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Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

December 29, 2013 by Still Mill



Stillers 20 Browns 7 ……. Dec 29, 2013 …………Game # 16

 

Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

The Stillers slapped around a hapless Brownies team, cruising to a 20-7 win in a fairly dull affair.  But, with the SD overtime win over KC, the Stillers are rightfully out of the playoffs, and the season is over.  

Grades:

QB: 

Very crisp, with good in-pocket shuffling, first series, which produced a TD.   Horrible, wretched INT into double-coverage, 2nd series.   Had some solid passes througought the game and was victimized by some drops.   Also victimized by a stumbling, bumbling Moye on the 2nd INT.     B

 

RB:  

Jones - good 10-yard run, late 2Q. 

 

Bell - nifty run up the gut, slicing and spinning for 15 yards.  Spun away from a tackler (Winn, who abused Gilbert)  and plowed into the EZ to give the Stillers a 14-0 lead in the 2Q.   On the drive, he rushed for 0, 15, 3, 5, 7, 5, 1, and 5 yards, along with a 6-yard catch.   That is a workhorse back, we can can look forward to even more of that in ’14.  Finished with 20 carries for 90 yards in a very solid effort.     A-

 

Dwyer -  god power run, early 3d & 1, gained 6.   Had 3 carries for 10, and 1 grab for 9.    B

 

FB: Will Johnson  chipped in with some blocking in the ground game.   Still seems to be underutilized as both a blocker and pass catcher.  

 

WR: 

Brownie - good grab & RAC, first series, gained 24.  Nice sideline grab for a 1st down on 3D in the 2Q.  Allowed a pass to go thru his hands, first play of 3Q.  Finished with 9 grabs for 87 to complete an outstanding regular season.      A

 

Sandy -  went into the game with a balky knee, and had just 2 grabs for 26.  

 

Cotch - failed to get his 2nd foot IB for a TD, first series.  He quickly atoned for it, however, as he snared a 3rd down pass and then grabbed a pass and dashed into the EZ for the early TD.  Nearly hauled in a tough grab in the EZ, 3Q, but dropped the ball has he landed on the elbow and had to be helped off the field.  He injured his right shoulder/ribs on the play and did not return.     Inc

 

Wheat -  dressed, but never involved.     inc

 

Moye:  Thrown a deep ball, 4Q, and clumsily stumbled as the ball arrived, thereby allowing it to be INT’d.   Typical Penn Bater.  

 

TE:  

Miller -  had 2 grabs for 17.   Flagged for a hold on a ground play, 2Q.  Clearly, he is in the inevitable decline of his career.   

 

Spaeth - thankfully was not targeted with any passes.  

 

OL: 

Gilbert -  FatAss Marcus nearly got his QB killed, as he got trampled under foot by Clev DE Billy Winn for a sack on 3d & 2.   A shit play by a soft blocker.  Totally whiffed on Winn on the Bell TD run; only a clever spin by Bell allowed this play to gain yardage.   By default, he probably will retain his starting job next season.    By default.      D+

 

Foster -  decent game.   No major blunders.     Has been reliable the past couple of seasons.....healthy, and able to play.   Given the annual rash of injuries, that says a lot.  

 

Cody Wallace -  Has quietly impressed me.    Sound and solid.    Could be a starter at C or OG next season, or a key reserve, depending on how things shake out.    Marcus who ??    

 

DeCastro - another solid game

 

Beacham - started at LT and played adequately. 

 

DL:  

Keisel -  beat a rookie 7th round draft choice and forced a Campbell fumble on a 3rd down pass play, 3rd series.  Blew up a ground play, first play of next series. 

 

McLendon -  Got injured, 10:17 3Q.     Inc

 

Hood  - chipped in a lil’ bit.    Likely his last game in a Stiller uni.    

 

Heyward - stuffed Baker on aground play, 2nd series.  Applied heavy pressure on the QB on a key 4th down, early in the #q, which helped force an Inc pass.   Manhandled a very capable blocker, Thomas, and sacked the QB, mid 4Q.   Strong play against a good blocker.  

 

Woods - got a fair amount of PT.    Has a lot of improvement to do, but at his cheap cap hit, he’s a front-runner for a starting job next season.  

 

LB: 

Timmons - blew up a screen play, loss of 1, in the 2Q.   Took a poor angle and was too slow on the Whittaker 35-yard catch & run for a TD, late 4Q.  Got a Dong INT late in the game when a perfect pass clanged off the hands of Whittaker.    Failed to nab the RB at the POA on a few good gainers.     B- 

 

V. Williams - ok game; didn’t do a whole lot.   Has shown some progress, and with the salcap, he’s in the catbird seat to start next season.   Not that Colbert shouldn’t be looking for an ILB on Day 1 of the draft.  

Sylvester-  got a good amount of P and chipped in some.  

 

Carter - got considerable PT due to Woodley and Worilds being out.   Recovered a fumble, 2nd series.   Otherwise, was completely held off the scoresheet.  Not god. 

 

Worilds - like a pansie, did not dress due to an abdominal injury.  And he’s looking for a big payday ??   

 

Jones -  blew up TE screen, 1st series.   Busted up a pass, mid 3Q.  Had, by far, his best game in the NFL, as he was all over the field and flying to the ball.   Finished with a team-high 8 solos, plus 1 A.      A+

 

Big LaMarr -  once again, did not dress, due to his lame, injured calf.   Don’t let the door hit ya in the calf, LaMarr !   Bye bye !     F-

 

DB: 

Ike -  had good coverage and busted up a 4th down pass in the EZ to Gordon, early 4Q.  With his enormous cap hit, this could be his last game in the Stiller uni.   Would be interesting to see if Colbert -- who is as dumb as a doorknob -- would consider bringing Ike back to play Safety.     

 

Pola -  nailed Cooper after a short catch, and prevented him from getting the 1D, 3Q.  Had 3 solos in a somewhat quiet game.   I believe he’ll be restructured and will be back for ’14. 

 

Clark - too slow, and too late, on a 16-yard completion to Cooper, early 3Q.  With any kind of hope, Clark has finally played his last game in a Stiller uni.      C- 

 

Gay -  tooled by Cooper on a 3rd down for a 1st down completion, 2nd series.   Had an okay game.  

 

Golden - rarely played, if at all.   Could be a starter next season. 

 

Thomas -  see Golden, above.  

 

C. Allen -   Flagged for a hold, 1Q.  Tooled for a 21-yard pass by Cameron on a 3rd down play, 3Q.   Dropped a CAKE-easy INT in the 3Q, like a complete dufus.   To think they ran off Keenan Lewis,, all because of this sorry stumblebum....?     C-

 

Will Allen - flashed into the backfield and stopped a ground play, 3Q.   Might be his last game in a Stiller uni.  

Spec teams:  

McBriar  - Boomed a pooch punt into the EZ late in the 4Q.  Fairly meaningless, but I get enraged when a guy, at this level, fails to do a simple task that he is well paid to do.   Did well in his stint and would be welcomed back.  

 

Suisham -  shoddy 2Q KO that went OOB, giving CLE golden FP at their 40.  Booted a 30-yard FG to boost the lead to 17-0 in the 3Q.  he then booted a 32-yarder in the 4Q to make it a 20-0 lead.    Set the Stiller team record for FG accuracy.     A-

 

The coverage teams, for one of the very few times this season, did not allow a back-breaking, long punt or KO return.  

 

OC: 

Haley began the game with a foolish insistence on throwing deep to Sanders, who is clearly NOT a downfield, deep-ball receiver.   

I was pleased with the heavy use of Bell, and the offense moved the ball well before basically sitting on the lead with a comfy 20-point, 4Q lead.       B 

 

DC:  

Dick lucked out as usual, this time getting to feast on an inept QB like Jason Campbell, and a vast array of bumbling skill players, most of whom that spent the day treating the football like a live hand-grenade.  

Despite having a Clev timeout to prep for a key 4th & 4 in the 1Q, Dick was bamboozled, and only a poor pass and an ass-clumsy play by a WIDE open Clev TE, Cooper, failed to convert the 1D. 

The lone INT was a Dong INT, as it clanged off the intended receiver’s hands.  

This game was little more than a stat-padder for Dick.   With any kind of luck, Dick has coached in his last game with the Stillers.   Time for him to move on to his life’s work, and time for some real ingenuity and genuine scheming to occur.      B-

 

HC:  Dumblin got the win he needed, but failed to make the playoffs when the Chargers won in OT.    Obviously, Dumblin didn’t deserve a playoff spot.   He personally pissed away the first 4 games of the season, sleepwalking the entire months of Aug and Sep and failing to have his team prepared for anything.  With the creampuff schedule he was gifted, this should have been a cake-walk 11 or 12-win season.     D   

 

Synopsis:  The season has now come to a merciful end.  These half-assed slackards had no business making the playoffs.   They got what they deserved, which is an embarrassing sit-at-home for the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year.  Stay tuned, as we’ll have player & coaches grades in late Jan.  

 

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

Follow Mill on Twitter, at StillMill1

 

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