Week #5 - Baker Bounce Back @ Bolts

[CommD]

They scored 42 points and had over 500 total yards of offense.

I get it, they lost. But how many times does the narrative need to change?

First it was accuracy.

Then it was pocket presence.

Now, playing within the system, he’s not good enough to… abandon the best run game in the entire league?

Do we just want to go into shot gun and just throw 12 yard routes? I don’t get what’s being asked at this point.

What's being asked is to do what it takes to win the game. Nothing more, and nothing less.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Is it still the best OL in the league if you are minus your 2 starting tackles?

He had plenty of time to throw today.

We are having all these off shoot arguments that don’t seem particularly relevant to me.

He’s in a great situation and not even performing at a replacement level.

At some point, it has to be his fault. Maybe we’ll all get there at some point.

 

[buzzdog]

Rich is in here nailing it on all fronts. No matter who the QB is that should have been viewed as a do or die drive to END the game. Honestly I considered it 4 down territory. 3rd and 10 draw followed by a punt given everything leading up to that point felt like forfeiting

Truth right there. No excuse for being ultra conservative in that situation. You have to give your players a chance to make the plays and don't take the ball out of their hands.

 

[CBBI]

So the counter to that is to run a halfback draw when you’re deep in your own territory and the opponent has a red hot QB, two timeouts and the two minute warning after your defense had just given up 40?

I didn't like the draw call, but Stefanski literally dialed up a pass play on 2nd and 10 and Baker threw an inaccurate pass to Higgins in a perfectly blocked pocket.

Higgins wasn't remarkably open, but Baker didn't even give him a chance on the play.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I'm sorry was Jack Conklin out the whole fucking game???

What did Baker do wrong "the whole fucking game"? For most of the fucking game, the offense was humming along perfectly.

Unfortunately, Conklin went out right before our defense chose to collapse. So we had two horrible offensive tackles at the precise time we had to throw, and the Chargers knew we had to throw. And we had no time outs. They could absolutely tee off on the pass rush while still keeping 7 guys back.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

I didn't like the draw call, but Stefanski literally dialed up a pass play on 2nd and 10 and Baker threw an inaccurate pass to Higgins in a perfectly blocked pocket.

Higgins wasn't remarkably open, but Baker didn't even give him a chance on the play.

Higgins was definitely interfered with

 

[Los216]

So who is sucking most of OBJ, Baker, and KS?

Because I consistently see big targets get big yards on big plays from other teams in the league.

So is the play not being drawn up well? Can OBJ not get separation? Or can Baker not throw?

I'm talking like 40 yard throws. Not 5 yard tosses to Chubb where he steals souls.

Baker. He’s the worst at executing his part. The plays are there and all of the receivers are open. He had not touch on the short passes including the drop to Odell and he threw a laser at Kareem too.

He’s limited throwing the ball downfield. Hell he got hurt on that medicine ball he threw to Schwartz.

Stefanski dials up some tremendous plays but it’s on Baker to get the team to execute because he’s the QB. The plays are there and the playmakers are there.

 

[Expensive Jet]

I didn't like the draw call, but Stefanski literally dialed up a pass play on 2nd and 10 and Baker threw an inaccurate pass to Higgins in a perfectly blocked pocket.

Higgins wasn't remarkably open, but Baker didn't even give him a chance on the play.

Sure, forgetting that Higgins was smothered and throwing it to the back shoulder was the right throw, but that doesn’t change the 3rd down criticism. 24% efficiency has to benefit us there better than what actually occurred given the situation.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Part of me thinks we would have been better off if the Chargers didn't miss the last extra point.

I not only believe this, but I actually believe the best case scenario was they went for 2 and got it.

Put the pressure on us so that we can't go ultra conservative. Plus we have a generational kicker so we could have played for the FG with no time left on the clock with being forced into 4 down territory

I know this sounds like some weird edgy teenager playing Madden shit... but that game was kind of Madden in a nut shell. They were going for it on 4th down at their own 25 in the 3rd quarter lol

 

[Liam]

Say what you want about Mayfield and KS but teams shouldn't be hanging near half a century on a defense as star studded as ours is. I get there were injuries but still, I felt comfortable the offense could and would score. I cant say the same about the defense making a stop when the Chargers had the ball.

 

[CBBI]

Racking up stats in advantageous situations, when the Browns are in positive down/distance and off play action is very important to any NFL offense and I don't want to take that away from Mayfield. He's done a good job in those scenarios for the most part, perhaps not as great as we'd want, but good enough.

But the fact is Mayfield has just not been a good QB this season when he isn't in an optimal position and that is the one element offensively the Browns really are lacking.

And that is also the very clear separator between Mayfield and the much better QB's in the league.

Herbert wasn't perfect today, he missed some easy throws, but there was never a down and distance where I felt like there was no chance of him converting. I have very little confidence in Baker converting any third and medium to long.

 

[bigfoot5415]

No one is without blame today unless your name is Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Kareem Hunt. I'd give Greedy a pass too bc he played a fantastic game, but id have to go back and watch the tape on some of the pivotal plays.

 

[Soar]

The offense hums because the offensive line and the running backs this team has been lucky enough to assemble are the best in the league.

Even with injuries, Tretter runs that line like a savant at times.

My issue is this... I don't think Baker makes guys better. I don't see receivers doing better here or putting up career numbers.

To me it seems more like the opposite.... Baker looks good and has good numbers because the people around him are that fucking good.

And where you come on on Baker vs Supporting Cast.... that's your opinion. I won't tell you what to believe.

But that is where I am.

 

[Liam]

Personally find it hilarious that we've lost a game in which we've put up 42 points and no one is talking about the defense...

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Our offense had no time outs, and our three top offensive tackles were all out

This has also been underplayed bigly. People have mentioned how they didn't hear the tackles names called in a bad way... and there is definitely a reason for that. We chipped and helped a LOT. Now they also held up just fine, but if we had Conklin and Wills in there it would have been a different story