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This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fans Podcast Episode 19: James and Jordan discuss the Browns win over the Texans in addition to concerns moving forward.
Tag Archives: Houston Texans
Observations from Browns 31-21 win over Texans
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The Cleveland Browns won their first game of the season by holding off the Houston Texans 31-21. Getting the first win of the season is great, but there are some takeaways that need to mentioned and kept in mind for the rest of the season.
Winning is great, but game was a lot closer than it should have been
This should have been a get right game for the Browns. In the past this was the type of game where the visiting team comes in, blows the doors off of Cleveland, and gets back on track for the next few games. Unfortunately this game was a lot closer than it should have been against a Texans team that does not have high expectations for the season.
Outcome very well could have been different if Tyrod Taylor does not leave due to injury
Tyrod Taylor was moving the ball well and was very effective in the first half. There is a real chance that the final outcome is entirely different if Taylor did not have to leave the game with his injury. Cleveland’s defense had trouble with Houston’s offense for the entire first half.
Defense is bad, like really bad
As mentioned above, the defense could not stop Tyrod Taylor in the first half. Davis Mills even looked okay at times, leading one successful scoring drive and another that resulted in a missed field goal.
Additionally, Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney were pretty much non-factors in this game. The only time they were really mentioned was when the broadcasting team said that they have not done much of anything.
As of now it appears that the Browns defense performance in the 1st half of their loss to the Chiefs was more about Kansas City being off rather than the defense stepping up.
Debut of Grant Delpit
Now for a positive defensive note, Grant Delpit looked good. Delpit made a couple of plays while only appearing in 43% of defensive snaps, but there is some hope here. Again, health will be a concern with him moving forward, but Delpit making plays in his first NFL game is encouraging.
Browns passing offense struggled despite deceiving numbers
Baker Mayfield was 19-21 for 213 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The 90% completion percentage is impressive, but deceiving. A lot of Mayfield’s throws were not far down the field and most of his yards came after the pass was completed, most notably on Demetric Felton’s 33-yard touchdown on a screen pass. While Baker executed and that’s great, there are some much larger issues at hand.
Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry were missed big time
When Jarvis Landry exited the game after the second play the passing offense did not have a legitimate threat in the passing game. This led to a lot of shorter passes from Mayfield and his 19-21 performance. The fact of the matter is that without Landry or Odell Beckham Jr. the passing game is very much unimpressive. Those who have been standing on mountaintops screaming for the team to move one or both players got a good long look at reality without the best receivers on the team. Currently without Beckham or Landry in the lineup the passing game is very much pedestrian at best.
Not enough Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb finished the game with 11 carries for 95 yards and one touchdown. In a game without the two best pass catchers available it would have made a lot more sense to hand Chubb the ball a hell of a lot more. To compare, Kareem Hunt carried the ball 13 times for 51 yards, an interesting split to say the least.
Limiting Chubb could be due to wanting to preserve him for later in the season when the Browns are hopefully in the playoffs. Well, in order to get back to the playoffs they need to win games earlier in the season to get there. While the Browns did win this one, the offense could have used the boost it would have gotten if they handed Chubb the ball more. Perhaps more attempts from Chubb results in the lopsided win it should have been and many expected it to be.
Browns defeat Texans for first win of season
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The Cleveland Browns managed to come away with a 31-21 victory over the Houston Texans to win their first game of the season.
It was not the prettiest game, but a win is a win. The Cleveland Browns encountered a much tougher battle than expected, however they did prevail with a 10-point victory over the visiting Houston Texans.
Injuries were really the focus of the game. Jarvis Landry exited on the second play of the game and did not return due to a knee injury. Landry’s absence led to a what can only be described as a struggle fest for the passing game. Sure, Baker Mayfield completed 19 of 21 passes for 21 yards, but this is definitely a case where numbers lie. Mayfield was fine, but the passing game was far from the expected production, especially after last week when it appeared they might be a bit more explosive though the air. The fact of the matter is that without Landry or Odell Beckham Jr., opposing defenses are not scared of the Browns passing attack.
For the Texans it was one injury that changed the game, Tyrod Taylor. Taylor did not return after half-time after keeping things level with Cleveland. Houston had to turn to the inexperienced Davis Mills and it led to expected results. While there was a touchdown drive from the rookie, his passing numbers struggled overall as he completed just eight of 18 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
One more note about the Browns offense, where was Nick Chubb? Only 11 carries for 95 yards and one touchdown in the contest. Considering Cleveland was without their best two receivers one would think that they would put the ball in the hands their best offensive player, but apparently that was not the game plan for some reason. In fact, the still competent but less impressive Kareem Hunt had 13 carries to Chubb’s 11. Hunt finished with just 51 yards, averaging 3.9 yard per carry compared to Chubb’s 8.6.
After providing some hope during the first half of Week 1, the Browns defense struggled to do much of anything. Cleveland had a tough time stopping anything Houston through at them and that is a serious problem. There was the expectation that the defense would take some time to gel, but after Week1 the learning curve was expected to be significantly less.
The Browns are waiting on more information in regards to the injury to Landry. If he were to miss any time that would make their offense a lot less threatening, assuming Beckham is still out.
With the win Cleveland is now 1-1 on the year and they will look to move above .500 next Sunday as they take on the Chicago Bears.
This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fan Podcast Ep. 18
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This Is Believeland – Real Browns Fans Podcast Episode 18: James and Jordan preview the Cleveland Browns upcoming game against the Houston Texans.
Browns should explore trade for J.J. Watt
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The Cleveland Browns should explore a trade with the Houston Texans for the dynamic defensive end.
There is a certain player from the Houston Texans that the Cleveland Browns should consider trading for. No, this is not about Deshaun Watson (although there is merit to that), this is about J.J. Watt. There is the possibility that Watt has played his last game in Houston according to reports.
Let’s look at the facts. The Browns defense desperately needs help and it appears that the Texans are about to begin a total teardown resulting in J.J. Watt being available. Cleveland needs someone to play on the opposite side of Myles Garrett and even if they re-sign Olivier Vernon it is doubtful he is ready to go Week 1. While Adrian Clayborn and Porter Gustin filled in admirably, they are simply not starting quality defensive ends.
There is one major obstacle for the Browns when it comes to trading for J.J. Watt, his contract. Watt is due $17.5 million this upcoming season and that is quite the sizable chunk for a team that needs to make improvements across the board defensively. Luckily there is a solution. A simple restructure would give the Browns flexibility and could result in Watt having financial certainty beyond this upcoming season. Combine all of this with the fact that the Browns appear to be in a contention window and this is a win for all sides involved.
In the end it is possible that the Browns do not trade for J.J Watt, but if they do not at least explore the idea it would be foolish on their part. Cleveland’s defense is bad and needs help in the worst way. Not just in the draft and free agency, but the trade market as well. Adding Watt to other acquisitions they make would be an absolute home run for their defense. Especially after this front office essentially punted defense last offseason.
Accepting good enough leads to irrelevancy
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When teams decide that being just good enough is acceptable it seals their fate and ultimately leads down one path, irrelevancy.
The best teams in the NFL are always looking for ways to improve. As long as they can properly evaluate themselves they are able to realize whether or not an improvement is possible. If it is deemed possible, they try to make that possibility a reality. The problem is for teams that evaluate themselves and decide that they do not need to address certain areas because they are good enough. This acceptance of performance that is otherwise considered serviceable is the gateway to irrelevancy. There is no other position in the NFL that generates this reaction than the quarterback position.
The Houston Texans are going to have to trade Deshaun Watson and there are only a few teams that do not really need to consider this option. For the overwhelming majority of the league this is a clear or possibly substantial upgrade. Matthew Stafford is another quarterback who is available who should garner widespread interest. Teams that could use an upgrade at the quarterback position and find themselves in a shorter contention window should look to make a trade that will be less costly than acquiring Watson. Either way the end result is the same, an improvement at the quarterback position.
Take the San Francisco 49ers for example. There is a reason why they were linked to Tom Brady this past offseason. It is due to the fact of Brady being a huge upgrade over Jimmy Garoppolo. Sure, San Francisco can win with Garoppolo, but they are not winning because of him. Currently they are rumored to be in the running for Stafford and it is clear why. It enables them to capitalize on their short term contention window and it allows them time to find their answer for after Stafford.
That is the difference when it comes to that top tier of quarterbacks, winning because of them, not with them. Teams that decide that they are fine or good enough often end up in a full blown rebuild sooner rather than later. An example of this is the current state of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville decided that Blake Bortles was good enough and there was no need to improve the most important position on the field. Now the core of that roster is playing elsewhere and they are shell of their former AFC Championship Game appearing selves.
What it all comes down to is realizing the true talent level of certain positions and not believing they are better off than they truly are. Plenty of teams have fallen into this trap in the past and it has led to an end of realistic contention. If a team really wants to achieve the highest goal, winning the Super Bowl, they must evaluate from within and determine whether or not they have the right guy at the quarterback position. This process, if done correctly, would lead to a lot teams realizing that they have a quarterback who plays for their franchise, but is not a franchise quarterback. Teams that fail in this process accept being good enough and eventually become irrelevant.
With A Jimmmitude: Wednesday 10/7/20
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1. Washington Football Team benches Dwayne Haskins
What an absolute clown show in Washington, the decision to bench Dwayne Haskins makes absolutely no sense. The team is going nowhere and making a change at quarterback will not change that. Haskins is someone who was always going to need time and Washington has plenty of it. Let the kid play and figure out exactly what you have in second year quarterback.
In regards to the depth chart in Washington now? Insert garbage can emoji right here. If Haskins was bumped down to the second spot behind Alex Smith that’s one thing, but Kyle Allen is the starter with Smith the backup and Haskins third in line. There is no reason for this as we all know Allen stinks and does not deserve additional playing time.
2. Bill O’Brien fired
About damn time, enough said.
3. Eddie Van Halen
This isn’t sports related but this is something I wanted to express my feelings about. Eddie Van Halen passed away on Tuesday and he is someone who had an impact on my life from a young age. Eddie was the reason I wanted to play guitar, I remember the first time I heard a Van Halen song and it made me say I want to do that.
My first guitar was a Frankenstrat lookalike that I got for $100 at a local music store. Before I even took my first guitar lesson I sat at home mimicking the finger tapping technique that is synonymous with Eddie Van Halen. Was it anything actually close to what he did? No, but I was 8 years old and in my mind I was playing just like Eddie.
You were one of the greatest guitar players of all time and your impact will be felt forever. Rest in peace Edward Lodewijk Van Halen.
NFL Week 4 thoughts and observations
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Thoughts and observations from NFL Week 4
1. San Francisco 49ers miss Jimmy Garoppolo
First things first, I do not think much of Jimmy Garoppolo. That being said he is significantly better than San Francisco’s other options (Nick Mullens, CJ Beathard). The 49ers are a better team with Garoppolo compared to without him. While Jimmy G may never be a Top 5 quarterback, he at least plays at a level that is not detrimental to the team.
2. Nick Foles unable to continue magic in Week 4
Nick Foles was not able to rally the Bears to a second straight victory as they lost to the Colts by a score of 19-11. Chicago had to punt 7 times and it is not easy to win when the punt unit comes out that often. Big Dick Nick didn’t build off of last week but the fact of the matter is that he played better than Mitchell Trubisky would have.
3. Bill O’Brien stinks
As long as Houston continues to employ Bill O’Brien they will be doomed. Nothing more needs to be said.
4. Monday Night doubleheader should be fun
This is less of an observation and more of projecting a thought onto tonight. There are two games on Monday night and they should be fun. The Patriots and Chiefs should be an entertaining matchup, but the absence of Cam Newton will take a bit of the star power out of the game. Falcons and Packers may not be competitive, however Aaron Rodgers should have a field day against the joke that is the Atlanta Falcons defense. Rodgers airing it out is always entertaining, sit back and enjoy the show.