I think my biggest issue with this is how poorly stefanski and berry handled this. They should have come out right away and said this and all this speculation wouldn't have happened and he's just an injured player who is in rehab protocol. To come out and say medical staff cleared him and you were surprised he didn't play.. I mean seriously.. If our medical staff is that bad, they need to go. So something still don't smell right. Rotator cuff is probably one of the most nagging injuries you can have. Theres nothing to do but just rehab and wait.. people try rush back and the cycle repeats. But to that end, I know DTR was a dumpster fire against Bal, but I almost rather see him than Walker against lesser teams. Walker has the propensity to be a turnover machine. Thats the one thing we can't have with watson out if we want to give ourselves a chance.
Why are they obligated to tell anyone, other than maybe the league, what they know about his injury? It stinks when we don't know, but I am OK with them keeping it quiet. Keep the next week's opponent guessing.
Plus, it always bothered me that media is always pushing for comment, hoping to get something controversial. so they can go to other side and create a story.
I guess I am defending their methods, but i have felt for years that the public and media thinks they deserve to know. If he was just Joe citizen; it would be illegal for his status to be discussed.
Not exactly the same, but it always made me wonder why fans wanted to the team to give indications of their draft intentions. That only helps the teams drafting around them.
To address your questions about Walker I don't think what we saw tells us very much either way about having any confidence in him. I think it would be safe to say that he's certainly not going to be a QB who is going to light the world on fire. But as far as it pertains to not turning the ball over and being able to manage a game I don't think we can draw any conclusions from last weeks game.
He had just came off the practice squad and had very little time to prepare. He certainly didn't have the time to develop any chemistry with the starting WR's in regards to timing or their individual tendencies. So I believe that your question about having confidence in him is premature at this juncture.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
To address your questions about Walker I don't think what we saw tells us very much either way about having any confidence in him. I think it would be safe to say that he's certainly not going to be a QB who is going to light the world on fire. But as far as it pertains to not turning the ball over and being able to manage a game I don't think we can draw any conclusions from last weeks game.
He had just came off the practice squad and had very little time to prepare. He certainly didn't have the time to develop any chemistry with the starting WR's in regards to timing or their individual tendencies. So I believe that your question about having confidence in him is premature at this juncture.
Thanks. That was my feeling too, and sort of hoped it would be preached to him to be careful with the ball, let the running game do it's job and rely on D. Hopefully another week of practice improves timing.
I think my biggest issue with this is how poorly stefanski and berry handled this. They should have come out right away and said this and all this speculation wouldn't have happened and he's just an injured player who is in rehab protocol. To come out and say medical staff cleared him and you were surprised he didn't play.. I mean seriously.. If our medical staff is that bad, they need to go. So something still don't smell right. Rotator cuff is probably one of the most nagging injuries you can have. Theres nothing to do but just rehab and wait.. people try rush back and the cycle repeats. But to that end, I know DTR was a dumpster fire against Bal, but I almost rather see him than Walker against lesser teams. Walker has the propensity to be a turnover machine. Thats the one thing we can't have with watson out if we want to give ourselves a chance.
Why are they obligated to tell anyone, other than maybe the league, what they know about his injury? It stinks when we don't know, but I am OK with them keeping it quiet. Keep the next week's opponent guessing.
Plus, it always bothered me that media is always pushing for comment, hoping to get something controversial. so they can go to other side and create a story.
I guess I am defending their methods, but i have felt for years that the public and media thinks they deserve to know. If he was just Joe citizen; it would be illegal for his status to be discussed.
Not exactly the same, but it always made me wonder why fans wanted to the team to give indications of their draft intentions. That only helps the teams drafting around them.
you're talking about two different things and have missed the point..Fine, don't say anything other than he is injured and is rehabbing and working his way back.. But what they did was contradict themselves and watson and the medical staff all at different points creating the illusion that something shady was happening and there was discourse on the team. From watson to players, coaches and berry . It was all unneccessary.. If you aren't going to say what is wrong then don't say anything other than he's injured.. and yes, they are required to report to the league and the league makes it known.. but it looks pretty shady if you report all other injuries to the public for the other players but the player thats been the most scrutinized since he got here, and you decide to play it like that.
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
It also sounds like they didn't fully understand what was going on, medically, until well after the Ravens game. It's really only recently that they've put out actual info on his condition. I believe what's been put out there was that he had a lot of inflammation going into the Ravens game, and once that went down they were able to see why he couldn't drive the ball.
Could be, I don't know.
And to comment on something Bone said after your post. And it isn't even tossing the ball 50 yards. The weight of the ball makes a difference, but if your rotator is hurt, just the motion of throwing hurts. You could be tossing a whiffle ball 25 feet and it would cause irritation.
yeah and thats the problem, if you rush back you now have a season-long nagging issue
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk Amari Cooper: It seems like Deshaun Watson will practice today.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Fine, don't say anything other than he is injured and is rehabbing and working his way back.. But what they did was contradict themselves and watson and the medical staff all at different points creating the illusion that something shady was happening and there was discourse on the team.
The "illusion that something shady was happening" is the perception and opinion one comes to based on their own view of something. At "different points" could just as easily indicate that the reports changed as they learned more details about the nature of the injury. Sometimes people come to conclusions based on what they are or aren't looking for. I do agree that this would have been better handled if the messaging was clearer. But to come to the conclusion that this was some indication of discourse on the team would seem like a reach of epic proportions.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I think this is going to be a "ramp up" then "ramp down" and increase the "ramp up" slowly over the next few weeks ... and then he'll play
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I'm not holding me breath that he will be able to play this week but of course I do hope that will be the case. I take the fact he will be out there tossing the ball around as a positive sign he may be headed back in that direction.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
tough to tell much for me ... at least he's throwing
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
side note: one of my underrated favorite things about practice clips is watching the background change ... think about those trees/sky when training camp starts, now look at them, and then when it's winter in December ... fun to watch
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
If he plays, I'm guessing it will be a bunch of short and intermediate throws.
If Watson plays and he's limited to short and intermediate throws, then he's not ready to play and it would be a mistake playing him.
That being said, I highly doubt he plays this weekend.
Keep giving PJ Walker the first team reps. The Browns cannot afford to take step back and lose to Indy.
Just to be clear, when I say "a bunch of short and immediate" throws, I don't mean exclusively or only limited to those ranges. I would assume if he can play, the deep throw is an option for him, just not at the level we might normally expect. And with a team playing a backup QB in Minshew, hopefully that wouldn't even be needed.
But sure, if that type of throw is out of the question it means he isn't truly ready, rest him, and hope the defense can be as good as they've been to be the driver for a win.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
side note: one of my underrated favorite things about practice clips is watching the background change ... think about those trees/sky when training camp starts, now look at them, and then when it's winter in December ... fun to watch
I thought I was the only one who actually noticed this.
It really tells the tale of an NFL season in the Midwest: starts in the hellish heat of Summer, ends in the icy brutality of Winter. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a central part of why I still watch the game: outdoors, no matter what the weather. Phil Dawson v. BUF is an epic example.
It's football. WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLAYER IN THE GAME.
I hate watching sanitized football played in domes, on fake grass, and in controlled environments. They were created to increase revenue from "fans" who'd only buy season tix if they could watch the game in shorts and tees. Give me a camera shot of Dawg Pound denizens, layered up in late December any day, and I'll cheer with them every week. It's why I love our division. 4 Midwest teams, zero domes. Summer through Winter. I will allow myself to troll/diss/dawgbite those fans, but I'll never disrespect them. They live the same experiences that we do for their respective teams. Worthy of respect.
Football was created as an outdoor sport. Cold, rainy days. Mud, and fat freezing rain/snowdrops is important. If it's really football.
.02
______________________
p.s. I just re- realized how uniquely incestuous this division is, in all of the NFL: 3 of its 4 teams come from the same original early ancestral NFL DNA.
I've said it ad nauseum over the years, but it bears repetition: it really should be the Paul Brown Trophy that is hoisted after the Super Bowl.
Vince Lombardi was a great coach. Paul Brown was a visionary who created the modern NFL... and 32 years after his death, an entire division of Modern Professional Football still bears his direct imprint.
I despise domes and fake grass. Fake grass in particular because IMO it is that surface that is the cause of more injuries.
I get the economics of domes. That does not mean I like it. I do not.
I don't recall the year. But once I was traveling and got stuck in an airport. There was a snow game in Denver. It was wild. It was really coming down. The bar in the airport was packed with people watching the game. The people were loving it. Later in the week I read where that game was watched by more people than any game.
Sometimes you want a fast track. I understand that. But I like that the weather doesn't care. I like it when Mother Nature dictates. Deal with it.
Sure it can be brutal. But you are right that is what makes football. Unfortunately we will not get our way. In fact probably the opposite; any new stadiums will most likely be domes.
For his time Paul Brown was the most impactful figure in professional football. Vince was a great head coach. There is a difference.
It is all part of "the football mentality." You play hurt. You don't play injured. Every player in the NFL knows the code.
Njoku, Bitonio every player.
DW wants to play. My guess is. He will play. That does not mean 100%.
He most likely will not be able to do what he would normally. He may be able to adjust his timing some. Some throws there will be no visible difference. Others like deep outs I would expect those balls to hang up. Accuracy may be on and off.
I do not think that throwing will cause more damage. But a hit to that shoulder will be a big problem.
If he can escape being seriously hit. He should improve week to week.
I think it DW call. KS is not going to tell him to play. It should be DW call.
well said Clem .. the beauty of the game is the weather, atmosphere, brutality etc
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
well, a lot will ride on how he feels tomorrow then
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I hope he plays, but if takes an extra week... btw maybe we shouldn’t call so many designed runs with him, something I said weeks ago, before the season started.
Now that opposing defences know he has a banged up shoulder, guess what they’ll be going after?
On Friday, Watson had a compression sleeve on his right arm and a supportive brace on his shoulder as the Browns worked out indoors. Watson threw with more velocity than the previous day and took the bulk of first-team reps in preparation for the Colts.
I'm with you guys ... I'd sit him unless he is 100% (and mentally prepared to let it rip). .. you can't play the game half way
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
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