Browns vs. Dolphins: Week 12 game news and notes
The Cleveland Browns went into their matchup with the Miami Dolphins expecting to win and they won. There is something to be said for a team being able to take care of business when they are supposed to win, the Denver Broncos notwithstanding. The Browns were able to dominate early. In the first half of the game, the Browns were able to gain long chunk plays and score easily.
Offense
QB, Baker Mayfield, 24-34-327-3-1
RB, Nick Chubb, rushing 21-106-1, receiving 3-58-0 (4 targets)
RB, Kareem Hunt, rushing 8-37-1, receiving 2-9-0 (3 targets)
WR, Jarvis Landry, 10-148-2 (13 targets)
WR, Odell Beckham, 6-84-1 (8 targets)
TE, Demetrius Harris, 2-20-0 (2 targets)
It was nice to see Kareem Hunt score a touchdown and for the Browns to give plenty of opportunities to both running backs. The story of the game should be the continued progression of Baker Mayfield. Since the bye week, Mayfield has looked sharper with his decisions and his ability to get the ball out on time. His lone interception of the day came on a target to Odell Beckham.
Beckham was running a slant over the middle and Mayfield threw the ball behind Beckham. Beckham’s forward momentum was carrying him away from the ball and created an almost impossible catch. Mayfield almost had a second interception on the afternoon on a target to Demetrius Harris. Mayfield put a little too much juice on the pass and it went through the hands of Harris hitting him in the helmet. Fortunately, there was a Miami penalty on the play and the interception was erased.
There will undoubtedly be talk about how good Jarvis Landry is looking and how he is the best wide receiver on the team. While I agree he has the best production, the more appropriate line of thinking is that both Beckham and Landry are playing well off each other. Both wide receivers are exceptional at what they do, and Beckham is drawing attention from Landry the same way Landry draws attention from Beckham.
Defensive Notes
There are two main storylines to pay attention to on the defense. One is how well Joe Schobert has been playing recently. In Week 12, Schobert was able to add another 10 tackles and 2 interceptions to his amazing run in 2019. The second storyline to watch is the progression of Greedy Williams. Again, in Week 12, opposing offenses were singling him out in coverage. DeVante Parker, as a bigger-bodied receiver, was able to be more physical than Williams and push him around at the line of scrimmage.
Remembering to Week 11 against the Steelers, Mason Rudolph and Co. were also targeting Williams frequently and caused crucial pass interference penalties. Fortunately for the Browns, there were a couple flags not thrown on obvious pass interference.
Penalties (9 penalties, 7 accepted penalties)
Wyatt Teller – 5-yards (ineligible downfield pass)
Wyatt Teller – 10-yards (holding)
Jarvis Landry – Penalty Declined (illegal shirt)
J.C. Tretter – 10-yards (holding)
Mack Wilson – 15-yards (unnecessary roughness)
Greg Robinson – Penalty Declined (ineligible downfield pass)
Greedy Williams – 15-yards (defensive pass interference)
Bryan Cox – 10-yards (illegal block above the waste)
Greedy Williams – 5-yards (illegal use of hands)
Final Thoughts
Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins came at a perfect time for the Browns. They had an opportunity to play a team with significantly less talent, learn to create pressure without Myles Garrett, and develop chemistry on the offensive side of the ball. The pass rush still leaves a lot of questions on the table, but I don’t believe the Browns were putting their defensive game plan for creating pressure on film against the Dolphins.
Overall, there are plenty of positives to take away from Week 12 against the Dolphins. It will be important for the Browns to keep their composure and remember the lessons of this game as they move on to the Steelers.
Final Score: 24-41 (Cleveland Browns Victory)
Time of Possession: 36:06 (+12:12)
Record: 5-6 (third in the AFC North)
Current Draft Position: 15 (information via Tankathon)
Next Opponent: at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)
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