Browns Bye Week Review: Offense

With the Browns on bye for week seven, it is time to review how bad those first six games really were. Are the Browns as bad as 2-4 says they are? Bright spots? Concerns? Can this team rebound in the last ten games and make the playoffs? Lot’s of questions that need answers. Some we may have some we may not, but let’s go through it together starting with the offense..

Baker Mayfield

Did anyone expect anyone else at the top of this list? He is the franchise quarterback and that makes him accountable for the team’s performance. Like it or not, that’s how it works.

It Doesn’t look Good

Putting it simply, Baker has not been good. His accuracy has been iffy, no matter what John Dorsey says. We’ve seen more overthrows, underthrows, and if he throws behind another receiver no one will be surprised. He also leads the NFL with 11 interceptions. We have only seen spurts of the great pocket presence from last season. Baker is not extending plays the right way a lot of the time. Finally, in six games Baker has just seven touchdowns and that is not good enough. Essentially, nearly everything he was praised for last season looks as though he forgot how to do it through the first six games of this year. But is it really as bad as it looks?

Is This Fixable?

Baker has been better at all of the above skills before. So, yes it is all fixable. Let’s see just how much fixing actually needs to be done. Here are some facts about how Baker’s play has been affected by the play around him this year.

• Browns receivers are third in the NFL in dropped passes
• Of the 11 interceptions thrown five of them hit receiver’s hands
• Per football outsiders, the Browns have the 19th best line in the NFL
• Adjusted Sack Rate in 2019 7.6%. 1.1% higher that 2018.
• Baker has been sacked 14 times through six games.

The point of bringing up all the stats of the supporting cast is not to make excuses but to show that everything needs to improve. Baker must find the magic he had last year, but the supporting cast must be better.

Offensive Line

The offensive line needs work. PFF rates them 29th, and Football Outsiders also ranks them in the bottom half. The eye test says they can’t get it done against good defensive lines. We have Trent Williams rumors out there. Mary Kay Cabot is writing that they could try Justin McCray at left tackle this week. The line is in an ugly state right now, and it is not getting better this year.

Skill Players

Nick Chubb has been the most consistent threat the Browns have had all year. He has performed no matter the defense he has faced or the number of touches he has received. No complaining busts his butt each time he is asked. Odell Beckham Jr. has been a bit of a disappointment so far this season. He has dropped passes and up until recently against the Seahawks had essentially one game-changing play with his touchdown catch and run against the Jets. Jarvis Landry recently said they need to force the ball to himself and Odell. He had a big day against the Ravens, but what about the rest of the year? Rashard Higgins has been injured all year. While all of the players are very talented, more consistency is needed.

Key Players Stats

courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com

Baker Mayfield

Nick Chubb

Odell Beckham Jr.

Jarvis Landry

Ricky Seal-Jones

Next: By Week Defensive Review

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