Two Things That Bode Well for Baker

[The Gipper]

Here are a couple of things that I think may bode well for Baker:

1. Sunday vs. Buffalo, he is playing against another of the 2018 class of first round draft pick QBs:   Baker,  Darnold, Rosen, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson.   Correct me if I am wrong, but I think his record against these guys so far is very good.   I think the only loss he has suffered to one of them was the close loss on the road in the final game of last year vs.  Baltimore.  But then earlier this year he avenged that loss big time when he faced Jackson again.   So, I think facing his "classmates" is a big time motivating factor for him to prove that he indeed is the best of that lot.

 

2. Then, on Thursday vs. Pittsburgh he will be facing off against  his old college rival from Oklahoma State,  Mason/Maya Rudolph.  There is NO way on God's Green Earth that Baker would accept losing that game to that guy, given their history.    Now, if I recall, he had a couple of major shootouts with him in college:   first a 38-20 win in their junior years,   then in their senior years, the score was 62-52.  Baker's OK team won both games.   But lets also face this:  this was a Big 12 matchup, meaning that defense is just a rumor.     The Pittsburgh/Cleveland game will feature much better defenses, fair to say.

Bottom Line:  Major motivating factors for Baker in both of these games. And he of course is not beyond using these factors for inspiration.  Part of the chip on his shoulder.   Let's hope that that factor can help him overcome whatever malaise has been going on with him. 

[The Gipper]

Sorry, but I have to revive this thread, because I think all of you are completely ignoring this as a factor, and it appears  you should not be. 

Last year, Baker head to head with his 2018 QB  classmates was 2-1....beating Darnold, beating Jackson, losing, barely to Jackson.   This year he is 3-0 beating Jackson and Darnold again, and now beating Josh Allen.     So, he is now 5-1 against other 2018 first round QBs.  All the Browns win this year  in fact have come against those guys. 

And now he faces Rudolph....who fits the category as a 2018 draftee...though not first round....plus there is that  college rivalry thing.  Double whammy.   Maya Rudolph is protected by a very good OL....and quite frankly, I think the Browns pass rush has not been up to expectations this year...but they have to get their effing heads out of their asses and put beaucoup pressure on that pimp.   And Baker has to find a way to get out of his doldrums  

(though..unfortunately ...the biggest disparity in this upcoming game is between the HCs.  Tomlin is far more accomplished, and by all indices, better than Freddie by a wide, wide margin.  This team has to overcome that disparity, the way they did against the Ravens earlier where Freddie faced a clearly much better coach in Harbaugh.   THAT is my biggest concern. 

[nickers]

Baker is looking more like the Baker the last couple of games.. That to me is encouraging...

[ATOM]

34 minutes ago, nickers said:

Baker is looking more like the Baker the last couple of games.. That to me is encouraging...

bro it is looking better 

i mean fuck ya lets kill shitsburgh thursday

[SdBacker80]

I thought of this too while watching Rudolph tonight. Baker should have extra motivation. But it will be Baker Vs. A pretty dang good - a very disciplined Steeler D.

the Browns will need to roll the pocket vs. this Steeler team preferably away from Watt he scares the $@@ outta me with our two Bookends.  We are starting to see Kitchens get back to rolling the pocket.

We also need to deploy Hunt on screens early and often right over that Steeler blitz.   We can hurt their d here.

And we can always pick on Joe H.  He can’t catch either so we can take some chances there.  If he gets singled up on anyone I’d go after him.

And I don’t see a way where Chubb goes off on the Steeler D his running will be to keep their Defense honest and set up a deep playaction shot- which we need to get back too.  We will need to stretch the field and make the Steelers cover more than the first 10 yards.

[nickers]

3 hours ago, SdBacker80 said:

I thought of this too while watching Rudolph tonight. Baker should have extra motivation. But it will be Baker Vs. A pretty dang good - a very disciplined Steeler D.

the Browns will need to roll the pocket vs. this Steeler team preferably away from Watt he scares the $@@ outta me with our two Bookends.  We are starting to see Kitchens get back to rolling the pocket.

We also need to deploy Hunt on screens early and often right over that Steeler blitz.   We can hurt their d here.

And we can always pick on Joe H.  He can’t catch either so we can take some chances there.  If he gets singled up on anyone I’d go after him.

And I don’t see a way where Chubb goes off on the Steeler D his running will be to keep their Defense honest and set up a deep playaction shot- which we need to get back too.  We will need to stretch the field and make the Steelers cover more than the first 10 yards.

Watt looks like he's on a steady diet of ROID's