Funniest thing about it all. The best Cleveland has ever looked, came in their only Playoff Win in forever... BTW that game Stephanski what watching the game from his basement with covid. 

Agree 100 percent with Bettlejuice on this. 

I liked Stefanski when we got him but once he got the Covid and Baker and the Boys beat the brakes off the Steelers in the Playoffs without him... he hasn't been the same. He's either too cold or he doesn't care one way or another. Need to have passion to be a coach, or at least not suck at what you do. How in the hell does he let Baker go when the team followed him. And the let Kareem Hunt go which is one reason Chubb got hurt anyways. These guys are Romeo Crennel material. I could do a better job and I can barely win a Madden game these days... every play is a scam.

DTR can't be worse than watching this guy shit in my cheerios every game he plays.

I don't know, after they screwed Baker Mayfield, something inside of me died. I barely follow along anymore. 

I never thought it would happen... but I can't even stand Madden. I may be too far gone. Maybe it was all a dream...

but there's a whisper on the wind ~~~ it's saying something ~~~ it's saying chubb, yes! that's it, it's saying Nick Chubb. 

Play DTR and let Chubb get back in there. I don't know how you could even think about a new stadium when the guys in charge can't even manage the football team correctly. 

Let's trade Watson for a happy ending and rebuild the offense with somebody who is not washed up. It's a shame too because I could have watched Baker for the next 10 years win or lose and it wouldn't matter. I know he's somebody who understands the game, where to go with the ball, and will give us a chance, rain or shine. With Watson it's like I don't think it's he actually washed up but maybe more like he never had it. I think the team around him and his athletic ability were the perfect storm at that time in the NFL. Now he seems super vanilla. and not even with the vanilla bean specks, just walmart bucket vanilla... with a flimsy red handle and a little crack... and freezer burned... 

I'm going to go with he's gone before the trade deadline. They'll eat his contract for a 2nd or 3rd rounder. Ugh. What's Colt McCoy up to?

Baker is my guy and it tares me apart that he gone gone but to be fair;

I can't blame Watson for Berry, Haslam and Stefanskis lack of loyalty, wishy washyness or plain stupidity. To be fair Watson turned them down originally until they dangled the keys to the city and the future in front of his face. A little bit is on him because he should know or should have factored in that a contract of that magnitude will inevitably create voids at other positions that could have been more fortified had his contract been more team friendly. He no doubt must play better to validate that kind of a contract but it is what it is and there's no going back now; so I will reserve judgement it on him in time.

I wouldn't say he not a pocket passer. I think he is good to very good. I think he's better than Lamar Jackson just not as fast or quick. Like he can move and he's pretty evasive but that's the double edge part of the sword that cuts both ways. Where Baker knows he's not outrunning so he's got to be perfect in the pocket to have succes whereas Watson has enough speed to get out of some situations, but not all. He does do a great jobs of getting his eyes back down field while he's moving around. His awareness of just running and getting what he can and getting down, avoiding the hits and glancing blows when it's not necessary. 

The facemask shenanigans I addressed in the GameDay thread. I think he's got to be aware of the types of games the Steelers play but that will come rather quickly. Hopefully next time he plants his palm on their forehead. 

The interception was on the TE. He had his hands on it he just bobbled it and they got a lucky break on the tipped ball. And on the strip sack that LT got toasted, and the way that jacked up roided hillbilly Watt was playing I can't fault him for never seeing that guy flying up behind him. That was a bad break for us but you seen it all night the way PIT punches at the ball and they are so lucky with the amount of times that it actually knocks the ball lose. They got Njoku the same way just before he was down. They also got despite and the think there was another time as well. Got to be aware of that aspect and it's just in the Steelers nature. It's really sickening that they have that much success doing that. 

Losing Chubb so early and those two fluke fumbles really is the only reason Pittsburgh was even remotely in this game... it should have been a blowout. 

Watson had some amazing passes out there. That WR from Dallas is as good a WR as we've ever had. But Pits got away with some grabs and PIs tonight no doubt. He should have been picked off on that deep ball but the PIT guy dropped it. I think we'll get there but don't think the Play action had the same effect without Chubb. Berry better be working on getting Hunt a deal, better yet, he better be slaving over a hot stove and greeting Hunt with some breakfast right now.

It doesn't help that Baker is waking up feeling dangerous while we're here shittin the bed.

@westside-steve said:

I can't be the only guy who was wondering when the hell was the last time I saw a quarterback commit two egregious personal fouls/ face masks?

WSS

I know I have a severe bias here but I actually thought that on the first one it looked like he went for a legit stiff arm to the face but one of his fingers slipped in between the bar and the helmet and it looked like he only grabbed it so it didn't rip his finger off. He did grab and pull him but he was probably legit trying to pull him through since dude wasn't pulling up. 

The second one was pure theatrics on the part of the Steelers player. He grabbed Watsons arm in a way the he trapped his hand against his mask, almost pulling his hand in his own mask. I just cant believe the refs fell for that bullshit. The refs should know to look for that type of behavior from known and repeated offenders benders of the rules. Watch that again and look at the way Watson is trying to get his hand back from that scab.

I will say this. Although I didn't hear it at the time (sorry, the voices in my head were screaming REDRUM), the announcers said that the Thieves fans were chanting "Chubb, Chubb, Chubb". I was actually taken aback a little and it snapped me out of my psychosis. I was actually touched and for a moment I thought, maybe Sodom and Gomorrah might have some hope of being spared after all.

@neo said:

I hope he's decorating the front of a city bus in the near future.

I know it is wrong... but I can't help myself from envisioning the fantasy that it's also a quite rusty from the rampant problem of the homeless people pissing on the grill... that's septic son, we're gonna need to amputate...

Sorry that's wrong... after reflecting a bit I realize that. He's such a scum bag that he probably immune to such things. Dude probably breeds MRSA. 

@nickers said:

Good to hear from you bub!

It's been a little while brother. Tonight was a tough one. ? 

That hit on Chubb got me all up in my bag of bad-bad thoughts.

I heard about Saquon'sigh... injury. Then I wss thinking about Kareem and how he should have been splitting carries with Chubb and why we couldn't keep that duo together? Which reminded me they could afford to keep him because we paid Watson a three kings ransom... which then reminded me that Mayfield was 2-0 with Tampa, and that we still aren't, apparently we haven't started 2-0 since 1993, which is another infamous world record that the announcers so kindly displayed onscreen and jinxed us with their wuwu media magic. 

Figured I should pop in for a few before I start cutting and speaking in tongues. 

..........maaaaaan..........

Prayers for Chubb. That was the worst injury I've ever seen in a game. It may be that it's magnified by the fact that it happened to such a stand up player and amplified by it coming from such a shady incestuous and disgusting team and player such as the Thieves. 

My only solace is in my own sick mind in which hopefully Fitzwacktrick is bleeding internally somewhere coughing up blood with so.e fractured ribs, a lacerated liver and three punctured lungs... forgive me Lord for I have sinned...

I literally believe this team must be Effing CURSED. I don't know why I let myself lower my guard enough to be suckered back into this unholy torture. Lord have mercy on us all. 

This is pure insanity. The Cleveland Browns are the undisputed-undefeated-reigning-defending Heavyweight Gaslight Champions of the World!!! Abusing us with their incompetence that is borderline trauma based mind control since 1999.

I already knew this was going to happen.. I prayed they would resign Hunt. The second I found out they let him walk I KNEW Chubb was going to get a season ending injury. Although, ya know, they actually outdid themselves and this may be career ending... it's a darn shame. Shame. Shame. Shame. 

It's ironic and even quite a bit tickling that the only playoff victory I can remember was won without a coach, by a QB and a RB that they just let walk away. I hope Mayfield runs the table and Kareem tells them to pound salt... (no! shake it off baby!...) What I hope is; Mayfeild shares the comeback player of the year award with Kareem Hunt. Supposing he resigns after Stefansky and Berry give him a Watson Special. 

Ugh. I hate football. I rue the day I dell in love with the Orange and Brown... hmm. Maybe those white helmets I got so excited about at kickoff were a bad omen. Maybe I'll try out some shock therapy... where'd I put those collars, maybe in the basement with the other browns crap... after all; "the browns is the browns", and "Next year Baby!" 

I can't believe I didnt even make it through September...in retrospect, I should have known better. I wonder if battered spouse counseling could help... 

I'm 100 percent convinced that the second Watson facemask penalty was the Thieves punking the refs once again! On the replay I swear that guy was trying to pull Watsons hand and hold it on his mask to draw that flag. They are just so dishonest they should be the ones embarrassed but somehow-someway I always end up being the one embarrassed by associating with this unparralled perpetually burning train wreck of a team!

... Hi, my name is Poet... And I'm a Brownsaholic. I guess I'm just addicted to pain.

I...just...cant...look...away...

Oh, one last thing, on the bright side- if there is one player that may be able to overcome an injury as gruesome as what I witnessed today... it's gonna be Nick Chubb. I'm a believer. And since I don't know how to quit, I'm gonna bet that Batman may even make it back to start in the playoffs. 

@riffer-x said:

@canton-dawg  I'm just going to address your responses or questions instead of trying to quote them directly.

Canton Dawg: "Since Baker had a bad year, I was surprised they extended him. The timing was also suspicious because it wasn’t like there was a time constraint to extend the 5th year option???"

Riffer X: Not sure I completely understand your question here, but teams have timeframes to exercise options on rookie contracts. On April 23rd, 2021, Cleveland (CLE) exercised an $18.858 million option for 2022. This is absolutely and completely normal, especially given the (relatively speaking) cheap starting QB contract BM was under. Remember, we just came off the most successful season since 1994 under Belichick with BM playing the best football of his career the final half of the season. He just beat Pitt in a road playoff game, so it was an absolute no-brainer that they picked up his option. Anything else would have caused a firestorm. All this was doing was extending his rookie contract to 5 years, it wasn't giving him a raise or anything.

Canton Dawg: "I wasn’t of the mindset of giving Baker a big contract, as he didn’t really do anything to deserve it. I was ok with extending his contract for the 5th year to see what he can do when healthy. If he sucked, 2023 looks to be a good QB class."

Riffer X: We are in agreement here, which is why you pick up his fifth-year option assuming he will be auditioning for his big contract extension in 2022. He blew that in 2021 for a myriad of reasons.

Canton Dawg: "So I take it you’re ok with the baggage DW brings with him?"

and

"Just so you know where I stand on Watson, I think he’s a slight upgrade over Mayfield and the numbers show it. But no way in hell is he worth the draft capital and money Haslam paid for. If he doesn’t bring a SB Championship to Cleveland very quickly, this player acquisition will be one of the all time worst deals in Browns history."

Riffer X: I have no issues whatsoever with Watson's baggage because I personally think this is a money grab and have all along. Now, does the guy have some fetishes that counseling could help? Sure, but as I told MJP, Watson is an investment, and the sooner fans view him that way the better off they will be. He has never had any other issues besides this massage BS and is considered a film rat, hardcore competitor and good leader. 

We disagree here. Watson is an elite QB who has never had a cockpit to play behind like we have here. He is a huge upgrade over Mayfield with his legs and mobility alone, and his stats are much better than Baker's. Watson is an elite QB, whereas Baker is mid-tier at best with occasional glimpses of stellar play. I highlighted many of the big differences below.

Watson Passing

Watson Rushing and Receiving

Mayfield Passing

Mayfield Rushing and Receiving

I'm just going to say that we have 2 of the top 5 runningbacks in the NFL, we are a run first built offense. Why do people think that Baker should have almost 5000 yards? He was amazing at play action and accurate as hell when healthy. We play in some of the nastiest weather in the NFL and feature 2 bell cow runningbacks... 

Baker would have broken multiple records for an age old snakebitten franchise, it would have been more than enough to warrant his draft status in the annuls of the history books. He may have well have won us a Superbowl Championship. Sometimes it's not all about winning but in HOW you win. I would have gladly watched another 11-6 season under Baker, just for the joy of it. It was enough for me knowing that we had a chance. You can't win them all and if you think you can, you are wrong.

@dutch-oven said:

Baker being evicted and Watson moving in... Baker's like, "Good Luck... there's some weird stuff happening in there. Some little Brownie Elves hiding in the stands... Looking around all suspicious... a foot of snow on the ground...

Watson can't play in Cleveland like he did in Texas. It's a different...it's different here. 

@mjp28 said:

Is that good football training protocol,  hoops as workout or downtime activity  ?

Maybe some motorcycle training to go along with it.   Oh brother.   Yeah remember what's his name KW with the parking lot motorcycle stunts.  I wonder what he's up to now ?   

Hey the BROWNS need some good luck now.

Dude, Kellen Winslow Jr... I believe last I saw of him he was going to prison for some of the craziest stuff. I still can't believe it.

@unsympathetic said:

Back in reality:

1] Watson plays through brutal hand injury, finishes with 324 yards

He played the next week, throwing for 361.  On an injury everyone told him to shut it down for the year.. likely because it was the last week of the year.

2] Watson threw a game-winning TD with his eyes closed a half-second after getting kicked in the face

If Watson has a tummy ache, the tummy ache sits.

That was before he had a 230 million guaranteed contract. He already hasn't been blindsided by a linebacker in two years. He gets demolished on one unforeseen hit on a scramble or broken block or a blitz, he's done done.

Jimmy Haslam

Baker will be just like Drew Breezy. He will win at least 3 Superbowls. It won't be for us though... maybe his third will be, eh; I can dream. 

@canton-dawg said:

Nothing but love for Baker Mayfield. Cleveland loves ya baby. Hopefully you can Lebron for us after you win one for Ole Carolina. I'll miss ya homie  

It's not employer/employee...

Was Otto Graham and Paul Brown like that? You don't get the extra you need in this league with the Pilot Flying J cashier employee handbook. This is not a numbers game, it's a people's game and people matter. They are not robots and BM should have shown enough to warrant a long term contract for his sacrifice for the team. Watson will sit if he has a tummy ache... it's a given, he gets paid regardless. 

The Browns have to be run by the dumbest owner ever. Please go away Jimmy and Dee and please keep any offspring you have far away as well. Piece of Shit Steelers fag.

Wow... this is sickening...