Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 8

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

• I don’t know what opportunities were available downfield for Baker Mayfield, but we need to see him go back to being a little more aggressive in attacking downfield.
• Overall, though, despite the team only scoring ten points, is there much blame for Mayfield here? On the first drive, I still think that’s a pass that TE Austin Hooper should catch near the goal line. On the following drive, two running plays in short yardage situations were stopped, leading to a turnover on downs. In the second half, Mayfield was on track to lead two more scoring drives had WR Jarvis Landry not fumbled and dropped a pass. His supporting cast cost the team anywhere between 9 and 24 points, which was a big difference in the outcome.

• I think Nick Chubb will be more back to himself next week — he usually needs a week after his return to really get going. I didn’t think he was hitting the hole or cutting as decisively as he typically would.
• D’Ernest Johnson had a great cutback on the Browns’ only touchdown of the game. He did drop a pass in the second half, but it was on a third-and-long that was unlikely to convert. Still, field position matters a lot in a game like that.

• This was a very disappointing game for the wide receivers. Jarvis Landry obviously had the fumble and two dropped passes in the fourth quarter, killing the team’s chances of a comeback.
• I don’t know what to think of Odell Beckham. It’s still hard to “blame” him for anything. I think we more so need to blame the Browns’ coaching staff and Baker Mayfield for not collectively getting the offense into a better groove. If Beckham doesn’t fit the gameplan, they should just trade him — not because of his talent, but because maybe it’s just like fitting a square peg into a round hole in this offense.
• Rashard Higgins couldn’t hang on to a pass intentionally thrown behind him, and also had a false start late in the game.

• David Njoku consistently seems to be the top mismatch the Browns have in the receiving game — who can guard him? His targets are too far and few between.
• The tight ends were utilized in the quick passing game early on, which is fine, but that should be mixed in with a few more downfield threats to them too. What happened to the early-season flag routes to the tight ends? The Browns seem too worried about getting completions that they’ve lost their aggressiveness a bit to keep defenses guessing. It’s become a bit predictable for the first time in Stefanski’s reign.

• Jack Conklin will miss time with a dislocated elbow (ouch). Blake Hance has shown to be servicable, but obviously he’s not the All-Pro player that Conklin is. From PFF:

Blake Hance replaced an injured Jack Conklin in the second quarter and allowed four pressures and one sack in relief. Hance played 24 pass-blocking snaps but allowed pressure on 16.7% of those snaps to earn a pending 20.9 pass-blocking grade. He was the only member of the offensive line to grade out below 50.0 in the game, pending review.

* PFF also graded Wyatt Teller as the highest-graded player on offense, receiving a grade of 80.0.