The All-Diamond Drive - a Cleveland Browns Film Breakdown

In their game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cleveland Browns deployed the same formation for an entire drive.

Featuring Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson, and Dontrell Hilliard all sharing the backfield, the Browns’ Diamond formation is similar to a Wishbone formation, though it is slightly different. And though we had seen this formation from the Hue Jackson/Todd Haley offense earlier in the year, the Browns never deployed it quite like this.

Though the drive ended in a bad interception, the idea of using a formation to catch the opposition off-guard and not giving their defense time to adjust is sound. I’d love to see the Browns continue to expand this idea through the use of a fast tempo and no substitutions as many college and NFL teams have done (notably, the New England Patriots).

Here is the breakdown:

The Diamond formation vs. the Wishbone:

via Youth Football Online

via Wikipedia

More on the Diamond from Football Study Hall, the incomparable Chris B. Brown, and Offensive Breakdown