- Flacco was a nice upgrade IMO ... 90% was good and professional
- We are hurting in the defensive secondary ... that's GLARING. It's affecting every level of the D
- We haven't touched a QB in 2 weeks
- Hopkins has been so good, but has had 2 really bad XP misses (this one hurt us)

Playoff chances are very slim now ... no margin for error

Flacco did good - great pickup for your team. However both of our teams are going nowhere, especially the Steelers. So many injures today - Minkah, Pickett, TJ, and OG and a LB. No way they will be ready to playa NE Thursday.

it saddens me to know that now looking at the standings, we're going to soon move into the "In the Hunt" category, playing for our lives and knowing our playoff destiny will rely on some weird complex win/loss scenario with other teams

yeah the injuries are really piling up to a point of us being non-competitive

The Browns only chance to make the playoffs are a dominant defense. The defense has turned into a pumpkin. I never thought we would look back on the beginning of the year and have this kind of regression. This team has 2022 Jets written all over it. Start 7-3, miss the playoffs.

There's a really weird dynamic with Garrett where his play just tapers off toward the end of every season. He's been ineffective two weeks in a row. Got doubled a lot today but couldn't win his 1 on 1s. He also takes himself out of position on every single run play. He has to be dominant for this team to have any chance. It sucks but that's the reality of it.

Team played uninspired today. Team needs a crapload of emotional leaders.

Really impressed with Flacco except for the int. Why make that throw there? It ended the game for us.
Defense had a lot of issues. Coach needs to get on their butts.

I think there’s no point in worrying about playoffs. We are going to lose by 3+ scores minimum next week. Lawrence will set about 5 team records. Flacco was the absolute least of our issues this week and for being a guy who was sitting at home for 11 weeks just shows how bad this team is. He’s probably realized why he was 18-1 against us. Bottom line is this FO and staff have to be upgraded. We can’t draft, we can’t develop anyone , players come here and actually regress under stefanski. We let a rookie HC who has zero pedigree have complete control of the offensive playcalling. We have been setup for failure since the beginning. Since the firing of Dorsey our talent level has plummeted .

When I saw Pittsburgh lost, I knew we would too. The Browns just can't seem to get ahead of Pittsburgh.

Flacco looked good, but was too willing to go long often. And just like every other Browns QB, threw the INT when it hurt the most. Ford is not that good, I would love to see Strong get more carries.

They can move the ball with Flacco, now the defense needs to step it up. Myles did nothing all day. If he is hurt, take him off the field. Newsome is just horrible. He takes terrible angles, and can't cover anyone.

If the defense continues like this, Jags will pummel them.

I think we have to win out now or there will be no playoffs for us. I think today was a circumstantial loss. The D is not healthy, and was nowhere near elite today. Flacco put up a good game. I think his arm got tired late, a conditioning issue. Take away the pick on the under throw and the final two minutes of desperation and he was fairly solid. Probably the best QB work we’ve seen this season other than flashes and maybe two games by DW. I’d say DW had one much better game, tbh.

So this is doable if Flacco can play a little better and we can get healthy fast. The D needs to get back to crazy down this stretch, or it was all for naught. Houston will be a problem. Otherwise, this is doable.

I honestly thought we’d win today and was surprised to see them beat up our D. I think if the D had shown up hard, Flacco could have easily done enough to win. I don’t see him winning many shootouts though. Stroud is starting to look like Mahomes for the Texans, so that will be our biggest test remaining. And next week, Lawrence, could be dangerous too. We can’t let that be a shootout either.


EDIT: Baltimore still has to face the Rams, Jags, Niners, Phins, and Steelers… with a lot of help, we still have a shot at the division. But we would damn sure need to win out, IMO. I honestly think we’re playing for a wildcard, and it looks like maybe 3, probably 4, and definitly 5 wins would get us there… and then I woke up and remembered we’re the Browns, led by Ski. It was fun to think about anyway.

Also, we need more playmakers on O. Cooper and Njoku are great but we need another dominant WR at least. We have no one who can bust a long one.

Jerome Ford... ain't even D'ernest Johnson,

Playoffs have left the building.

Jax is a substantially better team than the Browns. Browns will not win next week.

I also say that because I saw a lot of head hanging today. That all familiar look of defeat. No will, no mental fortitude.

It is what is is.

And the Haslams were so clueless they never

I'm so OUTRAGED, B/C I LIVE IN COLUMBUs FREAKING OHIO

AND JIMMY HAsLAM CAN'T PUT THE BROWNs RADIO BROADCAsT ON ANY sTATION THAT WOULDN'T RATHER PREEMPT IT FOR

"womens' basketball buckeyes, he knew this would come he's a freaking BILLIONAIRE, Jimmy ain't that dumb he didn't know they would do this

The ‘Clowns’ s—k and will continue to suck for eternity

Cooper and Njoku, neither were great today. One was injured, hey maybe they were both injured,

Jordan Akins had a catch,... like Al Bundy had 4 tds in one game, not the whole season but one game,

well Jordan Akins had his seventh catch,
but in all the season so far, not one game, but the whole season so far.

The offense, is ... bleh I don't know what it is but it ain't fun for our team.

Not enough points, not enough points

If you have to lose, lose scoring 23 or more .

Flacco had 20 missed throws,
PJ walker, may, have won you that game, imo. but Flacco didn't

We should have saved time and money and just mailed in the points from the last two games. Flacco was OK but the rest - a pedestrian performance, no passion, little will to win......

This is the most disappointing. I saw a lot of head hanging. Where are the emotional leaders? The team is really devoid of leaders. You've got Walker, Njoku, Hunt. Is there really anyone else?

Refs please merge this

Pierre strong has much more burst than our other backs

At no point of the game did it feell like I was watching an NFL caliber game from either team,

Even the super bowl, feels like you are not getting to see nfl level of gameplay,
It may be better to not watch any more NFL games

it all seems fixed anyway.

- The Browns defense on the road has been suspect. Missing Denzel Ward and an injured Garrett amplifies the issues.

- The defense did not make a single play today. No forced turnovers, zero sacks and two QB hits.

- Flacco did a nice job given the situation.

- Way too many self-inflicted wounds. This is disappointing.

- Njouku has really been struggling lately.

- David Bell doubled his reception total on the season.

- The dam is leaking on this patchwork offense and injury riddled team.

The Browns just need to beat the Bears, Jets and Bengals to make the playoffs, which is very doable. They are just going to get boat raced in the first round.

Overall:
Browns lack fire, no "killer" instinct. That's a coaching problem.
Only saw about 2 games this year where they seemed to impose their will.
D seems gassed - they've stopped believing.
Special teams, aren't.

Offense:
Flacco should be the guy that finishes the season unless the line gets him killed.
Injuries are to the point where "next man up" will be the guy in Sec 141 Row 12.
Stinkfanski continues with predictable schemes; in some defense, hard to be better with the QB-Go-Round

Defense:
They don't seem to believe anymore.
When Injuries limited the ability to Man-Up, we had to switch to Zone, and it's a sieve.
D gets gashed when a stop is needed the most - where's the attitude and focus?

Organization:
Face it, Haslam, Berry & Stinky have crippled this team with the DW trade. When Joe Flacco with a year off and only 8 days under his belt to learn the offense looks more in control than the $260 Million Dollar Man (when he was healthy), it's great cause for concern - we have no draft stock to rebuild other areas in the upcoming 2-3 seasons.
Stinkfanski's mediocre game day performance as combination HC/OC will leave this team just short of success. Berry and Haslam's acceptance of his performance is baffling.

How is it the Browns are in our DNA and we just can't give up on them? I guess Charlie Brown may be the only one who understands.

The ‘Clowns’ s—k and will continue to suck for eternity

Factory of Sadness continues.

Does he?
you mean on those 2 carries? What about the twenty times Watson, or, I mean whomever, I mean the @uarterback off the street again, didn't complete a pass he threw.
23 for 43, < 20 times he didn't get a yard
inefficient predictable offense, the gadget runs were so predictable, even I could see some of them developing, and the defender was right there.

The Browns are now ONe and TWO in their final eight, with five games to go in their final eight.

They now have Nobody on offense who can make a healthy play,
and they got rid of DPJ, and Dobbs earlier in the year, like they were throwing away old newspapers.

What a mess

I was very pleased with Flacco. The guy can still fling it and he gets the ball out. The other players look they have confidence in the guy..

I think our D is somewhat exposed. The best D in the league hasn't looked like that for 2 weeks now.

A few players who stood out...Moore was finally used and he made some nice plays.

Harrison Bryant is the TE we want to throw the ball to if we want it caught. I hope we keep using the guy.

I am a bit bummed but not totally. I figured these back to back losses months ago when the schedule came out. We never beat the Broncos or Rams, especially when playing out west. We just don't.

The Jags will be tough next week and the Texans will be tough. We should win the others.

Jaguars
Bears
At Texans
Jets
At Bengals

Un Flippin Believable,

DPJ? Really? His not being here is irrelevant.

You don't believe our schedule? My wife taught school and had a student once whose mother did not believe in airplanes.

There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Flacco should be the starter for the rest of the year. He looked great for only 2 weeks with the team and is much better than DTR. Stefanski asking him to throw almost 50 times and once again abandoning the run 2 weeks in a row is criminal, and yet people still defend his play calling.

Outside of JOK our linebackers have to be rated near the bottom of the league. Z Smith, Tomlinson, Elliot and the DTs in general have not been good. Defense has regressed substantially

Start Strong over Ford.

I felt like Walker had a REALLY rough day today .. he's not good in man coverage

I also am SO over our DE's being exposed by the jet sweep stuff

Walker has never been good. Our backers are easily the worst group in league. One thing too. How bad was bitonio and Pocic today. They both were horrid. I’d trade Garret for Donald in a heartbeat. Dude don’t care how many people you put on him, he’s going to impact a game.

yeah, our interior OL has had some major problems for a lot of the year

I don't agree about Strong over Ford, but I agree with the rest. I might say Strong over Hunt. Hunt is reduced to being a line plunge guy. He is pretty solid to get the 2-3 yards, but that's about it. I'd give Strong about half the carries Hunty gets and a few of Fords.

I agree w/Hunt .. he's basically Jerome Bettis in his final days right now, which is a battering ram for 3 yards if you need it

The team is tired and injured

A week and a half out west now having to travel back east

Eight games they have played since their bye week

They don't need to be playing no 17 games, they need to have two bye weeks instead

The team really needs a week off to heal and rest

They will probably go with 2 bye weeks when they eventually go to 18 games.

Either way, bye weeks are totally screwed up by spreading them up over 10 weeks or whatever it is. They should get all of them done at mid season.



As an example, shut down the NFC except for four teams. Four AFC teams will also take their bye. The following week you do the opposite. You would need to have 4 teams in each conference taking their bye opposed to their own conference to allow for TV rights the Networks hold. All teams would get their bye during week 8 and either week 7 or 9.

The NFL is making a fairly easy and equitable process in to a complicated formula. Just get everybody's bye week done near mid season. If it went to two byes, you could do the same thing except the byes would fall in maybe week 6 and 12.

j/c:

I thought Flacco had a top 3 QB performance for us this year. He came out very calm and smooth for a guy throwing to his kids in the backyard a couple of weeks ago. That said, a horrible, horrible decision late in the game to throw deep into double coverage to Moore. Stefanski wouldn't name Flacco the starter for next week but there is no reason to go back to Walker or DTR. Flacco seems like the clear and obvious choice to roll with for the remainder of the season.

- The defense was "meh" yesterday. The secondary play could have been much better and needs to be down the stretch. Hopefully, we get Ward back soon.
- The DL applied next to no pressure on Stafford. He had all day to throw often times.
- That LT Christian seems to be playing really well. I thought the offensive line did well overall.
- Injuries continue to mount both with people out for the year and still playing.
- The running game has been uninspiring and we don't scare anyone. Would like to see Pierre Strong get more touches over Hunt.

Tough home game against the Jags but our defense tends to be wildly better at home.

Jacksonville -3
Over/Under 38

So did Flacco Oline showed up.

This team isn't the same without Ward and a healthy Garrett. Just not the same.

I agree with the take on Flacco ... I thought he looked awesome until the INT. He looked light years ahead of Watson

Flacco played well until the Browns damn offensive coordinator got impatient with 6:51 to go in the 4th qtr with the Browns 1st/10 on the Rams 21 with the Browns only needing "a field goal" to win the damn game.

Stefanski went brain dead at that point and handed the game to the Rams by abandoning what had been working offensively for the Flacco.

I'm disappointed whenever we lose as everyone else is on this forum. But I honestly have to say when our schedule came out and I saw these last 2 games I had them as losses. We almost never beat the Broncos especially at their place and we usually don't win games played out West with 4:00 PM starts and at the time I had no idea we'd be this banged up. Our coaches and players are doing the best they can with what they've been dealt with. We can and should beat the Bears, Jets and Bengals. I doubt we'll beat the Jags ad Texans. 10-7 is still within reach. Another long week coming up.

I kept saying to myself over the last month.. all these injuries have to start effecting these game outcomes eventually. We can’t just keep winning irrationally when we basically have a totally crippled offense. The defense has been good but they’re also dealing with injuries and some teams have just plain figured us out. So even if we do get into the playoffs, what are we going to do there with no QB or running game to speak of and a D that has some critical weaknesses?

Look, Flacco is an upgrade over PJ & DTR but he’s the same guy he was when I watched him last year with the Jets. He flashes and he can manage well most of the time but he may just hand the game to the other team at any given moment. And alas… that’s exactly what happened. Think about the Jets QB issues this year and the fact that NOBODY in NY was clamoring to get him back. He is what he is and we are currently what we are: a very injury compromised team. This just ain’t our year.

I agree. The injury situation has caught up to us. Look at the list of HIGH IMPACT players we had missing yesterday

I think there’s no point in worrying about playoffs. We are going to lose by 3+ scores minimum next week. Lawrence will set about 5 team records. Flacco was the absolute least of our issues this week and for being a guy who was sitting at home for 11 weeks just shows how bad this team is. He’s probably realized why he was 18-1 against us. Bottom line is this FO and staff have to be upgraded. We can’t draft, we can’t develop anyone , players come here and actually regress under stefanski. We let a rookie HC who has zero pedigree have complete control of the offensive playcalling. We have been setup for failure since the beginning. Since the firing of Dorsey our talent level has plummeted .

LOL - Is that you John Dorsey?

This team is so much more talented than anything the Doof put together.

lol.. no.. Flacco left the jets because they got rodgers.. Jets suck, that has nothing to do with flacco, Flacco is the best QB on this roster right now, he def. wasn't the reason we lost. He made throws after being at home over a year we haven't had a qb make this year. He's already thrown twice as many TDs walker and DTR have all year, his rating yesterday, despite the pick, was higher than walker or DTR all season. Remember, he wasn't on the team 2 weeks ago. Maybe it was our defense giving up 30+ points yet again and 400 yards of offense. Comes downs to two things, situational playcalling, and Getting a GM that values depth at skill positions. Our GM can't draft to save his life, thats why we have no depth. I mean look at what we trot out for receivers.. If we had guys playing like they are getting paid we'd be 12-0. The reality of it is Berry didn't do enough to make sure we had enough depth at QB/RB/WR and pretty much all defense.. sure he brought people in the play the role of depth, but they weren't serviceable. If you think you are playing for a deep playoff run, your Backup QB isn't a 5th round rookie and an XFL player. Ditto for RB. Nothing Jerome ford has shown at any point since he's been in league would have me believing he could be the bell cow and not bring in someone else to back up Chubb. Speed is the name of the game in the NFL and we have Zero on the defense.. Sure we have some guys that can run fast, but it doesn't translate into the game. We have DE's who only thought is to get to the QB and they don't set the edges, why do you think we see guys like Payton and McVay expose that.. cause they know.. So yeah. We have alot more issues that won't be fixed this year. Fun pretending we were almost good. Other shoe always drops for us

BAHJAHAHAHAHAHA...

tell me you know nothing without telling me.. that might be the dumbest statement on this board ever. Dorsey has done nothing but build championship caliber teams

I have nothing against DTR. He has a very desirable skill set. But he is not yet ready to be a starter at this point in his development. I simply want to see the QB that gives the Browns the best chance to win be the starter. At this point given the choices available on the roster I don't see how anyone can argue that choice would not be Flacco.

As I looked at the injury report I didn't see the Browns winning this game. The Rams are not a team you want to face with an injury riddled defense. And while the performance of Garrett wasn't good I know he wasn't 100%. I know some people say that if he was injured he shouldn't have played but is anyone who could have replaced him on the roster be better than a 70% or 80% Garrett? I'm not sure they would be.

I expect next week to be a tough one as well. The keys to that game for me are two fold. Will the injury report look better? Will Ward be back? And I think we should all hope for cold weather. Flacco is used to playing in cold weather and that type of weather does not favor a warm weather team like Jacksonville. And while Stroud has certainly been playing well, over the last three weeks the Texans have scored 21, 21 and 22 points respectively. That's not overwhelming.

LOL.

Sure - everything time you post something, it becomes the dumbest statement on this board.

You give too much credit to the Doof for KC. See - he did not want Mahomes. Veach and subsequently Reid did and it is why the Doof was sent packing shortly after the draft that year. He certainly did not bring anything close to championship caliber to the Browns.

J/C

We have remaining in this order:

1.Jaguars
2. Bears
3. Texans
4. Jets
5. Bengals.

I think that we’ll split with Jax/Houston and win the rest of ‘em.

That puts us at 11 wins on the year and into the playoffs. The division might also still be in play considering Baltimore’s remaining schedule and Pittsburgh’s injury situation.

I’m always a bit more optimistic after taking a few thousand breaths after a loss.

we will lose Jax and Houston big. The rest we might win, Jets could be the wildcard if Rodgers comes back. We've split every division team this year so it stands if we have have to win against Cinci at the last game to get in, we would probably end up starting Walker and throw 60 times and not even dress running backs

I don't believe you understand what the term "as it stands" means.

Moore also infuriated me on the pick at the end of the game. He literally gave up on the play and let someone else tackle JJ3

https://www.therams.com/video/rams-john-johnson-iii-interception-browns-joe-flacco-week-13

https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/39037534

You know, I'm getting tired of this narrative (not from you Rishuz). Team played uninspired today. YTF can't this COACH get his players up for a game? This is a GLARING weakness for this guy. Put down the Denny's menu and be a damn LEADER! GHC already. SMH

Almost forgot - Stefanski abandoning the run AGAIN is getting old. I'm sorry but this guy has to go as an OC. SMH

lol yeah.. I'm willing to bet I do more than you. I'm not even going to explain it to you.. but I used it correctly

Sure, according to you he's going to start the QB who is last on the depth chart and you claim it's you that understands. Some things you just can't explain.

:He isn't being literal, he's being facetious to illustrate a point.

It's a facetious attempt at making a point that doesn't exist.

^^ Look at these home and away opponent scoring splits for the defense. It's wild.

Here is opponent yards home vs away.
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-yards-per-game

Opponent TDs per game. Second best at home. Second worst on the road.
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-touchdowns-per-game

Oddly enough, we're best in the NFL both home and away at opponent first downs given up.
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-first-downs-per-game

Same with the double reverse call last week. Some actually defended that play call.

In my car this morning, I overheard the morning show say when Joe was being interviewed, he made the call to go deep during pre-snap reads. Not sure if anyone can confirm this or not.

D is and has been way overrated - historical, doubtful.

They have thrived at home against teams with poor offenses and/or QBs (some injured like Burrows). Only good offenses which they played at home were: Bal (got crushed) and SF (crap conditions and some in-game injuries on the niners part).

1. Cin - 1st game with Burrows clearly hobbled.
2. Ten - no bueno
3. Bal - DTR 1st game - no chance.
4. SF - Weather and in-game injuries.
5. AZ - Clayton Tune - nuff said.
6. Pit - Pickett, please.

Good point.

I read what he said to reporters post game. Was supposed to go to Tillman 1st - covered, check down to Ford - covered. Option 3 was Moore who he thought had single coverage deep. He also double clutched on his throw resulting in rainbow throw and easy pickings for JJ3.

I can't believe more people are not upset with the 3rd and 1 call after that down 8. Pocic penalized for "moving" ball forward (again) costing 5 yards. Idiot zebra interjecting himself into the game unnecessarily - especially at that point in the game - really. Horrible call. I thought the spot was poor on the 2nd down as well and Ford had actually made the 1st down. No measurement - same guy. Ridiculous. Bet he bet on the Rams...

[quote=Hammer]


I don’t understand the Pickett hate. He may be done for the year or whatever, and it pains me when to say it, but that dude has been everything they’ve needed out of him. We’d be the 1 seed if he’d started the season with us.

Don’t get me wrong. I hate that punk but to dismiss him as garbage is the wrong take.

When is this team going to make a REAL investment at the LB position. The other teams in our division have done this and it shows up every week for them. I like JOK, 2nd rd guy, he is good. Taki Taki can’t get off a block or fight through the trash if his life depended on it. Anthony Walker is Terrible, all I have ever heard was all this talk about this guy’s intelligence and ability to QB our D. The only problem is he makes NO plays, EVER. Then he gets hurt. They have not had a great LB since D,quell Jackson. We will always be incomplete on D until we get a difference maker at LB. I don’t buy into this crap about LB’s not being as important in today’s NFL. Maybe not in some divisions but not the AFC north. The jet sweeps and counters that LA ran yesterday and what we saw from Denver a week ago would not have been successful against a team with competent LB’s.

JMHO. Go Browns

Quoted for truth. People blaming Stefanski for the bomb would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. The QB ultimately decides what read to throw.

If ever there was a play that should tossed from the Browns playbook, it was the play that Stefanski called given these facts...

Quote

Browns were down 1 with 6:51 to play after two scoring drives of 15 & 13 plays. They went for HR ball on 1st down & were burned by INT. Haste made waste..

Why would any play caller even put his new starting QB in a position where he could have an option of a deep pass, knowing that what got the Browns in position to have a chance at winning the game was the short and intermediate passing game, along with the running game (to a lesser degree).

The Browns needed to eat the clock as much as scoring a FG to win this game. Giving the Rams the ball back without running the clock down would have given the Rams a good chance to win the game on a last second FG.

Are we attempting to say that the Browns didn't have a pass play that used Browns wr Moore as another a short or intermediate pass option..?

I don't know Mac, unless it is a screen or something like that, I think many to most pass plays are designed to attack at 3 levels of the field..

But no doubt going deep wasn't a good option. A screen or quick slant might have been a better choice.