DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2021 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 42 Chargers 47 Postgame Thoughts

We desperately need Baker to start winning these sort of games. Unfortunately we seem to be on the losing side nearly every time

A loss 100% on coaching.

Injuries hurt us - and may hurt for moving on to next week also. But we had the game - and instead of playing to win, we played not to lose. The whole of the second half the O looked like they were being out coached. The D made plays but Chargers won the game with aggressive 4th down play calling that we didn't stop once (I believe).

I knew that someone somewhere would try to blame Baker for not doing more. I mean he should have helped the Refs with better calls, he sure should have prevented all the injuries mounting up and then the way Baker blew the two wide open TD throws to Mike Williams ? Man - st8 trash. Meanwhile the same poster that drools over Herbert won't mention the gifts on D we gave him - or the throw missing a wide open TE that would have been for a 1st down.

I said at the half to friends - I'd love to see the Browns mix it up and have Van Pelt call plays for a half. Something to mix it up and get out of the routine that KS has been. The 7 point lead at half was great - and there's an argument to say why change what's not broke. But it really seems that we (KS) do have a tendency to get into something of a predictable pattern. I really wanted a deep bomb off play action when we had the first play at 42-41. But we ran up the middle for no gain to a stacked D. Then pass - incomplete - then a no chance for a 1st down delay.

Agree with some other comments - Gillian can and should be replaced. If all we ever needed was accurate 37 yard punts, he'd have a job for life. But when you need a boomer to get some space out of your own 20 ... never going to happen with Gillian.

Oh - and while Greedy had a great game, he was a dumb fk for reacting to the taunt. That would have been a huge penalty on Chargers if he doesn't react. Or if he reacts by throwing his hands up and calling to the refs. C'mon man.

Oh - and we really missed Clowney. No pressure with rushing 4 without him. MG doubled all day.

On to the Cardinals. Another tough game but at least we are home.

Baker has yet to put this team on his back and win.

All of Baker's throws were never downfield like Herbert.

6-7 yard passes.......Injury causing this? WR's running wrong routes?

Embarrassing.

I think we have to accept him for who he is. Just know that if the game is on the line and in his hands, it's probably a loss. Adjust your expectations.

Fortunately, we will probably be in the lead a lot so we will still win games.

But how big is the Cardinals game next week. We could be 3-3.

j/c...

Coached scared. Learn from it.

Jake Trotter
@Jake_Trotter
Kevin Stefanski said he ran the ball on third-and-long (before the Chargers go-ahead TD) because in part the #Browns were playing backup OTs. Said he didn’t want anything bad to happen there.

https://twitter.com/Jake_Trotter/status/1447348271236616197

Well said. Agreed. The big money QBs take the ball with 1:30 left and get a win. Maybe not all the time but a lot. Baker doesn’t ever. He’s a great guy. Not a 45 million dollar
guy. I just think about what the other qbs in his class could be doing with this team.

That’s tough.

Good point. If that is Mahomes or Rodgers or Herbert? No doubt they’re winning that game

Jake Trotter
@Jake_Trotter
The #Browns are the first team in NFL history, including the playoffs, to lose when scoring 40-plus points with 500 yards and zero turnovers, according to Elias @ESPNStatsInfo

https://twitter.com/Jake_Trotter/status/1447344319782813698

What's crazy is that Baker used to make so many plus level throws. That was his calling card. It was exciting. High octane offense.

But Stefanski wants to be run heavy and low risk. He's pretty much coached Baker's best attribute out of him.

What the Browns do best, set records of futility

Having seen your posts after the first two games of this season where baker was throwing at over 80% completitions and you were calling him average - having witnessed your 'takes' and assessment of Baker in the very harshest of lights ever since he was drafted - having seen you drool over other young QB's but ommit any of the criticism you give Baker for similar missed throws etc .... I highly doubt you want to see Baker succeed, I think you would rather ride the unpopular but "I told you so" train. Just how I see it as you never seem to have a balanced take on Baker. . . . lots of Baker supporters have also been critical of Baker when he has played badly or shown happy feet or a lack of progressions, and they show a pretty balanced perspective ... but there is only a negative side to your opinions voiced on BM.

JC

Some general thoughts.

I thought Greedy played well.

Ward is done in Cleveland. I don't see any way we sign that guy to a new big contract.

If John Johnson was here to get the defensive backfield in to position, I'd say he failed today. I am not sure how you leave not one, but two receivers uncovered for 2 long TD passes. WTF?? I know many don't like Woods, but I'll guarantee that the defensive scheme doesn't include leaving entire sides of the deep field with nobody in some sort of coverage.

We have the running game. I'd take steps to use some of Wards money to keep a few of the O-linemen, such as Teller.

Stefanski is getting a bit predictable with some of his calls. Screens to backs is something other teams are looking for....we might need to give that call a rest for a while.

Frustrating loss. When you score over 40 you aren't supposed to lose.

OBJ...I don't know what the problem is, but the shine if off the apple.

Baker...if the shine is off of OBJ, some has to come off of Baker as well. Those two just can't seem to work together.

ummm they were good enough to give baker more than enough time. Stefanski needs to stop being soft with the play calling. defense are stacking the box trying to stop the run, which means it should be easy to scheme our guys open for Baker. Stefanski needs to step up.

Colin Cowherd has been saying this about Baker for a while. He said it this past week that drives at the end of games determine and define the QB. He's right about Baker until Baker proves otherwise.

I don't know why you pay that much attention to me if it causes you that much emotional distress. Just ignore me.

I ways I agree. This week the scaled back play calling seemed to hinder our chances more than the effort of the QB.

And we do need to keep our comments about the O in context...we did score over 40 points. The results of the game don't sit on the backs of the offense.

Looking at the 2nd and 10 play with 3 mins left … OBJ is WIDE open. DIsgusting

I think we were called for holding on 2 of our last 3 drives. I did not see a replay on any of those. Refs killed us at the end

That's not clutch.

Baker is just average.

The more I think about it, the more I believe he won't be a Brown next year.

Berry aggressively tries to win. I think he'll do something big.

I don't know, I'd have to go look at the play and how it unfolded. I do know he was wide open on a 4th down pass that he dropped.

No emotional distress here. And you post whatever you want. But it's a public forum... post an opinion and expect someone to comment.

Hey - but nice play (jk) on the "emotional" dig. All class right there.

Chargers are a good team. I lost a bet.

My friend, that is how you have to look at it. That is just the guys schtick.

You know, I know we scored over 40 points. Some act like we were held to 3 field goals.

Exactly. You can blame the D all you want but it wasn't the same D as the last 2 weeks because of all the injuries. We started off with a couple of guys out and then we had injury after injury with guys going on and off the field. How in the good Lords name can you get any continuity playing like that? There's no rhythm to what you're tryng to do.

Yes it is.

Baker is playing hurt.

Maybe. Tampa Bay was 3-2 after 5 games last season. Don't give up on the Browns just yet.

To all those who are saying Baker is average you are entitled to your opinions but let me remind you that he is playing hurt.

The Browns lost a game to a good team on the West Coast. Even with all the injuries on D, and a QB who is not 100 %, they still almost won. There are still 12 games left. The Browns will be fine.

TOLD YOU ALL THEY COULDN'T BEAT US IN PREDICTIONS THREAD! We beat ourselves. We had a two TD lead in this game, Woods and the D hurt us with injuries and not being able to stop their drives. And there was nothing methodical about their big scoring drives... Herbert rolled out left and threw across his body to hit a wide open WR on a play where our whole D backfield was to the right of the WR as he waltzed into the endzone. And how many 3rd and longs did we let them convert? I know they converted many 3rds and 4ths today and that speaks to coaching and our depth not being up to speed.

We really missed Clowney today. I think he would have made the difference. Herbert would not have been able to scramble like he did today if Myles had more help.

OBJ is just a guy taking up a roster spot IMHO. Once again, Higgins showed up as much as OBJ. And I don't care what Rishuz says, baker played better by spreading it around. And OBJ dropped a pass that hit his numbers and he had two hands touch the ball! It's like if he can't get a one-handed freakish catch, he's useless.

The final minutes are on Ski's play calling, but this is where Baker needs to step up and make things happen. He did not again. I honestly think OBJ, Baker and Ski are all suffering growing pains. Been so long since OBJ has been that game changing elite player, maybe he's forgotten how or simply can't do it anymore? Baker bounced back but it doesn't count with an L.

On to next week where unless we get a whole bunch of guys back, we have our work really cut out for us. And if we see the chargers again in the playoffs, we will kick their asses.

EDIT: BTW, has anyone ever seen a D grab the other teams running back on the one yard line and push them in for a TD? I think that's an NFL first.

If the zebras do their job and correctly keep the flag in their pants on that 4th down PI call, all this BS about Mayfield failing somehow today would stay confined inside the fertile imaginations of the hot-take geniuses on this message board where they belong, instead of being posted here tonight. Some of you guys make me sick.

Mayfield needs to put more trust in OBJ; that's the biggest issue I think. He can win 1 on 1's, he's got a history of doing it throughout his career with the Giants. Either way, OBJ needs to be involved in the game more, whether it be using end arounds, etc. DPJ getting more balls thrown his way than your supposed #1 WR is...odd, especially when your #1 isn't being followed around the field by their best CB.

Hope you are right about OBJ, but I have not seen a thing that makes me think he's our number one WR. That's Laundry, then Higgins, period. AND I don't want to give up on the guy but the eyes don't lie. If all we were expecting from him was mediocre, he delivered in spades. Else, he fell far short of being impressive and has since he's been here IMHO. But hey, he was elite once.

As soon as they missed the XP I announced to the room we lost.

I said now we will run it up the middle 3 times and punt.

I said we should let them score right away so it's our offense that decides the game with 3 minutes left.

Then thank goodness we finally did but after wasting 1.5 minutes. (cuz they should've just taken a knee but didn't like idiots).

This isn't reality. It's a script movie I've seen soon many times.

For the first time in my life I just have no motivation to even watch the next game. Same reason I can't get into the WWE.

Scripted theater sports is fun for many, not knocking it, just not my thing.

oh and not even gonna get into the Refs lol, that one is plain as day for anyone to see.

Oh and also I really thought we finally had THE guy in Stefanski, but his play calling has been ATROCIOUS.

I don't know what is going on with OBJ... But when OBJ has been in games the general consensus has been that we try to force it to him too much. OBJ has done very little in a Browns uni and I don't know why. Last year it was like he didn't know where to line up, BM was constantly re-aligning him... And he's had more than his share of drops for any WR that wants to be considered elite.

j/c...

Jake Trotter
@Jake_Trotter
#Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a throat contusion and has been taken to a local hospital as a precaution for further evaluation.

https://twitter.com/Jake_Trotter/status/1447359688530530305

We scored 42 with both of our starting tackles out ... Wills for the whole game, and Conklin for the 2nd half, IIRC.

We were missing, at one point or another, our top 3 outside CB.

Our top 3 DE were all injured .... and Clowney was out altogether.

Tough way to play a good team, on the road, on the opposite side of the country.

I get the frustration... But you don't score 40+ by being atrocious. And KS has finished plenty of games off by controlling the game and clock.... I think he's still learning, is not infallible and might need help to prevent falling into patterns and stop being too conservative

Wow.