2026 Run The 9 thread. Your Offense, Defense & Personnel Analysis.
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Thanks for what you do and share with us.
As I said elsewhere, Ronnie Hickman was a pleasant surprise last year.
Appreciate it, I love what I do and being able to deliver it to the best fans in the NFL.
Ronnie has shown some solid growth since his OSU days, but I'm still bearish on his play. That said, the pass rush has covered up for some problems on the back end the last couple years. That's the reason why those problems haven't been at the forefront, much like how they were in 2022. If the ATL DEF can be used as a blueprint, there will be some significant changes coming to how this secondary plays pre --> post snap. My biggest concern, which again is highlighted by my viewings of the Dirty Birds defense, were some of their busts this past season at the worst times. Their group wasn't always on the same page when matching shifts and motions.
When the 2nd & 3rd level master the systems subtle complexity, then you get something that looks Vic Fangio-Esque at it's peak. When you have simple miscommunications? It can be a clusterfuck that allows big gains. I only have working theories, but I'll be able to confirm them as early as training camp.
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Exactly. Even if we had 4 Denzel Wards back there we'd have to find ways to pressure the QB.
I meant more in the sense that there have been coverage busts.
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I meant more in the sense that there have been coverage busts.
OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has ( or believes that he'll have ) to hold onto the ball. I'm in New England so I watched a lot of Tom Brady. He was good, no doubt. Smart, strong armed, accurate, all of that...but mostly he had time to count the house. In their 'perfect' season they only lost one game. The super bowl to the Giants. Why, because the pressured the shit out of him with 4 rushers. You can't let ANY nfl caliber QB sit back there and wait for someone to get open.
BEING A BROWNS FAN IS A TEST TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU CAN TAKE -
I meant more in the sense that there have been coverage busts.
OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has ( or believes that he'll have ) to hold onto the ball. I'm in New England so I watched a lot of Tom Brady. He was good, no doubt. Smart, strong armed, accurate, all of that...but mostly he had time to count the house. In their 'perfect' season they only lost one game. The super bowl to the Giants. Why, because the pressured the shit out of him with 4 rushers. You can't let ANY nfl caliber QB sit back there and wait for someone to get open.
OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has ( or believes that he'll have ) to hold onto the ball. I'm in New England so I watched a lot of Tom Brady. He was good, no doubt. Smart, strong armed, accurate, all of that...but mostly he had time to count the house. In their 'perfect' season they only lost one game. The super bowl to the Giants. Why, because the pressured the shit out of him with 4 rushers. You can't let ANY nfl caliber QB sit back there and wait for someone to get open.
That Giants team is exactly why I was banging the table for the Browns to invest in another high pick at DE opposite Myles from the year after they drafted him.
You never can have too many talented DLinemen. Pretty much the only position group that you rotate people in and out, so the more talented starting-caliber guys you have, the better.
Cornerback is going to be a big need next draft too.
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I meant more in the sense that there have been coverage busts.
OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has ( or believes that he'll have ) to hold onto the ball. I'm in New England so I watched a lot of Tom Brady. He was good, no doubt. Smart, strong armed, accurate, all of that...but mostly he had time to count the house. In their 'perfect' season they only lost one game. The super bowl to the Giants. Why, because the pressured the shit out of him with 4 rushers. You can't let ANY nfl caliber QB sit back there and wait for someone to get open.
OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has
We're on the same page here and in agreement.
But rhe coverage busts I'm directly referring to aren't about purely limiting time for the QB to throw.
They stemmed from direct miscommunications on assignment as opposed to individual rep losses or natual conflict from route concepts.
Where the pass rush came in, with respect to how I'm referencing it, is that the pressure was so all-world, it covered up for the misqueues on the backend which otherwise would have been big gains or touchdowns.
That's where this DB group has to get better on. Myles is gone, they need to step their mental game up. Which won't be easy, considering they're going to be undergoing some design changes.
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OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has ( or believes that he'll have ) to hold onto the ball. I'm in New England so I watched a lot of Tom Brady. He was good, no doubt. Smart, strong armed, accurate, all of that...but mostly he had time to count the house. In their 'perfect' season they only lost one game. The super bowl to the Giants. Why, because the pressured the shit out of him with 4 rushers. You can't let ANY nfl caliber QB sit back there and wait for someone to get open.
That Giants team is exactly why I was banging the table for the Browns to invest in another high pick at DE opposite Myles from the year after they drafted him.
You never can have too many talented DLinemen. Pretty much the only position group that you rotate people in and out, so the more talented starting-caliber guys you have, the better.
Cornerback is going to be a big need next draft too.
That Giants team is exactly why I was banging the table for the Browns to invest in another high pick at DE opposite Myles from the year after they drafted him.
Remember, apart from Strahan, the Giants next highest pick at Edge/LB was 32nd overall (Mathias) the rest of the roster was late 2nd and middle 3rd round picks (Tuck & Osi)
I think we all agree that pass rush is paramount. But not even the Gmen invested 2 high picks into their group. (High being subjective, I suppose)
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OK, but the point is still time related. You have to limit the time that a QB has
We're on the same page here and in agreement.
But rhe coverage busts I'm directly referring to aren't about purely limiting time for the QB to throw.
They stemmed from direct miscommunications on assignment as opposed to individual rep losses or natual conflict from route concepts.
Where the pass rush came in, with respect to how I'm referencing it, is that the pressure was so all-world, it covered up for the misqueues on the backend which otherwise would have been big gains or touchdowns.
That's where this DB group has to get better on. Myles is gone, they need to step their mental game up. Which won't be easy, considering they're going to be undergoing some design changes.
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That Giants team is exactly why I was banging the table for the Browns to invest in another high pick at DE opposite Myles from the year after they drafted him.
Remember, apart from Strahan, the Giants next highest pick at Edge/LB was 32nd overall (Mathias) the rest of the roster was late 2nd and middle 3rd round picks (Tuck & Osi)
I think we all agree that pass rush is paramount. But not even the Gmen invested 2 high picks into their group. (High being subjective, I suppose)
Remember, apart from Strahan, the Giants next highest pick at Edge/LB was 32nd overall (Mathias) the rest of the roster was late 2nd and middle 3rd round picks (Tuck & Osi)
I think we all agree that pass rush is paramount. But not even the Gmen invested 2 high picks into their group. (High being subjective, I suppose)
True, but at that point a second rounder from the Browns would have practically been a first rounder.
For most of Myle's run in Cleveland the other DE was a collection of JAGs. I just wanted one above average pass rusher on the other side of him.
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Going to miss having an all-world pass rusher.
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Remember, apart from Strahan, the Giants next highest pick at Edge/LB was 32nd overall (Mathias) the rest of the roster was late 2nd and middle 3rd round picks (Tuck & Osi)
I think we all agree that pass rush is paramount. But not even the Gmen invested 2 high picks into their group. (High being subjective, I suppose)
True, but at that point a second rounder from the Browns would have practically been a first rounder.
For most of Myle's run in Cleveland the other DE was a collection of JAGs. I just wanted one above average pass rusher on the other side of him.
most of Myle's run in Cleveland the other DE was a collection of JAGs. I j
Like I've said, for me that 2nd pass rusher really needs to come from the IDL or a player who can take snaps Edge/IDL. Having a great, not even elite, presence at that spot only further elevates the entire fronts game. We had a complete pass rush last year before Collins went down and it was arguably the best in the NFL. I'd like to see the draft capital distributed evenly to keep that going.
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Follow-up with more about how Coach Schwartz kept his familiar 1hi shells but worked in additional/different functions to them.
While I'm skeptical, I'm also hopefully Hickman can carry this momentum into the 2026 season.
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Coming soon to a Browns Defense near you...
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My youtube seems to think all I want to watch is tia's competitors.. In addition to tia's content, these may be decent channels. Matchquarters probably has the most content.
MatchQuarters , Thinking Football , Armchair Coach Justin , Caleb Merritt , L. Seth Storer
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My youtube seems to think all I want to watch is tia's competitors.. In addition to tia's content, these may be decent channels. Matchquarters probably has the most content.
MatchQuarters , Thinking Football , Armchair Coach Justin , Caleb Merritt , L. Seth Storer
My youtube seems to think all I want to watch is tia's competitors.. In addition to tia's content, these may be decent channels. Matchquarters probably has the most content.
MatchQuarters , Thinking Football , Armchair Coach Justin , Caleb Merritt , L. Seth Storer
I'm familiar with the first, not the rest. That said, I wouldn't call any of them, or people who put their passion and knowledge of the game into content my "competitors". I think of it more as a community with various offerings.
If I did/do have competitors, it would be the bullshit and hype media sites that talk alot, but say very little actual football.
Dawgs By Nature, Browns Nation, etc etc... and the seemingly endless PodCast Bros.
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There's going to be a LOT of Darian Mensah material from myself until the 2027 Draft.
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Denzel has been putting in work to master his craft beyond scheduled practices.
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I'm really excited to see Boston and Concepcion this season, and hopeful that Bond progresses well.
With any luck it will be Sanders throwing to them....
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I'm really excited to see Boston and Concepcion this season, and hopeful that Bond progresses well.
With any luck it will be Sanders throwing to them....
I'm really excited to see Boston and Concepcion this season, and hopeful that Bond progresses well.
With any luck it will be Sanders throwing to them....
And I'm afraid that if Sanders proves he is better than Watson, then Haslem will doggedly stick with Watson to prove losing all those draft choices was justified.
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I'm really excited to see Boston and Concepcion this season, and hopeful that Bond progresses well.
With any luck it will be Sanders throwing to them....
And I'm afraid that if Sanders proves he is better than Watson, then Haslem will doggedly stick with Watson to prove losing all those draft choices was justified.
And I'm afraid that if Sanders proves he is better than Watson, then Haslem will doggedly stick with Watson to prove losing all those draft choices was justified.
If it's close, Sanders should start.
If Watson legitimately is better, he should start.
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I'm really excited to see Boston and Concepcion this season, and hopeful that Bond progresses well.
With any luck it will be Sanders throwing to them....
And I'm afraid that if Sanders proves he is better than Watson, then Haslem will doggedly stick with Watson to prove losing all those draft choices was justified.
And I'm afraid that if Sanders proves he is better than Watson, then Haslem will doggedly stick with Watson to prove losing all those draft choices was justified.
I don't think so. I think that after calling Watson a swing and a miss this past winter, Haslam would prefer to see Sanders be the starter in order to find out if he can get his Manning next draft...or not. I honestly think he'd rather be able to put the whole Watson thing behind him. But Haslam is a flicked man...so ya never know.
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