Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 4

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 4 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

• This was a vast improvement for the Browns all around offensively, including Baker Mayfield. You could tell from the second series of the game that Mayfield’s biggest flaw from the first three games — which was flushing to his right too early instead of standing confidently in the pocket — had been eradicated. Of course, there are still things that Mayfield needs to work on, but this was more of the Mayfield that we saw in 2018.
• Mayfield’s accuracy was sharp throughout the game. Cleveland still has some red zone issues they need to iron out when they try passing the ball, but that will be more of a team effort thing.
• Per PFF:

Mayfield’s pocket presence continues to be worrisome. Today he struggled to keep his feet set, and on several occasions, he backpedaled out of a clean pocket and threw off his back foot.

• This was an incredible game for Nick Chubb, and I liked his load management a lot more this week. He had 23 touches and logged three touchdowns, forcing missed tackles on pitch plays and later showing his electrifying speed when he has an open seam.

• Dontrell Hilliard’s usage was back to normal this week, as he played 36% of the snaps. Some of those snaps were because the game was out of reach on the Browns’ final drive, but even without those, he would’ve played over 25% of the game.

• Besides the misread by either Baker Mayfield or Jarvis Landry on the read-option interception, this was a great game for Landry. He turned a shallow crossing route into a 65 yard gain in the first half, a play in which he hilariously stumbled for 30 yards before finally falling (untouched). He also made the right read on the creative play in which he could have optioned to Odell Beckham Jr. It’s a shame that he had to leave the game early (concussion symptoms), but on the first non-penalized play without him, Nick Chubb ran for 88 yards.
• Odell Beckham Jr. was a little frustrated on Sunday. There were two passes that I would consider drops by Beckham. However, his impact of the game was still a major influence. It’s the reason why Ricky Seals-Jones busted a big gain off of broken coverage. It’s the reason Landry’s option play got as many yards as it did.
• I hate to pan on Damion Ratley, but this was the least impressive game he’s had. Most people will remember that he couldn’t haul in Beckham’s awesome bomb on the triple reverse pass. He was also penalized early on for a blindside block (it’s the rule, but I hate seeing that called). With Antonio Callaway returning from suspension next week, that probably cuts out Ratley’s playing time, and may cost Taywan Taylor a roster spot.

• The story of the game at tight end was Ricky Seals-Jones, who caught 3 passes for 82 yards and 1 touchdown. He saw an uptick of snaps this week, getting in on 21 snaps as Demetrius Harris and Pharoah Brown played more of a blocking role. This was probably the ideal usage of the three tight ends in terms of snap count distribution while David Njoku is out.

• I can only assume that Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard were pulled for a kneeldown at the end of the game, regarding why they each missed a snap.
• Baker Mayfield was only sacked once all game, and that game on the first series. More impressively, that was the only hit that Mayfield took all game. With the protection and the efficient blocking on pitch plays, this was the offensive line’s best game of the season.