Dab's agrees....

[DawgFan]

Brian Daboll thinks fans have point about lack of offense: Cleveland Browns Insider

Published: Saturday, December 18, 2010, 2:45 AM Updated: Saturday, December 18, 2010, 4:52 AM



CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has come under heavy fire from fans and media after the Browns scored six points in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills, but he's not shying away from the criticism -- or making excuses.
"That's why we're in this game -- the fans make this game," Daboll said. "I'd put myself under considerable fire if we put up six points. You go out there, you grind it out and you get ready for the next game. We better [darn] sure try to put up more than six points."
Despite injuries to all three quarterbacks and more recently to key players such as tight end Evan Moore and receiver/kick returner Josh Cribbs, Daboll will be under the microscope after the season when team President Mike Holmgren conducts his evaluation. But no one was criticizing Daboll when rookie quarterback Colt McCoy was playing so well in his five starts and beating teams such as the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots, who have gone a combined 11-0 since losing to the Browns.
Daboll has had to help young receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskieadjust to three different quarterbacks and operate without a marquee receiving threat to draw extra coverage.

The return of quarterback Colt McCoy (12) this Sunday might give a boost to Brian Daboll's offense.
He has one productive running back in Peyton Hillis as opposed to the three the Browns had at the beginning of the season before rookie Montario Hardesty was hurt and Jerome Harrison was traded.
"I'm not going to make excuses," Daboll said. "You just have to play the hand you're dealt."
Has he maximized the potential of the talent he has?
"No, I'm not going to say that," Daboll said. "We've got to do a better job, try to win more games."
He said he's not worried about taking the fall for the injury-riddled season.
"I'll bust my [tail] this week, go down to Cincinnati with Colt and the rest of the guys and try to get a win, put up more than six points," Daboll said. "I'm going to grind out, all of us are going to grind out the entire staff, the players and we'll give everything we have. We're going to try to put some points up on the board against Cincinnati this week."
Hillis not hot-dogging: Running back Peyton Hillis said he doesn't hurdle defenders for show. Last week, he was hit on his hurdle and lost the ball. Buffalo's Jairus Byrd said he lured him into the hurdle.
"It's instinctive," Hillis said. "I've been doing it since middle school. It's not for show. I'm not a showy guy. I just do it to try to take the hits off the knees."
He said "nine of 10 times isn't that bad," referring to the other nine times he successfully leaped over defenders this season. He admitted he'll have to change his approach because Byrd said the Bills figured out he jumps when a defender stutters, as if he's about to break and go low for the tackle. "If they think that's one of my tendencies before I jump, I've got to change that," he said. "But it's instinctive, and you have to go out there and do what you do."

Peyton Hillis says his leaps of defenders are instinctive and not done to show off.
Hillis, who shaved his head this week just for the heck of it, said he's never been a fumbler at any level and doesn't want the thought to sink into his subconscious.
"If it's on your mind the next week, you're going to worry about it and it's going to affect you for the next game," he said. "We can't allow that to happen for myself or the coaches or my teammates."
Hillis also fully supports coach Eric Mangini, who is under scrutiny these final three games.
"I love coach Mangini," Hillis said. "He made me the player I am, and he brought me here. I respect him. I think he's a great head coach, a terrific defensive coordinator and I want him to stay."

Bowens questionable: Linebacker David Bowens, who was knocked out cold on a goal-line stop in Buffalo, suffered a mild concussion and is questionable for the Bengals. He returned to practice on a limited basis Friday.
"I passed all the tests and felt OK at practice," he said. "We'll see between now and then."
Bowens said: "I felt like I had a good nap. It kind of does look bad because all of my limbs went numb. It was just one of those freak deals where you hit your head the wrong way."
He said the staff took his helmet so he couldn't try to go back in. He had headaches that went away Thursday.
"I'm going to be completely honest with myself [about playing]," he said. "If I don't feel 100 percent, [I won't]. But right now, I feel great."
T.O. idle: Bengals receiver Terrell Owens sat out Friday with a knee injury, but coach Marvin Lewis expects him to play. The same goes for receiver Chad Ochocinco, who participated fully with his ankle injury. Owens is listed as questionable and Ochocinco probable. . . . Bengals starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph is probable with a knee injury. For the Browns, Moore (hip) and linebacker Scott Fujita (knee) are doubtful. Four others besides Bowens are questionable: linebacker Marcus Benard (shoulder), cornerback Sheldon Brown (shoulder), defensive end Kenyon Coleman (knee) and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (ankle, hip). . . . Hardesty (knee) said he will start running next week.

Above I hi-lighted the stuff I found pertinent or interesting.

1. I agree that during that 5 game stretch with Colt at QB...the offense looked crisp and nobody was calling Dab's out for play calling. Amazing what happens when the QB does what he is supposed to do and doesn't try to force things (JD) or is unwilling to push the envelope (SW).

2. The WR's are just as effected by the QB carousel as the QB is. They have to adjust routes according to arm strength, tendencies, touch, and the way defenses go after each QB. Amazing how the seem to get better the more consecutive games they have with one QB...may be that CONSISTENCY and CHEMISTRY/TIMING have something to do with WR production???

3. Daboll is not deflecting, not making excuses, and more than willing to take on full responsibility for the offense. That, at a minimum, speaks of professionalism. I like it...does it mean I want to keep him...not sure, I will wait and see how he and Colt do over the next 3 games.

4. Liked the stuff on Hillis, but nothing new or surprising to me.

5. Nice to hear Hardesty is starting to run NOW. That gives him the entire off-season to get into football shape and gives the Browns almost 5 months to determine if we need to draft another RB.

Overall, nice info. Hope to see a Colt/Daboll team that rips the AFC NORTH to shreds over the next 3 games so we can start arguing over WR vs DE as the first pick in the draft.

[Danamal]

Alot of people come in here post game screaming for heads to roll and I understand that for the most part they are reacting to a disappointing loss and want to vent,I get it and it's a good way to get that frustration out.
When people cannot or will not look at the team in it's full context or just parrot the local radio show that has to be controversial to get callers and ratings is when things get annoying in here.
Injuries happen,all teams get them,fine theres truth in that.
Horrible offensive output,fine there's truth in that
You have to win now it's all wins and losses,sure it is.

Most of the "burning down the house"brigade will hold atleast one if not all three of those arguments as there mantra as to why Chuckie or some other guy will lead us to the promise land.
If ever a case could be made that key injuries are crushing to a team then this is the year to hold up a team like the Colts and say ok just maybe injuries alone isnt the whole problem but WHO gets injured is the problem.
As pointed out in that article Dabs wasn't discussed when Colt was playing well or the team winning,not saying we cant do better maybe we can,I don't know.
Wins and losses are a factor when you are an established product that is not living up to it's potential,please tell me when we have had this?

This franchise has finally made the right choice in putting a decent front office in place,they had there best draft since our return,it has shown on the field(defensively) and this year we go offense and we will make the playoffs,I firmly believe that.

Now if the franchise succumbs to mob rule and gives Mangini the boot and we start all over again in less than two seasons than guess what?
The front office should be fired as well because its a poor decision based on which direction this team is headed and there is zero evidence this team hasn't and isn't improving.
For some people it isn't happening fast enough but it is happening and if you burn it down again your really going to hate next year rather than the very real possibility that we go to the playoffs,but it will be ok because we chased Mangini out of town for someone who might do something that were already doing?
There is no logic in hiring another coach,there is repetition and familiarity in doing so but there is nothing intelligent in doing so.

[PlaygroundLegend]

Its good to hear that Hillis likes Mangini and wants him to stay, I like the fact that Dabs is owning up to the offense's lack of production

Danamal, I also would like to remind you of Mangini's last team, just because a team gets a new coach doesnt mean its a complete reboot. Rex took the Jets to the playoffs first year, Gruden won the superbowl with TB.

A new coach doesnt always mean 2-3 years of rebuilding

[hiwaygal]

Hillis, who shaved his head this week just for the heck of it,

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

Danamal, I also would like to remind you of Mangini's last team, just because a team gets a new coach doesnt mean its a complete reboot. Rex took the Jets to the playoffs first year, Gruden won the superbowl with TB.

And in both of those particular instances many people think those teams merely continued the success of their previous coach. In other words, lots of people think Rex inherited Mangini's team (and their wins) and Gruden inherited Dungy's team (and their wins).

To see how well those coaches have done, you have to look at their second year - that's when their influence is REALLY realized. Rex ain't doin' so good. The Jet's downward spiral is almost catastrophic.

Not so sure about Gruden at TB, but since he's not there anymore I have to assume there were issues.

[Legendary]

Could Colt is only man who can make BD's tactics work unlike Jake and Serena ?

[Danamal]

Originally Posted by hiwaygal

And in both of those particular instances many people think those teams merely continued the success of their previous coach. In other words, lots of people think Rex inherited Mangini's team (and their wins) and Gruden inherited Dungy's team (and their wins).

To see how well those coaches have done, you have to look at their second year - that's when their influence is REALLY realized. Rex ain't doin' so good. The Jet's downward spiral is almost catastrophic.

Not so sure about Gruden at TB, but since he's not there anymore I have to assume there were issues.

It just depends how emotionally invested in your opinion you are as to how you weigh the facts...

[golfer704u]

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

Its good to hear that Hillis likes Mangini and wants him to stay, I like the fact that Dabs is owning up to the offense's lack of production

Danamal, I also would like to remind you of Mangini's last team, just because a team gets a new coach doesnt mean its a complete reboot. Rex took the Jets to the playoffs first year, Gruden won the superbowl with TB.

A new coach doesnt always mean 2-3 years of rebuilding

So I'll hold you responsible next season if we have a new coach and he doesn't win 10 games right???

You think it's all coaching and a new coach will solve it.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Poor Dabs being led to the sacrificial alter to appease the ignorant masses. I hope he makes it very, very tough on those people in the next 3 games. It's a tall order with what he has to work with, but McCoy at least gives him one more important weapon in the arsenal.

[DaBrowns41]

Well, not many people criticize 1) when you're winning a few games and 2) when you're playing some of the tougher defenses in the NFL.

I could criticize the Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and Jacksonville game easily. The playcalling was still awful. But Pitt was Colt's first game, the defense handed us a victory over New Orleans despite like 74 yards from our QB, and we could have beat Jacksonville, but since they are in the playoff hunt, we don't feel as bad.

Putting up 19 total points in our last two games is embarrassing, and putting up 10 points against the Steelers (who can be passed on, and we had some success) is embarrassing.

You can't criticize the New England game because Dab's was just going with what worked: run the ball.

The offense didn't look very good in those games either. But we were more forgiving because a rookie played in those games, rather than a veteran QB making 7M bucks who all Browns fans seemed to think was going to be our savior this year.

We'd have been better off paying Anderson that 7M.

[PlaygroundLegend]

geeze people I diddnt say all of that, Im speaking based on hypothesis here, im not declaring fact

What im saying, is that a new coach doesn't automatically mean a bad season, thats all I said, I gave two examples.

Gruden won a superbowl, Rex went to the playoffs, Gruden had winning records thus after, Rex has a pretty solid record this year.

the only reason I brought up all the above, is that I believe some coaches are like Moses (Mangini IMHO). They start a revolution, and lead the team out of slavery (the constant suckage we have been endearing for years) into the desert and help us survive and become strong (building up the team, playing good football), but remember, Moses wasnt allowed to take the Jews into the promised land (Super bowl)

Its possible, Im not stating the above as fact, im just saying its possible

[BrownieBornAndRaised]

Originally Posted by PlaygroundLegend

Danamal, I also would like to remind you of Mangini's last team, just because a team gets a new coach doesnt mean its a complete reboot. Rex took the Jets to the playoffs first year, Gruden won the superbowl with TB.

Last year the Jets had the same record as they did the year before (when mangini was canned) and only made the playoffs because the first place Bengals and Colts rested players weeks 16 and 17. Had they actually played those games whos to say that rex wouldnt have had a losing year?

[Sez.EJ]

If Dabs had the Saints offense..I think we still would have our doubts. Just speculation on my part.. point I'm making is that I'm not impressed even when he's been at his very best.