Drue Chrisman and the punt team saved the Buckeyes against Michigan State
November 12, 2018Young Buckeyes are very solid defensively, have some promise offensively
November 12, 2018When Eric Mangini was presiding over the Cleveland Browns, he miraculously turned a one-year stint into a second year by reeling off four straight wins to close out 2009. Sitting at 1-11 after a brutal loss to the Chargers, the Browns closed out the season with four consecutive wins, leading some to think they may have figured things out.
The only rub? These wins were largely the result of overachieving veterans. In a 41-34 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the day’s starting quarterback, Brady Quinn, threw for 66 yards and two interceptions. Sixty-six.
In a 23-9 win over the Raiders (and a triumph over a potential blackout), it was a 32-year-old David Bowens picking off Charlie Frye alongside a combined 16 tackles from guys like Mike Adams, Mike Furrey, and Jason Trusnik.
Hold these “feel-good moments” against a game like this past Sunday where it was players under the age of 25 (let alone 25) carrying the Browns to a win versus one of the more dynamic offenses in the NFL. Rather than Jerome Harrison carrying the ball 30 times, it was Nick Chubb rattling off a franchise record run. Rather than Quinn or Derek Anderson under center, it was rookie (star?) Baker Mayfield, completing pass after pass. The pass rush was a trio of players drafted in the last two seasons while a 27-year-old Joe Schobert commanded the middle of the field.
Perhaps it was a sleepwalking Atlanta team, reading their own press clippings and looking ahead to Dallas and New Orleans? But who cares? Kudos to a young Browns team for lending no credence to either of the past two seasons while punching the Falcons square in the mouth.
When’s the last time we can feel good during a bye week? Typically, these are reserved for rumors of firings and discord. With all of that out of the way, the Browns can use these next two weeks to regroup and see who else dare take them lightly.
WINNER: Baker Mayfield
When you’ve started only a handful of games, but can sit at the podium after a win to tell the media you “woke up feeling dangerous,” you’ve not only endeared yourself to a local fan base, you’ve earned the respect of other fans throughout the league.
Mayfield’s viral moment will live on forever, but it shouldn’t overshadow his 151.3 passer rating on a day where had as many touchdown passes (3) as incompletions. On the cover, an 85 percent completion percentage comes with a litany of dinks and dunks. Mayfield, however, averaged 10.8 yards per attempt while not taking a single sack, and added 22 yards scrambling.1 Chalk a little of this up to a shaky Falcons defense, but kudos to the kid for taking advantage of what was in front of him.
I’d expect those No. 6 jerseys to fly off the shelves heading into the holidays.
WINNER: Gregg Williams
Fewer penalties. More aggressive play calls. Better clock management. And most importantly, a team that looks as if it would run through a wall for him. Hue Jackson set the bar very, very low. (OK: Williams hasn’t helped himself much either.) But for all the multiple-g folks out there, whether you think Gregg Williams deserves to be a head coach or not, the small sample size has shown us a much more palatable product.
WINNER: Freddie Kitchens
This is the same offense that Todd Haley had at his disposal before his ousting. Since Freddie Kitchens took over, it looks like a completely different team. Better execution mixed with formations that render all film on the Browns worthless. I don’t know what Kitchens’ future in Cleveland will look like, but he’s been fresh breath of wishbone-running air.
WINNER: Nick Chubb
By all accounts, Carlos Hyde was a solid player. A great locker room presence who could also grind out a yard or two when needed, his teammates liked him and fans could, at worst, appreciate his work ethic. But he isn’t Nick Chubb, and in an NFL where explosive plays decide games, watching the rookie Tecmo juke his way to a franchise-record 92 yard touchdown was a thing of beauty. The thing about his “inflated” yards per carry numbers is that they’re inflated by a steady dose of big plays. Busting off big plays like that takes a lot of teamwork and a little bit of luck. But merely having the ability to change the game is a hell of a trait. Nick Chubb has it.
WINNER: Joel Bitonio
Fifty-three snaps, zero pressures and zero penalties in pass blocking; sixty-seven yards and four first downs on 12 carries to the left guard and middle-left gaps. Hell of an afternoon for No. 75.
LOSER: Greg Robinson
I’m not going to spend much time here given the vibe of this piece, but the Browns need to prioritize left tackle this offseason. Playing all 53 offensive snaps, Robinson allowed three hurries and was flagged twice. If not for the successes of Mayfield, Chubb and Denzel Ward, we’d be talking about Austin Corbett much, much more.
WINNER: Duke Johnson Jr.
Don’t let Nick Chubb’s afternoon overshadow what Duke did on Sunday, hauling all four targets for 30 yards and two first downs and a touchdown. He likely would have had more touches if not Chubb’s huge run, but you take the good with the bad. Duke executed each time he was called upon and you can’t ask for more than that.
Winners: #Browns and Browns fans, city of Cleveland, Baker, Chubb, Peppers, Collins
Losers: Falcons, ATL Goal Line Offense, Jets, Mike Greenberg, anyone who passed on Nick Chubb, the next team to hire Hue Jackson, NFC South because a bad team is going to win that division.
— Vintage Browns (@VintageBrowns) November 11, 2018
Winners: Mayfield, Chubb, Duke and Kitchens (despite bad trick play call)
Losers: Hue, Hayley, Dan Quinn— Cleveland Bebbs (@ClevelandBebbs) November 11, 2018
Winners: Chubb, Baker, Kitchens (Haley who?)
Losers: none— Michael (@crobarred) November 12, 2018
Winners: any other uniform color combo than white on white
Losers: white on white uniform color combo
— Cleveland Browns (0-0) (@1Pridemore) November 11, 2018
Winners: any other uniform color combo than white on white
Losers: white on white uniform color combo
— Cleveland Browns (0-0) (@1Pridemore) November 11, 2018
- He lost two on designed runs, so it was a net of 20 on the day. [↩]