WFNY Round Table: Week 3 vs NY Giants
Trying out a new time for our weekly Roundtable. Hope everyone enjoys the new time slot, Sunday morning of gameday, better than Friday afternoon. And without further ado: your Week 3 Roundtable!
Deshaun Watson was better but not quite good in the Week 2 win over Jacksonville. Throwing 22-of-34 for 186 yards, and got a rushing touchdown. What did you like from his game and what do you think he can improve?
Andrew: I liked that he looked to throw the ball a little more downfield, at least to some intermediate routes. He also showed some elusiveness in the pocket. He seemed in control of the offense. He did a nice job spreading the ball around, too. Obviously things got dicey when Dawand Jones went out and Jacksonville started blitzing more. I still think Watson seems a little slow in processing (or perhaps over-thinking), and hopefully he can speed up a bit, but overall, it’s wasn’t a bad game for Deshaun.
Milner: It was definitely a step in the right direction even if it wasn’t perfect. The ball was coming out on time, everyone felt involved and he made the plays when it mattered both with his legs and arm. Obviously, it’s one good game and he needs to continue making quicker decisions from the pocket especially to help a O-line still in flux but if he can improve 10% every game especially during this part of the schedule I’ll gladly take it.
Dave Fleming: Deshaun looked much more decisive throwing the ball against Jacksonville - He was able to make the right reads against coverage and find the open man, especially during the opening drive. He showcased his undeniable ability to scramble and escape pressure, making plays out of structure several times. While Deshaun is at home playing out of structure, I would like to see him display a bit more patience in the pocket going forward, especially if the line comes back healthy. He should trust his eyes, his protection, and his receivers - don't fall into the trap of trying to make the big play, every play.
Gerbs: Anything that helps the team win is better than whatever we saw Week 1. Getting and making throws downfield is huge for this offense and likely helped set up some if not most of the running game, and vice versa. Let’s see if Watson can quell the haters at home again and get over 200 yards this week against a suspect Giants secondary.
D’Onta Foreman and Jerome Ford split carries this week as the team got out to a lead and was able to rely more on the running game. What do you think of their touch gap (Ford: seven carries, two targets. Foreman: 14 rushes, one passing target) and how does it play out until Nick Chubb comes back?
Andrew: I was impressed by Foreman. He ran with a decisiveness that reminded a lot of us of Kareem Hunt (I swear it wasn’t just the number and the hair!). I liked that a lot of runs that Ford usually gets 2-3 yards on, Foreman would get 4-5 just by attacking the hole faster and with more power. But I do think Ford still has a clear role and I think splitting carries between the two will be healthy moving forward.
Milner: I definitely liked the adjustment they made from week 1 to week 2. They ran Foreman like a battering ram who has a little more burst than Kareem Hunt did and it definitely showed with his decisiveness toting the rock. Ford was used as sort of a change of pace back that created some explosives runs when given room to run. I imagine this will be how this platoon operates until Chubb comes back but with Stefanski’s creativity in the run game they’ll be able to manufacture rushing yards. I think it’ll be Gameplan depending for these two where one running back gets more touches than the other but if they strike the right balance it just might work.
Flem: D'Onta Foreman looked the like the change of pace the Browns running back room needed against Jacksonville, establishing the run early and wearing down the defense with his physical running style. A rough 2/1 carry split for Foreman and Ford feels like the right fit going forward - it allows the Browns to be physical on early downs and punish defenses for playing with light boxes, and keeps Ford fresh to hit homeruns when the defense has been worn down. It feels like the Browns are trying to recreate what prime Nick Chubb brought to the team with this carry split of Foreman and Ford. Because of that, if Nick comes back 100% of his former self, I would expect for him to get the majority of early down work, with Ford filling in on 3rd downs for pass protection. Even with a healthy Chubb, I wouldn't be surprised to see Foreman retain some goal line work, al a Kareem Hunt from last year.
Gerbs: I’m good with a Foreman lead backfield if we get last week’s production, if not more, until Chubb returns. Nobody is expecting 200+ yard games on the ground, just be successful enough to keep the play action game an option. If you see two-high, smash the center.
Jerry Jeudy and Amari Cooper seem to have done a Freaky Friday swap: Jeudy has been clutch for Cleveland (8-of-14 for 98 yards and a touchdown) and Cooper has a case of the dropsies (5-of-17 for only 27 yards). Is there room for both to be good? Will Cooper turn it around?
Andrew: They couldn’t be more different as WRs, so I think there’s absolutely room for them both to be good. But for whatever reason, the timing just seems more off between Watson and Cooper than with Watson and Jeudy or even Elijah Moore. I’m hoping with time Cooper and Watson can get on the same page, because this offense really needs Coop to be great.
Milner: Coop will find his rhythm eventually, he’s too good of a WR to not eventually have a breakout game. On the other side it’s nice to see Jeudy have two good games in Orange and Brown, showing why they traded for and paid him. If Jeudy is the floor raiser of this current WR room Cooper is the ceiling raiser and need him to turn back the clock but I think if both are on the passing game will be electric.
Flem: As long as Deshaun Watson can play to his potential, there is certainly room for both receivers to be good. Amari Cooper looks like he is pressing - early drops, a few rookie mistakes in route running and situational awareness - all of these are signs of a receiver trying to make a big play instead of letting the big plays come to them. Its tough to admit, but Coop is 30, and he might never regain the form he had at the end of last year. His days of being a #1 may be numbered, but his route running ability will allow him to be a productive option in this league as long as he chooses to be, assuming that he can still catch the ball.
Gerbs: I think this is the week Cooper turns it around, but I’ve been wrong before. I did say I thought Jeudy would get an uptick in looks with Njoku out and I was right last week, so maybe I’ll stick to it. I don’t trust Elijah Moore nor Cedric Tillman enough yet to let them see more of the field, and David Bell is out for the year with a dislocated hip. Cooper needs to step up.
Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills have both been practicing but inactive during Weeks 1 and 2 and, as fans, we can figure to maybe see one or both of them this week in Cleveland. What is your preferred lineup if both are able to go? (This question was asked before we found out that Conklin was listed as “out” with a new hamstring injury. Sigh.)
Andrew: Are we assuming Dawand is also good to go? I would probably start with Conklin at LT and Dawand at RT and ease Jed back. I just worry that he took so long to come back from what was believed at the time to be an injury with a short recovery time.
Milner: I think right now I would want Conklin at LT and Dawand at RT just to give Jed more time. Even if Conklin hasn’t played LT since his days in Michigan State he’ll probably be more helpful than James Hudson just to settle things down.
Flem: If both Conklin and Wills are healthy, my preferred lineup is Wills, Bitonio, Pocic, Teller, and Jones. At this point, I am not sure on Jedrick Wills ability or desire to be a starting left tackle in the league, but the Browns need to figure out what they have in him before his rookie contract is up. If contract concerns and future planning were not a consideration, Conklin would be my preferred starting left tackle - based purely on the level of effort I see displayed on a regular basis. Conklin has been in the facility all offseason rehabbing, working tirelessly to comeback from his catastrophic knee injury - I have not heard the same about Wills.
Gerbs: T’wer we to get both, I figure you’d get the starting lineup from last year: Wills/Bitonio/Pocic/Teller/Conklin. If only one of them (Wills/Conklin) is healthy, they get LT and Dawand stays. However, I imagine one will be inactive.
Looking to this week: the Giants were able to run for 129 yards on the Washington Commanders defense in Week 2, while giving up 215 on the ground. Can we see the same kind of script for Cleveland this week?
Milner: I imagine going into Sunday the plan will be to stop the run at all costs to make Danny Derps throw and with the talent on the D-Line they should be able to suffocate the run game to force the Giants throw the ball and make Jones into the worst version (or the version he’s always been?) of himself in the pocket.
Flem: If all goes well, yes. The name of the game will be take away the pass and force them to run into the fearsome front 7 of the Browns. Additionally, I would expect the Browns to be run-heavy as well - the Giants run defense has looked soft, and Cleveland needs to establish some confidence in this run game. Look for the Browns to run the ball 30+ times.
Gerbs: From your lips, to the god of football’s ears. I don’t think Cleveland will be quite as effective nor will I think New York be that productive running, but it certainly is in Cleveland’s gameplan to keep the ball on the ground.
Malik Nabers has looked every bit of what was projected of him, catching 15-of-25 targets for 193 yards and a touchdown through two weeks. How will Cleveland stop the rookie wideout with injuries in the secondary?
Andrew: I think right now Denzel Ward is a guy who will be able to slow him down when he lines up on Denzel’s side of the field. On the other side, I would definitely make sure the other DBs have help on him. Nabers is the guy I am not letting beat us. Anyone else? You just tip your hat.
Milner: If Denzel Ward is out there this should be enough to neutralize the young rookie. According to PFF he is one of the best corners at limiting separation in the NFL and this game should be Nabers welcome to the NFL moment.
Flem: Make someone else beat you. Give him the Lebron treatment. Double him all game. The Giants offense outside of Malik Nabers looks anemic. In week 2 against the Commanders, Danny Dimes threw 16 completions for 178 yards - 10 of them were to Malik Nabers for 127 yards. It doesn't take a math degree to figure this one out - If you take away Nabers, you shut down their offense. Put a corner and a safety over him all game and don't number 1 touch the ball.
Gerbs: Nabers shouldn’t see an endzone that isn’t covered up by a Browns jersey. There should be two if not three dudes between him and paydirt every play. Is Jaylin Hyatt gonna beat you? Wan’Dale Robinson? Sterling Shepard? If it all flows through Nabers, take it away.
Give me a game prediction for Week 3, where Cleveland opened up as six point favorites over the Giants.
Andrew: I don’t have a score prediction, but I would be pretty disappointed if the Browns didn’t at least cover. I’d like to see a comfortable win with the offense able to loosen up a bit.
Milner: Browns 27-12
Flem: Browns by a billion. This is the game where the defense looks like it should. Daniel Jones has negative net passing yards at the half, and the Giants gain <5 first downs on the day. The Browns defense got embarrassed at home by the Cowboys, and they got some of their swagger back against Jacksonville. This Giants offense has no business being on the same field as the Browns D, and that will show itself early. Browns 21, Giants 3.
Gerbs: 21-17 Browns. I want to be more hopeful about a bigger win, but I can’t shake Week 1 out of my mind, and in today’s NFL, nobody is a gimme game. Cinci lost to New England in Week 1, Malik Willis beat the Colts in Week 2…don’t get embarrassed at home again.