All this complaining about scheme with regards to Watson and what he ran in Houston seems kind of superfluous when you consider that a big chunk of his best plays came out of structure. Watson's not a scheme QB. He's a transcend the scheme QB. Look at that great scheme Watson was in in NE now. Isn't it great? Shouldn't Stefanski do that? Come on Kevin, be like BOB.
We need to settle in, block better, and avoid turnovers. We don't need to try to reinvent the wheel.
There's a lot of back and forth here - but really? The scheme is fine we just need to block better and not turn the ball over and all will be fine? And when you say it'll all be fine, since we have a pretty stacked roster in my opinion and the opinion of many fans - that would mean at the least pushing for a play off spot - with Chubb healthy I'd say winning the division but Chubb us hurt. . . . You really think it's that simple
and assuming it is that simple how bad is Stefanski not to be able to acheive that? Your statement is a double edged sword - if it's so simple and KS fails what then?
I think the reality is a combination of LOTS of factors: From injury, from Watson's off the field issues and time away from the game, to (previously) the FO keeping players like Schwartz who had no business being on the roster, to keeping DTR as the backup with eyes on the future but the result being a lack of ability to offset DW missing games. . . . . The two most significant issues for me, today:
- Watson is not the same QB he was in HOU. Or his ability while he wa in HOU was over-exaggerated. I mean you wax lyrical about Watson transcending scheme ... I think I disagree with that. I think he made (and can still make) magic happen when things broke down - but another way of phrasing this based on his time in CLE - in all but 1 game for the Browns he seems incapable of being a scheme QB and has to improvise because he struggles to read the D, go through progressions and get the Ball to the receiver on time based on the play design. When it all breaks down he has absolutely shown elite elusiveness and the ability to escape, keep his eyes downfield and throw the ball. But I don' think that "transcends" scheme, I think that's a talented athlete making plays despite not playing to the scheme. Maybe the last game he played where we beat the Titans is who he really is??? He played really, really well in that game and I'd say the play was within the design of the scheme (or however you want to phrase it). But the Titans just lost to Minshew (back up QB) and the Colts so let's wait and see how significant our win vs Titans was. We can hope that DW got his mojo back and if we see more of the same, week in and week out, versus other good and bad teams in the NFL we'll be happy and win a lot. But let's see that consistently and for a sustained period before we assume that's who he is and will be.
- As for Stefanski, you claimed he tailored his offense to his players: ergo Chubb and running and play action. On the one hand I don't disagree that play action features heavily in his scheme and I have no issue with it. On the other hand - one of the most consistent criticisms of Stefanski is how often he gets away from the run game and goes pass happy, even in a game where your stud RB was rushing for 8 yards per carry.... If the offense was based on what we do well and what the players do well, it wou;dn't take a successful running game, have a lead and suddenly get pass happy. That together with the lack of in game adjustment and some of the other specific play calls in specific games has me feeling KS is very MEH as an OC and play caller. Based on how flat we come out for many of our prime time games and must win games, I also question his ability to be a HC. Based on his W/L record and the way it has trended I also feel the same.
Just me and my 2C but there is plenty of game history with DW as a Brown and KS as HC / Play caller to support everything I said.
