Anti-Game Ball of the Week: T.J. Ward

by Chris Pokorny on Oct 11, 2011 3:36 PM EDT

It's that time of the week in which we are supposed to hand out a game ball to someone on the Cleveland Browns for their positive efforts this past week. Since the Browns were on a bye week though, I'm going to do what I believe I did last season: turn the tables and highlight a player who I have been disappointed with this season. At this point, that player is safety T.J. Ward.

In his second year with the team, my hopes were high for Ward, but I can't say the same about my expectations. After a strong start to last season, I thought he slowly faded off when it came to coverage and being a difference maker on tackles.

Not including his special teams tackles last season, Ward had a team-high 105 combined tackles in 2010, which is an average of 6.5 per game. With a small sample size of just four games this year, he has 18 combined tackles, which is an average of 4.5 per game.

Tackles are not the defining measure of a players' performance by any means, but when the Browns drafted Ward, I expected him to jump in and be the type of player who is making the type of plays a Joe Haden or a D'Qwell Jackson are making. Instead, he still seems a bit lost. I'm not thinking of specific plays, but just in general -- it seems like Ward is often out of position. I know Mike Adams and Usama Young splitting time at one safety position has been viewed as a vulnerability on defense, but it does not seem to me that Ward is playing on a much higher level either.

What do you think? Am I overreacting and has Ward been fine, or have you been disappointed with his play as well?

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I think that we should never, ever let this man cover tight ends ever again.

Dawgs By Nature: Where we REALLY love belt buckles.

by Adrock2099 on Oct 11, 2011 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

I think this is going a bit overboard.

by Roger Dorn on Oct 11, 2011 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

If a safety cover tight ends, he’s not going to make the team.

With or Without the H

by johnf34 on Oct 11, 2011 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

This issue with Ward is he is a tackler, not a ball hawk and many have the misconception he is going to be a ball hawk.

Browns still need a ball hawk safety opposite of Ward…not sure if Usama Young is the answer after that terrible attempt of not pushing Jared Cook out of bounds on that 80-yd TD by the Titans.

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by theW0LF on Oct 11, 2011 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with this, but don’t think he is that bad in coverage, merely decent.

by Roger Dorn on Oct 11, 2011 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

A lot of what is being blamed on him is not his fault. Just because he was the closest guy on the TD pass doesn’t mean it’s on him. That’s a corner route against C3 sky, that’s on the CB.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Oct 11, 2011 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting point about that play is that Sheldon Brown for whatever reason kept following his receiver to the middle of the field and basically “picked” Young as he was moving towards the sideline to make the tackle. Young made a bad decision to go under Brown instead of over him and that’s why he had a bad angle.

by HenryDawg on Oct 11, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I drove past the Harry Buffalo yesterday on the way to the airport. Ward was gunna be there. Game ball for Harry Buffalo.

My dog is a badass. His name is Kosar.

by Brownie's Year on Oct 11, 2011 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

I think the Safety play in general has been a little weak but if I had to give an anti-game ball it would be to Colt McCoy who just is not looking accurate and seems averse to throwing a football on time.

by HenryDawg on Oct 11, 2011 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

Coly certainly deserves his share of criticism, but it’s unlikely that he actually lost any innate accuracy. It’s more likely that he’s still struggling with running the offense at game speed against defensive looks that are still new to him every week.

Watching a few of these Browns games, I’d be more inclined to give the anti-game ball to a more experienced veteran than any of the first or second year players.

by scrumm on Oct 11, 2011 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Not trying to give Colt a pass, he’s looked pretty bad lately (especially on those bootleg INTs) but it’s plain to see that part of the problem is no receivers able to get open.

A more alarming trend that I have seen in games this year is that, except maybe for the Colts game, the whole team has looked sluggish and even disinterested at times. MoMass, Ben Watson, and Evan Moore in particular. Its not just receivers tho, I have seen numerous plays where there’s just not much hustle or passion from anyone. Maybe we need more passionate coaches?? I’m just at a loss for the apparent lack of effort I’m seeing this year.

Am I crazy?

by Vududawg on Oct 12, 2011 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Sorry, but WR are open. They are always open. QB’s have to make the throws. Period. You don’t get it and aren’t even trying to get it.

by Johnnypronto on Oct 12, 2011 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

WR are open. They are always open.

Go, I say go away boy, you bother me.

by burntorangeandbrown on Oct 12, 2011 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

And that means that the coverage sack is as mythical as the Robiskie.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
— Winston S. Churchill

by JustBob on Oct 12, 2011 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t know if they are always open – that’s hard to tell on TV but they have been wide open at times and Colt missed the throw.

by HenryDawg on Oct 12, 2011 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions

The only time we will be able to see them on TV is when they are thrown to.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Oct 13, 2011 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Regardless of what your opinion of Colt’s performance is, for anyone to say that our WRs are always open is idiotic.

Go, I say go away boy, you bother me.

by burntorangeandbrown on Oct 13, 2011 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Ever since he damn near decapitated Shipley of Cincy last year, then got fined, he’s been less effective.

Madden 12 does not have bugs, it has dyslexia & tourettes.

by Groza on Oct 11, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions

true.

"You are the worst villains in football, your evil plan never ceases."-Mooncamping

by discoinferno083 on Oct 11, 2011 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

No, not true. The only reason you think that is because it was the last time you saw T.J. in the spotlight like that. Does he have to be to be a good player? We rarely see him in his position due to camera angles, and he’s not going to hit everyone like that everytime. What about the two INTs he had on Jacksonville? He was pretty effective then. You can’t throw all of this on the fact that it looks like he’s been worse since one nasty awesome, yet legal hit. He is either average or he’s still learning. I mean, this is his second defense in as many seasons.

In Golan we trust.

by SpecialBrownie on Oct 11, 2011 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Does he have to be to be a good player?

I don’t know why I said this…

In Golan we trust.

by SpecialBrownie on Oct 11, 2011 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions

To be to be tooo

Dawgs By Nature: Where we REALLY love belt buckles.

by Adrock2099 on Oct 11, 2011 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I make such good memes. Newt Gingrich would be proud.

In Golan we trust.

by SpecialBrownie on Oct 11, 2011 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I mentioned in another thread that I thought Ward seemed to be out of position a few times in the TN game. I was going to write it off as me not really knowing what the hell he should be doing, but the mere fact that you are asking the question strengthens my initial impression.

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
— Winston S. Churchill

by JustBob on Oct 11, 2011 6:17 PM EDT reply actions

Also, in fairness to Ward, he’s a young player who’s had to learn a new defensive system two years in a row. I’m willing to cut him a little slack.

The Alot is better than Brian Robiskie at everything..

by Clevsports on Oct 11, 2011 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

What’s the falcons’ record? :3

by lightninmcqueen on Oct 11, 2011 10:16 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Go Cam Newton.

With or Without the H

by johnf34 on Oct 12, 2011 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

If young and Adams are playing so badly, perhaps Ward is trying to compensate. Maybe he’s trying to do too much and therefore actually achieving less.

I'm entitled to my opinion. Especially if I'm wrong.

by Aussie Brown on Oct 12, 2011 1:42 AM EDT reply actions