Have the defenses figured out Hillis ?

[BrownIndian]

Hillis has been doing the same great things he did all year but his numbers have really been down against the Bills (i thought he would run them down ) and against the Bengals too. I think that the defenses has figured out Hillis. Hit High and Hit low and he does stagger and once help arrives he gets clamped down.

[TheClevelandSound]

No. Bad O-line play. Hillis is fine. NEXT.

[bonedawg]

Hillis has been doing the same great things he did all year but his numbers have really been down against the Bills (i thought he would run them down ) and against the Bengals too. I think that the defenses has figured out Hillis. Hit High and Hit low and he does stagger and once help arrives he gets clamped down.

 

There is not much to "figure out" with running backs. You either tackle them or you don't. What defenses did figure out is that he is really our only weapon on offense and so they key on him.

[DAWGPOUND16]

You can't figure out RB's, he's just tired because there's nobody else to help him out in the running game.

[Canton Mike]

It boils down to the fact that we have no viable deep threat or real solid group of WRs. They can literally concentrate on Hillis & pack the D to defend short & intermediate patterns without fear of getting burned deep & that's what teams will do until that position is upgraded. We also need a complimentary back to Hillis...Hopefullly, Hardesty either comes back healthy or we pick up another back. Those are my opinions.

Mike

[alporcini]

It boils down to the fact that we have no viable deep threat or real solid group of WRs. They can literally concentrate on Hillis & pack the D to defend short & intermediate patterns without fear of getting burned deep & that's what teams will do until that position is upgraded. We also need a complimentary back to Hillis...Hopefullly, Hardesty either comes back healthy or we pick up another back. Those are my opinions.

Mike

 

 

When Yates went down and St. Clair came back in that was the end of running to the right side.

[ballpeen]

When Yates went down and St. Clair came back in that was the end of running to the right side.

 

 

 

And Yates is a back-up type player.

 

 

 

This team needs to quit screwing around and get a offensive line that is good.....another player and we are there...

 

 

Bookend Thomas with the solid center we have and can get something done.

 

 

 

I don't care if you wish to run or pass, if the line isn't there, you aren't going to do either.

 

 

It's time to QUIT HOPING we have blockers and actually get some.

 

 

 

Everything works at that point.

 

[BUNSofSTEEL08]

You need more weapons. Hillis is Great.

[Gips]

You need more weapons. Hillis is Great.

Looks like your stoolers may have to do the unthinkable and hurt their future by clobbering the browns to make the playoffs if baltimore wins next week, exposing just how bad mangini and daboll suck to the world and making holmgens decision easy..

Aye we need more weapons and a coach/OC that know how to use them..

[BUNSofSTEEL08]

Looks like your stoolers may have to do the unthinkable and hurt their future by clobbering the browns to make the playoffs if baltimore wins next week, exposing just how bad mangini and daboll suck to the world..

I dont know man... Our Defense with out Troy is Beatable. No one will clobber us , but If the Offense plays the Dummied down version it has been. Any team could beat the Steelers on Any given Sunday. Especially the Browns... Who played crappy today. But Colt looked Good... Defense just couldn't get off the field. Its not a no Brainer thats all.

[rich4eagle]

Hillis has been doing the same great things he did all year but his numbers have really been down against the Bills (i thought he would run them down ) and against the Bengals too. I think that the defenses has figured out Hillis. Hit High and Hit low and he does stagger and once help arrives he gets clamped down.

 

What's to figure out he is a straight ahead runner the main offensive threat. All you have to is make sure one LB tracks him and the D knows where he is. When a team is basically devoid of threats and a straight ahead runners is the key...............stack the D against him

 

This problem will be fixed over time but we are way short on offensive skill players

[DawgTracker]

Most running backs (except someone like sanders) is SOL if the other team can hit him high and hit him low

[BROWNandORANGE]

Most running backs (except someone like sanders) is SOL if the other team can hit him high and hit him low

 

Not this man.

 

[ClevelandBigDawg]

Yupp, we need a WR and OT in this years draft to keep defenses honest. I think we need a scat back as well in round 3 or 4 to spell Hillis. We have Hardesty, but do we want to take the risk? I would rather have 3 solid RBs than 2, because if one goes down, you have no backup and Hillis will be in there all the time like he is now.

[steel88]

My Dad was sitting here watching the game with me today.

 

He says to me "I seem to remember this from somewhere." "Oh yeah, Metcalf up the middle its a play thats been in the browns playbook for years."

[Dawgstucknpa]

I dont know man... Our Defense with out Troy is Beatable. No one will clobber us , but If the Offense plays the Dummied down version it has been. Any team could beat the Steelers on Any given Sunday. Especially the Browns... Who played crappy today. But Colt looked Good... Defense just couldn't get off the field. Its not a no Brainer thats all.

 

Thank you for being honest and civil. I dont like your chances to go to the Superbowl and definitely not win without Troy. With him, you have as good a chance as any team

[calfoxwc]

No, it's true. St. Claire can't get it done. He has slow moving feet, in GOOD WEATHER. In winter? He has frozen molasses feet.

It ruins any running play to the right, and ruins pass protection. It ruins trick plays. I think that's why they quit running the wildDawg.

It's so bad, that in a critical situation today, St. Claire had a motion penalty, trying to drop back in time. It's ruining the Browns' chances

of being successful. That's the only reason I can think of, why Dabutttol kept running on first down most of the game. I think the Bengals

were laughing at the offensive playcalling today. In conclusion, bad weather makes for the Browns' RT to be even more ineffective.

 

Meanwhile, the Browns couldn't get any kind of pass rush going at all, especially when they needed to.

And the Bengals have TO, Mucho Stinko, and now Shipley and some other guy to get open. It was a little too much for Ward and Haden to cover.

Brown did make some good plays...

 

With a dominating pass rusher, and Green or Jones as a wr in the draft (I don't list Blackmon because I don't know that his character fits with

the bad dui he got suspended for) and a RT, the Browns could start dominating opponents. Right now, they have played close, low scoring games

most of the entire season. It isn't like the earlier years when you hope the Browns can keep from getting stomped by 30 or more points...

 

But, in the least, Dabol goes. I can't take it anymore. Does St. Claire's problems make him forget how to outthink a defense?

He doesn't even seem to try. Seems like, somehow, the Browns were lacking some fire today, and maybe ??? they were looking past the Bengals,

and planning to beat the dirty, stupid, ugly, rotten ratbirds, and the cheapshot, dirty, referee favored, sleazeball sleestak qb'ed squeelers who have

a dirtier cheapshotter Troy PollyGirliemanbooboo safety who makes them win somehow, unoless he's on the bench.

 

It is now time to start working on my mock draft. Maybe I might even get a pick right outside of the first round...

[miktoxic]

Looks like your stoolers may have to do the unthinkable and hurt their future by clobbering the browns to make the playoffs if baltimore wins next week, exposing just how bad mangini and daboll suck to the world and making holmgens decision easy..

Aye we need more weapons and a coach/OC that know how to use them..

 

no doubt. i agree with your take on the OC. BUT.........what kinda of tea are you drinking.....sour and sour er er? sometimes a little sugar never hurts, sugar

 

[Kosarfan]

Hillis, like Cribbs, has been id'd as one of the few go to guys, so all an opponent need do is shut them down and we're toast. This team needs depth like we need air and water.

[ClevelandFanForLife]

The problem with Hillis is that he is going to get beat up too much. The reason why ue runs so hard into people is that he doesn't have the speed to go around them. If you stack the box, you can stop him. I fear with his hard running style that he will be done in 2, 3 years max. We need to be realistic guys. I don't think he's the long term answer, even if I want him to be.

[BrownIndian]

The problem with Hillis is that he is going to get beat up too much. The reason why ue runs so hard into people is that he doesn't have the speed to go around them. If you stack the box, you can stop him. I fear with his hard running style that he will be done in 2, 3 years max. We need to be realistic guys. I don't think he's the long term answer, even if I want him to be.

 

He will last longer than 3 years if we have another good back to use in tandem and a set of good WR's to open up the holes. I can see Hillis diminishing if Daboll does not figure out good game plans that does not involve Hillis.

 

[rich4eagle]

Not this man.

 

 

THANKS FOR SHOWING ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GREATEST RUNNING BACK EVER IN THE GAME...........AND reminding me just how great he was

 

THE BEST EVER BY FAR JIM BROWN

[ballpeen]

Boy, it was great to read the replies to this thread.

 

Dude, ALL WE HAVE is Hillis.

 

To the guy who said bad O line play? Dude, get a clue. 5 men on the O-line CANNOT BLOCK 8 guys camping out and waiting for one weapon.

 

WIthout the defense having to cover other players, Hillis is a sitting duck. As the others pointed out. We have no other offensive threats. We are a one-dimensional offense.

 

The Packers used to stuff Jim Brown the same way.

 

 

 

I guess I am that dude.

 

 

St. Claire is by far the worst starting player on the O which means the guys backing him up are even worse.

 

 

A solid bookend tackle to Thomas is going to do more for the run game and passing game than is a receiver.

 

 

I assume you mean a receiver since I think our TE situation is at least NFl good.

 

 

 

I am not saying we don't need to upgrade the receiver slot.....by all means we do, but the simple fact of the matter on O is if your O line is weak, nothing else is going to preform even close to potential.

 

 

I am not even saying we need to take a RT before a receiver.....but until we do, all the receivers in the world aren't going to help very much.

 

[Buck The Frowns]

There is not much to "figure out" with running backs. You either tackle them or you don't. What defenses did figure out is that he is really our only weapon on offense and so they key on him.

Took the words out of my mouth, bonedawg. Draft a likely looking wide receiver or two in the spring and see how Hillis becomes suddenly more effective when things are spread out just a bit.

[ITHIKA]

He averaged 5.1 and 4.2 yards per carry in both games. The problem is time of possession, not converting 3rd downs which i attribute to bad play calling by Daboll and not being able to stop drives on defense. The opponents ground attack and various screen plays seem to be killing us the most.

 

Time of possession

Bengals 38:03

Browns 21:57

 

Time our defense is on the field longer over a quarter of the game.

16:06

 

Third Down Efficiency 2/8 - 25%

 

Time of possession

Bills 36:10

Browns 23:50

 

Time our defense is on the field longer almost a quarter of the game

12:20

 

Third Down Efficiency 2/10 - 20%

 

These sustained drives from the opponent and lack of third down conversions is hindering this whole team. This really has nothing to do with Hillis.

[miktoxic]

is hillis gerhardt or tommy vardell? or do rbs just fall off trees? didn't jimmy johnson say that rbs are the most replaceable players in football?

 

we need another rb to both spell hillis and to save his legs. ballpeen is so true that with a viable right side to our ol line we could be dangerous on the ground, which of course opens up the passing game.

 

any DC would be stupid not to stack the box against hillis. football 101. right now that's all we got. too bad hardesty got hurt. i hope we don't waste another draft pick (early on) next year on another guy that might last 3 years. there's only so many steven jacksons to go around. too many william greens.

[Buck The Frowns]

Not this man.

 

How true. But I have not seen a back like that in, oh, 45 years or so. Run past them or over them.

[Westside Steve]

Defenses have most likely figured Daboll out.

WSS

[ITHIKA]

Defenses have most likely figured Daboll out.

WSS

 

My point exactly. Combine that with the fact we cant stop anyones ground game and you see these ridiculous time of possessions on the last few games. Peyton is still getting his yards per carry just not his attempts.

[hoorta]

I guess I am that dude.

 

 

St. Claire is by far the worst starting player on the O which means the guys backing him up are even worse.

 

A solid bookend tackle to Thomas is going to do more for the run game and passing game than is a receiver.

 

I assume you mean a receiver since I think our TE situation is at least NFl good.

 

I am not saying we don't need to upgrade the receiver slot.....by all means we do, but the simple fact of the matter on O is if your O line is weak, nothing else is going to preform even close to potential.

 

I am not even saying we need to take a RT before a receiver.....but until we do, all the receivers in the world aren't going to help very much.

 

No doubt StClair stinks and needs to be replaced ASAP. But I think you go for the premier wr first, then address RT in the second round. Be interesting to see if the Browns go Offense or defense in the second round.