Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
I had to rewatch because I was distracted in the 2nd half for a birthday, plus I needed to cool off. What a remarkable game. At any point in the game, just don't look at the scoreboard, and it honestly feels like we're stomping the shit out of them.
-Obligatory fuck the refs. Won't harp because the whole world saw it and the game still counts. Unbelievably frustrating.
-That aside, we lost this game due to turnovers. And people (not here) don't seem to understand that a turnover is the most valuable thing in the game. It's worth more than a TD. We gave them the ball in our territory 4 times (42, 36, 26, and a straight TD). Final sack was whatever at that point.
-Minshew was responsible for two. One bad pass in the 3rd with other options. And the first sack-fumble, he doesn't eat the ball as he's going down, he tries to get rid of it. Just protect it.
-That ^^ doesn't excuse Raimann from the first sack. He got absolutely annihilated on that rep by Garret. Just don't turn a sack into a catastrophe, Minshew.
-The sack-fumble TD actually looks like it was designed to be a triple-team on Garrett. TE chip, Fries passes to Kelly and works back towards Freeland, and Freeland is just absolutely lost. Hard to even say he got beat because he was so lost. Minshew did the fade-away thing he does and has no idea he's about to die.
-Nothing you can do about Garrett blocking that FG. Holy fucking shit, what a play.
-Offense looked pretty damn good minus the TO's (though only 2 were preventable). Run game was the focus, 18 rushes a piece for the backs, and JT showed up as a receiver. Great catch, too. Even Minshew got some runs. 40 rushes is way better than 55 passes for this team.
-Downs looks great. People keep comparing to Hilton, which I get. He strikes me as more of a Manning-era receiver. I like him a lot. All three WR's were effective.
-All sacks were on the OL today, unlike some previous games. Myles Garrett looks like prime Khalil Mack and worked our young OT's. Nelson got worked for a sack as well.
-Thing is... if we simply take the sack and don't fumble in our territory, there's a good chance this is a blowout. They gave up these splash plays, but it Minshew wasn't under constant duress. And the run-blocking was good. But that's the value of turnovers.
-Defense was actually pretty good outside of...
(1)The opening TD run: Jones was lost and didn't fill, Thomas was way too shallow and had a poor angle, and Leonard possibly had a shot but didn't take it. Pew! Goodbye.
(2)The final drive was super soft. PJ Walker made a clutch 30yd throw, then we left the middle WIDE open. Then the flag and the flag. Poor Baker had a nightmare final drive.
-Weird to say after 39 points, but the defense was kind of kicking their ass. The stats backup the eyeball test. Stats thread will be interesting this week.
-Aside from that opening run, CLE wasn't moving the ball.
-Franklin is amazing with his intensity and production.
-Kenny Moore was really good.
-Leonard is looking incrementally better. Still nowhere near $20m good without the TO's.
-I don't criticize Steichen for being aggressive. It wasn't the calls, it was the execution. If our rookie backup OT gives Garrett ANYTHING more than a pat on the back, Minshew releases that ball.
Sucks, but I said the same thing about Reich when he was aggressive and our players got beat. Don't coach scared and against your nature. Players have to make the plays. Thankfully, most mistakes are coming from our very young players who will learn and be better for it with their immense talent.
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