NFL 2019: Week 5

Oh, I see now, ALL THAT VIDEO EVIDENCE IS FAKE NEWS.

Because the handshake he's talking about is actually after the coin toss.

This is a hilarious waste of everyone's time.

Well, it is kinda traditional that guys shake hands following the coin toss.

But, if everyone's hugging and shaking hands before the toss... yeah, it's kinda hard to sell the idea that there was some great disrespect going on.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/BpskMoN.png)

See, the real issue here is that everyone else is freaking out over this handshake thing. Not Sherm! It's everyone else!

Sherman is a top 20 graded corner on PFF this year though, so I am obligated to simply pretend this didn't happen.

garion333 wrote:

I still think the Browns can be good.

39 years of being a Browns fan says otherwise. ;(

I remember questioning the Browns' run defense before the season, and that doubt sure looks warranted at this point.

Adding Sheldon Richardson obviously did not magically fix the run defense. The team gives up 5.2 yards per attempt to opposing runners, tied for 3rd worst in the league. The linebacker position was bad even before Christian Kirksey went down to injury (though Kirksey hasn't been good lately himself).

Also, remember, they traded away their run-stuffing strong safety, Jabrill Peppers, and it shows. His replacement, Jermaine Whitehead, has the second lowest run defense grade at PFF among all safeties.

Add in the fact that Olivier Vernon has one of the worst run defense grades among edge defenders (and isn't faring much better in the pass rush), and things just aren't great on that side of the ball.

The secondary isn't doing well either with both Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward out, but Ward was playing badly before going down. (Williams, however, was doing great in those first couple of games)

The key to stopping the run is to have the worst pass defense in the league. Just look at the Eagles!!

UpToIsomorphism wrote:
garion333 wrote:

I still think the Browns can be good.

39 years of being a Browns fan says otherwise. ;(

I've only been in Ohio for 6 years. And LeBron made me believe the curse is over.

*Legion* wrote:

I remember questioning the Browns' run defense before the season, and that doubt sure looks warranted at this point.

Adding Sheldon Richardson obviously did not magically fix the run defense. The team gives up 5.2 yards per attempt to opposing runners, tied for 3rd worst in the league. The linebacker position was bad even before Christian Kirksey went down to injury (though Kirksey hasn't been good lately himself).

Also, remember, they traded away their run-stuffing strong safety, Jabrill Peppers, and it shows. His replacement, Jermaine Whitehead, has the second lowest run defense grade at PFF among all safeties.

Add in the fact that Olivier Vernon has one of the worst run defense grades among edge defenders (and isn't faring much better in the pass rush), and things just aren't great on that side of the ball.

The secondary isn't doing well either with both Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward out, but Ward was playing badly before going down. (Williams, however, was doing great in those first couple of games)

They need better LBs. That's the long and short of it. They can get away with lesser talent at run D at safety but can't hide that their LBs suck other than Shobert who seems to be an up and down player.

Sam Darnold is cleared to play on Sunday.

I hope he truly is and this isn't "Luke Falk is almost as bad as Nathan Peterman so let's pull the plug now" and he's actually in the clear for rupturing organs. Mono takes a long ass time to truly clear out the system.

So Dan Snyder, famous around these parts for doing this:

IMAGE(https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--WYq8TVoK--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_900,q_80,w_1600/17gyehi9man5ljpg.jpg)

...has a thing where most players aren't allowed to look him in the eye.

That's funny, but Lavar calling the team basically a team of mercenaries is fascinating and completely spot on. The culture sucks, owner sucks, and the rest follows.

*Legion* wrote:

Also, Juszczyk is worth every penny in this offense.

We're about to find out how important he is as he's out 4-6 weeks with an MCL sprain.

Sherman says "my bad" to Baker on Pat McAfee's show.

garion333 wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

Also, Juszczyk is worth every penny in this offense.

We're about to find out how important he is as he's out 4-6 weeks with an MCL sprain.

Yeah, I am not looking forward to this. 49ers lead the league in running plays out of 21 personnel by a mile. There isn't even another fullback on the depth chart. There's the downside of running an offense with a unique Swiss Army Knife kind of player - kind of hard to replace him when he's out.

They'll use tight ends as makeshift fullbacks, but I think we'll see gameplans with a lot less 21 personnel from the Niners while Juice is out. They may still be successful (I hope so!), but I guarantee you'll see that 21 personnel usage shoot right back up the moment they can get Juszczyk back on the field.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

I'd like to offer my deepest congratulations to Jay Gruden for escaping.

Today's Draw Play:

IMAGE(http://www.thedrawplay.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019-10-09_GrudenFired.png)

When he said he wouldn't start Haskins and leaked that drunk/high video of himself, I assume he was writing his own ticket.

Guys, it's time to bring Rex Grossman back. He was secretly a good QB! He'd be better than this list:

I like the point Barnwell is trying to make, that maybe folks should give these guys a little more time before declaring them busts. Even Trubisky. Heck, Josh Allen (the only true NY one) has managed to stop running on every play.

At the same time, comparing their passer ratings to Elway and Bradshaw doesn't make any sense.

Julian Edleman saw another side of Bill Belichick.

*Legion* wrote:

Sherman says "my bad" to Baker on Pat McAfee's show.

Crabtree shouldn't hold his breath for getting one, too.

garion333 wrote:

stuff

Looking at the roster from Brees' rookie year, it was LT and nothing else. The next year (so the last two games of his first 18) he also had rookie Antonio Gates.

Mayfield was given two of the best receivers currently in the league but seems to have gotten worse (it's possible he hasn't, that's just my perception as somebody that hasn't actually seen much of the Browns this year). That said I agree that people should be more patient when it comes to completely writing players off.

Ugh. Mike McGlinchey is having a knee scope, and will miss 4-6 weeks.

Niners now down both of their starting tackles plus Juszczyk.

4-6 weeks can't come fast enough. Joe Staley set to return in that window too.

If they can at least go 2-2 and survive October, I'll take it. Fortunately they have Arizona and Washington in that window, both on the road though. Got the Rams on the road this week and also have Carolina at home, those will be rough.

So bye week was too early. Could use it to heal mid season.

Stele wrote:

So bye week was too early. Could use it to heal mid season.

The Niners have been high on Football Outsiders' Adjusted Games Lost rankings the past two years. The injuries have been so frequent that the Niners cleaned house and brought in a whole new strength and conditioning staff this past offseason. It, uh... does not appear to have solved the problem.

At some point, they need to stop getting hurt so much!

iaintgotnopants wrote:
garion333 wrote:

stuff

Looking at the roster from Brees' rookie year, it was LT and nothing else. The next year (so the last two games of his first 18) he also had rookie Antonio Gates.

Mayfield was given two of the best receivers currently in the league but seems to have gotten worse (it's possible he hasn't, that's just my perception as somebody that hasn't actually seen much of the Browns this year). That said I agree that people should be more patient when it comes to completely writing players off.

He was always due to have some regression after last season because he completed so many lucky ass passes last year that he's simply not this year.

Outside of the 49ers game he hasn't been that bad. He just hasn't been all that good either. Numerous plays he's doing it to himself.

Greg Robinson at LT has been average. The right side of their line is a disaster. And Baker is running from phantom pressure or not seeing other pressure.

It's simple math that way. Teams don't have to blitz to generate much pressure and put a bazillion guys into coverage.

It's all fixable. Just, perhaps, not entirely this season. Any team that can generate as much pressure as the 49ers could solely from the D-line is going to be a problem.

What's the solution? Probably more Nick Chubb, really. I don't think there were quite as many coaching errors as the first couple of games, so hopefully that's settling down.

Kareem Hunt (gag) will give them some added versatility they lost when they traded Duke Johnson.

They're decidedly average with some nice upside if they start to play a bit better.

Oh, and they're the second most penalized team. That sh*t adds up.