00:00The Pittsburgh Steelers.
00:02Gentleman who was at AccuSure Stadium, Heinz Field, whatever they want on the...
00:08It's still Heinz Field to me.
00:10I hate it when they change names like crazy.
00:13Yeah, I know it's not.
00:14But anyhow, Scott Petrack was there.
00:16And he joins us right now on the Wiseheart Right.
00:18We make it right.
00:19Call Kyle Right hotline.
00:20Scott covers the Browns for the Plain Dealer.
00:24There, I did it again.
00:25For the Chronicle Telegram.
00:27I don't even know you.
00:28Well, I'm looking right at his website.
00:30It says BrownZone.com.
00:31Hello, Scott.
00:32How are you, buddy?
00:33I apologize for my friend.
00:34Yeah, I apologize.
00:36How are you guys?
00:37Good.
00:38I love the headline on your top story.
00:41Browns defense fails to fix problems as Steelers run all over it.
00:46Tony Pollard did it.
00:48They kind of fixed it in the second half.
00:50Why couldn't they fix it yesterday?
00:53Yeah, the Steelers have a good scheme.
00:57Warren's really good.
00:58And I think they got the Browns on their heels.
01:01So, you know, when you get a lead like that, you can throw it.
01:04You can run it.
01:05There's a bunch of options.
01:07That third and 13, 51-yard draw track was really a big play in the game.
01:14You know, it only led to a field goal.
01:15But, you know, you had a chance to flip field position.
01:18You had a chance to get off the field, get a stop early.
01:21And, you know, I'm not saying it's a give-up call.
01:24But, you know, I don't know if the Steelers are expecting to get 13 yards on that handoff.
01:28I'm sure they liked what they saw schematically.
01:31But still, bring the guy down.
01:32Don't let him get 13 yards.
01:34And after that, I just felt like they were on their heels.
01:38It allows Aaron Rodgers to do a bunch of stuff.
01:40He didn't have a huge game because he didn't need to.
01:42But there were a couple of double moves where he was able to get Darnell Washington open beyond Carson Schlesinger.
01:48So, but going back to the run game, you know, when you're an attack style front,
01:53and Todd Munkin talked about it after the game, you're susceptible to certain things.
01:57But you've got to compensate in other areas.
01:59And they just, the last two weeks against Pollard and especially Warren,
02:03but Dotto also ran pretty well yesterday, they haven't been able to have those counters.
02:09Instead, they're just giving up those big chunk runs.
02:13And Munkin said it's just a lot of space.
02:15And they need to do a better job.
02:17And it starts up front.
02:18And then it's tackling.
02:19Because once you miss tackles, it turns, you know, seven-yard runs into 20-yard runs.
02:24I think it gives the offense momentum.
02:26It wears down the defense.
02:28The defense gets frustrated.
02:29And they missed too many tackles yesterday.
02:32All right.
02:32So, what is your biggest concern coming out of yesterday's game?
02:37Yeah, I would probably say the run defense because it's been a couple weeks.
02:40And it's not only been these last two weeks.
02:42If you go back and look, there's other times throughout the year
02:46where they've given up 100 yards plus rushing, it just hasn't been good enough week in, week out.
02:53And we know the teams will continue to do it until LeBron should prove they can stop it.
02:59And it's hard to get a pass rush when you have to be guarding against a run.
03:04It just makes it difficult on a defense.
03:07And psychologically, it's difficult when you're getting it handed to you.
03:10So, I think that's more of a concern than even the protection,
03:14which obviously was an issue yesterday with the eight sacks.
03:18I feel like that can be shored up.
03:20I think it's a young offensive line.
03:21And we can get into that if you want.
03:23But to me, the run defense has been a more consistent issue predominant these last two weeks,
03:30but even throughout the whole season.
03:33Jared Verst put himself out there making some pretty strong comments.
03:36They didn't sit well with the Steelers, everything else.
03:39Whatever it is, fine.
03:40I love it when guys talk.
03:42That's fun stuff.
03:43Is he playing good football for the Browns?
03:46Is he a good fit for what they want to do?
03:49Obviously, the defensive line before the run issues the last game and a half or so,
03:55I would think the defensive line has done a pretty nice job, injuries and all considered.
03:59But what have you thought of Verst and how he's fitting?
04:02I would say not good enough.
04:06There's been flashes, whether it's pass rush, which hasn't been enough,
04:10but there have been flashes of, okay, you see him getting in the backfield
04:14or helping the other defensive linemen get to the quarterback.
04:19In the run game, he's been out of position a few times and readily admits that.
04:24But overall, I think he does a good job setting the edge, and he's a powerful player.
04:30But the pass rush just hasn't been enough.
04:32And obviously, no sacks through eight games.
04:34I think he's got like 13 quarterback hurries, which is not nearly enough.
04:39And it's a guy that – or pressures.
04:40And that's a guy that was getting close to 100 or 100 pressures in his couple of years
04:46with the Rams, and it just hasn't translated.
04:48And there's – I think there's a bunch of factors in play.
04:51I think stepping into Myles Garrett's position is incredibly difficult for anybody.
04:56Going from the 3-4 to the 4-3 in the attack-style defense takes some getting used to.
05:03Talked to Mason Graham about that – this training camp, about how throughout last year
05:08he was struggling to do that.
05:09And Verst goes from off the ball to always on the ball.
05:12And, you know, the mentality switches.
05:15So I think all those things are a factor.
05:17But I just need to see more from him, from a sack production, and just a pass rush production.
05:23Because if you're just watching the game – and I think this is an indictment – if you're
05:27just watching the game sometimes, he doesn't show up enough.
05:31And being the – he's supposed to be the number one pass rusher on this defensive line.
05:35And he hasn't looked like that through eight games.
05:38And I do think that that's an issue.
05:39It doesn't mean he's playing poorly overall, but I think he needs to be better.
05:44What did you think of Todd Monk in the history and the way he called the game?
05:51I think the Steelers, which we've seen time and time again, especially in Pittsburgh,
05:56makes it difficult on play callers.
05:58And they have such a tough defensive front.
06:02Makes it tough to run up the middle because of their interior.
06:05They do a good job because they do five across the front, which makes it hard to get to the
06:08edges.
06:09It's just hard to run inside.
06:10It's hard to run outside.
06:12I thought where a big part of this game yesterday was they took away Deshaun Watson's first read time and
06:19again.
06:20And Watson talked about it after the game, how they forced him to hesitate.
06:23And he was indecisive.
06:25And that's because when he looks to his first spot, it's not open.
06:29And then you've got to recalibrate.
06:30And then the protection's breaking down, and it leads to sacks.
06:33And where Monk was so good against Tennessee a week earlier, where he was scheming guys open,
06:39that's as comfortable as I've seen Watson look in the pocket.
06:41He was only sacked once.
06:43He didn't have to scramble.
06:44He just saw it, got it out, and Pittsburgh took that away.
06:48So I think it's tough when you're a coach and you're down early as a play caller in that environment
06:53against that defense.
06:54But, you know, I think the Steelers won the chess match against Todd Monk because nothing was easy for him
07:02on offense.
07:03I've used the word competent to describe what Deshaun Watson has done at quarterback so far this year.
07:10And fourth quarter, obviously, he's been terrific in five wins.
07:14Is competent a fair word?
07:16Is it too much or is it not enough?
07:20I don't think it's too much.
07:23I might go a little stronger, maybe slightly above average.
07:27You know, is that better than competent?
07:30Let's go with that.
07:31Okay.
07:32I think, to me, the fourth quarter success, you have to slant that heavily.
07:37And that makes up for any of the issues.
07:41I mean, it doesn't make up for it, but it tilts it in that direction for any of the issues
07:45he's had earlier in games.
07:46And that part's been inconsistent, right?
07:48If you take out the last two minutes of the each half and then the fourth quarter winning drives, he's
07:54been inconsistent.
07:55I think that's completely fair to say.
07:56And we saw it yesterday.
07:57We saw it in the first half against Baltimore.
07:59We had three completions.
08:01We've seen it throughout the year at given times.
08:03But when you're making those plays in the fourth quarter and you get the five wins, I think rightly so,
08:09you forget about those issues.
08:11Or at least those go to the back of your mind.
08:14And then they come to the forefront yesterday when you don't get in the end zone and there's eight sacks
08:19and he doesn't look as comfortable in the pocket and all those things.
08:22So he's certainly not.
08:24I don't think if you're ranking quarterbacks and looking at the season, I don't think he's in the top half
08:28of quarterbacks.
08:29And there's advanced metrics out there that say he's bottom third.
08:33He feels a little better than bottom third to me.
08:35But certainly not a guy.
08:37And I think we witnessed this yesterday.
08:39And that was one of my big takeaways is that he's not at that spot, especially in that environment against
08:45that defense, where he's going to go win you a game.
08:48Right?
08:48Start to finish.
08:49He still needs to be protected.
08:50And a lot of quarterbacks do.
08:52Right?
08:52Like there's only two or three in the league or a handful that can take a team on their back
08:57and have a bunch of stuff crumbling around them and still go win a game and still go put up
09:00points.
09:01Most quarterbacks, and I think Watson fits into this category, you've got to support him with protection, with the run
09:07game, and with skill players.
09:09And when the protection breaks down and you can't run it yesterday, it just makes life really hard for Watson.
09:14And he was not able to overcome all those other issues.
09:19Does yesterday's game make you rethink what you're going to try to do with the trade deadline next Tuesday?
09:27I don't think so, Andy.
09:28And I get the question.
09:29And to me, you're still in position to make the playoffs.
09:34And at five and three, it's better than I expected.
09:37I think it's better than anybody who expected.
09:39You're still right in the mix of everything.
09:41You're only a game out of first place in the division.
09:44So if there's the right move to be made, I think you go try to get that piece.
09:48Now, if you're six and two, does the thinking start to change where, hey, you can win the division, maybe
09:54you get a bye, and then you start thinking AFC Championship?
09:56I get that, how that changes.
09:59And I certainly left the stadium last night thinking, well, now it's going to be a fight to get to
10:04the playoffs.
10:04Where it's six and two, you do think differently.
10:07So maybe there's not that big swing.
10:09But I don't think it's going to preclude the Browns from adding one or two, let's say, complementary pieces before
10:16the deadline.
10:17Scott Petrack joining us from the Chronicle Telegram, brownszone.com, where you can read all of his work.
10:23I am really enamored with Denzel Boston and the idea of a 6'4 target.
10:31A big guy can go get the ball and everything else.
10:34It appears that opponents are also enamored with Denzel Boston.
10:38How do the Browns help get him loose?
10:42Yeah, it's a good question.
10:44You know, we see he's running a bunch of different routes, so I don't think they're limiting him that way
10:49offensively.
10:51You know, he ran some comebacks.
10:52He runs the hooks.
10:53They ran him on that little fade route where he almost made the unbelievable catch and just couldn't get that
10:58second foot inbound.
11:01I think it's tough because he's not a guy that just runs away from you.
11:05You know, he's a guy that you're going to have to make some contested catches.
11:08There's going to have to be some tight window throws, and I think Watson's going to have to be willing
11:13to make those throws.
11:14And he feels like the guy that he's willing to make those two.
11:17Like, if he's got one-on-one coverage on the outside, he's going to try to get the ball to
11:21Boston however many times a game in that spot.
11:24And if the cornerback makes a good play, then you might have to punt if it's third down.
11:29So, you know, you'd want to see him more involved, and I think matchups dictate some of that.
11:35But I feel like they're trying to do it.
11:37You know, maybe there's more double moves, right?
11:39If teams are really taking away that hook, then maybe you double move them, and you make the corner respect
11:45his ability to get down the field.
11:47Like, I could see that, but if you're going to run a double move, you've got to be able to
11:49protect for a while, too, right?
11:50So, a lot goes into that.
11:52I'm not overly concerned about them having to figure out ways to get him the ball.
11:58I think Concepcion, you have to scheme it up.
12:00I think with Boston, you don't have to scheme it up.
12:02If he gets one-on-one coverage, you just go get him the ball.
12:05Scott, when you go 5-2, expectations get raised.
12:08You lose a game against your division rival.
12:11Okay, understandable.
12:12You're 5-3.
12:13Well, kind of puts, if you're hoping to build on the expectations of 5-2,
12:18kind of makes Sunday's game in New Orleans essential, doesn't it?
12:24Yeah, it's important, for sure.
12:26I kind of look at these next two games before the bye week and say,
12:29okay, they've got to get at least one of them to keep this momentum heading into the bye,
12:34to have everybody feeling good about it.
12:37And New Orleans is the next one, and you don't want to lose two in a row,
12:41which they haven't done this year, right?
12:42So, I think there is some import to it.
12:45I do also think that when you go 5-2, that gives you some wiggle room.
12:49And I think the schedule is going to get a little easier as we move forward.
12:53There will be more home games after this three-game road stretch.
12:57So, I don't want to put too much importance on it, but I think, you know, whatever.
13:03Psychologically, all of it, it would certainly help the team and help the confidence level
13:08if they quickly rebounded and, you know, get back on a winning track.
13:12Because New Orleans is a team you should be able to beat, or at least, you know,
13:17I think that's the expectation going in.
13:19Scott, thanks, buddy.
13:20Thanks, man.
13:21All right, take care, fellas.
13:21Chronicle Telegram, Scott Petrack, BrownsZone.com,
13:25where you can read all of Scott's coverage of the Browns,
13:27and he's got a couple of really good pieces out right now.
13:30One of them says Jared Verse gets dropped on head, which he did.
13:36And Browns flattened in what could have been a statement game.
13:40Jared didn't back down from what he said.
13:42But, boy, he did get the Steelers' attention.
13:45Let's talk about that next on Basket and Foul.
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