Browns/Packers Live Game Notes

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NOTE:  Check out the live News, Notes and Rumors show on Monday and Friday at 6 PM Eastern on The Bill Smith Radio Show or the archive of the shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.  On Monday Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discuss the Browns game and the results of the weekend.  On Friday Tony Williams Giants beat writer for Metro New York joins Samantha and me to preview the upcoming games.

 

Thanks to CBS for not showing the first TD by the Packers.  Because they are in New York they assume we give a rat’s behind about either the Jets or the Patriots.

 

Bess drops the slant.  Not helping the O.

Penalty on Thomas for a false start.

The Browns unaccustomed to penalties fail to get the play in on time and have to call a TO.

The best thing that Weeden does is throw the ball to the ground.

Weeden hit as Hawk runs over Greco and Ogbonnaya to hit the QB.

Browns saved by the roughing the kicker.

Weeden goes back on the field for no particular reason.

Nice throw to Little from Weeden on the run.

McGahee again hit in the backfield but muscles up for 2.

Whittaker with a nice burst.

Weeden missed a wide open Whittaker.

Weeden picked again because the throw was WAY too late and he stared down the receiver.  Please coach make this misery stop.

=

Haden still can cover.  Nice long coverage on Nelson.  Good pressure from Mingo.

Boykin with a quick out for 3.

These Packer throwback unies should be throw OUT unies.

Browns blitz is not getting close and the O line of the Pack is a problem.

Lacy is a beast.  He runs hard.

Blitz again does not get there and the Browns lose contain allowing Rodgers to run for 4.

Lacy again for 5.  The D line is getting pushed around.

Lacy for 13.  He was untouched until Gipson got him at the 9.

Lacy wide for 8.  Ward missed him at the 7.

Second TD by the Pack.  Right down the field.  The Browns could not get off the field on 3rd down.

GB 14 CL 0

Nice return by Whitacher for 31 to the 34.

Pass for Barnidge was shot down by a duck hunter mistaking it for a wounded bird.

Throw to Cameron complete but short of the LTG.

Run by Ogbonnaya gets the 1st but McCarthy challenges the spot.

Big risk by the Browns but they get the call.

Weeden misses a 3 yard throw on a screen pass.

Lattimore hits Ogbonnaya behind the line AGAIN.  This O line is garbage. 3rd and 11.  The Browns convert 3rd and 10+ only 17% of the time.

Weeden throws into double coverage and the ball is knocked away from Little.

The punt goes into the endzone.  The second bad punt.

=

Boykin gets 5 on the quick throw.  Haden missed the tackle.

Ward missed the first attempt to get Lacy but gets him behind the LOS.

END OF THE 1ST QUARTER.  GB 14 CL 0

Weeden 2-10 with a pick.

Zone blitz fails to get there and Nelson gets the first.  Kruger called for a personal foul.

Finley with a 21 yard catch but holding on OT Barkley.

Kruger gets Lacy for no gain because the RB missed the hole.

Third and 20 after false start on Finley.

Jackson stops the pass to Finley for 13 forcing a punt.

Good run by Ogbonnaya Thomas with a nice block.

Not so much good blocking on the right side.  Ogbonnaya loses a yard.

McGahee hit in the backfield but extends the ball close to the LTG.

After 2nd and half a yard it takes 2 runs to get it.

Gordon drops the ball but is fouled by Williams.  Gordon is hurt.

Wild Cat gets just a yard.

Weeden showing a little touch for a 3 yard gain.

Good throw to Cameron and a great catch under pressure to the GB 44.

Lav with a good block gets McGahee to the 38

Little on the out catches the ball for 9.

McGahee again hit at the LOS gets 2.

Lav allows a sack by Daniels.  3-18

Weeden can not make up his mind where to throw and runs for 10.

The sack cost the Browns their best drive of the game.

46 FGA Good.

GB 14 CL 3

=

Safety Ward has to make the tackle on Lacy.  Our vaunted front line is not doing much.

Robertson holding and the Pack moves the ball into Browns territory.

Lacy up the gut and is not hit until he gets 9 yards.

Rodgers catches the Browns changing personnel and gets 5 free yards.

Rodgers to Lacy for the 1st on the Browns 23.

2 min warning.

Rodgers misses a wide open Franklin.  The RB had gotten away from Sheard.

Pass for 8.  3-1

Franklin for the 1st at the 10.  Just a simple off tackle run.

Gipson deflects the pass on 2nd and goal at the 8.

0:14 left Browns TO.

Rodgers throws it away.

26 yard FGA GOOD.

GB 17 CL 3  0:03 left.

Half time

 

Packers are doing anything they want.  They move right down the field into the Browns 43.

No pass rush Nelson gets inside of Haden and catches the pass to the 27.

Hughes and Kruger keep the run to 1.

Rodgers has all time to throw but he finally runs out of time and throws it away.

Blitz on the O right finally gets him at the 34.  Kruger and Ownes split the sack.

The Packers were able to do everything they wanted.  The D can’t be tired because they just had a break.  The D is not as good as their stats indicate they are.

52 yard FGA NO GOOD.

Browns ball at the 42.  Run by Whitacher for 5.

Packer all out blitz is picked up by the line.  But Weeden panics and runs into a sack by Latimore.

Schwartz moves again.  5 yard penalty.  And the O line is a strength of the team?  Which team is that Browns or Opponents?

Another pass to the short crossing pattern.  Little runs hard but gets 11 on a 3rd and 12.

Weeden is afraid to throw long unless the WR is WIDE open.  He doesn’t want to throw another pick.

But the D understands he will only throw short and is packing the zone to the LOS.

=

Mingo forces a hold and the Browns send the Pack back to the 5.

Taylor and Sheard chase Rodgers.  Shear was tackled in the endzone but it is not called.

Rubin chases Kuhn down after he caught a pass.  Zone blitz put Rubin back in the short middle zone.

Somebody please break Weeden’s leg so we can at least see Campbell.

Bess catches the 3 yard pass and takes it 9 more yards.

Weeden rolls right and throws it away.  Gordon was WIDE open.

Hawk fouls Weeden.  Penalty takes the ball to the GB 24.

WC

Gordon can’t get away from Shields and the DB knocks the ball away. 3-12

TO because Little is not lined up correctly.

The Pack brings the all out blitz and Weeden’s pass to Bess almost gets back to the original line of scrimmage.

44 yard FGA GOOD

GB 17 Cundiff 6. 3rd Q 5:03 left.

=

3-8 at the 33 Rodgers picks on Robertson with a throw to Finlay. 1st down on a gain of 15.

Throw to Boykin called back by a hold against the Pack.

3-16 Rubin and Sheard chase Rodgers on a roll to his right.  He throws it away.  Good job by the D.

The punt rolls to the Browns 1 but it is called back with a penalty.

56 Martin hits a Packer.  The Browns would have had the ball at the 34 but the foul takes it to the 25.

Whittaker sweep loses 4.

Weeden hits Little on a slant for 12. Good quick throw.

END  OF 3rd QUARTER

Browns passing game beginning to move the ball.  They had a 2nd and 2 and 2nd and 3 rather than 3rd and long.

Bess open but Weeden misses him.  3-3 at the Packer 36.

Cameron covered tightly by Hide but makes the catch at the sideline.

McGahee and Little both wide open but Weeden misses Grey high in the endzone.

Illegal formation on the Browns.  3-15

Weeden misses everyone. 4-15

House knocks the ball away from Gordon.  At least it was a good throw.  Packers get the Ball.  That’s all folks.  Drive home safely.

=

Gipson called for a helmet hit but he had his back to Finley.  Finley had his head down and hit it on Gipson’s back.  This is a HORRIBLE call.  When will the Refs start watching the games?  How can a so called professional ref make a call like that?

Two Browns on Boykin but both fall down and Rodgers hits him to the 1 yard line.

Pass to Nelson TD on Haden.

GB 24 Cundiff 6.

86 yard kick return by Benjamin to the Packers 20.

Flair to Ogbonnaya too hot.

Weeden waddles to the 11.

Ogbonnaya runs to the 6.  1-goal at the 6.

Weeden throws to Little who was double covered.  Inc.

Lav pulls to lead McGahee but doesn’t block a sole.

Throw to Gordon knocked away by House.

Weeden throws to Cameron but it is out of bounds.  Penalty on the Pack off side.

Weeden throws a bullet to Cameron on 4th and 2 for the TD.

GB 24 CL 13 6:09 left.  Onside kick coming.

Browns get the onside but Carter was off side.

2nd onside kick did not go 10 yards but it looked like it touched a Packer.  The Refs don’t think so and the Pack gets the ball after a 15 yard penalty on Jolly.

Lacy for 11 right up the gut.  Where is the Browns D?

Hughes gets penetration and the Browns stop Lacy for a loss of 2.

Flag on Skrine on Boykin.  Packers on the Browns 25.

Browns lose contain on the left side and Lacy gets 5.

Boykin WIDE open at the 2.  Skrine misses him and he scores.

GB 31 CL 13

Whittaker brings the ball out to the

Cameron catches 3 passes to take the ball to the 21

Weeden is pressured and throws another underhand flip and it is almost picked again.

He hits Gordon at the 7.

A 95 mile an hour fast ball to Whittaker goes incomplete.

He throws to a double covered Cameron over the middle.  It was knocked away.

4-Goal Throw is behind Little.  He was wide open but the ball was behind him by a yard.  Little is shaking his head in disgust.

= 1:21 left.

 

Final Thoughts

Offense:

Branden Weeden can’t be fixed.  As a coach I can fix a QB that struggles with footwork.  I can fix a QB that has issues with his throwing motion.  I cannot fix a QB that wets himself when the pass rush gets to him.  All of the things I have said about Weeden still apply.  He has not improved and the problem is not fixable.  If the management lets him start the rest of the year the only game the Browns have a chance to win will be against Jacksonville.  If I was the GM I would try to trade Weeden for a bag of used balls or anything I could get.  If I was unable to trade him I would release him.

 

It is time to sign a QB and start Jason Campbell.  I would sign Tyler Wilson off the Raiders practice squad.  He is young and had a junior year that was good enough to get him a first round grade coming into the 2012 college season.  The total meltdown of the Arkansas team had nothing to do with him.  If Coach Rob Chudzinski continues to start Weeden he will lose the team and the fan base.  It is just that simple.  For some reason the team does not want to start Campbell.  He has 71 starts and much better numbers than Weeden could ever have.

 

The O line was lousy as usual.  Beside the penalties, the guards have never figured out how to block the End Tackle game by the opponent.  The guards still go to double the tackle going to the outside and let the DE come right in to get the sack.  Both guards need to be replaced as does RT Mitchell Schwartz.  I rated him a late 3rd or 4th round pick.  The previous group took him in the early 2nd round.  He is not quick enough to play outside.  A move to G might save his career.

 

The receivers did Weeden no favors.  Even the sure handed Davone Bess had a case of dropsy.  Concentration is the key to catching the ball.  It is easier to concentrate when the QB gets the ball in a spot where it can be caught.  With the Weeden shotgun the WRs never can anticipate where the ball will be.

 

 

Defense:

The D played badly in the last two games.  The D has given up 31 points in both.  The D does not get much rest because the O can’t get first downs.  The D has not been able to get off the field on 3rd down.  That is a fatal condition.  The zone D leaves receivers wondering alone through the field like they were picking daisies.  The Packers running game was held down to some degree but at times gashed the Browns.

 

Coaching:

Chud and his staff did a decent job calling the game.  The opponents have figured out the read option wildcat and that should be put aside for a while.  No amount of coaching can make up for a QB that is incompetent.  The only issue I have with the coaching staff is not replacing Weeden with Campbell to start this game.  The only possible excuse is management wants as high a draft choice as possible to get a QB.  That is not acceptable to the fan base.  There is talk that Weeden will start the Chiefs game but if he does not play well Campbell will be in soon.  We will see if that happens.

 

Bottom line:

With Weeden at QB this team is very hard to watch.  The two wins with Brian Hoyer at QB showed that this team can win with a decent QB running the O.  The Browns are going to lose a lot of fans if they end up with 10+ losses.  With 3 wins already they will not be in position to have the top pick.  The Jags will have that.  While I see 4 possible 1st round QBs in the 2014 draft, none of them are sure things.  In 2014 Hoyer will start until the new guy gets the playbook down.  Although we have seen very little that makes us think the team will draft well, they had better.  Because when

 

 

That’s what I think.  Tell me what you think.

 

You can listen to the podcasts at https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ and hear NNR Live Mondays and Fridays at 6PM Eastern time on .  The Monday show is a review of the previous week and the Browns game.  The Friday show previews the upcoming games.

 

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com.  He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.  Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts.  You can hear the previous shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ and the live show Mondays at 6 PM Eastern time on The Bill Smith Radio Show.  

He also edits .  

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.

 

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