Johnny goes 7 for 11, runs for TD: “This isn’t my first rodeo”
August 14, 2015How bout them unis?
August 14, 2015The Browns finally took the field for their first preseason game of the 2015 season. The Washington Redskins visited FirstEnergy Stadium and came away with the victory, beating the Browns 20-17. The Browns took a big lead early on in the game, leading the Redskins 14-3 midway through the second quarter. But the Browns offense slowed down, while Washington was able to take advantage of the Browns backups to score 17 points to take the lead and the win. There were some good and bad things that transpired Thursday night, and some that were just plain ugly. Let’s take a look.
The Good
Josh McCown
The Browns’ starting quarterback looked good in his only drive of the game, leading the offense to an opening touchdown. On that drive, Josh McCown went 5 of 5 for 33 yards and a two-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin. It was refreshing to watch a Browns quarterback make quick decisions and use the entire field to find opportunities. McCown did what he was supposed to do, commanding the offense and getting the ball to the offensive playmakers. He was accurate, enabling receivers to make plays after the catch because of his ball placement. The offense looked its best when McCown was under center.
One of the best things I saw from McCown was his ability to get the ball out quickly. He did not hold onto the ball for a long time, except for the touchdown pass. The touchdown pass, though, showed his awareness of the entire field, as he kept his head up while scrambling to find a wide open Travis Benjamin in the back of the end zone. It was a good opening series for the seasoned veteran, who got the first team offense off to a good start in the preseason.
The Bad
The Backups
The Browns backups were tough to watch on Thursday. They struggled to stop backup quarterback Kirk Cousins on defense and had a hard time moving the ball and protecting the quarterback on offense. After most of the starters came out of the game, the level of play dropped quite a bit. When Cousins was under center, he led the Washington offense right down the field against the Browns second team defense, throwing and running as they pleased. The Browns defense was able to stay in it because of the early mistakes the Redskins made. With the way Washington was moving the ball, especially on the ground, it could have been a lot worse early on in the game.
The Browns second and third team offense was not good on Thursday. After gaining 40 yards on the first drive, the offense only had 130 total yards the rest of the way. The Browns could not get any momentum to move the ball, scoring their only other touchdown thanks to good field position off of a Redskins turnover. The Browns were short of playmakers behind the starters. The receivers were not getting open, while the running backs could not get any kind of yardage.
The worse part of the backup group might be the offensive line. The line was unable to protect the quarterback, letting the pass rush disrupt the backfield and forcing the quarterback to scramble. The running game was non-existent as the line struggled to get a push up front. The lack of the depth on the offensive line still looks to be a problem for the Browns this season.
The Ugly
Run Defense
The Browns allowed 153 yards on the ground to the not-that-impressive running game of the Washington Redskins. The Browns could not get much penetration from their defensive line (except for Danny Shelton) or linebackers. It allowed runners to bounce it outside with minimal difficulty. This then led to the biggest and the ugliest part of the game: losing contain of the runner. It didn’t matter who was in charge of setting the edge — Paul Kruger, Nate Orchard, or anyone else — the Browns edge setters lost contain way too easily. Most of this can be blamed on just being too aggressive and losing their assignment to stay home on the outside. Many times on Thursday, you would see the edge setter collapse inside leaving the outside wide open. There were also other times when the edge setter just whiffed on tackles or got stuck on blocks. It was not a pretty sight to watch the Browns defend the run.
Other Notes
- Danny Shelton had a very solid game for the Browns in his first ever NFL game. He showed his strength, pushing the center back into the backfield multiple times. He ended the game with only one tackle, but was able to stuff the middle of the line in the running game.
- Nate Orchard had a tough game. The rookie showed his weakest part of his game on Thursday, defending the run. He had multiple instances where he collapsed inside, leaving the edge wide open for the runner to bounce outside for a big gain.
- It was interesting to see Cameron Erving play for a good portion of the game. It gave him a lot of important playing time, and he showed some good and not so good things throughout the night. He definitely looks the part athletically and size-wise.
- New punter Andy Lee played extremely well, dropping four of his five punts inside the 20-yard line, including one on the three-yard line. It will be an asset to have a punter who can change field position and put the opposing team deep in its own territory.
- Justin Gilbert had an up and down game, playing quite a bit on Thursday night. He had two big mistakes in the opening quarter, losing his assignment after not being in the right coverage. But, he later showed his athleticism and skill, staying tight with receivers downfield. The X’s and O’s and the mental side of the game are still Gilbert’s biggest struggles.
20 Comments
That’s impossible, everyone at the draft said 8000 lb nose-tackle Danny Shelton would fix our run defense!
He’s an elephant with dancing bear feet! The most fearsome creature of all!!!!!
Also worth noting is the Manziel looked competent for the first time. That’s a pretty low threshold, but hey! Improvement!
Think of him as the Maginot Line. 😉
(Does this count as a Godwin’s Law infraction?)
well, he fixed the interior run defense. now, about those edges…
If we’re being totally honest, who would you rather have as your back up QB right now, the guy who actually runs the offense when McCown goes on the DL in game 5 – Johnny, or Colt McCoy? He looked better than in the Cincy game, but not necessarily much better than in last year’s preseason games. It’s just really sad that he and Gilbert wasted their rookie years.
I would put Hartline in with the good. The most precise and confident routes I’ve seen run by a Browns WR since Joe J. The dude seems to know exactly where to go and when to be there.
Also, all hail the return of the dink and dunk. I get that we have no deep threats unless the air is warm and the wind still enough for Benjamin to run through it. But aah, those couple of years watching Gordon streak down the sidelines and the safeties peaking back … I’ll kinda miss those.
also, I was really hoping that on that early bomb Gilbert had forgotten the coverage and thought he was supposed to pass Garcon off to a safety. The fact that he knew that he was single coverage and looked away … wow, with the Browns low-octane offense brainlock like that would cost them a regular season game. Better hope the starters stay healthy, because this kid still hasn’t figured out the diff between college and pro receivers.
I don’t recall interior runs being a problem before….
I’ll allow it!
Can they PLEASE cut Thad Lewis already. I want Maziel and Connor Shaw to get more reps, no need for 4 QBs, and Lewis just stinks, and he is a grandpa compared to Manziel and Shaw, no need keep an old QB around unless he is our best QB, and that would be McCown… Dump T. Lewis please.
I am so over Colt. Is he better right this very second than Manziel? Yes, probably, but not by very much. It’s splitting hairs, but the fact that Johnny is “basically a year one” QB means that he has some (albeit very slight) upside. Colt has -50 upside. I’d take Johnny simply on the fact that maybe he might get better than Colt.
At least the athleticism to be a starting NFL DB is definitely there. I think they just need to play this kid to death in the preseason and hope that he is a “learn from mistakes on the field” kind of guy instead of a “learn in the classroom” kind of guy.
unless he’s the “hey, they’re playing me so film room study is overrated just like I thought” guy. In which case quality bench time is still the answer. Possibly the only answer.
very likely true. But also true that McCown probably gets hurt this year, and that your back up helps determine the future of Pettine and Farmer. I am not saying Colt’s anyone’s starter, but he’s at least a borderline competent game manager. Johnny’s not close to that yet. He’s still learning to take yoga breaths in the pocket and trying to remember that he’s permitted to look at the other side of the field before tucking and running.
I have no idea why Thad Lewis is able to hang onto NFL rosters. To me he’s less impressive than Seneca Wallace. He must have that Ken Dorsey coach-in-waiting demeanor or something.
Harv: always love your posts. I am sure you agree, but &^%$ his coach demeanor, there is ZERO reason to give this guy snaps Manziel and Shaw need in the pre-season to develop. last year, Shaw was on the practice squad, and it is clear to everyone the Browns will most likely take just 2 QBs on the roster. Let the kids play in Pre-Season, cause if McCown stays healthy, both may not play this year, and we all know McCown is a bridge. Let Manziel and Shaw learn now!
If he survives it’s because they fear that Johnny is not close to ready. Usually there’s at least one veteran QB back up, what with NFL coaching tenures being so fragile. QBs get hurt virtually every year on this team, and that risk increases if they can’t run the ball effectively. I wouldn’t risk my coaching or GM career on Manziel/Shaw, not with this schedule.
Harv: makes sense, but geez, I would not put my career on the line for Lewis either. I don’t think Pettine is in danger, I think everyone in this organization feels this is another step a little more forward year, not a year that the team will compete for the playoffs (though that would be nice). Better to develop the right long term guys than a Thad Lewis. But I understand, injuries could plague our QB corps, and that does typically happen to us…
in games when Phil Taylor missed, they were. Rubin was not Rubin last year.
they just also are not the 40yd back-breaking outside runs when you see the OLB crashing in as the running back goes wide and your hands are on your face before he even turns the corner.