The 2023 season film studies. Thread of questions and answers.
-
Thoughts on the Rams game, because the defense was again pick and rolled to death.
Brownies have been playing more cover 2 lately. I'd venture the uptick is from the injuries at corner, specifically Ward. L.A. came out, used a ton of motion like they always do, and attacked the 2 high structures we flat out suck at. When it was man coverage, they exploited off coverage.
This was an early bench/flat combo at the top that Mike Ford blew up. We rightfully celebrated this play.
-------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
But on a preceding one, Kupp was shaking loose downfield and over the middle vs cover zero. One of the things that impresses me the most about Sean McVay is his recall. Dude see's how you defend him, files it away and remembers it like a computer. Only to come back to it at the right time. He's a solid coach and good offensive mind. While this play was a completion to the outside against the off coverage I had mentioned, the Rams coaching staff basically checked their boxes and said "yeah, we'll come back to that soon".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
The Touchdown on this drive, the one to Nacua. Was against the Browns running an inverted cover 2, with Taki having to run the seam to help choke off the intermediate and under part of the middle. Only Stafford has seen that look before, so he tosses a beautiful, veteran throw that his Nacua in stride. Beats Emerson and Taki for 6 points.
The above made that play possible. Because it was clear we were going to be playing quite a bit of Middle Field open to protect our corners. The safety situation for this team, outside of Thornhill, is quite shaky. The DB's really depend on the health and talent of our corners to cover up their bad smells. Generally that's the mark of good to elite safety play - when it's the other way around.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was when I knew we were in serious shit.
Rams motion from a stack to a trips.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You run the #1 and #2 upfield in a Divide. The #3 (depending on how you tag him) just runs underneath it to cheese flat.
----------------------------------------------
When you have nickel on the pressure, a CB high and outside and a DB high and inside, this is another grip and rip by Stafford. It's a high percentage throw, allows for good YAC and forces your defense to either be nickel and dimed up and down the field, or to take some chances. Either way, this motion just turned into a quick 'void' throw for Stafford. It's there, it's easy, take the cheap.
The above stuff is what setup the Rams for the kill shots they put on us in the 2nd half. Defense just wasn't healthy enough to respond early and the offense, while they tried, faltered late down the line. What this did demonstrate is that the blueprint to beat this defense hasn't changed since the first Ravens game. We still struggle with communication issues, we still struggle with health. And the current safety situation, especially with Hickman playing center field, is certainly going to burn this team. It should have this past Sunday, but good fortune has smiled on CLE this season more often than I remember in my lifetime.
Quick thoughts this past weekend vs Chi-Town.
The running game is one parts injury, one parts Ford needing to be a more consistent and decisive runner. When we run gap/power, he's too quick to sprint to the hole. Plus we're not built to play that type of game, even more so when you consider our injuries.
When we run inside zone, he losses precious steps often and costs himself generated more yards above expected. While he's solid at taking on contact and generating some YAC, he isn't 'good', let alone elite. And he often can't make up for it with a more fluid and anticipatory running style. Right now I'd say that's again, part in due to the shuffling of the Oline, but also he just has this tendency on occasion to not fully trust his eyes or feet.
When you're cutting off the read point leverage back inside, the last thing you want to do his find yourself chopping your steps THIS much, and damn near coming to a dead stop. You should be leaning through crease, then exploding through the hole and making the tackling angle more difficult for 3rd level pursuit because of your burst on speed.
Instead he stops to verify the hole, THEN continues forward.
-----------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
It isn't always fair, but I need you to run with more belief in yourself and better pacing. Be aggressive when it's called for, be patient when it's called for. But Ford has to do a better job contributing to his yards above expected.
RE: Joe and the first drive struggles. Getting Njoku those open looks against pressure, has been a drum I've beat since Watson was starting. Now that he's catching the ball, the offense is moving more. He'll be open, don't be afraid to sling it. But that said, I need Flacco to keep finding him. I can't have missed opportunities THIS big on the first couple drives.
- Nick Harris is a problem at center. Billings owned him all game and it didn't matter in which way. Sucks he didn't pan out with Cleveland. But then again, I wonder how he'd fit in when a DC that loves upfield, single gap aggression vs a player who just parks his ass in the shade and nobody moves him.
- Safety play is a REAL problem. Ronnie Hickman had a couple blown coverages the Bears should have connected on. He's just getting lost in how fast everything is moving. The drop on the broken scramble by Fields looks like Man 1. Hickman chased the over with Emerson in trail. We have a history of our DB's chasing Over routes and giving up big plays behind them (Grant, looking at you) This was another one of those 'good fortune' moments where Taki was fighting for his life downfield.
- Alex Wright has found a home on the IDL in subpackages. He generated a few nice pressures that helped lead to errant throws. Good to see Schwartz getting some production out of him. He's still an incredibly limited player, but something is better than nothing.
- Ika got his first snaps of the year and looked 'meh'. Game is fast, he isn't quite game shape yet... clearly needed some hits to get his feet under him. Had a few nice moments, had a few not so nice moments. Lost his base a couple times trying to come out of his stance and get upfield. His goal line work was the best of the day. By the way, Bears center should have been called for a false start - twice. Simulating a snap with the beyond obvious head bob to draw DL offsides is a no-no.
- Harris and Dalvin played great. Their level helped keep Fields off balance with that interior push, but not letting him escape vertically.
- Jordan Elliot has been playing inspired football, a motor from him I haven't seen before. Doesn't mean it's good though. Still a below average IDL, but at least I see the effort.
- Too many penalties, injuries and overall inefficiency from the offense. Big breaks seemed to go our way, VERY grateful for that and the win. But that's no way to consistently pick up a dub. 3 games left, you need one win to likely get that wildcard spot. I still contend it has to be over Cincy since they're still well in the thick of the hunt.
-
I think I'm finished with the Alex Wright and James Hudson Experience. At a certain point you're not Developmental.. you're a CFL player. Or the UFL, the new one after the USFL merged with the XFL.
Ronnie Hickman was undrafted for a reason.
Harrison Bryant.. I suppose can stay TE3, but I thought NFL players had heard of switching the ball from one arm to the other.
-
I think I'm finished with the Alex Wright and James Hudson Experience. At a certain point you're not Developmental.. you're a CFL player. Or the UFL, the new one after the USFL merged with the XFL.
Ronnie Hickman was undrafted for a reason.
Harrison Bryant.. I suppose can stay TE3, but I thought NFL players had heard of switching the ball from one arm to the other.
I think I'm finished with the Alex Wright and James Hudson Experience. At a certain point you're not Developmental.. you're a CFL player. Or the UFL, the new one after the USFL merged with the XFL.
Ronnie Hickman was undrafted for a reason.
Harrison Bryant.. I suppose can stay TE3, but I thought NFL players had heard of switching the ball from one arm to the other.
Wright was finally found a role he could contribute just a bit. But his role, once understood how limited it was, could be exploited. His ability to effect the game in that role can't balance out said liability. Hudson just isn't progressing and he is what he is, same for Harrison Bryant.
Ronnie is Ronnie. Physically gifted by eyes and mind haven't grown since his sophomore year at tOSU. At times he looks like a cut down version of Taylor Mays.
-
I think I'm finished with the Alex Wright and James Hudson Experience. At a certain point you're not Developmental.. you're a CFL player. Or the UFL, the new one after the USFL merged with the XFL.
Ronnie Hickman was undrafted for a reason.
Harrison Bryant.. I suppose can stay TE3, but I thought NFL players had heard of switching the ball from one arm to the other.
Wright was finally found a role he could contribute just a bit. But his role, once understood how limited it was, could be exploited. His ability to effect the game in that role can't balance out said liability. Hudson just isn't progressing and he is what he is, same for Harrison Bryant.
Ronnie is Ronnie. Physically gifted by eyes and mind haven't grown since his sophomore year at tOSU. At times he looks like a cut down version of Taylor Mays.
Ronnie is Ronnie. Physically gifted by eyes and mind haven't grown since his sophomore year at tOSU. At times he looks like a cut down version of Taylor Mays.
Oh wow, Taylor Mays. That's a name I haven't heard, read or thought of in roughly a million years. I remember top 5 of the draft hype surrounding him while he was at USC.
Heard another name I haven't thought of in forever, this is a DEEP dive for Ohio State football. Remember RB Brionte Dunn of Canton Glenoak? He was supposed to be another Jonathan "Beanie" Wells, but the kid was run so much in HS by the time he got to CBus his knees were moosh. "Moosh" is Italian-American for "not good".
-
Ronnie is Ronnie. Physically gifted by eyes and mind haven't grown since his sophomore year at tOSU. At times he looks like a cut down version of Taylor Mays.
Oh wow, Taylor Mays. That's a name I haven't heard, read or thought of in roughly a million years. I remember top 5 of the draft hype surrounding him while he was at USC.
Heard another name I haven't thought of in forever, this is a DEEP dive for Ohio State football. Remember RB Brionte Dunn of Canton Glenoak? He was supposed to be another Jonathan "Beanie" Wells, but the kid was run so much in HS by the time he got to CBus his knees were moosh. "Moosh" is Italian-American for "not good".
Oh wow, Taylor Mays. That's a name I haven't heard, read or thought of in roughly a million years. I remember top 5 of the draft hype surrounding him while he was at USC.
Heard another name I haven't thought of in forever, this is a DEEP dive for Ohio State football. Remember RB Brionte Dunn of Canton Glenoak? He was supposed to be another Jonathan "Beanie" Wells, but the kid was run so much in HS by the time he got to CBus his knees were moosh. "Moosh" is Italian-American for "not good".
Yeah, his knees reminded me of 'Tone quite a bit. Basically it was 3 years until the NFL. But by the time he got midway through his sophomore year at tOSU, you could see the wear and tear. Which, speaking of Beanie, was the reason for the big push to get him. Apart from being the #1 RB recruit, he got a ton of minutes a freshman under Tress. Rare unless you were a special talent or he just absolutely needed you to take starting snaps. Beanie took a lot of the carries Mo and Brandon Joe had the year or two previous, only difference is he was actually an efficient and much more effective runner. But that also helped keep Pittman fresh during that 06' season.
I say that because Dunn, like you compared him too, was supposed to be the next Beanie. And like Beanie, the hopes for him his freshman year was backing up and putting in work behind Carlos Hyde. He had a couple moments, dude just couldn't string it together on, but also off the field.
Zeke came in during the 2013 season, and the rest is history
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login