Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

Stillers 28, Clev. 10 ���. Oct. 17, 2010 ����Game # 5

 

Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades

 

The Stillers fiddle faddled with the lowly Brownies for nearly 3 entire quarters, before finally putting the Browns out of their misery with a 28-10 beating.�

 

Grades:

 

QB:� The innocent -- and never charged and never arrested -- Benji Roethlisberger had a triumphant return.�� Benji was off here and there, but finished with 3 TD passes and showed the kind of pocket -presence and playmaking that make him 1 of the premier QBs in the league. �He stood tall in the pocket and completed some passes just before taking a hard hit back in the pocket.�� The lone major boner was the horrible INT on the 1st series, but that aside, he played superbly for his 1st game back.�� Well done.�� A

 

RB:� Mendy had another strong effort, with 84 yards on 27 rushes.�� He had a good 2nd effort to gain 25 yards on a run from his own 1 in the 2Q.� He also had a good blitz pickup -- pancaking the rushing DB -- on the 26-yard completion to Ward in the 3Q.� He also made a good grab on a wheel route on 3d & 7 that gained 8 yards.� �One downer for Mendy -- and it�s not his fault -- is that his jersey is too loose.� On the 2d play of the 4Q, he bounced a run wide and had an acre of open space.� A Cleve lineman, in desperation, reached out and pawed at Mendy�s jersey, and was able to grab an entire handful of loose jersey and haul down Mendy.�� In this modern day of the NFL, a RB�s custom-fitted jersey should be so tight and slippery that it should take 4 trainers to remove the jersey at game�s end.��

 

Redman saw some time at RB and chipped in nicely, especially on short yardage.�� He had a sterling 2nd, and then 3rd, effort on a 1Q run on 3d & 1 that gained 4 yards.�� I really like Redman�s instincts, his burrowing style, and his no-nonsense north-south approach.�� Moore had 1 carry for 1 yard.����� A-�

 

FB: Redman got several snaps at FB and ran and blocked well.�� He converted a 3d & 1 plunge from the FB spot for a 1st down, and in the 2H, hit a quick opener plunge for 13 yards.��� Johnson also saw a fair amount of work at FB.��� A

 

WR:� Ward snapped out of a semi-funk (not his fault) with 5 grabs for 54, and a superb TD in which he made a terrific adjustment on the pass, and then eluded 2 tackles on the way to the EZ.��

 

Wally had a TD catch, although he was a bit casual on this one and his bobble almost resulted in an incompletion.�� He also got open deep and hauled in a 50-yard bomb.�� Randle El had 1 grab for 11.��

 

Emanuel Sanders got into his first NFL game and acquitted himself quite well.� He had a key grab on 3d & 13 in the 2Q, and then made a superb diving catch on a 3d & 8 crosser for 15 yards.� I really like this guy�s instincts as a receiver, and he certainly shows good promise at this point.� ������A

 

TE:� Miller was finally involved some on the offense, grabbing 2 passes for 50 yards.� He spent an inordinate amount of time pass blocking on obvious passing downs, which annoys me to no end.�� Spaeth, as usual, did nothing.��� ��A

 

OL: The line play was solid and 3 times better than that vomit-induced effort in the loss to Clev last season.�� Pouncey more than held his own against Rogers and Reuben, the 2 stout NTs for Clev.�� Pouncey even sustained a block on Reuben and then pancaked him near the end of the 2Q, which caused a lil� scuffle after the play.�� I am most impressed by Pouncer�s ability to sustain blocks for relatively long periods of time.� Starks and Kemo teamed up to open some nice holes up LG-LT for Mendy.�� Foster came in to replace Kemo and then Legursky when each man hobbled off with a small injury.�� On his 1st play into the game, Foster promptly was flagged for a hold, which negated Mendy�s 12-yard run.� Legursky drew my ire on a toss sweep in which he pulled and failed to read the on-rushing CB, who then blew up the play.� Adams adequately held his own and is giving the team terrific value in terms of performance versus dollars.� The overall pass-pro was very solid.....there were several plays where Ben had all day.�� �The grouned game produced around 120 yards for the backs.�� And, amazingly, there were no false starts the entire game.� ��A

 

DL:� The line played okay, but they got gashed a fair amount by RB Peyton Hillis, who rumbled for 41 yards on 12 carries.�� The pass pressure was meager, and worse, the lineman often failed to maintain good angles on Dolt McCoy, who was then able to scoot around the pocket and make plays. ��Keisel hurt his hammy early in the game did not return.�� Eason got nicked up and limped off in the 3Q.�� �Smith had a solid game.��� ��Hood saw a good amount of PT but did little.� �B�

 

LB:� Leading the way was Jamie Harrison, who was a fire-breathing terror all day long.�� He led the team with 10 solos, but beyond the stat sheet was sideline-to-sideline linebacking and tackling by a man hell bent on delivering hits and wreaking havoc.�� He made a good stop on an end around in the 3Q.� In the 2Q, he rudely stuffed Hillis on a 3rd down run.� �

 

Midway thru the 2Q, though, is where Dirty Harry just laid the boom on 2 separate plays, each knocking the opponent out cold.�� Josh Cribbs tried a Wildcat keeper around his right end, and Harrison, hustling like a demon, pursued the play and ear-holed Cribbs with a brutal, yet perfectly legal, hit.�� Cribbs immediately coughed up the ball (Clev. recovered) and was prone and motionless for a few minutes.�� The very next series, Mohamed �Massengil� Massaquoi tried to haul in a short crosser.� Just as the ball arrived, Harrison belted him with a SHOULDER-to-the-helmet blow that leveled Massengil and left him out cold.�� He, too, was escorted off the field, in a daze, and never returned.� (Disposable douche, indeed.)� �By Tuesday, I�m quite sure, Harrison will receive the obligatory bullshit fine from the NFL for this perfectly legal hit.��� All I can say is: fuk Adolf Goodell.��

 

Not to be outdone all too much was Larry Timmons, who had another strong game.� He finished with 9 solos and 2 A�s, and like Harrison, never stopped the motor.�� He slashed in and tripped up the RB for no yardage early in the game.� He simply buried Dolt McBoy on a sack later in the 1Q.� He also hauled in a Dongish INT off a ricochet in the 4Q.�� The lone big gaffe was his poor angle on a screen pass in the 2Q, which enabled Hillis to rumble for 22 yards.��

 

Taunto Farrior had a couple ok stuffs.�� He had a very poor read and react on the Hillis plunge in the 2Q, which gained 14 yards.��

 

Big LaMarr Woodley did little.� On the field for EVERY play, he finished with (hold your laughter) 2 solos and 1 assist.�� He got a Dong Sack (strike the Gong with a Dong!) when he was SOLO blocked by the RB, Hillis, and Dolt McCoy scooted right into LaMarr�s rush azimuth.�� This one was right out of Jason GilDong�s playbook.� And so was the overall effort.� Big LaMarr had a pathetic whiff of Watson on an end around in the 1Q.� He flailed and WHIFFE on a sack attempt in the 4Q, and with his dick in the dirt, Dolt MCcoy was able to easily scoot wide, unfettered, and complete the TD pass to Watson.�� A short while later, Big LaMarr failed to disengage from the blocker, which AGAIN allowed McCoy to scoot wide to his right and complete a deep lob to Moore for 34 yards.� At some point, a rusher has to stop titty-jousting and must disengage and cut off the passer from getting wide for easy throws.�� Big LaMarr was also flagged for an offsides.� In total, Big LaMarr, who was on the field every play, finished with a whopping 2 solos, one of which was the aforementioned Dong Sack.� Really, really putrid.��

 

Foote saw some action and as usual did very little.� He took an assaholic angle on a pass rush, which allowed Dolt to scoot wide, although luckily the pass was inc.��

 

Harrison:� A++��� Timmons:� A-�� Farrior:�� B-���� Woodley:� C-�� �Foote:�� C

 

DB:� The secondary got carved up a good bit, although many good pass plays occurred when the containment and pass rush broke down.��

 

Leading the way was Bryant McFadden, who had a strong, all-around game after giving up the winning TD last week to TJ Housemanad.�� His run support was simply outstanding.� He continually came up to take on the hulking Hillis, or Cribbs or whomever.�� His tackling after receptions was good, too.�� He also busted up a pass in the EZ late in the game, although he may have gotten away with PI on what was a very close play.�

 

Clark had his typical Dong INT, in which a pass clanged off the hands of an open WR and into the hands of Clark.� He tried his usual, classic NO-armed tackle of Watson after a short 4Q reception, and in a hilarious manner was just bounced off and left in the dirt as Watson rumbled for a huge RAC on a 23-yard gain.�� �

 

Gay was pretty quiet.....wasn�t involved much, and wasn�t picked on much.� Ike was fairly quiet as well.�� Perhaps the most noise he made was after being trucked a bit by Hillis at the end of a screen RAC.�� Overall, though, Ike seems to be playing at a very solid level.�� When a CB isn�t mentioned often, it often means the coverage is sound enough that he isn�t being picked upon.��

 

Pola was also pretty quiet.�� He blitzed a lot, but was often picked up and marginalized.� �To his credit, he blew up a few ground plays with his reckless abandon.� He failed to disengage, while rushing, from Hillis, in the 2Q, which allowed McCoy to easily scoot around end on a scramble and gain 6 yards.� He also committed an offsides.�

 

McFadd:� A��� All others:�� B-�

 

Spec teams:� Amazingly, no horrific blunders or huge negative plays.� �Cribbs was held in check, although he played only 1-1/2 quarters.��

 

Sylvester made a good, harsh tackle on KO cover, and this man is starting to remind me of a young Jamie Harrison.� Fox recovered a muffed Clev punt.�

 

Randle El continues to be a nightmare back on punts, as he muffed a routine FC that almost was a disaster.� I�m starting to cringe every time Randle El fields a punt.��

 

Luckily, the Mighty Pugilist, Jeff Reed, wasn�t called upon to boot any FGs.��

 

Worilds recovered the late onsides KO...only after it clanged off the hands of Larry Foote.�� �������B+

 

OC:� Surprisingly, Arians didn�t get all pass-happy with Ben back in the lineup.� Of course, give it another week or 2, and Arians will probably have Ben throwing 47 times a game, weather be damned.��

 

I actually liked the deep ball on 1st down at their own 4, which Wally hauled in for 50 yards.� This was a rare Arians gem against a defense fully expecting the line plunge.��

 

Of course, there were downers.��� On the 3d & 4 pass that was INT�d in the 1Q, Heath Miller was kept in to pass block in the backfield, a jackassed tactic that occurred at least 10 times today.�� Worse, on this pass play, while Miller was kept in to BLOCK, diminutive Mewelde Moore was split out and was the intended receiver.� I absolutely, utterly despise keeping a BIG, athletic, trusty target like Miller in to pass block in these kind of situations.�� �This isn�t a stone-handed clod like Mark Breuner.�� This is one of THE premier pass-catching TEs in the entire league.�� �On these kinds of plays, go take Randle El and sit his ass on the SIDELINES, and get Miller out into the pattern.��� If backfield blocking is a concern, then use Mendy, Moore, Redman, or David Johnson; not Heath Miller.� �Imagine Kellen Winslow, Dave Casper, or Jay Novachek pass blocking on a 3rd & 4 pass play during their hayday....

 

Then, there was the 3d & 3 play on the Clev 32 with 2:43 left in the game.�� Who does Arians target?�� Why, the fleet-footed Matt Speath on a deep post....!� What a fuking piece of work.��� ��B��

 

DC:� Dick was handed numerous luxuries today, yet struggled like a little bitch.�� He was facing a greenhorn QB making his 1st-ever NFL start.�� (This seems to happen with Dick at least THREE times EVERY season.)�� To make matter worse for Clev -- and much easier for Dick -- Josh Cribbs was knocked out of the game in the 2Q, and soon thereafter starting WR Mohamed Massengil was knocked out as well.��� Yet despite all of this, Dick wheezed and struggled in trying to contain the passing of Dolt McCoy.���

 

You�ll note a recurring theme, above, about disengagement.�� Dick is supposed to be this supreme, Jim Jones-like guru & evangelist of defensive football.�� Why, then, did his defense get abused time and time and time again by allowing Dolt McCoy to scoot away unfettered while rushers played Titty Twister with opposing blockers??��

 

Getting shredded by a greenhorn making his first ever NFL start is little to be proud of.�� In the 2nd half, Dolt McCoy was nearly unstoppable, going 17 of 23 while shredding Dick�s vaunted defense for large chunks of yardage.�� By the time these 2 foes meet in the finale, McCoy is liable to pass for 380-some yards if things don�t get cleaned up a bit.�� C+�

 

HC:� Tomlin seemed to have the team well prepared, but I wasn�t enamored with the playing of grabass and fiddle-faddle for 3 entire quarters against a totally out-manned team.�� One fluke bounce or turnover could have changed this tight game entirely.��

 

I have to ask -- what in the Sam fuking hell is Larry Foote still doing on the onsides KO recovery team ??�� �This clumsy MF�er had 3 career INTs in EIGHT seasons.�� With all the RBs, TEs, WRs, and DBs on the roster -- and even a big, rugged punter with good hands in Sepulveda -- why does any coach see a need to stick Larry Foote on the recovery team?��� This is the 2nd time this season that Foote has nearly fuked us with his brittle fingers.�� How many more times does this need to occur ? ������B+

 

The Color Pink:�� Ok, I tolerated the pink shoes, gloves, wrist bands, and jock straps a couple weeks ago.�� We had to endure it again yesterday.�� I think the country is well aware of breast cancer, and this is a classic case of going to the well once too often.� Enough, already.� Once per season is more than enough to send the message.� Beyond that, it becomes an absurd charade.���� F�

 

Synopsis:� It�s always fun to whip ass on the Brownies, hapless though they may be.�� This JV win aside, it�s time to enter the meat of the schedule, with 3 consecutive road games at Miami, N�Orleans, and Cinci, followed by a home game vs. New England.�� This is a fairly rugged 4-game stretch and the Stillers need to attack it with gusto and focus.��

 

 

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