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 Dallas Cowboys.

• Another week, and another game in which Baker Mayfield did what he needed to do. He didn’t turn the ball over, had good timing on several key first down throws to Jarvis Landry, and added a couple of red zone touchdown passes to Odell Beckham and Austin Hooper. The increased use of his tight ends was nice to see.
• We also saw Mayfield throw a handful of balls away, rather than forcing the ball into coverage or taking a weird sack/grounding penalty. That is a little progress, to an extent, but sometimes he still needs to be a bit more comfortable staying with the pocket. The good thing is that as the Browns’ offense becomes more and more crisp, so does Mayfield’s body of work. The action he is doing to the left side of the field was turned up a notch this week, and it was brilliant.

• What an incredible game for the Browns’ offensive line and these running backs.
• The injury to Nick Chubb certainly stings, and its impact will be felt more against tougher defenses, including the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday. However, the Browns are still well-equipped in the run game, as evidenced by the productivity from Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson, and Dontrell Hilliard.
• Kareem Hunt didn’t dominate the game in touches after the injury to Chubb, although he saw work at the goal line and a few other earlier situations. While Hunt moved well, he was dealing with a groin injury, and I think the plan all along was to get Johnson some reps as a backup to Chubb.
• This state comes from Pro Football Focus:

The Browns ran for 307 yards while averaging a ridiculous .47 expected points added on designed runs, the highest mark of any team in a game this season. Even after star running back Nick Chubb went down due to injury, Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson picked up the slack — both averaged at least 4.7 yards after contact per rush.

• And then some other fun stats regarding the run:

• I know the Cowboys’ secondary (and defense as a whole, apparently) is terrible. Nonetheless, this was a great game for Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry. Beckham is using his speed and quickness to get open, and the chemistry between he and Mayfield is getting better. The touchdown pass that Landry threw to Beckham is one they’ll always remember.
• With JoJo Natson out, the Browns ended up using Beckham on the end around plays, and good lord, did it work out or what in the fourth quarter? We’ve seen Beckham go backwards in the past, but after he ran around the oncoming rusher, I thought, “Oh, whew, he may actually get close to a first down on this.” And then he raced up the sideline, finishing the touchdown celebration off with a nifty soccer kick of the football.
• Going by what Landry has said, he still isn’t 100%. If that’s the case, then Cleveland used him perfectly against Dallas: making sure hands catches beyond the first down marker.
• Before the game, KhaDharel Hodge suffered an injury, but was already “active” while Rashard Higgins was inactive. That means Cleveland was down to just three receivers, so Donovan Peoples-Jones was suddenly thrust into 44% of the snaps. He wasn’t targeted and did have a block in the back once, but credit to him for an assist on this block:

• It’s clear right now why Higgins isn’t playing on gameday. He is the backup receiver if the team has an injury to Beckham or Landry. But that No. 3 receiver role, Kevin Stefanski wants a blocking receiver.

• Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant had their highest level of involvement in the passing game of the season, combining for 9 catches for 85 yards and 1 touchdown. The blocking ability of Bryant continues to impress.
• David Njoku says that he is coming back this week — we’ll see. If he does, he showed in Week 1 how he can be a nice weapon even with limited reps.

• Fans may remember him for the play that contributed to Nick Chubb getting hurt, but right guard Wyatt Teller freaking dominated again. He was the Browns’ highest-graded player on offense by PFF with an astounding grade of 96.7. Per PFF, Teller is the highest-graded guard in the NFL, and Jack Conklin is doing a solid job at right tackle too:

• Conklin mysteriously missed four snaps early in the game. I haven’t seen it addressed in the news, so I assume it was something like an equipment issue or getting something taped up. Chris Hubbard filled in for those snaps.

• Mayfield was sacked twice during the game, but did not take any other quarterback hits.