mav1234

There's zero chance Wilks isnt retained if we make the playoffs behind two more wins. He's earned a shot at an interview either way.

That's fair. And if we make the playoffs this year, I'll be disappointed in future years we don't hit a Superbowl. But I respect your take on this too.

The Panthers have sucked for years and yet we're nothing like the Browns. That is how bad they've been. They've won their division once in 2+ decades, and yet we are competing for ours now. We aren't a QB away, and yes, there are challenges, but we've got a decent young roster that needs some pieces beyond QB. I don't want Carr because of his contract, but I'm not going to pout and whine and stamp my feet about how this team is "the new Browns" when we're in the middle of a run at the division to finish out the season. Derek Carr is better than any QB that has played for the Browns in 2-3 decades. That is not true of the Panthers (Though he would be our 2nd best QB ever to play for us in all likelihood).

The Browns have been to the playoffs 3 times in the last 3 decades. We've been four times in the decade, which includes our recent drought. We're not the Browns, and Carr wouldn't make us them (but I also don't want him).

I mean having a star WR and a star RB is pretty good for weapons... I think coaching is the bigger problem there myself.

Love to see it. Good for Sam!

That 3rd and 13 bomb to DJ was a great throw.

Most of us would love a Superbowl, but also recognize the importance of the playoffs in building a team. Over the last 20 years only 2 teams have won the Superbowl without being in the playoffs in the last three years: The Bucs and the Eagles. Large portions of the Bucs roster had significant playoff experience in those last three years (especially Brady and Gronk), and the Eagles were in four years before and had a stacked roster.

so the only reason I go with Darnold over Carr is I think Carr's contract (even a new one with him signed as FA) would limit our overall roster building and whatever vet we bring in/back is a bridge option to a rookie developing. Carr is the kind of QB that immediately elevates this team, and actually quite a bit. We probably win 10+ games with Carr. But I'm not sure he wins us a Superbowl at this point in his career and with this roster. I think we are close, but not quite that close.... Unless he somehow brings Davante Adams with him, haha.

His performance vs PIT was actually pretty similar to vs DEN and vs DET (his game vs SEA he was efficient but had a very low YPA). My take (basically the same, but...) is that it's less he was shut down and more that even when he does execute at his version of a high level, it isn't enough without significant run game support. IMO from the below total passing yards, total TDs, and y/a, it is impossible to pick out the loss: 120 yards, 1 td, 5 y/a 225 yards, 1 TD, 9.78 y/a 164 yards, 1 TD, 8.63 y/a 250 yards, 1 TD, 11.36 y/a

Agree with that.

I agree with your general point in your post so only copied this bit.Other than vs Seattle, where our gameplan seemed to limit that deliberately (perhaps we had a lot of faith in their secondary? Hard to be sure), Darnold has had 25/64 of his passes thrown at least 10 yards past the line of scrimmage (and 13 >20 yards). This is not a bad rate IMO, esp for a backup/bridge. He's also completed at least one 30+ yard pass thru the air in each week but vs Sea where he had a terrible underthrow, too. All this is air yards traveled btw, not based on YAC. We aren't asking him to throw often, but when we do, it is often to take the top off the defense.

Awesome links, thanks guys! Shaq is definitely a leader, and frankly a pretty good player. The D looks much worse when he isn't out there.

Growing up in the northeast I also heard it occasionally, tho not in a long time. Definitely heard it living in Raleigh a couple years back. Also has physical or violent connotations in some usages.

Was going to ask what cauliflower had to do with this...

I agree with this... but do we know Maye isn't getting significant money from UNC?

this is a very fair comment, and I think part of my assumption he'd retain Holcomb is because I view Wilks a lot like Rivera, which isn't fair to Wilks (and not meant entirely as an insult - I have a lot of respect for Rivera and think he's not a bad coach, just also not an amazing one, in part because he's too loyal to his friends).

Yeah, I suspect there's a lot of unhappy people in LA right now. Carr isn't playing particularly well but it is hard to point to him as "the problem" in LV.

Wilks was an OC? I didn't realize that RE: Holcomb, that's true, and it is possible I'm wrong on him being retained. What I'd read made it sound like Holcomb and Wilks were very close.

I don't want him. Although I think he's quite good, his contract would hurt. If we were a QB away from a superbowl, I'd do it. As it is, I think we're a QB away from being competitive in the playoffs... but not there yet.

Honestly, given his career to date, if Darnold salvages himself to being a high-end, long-term backup, it'll be a massive improvement from how he looked in his first few seasons. His rookie season had a lot of promise but boy did he take steps back the next three. This extended action is raising hopes, but we have to be realistic with his past, and just be happy with how he is playing smart and safe.

Holcomb isn't going anywhere, unless Wilks much different than I expect. Which I think is a mistake, but... As to OC, depends, I think McAdoo has a very good chance at being retained if that's what he wants.

Not six degrees of separation. Hell, McAdoo was already interviewed for the QB Coach job the year before.

Rhule had a connections to McAdoo and I think past posts suggested most of the staff - Wilks may have been Tepper's suggestion. McAdoo was actually someone that a poster here (Maybe Mr. Scot?) had pointed out as a very likely OC candidate based on connection to connection to Rhule and the likelihood of not dipping back into college folks.

We don't know the exact details of this so it's possible that he was meddling, but there's absolutely an important role for owners in making sure that new coaches are being smart about hires. On top of that, it's hard to argue Rhule was somehow being handicapped or forced to do specifically what Tepper wanted.