DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Grossi: The 10 Great Mysteries of the 2014 Browns Season

So you feel Pettine and just about everyone else in the country was wrong in their assertion that Buffalo was running a relaxed prevent-type defense?

And if so, does it bother you that our head coach is unable to tell the difference between a team playing a lax preventative defense and one playing for their playoff lives?



I don't know that I'd call a pair of eyes a special device, but yes, it's fairly easy to see when a team's premier or impact players are on the bench, and they're running base vanilla plays, and guys are going through the motions a bit

I don't think those things are very difficult to see, nor do I think a team coasting with a healthy lead in the fourth against an anemic offense is a measure of heart.

Seriously?

OK...well, in football, sometimes when a team has a comfortable lead in the later stages of a game, they don't try as hard as when the score is closer, or there is more time on the clock. They will bench starters, play softer coverages, run simpler base defenses, and guys won't run with the same high motor or give it their all, as they would if the game was tighter.

If you'd like to see examples of this, you can look at the Bills defense during Manziel's drive, or the Browns defense at the end of the Pittsburgh game.



You can find a description of it in most recaps of the game, or find the direct quote from Pettine in a post game presser. They're usually available on the team's site.

I would recommend starting your research by typing 'Pettine Manziel prevent defense' into Google.

The Bills game was not on TV in Columbus, so I could not watch. Don't remember any mention of prevent defense on the radio, though. And looking back, that drive started with 12 minutes left so it seems pretty early to fall into a prevent. Especially considering it was Manziel's first meaningful appearance, so I can't believe Buffalo was afraid of him throwing downfield. Even if they weren't playing prevent, though, they were seeing a QB for the first time that they had not at all prepared for.

Either way, Hoyer really forced the switch for the Bengals game by playing just awful against Indy. You can't go 13 for 30 with 2 picks and plenty of way off target throws in a game you came into knowing your job was in jeopardy.

Defense is the 4th quarter up multiple scores against a team that hasn't done anything all day? Yeah they are ganna "ease up" they might give up a few completions here and there so the clock keeps running..

Notice what happened after we scored, and then got the ball back.. Buffalo came right at us and we couldn't move again..

No ones trying to make you look bad..

Teams with a lead playing soft at the end of a game is common knowledge..

It's basically how Colt McCoy built up half of his stats while he was here..

I really don't need a lecture on logic from a guy who resorts to "I trust my eyes, what do you know?" every time one of his flimsy arguments gets taken to the woodshed. Your logic is to take what you wish or want to happen, and then attempt to structure an argument around it.

There's no shame in that. It happens all the time with homers. But you can be so condescending and snarky, often when you're completely wrong. As I always say, nothing wrong with snark, just make sure you can back it up. You often can't.

I don't "hate" you, I'm not out to get you, or make you look bad. Anyone who's been here for any length of time knows I'm attracted to illogical arguments and people being condescending to others when they're incorrect, two areas that you frequent regularly.

Don't take it personal. I agree with you a lot. When you take your wishful thinking and attempt to make it a fact, I'll disagree. When you condescend to others while being incorrect, as you so often do, it's just red meat.

Manziel played well that series. Made a really good throw to Dray.

17 points is a lot, when we had 0 at the time, and hadn't done anything to show we would score any at all up to that point.

They gave up that TD. And then came back and kicked a FG to go back up 13 with 3 minutes left...

I'll just say that if I was a Bills fan and saw them "ease off" on defense with 12 minutes left in the game and a new QB, I'd be screaming at my TV to go at him.

That said, what difference does it make whether Buffalo was in a prevent or not? That's a legitimate question because I don't understand why it matters to whether Manziel is any good or not.

tab---------stop talking to the guy. Anyone w/a clue knows the Bills were NOT playing a prevent defense. The game was still in doubt. Sheesh.

Do you feel that Mike Pettine is clueless?

There's a difference between playing "Prevent Defense" and playing a "Soft" Defense..

Here's a link just for fun.



Link

Don't know about the other answers, but this one's a slam dunk: HOYER is responsible for starting Manziel.

Sorry, but you can't stink as bad as Hoyer did for a whole month and expect to remain starter when you've got a multi-million dollar 1st round draft pick riding the bench behind you.