I'm bloody serious, so stop laughing....
Following the ass-kicking of a pretty good team in their own house, and a few drinks, it occurred to me that the Cleveland Browns have the ability to be as good as, if not better on offense than the still-undefeated Indianapolis Colts.
Because I'm a girl, I'm never really sure I know what I'm talking about when I make declarations about football strategy because I've never actually played it. The occasions when I grow some balls and say something I know I am 100% right about are rare. This is one of them.
It seems to me that there are only two major elements missing from the Cleveland Browns that the Colts have that make all the difference in the world.
And no, one of them is not Peyton Manning....
1. PROTECTION IN THE POCKET
I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but it cannot be restated enough. The guys you hear the least about are one of the most critical yet subtle differences between winning and losing. Charlie has good skill, he can fire the ball into tight spots, he can throw it long and do it quite accurately......when he's not under pressure. Could Charlie throw as well as Peyton if he wasn't spending so much time running for his life? Sure he could! In fact, we know he runs better than Peyton Manning now....
The problem is that when Charlie's running, he's not thinking. A young, inexperienced quarterback needs a few extra seconds to run through his reads and make a decision. A few extra seconds are tough to buy in the NFL, but it has to be done if these guys are going to learn anything. It is the job of the offensive line to buy those few extra seconds....the difference between winning and losing, the difference between the Browns and the still-undefeated Colts.
2. OPEN THE PLAYBOOK AND THE FIELD
So I think I see a pattern, here. This Davidson-guy nobody knows that's now calling our plays? Yeah, that guy. He did this AMAZING thing....he turned the page in the playbook and found open air. The pattern being if Charlie gets the time he needs to throw the ball accurately and where the defense can't get it, his receivers will catch it. We have arguably one of the most talented receiver-sets in the NFL, so why do they seem so under-utilized? We should be throwing the ball at least ten yards damn near every down. I know a lot of folks are going to roll their eyes at the idea of the Cleveland Browns being an "air-offense" but that is exactly what it appears our strength is.
Feel free to agree with me in the comments section....