Browns on the ground
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I'm sure like you all you would like to see a better rushing game from the Browns in 09. A quick look at how we rated in the entire league last season shows us that the Browns were:
26th overall in total yards rushing
24th Overall in rushing attempts
26th overall in average yards per carry
28th overall in % times rushed on 1st down
joint last in rushing touchdowns
This does not make great reading, so what do we learn? It says to me that decided that the ground game was nothing more than trying to keep opposing teams honest against the pass. Joint last for effective conversions of rushing touchdowns! Were our attempts so low because we had so much faith in DA's 07 arm? So low because JL kept running up the guards backsides too much or because the OL couldn't make the space? Whatever the reason one thing seems obvious, we need to see the ground game as a weapon this season especially as it's going to take time to bed in the receiving corps and a balanced team gets to the playoffs.
So thanks to Fooleze, here is the current RB roster.
RB - Davis, James - 2009 6th Rnd Draft Pick (#195)
RB - Harrison, Jerome
RB - Herron, Noah - FA Signing from TB
RB - Lewis, Jamal
RB - Thomas, Marcus - FA Signing from Detroit
Who makes the difference in '09? what support do they need from the OL for us to be top ten on the ground this season?
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Let's hope Mangini doesn't sit harrison for another whole season...dude needs to play atleast two downs a series....the dum ol' dunderhead would watch him rush for 15 yards and sit him on the bench the rest of the game...with Mangini's past in NE and with Leon Washington in NY....I think we will see alot of Jerome this year....atleast I hope so
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A blocking tight end this year (Royal) as opposed to a receiver lining up at tight end (KW2) like last year.
I still wonder how much of a factor that will be in the running game.
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Rucker beefed up a bit, he is looking more like a Jason Witten, which is very good, seeing as how rucer is faster with hands just as good. Theyre teaching him to block as we speak.
As you can see by my avatar, Harrison is the shit, and he will shred Defenses when given the chance, he had more rushing yards than Reggie Bush in college. Harrison's only negative is the fact that he may be injury prone, but I definitely believe he has feature back capabilities.
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A blocking tight end this year (Royal) as opposed to a receiver lining up at tight end (KW2) like last year.
I still wonder how much of a factor that will be in the running game.
A blocking tight end this year as opposed to a receiver lining up at tight end like last year.
I still wonder how much of a factor that will be in the running game.
That depends on who wins the position. If Martin Rucker wins the starting the job he never blocked anyone in college.
Mangini didn't have much of a blocking TE in N.Y.
Keller was more in the mold of a Winslow. An athletic Receiving TE more than a pure bruising blocking TE.
Rucker may be more of a traditional TE than Keller or Winslow, but not by much.
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Many thanks to fooleeze for the roster tracking.
24: TE - Heiden, Steve
25: TE - Madsen, John
26: TE - Royal, Robert - FA Signing from Buffalo, 3/4: LINK
27: TE - Rucker, Martin
28: TE - Walker, Aaron - FA Signing from St. Louis: LINK
I had assumed that Royal would surely be in the mix. Perhaps I was wrong.
EDIT: Sorry oldcrow I was editing while you were typing your reply. I had wondered about this since Winslow left and Royal arrived.
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Rucker beefed up a bit, he is looking more like a Jason Witten, which is very good, seeing as how rucer is faster with hands just as good. Theyre teaching him to block as we speak.
As you can see by my avatar, Harrison is the shit, and he will shred Defenses when given the chance, he had more rushing yards than Reggie Bush in college. Harrison's only negative is the fact that he may be injury prone, but I definitely believe he has feature back capabilities.
Rucker beefed up a bit, he is looking more like a Jason Witten, which is very good, seeing as how rucer is faster with hands just as good. Theyre teaching him to block as we speak.
As you can see by my avatar, Harrison is the shit, and he will shred Defenses when given the chance, he had more rushing yards than Reggie Bush in college. Harrison's only negative is the fact that he may be injury prone, but I definitely believe he has feature back capabilities.
your avatar also has hubbard...(LOL) in slot...he wont make the team, unless something crazy happens
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On paper our RB's look great. I hope it doesn't turn out to be our weakness on the feild though.
Alot of ???'s with health, durability and age.
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We are going to live or die off of the running game this year and i like what i see as far as capability goes...
BQ is far superior to DA(at least for now) as far as using the clock wisely and deceitful/clever tactics to get the defense to buy the wrong play in a power running game..
Also i see BQ as currently the better fit to this somewhat faster shorter passing system...though DA says he loves it too..i see royal and heiden as our starting TEs with rucker being brought in as an option to confuse/sell the defense a fake play...
BE ,Robo and MoMass will likely be our WR corp...
I see good things in the near future for this team...
We have been rebuilding since 1964, Why stop now? GO BROWNS! -
Good Points.
I think two things need to improve: Blocking and Timing. The first we've already discussed. The second needs to be addressed and may be where Harrison finds a home as he is quicker to the hole than Lewis.
Pesonally, I'd like to see us use Lewis like Pitt used the Bus. Late first half and second half and in short yardage situations. Lewis is too old & injured to be a featured full time back for the entire season.
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Jamal is essentially in a contract year if I am not mistaken. 3rd year of a 3 year deal. He has one more payday left in the nfl.. So he should be motivated. However, I don't think anyone disagrees that we need him spelled more by Harrison and the other guys. If we get the Jamal from 2 years ago... for one more season.. This will be a pretty good running football team.. We will have to be, as our passing game will be a work in progress all year long. We are probably starting a new qb in quinn, and breaking in 2 rookies wr's with several other new vets... Braylon is they only guy who has been here.. and we are implementing a whole new offense. We have a hard road running the ball agains the defenses we face... I am not sure we crack top 10, but get into the top 15 is more like it.
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Jamal is essentially in a contract year if I am not mistaken. 3rd year of a 3 year deal. He has one more payday left in the nfl.. So he should be motivated. However, I don't think anyone disagrees that we need him spelled more by Harrison and the other guys. If we get the Jamal from 2 years ago... for one more season.. This will be a pretty good running football team.. We will have to be, as our passing game will be a work in progress all year long. We are probably starting a new qb in quinn, and breaking in 2 rookies wr's with several other new vets... Braylon is they only guy who has been here.. and we are implementing a whole new offense. We have a hard road running the ball agains the defenses we face... I am not sure we crack top 10, but get into the top 15 is more like it.
Jamal is essentially in a contract year if I am not mistaken. 3rd year of a 3 year deal. He has one more payday left in the nfl.. So he should be motivated. However, I don't think anyone disagrees that we need him spelled more by Harrison and the other guys. If we get the Jamal from 2 years ago... for one more season.. This will be a pretty good running football team.. We will have to be, as our passing game will be a work in progress all year long. We are probably starting a new qb in quinn, and breaking in 2 rookies wr's with several other new vets... Braylon is they only guy who has been here.. and we are implementing a whole new offense. We have a hard road running the ball agains the defenses we face... I am not sure we crack top 10, but get into the top 15 is more like it.
you are mistaken, JLew is in his 2nd year of a 3 year deal. Jamal is always motivated and always runs hard, regardless of his contract (as we should remember from his days as a Raven). besides, having Jim Brown in the building probably motivates him more than a contract or money ever could. the guy really gives a shit about his legacy and has enough heart to make Valentine's Day jealous.
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We are going to live or die off of the running game this year and i like what i see as far as capability goes...
BQ is far superior to DA(at least for now) as far as using the clock wisely and deceitful/clever tactics to get the defense to buy the wrong play in a power running game..
Also i see BQ as currently the better fit to this somewhat faster shorter passing system...though DA says he loves it too..i see royal and heiden as our starting TEs with rucker being brought in as an option to confuse/sell the defense a fake play...
BE ,Robo and MoMass will likely be our WR corp...
I see good things in the near future for this team...
BE ,Robo and MoMass will likely be our WR corp...
I have a hard time believing that MoMass or Robiskie will be playing the slot when the Browns brought in two guys like Mike Furrey and David Patten.
This WR corps got me to thinking.....Comparing this group to the Jets group from last year, I wonder if Mangin feels like he has died and went to WR heaven. The Jets starting three WR's were all 6' or under.
With this team Mangini sees 6'3" Edwards, 6'3" Robiskie, 6'3" Leggett, 6'2" Massaquio and 6'2" Hubbard take the field everyday.
This also makes me think that Mangin saw a real problem with his WR corps in N.Y. and it's part of the reason we saw so many WR's drafted and brought in via FA.
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BE ,Robo and MoMass will likely be our WR corp...
I have a hard time believing that MoMass or Robiskie will be playing the slot when the Browns brought in two guys like Mike Furrey and David Patten.
This WR corps got me to thinking.....Comparing this group to the Jets group from last year, I wonder if Mangin feels like he has died and went to WR heaven. The Jets starting three WR's were all 6' or under.
With this team Mangini sees 6'3" Edwards, 6'3" Robiskie, 6'3" Leggett, 6'2" Massaquio and 6'2" Hubbard take the field everyday.
This also makes me think that Mangin saw a real problem with his WR corps in N.Y. and it's part of the reason we saw so many WR's drafted and brought in via FA.
I have a hard time believing that MoMass or Robiskie will be playing the slot when the Browns brought in two guys like Mike Furrey and David Patten.
This WR corps got me to thinking.....Comparing this group to the Jets group from last year, I wonder if Mangin feels like he has died and went to WR heaven. The Jets starting three WR's were all 6' or under.
With this team Mangini sees 6'3" Edwards, 6'3" Robiskie, 6'3" Leggett, 6'2" Massaquio and 6'2" Hubbard take the field everyday.
This also makes me think that Mangin saw a real problem with his WR corps in N.Y. and it's part of the reason we saw so many WR's drafted and brought in via FA.
It didn't take a Mangenious to see all our roster holes. Our line played poorly and our receivers wouldn't make any other NFL roster, apart from BE and K2.
Rookie wr's seldom impact their first year and pressing them to contribute too soon creates additional issues, hence the veterans we brought in. I think we'll see alot of different looks this year on offense and defense. It will definately keep opponents guessing, making us less predictable as we were very predictable last year. If i hear metcalf up the middle one more time i'll puke, we've been interchanging different names for a while but it's always been up the middle. Uggg!
guns don't kill kids-pitt bulls do. -
We could use our RBs a lot like the Giants did. Pound the ball with Jamal, and bring in the lightning with Harrison. Then, late in the third and into the fourth, when the defense is tired from being pounded by Jamal and running after Harrison, bring in the mix of both with Davis.
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I have a hard time believing that MoMass or Robiskie will be playing the slot when the Browns brought in two guys like Mike Furrey and David Patten.
This WR corps got me to thinking.....Comparing this group to the Jets group from last year, I wonder if Mangin feels like he has died and went to WR heaven. The Jets starting three WR's were all 6' or under.
With this team Mangini sees 6'3" Edwards, 6'3" Robiskie, 6'3" Leggett, 6'2" Massaquio and 6'2" Hubbard take the field everyday.
This also makes me think that Mangin saw a real problem with his WR corps in N.Y. and it's part of the reason we saw so many WR's drafted and brought in via FA.
It didn't take a Mangenious to see all our roster holes. Our line played poorly and our receivers wouldn't make any other NFL roster, apart from BE and K2.
Rookie wr's seldom impact their first year and pressing them to contribute too soon creates additional issues, hence the veterans we brought in. I think we'll see alot of different looks this year on offense and defense. It will definately keep opponents guessing, making us less predictable as we were very predictable last year. If i hear metcalf up the middle one more time i'll puke, we've been interchanging different names for a while but it's always been up the middle. Uggg!
Rookie wr's seldom impact their first year and pressing them to contribute too soon creates additional issues, hence the veterans we brought in.
It's why I don't see MoMass or Robiskie being a slot guy while the other is a wideout on three WR sets. Besides the fact that they are both more traditional split ends and that's where their futures will be.
I think one will start at a Wideout position while one of the old cagey vets such as Patten or Furrey will line up in the slot.
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