Taking a closer look at a few plays and sequences from yesterday’s Browns/Texans tilt:
- The Texans started the game with four straight effective offensive plays as the Browns sat back in their base defense. Once they began to apply the heat — an untouched Leon Williams forced an incompletion, then a third-down safety blitz kept the pass underneath — the drive stalled and the Browns held on downs.
- On Houston’s second drive, Sean Jones made a fine tackle to corral Andre Davis a yard short on third down. Say what you will about the Browns’ young safeties’ problems in coverage, their tackling has been a plus.
- Sure, the quick-hitter to Vickers on fourth-and-one seemed predictable and came up short, but I like that Romeo went for it at the Houston 39. Prior to that attempt, the fullback was seven-for-nine in converting from a yard out.
- The punting was subpar and both kickers missed one badly (a sliced FG try by Kris Brown, a kickoff out of bounds by Double Doink himself), but how about that long snapping, huh? It was a stellar spiral standoff between Ryan Pontbriand and Bryan Pittman, the rookie training camp competitors from back in 2003.
- Nice penetration by Jones, Robaire Smith, and Gumby to bury the end around for a loss of eight. Next play, though, no inside backers stayed home, and Ron Dayne rumbled up the gut for 14. The two ILBs, Andra Davis and D’Qwell Jackson, atoned two plays later, the former forcing a tipped ball drill, and the latter nimbly snagging his first career pick.
- The deep slant six to Braylon was a comfortably familiar scene, but the play that preceded it — Jamal Lewis tearing through strong safety C.C. Brown for a 17-yard run — was every bit as beautiful.
- The flaw that usually distinguishes rookie cornerbacks is their lack of timing. They either get wrong-footed on routes or lost when the ball’s aloft. Not so Brandon McDonald. They say breaking up is hard to do, but he repeatedly made it look easy, getting his arm in there right on time.
- Orpheus Roye sighting! Two straight impact plays by big 99 — Dayne for little gain, and forcing a rushed throw on second down — stood out in a most welcome way, especially given the nanowafer-thin D-line rotation.
- Don’t get me wrong on DA: he’s been huge all year. But don’t you see him sometimes react to pressure that’s not there? He can get a little jumpy in the pocket, throwing his footwork out of alignment and producing an off-kilter throw. I understood it against New England, but the bobble-footedness has recurred a few times over the past three games too. Hey, he’s only 24. I’ll give Big Three a few more weeks to mature.
- Don’t get me wrong on Braylon: he’s been huge all year. But for nearly every spectacular leaping grab or clutch catch over the middle, there’s a flat-out drop or some mental mistake. My armchair analysis: he’s too image-conscious to achieve that Zen-like focus. Really, you say? OK, so it’s no news flash. But I’m marking his A grade for the season down to an A-.
- That 26-yard pass interference call on Daven Holly? Pure crap. It could’ve been illegal contact. It should’ve been offensive PI on Andre Davis, with possible addition to some kind of registry. But for whatever reason, the Browns aren’t bound to get many breaks on penalties this year.
- OK, also on the penalty front, exactly What Did Dinkins Do? This has been another edition of the recurring series, WDDD?
- So Willie dropped a sure interception. More interesting to me was the defensive play call. The aforementioned nanowafer-thin D-line has more than once seen the big outside backer lined up across from the center on passing downs. This time, he dropped back and Schaub didn’t account for him. Going backward: something to watch going forward.
- The weight of the Browns’ run-heavy game plan began to sink in during a third-quarter drive that included five straight rushes of at least five yards. I even saw Wheelie holding off Mario Williams quite gamely. And for all the well-deserved kudos to the offensive line (did Ryan Tucker swallow Amobi Okoye whole or what?), let’s not overlook Vickers. He’s everything we were hoping for from Terrelle Smith blocking-wise, but with some ball skills too. Clearly the best Browns’ sixth-round pick since the Thriller back in ’91.
- What’s wrong with Wheelie? Virtually worthless gaining yards after the catch. OK, just kidding. Dude was consistently awesome. Catches of 22, 21, and 20 yards in the second half were just huge. Oh great spirits, will the Curse of 80 finally be lifted?
- Finally, to the NFL, its teams, broadcast partners, and all associated properties: get Dawg Pound Mike the hell off my teevee. That is all.
