Positives After this Game

[WindyCitySteel]

Many of these players should have been playing much sooner, too bad they waited until they were virtually eliminated to improve the team.

Football is not a meritocracy in Pittsburgh.

[T.Ferguson]

Spillane is really looking solid, even last week against the Chiefs I think he would've had a pretty sweet stuff near the GL but his own guy knocked him out of the play lol. Kinda reminds me of Jerry Olsavsky for those that remember him. Not flashy but gets the job done against the run.

Where did the new punter come from? Gotta keep him.

The new center is definitely an improvement.

Witherspoon is playing great.

[Eich]

only thing we have to remember is Cleveland kinda mailed it in last night since they were eliminated.

Not sure this was maximum effort on either side for the ball for the Browns

Yeah, I didn't get the impression that they came to win. It felt more like they came to get Baker killed. You have an injured, erratic QB and you let him throw 31 times with a rookie blocking Watt and no help??? NINE sacks on your injured QB, when you have one of the best running backs in the league against one of the worst run defenses?? None of that passes the smell test.

But I'll take the W on Ben's last home game of his career.

[papillon]

Yeah, I didn't get the impression that they came to win. It felt more like they came to get Baker killed. You have an injured, erratic QB and you let him throw 31 times with a rookie blocking Watt and no help??? NINE sacks on your injured QB, when you have one of the best running backs in the league against one of the worst run defenses?? None of that passes the smell test.

But I'll take the W on Ben's last home game of his career.

The guys in the booth were going nuts with the fact that the Browns didn't run the ball and then in the 4th quarter needing 2 scores, on a 2nd and 2 they ran the ball, I thought the announcers were going to lose their mind.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

Yeah, I didn't get the impression that they came to win. It felt more like they came to get Baker killed. You have an injured, erratic QB and you let him throw 31 times with a rookie blocking Watt and no help??? NINE sacks on your injured QB, when you have one of the best running backs in the league against one of the worst run defenses?? None of that passes the smell test.

But I'll take the W on Ben's last home game of his career.

Definitely take the win and hopefully this build confidence for next game and moving forward.

Not trying to burst any bubbles but it just looked like a team that was going through the motions last night.

A part of me even believed Clowney threw that show on purpose to extend that drive.. such a weird thing to do on a 3rd down stop.

[crushedspirit]

Yeah, I didn't get the impression that they came to win. It felt more like they came to get Baker killed. You have an injured, erratic QB and you let him throw 31 times with a rookie blocking Watt and no help??? NINE sacks on your injured QB, when you have one of the best running backs in the league against one of the worst run defenses?? None of that passes the smell test.

But I'll take the W on Ben's last home game of his career.

I was saying to my bro during the game that it seemed as though Stefanski was in test mode with Baker, maybe a future audition of sorts in a meaningless game? It was an unexplainable game plan against a team that is historically bad at stopping the run, and you happen to have one of the best run games in the league.

As is, you take it and be happy for Ben's last home game. A fitting end in front of his family and friends.

[feltdizz]

The guys in the booth were going nuts with the fact that the Browns didn't run the ball and then in the 4th quarter needing 2 scores, on a 2nd and 2 they ran the ball, I thought the announcers were going to lose their mind.

Pappy

I think its hard for coaches to stick
with the run.

Also, as far as I could tell besides that long run we were all over Chubb. Its not like he was consistently gashing us.

[Buzz]

Yeah, I didn't get the impression that they came to win. It felt more like they came to get Baker killed. You have an injured, erratic QB and you let him throw 31 times with a rookie blocking Watt and no help??? NINE sacks on your injured QB, when you have one of the best running backs in the league against one of the worst run defenses?? None of that passes the smell test.

Told y'all ahead of time that if the Browns were smart, they'd just run it all game, but that, thank goodness, the Browns aren't smart.

Throwing 31 times vs. a suspect Steelers' run D? That was just dumb & dumberer on their part.

[feltdizz]

I was saying to my bro during the game that it seemed as though Stefanski was in test mode with Baker, maybe a future audition of sorts in a meaningless game? It was an unexplainable game plan against a team that is historically bad at stopping the run, and you happen to have one of the best run games in the league.

As is, you take it and be happy for Ben's last home game. A fitting end in front of his family and friends.

I have to go back and look at the play by play..

At halftime Baker only had 15 pass attempts.

They kept saying they need to run but every time they ran we held our own on most running plays.

[T.Ferguson]

I get the sense that the Browns actually hate Mayfield lol. The players don't seem to care for him, not sure what the coaches were doing. I actually think Mayfield could still succeed in the NFL but he needs a more structured offense, lot of running/PA/dink and dunk, he could be a great game manager under the right system and coaching. I'm not impressed with what I've seen with their offense and it goes beyond Mayfield's issues.

[Eich]

A part of me even believed Clowney threw that show on purpose to extend that drive.. such a weird thing to do on a 3rd down stop.

Yeah, the shoe. What the h3ll was that?!! LOL Really weird.

[feltdizz]

I get the sense that the Browns actually hate Mayfield lol. The players don't seem to care for him, not sure what the coaches were doing. I actually think Mayfield could still succeed in the NFL but he needs a more structured offense, lot of running/PA/dink and dunk, he could be a great game manager under the right system and coaching. I'm not impressed with what I've seen with their offense and it goes beyond Mayfield's issues.

He needs an RPO offense like in AZ.

but I also get the sense dude just makes bad decisions.

personally I think the Browns need to keep him. Its not like anyone else has given them hope.

The media tried to crown them prematurely too.. Its the Browns.. why is anyone mentioning SB because they finally won a playoff game when we damn near gave it to them with 5 TO’s.

[Eich]

Ben had a wonderful, emotional send-off. But I have the feeling that he really wanted to put on a much better performance in his last game at Heinz, with his family in attendance.... The INT was a little ugly and 46 throws for 123 yards? Wonder if that's some kind of record for least yards per throw? Thankfully he got the TD pass and the W. But I think the mediocre overall performance will eat at him a bit like his first super bowl win.

[Chucktownsteeler]

I said in another game threat I kinda feel sorry for mayfield. Kinda.

[crushedspirit]

I have to go back and look at the play by play..

At halftime Baker only had 15 pass attempts.

They kept saying they need to run but every time they ran we held our own on most running plays.

First series, they followed that Landry completion with 3 straight incomplete passes

Third series, Chubb gets 4, and they pass on second, sacked on third

Fourth series, Chubb gets 1, and two incompletions follow

Fifth series, INT on first down

Sixth series, 3rd and 2, sacked

Seventh series, after runs of 3 and 4 yards by Chubb, another sack on 3rd and short

Eighth series, Chubb gets 7 and then 3 yards, so on second and 7 pass, followed by sack on 3rd

Tenth, first down sack, whole series is finished

At this point, game was two scores with under 6 to go. They had instances to run on 1st and 2nd downs, and let Baker pass instead. They also had a couple of 3rd and shorts, but inexplicably chose to pass. At some point, one with brains runs the ball at the pressure, instead of ignoring the fact you have gun shy QB who can't make sound decisions while holding on to the ball too long, is wearing a harness, and your RT is getting manhandled all game.