Ryan Pontbriand Officially Waived

The Gipper

@choco said:

And the scapegoating begins.

Here here.

It is the special teams coach who should have been canned. Far more egregious than those 1 or 2 bad snaps has been the the fact that these special teams have been playing like children wandering in the wilderness.

Tim Couch Pulls Out

Surely you can't be putting the blame on anybody hired by Holmgren?

That's blasphemy, kind sir. Blasphemy.

4Browns

Agree with this. Dawson is good, but 55 yards into the wind is no gimme kick.

Also agree with the person who mentioned scapegoating.

Special teams in general have been poor this year. People are wondering if Cribbs has lost a step, I wonder if maybe we just aren't opening many holes for him on the kick returns.

@sadbrownsfan said:

Not sure if the 2 losses are his fault, one hits Macks foot and the other is still a 55 yarder into the wind with about 2 mins left in the game.

BrownIndian

sad to see him go ..... but considering he is not an impact player .... meh !! im sure he will find a job in no time.

Mark O

It was more than just one bad game. Watch the games close and see how off he's been on his snaps. Maynard saved him at least once on a punt on Sunday and on two other FG or extra point snaps.

He's been all over the place all season.

Thanks for the good years....good luck with your new team.

CLEVELandMILIDH

What does 55 yards into the wind have to do with anything? That effects dawson, not the snapper. And when the snaps bad, Dawson has no chance......

ballpeen

@the-gipper said:

Here here.

It is the special teams coach who should have been canned. Far more egregious than those 1 or 2 bad snaps has been the the fact that these special teams have been playing like children wandering in the wilderness.

I agree.

Ponti's snaps have been off.....punts snaps have been all over the place, but this still stinks of a regime looking to mitigate the record.

How about changing some coaches after the season??

Neo

I haven't been too big on the new coaching staff, but I do like this move. Pontbriands only job was to get the ball to the holder, making this move should set an example. When your only task is to get the ball to the holder, and you can't do it, you're gone. I am sure being a longsnapper is no walk in the park, but it also ain't like being say, a quarterback, or receiver.

ballpeen

@neo said:

I haven't been too big on the new coaching staff, but I do like this move. Pontbriands only job was to get the ball to the holder, making this move should set an example. When your only task is to get the ball to the holder, and you can't do it, you're gone. I am sure being a longsnapper is no walk in the park, but it also ain't like being say, a quarterback, or receiver.

A solid point.

Let's hope the next guy doesn't snap it 10 yards over people heads.

Tim Couch Pulls Out

No, it's pretty easy being a longsnapper. It's like being a bullpen catcher.

cdl15

@bringbackbrownie2 said:

Ok I like Pontbriand and feel for the guy, but he has 1 job to do and has failed at it this year. I'm sure we can find another guy to hike a freaking ball.

Agreed. He himself admitted to being off....unfortunately in his position that costs games. U fail at the easiest position to make it in nfl someone's to be accountable!!!!

Watch alt of his snaps and they just haven't been Nfl quality. He has the Yipps.

Even the one that hit theleg. Where was that snap gonna end up if it got deflected to the holder

Canton Mike

IMHO, the problem is more far reaching than JUST the long snapper. Our special teams are awful under this new ST coach. I also read where Pontbriand snapped 7 yards rather than the customary 6 so the ball always arrived to the holder laces up. If he was made to change to 6 yards, that would DRASTICALLY alter his delivery & spin on the ball. If that was the case, Pontbriand should have been left alone. I have a sneaky suspicion that was what may have happened.

When I see Pontbriand gone, Cribbs production down, blocked kicks, & poor coverage on returns, I have to ask what the common denominator was......Can we say, ST coach?

It sure makes me wonder. Long snapper is just a PART of special teams & I don't like what I see in the other "parts" either. Just my thoughts.

Mike

Mark O

I was under the impression that it was always 7 yards back to the holder on FG tries? As long as I can remember it was always add 17 yards to the los to figure out how far a FG would be. I have never heard anything different until this week. Anyone else hear of this before?

cdl15

A good snap and i can't see why it would matter

Canton Mike

@mark-o said:

I was under the impression that it was always 7 yards back to the holder on FG tries? As long as I can remember it was always add 17 yards to the los to figure out how far a FG would be. I have never heard anything different until this week. Anyone else hear of this before?

I stand corrected. I simply quoted what I read without first substantiating my information. I apologize.

I still think our STs suck this season. We'll see what happens from now on.

Mike

Neo

The only question that hasn't been asked yet is why did we ever let go our old ST coach. You know, the one that had our ST unit one of the best in the league, and currently has the 49ers ST unit one of the best in the league. Why isn't he still here? If you have something good going for your club, why change it?

sisky fringo

@clevelandmilidh said:

What does 55 yards into the wind have to do with anything? That effects dawson, not the snapper. And when the snaps bad, Dawson has no chance......

and Dawson told Colt where he needed to get to...and Colt got there.

besides, if Dawson says he can make it from there who are we to dispute?? the guy booted the 1st 50 plus yarder into the damn net!

55 yards and into the wind or not, with a good snap it's a safe bet dude makes it.

*Mods should merge the other Pontbriand thread i started into this one.

choco

8years prior, ponty was never heard from because he was perfect....very rarely ever making a bad snap. Now all of a sudden, in year 9, he's erratic and unable to do the job he's done better than everyone else?

No....this reeks of murmur IMO. Our entire ST unit went from the best to atrocious in 1 year....someone sure does have to be accountable, bit you can bet ur bottom dollar this pathetic coaching staff will throw everyone else under the bus rather than man up and accept culpability. These are sleazy human beings running the browns.

sisky fringo

@mark-o said:

I was under the impression that it was always 7 yards back to the holder on FG tries? As long as I can remember it was always add 17 yards to the los to figure out how far a FG would be. I have never heard anything different until this week. Anyone else hear of this before?

that info i posted re: 6 & 7 yard punts was straight from Phil Dawson's lips>>mighta been last year when he said it. PD was pretty clear that RP snapping 7 yards was not the norm in the NFL, but because he was so ridiculously consistent -- like atomic clock consistent -- the pro (bullet proof consistency) outweighed the con (1 yard).

at the time Phil said it i think deep down he was looking for some validation for the extra yard no one ever knows about. like making sure when you see him kick a 54 yarder you know it's really a 55 (!).

i can't say for sure how many players snap 6 vs 7 yards in the League. maybe one of our lurking soccer fags knows for sure.

sisky fringo

@neo said:

The only question that hasn't been asked yet is why did we ever let go our old ST coach. You know, the one that had our ST unit one of the best in the league, and currently has the 49ers ST unit one of the best in the league. Why isn't he still here? If you have something good going for your club, why change it?

Seeley was Specials Coach and Browns Assistant Head Coach. i doubt the big fat show was willing to undercut shhrrrmmrrrrrr's authority by retaining him.