Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and PFF notes: Week 15

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos.

• This was just the second time that Baker Mayfield has thrown for less than 200 yards in a game. He came out red hot on his first series, completing passes to Jarvis Landry and Breshad Perriman down the field. Unfortunately, that excitement kept his passes sailing for the rest of the first half.
• In the second half, the playcalling was structured to settle things down a bit for Mayfield, and it worked. It is unfortunate that his long drive to begin the third quarter ended in a fumble, but he still rebounded in the fourth quarter to help lead the game-winning touchdown drive.
• Mayfield received a 61.1 grade from PFF. He was 1-of-7 on passes thrown 20+ yards downfield, and only completed one of them (the touchdown pass to Perriman). PFF says that it is the first time since Week 9 that fewer than 50% of his deep passes were deemed “accurate.”

• Nick Chubb broke a 30-yard run that was called back late in the game due to a holding penalty. So, what did he do on the team’s next drive? Broke a 40-yard run. It’s too bad Cleveland’s couldn’t seal the victory via the ground, but Chubb had another strong game for his rookie campaign. With two games to go, he needs 140 yards rushing to crack the 1,000-yard rushing mark.
• Per PFF, “Chubb forced five missed tackles and earned 79 of his 100 yards after contact (3.95 YAC average).”
• Duke Johnson played in 39% of the snaps, getting 8 touches (4 on the ground and 4 through the air). Dontrell Hilliard received two snaps.

• Antonio Callaway continues to be steady in catching the ball. I know I am a broken record, but I would really love to hear about how this guy made a drastic difference in his play. He went from dropping 2-3 passes every week in the first half of the season, to now in the second half of the season not dropping a single pass (and making difficult catches too). He caught the go-ahead touchdown pass on a quick slant.
• It seems less likely now that Jarvis Landry will get to 1,000 yards receiving, as he is currently at 827 on the year.
• The two highest-graded players on offense for the Browns were Rashard Higgins (76.0) and Breshad Perriman (71.1). PFF approves of the job that Perriman has been doing since coming to Cleveland:

• It was a quiet day for the tight ends in terms of receiving. The most notable thing is that with Orson Charles on injured reserve, Seth DeValve was playing some fullback.

• Baker Mayfield was sacked twice, and there were only three hits on the quarterback all game. One of those sacks came off of a miscue when trying to do a fake pass/slight of handoff to the running back. Altogether, it was another great job against a pass-rushing team. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb were limited to one sack.