ballpeen

I will add that Stefanski might be out of his comfort zone to some degree as well. I think he likes the QB under center a good deal of the time. Obviously you have to do that some. You can't just go under center if you want to sneak the ball or run the ball. There has to be some degree of variable to what you want to do offensively.

Georgia was a pro style offense. Let me be clear. It's not so much that Nick can't play that way. It just seems he preferred not. I think the biggest discomfort level is Watson playing under center. I think he likes to start processing the reads as soon as he touches the ball and not lose the time it takes for him to turn and get in to his set.

No doubt we will have to have somebody a good portion of the time acting as a spy on Jackson. That or the ends will have to subdue a bit and play some contain of the edge.

Maybe both. I think some is due to Stefanski not trying to match Cubb';s game to Watson';s game, or the opposite. Watson doesn't like to work under center and Chubb likes the QB under center. No right or wrong with either, but is is what it is.

I know. I have said that. Watson will be a better QB without Chubb than if Chubb is in the game. I love Nick Chubb the player. He is everything you want. I have heard 100 cases in the Cedartown courthouse annex.it was part of my territory for 10 years .It's part of my life..but, it is what it is, Nick and Watson don't play compatible football.

I am not saying Ford is a proven commodity. I am just saying he is the lead back and should be for a while. Hunt was a FA for a long time. Nobody signed him. I don't buy this idea he was just waiting on us to sign. If he had any kind of decent offer, he would have signed. He is a football player. Where else is he going to make $800,000 a year or whatever his minimum might be? I do like Hunt. he will be a good back with Watson at QB where I don't think Chubb was. Hunt is a good stand a take the handoff back where Chubb need a running start so to speak. We drafted Ford to end up the lead back....the time is here. No doubt it will take several games to gain the confidence...then we find out. As you said, the Titans are as good against the run as we are, the raves are tough, and so are the Niners. I could take a while, then we find out if he is the guy or not.

Thank you. I was going to say something similar.

Watson looked real good. The big reason was he played out of the gun a high percentage of the time. That is his comfort level. This may not be popular around here, but Watson will probably play better without Chubb as the back. Chubb and Watson don't play compatible football. Chubb likes his QB under center and Watson likes the gun.

Ford is the lead back and should be. He played well.

Not only that, free agency was different back then. Teams could protect maybe 35 players. You didn't have as manytop players changing teams which also lead to continuity. Back then I weighed a lot less, hadn't lost hair, and felt pretty good. But, that was back then...lol

Just a few thoughts on the above posts. First, i think you blow way out of proportion exactly what Depo might have to do with the gameplan. I don't think Depo sits there with a red pen like a teacher crossing out this, this, and this and telling them to insert this, this, and this. Plus, reporting to them on Friday is way late to change a game plan since the plan has already been communicated and practiced by the team. Art Howe? I am sure there was resistance. That was what, 25-30 years ago? It was a new concept then. He was an old time baseball guy. I am not sure using Art Howe is some sort of proof since every team uses the analytic process today and Art Howes method as been buried for 15 or so years now. This isn't a dig at anybody, so don't take my comment personal, but I think we have a lot of posters stuck in the past and they aren't paying attention to what is happening in sports across the board. On another board i got ripped maybe 15-20 years ago when I said the NFL was headed to a spread type RPO system. My proof was for people to go to any HS football game and that is all teams were running. In turn the colleges had to do that. In the end, the NFL was going to have to change. Well, here we are. Look at the QB's of today v the QB's of 10 years ago. The change has happened. JMO

And McGahee's was while still in college...bowl game. Nick has already had a serious injury to that knee. I don't know how many times you can repair a knee, but it can't be unlimited. Next year is Nicks last year on the contact. If he is medically clear we can cut him or play him. If not, we can IR him for the year and pay him around $12 mil or try to work out an injury settlement and release him. Either way, I seriously doubt Nick plays for the Browns again. Maybe not for anybody. I was going to say probably, but didn't want to do that. As for Watson, no doubt it is best if he starts playing like a top 10 QB. If not, we took a shot and it didn't work out. I wouldn't say it was a bad bet when we made it. People may not have liked us signing him, but nobody can seriously say they ever doubted his skill level based on what he had done in the NFL before. I do know that if we fire Berry or Stefanski, I doubt I renew my season tickets. I might if we keep Schwartz and bring in a full spread O type coordinator. Watson played it well at Clemson and in Houston. If that is all he can play well, then we need to play him in that.

I don't disagree, but just like Sanders, Chubb isn't playing football this season. But no doubt that sanders had a lot of 1-2 yard carries. You just had to keep handing him the ball, waiting for that 60 yard run.

He very well might. Ford might do the same. Nobody knows at this point. Heck, both might end up sucking ass.

I like Hunt as well, but he did lose a step last season. He is good, but isn't going to carry a team. I agree with something you said. Browns fans are pretty good and not wanting to be impressed. lol The reality is Chubb is done for this year for sure, and there is a good chance for good. He is like Joe Thomas, you aren't going to replace the guy. As fans, we have to move on and accept whatever the replacement can give because for many, no matter what the player brings it just isn't going to be good enough.

We might have cap problems, but we clear space this go around. We will probably jettison Amari after this season. We do have to hope at least one of Tillman or Moore balls out. Wo do have a few vets like Bitonio we probably aren't going to extend any. But at any rate, the loss of 1st rounders may start to hurt over the next few seasons. Those are the guys that by year 3-4 have turned in to very good players. On the flip side, berry has done a pretty good job with the 2nd through 4th round to get at least pretty good players, but it will be a good thing to start getting 1st rounders again after this next draft. The key is that Watson gets his mojo back and starts playing. If that doesn't happen, then we have problems because we are back to looking for a QB unless the rookie isn't just a mirage and actually turns in to a real deal player. That said, we won't even think about moving from Watson for another 2 years.

I am not comparing the two, rather simply to point out you can't take away runs. If you took away long runs from Barry Sanders, he would be a pretty average back.

I think the team is going to ride Ford as the #1 unless he shows he isn't. Either way, I could see a fairly even split in carries.

Yep, I think Moore had another whopping 35 yard game. Something isn't working. It seems all of the passes head to the boundary. I don't know if that is by design or if Watson just won't throw over the middle. It's only 2 games in to the season, so I am not going to start pointing fingers, but I will say that something in the passing game just isn't clicking, and they better figure it out, especially since Chubb is out for the season, if not forever.

That was the knee blown out in college. He's done, and not just for the season.

Yep. A total zilch. Thew QB played poorly and Moore...36 yards....maybe coaching, i don't know.

I agree. I think we probably should, but back to your original question, I am hard pressed to name a game we don't need to win. Two wins is the start of a streak. Then we have a chance to win 3 in a row. Good teams consistently stack 2-3 wins over the course of the season. If we dick around and win one, lose one, that isn't going to do anything.

Think what you want. Bubble screen all you want. I'd rather see the pass moving more than a yard past the LOS. I think Moore gained around 40 yards and 1 went for 30 or so yards. That isn't all that great IMO, but it is a start. Lets see more from Moore, and i am not blaming him..

Indeed. If not, we get a longer look at our receivers of next year. I think both Tillman and Moore will get lot's of looks. I want to see Moore played more as an actual receiver and not so much as the Schwartz, gadget guy replacement. Screw the gadget crap. You can't live on that. I want to see him going out on pattens and catching passes, and not just quick bubble screens. You can't live on YAC either.

Baker looked good yesterday. I got the Sunday ticket and ended up watching much of the Buc's game. I have always been a Bucs fan of sorts. My parents retired to the area and my Dad bought season tickets for their 1st season and held them many years. I always went to the Browns game when they played in Tampa. I also went to many non-Browns games. I don't know if it is so much about the receivers as much as it is about Baker. I think he has matured and possibly been humbled a bit. He finally understands that he doesn't need to be "the guy" He just needs to move the team down the field. If he was still in Cleveland, it still wouldn't be working out for him. He would still be trying to be "the guy" and the fans would still be expecting him to be that. I think he has finally settled in to a place where he can be comfortable.