Category: Data Dump

Data Dump: Where do the Browns rank in the penultimate week

The Cleveland Browns sit in the middle of the pack in the NFL’s rankings as the playoffs are about to begin

The victory last Thursday night cemented the Cleveland Browns as the fifth seed heading into the playoffs. The team will now have to debate whether to play their starters or to rest them in the final game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Browns have battled injuries during the season, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to give the team their first bye week since the first week of October. The game will not affect the team’s standings in the playoffs or their rankings in the analytics sphere.

After 17 weeks of football, we know who the Cleveland Browns are and where they rank across the league. The offense has started hitting its stride under the command of Joe Flacco. Unfortunately, it took the team too long to find him as the team had missteps from their backup quarterbacks. The defense has been the saving grace of the season, keeping the Brown competitive in every game, and winning quite a few of those games.

The defense is a historically elite unit, perhaps the greatest regular season defense in NFL history. In this week’s penultimate Data Dump, we will examine how the team has played this season.

Data Dump: Where do the Browns rank in the NFL after beating Bears

How the Cleveland Browns rank in various metrics and advanced analytics compared to the rest of the NFL.

In this week’s Data Dump, we look at how well the Browns are progressing as the regular season starts to end and teams prepare for the playoffs. The Browns’ last-second victory over the Chicago Bears has nearly guaranteed them a spot in the AFC playoffs. The team must prepare their struggling offense for a playoff run against some of the top offenses in the NFL.

The Browns’ offense had a miserable showing against the Bears for the first three-quarters. They could not run or pass the ball against a resurging but average Bears’ defense. The advanced analytics will not be kind to the Browns’ offense this week. Although, after throwing over 130 passes in the past three weeks, Flacco should have a large enough sample size to include in charts on quarterback play. Although, throwing three interceptions, including a pick-six won’t help his EPA. 

The Browns defense remains dominant. They nearly shut out the Chicago Bears, ending most of their drives in three and outs. The defense is playoff-ready, and the unit will face off against some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The defense proved their tenacity and determination for nearly the entire season. The stats reflect it. The unit needs to finish the season strong as the team will go as far as they take them.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Data Dump: Where the Browns rank among the NFL after win vs. Jaguars

The Browns stole their eighth win on the season against the Jaguars. How does the analytics community view Joe Flacco and this team?

On Sunday, the victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars helped the Cleveland Browns cement their place as the first AFC Wild Card team into the playoffs. The team’s performance, led by veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, has re-energized the fanbase and garnered the attention of the national media.

It’s important to note what the Browns have accomplished this season. The team has been besieged by injuries all season losing multiple starters. The Browns are 8-5 while playing four different quarterbacks. They have the best defense in the league heading into the final months.

This week’s Data Dump will show the team recovering under the direction of Flacco. His 89 passing attempts over the past two games have marked a radical shift in the Browns’ modus operandi of running the ball down a team’s throat. With four games left in the season, the Browns’ offense is finally finding its stride heading into the playoffs.

The Browns’ historically great defense recovered nicely against the Jaguars after a bad trip out west. The unit is once again the unquestioned best in the league. The team will need to retain that position over the next month. The Browns’ playoff success will depend on them.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Data Dump: What the trends tell us about the Browns with 5 weeks left

Examining NFL metrics and analytics to determine how well the Cleveland Browns are playing

The Cleveland Browns finished their two-week tour out west with painful losses to the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. In this week’s “Data Dump,” we’ll see how poorly the Browns did during their mini odyssey. The trip was not kind to the Browns as their great defense faltered against experienced gunslingers and their crafty coaches. The offense returned with more questions at the quarterback position than when they left after Joe Flacco’s Cleveland debut.

The team’s homecoming against the Jacksonville Jaguars allows the Browns to right the ship and control their destiny for the remainder of the season. The Browns and Jaguars game has major implications for the AFC playoff race. The Jaguars are a good, but not a great team, battling to win the AFC South. If the Browns defeat the Jaguars, it will inspire a lot of confidence in the group, both internally and externally.

After 12 games, the Browns are firmly entrenched in their statistical tiers. One game can no longer swing the Browns in one direction or another. Right now, the Browns need to stack the success of multiple games to put a dent in their rankings. The team must finish the season strong and head into the playoffs on a hot streak.

Data Dump: Browns tumble down the rankings after Broncos defeat

How the Cleveland Browns rank across the NFL in various metrics and analytics.

After a bad loss to the Broncos, the Cleveland Browns have spent the week in Los Angeles, California, preparing for the Rams on Sunday. I believe the team had the right idea of putting distance between themselves and the Broncos game. The theme of this week’s “Data Dump” is reminding ourselves of the season, not the results of one game. It’s about the cumulative work of a team battling injuries and adversaries throughout the season.

The Browns announced that Joe Flacco is the backup quarterback if starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson is not cleared from the concussion protocol. If Flacco starts, he will be the fourth quarterback to start for the Browns this season. While Browns fans are accustomed to starting four or more quarterbacks in a season, winning those games is a welcomed change. Unfortunately, four quarterbacks over 13 weeks is a death knell for an offense that will certainly rank near the bottom of the league in most metrics and categories.

The defense is the team’s shining star leading us to the playoffs. They still rank at the top of the league after an uncharacteristically rough game against the Denver Broncos.  They have a chance to correct the course against a Rams offense that has been red-hot the past two weeks.

Let’s reflect on how the Browns are doing this season in spite of their injuries.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Data Dump: Browns rise up ranks after beating Ravens

A summary of the Clevelands Browns updated rankings and analytics after the victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

The Cleveland Browns defeated one of the best teams in the NFL and one of their most hated rivals the Baltimore Ravens. In this week’s “Data Dump,” the numbers point upward after the thrilling victory.

The Browns didn’t have a meteoric rise across most metrics as they did last week. Despite beating one of the best teams in the NFL, the Browns’ first-half offense hurt the team’s EPA.

There were two special team screw-ups that further dragged down the total EPA. The muffed punt inside the red zone gave the Ravens perfect field position to score a touchdown. The Browns cannot gift teams points like that. The second mistake was the missed point after attempt to close the game. Hopkins fixed his mistake when he sunk the game-winning field goal. The defense continued to be exceptional.

For those who believe that wins and losses are the only numbers worth caring about, the Browns are riding high at 6-3. The team will battle the Steelers on Sunday and the winner will gain the inside track on the AFC North division title. There’s a chance they could play for the number one spot in the division if the Baltimore Ravens slip to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Data Dump: Browns rise up rankings after dominating the Cardinals

Where do the Cleveland Browns rank across various metrics after their week 9 performance against the Arizona Cardinals.

In this week’s Data Dump, the Cleveland Browns are quickly rising through the ranks of the NFL after delivering a 27-0 win against the Arizona Cardinals. While the Browns are 5-3 at the halfway point of their season, the statistical analysis didn’t agree that the Browns were worthy of their record.

The return of Deshaun Watson propelled the Browns’ offense from being one of the worst in the league to a subpar offense after one game. It sounds small, but the improvement was a step in the right direction for models that assume offenses are far more important than defenses. The Browns are now on the doorstep of the upper echelon of the league according to most metrics. A few more games like Sunday from Watson and the Browns will quickly advance to the top of the NFL with the Chiefs, Eagles, and Ravens.

Sunday’s matchup between the Browns and the Ravens will pit the two top defenses in the NFL against each other. The Browns will be looking for revenge after losing their first game after rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was named the starter the morning of the game due to the aforementioned Watson injury.  The teams will be extremely motivated to prove which team is not only the best in the AFC North but among the entire league.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Data Dump: How are the Browns doing after the Seahawks loss?

Where the Cleveland Browns are ranked amongst the NFL after 8 weeks.

The midway point between games is a great time to take a step back from the disappointing loss against the Seattle Seahawks by the Cleveland Browns and examine the rest of the league. Football is a week-to-week sport and in that flow, we can forget that the sport lasts for nearly half a year. It’s important to take a 30,000-foot view of the league to better assess the landscape.

In Data Dump we aim to give you the weekly breakdown of where the Browns stand across the entire NFL among multiple categories. The Browns are standing pat at four wins after losing to the Seahawks 20-24. The loss showed that the Browns offense has steadily improved since losing star running back Nick Chubb and quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns are slowly regaining their offensive identity without their franchise players. The offense is still turning the ball over at an alarming rate. Under Watson’s leadership, the Browns should eliminate most of the turnovers.

The defense is the biggest victim of the turnovers. They’re constantly forced to defend shorter fields than other teams. While the Browns’ defense has done a good job limiting offenses, they are not invincible. They cannot continue defending 50 yards at a time. The season-long stats show how field positioning is dragging a historically great Browns’ defense into a top-three defense.

Data Dump: Where are the Browns trending after Week 7?

A stat packed post showcasing where the Cleveland Browns rank across a multitude of categories.

The conclusion of the seventh week of the NFL schedule brings about an influx of data-driven analysis about the sport. The season is 1/3rd of the way over, and trends are becoming more pronounced as the sample size grows. As trends are further exposed, the predictive performance of models becomes more and more accurate. Teams are revealing how good they are, and the tiers across the league are beginning to solidify. With the trade deadline a week away, it’s not too late for a team to make drastic improvements.

Last season the San Francisco 49ers made their blockbuster move for Christian McCaffrey at the deadline, who elevated a good offense to an elite one. The Browns should also take a big swing on offense, as we’ll see, the numbers are not kind to them. The Browns have proven that their defense can win them games, but that is not a winning strategy long-term.

The Browns need to do anything to help the defensive unit out. The team cannot rely on Myles Garrett to net them 20 points in a game. If they think they can, they should try him at tight end. I’m not sure there’s anything that man can’t succeed at.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Data Dump: Where do the Browns stand in the NFL after Week 6?

Diving deep into NFL analytics after the Browns week 6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

The immediate days after the NFL week has concluded involve an influx of infographics that signal if our favorite teams are back, or if it’s over for them. In this week’s data dump, we can announce that the team is indeed back. If the thrilling victory over one of the premier teams of the NFC did not convince the world that the Cleveland Browns were back, here is the data to prove it.

A word to the wise, NFL analytics are incredibly challenging due to the complexity of the sport. It’s extremely hard to accurately assign both credit and blame to the players involved in any given play. Analytics are best used in the sport to judge the whole team instead of individual players.

The analytics indicate that the Browns’ defense is peerless. They are playing better than any team has since 1999. In a reversal of last season, it is the Browns’ offense that is currently holding the team back. The Browns need Deshaun Watson to heal up and take command of a lifeless offense. The Browns’ offense only needs to be average for the Browns to be a serious Super Bowl contender.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]