DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2020 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 49 Cowboys 38 Baker show me game

You have all the tools you need to succeed. You also have 3 OC’s, and 3 head coaches in 3 years. You’ve won in Dallas before, if resiliency is your best trait.

You have to show me

And the Cowboys’ corners have been the worst in the league through three games.

And I anticipate our offense having to keep up. We’ll have to score 35 points or so to have a shot

I truly get the part about being concerned with BM but this offense IMO is built to use the run everything leads to the run and when the forth quarter comes, we unleash the beasts.

If BM can't be successful in this offense he will be a flop, no questions asked.

But here is the thing when I think back to Bakes best games he was up against stiff competition. He might have lost but the kid went down swinging. He has all the weapons anyone could ever hope for he MUST have a good game. Not great just good Chubb and Hunt will make it hard on Dallas to keep up IMO.

With each week that goes by I look for this team to get better and so far that is holding true IMO. Dallas has weapons but they aren't for sure any better then ours and I think our defense is a beat better then theirs.

This is a tough road game, but I think will win. Not sure why but I just do. If we can come away from Dallas with a win in fact every week we come away with a W moves us closer to being better. The early sledding was bound to be tuff so far I have been impressed with the progress and I look for that to continue.

I don't like the training camp thing. Middle school, high school, and collegiate teams don't have preseason games. They typically have a large turnover in their roster, yet they find a way to be ready. Additionally, guys like Baker, OBJ, Landry, Hooper, etc would have played very little in the actual preseason games.

Baker? This is a perfect opponent to have a big game against. Dallas will score. As cfrs mentioned, the Cowboy corners are poor. They also don't rush the passer that well. Their best defensive player is Aldon Smith, who was out of football for four years. Baker has great weapons on O and the OL is playing very well. I am not saying he should carry the team, but he should carry his own weight.

Looking for a solid game from baker... hoping our offense runs through the running backs with the passing game sprinkled in.

I don't think this game is any more or less a show me game than the other 13 games left in the (regular) season. Every game Baker has to show up and play well and hopefully show better mental aspects to his game - reading the D and processing faster.

If he struggles like he did vs the Ravens it won't be a final statement on his NFL. If he posts another 110, 117 rated game, it won't cement his standing as a franchise QB. . . . Hell despite winning and posting high QB rating games against the Bengals and WFT there are a few who are complaining that he's not doing enough. So if this game proves anything it will be that no matter what he does someone is probably going to complain or say "yes, but ..."

Great. It's a difference of opinion. I hope that is okay?

I think Stefanski, Van Pelt, et al have a plan to completely re-do Baker...mentally and lower-body-physically. That's going to take a minute.

IMO...the only thing Baker learned from last year was what not-to-do for his own prep...and how to not trust your OL when your LT & RT were simply awful.

Last year was one of many throw-away years we've had STR. I think it's reasonable for certain folks to look at this year as essentially Baker's 2nd year in the league. Progress is expected...but patience is required as well.

If we started with the Bengals and WFT...and THEN ran into the Ravens buzzsaw...I think the commentary on Baker YTD would be much different.

Starting at the Ravens was Brutal... literally the very worst team we could have faced. Pit has a pretty fierce D as well - but man I think the Ravens are really close to being a SB bound team. So Bengals and WFT to start and yes, a different feel to the season and Baker .... Some can acknowledge that (more) New coaches, turmoil, change and no preseason and CV-19 impacted TC had an impact on facing the best team in our division ...

I don't know how complete the "rebuild" of Baker is planned to be - but I do agree that Stefanski looks to be trying to treat Baker like a rookie who has never been taught to play QB in the NFL - which is not an unreasonable perspective looking at last year and Hue/Haley etc Year 1. Even though Baker has shown a knack for "the big play" I like that we are really limiting reliance on that type of call. We'll see what happens. Worst case is we have a serviceable QB who has arm talent but struggles with reading the D and processing speed. Best case he improves in all the those areas and becomes a more complete QB.

I respect both opinions - with a few statements.

I don't think the early product in the NFL has shown that teams were unprepared for the season - by any stretch. Everything has looked maybe better than usual from the opening gun.

Hats off the the Browns staff and players - installing new schemes and new players without looking like they've missed a beat. No non-stop dumb penalties, no players looking confused, have we even had a time-out called because there is a problem in the huddle? I don't think so. I'm particularly impressed with Kev's play designs and our execution (especially up front) in making these plays happen.

I'm firmly in the "what do we need a preseason for" group after seeing how well things have gone this year.

Maybe the uselessness (in many of the player's minds) of preseason is actually a hindrance. Maybe the revolving door with personnel during each game has players detached. Maybe the act of protecting "stars" from injury does more to harm their early season than protect it.

A lot of good things will come out of this...

What a contrast to last year with Junior Samples running the show.

j/c

Not just for Baker, but for the team. Since going 1-31, we have fairly consistently beaten bad teams and lost to good teams. We've also lost more to mediocre teams than beat them. While they have their history, at this moment in time, Dallas is a mediocre team. If our team wants to prove it's improving, these are the games they have to win.

Yes, this is a prove it game for Baker, but a prove it game for the team generally.

Should be real interesting. Funny how these games that are supposed to light up the scoreboard often end up being a lower scoring defensive affair. Wouldn't really surprise me that much.

It almost seems like a "must win game" for the Cowpokes, but then you realize they are in the weakest division in football, 1-2 tying them for 1st place.

Either scenario will tell us a lot about the Browns. Can they play defense for four quarters? Can they keep pace in a track meet? Very intriguing.

As far as Baker and a "show me" game... I'm not sure that's what most important at this juncture.

Show me constant improvement.

Show me that the process time speeds from game to game.

Show me that you can lead a team back from the jaws of defeat.

Those are the "show me" scenarios this year. Two will be spread over the entire season, one can present the opportunity on any given Sunday.

He is a game-manager by luxury, not default, with a great ground game. Take care of the rock, quit making dumb decisions, when we need you to win a game - you'll know it.

j/c

I think this entire premise is a set up. Most people know that our defense will be scored upon a lot in this game. They know for us to win we will probably have to rely heavily on the pass to keep up with their scoring. Even Van Pelt has said as much.

So a scenario is being put in place that if Baker can't carry the team and light up the scoreboard with his arm it will be his fault.

When the fact is it would be a lousy defense permitting the Cowboys to score a lot of points. The stage is being set up for a false narrative and I'm not surprised.

To clarify............I don't think 4 preseason games are the same as 4 regular season games. They are not equal and I bet every coach and player in the league would agree w/me. Thus, it is not fair to just "give" them the first four weeks w/no expectations or evaluations.

I also thought that most people realized that there are four preseson games for one major reason. That reason is money. It's just another way for the owners to make money off of the public. I bet most players wish there were not four preseason games. I think that when teams schedule practice/scrimmage sessions w/another team are more beneficial. I know we have had them w/teams like Indy and Buffalo before.

And no one in the world is saying that having a new coaching staff ans scheme isn't a factor. Of course it is. I just think some people like to paint false narratives in an attempt to make others look bad. I think it's pretty obvious who those guys are.

I do think there is a tendency to shift the focus away from Baker and onto other topics in almost every Baker thread. It would be nice if we could discuss Baker in Baker threads. I don't see why we have to agree about his performances or even expectations, but it would be cool to stay on topic.

Not a "show me" game IMO. I want to see solid ball. The Ratbirds game was a "show me" game as a reality check This is a "barometer" game to measure us.

Go, Browns!

Seems to me this needs to be a ball control game. Keep in on the ground and run out the clock. The fewer opportunities Dak has against our secondary, the better.

This seems to be your go to line for anyone who disagrees with you in every forum. I think you just use this to try and make others look bad. I think it's pretty obvious who you are.

This game happens almost every year for the Browns, we think they have some momentum and then they just come out of the gate with an absolute dud, and things usually go south from there. Today feels like that game. I hope it doesn't happen, and Baker has got to keep this unit going. Defensively we are still not good and that is really going to pressure the offense today.

I'm with you on this. I have no confidence in them winning, or even playing well. This definitely has all the makings of one of those games. People excited because they are above .500, and thinking they can go two games above, then the team plays a stinker of a game.

For me this absolutely is a show me game for Mayfield. This is the kind of game that good players step up for. If he don't ball out today, I'll have even more doubts about him. They say he likes to have a chip on his shoulder, well there are former players om the NFL network outright saying he sucks. That should be enough motivation.

I may have been gone But!

This whole thread title concept is Bull!

THIS IS A BROWNS DEFENSE' SHOW ME GAME!

Period.

Play the Browns' game,
Stop the run, make the Qb beat you, don't give up big plays and get turnovers!

We saw that almost blow up in our face. I mean Dak was killing us in the 4th. And until Ward managed to make a play, we were giving away the field in huge gobs of yardage. On the field, he hurt us drive after drive. At a FG after the ref's help it was hold your breath time.

He showed me enough, have to hit Odell down the sideline on that last throw though.

He was okay. Probably our weakest link on offense. Didn't lose the game for us. Thankfully, OBJ bailed him out because I think Baker was puckering up after Dallas scored their last TD.

I see it a different way. We were running out the clock.

I'm amazed at the limited pressure in the 4th Q.

Baker threw with good zip today but his touch was off. He had several clear throws that were off by 4-5 yards.

I'm amazed at the limited pressure in the 4th Q.

Baker threw with good zip today but his touch was off. He had several clear throws that were off by 4-5 yards.

Agree, Baker's best contribution was NOT throwing an interception. And it seems he's FINALLY learning how to throw the ball away, play the next play. He holds on to the ball WAY to long and even I can see that. He wants to succeed, just wonder if he's good enough. If I could chose between he and Clemson's QB or Cinc's, I'd switch in a heart beat. Go Browns!!

I agree with this.

I think we are in the minority.

They talked about this on the Civilized Barking podcast.

Never heard of it.

What did they say?

Baker showed me a “W”. That’s all I care about.