DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2021 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 41 Bengals 16 Beating Cincinnati

I don’t know.

Anyone have suggestions?

Coaches are going to have to stop talking about getting offensive guys in position to make plays - such as OBJ - and actually do it. Pittsburgh were all in on stopping our run game and they did it.

But we must keep running it, it’s what we do. I would like to get Njoku involved earlier in the game; right now, he’s our most impactful tight end in terms of making plays.

I’m tired, worked all damn evening and got almost nothing for this.

Our D is playing well, so keep at it, boys. And get some turnovers: we aren’t doing that very often. A couple of those will get us a W.

Let the board know what you think on HOW we beat the Bengals.

I don't think we do unless we get some defensive scores. This offense is going nowhere as-is.

I think our defense is overmatched, and the offense is too pedestrian.

I don't think you guys are giving Ski and company the benefit of the doubt here. They are, or at least have been, a competent staff that are good at identifying problems and fixing them. With all the injuries, guys rotating in and out back in, film study and tweaks are taking longer to notice on the field. We need to get healthy. We need to stretch the field early to get as many defenders out of the box as possible. Our D needs to show up Chicago style, at least with that urgency. The whole team and staff need that urgency. Then we win a lot of games.

Score over 38 to have a shot.

We most likely won’t. Maybe with some turnovers on their end (we haven’t been lucky at all in this regard this year)

Defense has to do something all year they have failed
To execute.thats create turnovers.
Baker cant get into a shootout with Burrow. Bengals offense
Is averaging 35 pts a game over their last 3 games.

I would throw the ball early and often and I would run plays that are designed to go deep.. I would use Chubb a lot in the screen game, we are averaging over 10 yards per attempt on screen passes. I would limit the empty backfield sets but I've been banging that drum since last year and Ski hasn't listened yet.

We also have got to start forcing some turnovers.. we have committed a very respectable 8 turnovers, even though a few of them have been extremely costly... but we have created a measly 5, which puts us tied for next to last.. there are 15 DBs with as many or more INTs than our entire team

As bad as we are in getting teams to put the ball on the ground, we're even worse at ending up with said ball. It seems like the few times we actually create a turnover, we're nowhere near close to falling on the ball.

In order to create INTs, don't you have to be playing near the intended receiver? Our secondary has to find heaps and heaps of aggressiveness in order to start getting turnovers that way.

At the game Sunday I started calling it the "social distance secondary".

Yes, there are 3 primary types of INTs..

1. Where the defender just out plays the WR for the ball because they are in close contact
2. The QB throws an ill-advised pass because the defense confused him (like happened yesterday and hit us in the hands and we dropped it)
3. Impacting the QB by hitting him as he throws or batting the ball at the LOS and just having somebody in the right place at the right time to catch it.

We aren't doing any of the 3 of them particularly well.

Van Pelt calls plays

I was laughing so hard.

In what way would this help?

The offense looked the same, but felt VERY different in the playoff game last year.
It would be the same scheme being ran, but a different mind would be running it.

Right but Stefanski was also the mind running the offense when we put 42 on Baltimore and 41 on Tennessee. Taking playcalling away from Stefanski right now is a great way to neuter your coach that won coach of the year less than a year ago. Reading guys like Jake Burns shows that the plays are there, they are just not being executed.

Stefanski and co need to stretch the field offensively and stop being too conservative!
Keep the defense honest atleast by taking shots down the field off of play action.
The tight end screens and Dink and dunk stuff isn’t working.
Sure you can pass short at times but mix it up coaches!
I’d love to see Njoku and DPJ featured. An Anthony Schwartz sighting would be cool also.
And also more rushes for D’earnest Johnson when Chubb is taking a breather. He’s earned it over the rookie from UCLA.

and isn't remotely close to it this year



this has been the case - literally - for 20 years.


Not making an argument or a case for anything, just stating it for what it is.

It may help answer some questions on if the issues are on Stefanski calling plays, there was no energy in the O last week, Maybe Van Pelt can give a spark. Would be nice to see. I don't think Stefanski giving up the play calling would neuter him, it might just help him. With all the distractions it might give him a chance to focus on the whole team , making this team work as a unit. Never know, but I would like to at least give it a go.

Willing to risk it with Van Pelt. How many wasted plays were Chubb for two and it got us behind the sticks or stalled us. Not placing blame, but I think he is myopic with his "attack" and is placing too much premium on fooling the other team with an empty and power running. If you can't do something, try something else. I keep seeing revelations on Monday about what needs to be different or better. This defense cannot carry this crap offense. Proven. This could be a nail in our coffin.

To win this game, they got to disrupt Burrow. Playing soft zone will get them killed. Time for some serious man to man, and some early blitzing. You can't let Burrow have time, or Chase will be open somewhere. IMO, the defense is the key to this game. Trying to win a shootout would be foolish. We need to pound their recievers at the line, and put heavy pressure on Joe.

As for the offense, I'm all for going for more long strikes, but to beat this team, you are going to have to keep their offense off the field. Time of possession will be crucial, but if we don't score TDs, it will not matter. I think this will be the perfect game to pound the ball, and use play action tirelessly. Didn't see how the Jets beat them, but evidently, they were able to put up some points.

I feel it will be a loss, but these guys have got to be seeing that an all out effort is needed to save the season. We will also see if the fact that OBJ is not on the field means anything.

Burrow's bread and butter is beating the blitz. The way I see it, what we want our defense to be (get pressure with 4 and sit back playing good coverage) should be just what the doctor ordered for Cinci. Just comes down to execution. Mixon will have some runs, but our front will take care of business. Just up to the secondary to establish and keep right coverage. D did an overall good job against the Steelers and should do the same with improvement (they let up near the end). It feels weird to say, but I'm almost not worried about the D. I think what the offense does and the statement that would make us just too important.

RUN THE BALL and PRESSURE BURROW !!!!

Come out throwing to make Cincinnati not stack the box. Utilize ALL the offensive tools.

Exactly. Do something on O that Cincy doesn't expect. Before all this drama our O could not only run well but also pass well when OBJ wasn't playing. We have the same people minus the injuries we should be able to do it again.

Tomorrow feels like a game plan where we try to come out firing.

Firing what? We have a 1 armed QB and average to below average wide receivers at best.

They will be stacking the box because no team in the NFL fears Baker.

Has there been any word on who is coming off the practice squad to replace OBJ on the active roster? Or is that not permitted with him not officially released yet?

All I know is we put Janovich and Harris onto the roster

I could have sworn coach mentioned "JoJo" in one of his interviews, so I'm assuming JoJo Natson is in the works on being called up

Yep. Kinda looks like strengthening the run game doesn't it. JoJo stays on PS. We're going with 4 wr's.

They better cover the TE Uzamoah {spelling), or he will be a big problem.

I'm worried about Uzomah as well.

As a Browns fan you have to worry about everything.

The team hasn't proven that they can cover ANY TE....

The 2 guys we have on D that can are both out hurt. JOK and Jacob Phillips.

I have a feeling Chase/Higgins are going to have big days