1-5

 Browns need to go 4-0 next week

Back to Basics!

Kevin Stefanski recently stated that the Browns need to get back to basics.   

Bill Walsh, the legendary coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was known for his strategic brilliance and insightful commentary on coaching and football culture. When asked about NFL coaches who claim they need to "get back to basics," Walsh famously said that this often signals a coach’s admission of having failed in their coaching responsibilities. He believed that a well-prepared team should already be fundamentally sound, and that such statements were essentially an excuse for poor planning, lack of foresight, or inability to properly teach and implement a game plan.

In Walsh’s view, saying a team needs to return to basics reflects a lack of preparation or failure in the process, as the fundamentals should have been ingrained throughout the training process. He championed a more sophisticated, methodical approach to coaching, emphasizing preparation and precision over broad, generalized fixes like "getting back to basics."

Brown BLog Predicts: Game 6 vs Eagles - It is all about improvement

John Harbaugh once aptly referred to the NFL season as a "race to improve" and it's clear that Sunday against the Eagles the Cleveland Browns are going to improve in every way.

Will that translate to a victory against the Eagles?  Of course not but if the Browns cannot improve in the following areas tomorrow, then we Browns fans are looking at 4 or fewer wins this year.

What shall be improved?

- Jim Schwartz stated that against the Commanders the Browns defense gave up 7 big plays for a total 280 yards.  In the other 58 plays, the Browns D only gave up an average of 2.5 yards per play.   So great news, I see the Browns improving on D and only giving up a maximum of 6 big plays to the Eagles.

- Deshaun Watson has yet to throw for 200 yards this season.  He is ranked near the bottom in pretty much every statistical category.  I predict he will throw for 200+ yards against the Eagles.

- The Browns have yet to reach 300 yards of total offense in a game this season.  I believe they will improve and exceed 300 yards. 

The depressing fact is that ALL of the above improvements are achievable at the same time they are significantly below the bar of what it takes to win in the NFL. 

Of course, the Eagles are rested and healthy and coming off a bye week following a big loss to Tampa and their MVP candidate QB Baker Mayfield.   The Eagles will be motivated at home to win.

Brown BLog Predicts

Eagles        31

Browns      17

The Brown BLog are 3-2 Predicting Browns games this season.   Better than every paid Browns pundit out there, because as a private blog we can call it as we see it.

Browns Innovation: The CFL Package!

The Browns boast the NFL's largest investment in Analytics and Sunday they unveiled their latest well researched innovation:  The CFL Package!   Twice on defense and once on offense the Browns looked to use their new CFL Package based on sophisticated research showing that CFL teams, who utilize 12 players, are able to cover larger parts of the field.   

Of course, the one obstacle is that in the NFL it is against the rules to have 12 men on the field however our sources indicate that the Browns believe that if they attempt the 12 man formation at times in the game when the refs are tired the Browns may well be able to avert detection.  The Browns Analytics department states that the odds of achieving a chunk play on offense or shutting down an opponent on defense increase by 9.09% with one extra athlete on the field!!

So fear not, Browns loyalists, the Browns might be 1-4 this season but they are deeply engaged in identifying areas of innovation that can still save the season for this team.

Brown BLog Predicts: Game 5 - Facing a Rookie QB

Jayden Daniels is a sensation early on in the 2024 Season which makes the Commanders a favorite to beat the floundering Browns tomorrow.   

I have never been a fan of rookie QB's and in fact I think Daniels is going to get a serious dose of reality Sunday against the Browns D which will be extra motivated to shut him down.   Fact is that thus far this season Daniels has faced mostly zone defenses.   The Browns are going to be the first time he faces a team that can cover man to man and will do so much of the game.   The Browns small but fast linebackers are ideally suited to handle Daniels ability to run.

Does that mean I think the Browns are going to win tomorrow?   It will be a tight game because I do not see the Commanders running up a lot of points however Dan Quinn is a good coach and I see him crafting a game plan that will be quite conservative.  He knows the Browns are going to try to frustrate his rookie QB so he's going to change tendencies, running a lot.

The Browns should be able to move the ball against Washington but this Browns team is already starting to tear at the seams due to injury and the diminished skillsets of key players, not the least of which is Deshaun Watson.

Look for a tight battle but yet another close heart wrenching defeat for the Browns.

Brown BLog Predicts

Washington         20

Cleveland            17

The Brown BLog are 2-2 season to date picking Browns games.

Stupid is as Stupid Does: Part II

Dustin Hopkins did not get a single kick in the Pre Season and the Browns never said more than the lame "he has a minor injury but will be ready for the regular season."  Sure, ok.

Against the Raiders, Hopkins missed a critical extra point.   Against the Giants, Hopkins missed a Field Goal that could have changed the game.  Could the Pre Season work have helped Hopkins tune his game?   Of course, that's why they have a Pre Season.

Why did the Browns not give Hopkins any reps?  So they could show off Cade York, who had previously flopped with the Browns after they made a big time stretch and picked him in the 4th round.   The Browns did trade York to the Commanders, who insisted however that York prove himself for 2 whole games.  Naturally York stumbled in Game 1 and the Commanders cut him. 

Net Result:

- Browns invest an entire Pre Season in York and end up with NOTHING

- Dustin Hopkins misses have contributed to 2 of the 3 Browns losses.

Stupid.