Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and PFF notes: Week 6

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns' Week 6 game against the Houston Texans.

Notes:

• Years from now, Kevin Hogan will simply be another name on the infamous quarterback jersey. Hogan’s productivity as a backup was far superior to what DeShone Kizer was offering as a starter. But when Hogan had his big opportunity this week, Hogan’s mechanics went to hell.
• I know it’s common to say, “this is what happens when a defense had a chance to prepare for him,” but I believe this falls more on Hogan succumbing to the pressure and falling into bad habits. Before he was able to come in and act as a savior of sorts, but this time, he was the goat. And once that negative spiral started, he couldn’t stop it. My vote: back to Kizer in Week 7.
• PFF graded Hogan a 28.2 overall for the game. He was 1-of-6 on deep passes with a QB rating of 1.4. He was pressured on 17-of-45 of his dropbacks and struggled in those situations: 5-of-10 with 1 interception and taking 4 sacks.

Notes:

• The Texans allowed some bigger runs in the second half that inflated some of Cleveland’s rushing stats, but it wasn’t bad early on. With Cleveland down 10-3, they were able to drive into the red zone on five consecutive run plays: 8 yards from Isaiah Crowell, 14 yards from Crowell, 6 yards from Duke Johnson, 3 yards from Johnson, and then 1 yard from Johnson.
• The Browns were in the red zone. Then what happened? Delay of game, taking them out of the red zone. 1st-and-15, Kevin Hogan way overthrows Seth DeValve in the flat. 2nd-and-15, the Browns run the same look, this time to Johnson in the flat, and it’s absurdly overthrown into the arms of CB Johnathan Joseph, who gets an easy pick six. That is the third time this season that Hogan has had interceptions lead to over-the-top momentum changers.
• PFF credited the Browns’ running backs, saying that 74 of their 98 yards came after contact.
• Danny Vitale caught his first pass of the season. Matthew Dayes managed to get five snaps somewhere.

Notes:

• One good thing I can take away here is that I don’t believe the Browns’ receivers dropped any passes for the second straight week.
• Kasen Williams was the only player at the position who I looked at and thought, “this guy looks like a contributor moving forward.” He did the same thing as last week — showing the ability to use his body for catches in the 8-10 yard range, and also drawing downfield interference penalties while nearly making an acrobatic catch. Williams was praised by PFF too (74.1 grade) and is 14th in the NFL in yards per pass route run over the past two weeks.
• Bryce Treggs saw fewer snaps this week, but did have a nice 20-yard catch at the sideline. Sammie Coates, six weeks into the season, logged his first catch as a member of the Browns. That’s so ridiculous in a bad way.

Notes:

• As a backup, Kevin Hogan made great use of the tight ends. As a starter, they were non-factors. I’ll have to see the tape to see what was up.
• The garbage time touchdown at the end at least pumped up the unit’s touchdown total, with Seth DeValve catching a fade.
• Why is Hue Jackson obsessed with throwing the ball to David Njoku behind the line of scrimmage?

Notes:

• The Browns allowed 4 sacks and 7 quarterback hits on the day. Spencer Drango saw his first couple of snaps this season as a sixth lineman.
• PFF praised RG Kevin Zeitler for one of his best games of the year, not allowing any quarterback pressures (while his teammates combined to allow 15 pressures). They also say that “over the last two games, Zeitler and LG Joel Bitonio are tied for fourth in pass block efficiency among guards (98.3), giving up just two pressures each and no sacks.”