Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and PFF notes: Week 8

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

• The Steelers kept blitzing Baker Mayfield and Cleveland’s protection had no answer for it. The gameplan on the team’s first drive of the game was a sound one — get RB Duke Johnson the ball in space in the flat, and then negate Pittsburgh’s blitzing pass rush with running plays with Nick Chubb. But you can only go so long without a downfield threat.
• As the game went on, Joe Haden was ready for every receiver screen that Cleveland threw. On Mayfield’s interception in the first half, he was in the middle of calling some type of adjustment when JC Tretter snapped him the ball — and Mayfield just chucked it deep right, presumably because he tried to make something out of an abandon play of sorts.
• Mayfield isn’t absolved of blame here. His throws were a bit high and not on target. Something needs to be done about the pass protection — I look at the time to throw that Ben Roethlisberger was afforded to throw and would love to see what Mayfield could do with that same amount of time. When Pittsburgh brings an extra man, they get a free lane. When Cleveland brings an extra man, Pittsburgh so easily picks it up.

• It was extremely frustrating to see Duke Johnson get the first two plays of the game (2 catches for 16 yards), and not have a reception the remainder of the way. It’s like — “we have something that works, so let’s not use it again.” Johnson’s injury may have played a factor, but then why did he still play 21 snaps after that?
• I thought Nick Chubb had some really nice runs in the first half, going 10 carries for 52 yards. In the second half, he had 8 carries for 13 yards. That’s what happens with an imbalanced offense, though. Lots of Cleveland’s success seemed to involve running from a non-heavy package, yet they’d insist on bringing in heavy packages in which they were out-matched.
• Dontrell Hilliard played some snaps late in the game and had a nice catch-and-run for 24 yards.

• If I’m looking for a shred of optimism this week, it is the fact that Antonio Callaway made two very tightly-contested catches, and also did not drop the wide receiver screens that were thrown to him. The touchdown grab was his second of the year.
• Jarvis Landry wasn’t getting separation, and to have 8 catches for 39 yards shows just how limited his downfield presence was. His longest catch went for 21 yards on a scramble play, so besides that, he had 7 catches for 18 yards. How many times did Cleveland want to go to the same play before realizing it wasn’t working?

• 54 snaps for David Njoku, and he wasn’t targeted once all game.
• In need of offensive playmakers, the Browns once again refused to play Seth DeValve...that is, until the final (garbage time) drive, when Mayfield targeted him twice for 28 yards, including a touchdown. Remind me again why he isn’t seeing at least a third of the snaps each week?

• The Browns allowed 2 sacks and 7 quarterback hits.
• Week 1 against Pittsburgh was a bad game for LT Desmond Harrison, and the Steelers exposed him again in Week 8. Per Pro Football Focus:

This was a rough one for left tackle Desmond Harrison. He struggled to protect the edge in pass protection and took two bad holding penalties, both being charged as a result of him tackling a much smaller defender in space.

• I am not saying that JC Tretter should be benched, but you can tell he is laboring a bit on his ankle when the pressure comes up the middle. If I’m the Browns, I look at the fact that the bye is coming up in three weeks. Cleveland should consider moving to Austin Corbett at center for these next two games, giving Tretter more than enough time to heal up — and you also get to see what your No. 33 overall pick has to offer.
• Greg Robinson was the lucky sixth lineman to get two bonus snaps this week.