Stats through Week 4

[Greythan]

Not including tonight's Monday night game:

Team

• Offense: 16th
• Points Scored Per Game: 25th (17.0)
• Passing: 20th
• Rushing: 12th
• Defense: 23rd
• Points Allowed Per Game: 15th (19.3; we'd be 11th without the one pick 6; 8th without Delhomme's near pick 6)
• Passing: 26th
• Sacks: 11th (tied)
• Rushing: 20th
• Kickoff Return Average Allowed: 3rd (17.1 yards / return)
• Punt Return Average Allowed: 3rd (tied) (4.0 yards / return)

Individuals:

• Seneca Wallace: 18th rated passer
• Peyton Hillis: 8th (tied) rushing (4.9 / carry)
• Peyton Hillis: 6th (tied) touchdowns scored (4)
• Reggie Hodges: 8th punting (45.2 average yards / punt)
• TJ Ward: 10th (tied) total tackles
• Kenyon Coleman: 1st (tied) fumbles recovered (2)

Certainly not bottom of the power rankings stuff.

Big gaps in receiving leaders. Also hurting in 3rd down percentage allowed by the defense.

Still, some real promising things to build upon in there.

[PlaygroundLegend]

I was listening to espn 850 on sunday and oh boy, would they have riled this board up....

They completely mirrored what shep tells us every day. They even said that they had wished that we DIDDNT win those 4 games last year with defense, and they said they wished mangini DIDDNT win this year by using that gameplan... because its not a consistently successful way to win. Mangini is fooling himself and others into thinking we dont need a legit #1 WR and a top notch QB.

Lecharles Bentley sounded exactly like shep, he said the same exact stuff sheps been saying for a while.

Its true guys, we need a legit receiver, the rest of our squad is doing fine, the stats agree, but we need that wideout and we need that QB, or else it will be the same sad, sorry road for a while

[Masters]

I don't think anyone has ever disagreed that a franchise QB and a true #1 WR are needs for CLE. Outside of CLE being bad enough last year that they could have had the #1 pick to take Bradford, it doesn't look so far like CLE could have addressed either of those needs in this past draft.

But so far this season, when you look at the teams with the best records they are winning by having a strong D and rushing attack.

[Vegasdogg]

I have always been a fan that thinks picking a QB on a team that CAN'T play defense and CAN'T run the ball is a recipe for Couch II. We need to do something well on offense and field a D that doesn't give up 30 points every game. We're closer today than we were in 2008-09.

But yes, you have to have the QB. We all know this. The debate has always been when. Nothing new here.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by Masters

But so far this season, when you look at the teams with the best records they are winning by having a strong D and rushing attack.

It's early yet, I think. Teams are starting off slow in the passing game because of the way defense's have played. Doesn't mean the entire season will or will not stay this way, but it's still early.

[Masters]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

It's early yet, I think. Teams are starting off slow in the passing game because of the way defense's have played. Doesn't mean the entire season will or will not stay this way, but it's still early.

That's why I say so far I fully agree it is early. That "trend" of it being a passing really only had one season to back it up as being a "trend". I think we both know the NFL game is a game of adjustments. Not just on a week to week basis but a year to year basis. D's will catch up to that pass happy success that occured last year and so far it seems they are. There a lot more football to be played this season though.

[PlaygroundLegend]

Thats weird when were 16th in offense, yet 25th in points scored

we cant cross the white line!! What does that mean?

We need someone who can throw a fade, and someone who can catch a fade, because in my opinion, thats the prettiest thing in football.

seriously though, whats wrong with our red zone offense?

[Masters]

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

Thats weird when were 16th in offense, yet 25th in points scored

we cant cross the white line!! What does that mean?

We need someone who can throw a fade, and someone who can catch a fade, because in my opinion, thats the prettiest thing in football.

seriously though, whats wrong with our red zone offense?

That 16th in O is just total yards. I am in the same school of thought as you, which is points scored are all that matter (just as on D the real stat is how many points per game you give up, not yards per game).

As to what's wrong with CLE red zone O, the struggles in the passing game (no legit WRs and back up QB playing) are what I think are the issue.

[Tobalaz]

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

seriously though, whats wrong with our red zone offense?

Our qb throws slightly behind his target every time and the 2 tes and rbs are the only people capable of catching the damn ball!
Maybe we could line up Watson, Moore and Hillis as wrs and Vickers as the te when we get inside the 10!

[Thaid_Up]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

I have always been a fan that thinks picking a QB on a team that CAN'T play defense and CAN'T run the ball is a recipe for Couch II. We need to do something well on offense and field a D that doesn't give up 30 points every game. We're closer today than we were in 2008-09.

But yes, you have to have the QB. We all know this. The debate has always been when. Nothing new here.

Excellent Dogg. That's why I'm more than content with Jake and Seneca this year. Of course we need and want an elite QB(what team wouldn't?) but you can't just throw him to the wolves without any support.

And for those piece of crap espn announcers: BLOW ME!! blow me early blow me often. Sorry, getting really pissed off with this "I hope we don't win so we get a high draft spot" attitude. Someone posted on another thread that it was a short term pain for a future gain--BULL. A winning attitude, mindset and spirit go a long way and fortunately it looks like the team doesn't share that loser mentality.

[Shep]

Bentley is saying what any GM or scout or analyst would say looking at the Browns: They lack a serious franchise QB and they're really weak at WR. Until they have those things, they're not going to seriously contend.

It's tough to win consistently without the centerpiece, the quarterback. You can win here and there in different ways (like the Jets last year while Sanchez was cold... or the Chiefs this year with special teams and defense), but it's all sort of a mirage. It's fool's gold.

The truth is that the Browns weren't able to get Bradford, who looks like a serious franchise QB (as does Sanchez, though... and we could've had him). The only way the Browns missed this year is if Clausen pans out, which is looking possible but not definite. We'll have to see.

What the Browns definitely could have done is taken a serious #1 WR in round one... or even a pretty damn good one in round 3 (Jordan Shipley, Emannuel Sanders, Taylor Price, etc.). We also could have made the inevitable switch to the WCO and changed OCs even if Mangini was retained. It's the only offense where McCoy has even a shadow of a chance in this league.

But what's done is done. We have the line, TEs, and running game to accomodate a rookie QB next year. We'll help out the WR crew at the same time.

[King of Kings]

Originally Posted by Greythan

Not including tonight's Monday night game:

Team

• Offense: 16th
• Points Scored Per Game: 25th (17.0)
• Passing: 20th
• Rushing: 12th
• Defense: 23rd
• Points Allowed Per Game: 15th (19.3; we'd be 11th without the one pick 6; 8th without Delhomme's near pick 6)
• Passing: 26th
• Sacks: 11th (tied)
• Rushing: 20th
• Kickoff Return Average Allowed: 3rd (17.1 yards / return)
• Punt Return Average Allowed: 3rd (tied) (4.0 yards / return)

Huh, ya don't say.

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

I was listening to espn 850 on sunday and oh boy, would they have riled this board up....

They completely mirrored what shep tells us every day. They even said that they had wished that we DIDDNT win those 4 games last year with defense, and they said they wished mangini DIDDNT win this year by using that gameplan... because its not a consistently successful way to win. Mangini is fooling himself and others into thinking we dont need a legit #1 WR and a top notch QB.

Lecharles Bentley sounded exactly like shep, he said the same exact stuff sheps been saying for a while.

Its true guys, we need a legit receiver, the rest of our squad is doing fine, the stats agree, but we need that wideout and we need that QB, or else it will be the same sad, sorry road for a while

I'll go bullet point from the bolded portions.

1: Where you think he gets his shit from? He parrots whatever ESPN is saying, of course they're spouting the same shit.

2: Tell that to the Steelers, Pats and several other teams.

3: Okay??? Should we be giving Shep or Bentley the gold star and cookie?

4: See the bolded stats above. We're NOT doing fine. We're bottom of the fucking barrel in Pass D, rush D and total D. With a bunch of guys over the age of 30 and not getting any younger.

5: Wasn't bolded but we're supposed to take some assholes seriously who're stating they wish we had gone 0-16? Really? And DON'T want us to win games THIS year, dogging the season to be able to draft expensively? Yeah i'm not taking anyone serious who wants us to purposefully tank games over some trivial bullshit like draft position. That's stupid as hell, then again it IS ESPN spouting off all this bullshit so it's to be expected.