for a second. Nor do I buy his having played at Michigan as a negative for him.

Guy is playing like garbage and feeling the pressure.

He had 15 or 20 yards to run, with blocking set up if he just made the 1st man miss. (which he should have, given how wide open the field was)

not to mention the KEY part of the game. I remember thinking that was an enormous blunder

Top echelon safeties are amazing. I remember watching a game against the 49ers.

It seemed Ronnie Lott was in on every single play.

Every time the ball crossed the scrimmage line he was there.

Pass, run, lateral, whatever.

Everyone in the stadium just looked at each other with mouths gaping and their WTF hands in the air.

Yeah, that was so dumb, even from the TV angle

Maybe I missed it, but I'm still waiting on the, Oh, yeah, yeah, moment.

How about you shut your mouth and start making plays on the football field? You know...what you are being PAID to do. This clown should not be returning ANY kick. EVER. ST coach should be fired for sending this fool out to return kicks. It's not rocket science. Good hire Hue. SMH