It’s been a topic of discussion since the season began. The Cleveland Browns offense is abysmal; no need to describe it any more than that. Instead of glossing over the negatives, I will attempt to look at the positives.
The unit overall has flaws in many areas. The offensive line isn’t healthy and is getting up there in towards of age. The wide receiver room is inexperienced and lacks both high-end talent and a true alpha in the room. The only positive I found is the running back room. Rookie running backs
Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson have found their footing, while running back Jerome Ford is the stable veteran in the room.
The offense had one of its best performances last Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, and they will look to build off that performance when they travel to New England to face off with the Patriots.
Is there room for this young Browns offense to grow? Yes.
More diversity in the run game
Despite being towards the bottom in most basic and advanced statistical categories, the one positive that I found is the Browns rushing offense ranks 16th in Rush EPA per play, despite ranking 29th in Rush Success rate. Might not be a lot but it’s something. Judkins is the focal point of the Browns offense and the team should view it as such. However, the team has to get diverse in the run game.
It’s far too common that the Browns will line up in a formation that’s recognizable, and the play is shut down before it even develops. As mentioned above, more utilization of the gap schemes because that’s what makes the running game click and become more potent. Cleveland’s offensive line ranks towards the top in run block win rate, so it’s fair to say the running game can be more potent and efficient if they utilize more gap schemes as well as zone schemes.
Open up the passing game
Everyone wants to know when the Browns will open up the passing game. The issue is, the passing game hasn’t materialized for many reasons. The offensive line ranks towards the bottom in pass block win rate (29th). Reasons? The tackle situation is unstable, whether it’s injury or bad play, and the interior is getting up there in age.
Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel has his limitations, whether it’s his arm strength or athleticism. The passing game can get opened up if the receivers can get open consistently. However, the receivers struggle with creating separation.
The passing game can get opened up if the play action usage goes up, same goes for the motion usage. As far as the person throwing the ball, Gabriel has to trust his arm and his eyes and hit those guys if they are open.
Whether head coach Kevin Stefanski opens up the passing game is a mystery, but Stefanski has to be open to it. It’s all about trust, and how much trust Stefanski has in his quarterback to be aggressive remains to be seen.
Diversifying the routes in terms of not having everything be quick and getting the ball out, use more of the intermediate routes, and play action. For the Browns passing offense to grow, the passing game has to grow.
