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Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

January 03, 2011 by Still Mill

Stillers 41, Browns 9 ��� Jan 2, 2011
Stillers 41, Brownies 9���. Jan 2, 2011 ����Game # 16

 

Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

 

The Stillers roared out to a fast 14-0 lead and then coasted to a cake-easy 41-9 stomping of the hapless BrownNosers, thereby securing the AFC North and a 1st round bye.���

 

Grades:

 

QB:Benji started quick, throwing a rare, but nice, high arc that LED Mike Wally for a 56-yard bomb TD.�� He finished 15 of 22 for 2 TDs and no INTs.�� Ben also had a nice read and run on a key 3D QB draw.Benji is now 12-2 when playing in his home state of OH. �����A+

 

RB:Mendy is rapidly becoming the guy that can occasionally impress me, but then just as quickly enrage me with half-assed or nit-witted efforts.���

 

�� He had a terrific power run deep in Clev territory in the 1Q, busting 2 tackles for a 7-yard gain.Runs like this make me beam with joy.But then, in the 2Q, he grabbed a flare pass and had ACRES of open room.Mendy got a head of steam and dashed down the sidelines...and then meekly tip-toed, UNTOUCHED, out of bounds after a 24-yard game.�� This was simply a gutless, heartless, wretched play by a larger-than-average RB with a full head of steam.�� He�s got a DB to take on, and at that point he can either bowl the guy over or put on a juke and dash for some more yardage.��

��� Then, on a 1 & G later in the 2Q, Mendy took a toss sweep, and with good blocking developing, the only debate seemed to be what kind of end zone jubilation he might do.Instead, Mendy meekly tip-toed like a complete butt-hump, and was easily nabbed by a smallish DB for a meager 1-yard gain.�� Very, very poor.��

 

Redman got some work at RB and continues to impress.He had a good blitz pick-up on a pass play to Ward for 8 yards.He also had a strong power run on 3d & 2, gaining 5.At this point, I see no reason why Redman has not established himself as THE go-to guy in short-yardage situations.�� He has a nose for a small crease, and he runs low and know full well how to burrow for extra yardage.

 

Moore did not dress, due to an injured knee.�� Dwyer got several carries in garbage time and shows some promise.It will be interesting to see how he looks next August.�� ��Mendy:C+���� Redman: B+���Dwyer:�� B���

 

FB: Legursky played FB on 2 GL plunges that went it for TDs.��� Well done.����� A

 

WR:Wally led the way with 3 grabs for a buck-oh-five.�� Very impressive.�� Along with the TD bomb, he snared a short slant and took it 41 yards on 3d & 3.Wally is really, really emerging as a true #1 receiver.His patterns are crisp, his hands are reliable, and he�s playing with a ton of confidence.

 

Ward had 5 grabs for 45, and a nice TD catch.�� He also made a strong catch on an early 3d & 7, snaring a tough out pass and getting both feet IB.

 

Sanders and Brown continue to improve and flourish.Sanders had just 1 grab, for 16 yards.Brown had 4 for 52, including a nice RAC on a bubble screen that went for 26 yards.

 

Randle El had 2 grabs for 21, and threw a superb pass off a toss-sweep gadget play for the TD to Ward.�� ���A+

 

TE:Miller was ignored until 10:18 2Q.�� He grabbed 4 for 55.�� He had a good roll into the EZ for a TD, and in the 2H, had a superb rumble over a DB after a short RAC, gaining 16 yards.��

 

Spaeth played and fortunately was not thrown any passes. ����Miller:A��� Spaeth:Inc

 

OL: The line had a fairly solid effort all day long, although it was against a depleted Clev D-line.��� Still, they gave Ben plenty of room and time, and opened up some good running holes as well.�� They committed no penalties, which of course is an extreme rarity.��

 

��� Foster twice paved the way on GL plunge TDs.�� On the first, he literally drove his man into the ground to open up the hole for Mendy.��

 

�� Pouncey got nicked up late in the 3Q, getting grabbed and thrown to the ground in a really cheap-assed play by Fat Shaun Rogers.��� Legursky replaced him at center.����A-

 

DL:The line did a solid job today.�� Or particularly surprising prowess was Ziggy Hood, who had a very stellar effort today.�� He showed a high motor and ranginess that we�ve not seen since....well, never.�� Using a good spin move, he applied rare pressure and got a sack.Hood stopped Hillis on a 2-yard run.He had a good read on a boot to the Clev right, and forced a TA.Hood applied a good clean-up hit on Cribbs on a Wildcat keeper.Dude made more plays in 1 game than he had in the prior 10 games combined.��

 

Keisel had a FF and a bat.�� The rest of the DL played solidly.����� A

 

LB:Timmons led the way with 9 solos and a FF.He enraged me with a whiff on a BLIND-side sack attempt, after which Dolt completed a 15-yard pass on 1st & 15.He had a superb hustle-play on a wide bubble screen in the 1Q.��

 

Harrison seemed to have some more pep in his step than the past couple of games.He warded off the block on the bubble screen that Timmons chipped in on.�� Harry�s big hit on McCoy forced the INT that was nabbed by Madison.��� His main boner was getting sealed in on a 11-yard toss weep by Bell.��

 

Taunto Farrior didn�t taunt any Clev fans, which is how he originally got his nickname in the first place some 4 years ago.�� He was badly tooled by Watson on a drag-out on the 1st series, but Watson bobbled the ball right into Pola�s hands to save Taunto�s bacon.�� On the next series, however, Clev astutely went right back to Watson on Farrior, with Watson easily beating a clumsy, off-balance Farrior on 3d & 10 for a 12-yard gain.�� Very poor.�� He did read and blow up an end around for -3.��

 

LaMarr Woodley had just another wretched, pitiful game, hopefully cementing his signing with another team come the off-season.�� He whiffed on a sack of McCoy deep in PIT territory, which allowed McCoy to break outside contain and nearly hit a WR in the back corner of the EZ.��� Having learned nothing, on the very next play, WoodenDick again LOST outside contain, allowing Dolt to scoot outside and throw a perfect pass to the EZ that was DROPPED by the clumsy Clev WR (Royal).��� Stupidity like this simply enrages me.��

 

��� After having done NOTHING the entire 1H, Woodley got a half-DONG sack on the final play of the 1H, created when McCoy had to dodge 2 defenders and then Woodley got the cheesy slop sack.�� This was the ONLY play that Big LaMarr had on the stat sheet in 2-1/4 quarters of play.��

 

�� In the 2H, Woodley AGAIN lost outside contain, allowing McCoy to get outside on 3d & 10 on a play that Madison got a sack after chasing down the QB.��

 

Foote busted up a pass in the EZ in the 2Q.��

 

Sylvester sniffed out a screen and applied a good stick.He also, unlike Woodley, read a QB bootleg on the 2-pointer and contained the QB with a good ANGLE, forcing an errant pass.He�s already 3 times smarter than Woodley.���

 

Timmons, Harrison, Sylvester:�� A���� Farrior:B��� ���Woodley:�� D+��

 

DB:Pola had the athletic INT on the 1st series, setting the tone.He also had a spectacular leap over the line that nearly corralled McCoy for a sack.��

 

Ryan Clark had a long, ugly day.�� He was juked by McCoy on a scramble.On the next play, he got shrugged off by Watson in hilarious fashion during a RAC.He was beaten for the Royal TD in the 2Q, but Royal dropped the pass.Clark got a Dong INT when McCoy threw a pass about 12 feet too high.���

 

Madison also had a Dong INT.�� He struggled like a banshee in the 2H.�� He clumsily got turned around like a top on the EZ lob that was ruled a TD, but then over-turned.�� On the next play, Madison again got turned around like a turnstile, and gave up a TD to Robiskie.�� Very poor.

 

Ike was far too high on a tackle attempt of Massaquoi, resulting in a 31-yard gain.��� Poor.�� �����Pola:�� A����� All others:C-

 

Spec teams:Suisham did a very effective job of squib kicking, and Cribbs was never a factor.�� Sylvester had a rugged tackle on KO cover, and Fox applied a good tackle later that hobbled Cribbs.Sylvester later led a charge in KO coverage in the 2Q.Battle had a good solo stop.

 

Suisham nailed a 41-yarder in cold weather, and also added a 24-yarder.�� This dude is rock solid right now.�� ���Krapinos boomed a punt into the EZ for a touchback.����� A

 

OC:Arians had a rare, nice day.��� I was pleased that he struck immediately after the Pola INT with the bomb to Wally.��� With Wally�s speed and Ben�s arm, this play should be run at least 3 times a game.��

 

It was far from perfect, of course.On a 2nd & 7 in the 1Q (after a 3-yard plunge on 1D), Arians went with a 2 TE set, which I can live with.�� What I can�t live with, is a NON-play action pass in a set that �features� Matt Spaeth and NO Mike Wallace; no Sanders, and no Brown.��� Unacceptable.�� At this point, unless Wally is gassed from having run a deep route, his ass need to be ON the field for EVERY play.This guy strikes fear in EVERY defense and it opens up a ton of acreage for other receivers.�� When you sit Wally and insert Matt Spaeth in order to PASS the football, you�ve diminished your offensive capability by, oh, 70%.���

 

Then there was the 1st down play at the CLEV 12, which was a designed slant to Randle El that was inc.�� WHY ???��� ��You have Ward, Miller, Wally, and Sanders....yet ya throw a pass to the worst, smallest WR on the team ???�� Why ?��� Fuking stupidity !���

 

While the gadget play using Randle El to hit Ward was nice, it could have just as easily been kept in Arians� hip pocket until it was, you know, actually needed.The Stillers were up by 28 and didn�t need this gimmickry.�� I�d have preferred this be kept under-cover and then exploited in a tight playoff game.

 

Miller wasn�t thrown a pass until 10:18 2Q.�� Unacceptable.�� �������B-

 

DC:Dick padded his stats and reviled in glory after shutting down rookie QB Dolt McCoy.Dick is so clever!!�� With the game still in doubt in the 1Q and early 2Q, Dick allowed cake-easy conversions on:

 

��� 3d & 10

 

��� 3d & 11

 

��� 3d & 10��

 

Very poor.��� A massive concern going forward into the playoffs is this assaholic addiction by nearly the entire defense of GRABBING HIGH on tackles.�� Timmons and Ike were victimized today with this foolishness, and the past few games Clark, Farrior, and others have been guilty.�� This is an easy fix for a veteran, skilled defense, and Dick had better reinforce this during the next 12 days.Even more critically, now that�s he�ll be facing legit NFL competition, Dick must figure out a way to get consistent pressure and shore up a porous pass defense.��� B��

 

HC:After last year�s embarrassing loss to Clev, Tomlin had his fellows ready to hunt bear.�� I wasn�t pleased with how many starters were still in the game in the 3Q.�� The Stillers led at halftime, 31-3.At this point, the ENTIRE bench should have been cleared off and INSERTED into the game.Nope, not Tomlin.Asleep at the wheel, he apparently felt that some more garbage time against a lifeless, disinterested Clev team would somehow better prepare his starters for the rigors of playoff football.��

 

���� Ben was still in the game to start the 2H, and wasn�t pulled until the Stillers took over at 5:34 3Q.�� Pouncey got needlessly nicked up with a stinger late in the 3Q, with the Stillers holding a commanding, dominating 38-3 lead.WHY ??�� Why was the guy even in the game at that point ???���

 

Then Tomlin, in the 2nd half of this blowout, challenges 1 play and called a TO to mull over a challenge.This, from a guy who rarely ever challenges plays in meaningful games, and now, in this blowout, he�s throwing red flags like a dart player.���� ���B-

 

Synopsis:It�s always nice to whip ass on the hated Browns.�� The only downfall to the way the schedule played out, is that the Stillers played the past 2 games against JV competition, which isn't a good way to do a final tuneup for the playoffs.�� However, they are fairly well rested and should get ample rest and heal some wounds with the bye week.�� The Stillers will host a playoff game on Sat, Jan. 15th, at 4:30 PM against either Indy, KC, or Balt.���

 

 

(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the Pittsburgh Stillers, no one else comes close�.)

 

 

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