1st & Goal: Playcalling

I love that play, it was amazing to watch live. I remember it like it was yesterday.

But, I think it's unfair to compare Mendy to Bettis. They have totally different styles of play. It's like comparing Ben's style of play to Manning and Brady.

I've had my reservations about Rashard, but BA set him up for failure. Not usuing our redzone/short yardage specialist and
running the same gap 4 times when Pouncy wasn't in and behind Foster (of all people) when it didn't work the 2nd and 3rd time is stupid.

Insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

 

Any idiot knows, myself included, we should have multiple plays drawn up, practiced, and perfected that are designed to get 1 yard. Then when the need calls for it, like last night, it's just a matter of selecting which play to run (or pass) and the right personnel. I'm sorry but the same dive up the middle 4 times in a row by Mendy does not show me Tomlin or BA has anything on that playlist that works to get a critical 1 yard gain. And remember we're talking about the Browns who have like the 30th ranked run D in the league! Inexcusable.

 

Yes diehard, I couldn't believe Tomlins comment on the Redman question, how stupid. How can he say that in light of how Mendenhall performed? Yes he must not like Redman all that much or just doesn't want to show Mendenhall up. Mendenhall is worst then Willie Parker. If he doesn't make a change I'm positive that they will not get far in the playoffs. As you can see, the passing game is not all that great, especially with Mendenhall in there. If Arians and Tomlin can't see that Redman is a better back then there coaching should be in question.

 

So what you are admitting to is that BA has no clue what so ever on how to develop a running game. He is the one who got rid of all the legit FB's that they had. He is the one who changed the whole philosophy of the organization to this pass happy offense. As we can all see is that it has not worked. Ben has been sacked more times then any QB in the league since BA has been the OC. I'm not going to blame it on the O-Line because BA has the wrong blocking scheme for the O-Line. This zone blocking scheme that he has them doing is not the right scheme for our O-Lineman. Believe me when I tell you that our line can run block with the right scheme. Blame it on BA and Tomlin for letting him do it. He also does not want Redman to be successful in the running game becase that would limit his pass happy offense.

 

^^^^This

Get off the anti-Mendy bandwagon. There are 25 other teams out there that would gladly take him. He is a great back, a fits well in our system. In my opinion, it was simply about en being hurt, they didn't want him dropping back. I would have kicked it, but that is why I am a keyboard jockey (As are you all) and not an NFL head coach. Tomlin has had success with this team, so has Arians, so I am going to defer to them in 99% of the cases.

 

I had seats 11 rows up in the end zone and watched as the Browns stopped us on 4 downs. They blew up the holes so bad it wouldn't have mattered who was running it, they just got blown off the line each time and shot the gaps. We should have run a toss or sweep, I think that may have been the ticket with Ben's bumb ankle and not being able to throw.

 

if we have both styles of RB...then why not use them both? This was Redmans area of the field...he is very rarely stopped for a loss, and Mendenhall is stopped plenty for a loss. And Johnson is doing fine at FB...I thought he looked very good last night when he was used. We should have ran 4 times up the middle and not around the edge and we should have went for it on 4th down. The problem was Redman was on the sideline when he should have been in the game. We should have been in I formation 4 times with johnson as a lead blocker and Redman running behind him.

 

Yeah, that series was a little disconcerting. Makes me wonder if there's a statistic out there that shows how often play action on first and goal with a tight set FAILS to produce a wide open tight end in the back of the end zone....Still, maybe they were trying to rely on Ben a little less at that point....

Of course, Tomlin's comment was a little interesting. I remember sitting there at Super Bowl XLIII after they had overturned Ben's touchdown from inside the 1 thinking they'd go for it then, and they took the points when it was 0-0. Maybe he needs a statistical reminder that just because you've had 3 chances you've failed on doesn't make it more likely the 4th one will succeed, any more than flipping heads 3 times in a row makes it more likely the NEXT time it will be tails....(in fact, in football failure 3 times in a row might actually give you an indication that doing something a 4th consecutive time makes it LESS likely to succeed. Then again, the math part of football has never been where Tomlin has excelled).

 

What about putting in a beefy package? Get some bodies, if any exist on the bench, and have them clear a hole.

 

It's very hard to know what the coaching staff are thinking on certain plays, but it could be like some others on the game thread who think that because Mendy had a good game pre red zone that he deserves the touches to score the touchdown.. Well we see how that all worked out.. Horribly

I like Mendy and Redman and each have their attributes. Redman knows how to keep driving his legs and move the pile which brings me to my next point. Mendy must have trained with Redman all week and learned how to run and keep churning those legs after contact. Mendy has the nickname of RAC, but not always does he gain positive yardage after initial contact, last night being the exception.

Mendy should be the longer yardage break in open space and Redman for the short yardage and goal line back. No question. I really have no clue as to why the coaches see anything other then what we see. Four attempts on a goal line pretty much each play mimicking the other is ridiculous. Tomlin not going to the three points was astounding. He looks like a hero today because of Ben and sure it worked out for him but it could have as easily went the other way if it were not for our stingy defense. Based on other games this year the Ravens comes to mind the last drive where they were able to move the ball at will for the Steelers to lose should tell a coach not going for an almost certain 3 and tying is better then the uncertainty of your defense and asking them to yet again carry the team.

Coach T got lucky if you ask me cause the Stains were playing like they had nothing to lose.. Oh wait they didn't. It was there Superbowl basically. People keep saying we should not have almost lost to the Browns. Any given Thursday is what I say .. Defense has given up like what 21 points in three games?

Ok I am done with my rant lol

Bman

 

What happened to play action and hitting Ward by the post?

 

Yes and is exactly why you should have a plan B, and C......

Redman played QB in 2 games in College when all their QB'S got hurt.....I don't think he threw any passes ,but he learned the zone read......Look at the highlight tapes he broke some big runs from the QB spot....So if Ben is not mobile why not practice a little Zone Read with Redman as the QB in short yardage......

And before people go crazy that's exactly what the Broncos do with Tebow and that's exactly what the Panthers do with Cam,,,,it is also what Clevland used to kill us with Cribbs with as well......

Then you have more options to run ,,,,heck you could probably run a QB sneak for 2 yards with Redman 90% of the time......This is why I am so frustrated with this Team,,,,they do not plan for circumstances and they have only 1 game plan regardless of what is actually happening on the field....

Where is the situational practice???Where is the back up plans??And yes I feel a wildcat with Red as the QB is a great option in short yardage if Ben is not mobile......Just watch the Broncos and the Panthers and you will see how effective it can be.....I have no doubt that Red is a better runner than them....

 

Shhhhhhh! Keep it down cause this guy might be listening.

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I am not comparing Bettis's style of play to Mendenhall's I am comparing the desire. On two of those down's it was one on one between Mendy and Gocong. Both times Gocong took him up high. If Mendenhall lowers his shoulder and drives with his legs he moves forward. They practice this in camp backs on backers most backs live for that highlight moment where you just plant a defender and leave him on the ground. THis was not Mendenhall getting wrapped up by the legs or having multiple guys bring him down. It was a one on one match-up and he didn't make it his moment. That is all I am saying.

 

I'm pretty sure there's a RB out there that can run through a Chris Gocong tackle, and I believe we have one on our team, maybe even two or three. I just find it hard to imagine that a 230-lb RB with a low center of gravity can't eek his way into the endzone from two yards out. Our OL didn't create much space, but there was enough there for our RB to win a one-on-one matchup. He failed. There was a 3-yard wide alley that opened up on the first attempt, he hit the hole standing straight up, didn't have the vision to see Gocong approaching from the side, and got stonewalled from a journeyman LB. I don't like it. He's a talented RB but can't seem to break the early tackle.

 

I haven't read all the responses, but my initial reaction to the 4 runs and embarrassing result is this:

1) Mendy was running great and was the "hot hand," but had been in the whole drive to that point and hadn't really had any short-yardage situational runs in the game. When I saw Wallace was down, my first thought was Redman. He's fresh, had also been running well, and this is his specialty.

2) Our OL hadn't been doing great so far, and was full of subs on an OL already made of subs.

3) IF you're going to run it 4 times, can we do more than 1 run? Repeat, repeat, repeat? Same spot every time? No misdirection? No changes? No nothing? We were doing the "We know what we're doing, you know what we're doing, and we dare you to stop us" thing, but IT WASN'T WORKING! Why would you think that it would work on 4th down after failing the first 3 tries? The whole beauty of having 1st and goal from the 2 is that you can mess around and try different things and find a way in. You don't have to put all your eggs in one basket. But that's what they did anyway. They put 'em all in the "Mendenhall up the middle" basket. And the 4th down run was the least creative of all.

4) Ordinarily I'd go for a QB sneak on 4th from inside the one, but Ben had no power. At 7-3 in the 4th quarter, with your run up the middle strategy failing miserably, you kick it. You give your team a chance to win instead of telling them they deserve to lose if they can't make it. News flash Mike, your OL sucks and fails constantly throughout games. You can't expect them to rise to the occasion "or else we don't deserve it." That' BS, the rest of the team does deserve it. Don't tell them that if Ramon Foster isn't good enough, we shouldn't make the playoffs. You have a responsibility to win the game.

5) I can't say for certain that Redman would have scored if he was the only variable that changed, but maybe. The blocking was pretty terrible on all 4 plays (credit to the Browns, too). As I said I would have put him in on 1st down, and switched to Mendenhall on 3rd if Redman didn't get in twice (or maybe I would have, you know, tried something else entirely). As it was, they should have switched to Redman after 2nd down, just to try something new. Especially since given the types of runs and results we were having -- with such bad blocking -- Redman is the one that makes sense. Even a Mendenhall supporter like me will tell you that if your plan is to smash the RB into a linebacker or two at the 2 yard line and hope he powers through enough, Redman is the clear choice. For a toss outside or a leap over the top, Mendenhall. But to just smash up the middle when you know there won't be a hole, Redman. That is just common sense, even for me.

 

Hey, Bruce, did you notice how the fullback popped Urlacher before Bettis ran him over?

Urlacher was DPOY that year, right?

 

Really? I didn't see or remember a FB on that play...

 

I think you're getting upset about a press conference answer - what is he supposed to say? "Man, I got it wrong, I can't believe I did that - what a mistake we made there." Talking about why one player got the call over another one isn't the sort of thing you do in the press - that doesn't mean you don't do it in the coaches meetings, the training ground, etc.

Agree completely (and HugeSnack made a similar point) - I simply am not understanding all the hate for Mendenhall after the game.

 

The play calling sucked and the they had the wrong back carrying the ball...it really is that simple. Tomlin not admitting a mistake worries me and hopefully they are saving the Redman show for the playoffs...but I doubt it. Another issue on the playcalling...why on God's green earth would you have the G pull against a goalline defense. Anyone that has ever played defense or been on a goalline defense knows that the key to stopping runs at the goalline is penetration. The front 5 or 6 lineman are all firing off the ball going low to get penetration and create disruption to the blocking as well as clogging the gaps. The linebackers are there to aniliate the RB or ball carrier if they make it past the penetration. By calling a running play with a pulling guard on the goalline leaves me speechless...the defense already had the line clogged by the time Kemo got over there and the play was doomed from the start. That play works only if we are up by 20 points and the defense isnt playing inspired football. That defense still had something to play for at that time and rose to the occasion because our coaching staff ....doesnt understand the situation or ....JUST DOESNT GET IT!!!

 

Something we might not be doing enough of... though I'd have to take another few looks at the plays to be convinced.

 

They knew bootleg was out because of Ben's health. This made it tougher, but I still do not understand the "NO" when questioned about Redman. I do not care if a back is hot or not. One is a pwerful runner. One is a very good overall back, but power is not the strength of his game. Only makes sense to put in the BEAST. How many times has one guy stopped Redman in the hole on his own? I have not seen one, but for sure not many.

 

Dan Kreider popper Urlacher earlier in the play.

I'll admit that I didn't watch the video clip before I started posting about it.

 

That would have been some monstrous pounding between Gocong and Redman. Watching these downs gets me wondering which ones Redman could have punched in? I think maybe 2nd and 3rd, but it would have been tight.

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