Johnny Manziel: Swan Won't Return His Calls

[OptimusPrime]

Dansby has been fine. Whitner hasn't done much. Haden has looked awful. Gilbert shouldn't even be in the league. The defensive line gets blown off the ball. I would start Rubin at end and Taylor on the nose and hope that helps the run D a bit. Otherwise there isn't much they can do. It isn't like we have playmakers sitting on the bench.

 

[Chris]

I'm really upset about Gilbert.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

people are being intentionally obtuse about this wide receiver thing.

Nobody is being intentionally obtuse about it. I think most of us have a fundamental disagreement with your premise that Manziel is a good enough athlete to succeed at all these "slash" ideas you have for him. His size not only inhibits what roles he could theoretically play (Tight end -- seriously???), but exposes him to getting smashed. Not to mention that once you start popping him into all these roles with the regular offense, you've now dramatically reduced the amount of time he can play and learn his primary position, and burdened him with learning a whole new package of plays at a completely different position.

It was a brilliantly designed and executed trick play that worked precisely because it was unexpected. Instead of appreciating it for what it was, you're trying to change his fundamental role on the team to one for which he is incredibly ill-suited.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I actually like this, not because Lanning does a poor job but I just feel a guy with Manziel's skill set would put more options on the table for the special teams.

The only reason the idea was raised in the first place is because we've had problems. Belichick's reasoning was that having the punter hold for snaps gave his team the most reliable snaps. That may be perfectly true for his team, and with Brady at QB, it's not like they needed other offensive sparks.

That may not be true for every other team because the personnel are different. Our FG unit has struggled both with snaps and with blocking, and therefore having a different holder who presents more of a dual threat might help our FG's. For all we know, it may be something they already tried and Manziel just couldn't get the hang of it. Or it may be something they try down the road, or not at all.

I just don't think it's a laughable idea.

 

[Randolphkeys]

My reasoning behind singling out Dansby is partially his salary (5.5 million this year) and the fact he is a middle linebacker. While I feel he is a great coverage middle linebacker, there is no getting around how porous this run defense has been. If New Orleans chooses to run the ball more often rather than play into the Cleveland Defense strength of pass defense, the run defense numbers could be even worse. The run defense allows the opponent 5 yards an attempt.

 

[Ohdang]

If the Browns aren't winning, that means changes need to be made on the defensive end, which has been the major disappointment of the season so far. Which move changes the effort level of the team:

1. Demote the guy who has over achieved and played a career year for the guy who partied his way through the summer...

or...

2. Demote/ bench Haden, making 12.1 million this year to impersonate burnt toast... or the sucky Rubin who is making no impact at 8.1 million this year... or the disappointing free agents Whitner and Dansby making bank?

I agree with you on everything but Dansby. I think he's been pretty good for us so far.

 

[Randolphkeys]

Dansby has been fine. Whitner hasn't done much. Haden has looked awful. Gilbert shouldn't even be in the league. The defensive line gets blown off the ball. I would start Rubin at end and Taylor on the nose and hope that helps the run D a bit. Otherwise there isn't much they can do. It isn't like we have playmakers sitting on the bench.

I agree, and chances are the top players in talent are the ones who are indeed playing, they just haven't mastered the scheme. I do think the bye week is a great time for the players to assess what they are doing wrong. Right now, most of the blame falls on the defense and special teams. The offense has over achieved. If the problems continue past week 5 and 6, I think we need to see some roster moves defensively. Back to my original thesis, a shake up at QB doesn't send the right message. A shakeup elsewhere makes more sense.

 

[Maximus]

You're also pointing to a number of mediocre weapons like Santonio Holmes, Martellus Bennett. If those guys are here, would we view them any different than Miles Austin? I wouldn't....

Those are options #3 and #4...if Jeffreys and Marshall(options #1 and #2) come with them...then hell yes you would. That was the point...but you knew that.


What QB's are playing better than Hoyer with less talent to throw to?

 

[AZ_]

Those are options #3 and #4...if Jeffreys and Marshall(options #1 and #2) come with them...then hell yes you would. That was the point...but you knew that.


What QB's are playing better than Hoyer with less talent to throw to?

Depends on your definition of talent.

Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins can absolutely play, and they've shown that so far given all the open receivers Hoyer has had thus far,

One could certainly argue they've helped Hoyer just as much, if not more than he's helped them.

But I digress...

 

[Randolphkeys]

Oakland's receiving corp of James Jones, Rod Streater, Denarius Moore, and TE Mychael Rivera is pretty butt terrible, but going into this season Jones and Streater should have had a higher upside being in their primes and having success in the past. They have generated around 60% of the yardage the Browns have been able to generate so far. Every other team had much more talent at the receiving positions.

God, the Raiders are an embarrassment...

 

[The Oi]

boobie,

Who is better between Andy Hawkins and Brandon Marshall? And between Miles Austin and Alshon Jeffery?

 

[Randolphkeys]

Adding to the common sense logical fallacies, can we stop counting targets as a reason the receivers are amongst the league leaders? That's great Hawkins and Miles get a lot of targets... doesn't mean they are tearing up the league, it means they have the ball thrown at them, noting more.

The damn pylon can rack up targets if nobody else is worth throwing to...

 

[The Oi]

Also boobie,

As a follow up...please put a number from 1-10 on how you'd rate each of the four receivers. Let's keep it simple and just rate them based on talent, previous production and potential for future production.

 

[Maximus]

Depends on your definition of talent.

Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins can absolutely play, and they've shown that so far given all the open receivers Hoyer has had thus far,

One could certainly argue they've helped Hoyer just as much, if not more than he's helped them.

But I digress...

Now you are being intentionally thick.

AGAIN, Hoyer is doing more with less talent than most of the QB's in the NFL.

As Jigo said who would you rather have?


Of these QB's, who are the top 3 QB's who had the least overall talent to work with in the first 3 games?

1 Russell Wilson, QB SEA 60 87 69.0 651 7.48 39 6 1 6 108.9
2 Peyton Manning, QB DEN 74 111 66.7 814 7.33 48 8 1 3 108.5
3 Philip Rivers, QB SD 67 98 68.4 778 7.94 49 6 1 2 108.3
4 Kirk Cousins, QB WSH 52 81 64.2 677 8.36 81 5 1 2 105.8
5 Matt Ryan, QB ATL 76 111 68.5 965 8.69 54 7 3 4 105.1
6 Andrew Luck, QB IND 86 126 68.3 912 7.24 41 9 3 5 103.0
7 Cam Newton, QB CAR 46 69 66.7 531 7.70 37 2 0 7 99.4
8 Drew Brees, QB NO 83 117 70.9 863 7.38 57 5 2 3 99.1
9 Jay Cutler, QB CHI 80 121 66.1 750 6.20 44 8 2 7 98.2
10 Brian Hoyer, QB CLE 61 95 64.2 716 7.54 70 3 0 5 97.5


I'd digress if i were you too...

 

[MRMsix6]

I'd digress if i were you too...