Week 13: CLE @ TN... "there's thirteen hundred and fifty two Guitar pickers in Nashville"

[SdBacker80]

3 minutes ago, Tour2ma said:

No PS reports as yet.

Injury-wise of course there is the news that Harrison is headed to IR and our newly signed Safety, Thompson, is "out" this week due to Covid protocol which requires newly signed players to isolate a week and then test negative before physically joining the team.

I look at the Thompson move as an Advanced scouting move to study the Chiefs offense when we battle them in AFC Championship game 

[Tour2ma]

14 minutes ago, SdBacker80 said:

I look at the Thompson move as an Advanced scouting move to study the Chiefs offense when we battle them in AFC Championship game 

One thing for sure... yours is the most optimistic thought I've quoted in a long time...

[hx214]

This defense vs Henry. 

This is going to be a frustrating game to watch (Like the Raiders game....)

[Bob806]

On 11/30/2020 at 12:01 PM, TexasAg1969 said:

 This is not going to be pretty.

Nothing is ever easy or pretty with our Browns. The Titans are tough indeed. 

I'm looking forward to this one. 

[Icecube]

On 11/30/2020 at 5:05 PM, Tour2ma said:

This game will be won or lost in the trenches. Whichever OL is able to impose its will to the greatest degree wins.

The way to stop... or at least slow.... Henry is to bottle him up and not let him reach the 2nd level with a head of steam. He needs a hole to be where it is supposed to be. Stuff him early and often and get a lead, then we effectively take him out of the game. And that tees up our now bookend DEs...

Easier said than done? Absolutely... both Titan OGs are having good years so Ogun and Richardson are going to have to be at their best to disrupt and keep our LBs clean. But if we can shift the burden to Tannehill, then we have favorable matchups on the edges and Tannehill is affected by pressure. He needs to be because Brown and Davis scare me going against our 2ndary.

 

A little stat look-see...

Titan Offense ranks:

• 6th in scoring offense averaging 29.5 ppg.
• 3rd in rushing averaging 158.2 ypg and T-5th in YPC (4.9)
• 22nd in passing averaging 227.5 ypg and 7th in YPA (7.4).

Titan D...

• 20th in scoring D allowing 25.9 ppg.
• 16th in rush D allowing 115.5 ypg and 4.3 ypc (16th best).
• 28th in pass D allowing 268.5 ypg and 6.7 ypa (T-14th).

 

We can do this...

 

The spread is TN -5.5...seems high to me. We all know TN's strength: Henry rushing and a few balls to Brown, who is almost as much of a bitch to tackle as Henry is. On paper, it looks like TN is tailor made to run it down Browns' throat; last week they looked as bad as their rush D ranking.

But, TN's rushing D is middling itself, coming in at 16th. With the way Chubb and Hunt are hitting it, that should be a real concern. And their passing D is near the bottom of the league. Landry could have another big day. I see this as a dogfight. Browns are 4-1 in their last 5. They have found their way to understanding what it takes to win, they have steadied the ship and Stef has to be given credit for it.   

[ATOM]

there were fifteen million fingers

learning how to play

and you could hear the fingers picking

LET THERE BE ROCK

[Dutch Oven]

This game is a huge test for the Browns. 

How will they match up against a top level AFC opponent? It did not go well in the two previous attempts, vs Baltimore and Pittsburgh. 

 

[D Bone]

8 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

Second, am I mistaken in thinking this is our first instance of supplying billboard fodder to an opponent?

First that I can remember, and I guess that's the silver lining... we are finally relevant and actually on other people's minds for once.

But still guys, just let the scoreboard do all the talking. 

[TexasAg1969]

18 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

No PS reports as yet.

Injury-wise of course there is the news that Harrison is headed to IR and our newly signed Safety, Thompson, is "out" this week due to Covid protocol which requires newly signed players to isolate a week and then test negative before physically joining the team.

Anyone else kind of looking forward to Sendejo trying to take on Henry one on one? I can see 3 possible outcomes. 1. Sendejo whimpers and "misses" completely  2. Henry stiff arms him face first into the gound as he passes by at 22 mph    3. Sendejo is knocked silly by a knee to the head as he tries to go low  It's kind of funny in a macabre sort of way.😱🤕

[SdBacker80]

1 hour ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Anyone else kind of looking forward to Sendejo trying to take on Henry one on one? I can see 3 possible outcomes. 1. Sendejo whimpers and "misses" completely  2. Henry stiff arms him face first into the gound as he passes by at 22 mph    3. Sendejo is knocked silly by a knee to the head as he tries to go low  It's kind of funny in a macabre sort of way.😱🤕

After his best game in probably two years I’m going to be positive you know The Multiple pass breakups and his blood shed on the field. 

I’ll add The fourth option though he sprints into the camera shot as if he were part of the play and celebrates one his teammates tackle after a five yard gain. 

[ATOM]

best bet henry gets covid

[Tour2ma]

Our facility is shut down again after a staffer tested positive...

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/browns-shut-down-facility-staff-member-test-positive-covid-19

[browns52]

On 11/30/2020 at 1:02 PM, nickers said:

This could be a trap game for the TIT's

i don't think so....it appears they went thru their bad streak and are on top of their game now....bad time to be playing them.....would be great to pull it off but i am not counting on it....

[jiggins7919]

I think what irritates me about this game is that I'd REALLY like our chances to win if we had our full compliment of players. Obviously I understand that no team this time of year has everyone healthy, but we don't have our top WR, top corner, top linebacker (such as he is), top safety (ugh, I miss Harrison), and lord knows who else on defense. We simply don't have the horses right now to stop Derrick Henry or their efficient passing attack. It's basically like playing a slightly better version of us. We're essentially the Diet Titans. 

All hope isn't lost, as we are getting our game-wrecker back in Myles Garrett. Unfortunately that's about all the good news I have for you. Tennessee's offense is extremely similar to ours, and Henry looks absolutely unstoppable. Last week against the Colts, the Titans were the vastly superior team and were way more physical. Go back and just watch the highlights and you'll see the amazing blocking and physicality of the Titans. 

We don't have any linebackers. I'm not kidding. You may not know this, but we actually still trot out Mack Wilson every Sunday. He's so completely bad, that he tied Ronnie Harrison in total tackles last week. Yes, Harrison was injured on the very first play of the game, and yes, Mack Wilson only had 1 tackle. I repeat, Mack Wilson had 1 tackle against the Jags and I can't believe he's on our roster. I was hoping Wilson would be on the injury report with a sprained vagina, but so far he's still a go. 

So how do we win? Well, we'd need a defensive TD or special teams score. Unfortunately Peoples-Jones is still holding the ball like a loaf of bread and he will fumble unless it's corrected. The bad news is that the Titans don't turn it over. Like, hardly ever. Our best bet is for Myles to do something super human and strip the ball. We should also be encouraged by the play of Vernon, who was practically the only guy on defense worth a damn last week. 

Back to winning. We'll need to play ball control, finish with touchdowns, and avoid turnovers. The pressure will be on because the game could literally be over with one 3 and out. Sounds silly, but I don't see us forcing too many punts. Our defense has literally had multiple games without forcing a punt and we could see another one. The offense will have to win this game because the defense simply isn't there. 

[Tour2ma]

 

First practice reports are up.

We're looking a little better than the Titans.

[Tour2ma]

And the corresponding Injury reports...

Pretty much tell the same story as the Practice reports did except in the case of Adam Humphries who was FP while listed as "Out". Could just be part of the final steps of concussion protocol where players are reassessed immediately after workouts of varying intensities. Also worth noting that Ward is listed as Out despite some hope of him playing.

[The Gipper]

1 hour ago, jiggins7919 said:

I think what irritates me about this game is that I'd REALLY like our chances to win if we had our full compliment of players. Obviously I understand that no team this time of year has everyone healthy, but we don't have our top WR, top corner, top linebacker (such as he is), top safety (ugh, I miss Harrison), and lord knows who else on defense. We simply don't have the horses right now to stop Derrick Henry or their efficient passing attack. It's basically like playing a slightly better version of us. We're essentially the Diet Titans. 

All hope isn't lost, as we are getting our game-wrecker back in Myles Garrett. Unfortunately that's about all the good news I have for you. Tennessee's offense is extremely similar to ours, and Henry looks absolutely unstoppable. Last week against the Colts, the Titans were the vastly superior team and were way more physical. Go back and just watch the highlights and you'll see the amazing blocking and physicality of the Titans. 

We don't have any linebackers. I'm not kidding. You may not know this, but we actually still trot out Mack Wilson every Sunday. He's so completely bad, that he tied Ronnie Harrison in total tackles last week. Yes, Harrison was injured on the very first play of the game, and yes, Mack Wilson only had 1 tackle. I repeat, Mack Wilson had 1 tackle against the Jags and I can't believe he's on our roster. I was hoping Wilson would be on the injury report with a sprained vagina, but so far he's still a go. 

So how do we win? Well, we'd need a defensive TD or special teams score. Unfortunately Peoples-Jones is still holding the ball like a loaf of bread and he will fumble unless it's corrected. The bad news is that the Titans don't turn it over. Like, hardly ever. Our best bet is for Myles to do something super human and strip the ball. We should also be encouraged by the play of Vernon, who was practically the only guy on defense worth a damn last week. 

Back to winning. We'll need to play ball control, finish with touchdowns, and avoid turnovers. The pressure will be on because the game could literally be over with one 3 and out. Sounds silly, but I don't see us forcing too many punts. Our defense has literally had multiple games without forcing a punt and we could see another one. The offense will have to win this game because the defense simply isn't there. 

Go back to the first game of last year where they manhandled the Browns.  While I think we are better now, I don't know that we have made up that gap. 

[SdBacker80]

40 minutes ago, The Gipper said:

Go back to the first game of last year where they manhandled the Browns.  While I think we are better now, I don't know that we have made up that gap. 

Browns had 18 penalties and -3 turnover differential that game.  It is Hard to take anything away from that game with how sloppy they were.  In the midst of all that It was 2 point game in the 3rd quarter.

 

[gumby73]

7 hours ago, The Gipper said:

Go back to the first game of last year where they manhandled the Browns.  While I think we are better now, I don't know that we have made up that gap. 

Here's a few..

1) Coaching change== we won't see 18 flags on a Stef coached team

2) I like Mike Vrabel.. He's a hands on coach, teaching pro game technique.. Tennessee has no D cord this season..Vrabel calls the defense as Dean Pea's has not been replaced from last season. Like Vrabel vs Harbaugh🥊postgame?.. Vrabel provokes his guys "to get under your skin".. Don't Bite!  on this act (Robinson)..Just Bark! back! (Bonus question? Did Gripper & Vrabel have classroom desk together in this Akron classroom?) 

3) Player personal== a) DT Jeffery Simmons is on this weeks injury report👀.. DT Jeffery Simmons was a big DNP in our last season beat down. We'd catch a break missing Jeffery Simmons again to that same knee...

b) Thank goodness we now own 2 good Tackles (ditto this at RG)..Wills & Conklin over Hubbard/Lamm/and some jailed dope dealer named Robinson.. Good grade card test for both Wills & Jack.. 

c) Former* Titans==DE Cameron Wake had 2.5 sacks.. DB Logan Ryan had 1.5 sacks & a pick.. They Gone!! Bake was sacked 5 times with 3 picks...That does not mean Vrabel forgot how to teach defense by any means...

d) Chubb & Henry could only produce roughly* 80 yards rushing on the ground last year.. Back/breaker? Henry caught a 75 yard cross field bubble pass.. that he housed for a TD.. blocked well too..

e) The Browns secondary is now a wreck, down both Ward & Harrison (AJ Brown & Corey Davis/ect/ect./TE's)... The Titans secondary is still loaded up with the same starters from last season,,But for Logan Ryan...M.Butler/Vaccaro/Byard/Adore Jackson..while adding Desmond King👀.. They Tackle or Vrabel owns a bench!

Simple solutions? avoid Scoreboard hunting points... Baker was forced to throw the ball 38 times with a QB rating of 64 🤐 ... that can't happen again in this game...

[calfoxwc]

I say, delay the game until our new safety can take the field....

 

[Unsympathetic]

Article analyzing Vernon -- Yeah, he's going nowhere next season.  

[The Gipper]

(Bonus question? Did Gipper & Vrabel have classroom desk together in this Akron classroom?) 

Well....it was Norton (which included Westside Steve in my class) not Akron  ,  and it was Vrabel's Dad  Chuck who was a teacher/football coach there.   I never had him as a teacher nor did I play football....so to be honest, I never really interacted with the man.  He later went on to be a school principal at like Buckeye HS perhaps. 

If you had wanted to share a classroom desk with Mike Vrabel you would have had to have attended Walsh Jesuit HS in Cuyahoga Falls. 

[The Gipper]

But for Logan Ryan...M.Butler/Vaccaro/Byard/Adore Jackson

I saw on one of Tour's injury listings that Adoree Jackson is listed as out for this game. 

[jiggins7919]

You guys wrote some excellent stuff. Like I was saying, if we were healthier, I'd really like our chances. But our secondary is absolutely buggered and losing freaking Harrison on the first damn play against Jax was almost unbelievable. Other than Myles, that was the ONE injury on defense we just couldn't have. Last game Mike Glennon looked like effing Joe Montana and we just about lost that game. I told everyone for days on end how much I HATE playing Jacksonville, and for whatever reason, it's always a shit fest. 

Obviously Myles Garrett will help, but our secondary really had trouble stopping Mike Glennon. Tavierre Thomas will be in the game, and that means he will have 20 tackles because he gives a 9 yard cushion. Tannehill is REALLY having a fine year and looks like what Baker WILL look like in the future. Tannehill is an excellent example of what a QB can be when he's in the right system and playing for a good system. He's great off play-action, and he's got more wheels than Baker so he'll burn you on those boots if you don't get there. Our offenses are very similar, but unfortunately they have their studs at WR, and ours blew out his knee. 

I honestly don't think we're going to force a punt. We've seen it before, and we can see it again. We need to win by sustaining long drives ending with 7, getting at least one turnover, hopefully 2, and somehow get them to settle for a FG or two. Additionally, the Titans are a proud and chesty team. Perhaps our best chance at a turnover could be when they go for it on 4th down. They feel like they can get a yard every time. Our defense has been atrocious on 4th down, but if we somehow make a play or two on 4th, we can alter the game. I'm telling you, there will be a 4th or two, and someone needs to make a play. 

The Titans aren't a stellar defensive team right now. They're physical and good, but not great. This will be a similar defense to the Colts and I wouldn't expect our running game to be successful at FIRST. The Titans are abysmal on 3rd down to the tune of 53%. That's awful. We can sustain drives, and that will literally be the key to winning the game. We play defense by having their offense on the sideline. 

We need to come out razor sharp on offense. No drops, penalties, or any bullcrap. We get down 14 points early and that will be that. We get a lead and make them throw late...well...Mr.Garrett cometh. Unfortunately, we're too banged up for me to predict a victory. 

Titans - 33

Browns - 19

[SdBacker80]

2 hours ago, jiggins7919 said:

You guys wrote some excellent stuff. Like I was saying, if we were healthier, I'd really like our chances. But our secondary is absolutely buggered and losing freaking Harrison on the first damn play against Jax was almost unbelievable. Other than Myles, that was the ONE injury on defense we just couldn't have. Last game Mike Glennon looked like effing Joe Montana and we just about lost that game. I told everyone for days on end how much I HATE playing Jacksonville, and for whatever reason, it's always a shit fest. 

Obviously Myles Garrett will help, but our secondary really had trouble stopping Mike Glennon. Tavierre Thomas will be in the game, and that means he will have 20 tackles because he gives a 9 yard cushion. Tannehill is REALLY having a fine year and looks like what Baker WILL look like in the future. Tannehill is an excellent example of what a QB can be when he's in the right system and playing for a good system. He's great off play-action, and he's got more wheels than Baker so he'll burn you on those boots if you don't get there. Our offenses are very similar, but unfortunately they have their studs at WR, and ours blew out his knee. 

I honestly don't think we're going to force a punt. We've seen it before, and we can see it again. We need to win by sustaining long drives ending with 7, getting at least one turnover, hopefully 2, and somehow get them to settle for a FG or two. Additionally, the Titans are a proud and chesty team. Perhaps our best chance at a turnover could be when they go for it on 4th down. They feel like they can get a yard every time. Our defense has been atrocious on 4th down, but if we somehow make a play or two on 4th, we can alter the game. I'm telling you, there will be a 4th or two, and someone needs to make a play. 

The Titans aren't a stellar defensive team right now. They're physical and good, but not great. This will be a similar defense to the Colts and I wouldn't expect our running game to be successful at FIRST. The Titans are abysmal on 3rd down to the tune of 53%. That's awful. We can sustain drives, and that will literally be the key to winning the game. We play defense by having their offense on the sideline. 

We need to come out razor sharp on offense. No drops, penalties, or any bullcrap. We get down 14 points early and that will be that. We get a lead and make them throw late...well...Mr.Garrett cometh. Unfortunately, we're too banged up for me to predict a victory. 

Titans - 33

Browns - 19

We could use Titan turnovers and penalties in this one. Sort of what we gave them last year.
 

We need to pressure on obvious pass downs. Plain and Simple the Woods game plan last week was terrible.  He decided to blitz four guys all game thinking the extra men would communicate and pick up WRs in zone scheme.  On plays where it was man coverage they had crossers 30 yards downfield- that doesn’t happen when the blitz is coming.   It didn’t work but he kept going to that well.  It got to a point where Adam Archuleta called him out.  Basically  come on dude change it up.  Yeah Mike Glennon leftover turkey eating while he scans the field for wide open men. Can Woods see that Joseph not the best roaming the field in coverage?  We know they are blind to Sendejo - who actually made a couple big plays. 
 

You protect this awful secondary the best by limiting the QBs time not dropping a couple more guys back that haven’t found the football all year.

Joe Woods I believe is a good coach I know he’s got the three blind mice as his backers but he can help... scheme...put them in better spots.

Rant over here. the defense has just sucked the joy out of me that I should have with this team. 

We aren’t out scoring anyone with this D.  You play the game where you limit their opportunities (ball control offense) knowing when they have the ball it’s probably 3 maybe 7 each time. 

what I would like to see on offense is our identity even when we are down a score or two. When we have Baker gun slinging the ball 40-45 times we are gonna have  turnovers.  I said week 1 40/30 run pass ratio.  Week 12 I still say 40/30 run pass ratio.  If there is 8 mins left and we are down 15- fine empty the backfield and let Baker sling it.  

 

[Orion]

	Rush / G	Pass / G	Run D / G	Pass D / G
Browns	161	203	108	247
Titans	158	238	116	269

 

The tale of the tape shows a pretty even game.

Both teams run the ball real well. 

Both have QB's that are asked to manage the game, utilize play action and be safe with the ball such that the running game can eventually gain control of the game.

Both teams have suspect defenses.  For us, all of our starting DB's are unavailable as well as our second string safeties.

[Tour2ma]

Today's practice reports...

Unsurprisingly Ward was again DNP and seems headed to the inactive list.

Good news in that Redwine returned to FP status. Bad news is that Hodge was added to LP list due to a hammie.

On the Titan side...

• One big name was added... AJ Brown DNP due to "Hip".
• Starting LT, Kelly, downgraded to DNP.
• Two other DNP were added due to "Illness". With Wilson added both starting OTs were DNP.
• Simmons upgraded to LP.

[Tour2ma]

And the updated injury reports...

Basically consistent with our practice report. Note that where there were 4 players listed as "Out", now there is one, Thompson, whose status is manditory under the NFL's Covid protocol.

Some hope for Hodge as he is listed as "Questionable".

And the Titans'...

[Tour2ma]

Weather is looking cold and grey (at least at kickoff), but winds are expected to be light and no rain...

[gumby73]

Crystal Clear Mountain driving roadie weather in December 👍

 

20 hours ago, The Gipper said:

(Bonus question? Did Gipper & Vrabel have classroom desk together in this Akron classroom?) 

Well....it was Norton (which included Westside Steve in my class) not Akron  ,  and it was Vrabel's Dad  Chuck who was a teacher/football coach there.   

HEY Norton!! ya See what happens when we don't Speak of Akron? ... https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2020/12/2/22062243/cleveland-browns-sign-jamal-davis-to-practice-squad Zips 🤐