The End of an Era: Case Keenum Traded to Buffalo

[Douglar]

Next 3 maybe look more ominous when you consider:

Rush DVOA ranks:

Steelers - #7
Bengals - #4
Patriots - #9

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theathletic.com

Cleveland had Nick Chubb and Jack Conklin back at practice on Monday as the starting lineup slowly rebuilds from a slew of injuries. The Browns have shown they can win with backups after Case Keenum and D’Ernest Johnson willed them past Denver last week. I’d say Pittsburgh’s defense is much tougher, but the Steelers have had a hard time stopping the run as of late. They’ve allowed 127 yards per game on the ground over the past three weeks.​

 

[MattyFos.]

My concern would more be that we are facing teams that are already good against the run......just with typical box numbers......and those teams are likely to do something similar to what AZ did and commit an additional defender.

Unless we are 100% healthy across the board, I don't see us having much success against good run defenses that commit 8 box defenders. So that inevitably means Case will need to throw more. The more Case throws, the worse the results are generally going to be.

Will be interested to see how Stefanski tries to combat this.

With Jarvis back we have a weapon that can punish defenses on quick routes. Maybe a bubble screen or two to OBJ to get him one on one in space.

 

[Randolphkeys]

I just can't judge Keenum too harshly after not playing in a regular season game all last season. I do want to see how he attacks using Landry this Sunday. If they get a connection going, I'll go ahead and lobby for a Mayfield surgery.

 

[I'mWithDan]

I’d say Pittsburgh’s defense is much tougher, but the Steelers have had a hard time stopping the run as of late. They’ve allowed 127 yards per game on the ground over the past three weeks.

Probably a somewhat misleading stat at face value.

49 yards (13% of that 3 game total) came on one broken assignment against Denver.


It goes in to their counting stats obviously but I don't think they've really been worse against the run like the author thinks.

Their inflated yards per game metric is basically a result of a safety missing a pretty routine downhill tackle at the LOS.

On the season, they are 107.7 YPG on the ground.

If you throw out the 49 yard run as more of a flukey, non sustainable play, and give him 5 yards, they are at 110 YPG over the last 3.

Always the problem with non contextual counting stats in smaller samples. One dumb play can have such a wild negative effect.

I'm more optimistic if we are healthy, especially on the line but I think it is a significant uphill battle with Case.

 

[Douglar]

If you throw out the 49 yard run as more of a flukey, non sustainable play, and give him 5 yards, they are at 110 YPG over the last 3.

I wouldn't say that the Browns series of explosive running plays this season has been flukey. I look forward to seeing at least one more against the Steelers, and afterwards watching TJ Watt throw his helmet to the ground while the rest of the team point at Joe Schobert, who just goes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ?

Steelers don't have enough offense to beat the Browns to 21 at First Energy stadium. Case will be fine as long as he doesn't turn the ball over and the refs call holding & PI evenly for both teams. Browns can engineer enough leverage for 3 touch down drives in 3 quarters, and then sit on the clock in the 4th after Roethlisberger coughs up the ball on a Garrett strip sack. Browns win 24-10.

Now the Bengals and Patriots games will be a little more dicey. On the road against one team that puts up points and another team that's coached by Belichick. Those will be hard games that will require some riskier plays on offense.

 

[DirtyDan]

I just can't judge Keenum too harshly after not playing in a regular season game all last season. I do want to see how he attacks using Landry this Sunday. If they get a connection going, I'll go ahead and lobby for a Mayfield surgery.

It was windy that day too. Trying to stay optimistic that Keenum's arm still has a little juice left. He was short on plays that we will need him to connect on so defenses can't just focus on stopping the run/short pass the whole game.

Maybe they can scheme a Landry throw for a deep play?

 

[MattyFos.]

It was windy that day too. Trying to stay optimistic that Keenum's arm still has a little juice left. He was short on plays that we will need him to connect on so defenses can't just focus on stopping the run/short pass the whole game.

Maybe they can scheme a Landry throw for a deep play?

We've been setting up an OBJ shuffle deep ball all year with those end arounds that keep getting stopped. Wouldn’t surprise me to see that OBJ pass this week.

 

[Coyote]

Probably a somewhat misleading stat at face value.

49 yards (13% of that 3 game total) came on one broken assignment against Denver.


It goes in to their counting stats obviously but I don't think they've really been worse against the run like the author thinks.

Their inflated yards per game metric is basically a result of a safety missing a pretty routine downhill tackle at the LOS.

On the season, they are 107.7 YPG on the ground.

If you throw out the 49 yard run as more of a flukey, non sustainable play, and give him 5 yards, they are at 110 YPG over the last 3.

Always the problem with non contextual counting stats in smaller samples. One dumb play can have such a wild negative effect.

I'm more optimistic if we are healthy, especially on the line but I think it is a significant uphill battle with Case.

I don't disagree with your overall point about stats inflated by one long run, but I watched most of the Steelers v Seahawks game and Alex Collins had 100+ yards on them. IIRC he started racking up the yards in the second half. If Chubb is active, with him and DEJ I'm not worried about the run game.

 

[Malacogary]

I ride with 5!

 

[Smooth]

Keenum has a bonus due third day of league year, so resolution to this situation should be coming soon..

 

[Sebastian]

Good night, sweet millionaire prince.

 

[Douglar]

I cant believe they got something for him.

 

[prf100]

Keenum and Hoyer have won at life. Got to start a bit with some success before realizing their true calling getting paid handsomely to hold a clipboard while taking no wear on their bodies, which further enables future continued clipboarding holding at no less than the ever-increasing league minimum. #winning

 

[sportscoach]

I cant believe they got something for him.

They probably got something for him cause the Bills wanted to make sure they got a backup veteran. I mean before the trade was done, they only had Allen on the roster

 

[buzzdog]

I'd have liked this guy more if he could have been good enough to get on the field when our starter was clearly impaired. After watching last season I'd say he was a waste of money.