Browns Joe Haden on Michael Lombardi criticism, “People make mistakes!”
January 18, 2013While We’re Waiting… Ray Horton, Buckeyes in East Lansing, And Eastern Conference All-Star Reserves
January 19, 2013The off-season drum continues to beat on for the Browns. Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the Cleveland Browns might have gotten Ray Horton as their new defensive coordinator.
Former Cardinals DC Ray Horton expected to become Browns new DC. And as @MikeSilver reported, Todd Bowles expected to become DC in Arizona.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2013
And so ends the saga of Dick Jauron and if he would be retained in Cleveland. But another saga that many Browns fans had been fearing starts again. According to Jeff Schudel Ray Horton coaches the 3-4.
#Browns Ray Horton would be a perfect D.C. fit for the Browns. He was successful in Az. and coaches the 3-4. Browns already interviewed him.
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) January 18, 2013
So who knows what that means for the Cleveland Browns and their abundance of defensive linemen. The biggest question of all is for someone like Jabaal Sheard who might soon have us bemoaning the miscasting of Kamerion Wimbley in the 3-4 as a linebacker as opposed to a 4-3 defensive end.
[Related: A new coaching staff could mean a change to a 3-4 defense. Are the Browns ready for that?]
33 Comments
And now it’s troof. Good hire, but only if he can adapt his defense to our current personnel. If we go through another forced 3-4 conversion without having the right players to do it, I’m going to get a rubber hose out…
Make sure to aim that hose at Lombardi if he makes some poor drafting decisions.
I’ve got another hose ready for him if he thinks he’s going to sell Browns fans on another 2-year rebuild or something. He needs to put the kind of players on the field who can win next season or the hose is coming for him.
The hell with it. Let’s just run a 5-2.
I heard what really sold Banner on Horton was the 58-0 loss to Seattle. Hopefully our personnel can fit the scheme used in that game.
If it weren’t for the Lombardi hire I’d be super-stoked. Turner and Horton are damn good hires and shows Chud may know a thing or two about leadership and production after all. Hope Banner and Dumbardi — er, Lombardi — listen to him about on-the-field talent …
I think by then the Cardinals packed it in. Plus, it’s not like the rest of the league caught up with the Seahawks (it was just last-team-with-the-ball-wins in ATL last weekend) …
I like Horton and think he can do a good job, but the 3-4 with our personnel? By the time we get a new system working with the “right” guys, he will be gone long with the rest and the rebuilding restarts as it has the past 13 seasons.
we just hired one a guy who is considered the best young DC in the NFL. I can be nothing but happy with that hire (ummm, pending it becoming official).
Horton’s defenses were fantastic and like Chud he has shown a propensity to adapt to his personnel. Daryl Washington better at rushing than covering from the ILB slot? No problem, let’s get some X-stunts and he’s on a 9sack year.
One of the big concerns with Chip is if he could hire a solid NFL staff. We’ll see what he does in Philly. But, Chud is proving that he can and will hire a very good one (w/ Norv as OC and Horton as DC).
Hybrid, aggressive defense. That is Horton’s game. I’m fully confident that he can make the most of our current roster (though I do suspect we’ll try to trade Sheard for a true 3-4 OLB – Maybe Zona switches to a 4-3 since that is Bowles base? If so, even better to get Horton as we might get some of their castoffs – and they have good defensive players there).
AZ had the 6th overall defensive efficiency in 2012 despite what happened at the end of the season:
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamdef
They “fell” to 2nd overall in pass defense after being best most of the season (again, this is efficiency).
Rush defense they were only 16th, which is part of the gamble you take with his aggressive style.
Browns rank:
20th in pass defense
18th in rush defense
22nd overall defense
while facing the 17th toughest slate of offenses.
think Horton is convincing his ex-players to ask for a trade? they wouldn’t for the best of the best, but maybe Kerry Rhodes asks to be released? Adrian Wilson? Sam Acho? Heck, even Groves?
i mean, they aren’t releasing Campbell, Dockett, Peterson, Washington. but, maybe Sheard for Acho & Groves?
Yea I agree Haslam appears to be completely undoing anything the previous regime created. Lets see what happens with Weeden and the QB position.
?? who has hired a better set of coaches thus far?
I am extremely skeptical about Lombardi. Hopefully, the personnel guys we have are the ones that really matter. We’ll find out soon enough.
But, I am just as confident about this coaching staff they are assembling.
I like the addition of Horton. Chud adding two very solid coordinators is a huge thing but it will be interesting to see how these coaches effect the personnel decisions made, which, puts Lombardi in a very important role. I don’t think this is a big positive though and that’s a huge potential problem.
I think it’s clear the new Browns are completely undoing what the previous regime created. For that reason it’ll be real interesting to see how long Chud’s “process” takes and what happens at the QB position.
Very much agreed I pretty much echoed your sentiment below.
I’m skeptical on Chud but if he is going to be a game manager/over seer and lets his coordinators do their jobs then I’ll feel better. Time will tell, the proof will be in the pudding, one game at a time.
Lombardi’s hiring makes everyone pause it seems like you said we’ll find out soon enough. Maybe he’ll just be another voice in the crowd if so lets hope the trimumverant of Chud-Turner-Horton have the loudest voices. Stick Banner in a closest with his calculator, payroll and rest and put Lombardi at the very end of the table preferably away from the Big Slim Jim!
I’m going to post this again because last time I got a lot of “likes” but no answers. Mobile format, why are tweets cut in half? Don’t even read articles with these anymore. Any way to fix??
Turn your iPhone sideways. Don’t have an iPhone? Go buy an iPhone. Then turn it sideways. That’s all I’ve got. But it works.
Iphone. Sideways turn = 3/4 tweets viewable. Enlightenment?
Hmm. Works for me. Go get the 5? That’s all I’ve got.
I have the same problem. Equally frustrated
2 more weeks and my contracts up. Now I have a new reason to be excited. Full tweets!!
Worth every penny!
Crossing my fingers for Jarvis Jones to fall to #6. The guys an animal, and he would fill our biggest need. If Sheard can play OLB in a 3-4 (which a lot of people thought he might do best after leaving PITT), then I think we would be in decent shape. I love our Coordinators.
Or the same defense that confused Brady for 3 1/2 quarters in an Arizona upset in Foxboro this year. Want to try again? Can’t make judgments on one game.
Our personnel? Really? Phil Taylor PLAYED nose tackle in college. Rubin can swing from nose to end in this system. Winn and Hughes are better suited as 3-4 ends than 4-3 tackles. DQJ at ILB, Sheard stands up at 3-4 rush OLB, and we draft another 3-4 OLB to rush the passer of which there are plenty In this draft (Moore, Jones, Mingo, etc.). We have holes at LB in a 4-3 or 3-4, but we have depth AND versatility with our DL in a 3-4. We can go Taylor, Rubin, Winn or Winn, Taylor, Hughes, etc.
It is NOT a complete overhaul as some may think. Winn, Hughes, and Taylor will THRIVE in Hortons scheme.
And the circus music in the background continues…
Hi new guy, my comments in other articles would tell you that I know that our D-Line would be great in the 3-4. It’s the linebackers I worry about. I don’t think Sheard can play OLB as you do… you don’t just have a rush LB in the 3-4, the OLB has to be able to cover and make plays in space as well. If Horton goes more with hybrid schemes then I’m fine, and it looks like that’s what he’s going to do.
They also faced a ton for great running offenses… SF twice, Seattle twice, Vikings, Buffalo, and New England all finished top ten,and they played several more in the top half of the league.
Hahaha that new kid is gunna get beat up. Pats gunna drink your milkshake kid
F’real Jaker!
http://www.freal.com/product/milkshakes
I bet you’re right… his players really liked him from what I hear through the grapevine and other flora. I could go for an Adrian Wilson or a Kerry Rhodes.