The "L" is mostly on First Half Baker

[SteveSmithTD89]

Honestly the game was an example of what our worst case scenario looked like:

Our initial game plan clearly did not work. 

Baker played bad for about 1.5 quarters. 

CMC was rendered ineffective.

Icky got his lunch eaten more often than not. 

Defense could not stop anything on the ground. 

The refs did us zero favors and botch two monumental calls. 

Bozeman who took more reps with Baker than Elf is out and we have 5 botched snaps in the game. 

Even the Henderson PI play, if that ball wasn't such an absolute duck and even a moderately decent throw CJ may have timed that breakup right or at least it wouldn't have looked nearly as egregious. 

All of that - and we had a lead with 77 seconds to go. I'd like to think that Rule and the team come and actively work to correct those issues and come out strong in week 2 but I'm not holding my breath. 

Of course it doesn't matter what me or anybody else that isn't on the team thinks - maybe the team is fully bought in and rebounds with an "us against the world" mentality. I will say, that last season if we had a game start like that in the first half then the second half of this game looks like the Tampa, Buffalo, Giants, Dolphins games last year and just snowball and spirals out of control with a visibly defeated team on the sidelines. 

For what its worth - I didn't see that on Sunday. 

[Khaki Lackey]

25 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Baker was better in the second half too.

The defense was ass through all four quarters.

Yet the OP is trying to put the blame for the entire game on Mayfield's first half performance.

It's just terrible logic.

So really bad execution from the most important player on the field can't disrupt a game plan? Sure it can. And it did. 

A team/coach goes as his QB goes, until it's Baker Mayfield, apparently.

For the record, I blame Rhule for a lot of things, and I really like Baker as a QB. I think he's going to put a nice year together. I'm pretty much on playoffs or bust as far as Rhule goes.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, Khaki Lackey said:

So really bad execution from the most important player on the field can't disrupt a game plan? Sure it can. And it did. 

A team/coach goes as his QB goes, until it's Baker Mayfield, apparently.

For the record, I blame Rhule for a lot of things, and I really like Baker as a QB. I think he's going to put a nice year together. I'm pretty much on playoffs or bust as far as Rhule goes.

The game plan was awful to begin with, as has been pointed out more than once.

This thread contains numerous reputations of your idea, not just mine.

Edited September 13, 2022 by Mr. Scot

[ForJimmy]

1 hour ago, TheCasillas said:

as i said before its split down the middle. The key moments of that game were due to player's mistakes. At the end of the day it's Rhules fault bc he is the HC and needs to be accountable. However, one less pick and PI ... its a compeltely different scenario. 

It's really hard for me to accept that a play in the first half completely changed the game.  That would be assuming that one play was different yet everything else went the exact same.  I feel like teams change their strategy and play calling based on how the game is unfolding.

[TheCasillas]

4 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

It's really hard for me to accept that a play in the first half completely changed the game.  That would be assuming that one play was different yet everything else went the exact same.  I feel like teams change their strategy and play calling based on how the game is unfolding.

that play led to a TD for the Browns on a short field. Anytime a play leads to points, it impacts the game. Both the INT and PI led to TDs for the Browns.

Edited September 13, 2022 by TheCasillas

[Darknight]

1 hour ago, frankw said:

Baker played like poo in the first half but in fairness he also doesn't play defense and that side of the ball was also lacking.

A sensible post from you....I didn't think you were capable. I hate to say but I agree with you.

[ForJimmy]

Just now, TheCasillas said:

that play led to a TD for the Browns on a short field. Anytime a play leads to points, it impacts the game.

I don't think it decided the game.  I could argue that Baker getting sacked/pressured constantly in the first quarter led to that INT.  Is that his fault as well?  The strategy of getting pass heavy and not providing our rookie LT with any help (in the first half) against Garrett was the main reason our offense was so bad.  Look no further than the second half when we made adjustments, gave Icky help, and started running the ball our offense looked great and our QB played near perfect.  That seems like coaching/game plan to me more than anything....

[PantherGuy]

1 hour ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Yeah, he was bad in the first half. Makes you wonder if taking all the starter snaps in camp and preseason vs. splitting snaps in a farce of a"QB competition" with the worst starting QB in recent NFL memory might have been helpful.

This was my thought too. Baker was out of rhythm with most of the offense in the first half. But the run defense is the biggest culprit.

[KillerKat]

No its not. It was the defense and the inability to make stops on 3rd downs, getting run over, and letting Brissett make crucial throws.

[Khaki Lackey]

3 minutes ago, PantherGuy said:

This was my thought too. Baker was out of rhythm with most of the offense in the first half. But the run defense is the biggest culprit.

and the run defense would have been better if they weren't on the field nearly the entire half.

[CarolinaLivin]

Losses are a team stat. No one person is or was the reason. There are plenty of situations that “if this or that would’ve happened” we would have won. This could be said about any close game. I expect them to be better week 2.

[hepcat]

1 hour ago, OneBadCat said:

I think the snaps are mostly on not having Bozeman out there

why the F is Bozeman not starting? I don't get it. 

[Khaki Lackey]

1 hour ago, TheCasillas said:

I dont think it was just baker's fault. I think he had a role in it, but not the primary detractor. Our defense held Cleveland to only 140 total yards in the 2nd half, and 0-3 in the redzone. Settling for 3 field goals. The defense definitely improved as the game progressed. 

 

The 4th quarter the browns only had 53 total yards. The final drive was 22 of those yards.

Do you know what the time of possession was in the first versus second halves?

[TheCasillas]

11 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

I don't think it decided the game.  I could argue that Baker getting sacked/pressured constantly in the first quarter led to that INT.  Is that his fault as well?  The strategy of getting pass heavy and not providing our rookie LT with any help (in the first half) against Garrett was the main reason our offense was so bad.  Look no further than the second half when we made adjustments, gave Icky help, and started running the ball our offense looked great and our QB played near perfect.  That seems like coaching/game plan to me more than anything....

Are you asking me if it is the QB's fault for throwing a pick? It appears to me that Baker had a clear pocket and a wide open Shi. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by TheCasillas