[soup]

Yeah, I’m glad we won yesterday. However, unlike most, playoffs aren’t enough for me. I want a Super Bowl. Anything less is failure. I don’t care about the past 14 years. Teams flip a switch all the time. The key to winning is smart coaching followed by execution. It’s not “execute whatever call the coach makes.” That line of thinking means that down by 2 on the 20 with 3 seconds left, rather than kicking a FG – if the coach calls a pass play and we don’t execute – it’s on the players not the coach. You’re going to try and tell yourself yesterday (among other games) was different – well, you’re flat out wrong.

Pittsburgh game 1:

1:53 left on our own 20.

1st and 10 at CLE 20 (1:53) B.Hoyer sacked at CLV 14 for -6 yards (C.Heyward). 27 27
2nd and 16 at CLE 14 (1:08) (Shotgun) B.Hoyer pass incomplete short left to A.Hawkins (W.Gay).
3rd and 16 at CLE 14 (1:04) (Shotgun) B.Hoyer pass short right to A.Hawkins to CLV 9 for -5 yards (W.Gay).
Timeout #2 by PIT at 00:59.
4th and 21 at CLE 9 (:59) (Punt formation) S.Lanning punts 48 yards to PIT 43, Center-C.Yount, downed by CLV-T.Carder.

The moment Hoyer was sacked the only acceptable play call is a run in that situation. Play for overtime. you just came back down 24 to tie it. Don’t willfully stop the clock. Pittsburgh had 2 timeouts left. Had we run it – they’d have used their final 2 on that drive which wouldn’t have allowed them time for that final FG.

Baltimore Q4 we have a lead:

1st and 10 at CLE 7 (2:19) I.Crowell right tackle to CLV 12 for 5 yards (C.Mosley; C.Upshaw). 20 21
Timeout #2 by BLT at 02:13.
2nd and 5 at CLE 12 (2:13) I.Crowell left tackle to CLV 10 for -2 yards (D.Tyson).
Timeout #3 by BLT at 02:09.
3rd and 7 at CLE 10 (2:09) (Shotgun) B.Hoyer pass incomplete short left to A.Hawkins.
4th and 7 at CLE 10 (2:05) (Punt formation) S.Lanning punts 40 yards to 50, Center-C.Yount, fair catch by J.Jones.
Two-Minute Warning

There’s no excuse – Baltimore was out of timeouts – you run the football. If we run there that knocks the 2 minute warning to around 1:54. Who knows what happens. Instead we gave them 2 free timeouts from our own 10 yard line.

Atlanta:

Up by 2:

1st and 10 at CLE 20 (9:31) B.Hoyer pass short middle to I.Crowell to CLV 22 for 2 yards (P.Worrilow). PENALTY on ATL-D.Trufant, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at CLV 20 – No Play.
1st and 10 at CLE 25 (9:04) I.Crowell right guard to CLV 32 for 7 yards (J.Bartu). PENALTY on CLV-J.Dray, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CLV 25 – No Play.
1st and 20 at CLE 15 (8:38) B.Hoyer pass short middle to M.Austin to CLV 25 for 10 yards (J.Bartu).
2nd and 10 at CLE 25 (8:00) I.Crowell left end to CLV 43 for 18 yards (J.Bartu). PENALTY on ATL-M.Goodman, Illegal Use of Hands, 5 yards, enforced at CLV 43.
1st and 10 at CLE 48 (7:34) B.Hoyer pass short left to J.Gordon ran ob at ATL 40 for 12 yards (D.Trufant).
1st and 10 at ATL 40 (7:09) (No Huddle) T.West right tackle to ATL 39 for 1 yard (J.Bartu; K.Ishmael).
2nd and 9 at ATL 39 (6:27) B.Hoyer pass short left to T.Gabriel to ATL 26 for 13 yards (P.Worrilow) [T.Jackson].
1st and 10 at ATL 26 (5:49) T.West left guard to ATL 6 for 20 yards (J.Bartu).
1st and 6 at ATL 6 (4:59) B.Hoyer pass short right intended for J.Gordon INTERCEPTED by D.Trufant [T.Jackson] at ATL 0. Touchback.

3 double digit runs – Atlanta had no answer to stop us. so what do we do from the 6? Call a moronic pass play.

Still up by 2:

1st and 10 at CLE 16 (3:37) I.Crowell left guard to CLV 24 for 8 yards (K.Ishmael). 23 21
2nd and 2 at CLE 24 (2:55) PENALTY on CLV-J.Bitonio, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at CLV 24 – No Play.
2nd and 7 at CLE 19 (2:54) B.Hoyer pass incomplete deep middle to G.Barnidge.
3rd and 7 at CLE 19 (2:51) (Shotgun) B.Hoyer pass deep right intended for J.Gordon INTERCEPTED by D.Southward at 50. D.Southward to ATL 45 for -5 yards (J.Gordon).

Crowell is unstoppable even with Atlanta knowing we are running. There was no need to pass the ball like a moron.

The situational playcalling is putrid. We had potential to win 2 more division games. We are 1-2 with putrid situational playcalling to seal it. It needs to change. Think big – think Super Bowl. Let’s say we get to the playoffs and face Denver – do you want to give the ball to Manning for a game winning drive or do you want to run out the clock and be smart with the ball?

We’ve thrown 90 times combined the past 2 games. Anyone blaming Hoyer is foolish – you don’t throw 90 times with Hoyer – you throw 20-25 and no more. So over a 2 game span it should be no more than 50 (55 at most).

Freedom!!!

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