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[StillMill Profile]

Stillers-Browns Postgame Analysis and Grades has been posted by Still Mill at Stillers.com.

[Pump-N-Iron Profile]

Aside from the return of BR7, Harrison dishing out large doses of pain, and an overall good W, 2 things really stood out to me.

Dick Lebeau gets criticized (on this site) often for his soft coverage. However, his obsession with calling Velcro blitzes, where each defender latches onto an OL for the entire play whilst the QB fritters about waiting for someone to come open, make the soft coverage look even worse. What ever happened to calling an overload blitz where someone gets a free run at the QB? Quick QB Pressure, especially against a rookie QB, makes the soft coverage almost irrelevant. At least Colt McCoy did not go home with a clean uniform.

Special Teams - It's amazing how the firing of 1 coach can turn a weakness into a strength. The same can be said for our new OL Coach. How much longer do we have to endure the Arians debacle?

Special Kudos to Browns punter Reggie Hodges, whose punts always landed inside the 2 and bounced backward. Sepulveda... Please take note.

[Tonydesal Profile]

"Imagine Kellen Winslow, Dave Casper, or Jay Novachek pass blocking on a 3rd & 4 pass play during their hayday...." - Can you imagine if Tony Gonzo had been a Stiller? No one would know his name.

I thought for sure that this week would be one where I could watch a game with out getting pi$$ed off. Nope.

How is it that I can predict the 4th quarter play by play, yet Tomlin or Lebeau can't?

They say it's better to be luck than good. Lets hope our luck doesn't run out.

[zapunto Profile]

Dick Lebeau gets criticized (on this site) often for his soft coverage. However, his obsession with calling Velcro blitzes, where each defender latches onto an OL for the entire play whilst the QB fritters about waiting for someone to come open, make the soft coverage look even worse. What ever happened to calling an overload blitz where someone gets a free run at the QB? Quick QB Pressure, especially against a rookie QB, makes the soft coverage almost irrelevant.

Not that I'm defending Dick LeBeau's scheme-calling yesterday, but I really don't remember seeing too many psychedelic zone blitzes in the game. I think he ran out some sort of vanilla scheme out there, preying on the rookie to get razed on the 3rd and longs the Stiller D was planning on giving him. I went back and looked at some of McCoy's big plays and most of them looked like standard 4-man rushes -- nothing designed to make Colt change his reads or move his feet.

The biggest problem on the defense right now is Woodley -- he's our 3rd or 4th best pass rusher, and our worst LB in pass coverage. Since the NFL officiating crew has pretty much allowed every LT to hold Harrison on every passing down, Woodley really needs to be more active. All he does is bullrush, and too high at that -- it's easy for an offensive lineman to titty joust him cos he's standing straight up. I hope Colbert doesn't "hump the dog" and sign him to a long-term deal.

-c-

-c-

[Fire Arians Profile]

lil hard on lebeau, the defense only went to prevent after the game was clearly out of reach (21-3). arians surprisingly called a good game. I liked how the offense went for the kill on the score to heath miller when cleveland wasn't letting us run out the clock by committing to the run

i actually thought woodley played a good game, he was pretty active in coverage and almost intercepted a pass and collapsed the pocket a couple times allowing harrison and timmons to log a couple sacks. though i won't lie the dong sack shit always cracks me up, so carry on

[steelandblood Profile]

It seems to me Woodley has Junior Seau disease: a joyous fixation with beating the crap out of offensive linemen and forgetting to shed once he's up in the OL's pads to wreak more serious havoc. He was getting good upfield push but he could have had another sack and probably more assists or solos if he'd just dump the big load in front of him and acquire the same taste for beating up ballcarriers Timmons and Silverback have. Honestly I see more energy and hustle out of him than Jason Gildon ca. 2002-03 but he's not doing anything with it.

Timmons is a rampaging beast. The fact he's playing at this level with the relentless Harrison in the same linebacking corp is scary. I'm glad they play for my favorite team and not someone else.

Pouncey is only 21?! It's scary that he's already this good. Imagine when he's really got his shit together in a year or two. With the exception of the Sean Mahan speedbump and the Hartwig quickfix (JH was exceedingly average but I appreciated seeing a center who can actually stay off his own ass for most of a game after the Mahan disaster. We've had Ray Mansfield (who isn't in the HOF because he spent most of his long career on shitty teams) Mike Webster (The best center ever) Dermontii Dawson (the best center ever not named Mike Webster) Jeff Hartings (not a HOF prospect but was one of the elite centers in the game when healthy, with a real warrior spirit, even when his knees were held together with duct tape and prayer) and now, it's looking like the torch has been passed to #53!

The offensive line as a unit as upgraded from pathetic to exceedingly average. Five games in they've been lit up some but they've shown they're not in the toilet.

There's a lot of names you could throw in for the hardhat: Ben, Pouncey, Mike Wallace for making those big catches when his teammates needed them the most, Harrison and Timmons on D of course deserve a long look.

I think LeBeau called a solid game overall, not laying back until the game was out of the Clowns' reach late. While I do hope he reminds everyone up front and in the linebacking corp that once you beat that offensive blocker you need to dump his ass sooner. I did like how we had only a couple offsides penalties considering the gang were foaming at the mouth to to get a flying start with the snap count at times.

Bruce Arians actually called a multidimensional balanced attack. I can't quite believe it. It's like a beautiful dream. Hopefully the message from the top this past offseason to run more will not be forgotten now that Ben has shaken the rust off.

Btw, isn't Harrison up to 15k in fines right now? Any word on if any will be doled out for his eating Cribbs and [indecipherable African last name] alive?

[PGHeaven Profile]

The first two words "the innocent" are completely utterly stupifyingly wrong. The rest of the article - perfect as usual. Except that maybe he should have mentoned that Sepulveda had a good punting game. I thought Aaron Smith had a weak game and here is my big observation for the week

I think that Troy has tweaked his left wheel. I dont know if its a hammy, an ankle or a knee. But there is something wrong with troy's left leg. Hope I am all wrong but I do NOT think that is the case

[Fire Arians Profile]

The first two words "the innocent" are completely utterly stupifyingly wrong. The rest of the article - perfect as usual. Except that maybe he should have mentoned that Sepulveda had a good punting game. I thought Aaron Smith had a weak game and here is my big observation for the week

I think that Troy has tweaked his left wheel. I dont know if its a hammy, an ankle or a knee. But there is something wrong with troy's left leg. Hope I am all wrong but I do NOT think that is the case

yes you are right, he is not 'innocent' because to be claimed innocent, you have to first be CHARGED of a crime, which he wasn't.

mcnulty bragged to others in text messages that she had sex with ben. not rape

the sorority slut from georgia's story changed a shitload of times and was never consistent. chances are he wasn't charged because they knew their story was bullshit

quit hating on ben. he didn't deserve to get suspended a single game and did nothing illegal.

[ballhair Profile]

A win is a win, although I wished we would of beat the clowns 38-0. The steelers need more of a killer instinct. The Clowns were hurting big time. Makes you wonder how bad the patriots would of beat them. Mccoy passing for 280 yards is a embarrassment. I agree too about the disengagement
thing. Hit the guy then go around or through him, don't stand there wrestling him. These fourth quarter defensive let downs are troublesome. That is what screwed us last year. You won't get away with it playing against a good QB. Good thing Ben is back.

[clarioncall Profile]

Special Teams - It's amazing how the firing of 1 coach can turn a weakness into a strength. The same can be said for our new OL Coach. How much longer do we have to endure the Arians debacle?

Pump, we've agreed on this many times! Can't he be cut like any player for bad performance? Although, I DID see a few "out" patterns that moved the chains. 3rd down converts improved but gosh, finally we see Miller getting a few touches, but haven't seen any screens (did not see all game) but Mendy caught a few passes,... screens or just outlets?

Defense letdowns in 4th are scary. NO WAY do you let these guys come down the field "to kill some time", no matter the score. It is the mental aspect - playing NOT to lose, vs. playing TO win - that sets the trap for future breakdowns. Don't like it all. A rookie torches us for big gainers over 20+ yds? Hits for almost 300? Should be embarassed. I know they get paid too, but they lost alot of guys too. Even worse. Doesn't bode well going forward, IMHO.

ANYONE ELSE ALREADY SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING PUNTS GO STRAIGHT DOWN THE FIELD? WTF???? What is so hard in making the sideline a 12th defender? Geez, I see this crap and I don't get it. Can I get some help here, WHY DO PUNTERS (SEPPY?... YES YOU!) DO THIS? If I'm a special teams coach, I fine my punter for any kick that clears the goalline after 1 bounce. If you are paid and all you do is punt, spend maybe, oh I don't know, maybe 25-30 kicks a day hitting the corners inside the 20 from various points on the field. Somebody give me a witness on this.

[Leo Profile]

-- Hard Hat to 7

-- F you to all Stiller fans who wanted to jettison Ben back in April

-- Agree with the criticism of the Color Pink. We get it NFL, you want more female fans....madon

-- Great overall review by the Mill

-- Fire Arians

[isfry Profile]

Great job on the analysis, as usual, Mill. I, too, loved that blitz pick up by Mendy!! I also share the frustration of most with the 4Q letdowns on D. I know, I know, when you're up more than two scores late in the game the percentages say bend but don't break, allow yards, but not immediate points, run time off the clock and you'll still win. Wins are more important than defensive stats. HOWEVER, if that onside kick is recovered by the Brownies last week (which it damn near was) and they score again (which they damn well might have against the prevent-yourself-from-winning defensive scheme) then it's a three point game with 2 or 3 minutes left. AGAINST A TEAM WITH A ROOKIE QB, NO WILDCAT, AND WITHOUT ONE OF THEIR #1 WRS!!! This game should never have been as close as it was, let alone as close as it almost got. P.S. how come when we played pressure defense, not prevent, all damn game, they only scored 3 points after a pick runback? what's the deal with chickenshit defense at the end? It burned us all last year, it burned us against the Ratbirds two weeks ago, and it WILL set up a bad trend of softness going into the meat of our schedule this next 4 weeks. Clean it up, Dick.