Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 2

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 2 game against the New York Jets.

• We are two weeks into the NFL season, and Baker Mayfield still hasn’t quite hit his stride yet for the 2019 season. Against the Jets, he seemed to have some trouble seeing the field and held on to the ball a few ticks too long. His dropbacks were very deep, and some of his throws were delivered as he is almost falling backward (fortunately, he has the arm strength to get it there). Something needs to improve with getting the plays in to Mayfield, too — he would line up often and barely have time to read the defense before just snapping the ball to avoid a delay of game penalty.
• One reason that Mayfield could be a bit off is not having that trust in his outlet receivers. Last year on third down, those guys probably would’ve been Rashard Higgins, David Njoku, or Duke Johnson. None of them were available against the Jets, for different reasons.
• I thought Mayfield’s most comfortable looking throw was the quick hitter to Beckham that ended up going the distance. On the next series, he also lobbed the ball deep for Taywan Taylor. It fell incomplete, but it looked like more of a confident throw. The interception that Mayfield threw wasn’t a bad ball — the defender made a good play on it. In hingsight, you can say that we should play more conservative there, but that’s not something you can just teach Mayfield — he is who he is.

• This week, we got to see a sample of the time split that the Browns intend to use when RB Dontrell Hilliard returns to action — and maybe even when RB Kareem Hunt comes back for the second half of the season. Nick Chubb had 61% of the snaps and the bulk of the carries, but D’Ernest Johnson played 39% of the snaps and seemed to handle the blitz well.
• Combined, the Browns’ running backs caught 7 passes for 78 yards. Mayfield’s propensity for throwing the ball deep, even on third-and-long, helped draw the defense back later in the game for Cleveland to wisely sneak in some screen passes to the running backs.

• We saw two highlight-reel, game-changing type of plays made by Odell Beckham Jr against the Jets. His one-handed catch down the sideline early on looked darn-near impossible to haul in. And then, on the 89-yard touchdown catch-and-run, Beckham showed off just how fast he is:

• Pro Football Focus also had Beckham as the Browns’ highest-graded player on offense for Week 2:

• Jarvis Landry played the most snaps among the receivers. He made a great catch at the end of the first half to set up a field goal. There were a couple of high-and-short passes that Landry couldn’t haul in during the game, but I blame Mayfield for those miscues.
• Damion Ratley showed some nice speed in this game, but is still considered just a fill-in until Rashard Higgins can return, hopefully this Sunday. Taywan Taylor saw his first snaps on offense of the season.

• The early concussion suffered by David Njoku meant that Cleveland had no receiving threats at the position for the rest of the game. I’m sure we’ll see Mayfield eventually hit someone like Demetrius Harris or Pharoah Brown for a 30-yard pass this season, alas Darren Fells from a year ago, but for the most part, they just seem way too slow with suspect hands to be viewed as a viable starting candidate.

• The offensive line improved dramatically in Week 2. Mayfield was sacked three times, but two of them were coverage sacks in my opinion.
• Cleveland only had to play their starting five offensive linemen, thanks to Greg Robinson for not going on kicking spree again.