"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 think it was 4th down though and we had 0 timeouts
It might have been 4th down now that I think about it but I still would have tried the FG than the Hail-Mary.
Stefanski addressed this in post game presser. He said he thought 60 was too far and the Ravens had a returner near the goal line. I think he went for the safe play.
So he tries a 50/50 jump ball that could have been intercepted and returned for a TD?, the odds were a lot higher with the FG being made than the Hail-Mary being successful. Hopkins is 22 out of 37 from beyond 50+ yards (59.5% success rate) while according to ESPN Hail-Marys are only 9.7% successful.
Tell me the last time a Hail Mary into the end zone returned for a TD?
Let me add to your post Fort….it would've been a career freaking long for Hopkins. Here’s some negative thinking that some of you love. Well, he could’ve have had the field goal blocked and returned for a TD. He could’ve kicked it short and returned for a TD.
Stef’s call was fine. He probably made his decision from either intel from Hopkins and/or Bubba and also knowing his two tackles were out.
I agree. I thought about the block/return possibility that made the HM even more the right choice. I don't mind 2nd guessing, God knows KS has given us plenty of opportunities, but that HM may have been teh safest move. .
Rugby scrum indeed, & good that Ford kept churning his legs to give our big fatties a chance to push the pile. We out-muscled them on that play. Or out-gutted them.
Elves imposed their will on that team at the end of that play. I watched the Ravens fold, and concede field position to CLE, just before DHop's game-winning FG. Every team in the league will see that clip. Cleveland didn't just move the pile on that play... Cleveland moved the entire division on that play.
How many times have we seen CLE on the receiving end of plays that looked just like that? That should tell us something about the team we are watching this season. Character. Heart. Will.
For me, that was the most important play of the game, because I watched BAL crumble/tumble/dumble/grumble beneath the Browns' onslaught. Our men wanted it more than their men, at the exact moment when 'will to win' counted the most. It was THE 'statement moment' in a 'statement game.' -and it happened at the halfway point in the team's schedule.
Because of today's game, The 2023 season is now the Browns' to write for themselves.
Today, The Cleveland Browns established their legitimacy as a serious football franchise. Hard-fought divisional win over the divisional playoff front-runner. Now, it's time to create momentum.
Goliath lost today. In a high-scoring shootout with David.
I confess, I didn't see this one coming. I predicted a low-scoring, toss-up game. The fact that we beat BAL (in their house) in a high-scoring game blows me away- and gives me confidence v. the remaining schedule.
It tells me that we can run a ground game that nets us strong numbers against statistically strong opponents. CLE ran for $1.76 on the divisional front-runner withoutNick Chubb. Browns have a legit coaching staff/scheme.
_________________
Side note: today, DeShaun Watson orchestrated a gritty, clutch, 14-point deficit win against a divisional front-running opponent. He got banged up, beat up- and stayed in the game to help us to this team win. Games like this are why he was brought to Cleveland. Time to start capitalizing on the investment.
11:08 is where I got the first 'funny feeling' that today may be special.
What a play by the Chief!
I feel exactly the same way - Njoku may have had better games statistically - but (outside of one bad drop) he was outstanding today and that play was the epitome of some of the character and toughness that seems to have been missing in many or most of our teams since 1999. Tillman's block on Van Noy was another example - commentators seemed to think it was an illgal blindside or cutback block? IDK ... I do know I loved it. Nearly taunting - standing over an opponent you've just nailed for a split second has drawn plenty of flags in games I have watched.
Last edited by mgh888; 11/13/2303:05 AM.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Great stats - gutted this out even though he was clearly hurt - and hard to define how clutch some of those plays he made with his arm and feet were.... and the TD pass to Moore was exceptional QB play, scrambling but always looking for a receiver to get open.
Baltimore is a good team - we had back up tackles - the play in this game gives me more hope for Watson to be the sort of QB that we traded for when we gave up those picks. The slow start still a concern, but hopefully we turned a corner today. Hope we keep on keeping on.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
DT, y’all realized that just this season alone, we beat two of the hottest teams in the league going into Sundays? San Fran and Baltimore.
We can run with ANYBODY
I haven’t been the nicest to Stefanski, but he’s showing why he was coach of the year and should be on the next cover of GQ!!
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
The team gutted it out when teams from the past would have folded.
Watson was great in the 2nd half. The arm is better and he is now sure of the offense. I feel like the real D Watson just stood up.
We all love Chubb, but our run game this year has hardly missed him. The rotation worked well enough and now Ford is stepping forward as the lead back. J Ford is turning in to a very good NFL back. There will be no need to rush Chubb back in to action next year.
Njoku played great. I have never been his biggest fan but the guy is starting to play at a high level.
The D...well..what a difference a D coordinator made. Everybody on the D is playing at levels we could hardly imagine last year. Joe Woods has to be looking at our D today and feel somewhat impotent. A few players were exchanged, but not that many. Look at Clowney with the Ravens. He is playing like the impact player he can be, but here, Woods had him setting edges all game long.
It's looking good folks.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
how about that win probability chart? Just incredible
"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."
Damn, now that was a win. Loved it. Tough game,, full of potholes that we could have fallen into.. and did. But pulling it out in the end, that was special....
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Jake Trotter @Jake_Trotter · 5m AFC North playoff odds, per ESPN FPI Ravens: 89.1% (49.2 to win division) Browns: 78.3% (28.8) Steelers: 52.9% (15.6) Bengals: 33.8% (6.4)
"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."
Statement win for the Browns. Down so many key injuries this year w/ Chubb, Conklin, Wills, Jones to beat the Ravens at home when there were so many hurdles this team needed toclear in order to win. This team has heart, never quits, and made key plays went it counted.
- For the most part, the offensive line held up outside of Hudson who I thought had a pretty rough game. The LT, Christian, didn't get his name called much, if at all, and that is usually a good sign for a lineman.
- Jerome Ford ran more in between the tackles, and whaddyaknow, had a really good game. He must have a dawgtalkers account.
- Gutsy performance by Watson to rebound after a bad first half and an injury to carry the team for the second half. He was the better QB yesterday and we needed that perfect 2nd have performance.
- Kudos to Newsome for his first INT to be a TD. The secondary stepped up after injuries to Ward and Delpit. Before going out, I thought Delpit was playing extremely well.
- One thing not mentioned is this coaching staff's ability to get the team to regroup and focus after halftime. Not sure if it's is motivational coach speak or overall in-game adjustments, but they've done a great job in that regard.
- Njoku is a beast and glad to see the team targeting him more these past few weeks. Would still like to see more of this in the RZ, but I'll take what I can get to this point.
- I hope the players don't get too overconfident and listen to the tone of Stefanski's post-game words. Focus. Stay on task. Never quit. Execute.
- Some people are going to be upset when Berry and Stefanski sign extensions.
I'm curious to see the grading performance on the LT from yesterday ... I don't even remember him being mentioned, which is good
"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."
One thing that has been kinda overlooked in this glorious win.
The blocked field goal by Elliott.
great point
"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."
What a great win! I'm still trying to figure out what happened? Not the end result, but what changed from a putrid 1st half to a terrific 2nd half? I watched it live...then re-watched the 2nd half...then re-watched the whole game...I can't figure it out.
Did the light bulb(s) come on? Did the dinged up DW4 shoulder loosen all the way up? Did it take a quarter or so to get back into it after an early 14-0 deficit? Did we make a bunch of 'adjustments'? Or did we simply start to execute better? I did notice a lot less trickery and fewer east/west running plays (someone ^ mentioned Ford running more between the tackles).
Overcame: 14-0 deficit... PS LT who played quite well after being here for only a week...not-awful play by Hudson (yes, he made mistakes...but he's a developmental guy who plays hard and didn't get his QB killed)...(4) big defensive stops killed by holding/contact penalties ((3) of which were BS and one an interception in the endzone)...a muffed punt return for a fumble...starting CB out injured in-game...starting S then also out injured in-game.
How does a veteran QB go from awful, awful throws in the first half to perfection in the 2nd half? Some of those 1st half throws were incredibly bad...then several throws in the 2nd half were incredibly good and clutch too!. Some clutch, tough runs and also that crazy-bad slide short of the sticks? Watson went from looking 'washed-out' to looking like a top tier QB in the span of 30-40 game minutes.
Solid...SOLID performances by Njoku, Ford, LG/C/RG, Cooper, Moore and the entire defense AND several backups...and Hopkins with the game winner walkoff... What the hell happened yesterday?
Lastly...if you re-watch the game, look closely at the Rats players' faces and body language...Harbaugh too...starting towards the end of Q3. It's like they knew a buzzsaw was coming and they couldn't do anything about it. It was glorious.
It really is the Tale of Two Watsons this season. The way he hit Cooper and looked off the coverage was Brady-esque, but that first half for the most part was god-awful. Second half was legendary. Like, bro, just stop doing this to me. Please just be the second half version, haha.
I think the thing I liked the most was how they bullied the Ravens. Smith taking down their RT, Tillman taking down Van Noy, who must have him by 50-60 lbs, the pile push, Njoku abusing their secondary. That's what you need to do to take down the top dogs like the Steelers and the Ravens in the division. You have to bully them. You have to intimidate them.
I just hope we can continue that style next weekend.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
I think we really started to figure out attacking their front 7 in the run game ... and that really got Baltimore on its heels defensively. They weren't going to stop us, so all it was going to take was our defense to stop them (which we did multiple AND it turned into a pick 6)
I also think that our defense did a great job of bottling up Lamar and keeping him insulated
"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."
It was the tail of two halves. The first half was a disaster any way you look at it. But somehow they woke up at half time and looked like a totally different team in the second half.
Thanks goes out to Hopkins for keeping the Browns in the game during the first half. Thanks goes out to Newsome for the int. return for a TD which put us in position to win the game. Thanks goes out to Myles who had one helluva game. And thanks goes out to watson for waking up at half time. Had you have played like you did in the first half the Browns would have lost this game in a landslide.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Random thought, but the TD celebration with newsome had me wondering if guys watch boy band music videos and go “yo yo yo that’s the celly right there!!! We copying this move!!”
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
