Week 06 - 10/17 - Cleveland

[Finnegans Wake]

Steelers are the easy pick for both my Survivor Leagues this week...

 

We're fucked.

[aj_law]

Steelers are the easy pick for both my Survivor Leagues this week...

 

We're fucked.

Exactamundo.

Although, I will say that I'm doing pretty well so far this year in my Handicapping Challenge league.  Top 3 of around 50 at about a 68% clip; 6 picks ATS required each week.  Of course, by mentioning that, I've probably fucking jinxed that too.

Really, what I care the most about is the Survivor Pool.  A friend and I split an entry and it ended up having over 2500 people.  It's Week 6 and we're already down to a little over 7 hundy.  Taking that thing down would go a long way towards finishing off the last few things we need to have done at the new house.

[Finnegans Wake]

I've tried to shut out memory of most of the five-game losing skid from last year.  The Browns were the last stop in that little shitty stretch of ignominy, following inexplicable losses to KC and Oakland.  Browns won 13-6, moving their record to 2-11, while the Steelers didn't so much slump as suffer the kill shot, going to 6-7 and done for the year.  Ben was sacked 8 times but threw no picks, and the Steelers didn't turn the ball over at all.  Brady Quinn threw for an astounding 90 yards.  It was like having Sarah Palin beat you in a public debate on foreign policy.

Looking over the play-by-play from that game, the thing that kills me is how horrendous the PSO was on 3rd downs.  Third downs are a bit of a BA bugaboo, but the Browns really exploited the obvoius passing downs to force the punt.  A summary of our 3rd down ineptitude:

First Quarter

3-1-PIT24 (10:58) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger sacked at PIT 15 for -9 yards (C.Williams).
4-10-PIT15 (10:37) D.Sepulveda punts 47 yards to CLV 38, Center-G.Warren, downed by PIT-R.Boiman.

3-3-PIT13 (5:45) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger sacked at PIT 3 for -10 yards (H.Poteat).
4-13-PIT3 (5:21) D.Sepulveda punts 52 yards to CLV 45, Center-G.Warren. J.Cribbs MUFFS catch, and recovers at CLV 37. J.Cribbs to PIT 8 for 55 yards (D.Sepulveda).

3-1-PIT32 (3:13) R.Mendenhall right tackle to PIT 32 for no gain (D.Bowens). Time out for a measurement
4-1-PIT32 (2:52) B.Roethlisberger up the middle to PIT 34 for 2 yards (C.Williams, R.Smith).

Second Quarter

3-5-PIT12 (10:30) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete short right to S.Holmes (E.Wright).
4-5-PIT12 (10:25) D.Sepulveda punts 37 yards to PIT 49, Center-G.Warren, downed by PIT-K.Fox.

3-19-PIT33 (5:00) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger sacked at PIT 27 for -6 yards (M.Benard).
4-25-PIT27 (4:38) D.Sepulveda punts 31 yards to CLV 42, Center-G.Warren. H.Poteat to CLV 42 for no gain (K.Fox). FUMBLES (K.Fox), RECOVERED by PIT-A.Madison at CLV 44.
PENALTY on PIT-T.Carter, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at PIT 27 - No Play.
4-35-PIT17 (4:27) D.Sepulveda punts 42 yards to CLV 41, Center-G.Warren, downed by PIT-R.Mundy.
PENALTY on CLV-A.Hall, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at CLV 41.

Third Quarter[/u]

3-1-PIT21 (13:27) (Shotgun) R.Mendenhall right tackle to PIT 25 for 4 yards (B.McDonald).

3-4-50    (10:37) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete deep middle to S.Holmes.
4-4-50    (10:32) D.Sepulveda punts 37 yards to CLV 13, Center-G.Warren, downed by PIT-R.Mundy.

3-7-PIT31   (6:04) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger sacked at PIT 20 for -11 yards (D.Bowens).
4-18-PIT20   (5:40) D.Sepulveda punts 52 yards to CLV 28, Center-G.Warren. J.Cribbs to CLV 34 for 6 yards (P.Bailey).

3-6-CLE24   (:17) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete deep left to H.Ward.
4-6-CLE24   (:12) J.Reed 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-G.Warren, Holder-D.Sepulveda.

Fourth Quarter[/u]
3-8-CLE34   (11:51) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete short right to H.Miller [M.Roth].
PENALTY on PIT-J.Hartwig, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CLV 34 - No Play.
3-18-CLE44   (11:46) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete short middle to R.Mendenhall.
4-18-CLE44   (11:39) D.Sepulveda punts 30 yards to CLV 14, Center-G.Warren, downed by PIT-R.Boiman.

3-1-PIT41   (4:18) R.Mendenhall right guard to PIT 46 for 5 yards (M.Benard, M.Adams).

3-6-50    (2:47) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass short middle to H.Ward to CLV 43 for 7 yards (M.Adams).

3-19-PIT48   (1:55) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass short right to H.Miller to CLV 39 for 13 yards (A.Elam).
4-6-CLE39   (1:48) (Shotgun) B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete short right to S.Holmes (D.Bowens).

13 3rd down situations
4 sacks
4 incomplete passes
3/13 conversions (23.1%)

[Finnegans Wake]

Field Position, Cleveland Offense[/u]
CLE 34
CLE 38
PIT 8
CLE 11
PIT 48
CLE 26
CLE 13
CLE 34
CLE 15
CLE 14
CLE 39
Average field position:  CLE 33

Field Position, Pittsburgh Offense[/u]
PIT 15
PIT 6
PIT 23
PIT 7
PIT 26
PIT 33
PIT 12
PIT 28
PIT 27
PIT 39
PIT 21
Average field position:  PIT 22

[jonzr]

If I'm counting correctly, Mendy converted on a couple of 3rd and 1s and that's it.  And BR was sacked almost half the times he dropped back on 3rd down.  Talk about futility.  Hory clap! 

Yeah, that'll get you beat, even by the stankin' Browns.

[Finnegans Wake]

Luckily, the two things the Browneyes exploited -- OL and ST weakness -- are remarkably improved this year.

[msdmnr2002]

And it looks like Colt .45 McCoy will be starting.

That's 45 as in hopefully his passing yards - or sacks.  For sure the number of times he'll say "I had no clue what #43 was doing on that play."

James licking his chops this week.

[P4P]

Pitt 34
Cle  6

Book it.

[pensodyssey]

Rob Ryan is the defensive coordinator for Cleveland.  This is what he said about Colt McCoy.

"The guy's a leader," Ryan said. "He's mature. He doesn't look like much. He's a competitive guy and I'm excited to watch him get out there and play. You've got to play sometime. Now there would be easier starts than playing the No. 1 defense, but this kid will probably do great."

Um, he doesn't look like much?  You have to play him sometime? He will probably do great?  Did Rob not get the hyperbole gene in the Ryan family?

[Finnegans Wake]

Rob Ryan is the defensive coordinator for Cleveland.  This is what he said about Colt McCoy.

"The guy's a leader," Ryan said. "He's mature. He doesn't look like much. He's a competitive guy and I'm excited to watch him get out there and play. You've got to play sometime. Now there would be easier starts than playing the No. 1 defense, but this kid will probably do great."

Um, he doesn't look like much?  You have to play him sometime? He will probably do great?  Did Rob not get the hyperbole gene in the Ryan family?

Uhh, Pens?  That is the hyperbole.