Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 6

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

• Although we want Baker Mayfield to rise to the occasion, I also get that it’s hard to do so when neither of the offensive tackles, particularly on the right side, can be trusted. Both of his fumbles came from him trying to make a play, and the interception was a case of really bad timing. I think quarterbacks are allowed to have those type of errant throws every so often, and it’s the first interception by Mayfield this season that was due to an errant throw like that.
• The Hail Mary was a thing of beauty, and a similar one thrown at the end of last week’s Chargers game. Between the two, though, I wish the one against the Chargers is the one that would’ve connected. I don’t know what defensive backs are doing on those plays to not be crowding in the end zone — I guess they don’t think Mayfield can get the ball that far.

• Sadly, Kareem Hunt is going to be out for the next 4-6 weeks with a calf injury. With all the crazy movements he does when running the ball, it figures that he gets hurt on a pass play. Hunt had a decent game, but the offense never got into a rhythm to establish the run and there was no sign of the screen game.
• I thought D’Ernest Johnson’s involvement would be a bit more than it was; however, his lack of utilization is also a sign that Cleveland never really got to put long scoring drives together.

• Odell Beckham injured his shoulder during the game, but returned to action. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), Beckham was the Browns’ highest-graded player of the game with a grade of 90.9. However he also couldn’t hang on to a fourth down pass near the goal line, one that would’ve given Cleveland a glimmer of hope to stay alive in the game.
• Donovan Peoples-Jones had one of his best games as a pro statistically, catching two touchdown passes. He was the team’s fourth-highest graded player by PFF with a grade of 83.8.
• A rarity for Rashard Higgins: 3 targets, but 0 catches. He was also the intended target on Mayfield’s interception. Anthony Schwartz got the ball on an end-around, but was stopped for a loss of three yards. Demetric Felton had two catches, but it’s a little tiring seeing him run the same motion pre-snap as much as Cleveland is running it.

• If the tight ends weren’t going to be targeted in the passing game very much, then Cleveland would’ve probably been better off giving the tackles some extra help in protection. There were too many spread formations that Cleveland thought they could get some mismatches out of, but that proved to be too ambitious with two backup tackles.

• Interestingly enough, PFF says that none of Mayfield’s five sacks were credited to the offensive line.
• Wyatt Teller was the Browns’ fifth-highest graded player, with a grade of 76.2. PFF says that JC Tretter didn’t allow any pressures on the day.