Category: Game Breakdown

Film Room: Did Jedrick Wills live up to 2nd ranked pass block win rate vs. Steelers?

Jedrick Wills currently ranks as the second most successful pass blocker through 3 weeks. Does his tape add up for the #Browns?

The Cleveland Browns drafted Jedrick Wills with the tenth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and many have been displeased with the return on investment. However, through three weeks of the 2022 season, Wills has tallied the second-highest pass block win rate in the NFL.

There is a large gap between how ESPN has graded Wills out and how PFF has graded Wills out, however. Thus far, PFF has given Wills a pass blocking grade of just 59.6, crediting him with nine pressures and two sacks allowed on 96 pass blocking reps.

This leaves quite a bit of room for interpretation, and gives me the opportunity to turn on the tape from his past game against the Pittsburgh Steelers to decide for myself. Let’s dive into the tape now.

Film Room: Browns beat Steelers on Thursday night by utilizing empty looks

The Browns were able to pick apart the Pittsburgh Steelers through the air, and did it predominantly out of empty looks.

As we get ready to turn the page on Steelers’ week, we take one last look at just how the Cleveland Browns have been able to find success offensively. On an EPA per play basis, only the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens tout a higher success rate.

One reason for the success of the offense in Cleveland is due to the run game, which currently leads the league. However, the passing attack is just as efficient through three weeks with Jacoby Brissett under center. He is not just a quarterback sneak artist, even though he may be dynamite at them.

Instead, we turn our attention to when Brissett puts the ball in the air, and specifically the success he and the Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski have found when throwing out of empty looks (nobody in the backfield with the quarterback).

Film Room: Browns Jacoby Brissett is a QB Sneak artist

There might not be a better QB Sneak artist in the NFL than Jacoby Brissett.

This was not a film room I ever envisioned writing, as the Cleveland Browns and Jacoby Brissett continue to find success on quarterback sneaks, it is certainly worth the examination. In their 29-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, Brissett was a successful 3-for-3 on the night when asked to duck his head and drive forward.

Brissett’s ability to consistently churn out yards at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds in short-yardage situations has not only been an asset for the Browns in short-yardage situations but has been an asset on every team he has played for.

Here, we follow a career trend of Brissett’s, then specifically how it put the Steelers in a bind on Thursday night.

By the numbers: Breaking down key stats and figures from the Browns win over the Steelers

Breaking down key stats and figures from the Cleveland Browns Week 3 win over the Steelers

The most important numbers from Thursday night’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium were 29 and 17. That’s the final score from the Cleveland Browns’ impressive triumph over the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the primetime matchup.

A lot of other key numbers played into how the two teams arrived at that final outcome. Here’s a look at some of the important stats and figures that led to the Browns important home win.

0 – giveaways by the Browns offense

1 – third-down conversion by Pittsburgh’s offense, on 9 attempts

4 – passes defended by the Browns defense

4 – consecutive Steelers drives to start the second half that resulted in a punt, including three 3-and-outs

5 – Browns penalties, costing Cleveland 24 yards

5 – tackles-for-loss by the Steelers defense, all in the second half

6 – third-down conversions for the Browns offense, on 16 attempts

7 – first-half receptions by Browns TE David Njoku, netting 69 yards and a touchdown

16 – rushing yards by the Steelers in the second half, on six carries

18 – total return yards on punts and kicks allowed by the Browns special teams

22 – Browns first downs, to 20 for Pittsburgh’s offense

71 – total Browns offensive snaps, to 55 for Pittsburgh

92 – second-half rushing yards by the Browns offense, on 25 carries

101 – Amari Cooper receiving yards, the second week in a row he’s hit that exact number

109.6 – Browns QB Jacoby Brissett’s QB Rating

113 – Nick Chubb rushing yards

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4 Downs: What to make of Browns bounce-back win vs. Steelers

The Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers by two scores on national television. What were the biggest takeaways?

Back to a winning record, the Cleveland Browns improve to a record of 2-1 after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 29-17. As the Atlanta Falcons are next on the docket for Cleveland, the Browns will look to come out of these first four games well over .500.

In this one, quarterback Jacoby Brissett once again played an efficient brand of football, going 21-of-31 passing for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, Brissett played another game of turnover-free football as he favorited both Amari Cooper (seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown) and David Njoku (nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown) on the night.

The running game continued to their usual standard, and Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined for a massive 35 carries, tallying a total of 160 yards and a touchdown; 114 of those yards came from the legs of Chubb alone.

Before moving on to Atlanta, what stood out in this Thursday Night Showdown?

How the Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in primetime showdown

The Cleveland Browns have to bounce-back against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Cleveland Browns get their first chance to show what they’ve got on primetime football tonight as their divisional rival Pittsburgh Steelers travel to FirstEnergy Stadium. After getting punched in the gut a week ago against the New York Jets, this game will tell a great deal about what this team and locker room are made of.

After the rest of the AFC North stumbled just as hard as the Browns did in Week 2, Cleveland still has a chance to take over as the leaders in the division with a win tonight (at least until Sunday). The Steelers and Browns both sit at 1-1 entering this matchup, so it has the makings of another high-anxiety outing.

How do the Browns come away from this game with a 2-1 record? We dive headfirst into that conversation now.

Film Room: Amari Cooper and all 9 of his catches for Cleveland Browns

As the Cleveland Browns look forward to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the chemistry between Jacoby Brissett and Amari Cooper must continue.

It is time to move past the loss to the New York Jets. But before we do, we have to at least acknowledge the stars of the game for the Cleveland Browns. One of those bright spots in this one was wide receiver, Amari Cooper.

After cutting apart the defensive backs of the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 with minimal targets, Cooper finally got a high volume of looks in Week 2 against the Jets. And he did not disappoint. On the day, Cooper finished with a total of 101 yards and a touchdown on nine catches for the Cleveland offense.

Taking a look at all nine of his targets in this one, how was Cooper able to take advantage of the New York secondary?

4 Downs: What to make of Browns colossal meltdown vs. Jets

What can the Cleveland Browns take away from their demoralizing loss to the New York Jets?

I have been watching Cleveland Browns football for just about 20 years or so, and there may not have been a more demoralizing loss in my lifetime than this Week 2 collapse against the New York Jets. On the cusp of their first 2-0 start since I was one, the Browns found a way to blow a two-score game with less than two minutes left.

Nobody is going to blame Nick Chubb for scoring a touchdown, even if the Browns could have knelt out the clock. Everybody is going to blame a busted coverage that let Corey Davis walk into the endzone, an onside kick that should have been recovered, and letting the ghost of Joe Flacco walk down the field on a game-winning drive.

Overall, it is a poor day to be a Browns fan as this colossal implosion was genuinely unbelievable. Despite this, however, what stood out the most as the Browns now prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers on a short week?

Film Room: Cleveland Browns get massive leap from James Hudson

The Cleveland Browns found success in the form of right tackle James Hudson against the Carolina Panthers. Can he win the starting job sooner rather than later?

The Cleveland Browns are about to enter into their Week 2 matchup against the New York Jets on the heels of a Week 1 victory over the Carolina Panthers and former quarterback Baker Mayfield. Before we completely turn the page over, right tackle James Hudson deserves some praise for his performance.

With Jack Conklin still recovering from a year with a multiplicity of injuries that nearly caused him to retire, the second-year right tackle out of Cincinnati has been thrust right back into action off of a lackluster rookie season. However, it seems as though Hudson took his job personally this summer as he looked like a transformed player this past Sunday.

While he may not start with Conklin potentially gearing up to go this week against the Jets, let’s take a look at Hudson’s strong season opener.

A lot of takeaways from Browns vs Panthers in Week 1

A whole lot of thoughts from the Browns victory against the Panthers on Sunday. A whole lot more to talk about moving forward as well:

The Cleveland Browns played a great first half of football in North Carolina but needed a long field goal from rookie K Cade York to defeat the Carolina Panthers.

The Browns dominated with 355 net yards and 38:26 time of possession compared to the Panthers at 261 yards and 21:34. That the game went down to the wire despite no turnovers by the visitors tells you how strange the game was.

Carolina’s new starting QB and former Cleveland QB Baker Mayfield had 125 of his 235 yards come on two blown coverages by his former team. He ended the day 16/27 for 235 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The Browns were carried by their two running backs and their rookie kicker.

Here a few takeaways from the game with much more coverage to come: