DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Deshaun Watson

You're not asking me, but I'm of the opinion that (while there certainly was room for improvement) a better plan/playcall by Stefanski probably wouldn't have influenced the outcome of the game all that much.

Instead of wringing our hands over throwing our no-ready rookie QB to the wolves, we'd be going nuts over a playcall that had us passing for 4 yards on a 3rd and 15.

I actually agree that we'd have a tough time beating Baltimore regardless .. but I also get the feeling that we just aren't going to be good enough to win anything meaningful either. Our offense is too inconsistent

Not just to you, but to everyone that thinks different plays should have been called.... have you considered that they called what they called based on knowledge of the things that weren't working?
Like, every call was an attempt to find ANYTHING that might work?

You know you can't run, so you're calling more passes. You try screens, but they don't work.
So, you try going empty, and they kinda work, but the line isn't giving you lots of time, so you try to hold a TE back to block, or you call something with a formation that has a RB to help chip. You finally find something that is working, but the ball keeps getting dropped or it has been called back because of a hold by the OL that can't buy you time, and now every time you go back to it, they see it coming, so you have to go to something else for a bit.... but, you're now into your 4th 3 & out series because you only get three tries at a time and they're adjusting as you're trying to adjust.

Some days you're the windshield; some days you're the bug.

I completely agree. I think folks tend to think that "game planning" is like some sort of strategic master class as if they're the generals and admirals figuring out how to conduct the Campaign in the Pacific.


Some times, game planning gets simplified for you really quick:

On offense, you have a know-nothing rookie QB, so your entire offensive plan is "well, let's throw a bunch of crap against the wall and see what sticks"

and then game day arrives and the rest of the offense is executing as poorly as the QB and any and all plans get tossed out the window because nobody is able to do anything.

Do you think every play should work? Of course not. You can't give up running the ball that quickly. Actually at all. Without even a threat of running the ball the d-line can just tee off on the pass rush.

How many screens did we attempt? How many draw plays? I don't know the answer, I listened on the radio while running errands.

Of course not every play is going to work, but if absolutely none of a particular type of play is ever working and you can see plain as day WHY they aren't working and that it isn't likely to change all damn day, then you're now in the territory of "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result".

I guess situationally here was my issue (and it is kind of a theme of our offense):

The situation was:

- Tie game 0-0
- First quarter and we have the ball at midfield
- it was 2nd and 2 after a nice 1st down run by Ford
- We have a rookie QB against Baltimore
- The next two plays we get cute with PA stuff and empty formations


I get the reason WHY you'd do that stuff under normal circumstances, but we certainly weren't playing under normal circumstances

So are you saying a Chubbless Browns team facing a Ravens D with the box stacked against them should just keep running into a wall? Some people see not trying to do that as giving up. Others see it as reacting to the opposing defense and how they are set up. Trying to play away from their game plan and taking what they are willing to give you. And some will say "they should have imposed their will on the Ravens D". But with no Chubb and no watson that's a rather silly take on things. The only RB on the Browns roster to average more than 3 yards per carry the entire game was Strong in garbage time. Yeah, they should have kept doing that.

I can't say about the screen passes because I didn't keep count but they were attempted. And it seems what some are claiming is that there weren't short routes ran and that option was not available for DTR to pass to. That's imply not accurate. But when you have a QB that is not ready to be a starter in the NFL they will make bad decisions. Their judgement is not the best in such situations and they do not take those options.

Typical Stefanski led team, reports are coming out now that the Browns players were irked when Watson pulled himself from playing. HEY, anyone see a pattern here? It's Cleveland my friends, same sh_t just a different day.

And here people thought I was the watson hater in the crowd.