Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 16

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 16 game against the New York Jets.

• Baker Mayfield was not the person to pin this loss on fully. This was a team loss. With that said, Mayfield’s accuracy wasn’t as sharp this week, and he put the ball on the ground three times. That led to 10 easy points for the Jets, and his fumble on the final quarterback sneak prevented Cleveland from having a chance to still pull off a victory despite all the chaos.
• I believe in Mayfield like crazy. Let’s get our receivers back next week, and hopefully we can at least get one of our starting offensive linemen back.

• I think it was a big mistake by head coach Kevin Stefanski to not prioritize getting the ball to Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb on quick passes to the sideline and let them work in space all game. Combined, the duo had 8 catches, which is a good amount for a normal game. Given this week’s circumstances, it should’ve been double that amount. They are quick, simple throws that ensure Mayfield doesn’t have to hold the ball long with two reserve linemen. And, that could’ve presented a threat that opened some options up downfield later in the game.
• Hunt and Chubb found some traction on the ground late in the second half, but had no holes in the first half on the ground.

• Ja’Marcus Bradley, as expected, led the team in wide receiver snaps. That makes sense, given that he’s been on the practice squad all season and should know the playbook the best. He made a couple of nice catches, but also couldn’t haul a few in later in the game (they were tough grabs, but one that you imagine our other guys may have hung on to).
• I was a little disappointed that Derrick Willies didn’t get any looks. But it also makes sense; the guy has only been here for a few weeks and probably doesn’t know much of Stefanski’s playbook.

• Austin Hooper caught a lot of passes early on and ended up finishing the game with 15 targets. However, I thought there were a couple more balls he should have had. He is normally our sure-handed tight end, but there were about three balls that he couldn’t hang on to.
• Harrison Bryant was likewise a disappointment, dropping a couple of passes and not being on the same page as Mayfield. David Njoku, who I thought would get a lot more looks than he did, caught all 4 passes that came his way. The match-up of Njoku against the Jets’ defense should have been utilized more.

• This was not a good game for Kendall Lamm and Nick Harris. Granted, it’s not like they were revolving doors of allowing pressure every play, but my expectations were perhaps a tad too high after seeing how Harris played last week and Lamm played a few times earlier this season.
• Per PFF, Harris “struggled some in pass protection, allowing two quarterback pressures — including a sack — and being beaten on three more occasions.”
• Joel Bitonio was the Browns’ highest-graded player on offense with a grade of 78.6.