posted by friendfromlowry

Monday is (probably) Roethlisberger’s final home game? It’d make sense he beats the Browns and puts their playoff chances to rest. 

Last year was supposed to be his swan song too, yet he keeps kicking the can down the road. Not buying he's retiring until he does. Ego's WAY too big and I'm sure he still probably thinks he's good.

posted by BR1986FB

Last year was supposed to be his swan song too, yet he keeps kicking the can down the road. Not buying he's retiring until he does. Ego's WAY too big and I'm sure he still probably thinks he's good.

Most every professional athlete would have that stance I’d guess ….and probably the ones 2-3 years removed from playing as well

posted by Ironman92

Most every professional athlete would have that stance I’d guess ….and probably the ones 2-3 years removed from playing as well

Right. They are all competitors. The mind/knack for the game is still there while the physical skills are gone (or going).

posted by BR1986FB

Last year was supposed to be his swan song too, yet he keeps kicking the can down the road. Not buying he's retiring until he does. Ego's WAY too big and I'm sure he still probably thinks he's good.

Fair enough but there’s no way he comes back and there’s no way Pittsburgh wants him back. 

posted by friendfromlowry

Fair enough but there’s no way he comes back and there’s no way Pittsburgh wants him back. 

Which is going to pose an interesting dilemma for a few teams. Pittsburgh, NYG's, Denver, and I'm sure a few others, will be looking for QB's next year. The draft doesn't look great and I'm skeptical that the three main guys (Rodgers, Wilson & Watson) will be moving on. There will be a lot of competition for those that do become available.

If you check out the OBR, 95% of the posters over there are done with Mayfield. After Saturday, you saw posts like "leave town and don't come back" and I consider that site to be some of the, if not THE, most knowledgeable posters in the NFL. Will the Browns be on that list? If the picking ends up being Jimmy G, Mitch Trubisky or Marcus Mariota, I'd say "pass" as I don't see an upgrade. 

Maybe Mayfield's issue can be fixed but I'm skeptical on that too. When most teams get the ball back and have a chance for a game winning drive their fans are saying "can they do it?" where Browns fans are saying "how is Mayfield or Stefanski going to fuck this up?"

Sorry to divert from your comments but it kind of lead me down the "teams with QB vacancies" rabbit hole.

posted by BR1986FB

Which is going to pose an interesting dilemma for a few teams. Pittsburgh, NYG's, Denver, and I'm sure a few others, will be looking for QB's next year. The draft doesn't look great and I'm skeptical that the three main guys (Rodgers, Wilson & Watson) will be moving on. There will be a lot of competition for those that do become available.

If you check out the OBR, 95% of the posters over there are done with Mayfield. After Saturday, you saw posts like "leave town and don't come back" and I consider that site to be some of the, if not THE, most knowledgeable posters in the NFL. Will the Browns be on that list? If the picking ends up being Jimmy G, Mitch Trubisky or Marcus Mariota, I'd say "pass" as I don't see an upgrade. 

Maybe Mayfield's issue can be fixed but I'm skeptical on that too. When most teams get the ball back and have a chance for a game winning drive their fans are saying "can they do it?" where Browns fans are saying "how is Mayfield or Stefanski going to fuck this up?"

Sorry to divert from your comments but it kind of lead me down the "teams with QB vacancies" rabbit hole.

I'm not saying that baker is bad, but if you pay him what it's going to take to keep him ($35+MM/yr)  it's going to kill the cap flexibility you'll need to make the team good enough around him to win. i don't think you can coach out of him what his flaws are.

if you offer him $20-27MM/yr and he takes it. i think they can build around him. but his flaw is ball security and it ain't getting better.

posted by j_crazy

I'm not saying that baker is bad, but if you pay him what it's going to take to keep him ($35+MM/yr)  it's going to kill the cap flexibility you'll need to make the team good enough around him to win. i don't think you can coach out of him what his flaws are.

if you offer him $20-27MM/yr and he takes it. i think they can build around him. but his flaw is ball security and it ain't getting better.

I'm not paying him $30m+, which is what I'm sure he thinks he's worth. The biggest issue is, can they continue to squander these winnable games with the roster they have assembled? Will upgrading the WR room help with his issue or will he continue to not see the field? If he had the Bengals WR corps, would we be seeing these issues as consistently?

It's either Mayfield making a soul crushing turnover in crunch time or Stefanski not passing when he should or not running when he should to close out games. You'd think going uber conservative (see Raiders/Chargers games) would imply Stefanski doesn't trust putting the game in Mayfield's hands but then you see Stefanski call three passing plays, with three timeouts and a minute left (at the 50) when Mayfield's serving up more turnovers than Pillsbury. I don't get it.

posted by BR1986FB

I'm not paying him $30m+, which is what I'm sure he thinks he's worth. The biggest issue is, can they continue to squander these winnable games with the roster they have assembled? Will upgrading the WR room help with his issue or will he continue to not see the field? If he had the Bengals WR corps, would we be seeing these issues as consistently?

It's either Mayfield making a soul crushing turnover in crunch time or Stefanski not passing when he should or not running when he should to close out games. You'd think going uber conservative (see Raiders/Chargers games) would imply Stefanski doesn't trust putting the game in Mayfield's hands but then you see Stefanski call three passing plays, with three timeouts and a minute left (at the 50) when Mayfield's serving up more turnovers than Pillsbury. I don't get it.

you have to have at least 2 ELITE receivers around him to overcome the fact that Baker thinks he can throw balls into these tight windows he's trying to get into regularly. DPJ dropping well thrown balls when they happen don't help things either and Landry doesn't seem to have a home in the offense they run.

posted by j_crazy

you have to have at least 2 ELITE receivers around him to overcome the fact that Baker thinks he can throw balls into these tight windows he's trying to get into regularly. DPJ dropping well thrown balls when they happen don't help things either and Landry doesn't seem to have a home in the offense they run.

And unfortunately, Stefanski's offense is predicated on TE's. Diggs wanted out in Minnesota and we saw it here with OBJ. It's not really a WR "friendly" offense. Yes, Diggs last year in Minnesota he put up good numbers but I think he could see the writing on the wall (that he'd be getting less targets) and wanted out.

If you can’t upgrade next year you just keep Baker, he isn’t going anywhere. Yes his contract spikes next season, but it’s not a killer.

posted by Laley23

If you can’t upgrade next year you just keep Baker, he isn’t going anywhere. Yes his contract spikes next season, but it’s not a killer.

Which may suck if he keeps leaving plays on the field or botches games. Hopefully a lot of this is attributed to the injuries. With that being said, would be be ready for the regular season after labrum surgery?

In re to the Browns are still in it:

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts………

Idiots sending Mayfield death threats on social media. Get a life peeps.

Wormley & Schobert added to the COVID list for Pittsburgh. If this doesn't tell Stefanski "RUN the damn ball" I don't know what does.

Sadly, I don't think this is going to matter as I'm expecting the Bengals to shock the world and beat KC making Monday night essentially meaningless for both teams.

posted by BR1986FB

Wormley & Schobert added to the COVID list for Pittsburgh. If this doesn't tell Stefanski "RUN the damn ball" I don't know what does.

Sadly, I don't think this is going to matter as I'm expecting the Bengals to shock the world and beat KC making Monday night essentially meaningless for both teams.

Going to be awful weather….we’ll see about the Bengals

Bengals win and that’s that. Congratulations to them, they deserve it.  Best wishes in the playoffs.  I will be rooting for them. 

In my 60 years of following the Browns, this is THE most disappointing season of all. 

 Can’t wait to lose tomorrow too

posted by iclfan2

 Can’t wait to lose tomorrow too

At this point, send Mayfield home to get his surgery and see what you've got in Mullens. Neither of these teams have anything to play for tomorrow night, other than Ben riding off into the sunset out of Heinz Field, as neither are going to the postseason.

posted by BR1986FB

At this point, send Mayfield home to get his surgery and see what you've got in Mullens. Neither of these teams have anything to play for tomorrow night, other than Ben riding off into the sunset out of Heinz Field, as neither are going to the postseason.

You don’t think the not good Steelers can beat the Browns and Ravens and then have the Jags beat the Colts? Lol

On the good note for the Jags winning…..they’ve sealed up the worst record and played them tight last time…..but yeah I’m saying under 5%

Ravens ridiculousness cost them the playoffs and I said when they tied the Lions it would cost the Steelers. (Doubt they’d win last two regardless)

posted by Ironman92

You don’t think the not good Steelers can beat the Browns and Ravens and then have the Jags beat the Colts? Lol

On the good note for the Jags winning…..they’ve sealed up the worst record and played them tight last time…..but yeah I’m saying under 5%

Ravens ridiculousness cost them the playoffs and I said when they tied the Lions it would cost the Steelers. (Doubt they’d win last two regardless)

Dumbass Bengals are lucky they didn't lose their QB for the playoffs with Zac Taylor trying to be the "smartest guy in the room" with the QB sneak/we don't really intend to score a TD and Burrow limping off the field. Very fortunate at the end they got that PI call.

And do I think Pittsburgh could win their last two? Sure. Do I think the Jags will beat the Colts? No, not even if Jim Sorgi is QB for Indy. 

For as bad as Pittsburgh is, at least they have coaching & tradition. The Browns will likely lie down for them and Pittsburgh seems to have the Rats number, even with a healthy Lamar.

I’d like Browns to lose last 2 games. Sneak into a top-10 pick. 

posted by BR1986FB

Dumbass Bengals are lucky they didn't lose their QB for the playoffs with Zac Taylor trying to be the "smartest guy in the room" with the QB sneak/we don't really intend to score a TD and Burrow limping off the field. Very fortunate at the end they got that PI call.

And do I think Pittsburgh could win their last two? Sure. Do I think the Jags will beat the Colts? No, not even if Jim Sorgi is QB for Indy. 

For as bad as Pittsburgh is, at least they have coaching & tradition. The Browns will likely lie down for them and Pittsburgh seems to have the Rats number, even with a healthy Lamar.

Joe Burrow said 3x while still on the field in postgame they were lucky with the calls.

posted by Laley23

I’d like Browns to lose last 2 games. Sneak into a top-10 pick. 

That would also give us the fourth place schedule for next year, but I can't root for the Steelers to beat us.

posted by Al Bundy

That would also give us the fourth place schedule for next year, but I can't root for the Steelers to beat us.

I know. It’s one where I’ll probably not watch so as not to stress. Then be happy with whatever the result.

posted by Al Bundy

That would also give us the fourth place schedule for next year, but I can't root for the Steelers to beat us.

Fourth place schedule did them a lot of good this year, getting boat raced by New England & Arizona and getting Mayfield injured (Houston).