Category: Game Breakdown

Behind Enemy Lines: Breaking down the Browns’ Week 6 matchup with Steelers Wire

On Big Ben, injuries, Myles Garrett and more

It’s Steelers week in Cleveland. The 4-1 Browns head to Pittsburgh to try and win for the first time in well over a decade. They’ll need to overcome an unbeaten Steelers team that is playing very well on both sides of the ball.

To get caught up with all that’s going on with the Browns’ AFC North rival, I turned to Steelers Wire editor Cury Popejoy for some questions on Pittsburgh. Thanks to Popejoy for the info!

How has Ben Roethlisberger’s return to the field looked? Is the arm back to normal?

I would say Big Ben is back completely except for his deep throws. He’s shown excellent touch and zip on his short and intermediate passes but is still floating the deep ball. I don’t know if it is just a matter of confidence or reps but he’s still missing one of the trademarks of his game.

The offensive line has some injuries. How are the Steelers managing the offensive front?

Right now it looks like guard David DeCastro might not be available. But he missed the two three games it isn’t as if the Steelers haven’t played without him. This is a new group with guys in new spots but they have played well.

Chase Claypool is coming off a fantastic 4-TD game. How do the Steelers manage all the WR talent and keeping everyone’s mouth fed?

I think having so many young guys on the team helps. There isn’t a veteran on the depth chart clamoring for the football because their ego is hurt or their earning potential. These are all just kids basically who are having fun celebrating the success of each other.

What’s one matchup where the Browns should give Pittsburgh some concern?

The easy answer here is in the Steelers secondary. This group has been exposed in the first round games against some pretty average receivers. Cleveland has a much more talented group who could give the Steelers secondary fits.

Any worry from a Steelers standpoint about the Myles Garrett incident/retribution?

I don’t look for the Steelers to do a thing. Tomlin came out this week and talked about not wanting to get into the whole reality TV thing with the drama and I believe him. If things happen in the game, I don’t look for a guy like Maurkice Pouncey to ignore it but I don’t look for them to initiate anything.

Who wins and why?

This really is a pick ’em type of game. Both teams are strong at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football and this is typically where you can differentiate between teams. I give the edge to the Steelers at quarterback, the home field edge and history on their side. Pittsburgh pulls off a close one 28-24

Breaking down the Browns top and bottom PFF scores from Week 5

Who scored well and who did not for the Browns in Week 5

Pro Football Focus released its grades for the Cleveland Browns in the 32-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. The PFF grades show some familiar names at the top of the offensive charts but some fresh blood amongst the defensive leaders.

On offense, guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio were the top Dawgs. Teller earned the highest score, though in just 14 snaps he didn’t meet the minimum playing time threshold to qualify. Bitonio’s 80.4 is the top mark for players who were on the field for at least 20 snaps.

He was followed by TE Austin Hooper (73.6), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (73.3) and TE David Njoku (70.9). Chris Hubbard, who took over for Teller at right guard, played well in relief in earning a 69.8 grade.

Defensively, safety Ronnie Harrison had the best grade. His pick-six no doubt bolstered the 79.6 score. Two players who failed to meet the 20-snap mark fared better: safety Sheldrick Redwine (93.0 in 19 snaps) and LB Sione Takitaki (82.5).

Linebacker Malcolm Smith, who stood out on game film in the second half, was next amongst qualifiers with a 77.8 grade. Myles Garrett earned a 72.1.

Then there’s the other side of the coin…

The Browns defensive line in general scored poorly. Vincent Taylor had the worst mark at 37.3 of the 20-snap qualifiers. Adrian Clayborn was just above him.

Andrew Sendejo continues to struggle at safety. He scored a 47.4, his second-lowest overall grade of the season. Cornerback Denzel Ward had his lowest-graded game of the year at just 48.1.

RB D’Ernest Johnson might have saved the game with his great run late in the fourth quarter, but he earned the lowest offensive grade. Johnson’s 55.3 was just above rookie LT Jedrick Wills (55.8) in the roughest outing of the year for the team’s first-rounder.

Browns snap count notes: David Njoku’s return, return of the nickel CB and more

The Browns had 73 offensive snaps and just 56 on defense against the Colts

A week after playing almost 160 total snaps, Sunday’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium was a relative break for the Cleveland Browns. There were 129 snaps between the Browns and visiting Colts, a big drop from the 157 in Dallas in Week 4.

The Browns held the ball for 73 offensive snaps to the Colts’ 56. Five Browns — four lineman and QB Baker Mayfield — played all 73.

Wyatt Teller’s injury at right guard forced some shuffling. Chris Hubbard played 59 snaps in place of Teller, who left after just 14. Kendall Lamm also got into the game, playing exactly one snap as an extra tackle.

With Nick Chubb on I.R., it was the Kareem Hunt show at RB. Hunt played 70% of the snaps, 51 in total. That’s a season-high for Hunt. Backup D’Ernest Johnson was the only other RB to get in on offense, filling out the other 22 reps. Dontrell Hilliard only played on special teams. FB Andy Janovich played 14.

David Njoku saw limited action as the No. 3 tight end in his return. Njoku played 21 snaps and caught his only target. He’s still behind rookie Harrison Bryant, who played 29 but did not catch a pass. Austin Hooper had 58 reps and saw a season-high 10 targets, catching five.

It was also a big jump up for Rashard Higgins as the third WR. After weeks as a healthy scratch, Higgins rolled out the red carpet with 40 snaps, including his TD reception. He had just 60 snaps through the first four weeks.

On defense, the Browns shifted from three safeties to three corners as the primary nickel package against the Colts. With Karl Joseph out, the move made sense. Andrew Sendejo never left the field, joined by CBs Denzel Ward and Terrance Mitchell as the iron men on the D.

Starting in place of Joseph, Ronnie Harrison played the first 37 snaps before leaving with a concussion. Sheldrick Redwine then filled in for the remaining 19. They did not play on the field together, meaning the Browns did not use a three-safety look once in the game. CB Kevin Johnson played 41 reps (73%) as the nickel back in the slot.

Rookie Jordan Elliott lasted just nine snaps in his starting debut before leaving with an injury. Vincent Taylor took over and played 31 reps in his place. Adrian Clayborn caught 21 snaps in his return from injury at DE.

Look: Browns safety Ronnie Harrison scores on a pick-six

Look: Browns safety Ronnie Harrison scores on a pick-six off Colts QB Philip Rivers

The Browns offense cruised out to a 20-10 halftime lead against the Indianapolis Colts. It was the defense’s turn to put some points on the scoreboard just after halftime.

Safety Ronnie Harrison stepped in front of a Philip Rivers pass and didn’t stop until he delivered the ball into the Colts end zone. The 47-yard pick-six put the Browns ahead 27-10.

It was Cleveland’s first defensive score of the season and a nice bit of redemption for Harrison, who dropped a pass earlier in the game that hit him in both hands. Great anticipation and a nice closing burst to the ball make for a heck of a highlight for Harrison.

Browns light up formidable Colts defense in strong first half

The Browns scored 20 points and gained 264 yards in 1st half against the NFL’s best defense

The Indianapolis Colts brought the NFL’s top-rated defense to FirstEnergy Stadium for Sunday’s game against the Browns. Baker Mayfield and the Browns had little trouble making it look a lot less formidable than the Colts expected in the first half.

The Browns put up 20 points, 284 total yards of offense and 16 first downs in the first half. Punter Jamie Gillan had nothing to do except hold for the two extra points and two Cody Parkey field goals in Cleveland’s impressive surge to a 20-10 lead after the first two quarters.

The Colts had allowed 11, 8 and 11 points total in the last three games, all wins. Cleveland gained almost as many yards in the first four offensive drives than the Chicago Bears did for the entire game (289) last Sunday.

Not having LB Darius Leonard is obviously a factor, but the Browns offense was consistently a step ahead of the Colts defense in the first half. It was a masterful game plan from head coach Kevin Stefanski and one executed pretty darn well by QB Baker Mayfield and his mates.

Watch: Baker Mayfield finds Kareem Hunt for a beautiful TD

Cleveland’s 1st TD against the Colts was a great one

The Cleveland Browns broke into the Colts’ end zone for the first time in Week 5 thanks to a fantastic play from Baker Mayfield and a very nice catch from running back Kareem Hunt.

After impressively driving deep into the red zone and converting a fourth down to keep the drive alive, Mayfield put on the improvisational display and wound up with a touchdown to show for it.

This is great work by Mayfield to extend the play and a nice effort by Hunt to shake free and present himself as a big target in the back of the end zone.

The play gave the Browns a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Behind Enemy Lines: Breaking down the Week 5 matchup with Colts Wire

Thanks to Kevin Hickey for the answers

A battle of 3-1 teams on 3-game winning streaks should make for a very exciting matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts come to Cleveland with the NFL’s top defense, as well as a new “old” quarterback in Philip Rivers.

To get more info on the Colts, I turned to Colts Wire and editor Kevin Hickey for a few questions. Hickey graciously provided some good insight with his answers.

How is Philip Rivers working out at QB so far?

He has been more good than bad. He likely won’t be able to carry the offense in an all-out barn burner, but the Colts knew that. They want him to work off of the run game with play-action while limiting the turnover-worthy throws. He’s been efficient thus far through four games, and the upgrade he presents over Jacoby Brissett is obvious. He’s certainly benefiting from the Colts offensive line even if the unit isn’t playing up to its standards.

As the Colts want to win with a strong defense and a stout run game, Rivers has been doing a solid job for the majority of the season.

The Colts have the best scoring defense in the league but they’ve also played some bad offenses. How much has been Indy’s dominance and how much can be attributed to facing the likes of the Jets and Bears?

It’s a bit of both. Their schedule should absolutely be accounted for when looking at the entire picture. That said, they dominated those offenses. That’s what you want to see from a potentially-elite defense. What makes this seem like a sustainable situation comes from their success on third downs and the consistent pressure they get every week.

The addition of DeForest Buckner has been incredible while Justin Houston shows no signs of slowing down. They’ve been extremely strong against the run as well, and that will have to continue against Kareem Hunt and the Browns.

Rookie Jonathan Taylor has taken over as the lead RB. How has he looked?

He’s looked like a rookie. The explosive plays haven’t really been there, but some of that can be attributed to the offensive line failing to stay engaged on their blocks. Taylor has shown some nice vision, but it’s still a work in progress. There have been times when he misses the open hole or doesn’t get there quick enough before it closes.

The Colts also have been using him primarily on the inside, which is fine, but they need to get him to the edge a little more so he can turn the corner a few times a game. His numbers don’t look great, but once he gets a better hold of the blocking scheme and the pace of the league, he should be in a position to shine.

Who are a couple of Colts players that don’t get enough national attention for their play?

Defensive Tackle Grover Stewart is one of the names that comes to mind. Working from the one-technique, Stewart is a brawler in the middle of the defensive line. He’s a bully against interior offensive linemen and wrecks the running game before it gets a chance to find a rhythm.

Cornerback Kenny Moore is constantly underrated. He works primarily from the slot, but his arm length and ability in press coverage allows him to work on the boundary as well. Wide receiver Zach Pascal and tight end Mo Alie-Cox have emerged as underrated players both in their receiving and run-blocking abilities.

What one matchup with the Browns makes you the most nervous for Indianapolis?

It will be containing Myles Garrett. Right tackle Braden Smith has been growing into a strong young tackle, but Garrett is an elite edge rusher. Anthony Castonzo is dealing with a rib injury and may not play on Sunday, which would be a massive blow to the offense. If the Colts can’t contain Garrett, their offense could continue to struggle in a big way.

Who wins and why?

This is a tough matchup to predict because these two teams are very similar. If the Colts can slow down the run and force Baker to throw, I think they can come out with a win. But if players like Castonzo and Darius Leonard miss the game, I’ll go with the Browns. But at this point in the week, I have to stay in the flames with the Colts until they prove us wrong. Colts, 26-23.

The Browns Wire Podcast: Colts vs. Browns preview, Cowboys game review

The crew breaks down the big win over Dallas and looks ahead to a challenge with the Colts in Week 5

Welcome to The Browns Wire Podcast, hosted by Josh Keatley (@JoshKeatley16). This week, Ryan Keeffe (@IAmRyanKeeffe) and I are joined by Nathan Rohyans (@dtf_indy) to discuss the upcoming Indianapolis Colts game and review the Dallas Cowboys game.

  • Can the Browns win four in a row?
  • How much better are the Colts than the Cowboys?
  • What are our picks against the spread?
  • Austin Hooper autograph giveaway: your chance to win an Austin Hooper autograph — like, follow and share and it can be yours.

Give the Browns Wire Podcast a like on Facebook and follow on Twitter

It’s also available on all of your favorite podcast apps, including iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher and Spotify. Thanks for listening!

Browns offense gets major love from PFF grades in Week 4

Several Browns scored very high grades in the Week 4 win, and nearly all played offense

No team outscored the Cleveland Browns and their 49-point outburst in the win over Dallas on Sunday in Week 4. Befitting the dominant performance by the offense, several Browns players scored fantastic grades from Pro Football Focus.

None were higher than right guard Wyatt Teller, who continues his superb season in PFF’s eyes. Teller graded out an astonishing 96.7 overall in regularly snowplowing Cowboys defenders out of the way in the run game. Right tackle Jack Conklin also broke into elite territory with his 92.0 game grade.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was next up with an 87.8. His run grade of 91.0 helped boost a grade that also saw him hit 77.8 in the passing game, a very good score for a wideout. Four other Browns offensive players cracked the 80.0 grading mark:

  • D’Ernest Johnson
  • Kareem Hunt
  • Andy Janovich
  • Jarvis Landry

The flip side is the Dallas defense. The top-graded player who saw at least 10 snaps, safety Xavier Woods, earned a paltry 59.4 overall grade. That’s barely above what Browns safety Andrew Sendejo (57.3) earned for the game.

Cleveland’s own defense had some rough scores, though a couple of defenders did stand out. DE Myles Garrett and his two sacks and eight total QB pressures scored a high 84.7 overall mark, while CB Denzel Ward earned a 78.5 weighed down heavily by two missed tackles.

 

Snap count notes and observations from the Browns’ Week 4 win over the Cowboys

The Browns had 8 ironmen playing every available snap

There are some tired bodies in the Cleveland Browns training room after Sunday’s 49-38 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The snap counts and playing times for the Browns in the Week 4 win show a lot of reps for many players on both sides of the ball.

The Browns had 75 snaps on offense and 82 total on defense. That’s the most snaps the offense has played through four weeks and the second-most the defense has played, behind the 92 in the Week 2 win over Cincinnati.

Five Browns played all the offensive snaps, while three went all the way on defense. On offense, it was QB Baker Mayfield and four of the five starting offensive linemen. Right tackle Jack Conklin sat out four plays, replaced by Chris Hubbard.

Defensively, safety Andrew Sendejo and corners Denzel Ward and Terrance Mitchell were on the field for every rep. That’s an impressive showing from Ward, who was questionable for the game with a groin injury.

Olivier Vernon was also questionable and had missed two weeks in a row, but the veteran DE played 65 snaps. That’s more than fellow DE Myles Garrett (60) and Vernon’s replacement during his absence, Porter Gustin (41).

Rookie linebacker Jacob Phillips saw 17 snaps in his return to action, 10 less than Mack Wilson. B.J. Goodson (64 snaps) was the only LB on the field for more than half the game.

On offense, running back D’Ernest Johnson only played 17 reps but saw the ball on 13 of those. He played in place of Nick Chubb, who left the game after just 14 snaps with his knee injury. Kareem Hunt led the RB group with only 26, while Dontrell Hilliard chipped in 15 in a true RB-by-committee game.

Rookie tight end Harrison Bryant continues to grow, as reflected by his 52 snaps. With Austin Hooper playing 63, that’s a lot of two-TE sets. Fellow rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones made his WR debut with 33 reps, behind Odell Beckham Jr. (58) and Jarvis Landry (57).

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