Re-Focused: Browns @ Raiders, Week 6 from Pro Football Focus

[BernietheKid]

Re-Focused: Browns @ Raiders, Week 6
October 19th, 2011 | Author: Chris Benson

Talk about mixed feelings. The Oakland Raiders were able to win a game you’d now expect them to, but it cost them their starting quarterback when Jason Campbell broke his collarbone. At 4-2 and only half a game behind the division-leading San Diego Chargers, the Raiders are in too good of a position, and have too much talent on the roster to place their playoff aspirations in the hands of Kyle Boller. That explains the power/ aggressive/ ridiculous (delete as your mindset dictates) move to acquire Carson Palmer for potentially two first-round picks if they reach the AFC Conference Championship game this season.

The Browns, meanwhile, didn’t have to experience the emotional rollercoaster the Raiders did throughout and following this game, but they are at a low point after their performance against the Titans. Colt McCoy led a touchdown drive at the end of the game to narrow the gap to 24-17 and following an onside kick recovery, the Browns did have a chance to pull off the upset, but the Raiders controlled the majority of the game and had a nearly ten-minute advantage in the time of possession battle. The scoreline really didn’t tell it all in this one.

While both of these teams were popular sleeper picks in the offseason, one has sped on, while the other tries to figure out how to win winnable games. The Browns have had a tough time progressing as an offense and continue to take their lumps, while the Raiders are a little further along and have figured out how to win games even when they aren’t at their best, as was the case when Boller had to close out the game.



Browns: Three Performances of Note

It starts with the QB
Just as the subheading suggests, an offense lives or dies with the play of its quarterback. You can have the best weapons imaginable on your offense, but if the quarterback can’t get the ball to these players, you won’t win many games. In Oakland, McCoy (-1.9) had trouble doing just that. In our preview of this game, while discussing the need for McCoy to perform in the face of pressure, we wrote that McCoy has struggled making plays when pressured, missing the opportunity to make plays. So was McCoy able to step up and make those plays under pressure? Not quite. In 15 drop-backs under pressure, he completed two passes for 11 yards and took two sacks, earning him a PFF QB rating of -4.0 in that scenario. For an example of just how badly McCoy’s inability make good throws under pressure can hurt the team, look at the play at 1:20 in the 4th quarter, where the Raiders send seven defenders after the QB, leaving only four in coverage on the Browns’ four receivers. McCoy tosses one up off his back foot, sending the ball out of the back of the endzone, in front of a fairly wide-open Ben Watson. The Browns ended up scoring two plays later, but those are the throws that McCoy needs to be able to make if he wants to be Cleveland’s long-term answer at the quarterback position.


Not your above-average Joe
Joe Haden’s importance to the Browns defense is obvious and nobody expected Dimitri Patterson (-4.9) to play as well as he, but the point was really driven home by the Raiders’ quarterbacks all game long. Patterson was actually targeted more than every other player on the Browns defense combined and allowed 10 of the 13 passes thrown his way to be completed, good for 128 yards. He particularly struggled with improving receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (+1.5), and was graded negatively in coverage on five plays while covering the speedy wideout. It wasn’t the speed of Heyward-Bey that Patterson couldn’t handle, though, it was his route-running. More than once Heyward-Bey received a large cushion from Patterson, only to pick up a quick first down when the quarterback hit him on a short curl route or a break over the middle. Patterson seemed content to sit back on the deeper routes and yield these shorter timing routes all game, whereas Browns fans are used to seeing Haden have the route recognition to come up and disrupt those timing routes. They might have to deal with Patterson’s style of play instead for at least another week as Haden may not be ready for week 7. Oh dear.


Making the most of an opportunity
As is usually the case for any losing team, there were still some positive things to take from this game for Cleveland. Middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson (+3.1) had his best-graded game yet in a solid 2011 campaign that has him currently ranked 7^th in our cumulative grading of inside linebackers. Scott Fujita (+1.4) didn’t play poorly, but the real story here is the performance handed in by his replacement after he left the game with a concussion. Solely a special-teamer in 2010 after a rough rookie season in 2009, Kaluka Maiava (+2.1) finished the game for Fujita, playing 14 snaps. The fact that he was able to record that grade in only 14 snaps is rather incredible, especially for a guy who hasn’t seen significant playing time on defense since 2009. Watch the back-to-back plays he makes starting at 5:32 in the 4^th quarter, as the Raiders attempt to convert on 3^rd-and-2, and you can’t help but be impressed by Maiava’s effort. Watch as Maiava stands right guard Cooper Carlisle (+1.7) up at the point of attack, allowing his teammates to flow to the ball and bring Darren McFadden down short of the first. Then watch him on fourth down as he fights through the block of tight end Brandon Myers, gets inside of the blocker, and collapses on Michael Bush short of the first once again. If Fujita isn’t cleared to play for week 7, Maiava could use another solid game to permanently move him into a rotation with Fujita for the rest of the reason.


Raiders: Three Performances of Note

Right-side redemption
If there wasn’t already enough proof that the NFL is a fickle league, compare the week 6 and week 7 performances of Carlisle and right tackle Khalif Barnes (+2.4). Against Houston in week 6, Carlisle had an all-around bad game as negative grades in pass protection and run-blocking as well as two penalties contributed to a ghastly overall grade of -7.3. Barnes didn’t fare much better, allowing five total quarterback disruptions and being given a pretty poor grade himself at -4.0. Against the Browns’ promising rookies on the left side of the defensive line, though, the pair played well. Carlisle was perfect in pass-protection, while Barnes allowed a single sack when Jabaal Sheard beat him off the edge for a strip-sack. For the most part, though, Barnes got the better of the athletic young pass rusher all day. Carlisle was beaten a few times in the run game (including the play mentioned above) but the good outweighed the bad in his run-blocking, and he didn’t make the mistakes in pass protection he did a week ago in Houston.


Ford shows his wheels
Hopes were high for Jacoby Ford (+1.1) coming into the season after a promising rookie season and many expected him to emerge as the Raiders No. 1 receiver at some point this season. With Denarius Moore demonstrating his proficiency early on in his own rookie season, though, opportunities for Ford have been fewer than anticipated. In the four games he’s played in, Ford has been on the field for 51%, 31%, 38%, and 26% of Oakland’s offensive snaps. Consequently he hasn’t been able to display the skills he flashed last year quite so often, but he certainly made the most of his playing time against Cleveland. Besides scoring on a 101-yard kick return by outrunning the pursuit angles down the sideline, Ford flashed his speed on a nifty play called by Hue Jackson in which he and McFadden ran crossing screens, forcing a linebacker to chase McFadden out in the flat to the right while Ford took the dump-off to the left and raced 27 yards before safety Mike Adams could track him down. Ford is an extremely dangerous weapon out of the backfield and will continue to have opportunities to make big plays despite relatively little playing time if the Raiders continue to take advantage of his skill-set in that manner.


A slip-up from Branch
Just as most losing teams can find some sort of silver lining in their loss, most winning teams have at least a few players who didn’t have their greatest games. Safety Tyvon
Branch (-3.5) was one of those few for the Raiders this week. Branch was unable to get any pressure whatsoever in 11 blitzes, whereas each of the other blitz-happy Raiders safeties recorded at least one pressure except Jerome Boyd, who only played two snaps, both in coverage. At 8:43 in the 2^nd quarter the hard-hitting Branch had an opportunity to make a tackle for a minimal gain, but was stiff-armed by Montario Hardesty, who was able to pick up another four yards to make it third-and-2, a much more manageable distance that the Browns were then able to convert. Branch was also the player in coverage against Watson on the play referenced above in which McCoy threw the ball out of the back of end-zone when Watson was open for a touchdown.


Game Notes
- After undergoing an appendectomy during the Browns’ bye week, center Alex Mack not only played against the Raiders, but also earned his best grade of the season (+1.8).

- If the Raiders wait until after their bye week to start Palmer, teams are going to blitz the Raiders much more than the Browns did. Boller struggled to make split-second decisions against the blitz, only completing three passes on the nine occasions he was blitzed.

- After dropping four passes in a nightmare game against Tennessee, halfback Montario Hardesty (-4.0) dropped another pass against the Raiders and had another pass broken up by middle linebacker Rolando McClain (+1.6).


PFF Game Ball

In a game won through total team effort rather than spectacular individual performances, we’ll give the nod to two receivers on a team built to win on the ground. Jacoby Ford contributed the kick return touchdown and helped extend drives by converting a first down on third down twice despite only playing 18 snaps. Darius Heyward-Bey moved the sticks a few times working against Patterson and helped allow the Raiders control the time of possession and hang on for the win despite Campbell’s injury.

Re-Focused: Browns @ Raiders, Week 6 | ProFootballFocus.com

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

There's also this: (thanks EntertheShoe)

OFFENSE:
1. 16/71 snaps Evan Moore was in the game.
2. Lowest graded run blocker: Ben Watson. 2nd lowest: Jason Pinkston. 3rd lowest: Owen Marecic. By far the worst blocking game of the season for Owen Marecic though cumulatively he still is the 8th highest graded FB at run blocking for the season.
3. Shawn Lauvao with another poor game. Accounted for 1 sack and 2 QB pressures
4. Montario Hardesty had a tough time in pass protection. Accounted for 1 hit and 2 pressures.
5. Colt McCoy: 2nd worse graded QB of the week. 1st worst? Obviously Rex Grossman why would you ask me such a silly question.
6. Alex Mack and Joe Thomas are still monsters, with Thomas being the 2nd highest graded LT and Mack being the 5th best graded C in the NFL for week 6.
7. Tony Pashos allowed 1 pressure. He had the 3rd best pass protection rating after those 2 with a +1.3 rating. 2nd straight good game for Tony Pashos. Stay healthy, dammit.

DEFENSE:
1. Rough game for Patterson as many would have guessed. 2nd worst CB of the week in the NFL. Finally tally: 13 (THIRTEEN) targets, 10 catches allowed for 128 yards. Sheldon Brown: 3 targets, 1 reception.
2. Best game of the year for TJ Ward.
3. Usama Young: +1.9 (30 snaps) Mike Adams +.5 (38 snaps)
4. Fujita (yea that same Fujita), DQ, and Kaluka Maiava each graded positively. Gocong struggled with his primary problems coming in pass coverage.

[Brown Warrior]

I think Fujita looks just toasted out there. SO slow. I'm psyched to see what Maiava or Titus Brown can do, then I expect we'll draft some speed at LB.

Seemed to me as well that Pashos has played very well in both games. Not so much for the young guards. You'd think playing between Thomas, Mack, and Pashos would be a very good sitch.

[Masters]

Both guards struggling is a very bad thing for a teams run game and their pass game. The O has a slew of problems right now, including play calling, but giving up pressure right up the middle is not going to do your passing game any favors. Nor your running game.

[Vegasdogg]

I expect Pinkston and Lauvao to struggle, along with Marecic. They're young guys learning to play in the NFL. We can expect Fujita to underwhelm because really he is here to stopgap that spot. Nobody behind him is going to play better.

The sad part is Colt McCoy. Look 215 yard and 2 TD's (Fumble lost) is really not horrible QB'ing, at least not when compared to the shit sandwich we've had to eat for the last how many years. The problem I have with the offense is both Shurmur and McCoy are taking some pretty significant lumps right now, and well deserved. Whatever it is they threw away at the BYE didn't seem to look much different. We have to have the lowest amount of plays over 20 yards no doubt. The running game looks P A T H E T I C, no matter if Hillis is in there or Hardesty, and that seems to be scheme related.

I expected more from Shurmur early on that is for sure. It is hard to judge a team after 5 games and say "well that was a mistake." Actually I don't think you can do that, particularly with an amended offseason, a young QB, young WR's, young OL, young RB's. I mean everyone on this offense besides Smith, Watson and Thomas are young guys in the biggest roles of their lives.

Sucks to say but Cleveland fans do not have much patience because they compare the Browns to the Lions, 49ers and Raiders, who quite honestly have better QB's.

[golfer704u]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

I expect Pinkston and Lauvao to struggle, along with Marecic. They're young guys learning to play in the NFL. We can expect Fujita to underwhelm because really he is here to stopgap that spot. Nobody behind him is going to play better.

The sad part is Colt McCoy. Look 215 yard and 2 TD's (Fumble lost) is really not horrible QB'ing, at least not when compared to the shit sandwich we've had to eat for the last how many years. The problem I have with the offense is both Shurmur and McCoy are taking some pretty significant lumps right now, and well deserved. Whatever it is they threw away at the BYE didn't seem to look much different. We have to have the lowest amount of plays over 20 yards no doubt. The running game looks P A T H E T I C, no matter if Hillis is in there or Hardesty, and that seems to be scheme related.

I expected more from Shurmur early on that is for sure. It is hard to judge a team after 5 games and say "well that was a mistake." Actually I don't think you can do that, particularly with an amended offseason, a young QB, young WR's, young OL, young RB's. I mean everyone on this offense besides Smith, Watson and Thomas are young guys in the biggest roles of their lives.

Sucks to say but Cleveland fans do not have much patience because they compare the Browns to the Lions, 49ers and Raiders, who quite honestly have better QB's.

I agree, and this is what I was harping on all off season and people were calling me a Shurmur hater and Mangini lover ect.

I am not suprised this team is struggling at all. and won't be suprised if the struggles continue somewhat.

from August

Originally Posted by golfer704u

Secondly. While this "system" is the best for McCoy to play in, and will play to his strenghts and minimize his weaknesses. You're comments (as usual) imply, that McCoy must be "great" now or he never will be. and that's a position I totally refute.

I've been harping on this since last season, and I know most of you don't want to hear it. But this team is going to STRUGGLE this season. MIGHTILY. and that will include Colt McCoy. A lockout was THE SINGLE WORST thing that could have happned to a QB going into his second season and his first real season as the unquestioned starter.

"All the reps and THE reigning WCO guru in the house?" really? do you realize how many critical months in the life of a young QB Colt has missed those reps and guruing?

The whole offense, including the recievers will not be at thier best early in this season. the timing and understanding just won't be there. I cringe when I read statements like yours that mean we will once again, make rash judgements on a guy without seeing things through. So then you'll harp to draft a rookie QB, which will mean our second year HC will then have a rookie to put up with, and will likely have a second mediocre season which means you'll then be calling for a new HC who will bring in a new Offense and a new Defense and......over and over and over.

[Bronx Cheer]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

I think Fujita looks just toasted out there. SO slow. I'm psyched to see what Maiava or Titus Brown can do, then I expect we'll draft some speed at LB.

Arggghh! Don't say that! Now we'll go and trade both picks in the first round to take the top TE prospect (or maybe the long-lost third Pouncey brother).

[Bronx Cheer]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

The sad part is Colt McCoy. Look 215 yard and 2 TD's (Fumble lost) is really not horrible QB'ing, at least not when compared to the shit sandwich we've had to eat for the last how many years. The problem I have with the offense is both Shurmur and McCoy are taking some pretty significant lumps right now, and well deserved. Whatever it is they threw away at the BYE didn't seem to look much different. We have to have the lowest amount of plays over 20 yards no doubt. The running game looks P A T H E T I C, no matter if Hillis is in there or Hardesty, and that seems to be scheme related.

I liked your post generally, but here is where I disagree with you. I think only Barry Sanders in his prime would be capable of running for 4YPC on this team, and unfortunately our problems are not scheme related. Unless, of course, you are talking about how opposing defensive coordinators are scheming against us. There are 8, and at times 9, guys in the box on obvious running plays. And on any down where the distance is less than 15 yards there is way too much traffic within 10 yards of the LOS (press coverage and only one deep safety), and only the passing game getting on track is going to stop that. This is also partially why teams are finding it so easy to blitz. It is easier to disguise your OLB or S blitzing if they are lining up 6 yards back on the average down. Maybe some constraint plays (flea flicker, reverse, option) could loosen things up a bit, but the only way we are really going to stop this is for our passing attack to start making opposing Ds pay.

[damajuki]

Originally Posted by golfer704u

I agree, and this is what I was harping on all off season and people were calling me a Shurmur hater and Mangini lover ect.

I am not suprised this team is struggling at all. and won't be suprised if the struggles continue somewhat.

from August

Golf, great post and great dig-up. I missed that one in August but you were prescient, no doubt.

After a bit of perspective this week, this much is abundantly obvious to me:

We have more talent on the field than last year but are still missing key pieces (LB, WR, DE).
We are playing much more young talent than last year, and it shows in the inconsistency but also in the resiliency. This team -- especially on D -- competes consistently.
We are not a better coached team than last year and Shurmur has not been impressive, as HC or OC.

Add it all up and the 2-3 record (with two wins over winless teams) makes perfect sense. We are barely one step ahead of two QB-less teams, meaning we are headed back to the top 10 in the draft.

Which would all be fine with me if I could see ANY sort of progress on the field. I'm getting more and more pessimistic because I simply see nothing worth getting excited about.

Compare this to CAR, which I am forced to watch on local TV. Last year, they were AWFUL, MUCH worse than the Browns then or now. This year? They are MUCH better, and though still flawed and under-manned (especially on D because of injuries to Beason and Davis, two of their top defenders), they are ENTERTAINING and COMPETITIVE.

Which, at the end of the day, is why I watch football; I want to be entertained for a few hours by a game played well. The Browns simply are neither entertaining nor competitive right now.

I can honestly say the only reason I still follow the Browns this closely is because of you guys and this board but a few more totally lackluster efforts and I'll only be talking CAR and BUF this year. (CHI too, of course, but they are also boring and frustrating to watch, for the most part.)

[Brown Warrior]

Originally Posted by Bronx Cheer

I liked your post generally, but here is where I disagree with you. I think only Barry Sanders in his prime would be capable of running for 4YPC on this team, and unfortunately our problems are not scheme related. Unless, of course, you are talking about how opposing defensive coordinators are scheming against us. There are 8, and at times 9, guys in the box on obvious running plays. And on any down where the distance is less than 15 yards there is way too much traffic within 10 yards of the LOS (press coverage and only one deep safety), and only the passing game getting on track is going to stop that. This is also partially why teams are finding it so easy to blitz. It is easier to disguise your OLB or S blitzing if they are lining up 6 yards back on the average down. Maybe some constraint plays (flea flicker, reverse, option) could loosen things up a bit, but the only way we are really going to stop this is for our passing attack to start making opposing Ds pay.

We can put all the mustard we want on it, but McCoy's performance was a fucking shit sandwich. He was horrible. If he's great on Sunday, I'll be the first to say he was great... or one of the first.

But he was just horrid last Sunday... and until he can go downfield or beat a blitz, our running game's gonna struggle with 12, 15, 20 guys in the box.

[Bronx Cheer]

Agree somewhat, BW, but I still think our WRs have a lot to do with the struggles. Those three "nobobdy in the zip code" throws by McCoy in particular against OAK makes me confident that receivers are not making the reads they are supposed to (my guess is MoMass or Cribbs, given the comments made by Little to the media). How can he throw deep against a blitz rush when he can't trust is WRs to run the appropriate route?

This is partially why I suggest breaking out the sand-lot plays. Loosen the opposing D up, and maybe Colt gets a little more confidence (a lead would be nice, too), and then starts throwing to spots again instead of waiting to confirm first that the WR is going to run the right route.

[golfer704u]

Originally Posted by Bronx Cheer

Agree somewhat, BW, but I still think our WRs have a lot to do with the struggles. Those three "nobobdy in the zip code" throws by McCoy in particular against OAK makes me confident that receivers are not making the reads they are supposed to (my guess is MoMass or Cribbs, given the comments made by Little to the media). How can he throw deep against a blitz rush when he can't trust is WRs to run the appropriate route?

This is partially why I suggest breaking out the sand-lot plays. Loosen the opposing D up, and maybe Colt gets a little more confidence (a lead would be nice, too), and then starts throwing to spots again instead of waiting to confirm first that the WR is going to run the right route.

And I think you saw this last year with him in the NE, NO and even Jets games. Simple plays, where if you get him 1 on 1 coverage on an outside guy, they run a go up the sideline and let Colt fling it to them. Moore especially was a favorite target of this. Not all of them were completed. But when I watched them I was screaming "Yes, make them respect the deep ball even if you don't complete it."