Draw It Up: Breaking down two of the Browns’ most fun plays vs. 49ers

Analyzing the Browns offense as they run crunch and super snag in their victory against the San Francisco 49ers.

Kevin Stefanski, the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, is a highly regarded offensive mind in the NFL. But what is an offensive genius? Outside of comedians, it’s hard to figure out. There are tons of different criteria to judge a coach on. At the micro level, it can be based on creative play designs. Falcons’ head coach Arthur Smith gained fame with his impressive play designs. Zooming out slightly would reveal that genius revolves around personnel groupings; coaches like Ken Dorsey are highly regarded for their ability to pass the ball with an extra tight end or fullback on the field. 

Continuing to zoom out to the macro scale, discussions of strategy become more important in the discussion. The best offensive coaches are masters of disguise. Kyle Shanahan demands that every run play has a play action, bootleg, and waggle variations attached to it.

The variations force defenses to second guess what they’re seeing. The split second it takes to confirm a play for a defender is long enough to exploit that same defender. Offensive geniuses are like Chess grandmasters. Every move they make sets up an even greater move down the line. Rams head coach Sean McVay is famous for remembering every play that he has called. There are a ton of criteria that can make a coach an offensive genius, and it’s usually a combination of them that certifies a genius. Maybe a genius is simply putting players in their best spot to succeed as Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel believes.

This series is meant to showcase what makes coach Kevin Stefanski so special on offense. I will be spotlighting various plays during the rest of the season in an attempt to get an answer. Today’s article will be about two separate plays. One is a run play called Crunch. The other is a snag concept with a swing screen attached to it. I will refer to the play as “Super Snag.” As nomenclature varies across the league, I want to keep the vocabulary simple. 

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Upon Further Review: What stood out from all-22 of Browns’ win over Texans

What stood out from the all-22 view of the matchup between the Browns and Texans?

It is time for Upon Further Review, where we diagnose some things that show up once we get a birds-eye view of the game film. The Cleveland Browns won by a score of 27-14 over the Houston Texans, and it looked ugly from live viewing. The all-22 was also quite ugly, but it is always nice to add some context to what is happening outside of the broadcast view.

What stood out after digesting the coach’s film of this less-than-stellar Week 13 matchup between the Browns and Texans? Here are four bullet points, two offensively and two defensively, that made impressions on a second viewing.

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Browns Film Room: What happened on Stefon Diggs touchdown coverage bust?

Cory Kinnan goes into a Browns Film Room to dissect what happened on a coverage bust that led to a wide-open Stefon Diggs touchdown

Another week, another Cleveland Browns coverage bust. This latest bust provided the Buffalo Bills with seven points just before the half, leading to a 10-point swing as they got another three out of the half. The Browns lost the game 31-23, wasting yet another solid showing from their backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. What better opportunity for another edition of  Browns Film Room?

We have to get to the bottom of this breakdown in coverage. How do the Browns usually play 3×1 looks, why is there so much conflict, and who is to blame for leaving All-Pro Stefon Diggs running wide-open in the back of the endzone?

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Browns Film Room: Ethan Pocic continues to play like a top-5 center

The Browns have found a gem in 27-year-old center Ethan Pocic

On the very first drive of the first preseason game of the season, center Nick Harris suffered a devastating and season-ending injury. This was after the Cleveland Browns already cut veteran J.C. Tretter to allow for Harris to take over the job. In the offseason before, however, general manager Andrew Berry also signed veteran Ethan Pocic to a one-year deal worth just over the minimum to give the Browns a solid fallback.

There are two things they could not have envisioned when they made that deal: Pocic would be starting Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, and he would be playing at the level that he is.

After another dominant showing against the Cincinnati Bengals and how Pocic continues to thrive in this Cleveland offense.

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Upon Further Review: What stood out from all-22 of beatdown vs. Bengals?

The Browns beat down the Bengals on Halloween. What stood out from the all-22 of this spooky showing on Monday Night Football?

It feels good to be back and writing an all-22 breakdown on the Cleveland Browns after a win. After four straight losses, the Browns found a way to not only beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Halloween but to dismantle them. Up by four scores at one point in the game, the Browns won by a final of 32-13 to advance to 2-1 in the division and 3-5 on the season.

And now the coach’s film is out, and we can see what went down from an all-22 level. Just as we do every week, we take a look at what stood out most upon further review of the much-needed Browns’ win.

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Browns Film Room: Donovan Peoples-Jones is proving me wrong

Donovan Peoples-Jones has taken a massive step forward for the Browns this season. See how he has found success by diving into the film.

The Cleveland Browns have left plenty to be desired thus far through their 2022 campaign. This, however, does not take away from the good things that still show up on tape and the field; those bright spots deserve to be highlighted. One of those bright spots this season for the Browns continues to be third-year wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Coming into the season I was relatively coy about the type of player Peoples-Jones could develop into. And while he still has his obvious limitations as a stiff route runner and ability to separate, Peoples-Jones has made it work on the field regardless.

Taking another added leap, Peoples-Jones has continued to answer the bell when the Browns have called his number. And often in crucial situations on fourth downs or when they are pushed back behind the sticks.

Here we take a look at the tape he has put out thus far in 2022, as well as a statistical and analytical look at the season he is having for the Browns.

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Film Room: Browns could find defensive answers in Alabama DT Byron Young

The Browns need answers along their defensive interior, and Alabama defensive tackle Byron Young could provide them in the 2023 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns have sprung a massive leap along the interior of their defensive line. They currently rank 27th in the NFL in DVOA according to Football Outsiders against the run, and their talent is even more barren than their numbers. With a top pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft at this point, the Browns must have heavy eyes on Alabama defensive tackle Byron Young.

After the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, it is time for the Browns to start selling off expiring contracts and to start stocking up on draft picks. The current defensive tackle room includes Taven Bryan, Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai, and Perrion Winfrey. There is a real chance there are two or three new faces in that room in 2022.

Young would be an excellent addition to this room. We take an in-depth look at the Alabama Crimson Tide standout here in this 2023 NFL Draft film room.

Upon Further Review: What stood out in all-22 of Browns vs. Patriots?

After a second look using all-22, what stood out the most in this game between the Browns and Patriots?

There is no other way to state it other than the Cleveland Browns got outclassed by the New England Patriots on Sunday. It was ugly on broadcast view, and it was ugly when viewing the coach’s film as well.

However, the tape will not break down itself, so somebody has to do it. Before we turn the page completely to the Baltimore Ravens as the first of a two-game stretch against AFC North foes, we take one last look at the all-22 from the Browns’ loss to the Patriots.

Here are five aspects of the game that stood out upon further review.

Browns Film Room: Weekly Myles Garrett impact tracker vs. Patriots

How did Myles Garrett fair against the New England Patriots? Cory Kinnan takes a look at the impact he has had on the Browns defensively.

The Cleveland Browns have lost their third straight game (this time at the hands of the New England Patriots), and the defense gave up over 30 points in back-to-back weeks. This has put this side of the football under a microscope, specifically the Browns’ All-Pro pass rusher in Myles Garrett.

For back-to-back weeks, Garrett has come under fire from the fanbase for not doing enough. At this point, these Garrett film rooms are going to become a weekly occurrence to dispute or confirm any claim made against him.

Here we will look at how Garrett is analytically viewed, how he looked as a pass rusher, and how he faired as a run defender as well.

Browns Film Room: Yes, Myles Garrett is impacting games

Yes, Myles Garrett is making an impact for the Browns

In an article I never thought I would have to write, yes Myles Garrett has a massive impact on games for the Cleveland Browns despite being hampered by a bad shoulder. The discourse surrounding the All-Pro pass rusher is getting quite ridiculous, so what better time to clip through his reps against the Los Angeles Chargers for another Browns Film Room?

Despite the inevitability of him breaking the franchise sack record at just the age of 26, we have real people calling Garrett another Courtney Brown. One trick pony, not a good run defender, and easy to scheme around are all phrases that have flown around.

Let’s put the misconceptions to bed as this game against the Chargers was certainly far from a bad game for the All-Pro pass rusher.