DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2023 NFL Season Gameday: Browns at Texans Post Game Thoughts

Man... crazy game... first half we kept it close. Defense gave up that long touchdown late in the first half... and I didn't understand why we didn't try to move the ball with 30 seconds left... I get that you took that big sack, but felt like we should have tried one more play to move it downfield to get some points...

second half...wow... horrible.. nothing worked... those pick 6s were just devastating...

defense felt like a let down... Texans should have put up at least one more long TD if Nico didn't slow down on that long pass... Garrett was completely missing today... on offense, we had no run game and once Cooper got hurt we couldn't do much in the passing game...

rough game all around...

overall though, with all the adversity, it's still impressive to get into the playoffs... I'm still disappointed because this defense should have played better today, but Houston is a tough team that's hot at the right time... not sure if they'll win next week, but they are very tough at home when CJ is playing...

You could see a few guys trying to fight through nagging injuries: Cooper, Bojorquez, Ford kept clutching his hand, Garrett was a shell of himself etc

My take;

This loss lays at the feet of Flacco and the defense. They’re both a large part of why we got to the playoffs in the first place of course. But if you didn’t already know you learned today that they’re both major boom/ bust forces. Both had been booming but you had to know this potential was there.

Flacco is a slinger. If you were playing against him you’d be looking to force mistakes, and they did that very well. Those two pick 6’s meant way more than the points alone. They were spirit killers. I don’t think Ski called a terrible game. It just got away from us. It was very much a comeback potential game right up until the picks.

Swartz is a river boat gambler. He puts players in super aggressive positions but leaves open the big play potential. Usually the big play can’t develop if the QB is running for his life. It was alarming that we couldn’t get penetration but it seemed to me they were overloading the OL with TE’s and backs blocking on most plays. It was a gamble on their part but it payed off. CJ had lots of time and the running game had holes. The receivers could get behind single, man coverage and CJ had the arm to deliver.

Our offense will be very different next year. But the D is going to have to have a big think. It’s fun to have a splashy defense but good teams can game it.

All that said, I think the Texans might be looking at a deep run. I see them as stringer than any team in the AFC other than the Ravens after this one. CJs the real deal.

Disappointed, but not depressed.

When 24 went down in Week 2, and 4 went down a couplefew games after that, every NFL fan/pundit wrote this team off.
Look what they were able to do, since then.

The product we saw at the end of this reg season is the building block upon which most of this team will be built, next year.

Browns have turned the corner.
Expect post-season appearances to come.


.02

We need to address our WRs. Outside or Cooper, who will be 30, we have next to nothing. You can see what a competent pocket passing QB who can read Defenses can do for us. Watson is more of an athlete than Flacco, but I would take Flacco's pocket passing prowess and ability to read defenses over Watson's running ability any day of the week.

We need a complementary LB for JOK. We haven't had decent LBs in such a LONG time. As much as I love Myles, he was a non factor when the team needed him the most. He seems like a "me" type player that doesn't raise his teammates up to his level when needed the most. Z Smith has been a disappointment in the crucial games as well. Being #1 at whatever stat means absolutely ZERO in the playoff. They got too cocky and were exposed and embarrassed BIG time when it counted the most, in the playoffs. Schwartz's game plan against the rookie was his worst.

We will still have a lot of talent on the roster, but our perennial Pro Bowlers like Garrett, Chubb, Bitonio, Teller, Cooper, etc are knocking on 30.

They had 4 sacks, we had 0.

David Bell showed life today. First time I've seen it. Hopefully, carry that into next season to have a more complete wide receiver room. Need to get more out of Tillman, Bell and Moore. This years draft isn't going to do it for us.

Next year!

I'm here fighting for my life and I have to watch this crap.
Biggest joke Stefanski for coach of the year.

🤣

Hi Eotab. Glad you're here.

I thought this after 2020 and we followed it up with two very disappointing seasons.

I'm just sitting in wait and see mode right now. I'm down, but not too down. There is a chance for hope. But my hopes are not too high right now. The disappointing end to season after season has worn on me.

j/c...

Tab? If I may ask what's wrong?

On one hand you want to appreciate the perseverance this season. On the other this stinks of celebrating mediocrity. You just got punked guys. And they're taking our 1st rd pick still as well.

Don't know what is wrong but will be praying for you fellow Dawg.

I have been a Browns fan for most of my life. Used to watch them with my dad. I am 72 years old and have seen the ups and downs. Thought maybe this was going to be our year or at least go deep in the playoffs.

Even though we lost, I am still proud of this team for what they accomplished through all the injuries we had. We are on our 4th QB, lost Chubb in week 2 lost most of our O line playing 2nd and 3rd string in several other positions due to injury.

This year is the first time in a long time where I can say I was excited about our football team. Sure ,we laid an egg today and I'm not sure what happened but it will be corrected and will make for a good start next season. I would like to see them bring Flacco back as a backup next year after all him and the defense is what got us a playoff spot in the first place.

I would like for one major change to happen next year and that is Stefanski hand the play calling over to someone else. There are so many games this year that he had me scratching my head asking "what is he doing that for". Our run game today wasn't to good but I think he gave up on it to soon and that made Houston know we were gonna throw the ball. He put the game on Flaccos shoulder.

Refs didn't help us either. I saw so many holding fouls that weren't called, a couple PI's and after seeing the roughing the passer call that Mahomes got in the Chiefs game, they should have called Unnecessary roughness when Flacco started his slide when he ran the ball. But i have come to accept the fact that the NFL has ref's that stink and they seem to be getting worse every year.

All in all I am proud of this team for the season they had and I will be a Browns fan till they put me in the ground. Told my wife today that I would like to see them win a super bowl before that happens. We are close just not there yet. Got a few more pieces to the puzzle.

I will be rooting for CJ Stroud to win it all because he was a Buckeye and you have to admit....the kid is awesome.

Brutal and disappointing end to a fairly excellent season. Having overcome so many challenges on the way to the wild card game, hopes were high. But we got abused by HOU whose gameplan and execution was 100% spot on.

Not going to cry too much about the manner in which we lost - losing by 1 point or 50 just means our season is over. Worrying about what the media thinks is ego or pride or something. What matters is what the team does in 2024, getting back to the playoffs, winning games.

CJ Stroud was nothing short of spectacular - 157 passer rating... maybe helped by Newsome who had a really bad game. On defense the return of their DE's wrecked havoc on our OT's .... it is what it is. Maybe the refs didn't help. Doesn't matter. We lost. It was a wonderful run while it lasted.

I don't think he has said his xstripper was a "chick".

Arch I meant to reply when I read this the first time ... a poignant message if anyone wants to heed it!

Well, that was a bit of a let down. Dismal performance by the D... JOK aside of course. He was everywhere.

Flacco fell to earth but I will forever be thankful for his time in Cleveland. What a great job he did that last month of so.

Good luck in the future Joe. I truly wish you well. Great guy.

What an unlikely season this was. 5 starting QB's. Gees. All the other injuries like Chubb and to the Oline. Yikes. How does a team go 11 and 6 with all that happening.

Next year.

One of the best winning seasons in MANY years, despite the MANY injuries to our team.

End of the day, defenses win championships, and minus JOK, the defense stunk it up.

The back to back pick 6's didn't help either (only happens to us).

I look forward to next season and having #4 lead the way.

JC...

-James Hudson does not belong on a football field, absolutely horrible.

-Lack of any running game, Texans didn't have to crash down on the run game...Play action doesn't work, when they are expecting pass happy.

-I don't know what was said or not said during the halftime speech, but we played horrible afterwards.

-Flacco pick 6's broke the team, game over there.

-Defense had none of their swagger they usually carry, partly besides none of them made any plays (exception JOK-who was lights out)

-Our Dline was so quiet all game, Myles with his usual off-sides penalty. DTs, Zadarius, Okro, were all pummeled.

- I'm surely looking for an upgrade over Jerome Ford this off-season, he can stay as a #3 back.

-Imagine having Nico Collins instead of Anthony Schwartz

-Credit to Teller for trying to chase down plays, I know he was not happy.

-Newsome and Emerson had some questionable effort, Hickman had some horrible reads, Thornhill got taken on a tackle attempt.

-Did not expect a blowout...but there she was.

I'm interested to see what happens to Schwartz... wonder if the talk of him getting a HC job cools a bit after getting beat up yesterday...

I can't see Schwartz getting anything now ... he'll be back

We have to answer a few questions:

1. Why is Myles always a shell of himself at the end of seasons?
2. Why was our defense so exposed on the road?
3. Can Watson and KS find a good scheme that works for both?
4. Is Chubb going to be able to return to form?
5. Can we find another WR besides Cooper?

This is a post game thought for more that a few of our games this season. Emerson is a huge liability.....I've seen him get burnt, miss tackles and avoid contact way too many times this year.

this is just my observation about our CBs ... we have one guy who can basically cover anybody (Ward) and then Emerson/Newsome are more fitted to cover slower, more physical guys. Anyone with that ultra-speed or athleticism and they struggle

j/c..

Texans had the better game plan.
Attack our weaknesses .. James Hudson got pushed around all day collapsing pocket.
Newsome was so poor at catching the dump-off guy Stroud was throwing to that they attacked it constantly.
We were slow at sealing the edge on either side, and when we did seal it our guys can't tackle.
We got no real pressure on Stroud. He constantly would boot leg out of the pocket or reverse direction extending
the play which usually ends up with him finding an open man.
Considering all the starters we lost this season I think we did well.

The Browns defense was never as good as its ranking
It's faced some pretty porous QBs this year
Clayton Tune..Case Keenum...Kenny Pickett.
Not to mention QBs that were injured like Burrow and Lawrence
But if you looked closer the Browns did allow QBs like
Mineshew and a 2nd stringer like Browning to move the
Ball at will. Career backups
But CJ Stroud had his way minus Tank Dell.
The Texans OC out schemed Schwartz
Maybe all the Schwartz Kool aid can be stopped being drank now.

Offensively Elijah Moore wasn't all he was hyped up to be.
The Browns need playmakers at WR.
Cooper disappeared vs the Texans which was what his rep
In Dallas. Disappeared in big time games

In fairness, Cooper looked really hobbled still.

Moore just hasn't worked like we hoped ... and, if it weren't for Njoku, our other skill guys would be the worst in the NFL

While I'm not surprised by some of the responses, the thought process behind some of them is mind boggling. No Chubb, no Watson, forced to play the 5th and 6th OT's on the depth chart and it just goes on and on. This team is a patchwork of players that some were lucky to make the practice squad at the beginning of the season. Some of the starters were banged up so badly it's crazy. Like Cooper. You could see he wasn't himself. Much of the game he was more of a decoy than a target. Yet they and this coaching staff took it all the way to the playoffs. That feat in and of itself is amazing.

And the D? Yes they sucked yesterday with the exception of JOK. But they have been awesome all year and were ranked number one going into yesterday. So what's the response? "They were overrated." That's huge bag of cat turds. The anomaly doesn't tell the story. Isolating a single game while ignoring everything else is what hormone unbalanced people do. See a doctor.

The roster that Stefanski and Schwartz had to lead this team to the playoffs was nothing but a hodgepodge of leftovers. I'm not going to allow childish emotions to cast a shadow over that based on one game.

It's as if people think if Martin Scorsese had to make a movie with immigrant workers he picked up at Home Depot you would expect a masterpiece. The fault here lies with your own expectations. Many of us, and even all of us I think if people were being honest, expected this thing to blow up at some point. A QB you picked up off the couch and the fourth starter in a season. An injury report that looked like a bomb had gone off in the locker room.

And through it all, they won 11 games and led this team to the playoffs. No matter what anyone posts here, that's overachieving by any reasonable definition of the word. And all some of you can do is sit here and bellyache about it. Those doing that I don't feel deserve to have their shallow opinions taken seriously.

Now go ahead and tee off. I sure as hell did!

Yes, in game 1 Burrows is a terrible QB. Then there's Purdy. We all know he sucks.

Moore isn’t big enough to be an outside receiver and isn’t quick enough to be a slot guy.

Bell shouldn’t be on the team next year. Both he and Moore go down with fingernail tackles.

Since Tillman is still a huge question mark that leaves a giant hole at WR going into next year.

Great post.... have the exact questions... only one I'd add is can we get a healthy/consistent OL again

Burrow played on 1 leg that 1st game. He didn't have a preseason.
Purdy was not 100% going into the Browns game. Let me know when the Browns
Defense can negate a healthy QB playing at a high level at
The time of the Browns game

Still acting like this D stunk I see. Your alternate reality escapes logic.

I don't think the Browns defense "stinks" but it's not nearly
As good as the rankings suggest. I just never got caught up in the
Hype or drank the Kool aid with the Browns defense
Any defense can look good playing the likes of Clsyton Tune
And Trevor Seimian. If the Browns defense was all that
It would have shut down CJ Stroud

ravenscoughcoughravens

What was it you said earlier about excuses?

Only when they fit the narrative.