WK 15 // Bears (5-8) @ Browns (8-5)

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

TOP wasn't that big of a variance here.

Bears 29:00
Browns 31:00

Facts > Narrative. AS EXPECTED, both defenses played great. One defense played great through the end while the other shit the bed in the 4th. People are complaining about why didn’t Fields throw for 200 yards in the 4th quarter like Flacco did without realizing that our defense let Flacco throw for 200 yards in the 4th quarter!! Hello?!?! You want to talk about Fields not being able to finish, how about the defense not finishing against either the Lions or Cleveland?

Well, the Browns didn't go 3 & out like 10 times in a row like the Bears did. The defense was gassed in the 4th quarter. But there were also some bad calls by Eberflus, that he has owned up to. But the worst of the whole game was Getsy. He was atrocious. Yes there were drops and missed blocks. But the game plan was really bad for the defense they were going up against.

[dplank]

No argument there, Getsy had a really bad day.

[The Marshall Plan]

We lose the game because Eberflus mismanages our timeouts and we run out of time on our way down the field to score the winning FG.

This entire board changes their minds, realizes how right I was the entire time, apologizes profusely and begs forgiveness.

Browns 23
Bears 21

Close enough.

Now which one of you will create the thread entitled, “Marshall Was Right About Eberflus”?

[malk]

I've just looked again at the play that gave up their last touchdown and good god Edmunds, Smith and Brisker made a mess of it. We're 7 points up with a little over three minutes to go, Flacco makes a nice throw taking advantage of what looks like shit coverage by Edmunds, then Smith takes a terrible angle and whiffs before Brisker steams in with really poor speed control and also whiffs. Cooper gets to jog in for a 51 yard score. Yes the head coach, and defensive playcaller has overall responsibility but the players need to take their responsibility as well.

At that point the defence was working, as it largely has since the end of week 4. We can't blitz every down and the defence doesn't call for it.

I just, this doesn't strike me as an obviously poorly coached team so, in a close loss where we've had a few stand out fuck ups from the players, I just don't put this on the head coach?

[RichH55]

@RichH55 how many of these are a result of "holding onto the ball too long"?

Honest question, looking at how many of those plays were 5, 6 and 7 man rushes, is there a hot route on those plays that should be getting the ball for the most part.

Yeah - if you are still able to get to 4 seconds (which you can on a couple of these damning plays) - chances are there was something there - Again if you hold the ball for 6 seconds and take a hit or sack - that's real bad but will show up as a pressure and sack/hit.

[RichH55]

WE are not rooting for GB in this universe.

WE are not wanting the Bears to lose, EVER.

WE is everyone here and you DO NOT speak for us all, thank you very much.

Play chess not checkers.

This is the correct answer

[RichH55]

It was a bad drop.
What was also bad was the 3 and out when we got the ball back with 3:18 and the game tied.
A 58-year-old Joe Flacco can stand in the face of pressure and deliver a victory, but our guy?

Justin Fields is an Orchid.

It can be absolutely beautiful but the conditions have to be absolutely PERFECT.

Anything off - Pass Pro not perfect 100% of the time? A Drop (even if it was going to be a TD - which it was) - And not his fault. Not even some.

[G08]

I've just looked again at the play that gave up their last touchdown and good god Edmunds, Smith and Brisker made a mess of it. We're 7 points up with a little over three minutes to go, Flacco makes a nice throw taking advantage of what looks like shit coverage by Edmunds, then Smith takes a terrible angle and whiffs before Brisker steams in with really poor speed control and also whiffs. Cooper gets to jog in for a 51 yard score. Yes the head coach, and defensive playcaller has overall responsibility but the players need to take their responsibility as well.

At that point the defence was working, as it largely has since the end of week 4. We can't blitz every down and the defence doesn't call for it.

I just, this doesn't strike me as an obviously poorly coached team so, in a close loss where we've had a few stand out fuck ups from the players, I just don't put this on the head coach?

That one is on the players, Eberflus said it should have been picked off but at minimum knocked down.

Jaylon Johnson put it best, players don't always make the correct play and coaches don't always make the correct call. In this instance, the call was sound but the players didn't execute.

On the 3rd and 15 conversion to Njoku, one could argue it was a poor call (I disagree but it's hard to stand by it based on the results of the play).

[Noots]

Boy, I am loathe to give any consolation to our coaches, but after watching that video up the thread about missed blocks by our RBs...mother of God, those guys were half-assing it out there. I can't describe it any other way. It went beyond just missing assignments. Disinterested. Yeah, you could say the coaches need to motivate them but have some fucking pride in your work, too.

[malk]

I've just looked again at the play that gave up their last touchdown and good god Edmunds, Smith and Brisker made a mess of it. We're 7 points up with a little over three minutes to go, Flacco makes a nice throw taking advantage of what looks like shit coverage by Edmunds, then Smith takes a terrible angle and whiffs before Brisker steams in with really poor speed control and also whiffs. Cooper gets to jog in for a 51 yard score. Yes the head coach, and defensive playcaller has overall responsibility but the players need to take their responsibility as well.

At that point the defence was working, as it largely has since the end of week 4. We can't blitz every down and the defence doesn't call for it.

I just, this doesn't strike me as an obviously poorly coached team so, in a close loss where we've had a few stand out fuck ups from the players, I just don't put this on the head coach?

That one is on the players, Eberflus said it should have been picked off but at minimum knocked down.

Jaylon Johnson put it best, players don't always make the correct play and coaches don't always make the correct call. In this instance, the call was sound but the players didn't execute.

On the 3rd and 15 conversion to Njoku, one could argue it was a poor call (I disagree but it's hard to stand by it based on the results of the play).

I'm conflating a couple of things here, which is my wont but not particularly conducive to discussion! I agree that focusing on individual plays isn't particularly meaningful, the Stevenson pick for example wasn't a product of a great coaching decision and itself kept points off the board.

The touchdown we allowed that I highlighted was just a poor play and I was referring to that in a gamethread context. The point about Flus is more general, in this game we gave up 20 points with is a little over the average with this set of key personnel, i.e. post the Sweat acquisition. The Cowboys are 5th at 18.9 PPG allowed and the Steelers are 10th with 20.0 PPG. That's the level our defence is currently playing at and I think that's our true level at the moment. JJ is the only player not secured for a while (and pretty much a must to resign now) plus we've got two positions to that should be upgrade further, FS and another pass rusher opposite Sweat. That's incredibly exiting for me and seemingly at odds with some of the doom and gloom around our head coach and his defensive philosophy.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

We lose the game because Eberflus mismanages our timeouts and we run out of time on our way down the field to score the winning FG.

This entire board changes their minds, realizes how right I was the entire time, apologizes profusely and begs forgiveness.

Browns 23
Bears 21

Close enough.

Now which one of you will create the thread entitled, “Marshall Was Right About Eberflus”?

RichH already created it weeks ago.
Think it must have been deleted by now

[G08]

That one is on the players, Eberflus said it should have been picked off but at minimum knocked down.

Jaylon Johnson put it best, players don't always make the correct play and coaches don't always make the correct call. In this instance, the call was sound but the players didn't execute.

On the 3rd and 15 conversion to Njoku, one could argue it was a poor call (I disagree but it's hard to stand by it based on the results of the play).

The touchdown we allowed that I highlighted was just a poor play and I was referring to that in a gamethread context. The point about Flus is more general, in this game we gave up 20 points with is a little over the average with this set of key personnel, i.e. post the Sweat acquisition. The Cowboys are 5th at 18.9 PPG allowed and the Steelers are 10th with 20.0 PPG. That's the level our defence is currently playing at and I think that's our true level at the moment. JJ is the only player not secured for a while (and pretty much a must to resign now) plus we've got two positions to that should be upgrade further, FS and another pass rusher opposite Sweat. That's incredibly exiting for me and seemingly at odds with some of the doom and gloom around our head coach and his defensive philosophy.

I'm with you and yeah JJ needs to be a top priority signing. He has been playing lights out coverage; as long as he can stay healthy make him a top 5 corner and if he doesn't want to play ball just franchise tag him (I hope it doesn't come to that).

[dplank]

Fields was 8/15 for 71 yards on passes thrown in 2.5 seconds or less, but was (absurdly) pressured on 7 of these dropbacks

Almost 50% of Justin's drop backs, where the ball was thrown in 2.5 seconds or less, he was pressured.

That's fucking ridiculous.

Haters won't accept this G08, you're wasting your breath lol...they'll focus on that one bad sack he took and act like that's who he is all the time.

My takeaway is that Fields still has issues here, but he's improved a lot and is still improving. Last year given the same circumstances, Fields probably take 6-7 sacks instead of 3. 3 sacks while under that intense pressure all day is actually not bad, despite the one unforgivable one that people focus on ad nauseum. It's maddening that he still seems to take one really bad sack each game - like, what's his problem there? It's like he freezes or something.

To wab's point about "absolutisms" - I think that this is fair. He still has an issue here, but he's improved on it and lessened it's impact on his overall game. That's true and even handed. And there's no reason to believe he won't continue to improve.

[G08]

Almost 50% of Justin's drop backs, where the ball was thrown in 2.5 seconds or less, he was pressured.

That's fucking ridiculous.

Haters won't accept this G08, you're wasting your breath lol...they'll focus on that one bad sack he took and act like that's who he is all the time.

My takeaway is that Fields still has issues here, but he's improved a lot and is still improving. Last year given the same circumstances, Fields probably take 6-7 sacks instead of 3. 3 sacks while under that intense pressure all day is actually not bad, despite the one unforgivable one that people focus on ad nauseum. It's maddening that he still seems to take one really bad sack each game - like, what's his problem there? It's like he freezes or something.

Could be many things but just parsing through his comments about the offense, I think he's "overwhelmed" with everything they put on his plate.

He's taking at least 2 plays to the line of scrimmage, assessing the defense, making checks, sending someone in motion, watching if-and-how the defense adjusts, then he needs to take another mental snapshot and think if he should check out of play 1 and into play 2, all the while making sure the routes converted properly in his mind AND hope that his receiving targets are converting the same way. Oh and snap the ball before the clock hits 00 and you're likely going to get drilled by large, fast men looking to rip your head off in 2.65 seconds. Good luck!

[The Marshall Plan]

Close enough.

Now which one of you will create the thread entitled, “Marshall Was Right About Eberflus”?

RichH already created it weeks ago.
Think it must have been deleted by now

I must’ve missed it. I have him on Ignore.

Shucks.

[RichH55]

Haters won't accept this G08, you're wasting your breath lol...they'll focus on that one bad sack he took and act like that's who he is all the time.

My takeaway is that Fields still has issues here, but he's improved a lot and is still improving. Last year given the same circumstances, Fields probably take 6-7 sacks instead of 3. 3 sacks while under that intense pressure all day is actually not bad, despite the one unforgivable one that people focus on ad nauseum. It's maddening that he still seems to take one really bad sack each game - like, what's his problem there? It's like he freezes or something.

Could be many things but just parsing through his comments about the offense, I think he's "overwhelmed" with everything they put on his plate.

He's taking at least 2 plays to the line of scrimmage, assessing the defense, making checks, sending someone in motion, watching if-and-how the defense adjusts, then he needs to take another mental snapshot and think if he should check out of play 1 and into play 2, all the while making sure the routes converted properly in his mind AND hope that his receiving targets are converting the same way. Oh and snap the ball before the clock hits 00 and you're likely going to get drilled by large, fast men looking to rip your head off in 2.65 seconds. Good luck!

You know this is called "PLAYING QB IN THE NFL " right?

Maybe if we ask nicely the Defenses will submit their alignments for each play a week in advance?

Would help!

[LacertineForest]

Maybe if we ask nicely the Defenses will submit their alignments for each play a week in advance?

Would help!

This is another reason to bring Harbaugh in. He's got experience stealing the other team's signals

[G08]

Maybe if we ask nicely the Defenses will submit their alignments for each play a week in advance?

Would help!

This is another reason to bring Harbaugh in. He's got experience stealing the other team's signals

Great point!

Head Coach: Bill Belichick

Offensive Coordinator: Jim Harbaugh


Does that work for you @RichH55

[HisRoyalSweetness]

A look at how the young DTs got on against the Browns:

[RichH55]

Maybe if we ask nicely the Defenses will submit their alignments for each play a week in advance?

Would help!

This is another reason to bring Harbaugh in. He's got experience stealing the other team's signals

Well, well played!

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Mooney on the 4th down play where he got blamed for not blocking well for Fields:

"I was not blocking for Justin. It’s supposed to be a pick play.”

[HisRoyalSweetness]

[G08]

Mooney on the 4th down play where he got blamed for not blocking well for Fields:

"I was not blocking for Justin. It’s supposed to be a pick play.”

Yeah, Getsy said he did a poor job preparing Mooney on what to do if the corner blitzed. Seems to be a recurring theme "I didn't have them prepared".

[G08]

Some context:

49ers @ Browns
15 first downs / 215 total yards / 107 pass yards / 108 rush yards / 1 TO

Ravens @ Browns
16 first downs / 296 total yards / 165 pass yards / 131 rush yards / 1 TO

Bears @ Browns
12 first downs / 236 total yards / 148 pass yards / 88 rush yards / 3 TO (2 on Hail Marys, although the first was incorrectly labeled an INT)

[G08]

But not a fucking flag, unbelievable

[dplank]

But not a fucking flag, unbelievable

They should fine the ref also - unreal

[G08]

But not a fucking flag, unbelievable

They should fine the ref also - unreal

It's getting to the point where it feels intentional, just completely fucked up.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

They should fine the ref also - unreal

It's getting to the point where it feels intentional, just completely fucked up.

It's very hard to understand why the league has been letting it go on for so long.

[G08]

It's getting to the point where it feels intentional, just completely fucked up.

It's very hard to understand why the league has been letting it go on for so long.

I have a couple guesses

[Middleguard]

Otis Day gets it right!
Your scores for game 14 predictions:
0 Otis Day
2 Atkins&Rebel
18 wulfy
26 The Marshall Plan / Middleguard
32 Mikefive
38 UOK
42 LacertineForest
50 otis / RichH55
54 G08 / Hema2.0
62 Noots
86 WagonForce
98 crueltyabc / *mmmc_35
98 Xee
104 Moriarty
126 artbest01
128 southdakbearfan
152 alexwilkins
158 Grizzled / pus
182 Bears Whiskey Nut
186 HisRoyalSweetness
200 wab
294 Bearsfan34
302 Shadow
386 Boris13c
494 spudbear
698 bearsoldier
2294 Ditka's dictaphone
3050 Arkansasbear
3488 HurricaneBear
* duplicate prediction