Round 5 - Pick 140 - Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA

[buzzdog]

I don't think any of that is in dispute, they just think that PJ Walker (or the corpse of Joe Flacco?) gives us a better chance to win in the immediate, a premise I don't necessarily even agree with. But that is the thinking.

I'm completely on board with bringing in Joe Flacco as a mentor and a replacement if DTR gets hurt or if the wheels otherwise come off the DTR wagon.

But people saying Flacco is the immediate best option are smoking crack.

 

[southernflyer]

I'm completely on board with bringing in Joe Flacco as a mentor and a replacement if DTR gets hurt or if the wheels otherwise come off the DTR wagon.

But people saying Flacco is the immediate best option are smoking crack.

Flacco is the best option if what the FO is looking for average out of a QB. Don't turn the ball over on a reckless throw. 1-10 he will get you 4-6 week in and week out.

DTR has the higher ceiling for the future, but his swings will go from a 2-8. The game plan for DTR was to keep him in a 4-5 level against a strong defense that creates turnovers. Either Stef has the confidence in DTR to open up that game plan up to a 5-6 level or we will see Flacco giving his Trent Dilfer impression for a few weeks once he learns the system.

 

[chrisrich91]

Echoing what a lot are already saying in here.

More often than not this season, Kevin has had a very specific game plan in mind to overcome the QB volatility. I would say the two absolute worst teams to play against with a rookie QB would be Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

I think he intelligently handled DTR with kid gloves for as much of the game as possible. One could argue he played not-to-lose a little too much. One could also argue that we win without too much stress had the defense not gone brain dead on the Warren TD run. At the end of the day, the game plan was perfect for us to survive playing a rookie QB against the team who is always a massive thorn in our side.

Denver poses a much different situation. I think it's perfectly acceptable to say 1) what we got from DTR yesterday won't be enough to make any real noise long term and 2) we shouldn't expect that that's all we will see from DTR going forward. Between different future game plans and DTR's progression and increased confidence as time goes on, let's check back in after a bigger sample size.

We should have a glide path set out for his development and progression from now to Week 18.

 

[MD13]

Pj walker
Anyways, i just finished rewatching the game. And I'm even more impressed with DTR having watched both 2 minute drills at the end of each half. Guy was throwing smart, accurate passes. We damn well should have been up 14-0 at the end of the first half if Njoku could hang onto anything today. Dropped a perfect ball right in the endzone.

He dropped that one because he was smacked right across the face mask before the ball arrived.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Flacco is the best option if what the FO is looking for average out of a QB.

If Flacco could be relied upon to be an average NFL starter, he'd be starting somewhere in the league right now.

He left the league as a below-average starter - one of the worst in the league - and there is zero reason to believe he will be better than that at age 38, with a brand new team, brand new receivers with whom he has never played, and unfamiliar system.

DTR at least gives us the hope that he might be better than Flacco was when he left the league. Flacco doesn't.

Flacco might have a higher floor, but that's more or less irrelevant if we're thinking about the playoffs. He's a decent fallback if DTR implodes.

 

[macbdog]

Yep.

He was below average…against an elite defense. Second one he’s been stuck facing.

Broncos will be a good indicator for me. If he has a solid game there, we’ll all be singing his praises.

If he shows improvement every week, like a young LBJ, then you remain excited. If he starts to plateau or regress, like a young Evan Mobley, then you get concerned again.

 

[Selby]

DTR with kid gloves

Funny enough, Kenny Pickett also wears kid gloves.

 

[natedagg]

If Flacco could be relied upon to be an average NFL starter, he'd be starting somewhere in the league right now.

He left the league as a below-average starter - one of the worst in the league - and there is zero reason to believe he will be better than that at age 38, with a brand new team, brand new receivers with whom he has never played, and unfamiliar system.

DTR at least gives us the hope that he might be better than Flacco was when he left the league. Flacco doesn't.

Flacco might have a higher floor, but that's more or less irrelevant if we're thinking about the playoffs. He's a decent fallback if DTR implodes.

Flaccid did go on that Super Bowl heater that year, which had to be a loooong time ago.
I see it like you: we have a very very small chance of winning it all, and if we do, I would think it would be off of the growth of DTR.

Honestly if we trot out the Flacc Attack, then I give this coaching staff the benefit of the doubt. They’ve earned it.

 

[Dr. Claw]

I saw a reel of all of his passes in the game. Only three looked bad to me: the one that was too high for Njoku that looked like it could be picked, a target to Cooper that almost did get picked, and a pass to Cooper that got deflected into a pick. The ones in the final drive were crisp, on time, in the pocket.

It was the Steelers and as others have said, Stefanski was playing very conservative, almost to the Browns detriment, just not to repeat the Ravens debacle. But overall, he didn't look like an ass QB. Maybe one that could give you Jacoby production eventually. That final drive looked like a great weight lifted off his back.

It seems almost unreal to say this about the BROWNS. But he's actually in a good environment with this team.

 

[natedagg]

I saw a reel of all of his passes in the game. Only three looked bad to me: the one that was too high for Njoku that looked like it could be picked, a target to Cooper that almost did get picked, and a pass to Cooper that got deflected into a pick. The ones in the final drive were crisp, on time, in the pocket.

It was the Steelers and as others have said, Stefanski was playing very conservative, almost to the Browns detriment, just not to repeat the Ravens debacle. But overall, he didn't look like an ass QB. Maybe one that could give you Jacoby production eventually. That final drive looked like a great weight lifted off his back.

It seems almost unreal to say this about the BROWNS. But he's actually in a good environment with this team.

Bro the Steelers looked like they were guessing all 2nd half plays in Tecmo Bowl. Then the last drive happened.

Playing the Steelers is f*ing exhausting. When we were up 10 I was telling my buddy that 10 was all we needed. Then huge rushing TD and back to clenching my pint. A fitting end to a game that was destined to not only be ugly but to be close.

In retrospect, I do agree that he played a little bit better than his stat line. If the Njoku face smash is called, or the catch is made, we are looking at what we would all say was an appropriate 2nd half game plan. Add in a couple of drops from on target throws.

Just imagine being the Steelers and having Pickett. Not as the backup but like, that’s your guy. Down bad.

 

[buzzdog]

Candidly it’s because you’re not actually reading them to understand them. You’re reading them to get irrationally angry about it and put words in the mouths of people who have a different opinion. Your other post is the perfect example of that. There isn’t a single person who thinks DTR should be anywhere close to the best rookie of all time. It’s never even been insinuated anywhere. That take does not exist

What you said

Not quite what I was saying (with a lot of hyperbole), but you're pretty much saying DTR will never be any good.

You and half the forum would have sat him for PJ.

Lots of people wanting Flacco right now even after DTR made the game winning drive.

 

[winner0274]

Just imagine being the Steelers and having Pickett. Not as the backup but like, that’s your guy. Down bad.

I don't have to imagine, I've been a Browns fan since 99.

 

[Lee]

I'm completely on board with bringing in Joe Flacco as a mentor and a replacement if DTR gets hurt or if the wheels otherwise come off the DTR wagon.

But people saying Flacco is the immediate best option are smoking crack.

Flacco after he learns the offense really might be the best option.

We need to open up the offense a bit more for DTR and see what we got. But Flacco if still has the arm strength is a very average to below average starter, DTR was heroic, but he might not even be starter level QB in the NFL, its a very tough position to play.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

But Flacco if still has the arm strength is a very average to below average starter,

As of when?

In his last 4 years in the league (after his 2018 hip injury), he started 17 games and went 3-14. His QBr decreased in each of those years - 50.8, 50.3, 43.5, 36.1.

At this point, he's pretty much immobile and we don't exactly have JT at left tackle anymore. And he's injury prone on top of all that.

He's a better option than Walker if DTR regresses, but I think the expectations for him are just inflated at this point.

 

[MalTalm]

DTR played great the first half. He was on time, on target, and moved the chains consistently. He drove us down the field for what really should have been two TDs, but the refs clearly were not going to call shit yesterday. The only saving grace - they were consistent on both teams. Browns and Steelers got away with some stuff on the field yesterday. Lucky both teams were coached well enough that didn't escalate into a fight.

Had the refs been calling the game appropriately, we would have went into the locker room up 16-0 at halftime. Alas, they did not, and we had to settle for 10.

DTR the second half was not great. The running game was getting stuffed, and 90% of the passes were either screens or quick outs to the flat. There were a few of those that honestly may have been on DTR. He seemed eager to go to his safe read almost immediately. Now what I suspect the game plan was - He was given one read, and if the read wasn't there, dump it out. It sure looked like Kev had him on a clock - 2 seconds to make a read, or bail. He took a few shots towards Amari and Njoku, and these ultimately failed due to good pass defense, errant throws, or drops (looking at you Njoku). There were some dumps out to Ford or Hunt where he probably should have challenged the defense. However, he did not.

Keep in mind - when Lamar played this same defense, he went 22/38 for 192 and an INT. Watson went 22/40 for 235.

Yet he played within himself, likely executed within the gameplan, and kept the offense from committing game wrecking turnovers. And for that last drive, the clock was clearly taken away. All of a sudden, he stayed longer in the pocket. Not all of those drop backs were clean by the way, and he had a propensity to hold onto the ball a bit when the play wasn't there - but sure as hell he clearly made the throws that counted and got us to the promised land. I wouldn't say he's a complete project, I wouldn't judge him on two games. I don't think there's any argument that he has significantly improved between the two starts, and there is nothing saying he can't build off of this.

People want prime Deshaun Watson driving the bus for this team. I get it. I'd love to have a top 5 QB leading the offense. That's not in the cards. But what I don't understand is people coming to a conclusion that DTR will fail. There's a reason they play the games. Are we likely walking away with a Lombardi? No - 31 teams will fail at that pursuit. But we are still in it right now, and if they pull it off, the most likely scenario is DTR evolving and growing quickly to take control of this offense. And what a fucking story that would be.

He has the command of the ship, let's give the kid a chance to get it done.