The #Browns pass more than the #Packers. Someone please explain this to me.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Is it because we have a top 5 franchise QB?

Is it due to our exceptional WRs, and their ability to run precise routes, get open, and generate yac?

Or is it perhaps due to our amazing schemes, and the high level coaching these guys get?

It truly boggles the mind ..


Frowns brought this up today, and I really just had to shake my head. I do agree with him re: our dropped passes aren't quite as bad as some might say, however what he doesn't account for is the amount of times the WRs just aren't where they are supposed to be ...if they were you might see those dropped passes sky-rocket rather than just seeing another incomplete pass on the stat sheet.

Also, while I understand much of the flack Little has been receiving for dropping balls, what bothers me more about him is the fact he doesn't use his size well at all. That being said, here are some stats for you to ponder.

http://stats.washingtonpost.com/fb/l...iving&rank=232

I am sure what most of you will notice first is Little is tied for #1 in the league with 12 drops. While I would prefer this not to be the case, I would ask you to also notice the company he keeps in this list of dropped passes, and also notice he's been targeted 99 times with a 52.5% catching rate, as compared to some of the other highly rated WRs on this list ...

Roddy White - 54.3%

Brandon Marshall - 59.3%

Dwayne Bowe - 54.6%

Desean Jackson - 54.7%

Anquan Boldin - 53.4%

Julio Jones - 52.9%


... and on & on. For a rookie who hadn't played football in over a year ...I can cut him some slack for growing pains. I'd love to see better, and I really hope he starts using his size and strength to his advantage more, but I am far from saying this guy wasn't worth the pick. That being said, hopefully our elite coaches don't coach him out of football.

[Masters]

I don't like the sheer number of passing and it's the same argument I'd have with Shep that passing doesn't equal winning. I don't like that it's more the PHI old way with a lot of pass to set up the run. There are some other circumstances at play for CLE in this though.

1. Were with out their #1 back for a good chuck of the season.
2. Were with out their #1 and #2 RB for several weeks.
3. They have played from behind in a lot of games.
4. They lack big play players, which means their drives are typically require more plays to simply get into FG range.
5. They tend to require 3 downs to get a first down.

I think those 5 items skew the number some. But they most certainly need to get more balance and more big plays. That falls one the FO to add real weapons next year and for Shurmer to do a much better job on the O side of the ball.

[Enigmatic Evil]

I really think Greg Little needs to be coached up a bit. If Shurmur's going to give Little all this playing time, they might as well be giving the whole WR corps a refresher on their fundamentals because MoMass could certainly use it, and I think Greg Little will need to learn how to use his body like you mentioned and learn that he needs to do what he can not only to help himself but to help his QB. WR's need to be aware of just as much as the QB, its not just running a route and catching a ball.

[Greythan]

Little's a project. Not to be biting, but we've covered this ad naseum. He's far from the type of WR who makes his QB better. Let's put it that way.

(You know, since the knock on McCoy is that he doesn't make the players around him "better" and all.)

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

I guess my OP might not have come off as supportive of Little as I intended it to. I think looking at those #'s that Little is not doing nearly as bad as most of our posters here seem to believe he is.

[Greythan]

I guess I don't think the numbers tell the whole story is all.

I would reiterate my point: Is Little's play elevating those around him? I would posit the answer to be "no". Its not surprising and I didn't expect him to have that type of impact. Again, it just goes to the atrocious lack of skill players we have on offense.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Yah, agreed. It's not surprising.

[Alo]

Little's college QB TJ Yates, who seems remarkably poised for a rook, did a great job of keeping Little emotionally in check -- he'd drag him back to the huddle when he jawed after the whistle and I suspect boosted his confidence as well.

Hopefully, Little will calm down and confidently pluck the pigskin. It wouldn't be the first time that a drop-prone rookie morphed into a sure-handed dude.

[damajuki]

Alo, good point on Yates. That guy is becoming a story this year and maybe he was more helpful to Little than most knew.

Which also might explain why Colt is force-feeding him: trying to get him real-time reps and keep him motivated, knowing he'll keep seeing the ball.

To TBPP's OP, I think Little is in good company and I don't mind him learning on the job. This is a lost season anyway so reps for Little can only help down the line. Yes, there's the risk of him getting complacent without the threat of a benching but I don't think this guy would have done well with a Mangini-like benching to "earn" PT. Let's remember he missed a whole year already; if he's not hungry after that, I doubt benching him will suddenly inspire him.

So I agree Little is hardly the problem and all things considered this year, we may want to look at him a little more like a bright spot than a negative.

[golfer704u]

I'm sorry to harp on this, but again, I HIGHLY DISAGREE dama.

It's not about benching him. No one wants him benched ala robiski or anything. But he plays more plays than ANY OTHER RECIEVER ON THE TEAM. In the game I was at, I believe he played 90% of the offensive snaps. And then it sure looks like Shurmur is forcing the play calls in his direction, and Colt is being schemed into throwing to him a lot.

THAT'S the problem. That a rookie with limited experiance was made the focal point of the offense from day one. and even THAT really isn't the problem. It's that by week 10 when he is leading the league in drops and still doesn't seem to run routes properly, that he is STILL the focus of the offense. I'm not saying bench him. I am saying rotate him like you seem to be doing with every other reciever on the team. Take his reps from 90% of snaps down to 65-75% of snaps.

Then work with him in the offseason to continue to improve.

[hammertime]

Originally Posted by golfer704u

I'm sorry to harp on this, but again, I HIGHLY DISAGREE dama.

It's not about benching him. No one wants him benched ala robiski or anything. But he plays more plays than ANY OTHER RECIEVER ON THE TEAM. In the game I was at, I believe he played 90% of the offensive snaps. And then it sure looks like Shurmur is forcing the play calls in his direction, and Colt is being schemed into throwing to him a lot.

THAT'S the problem. That a rookie with limited experiance was made the focal point of the offense from day one. and even THAT really isn't the problem. It's that by week 10 when he is leading the league in drops and still doesn't seem to run routes properly, that he is STILL the focus of the offense. I'm not saying bench him. I am saying rotate him like you seem to be doing with every other reciever on the team. Take his reps from 90% of snaps down to 65-75% of snaps.

Then work with him in the offseason to continue to improve.

nah, play the shit out of him.

it's not like were holding anyone back because of him.

[Masters]

Golf I think all the time Little is seeing comes from a) he's the best WR CLE has b) out side of Norwood, who you are not going to put out there in a single WR set, no one else is better at running routes (who do you try to learn on the job with, the guy with one year of WR experience his whole life or the guys with 3 and 6 years NFL experience that still can't run good routes).