Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 15

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 15 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

• This was a solid game for Nick Mullens, who only had one practice with the first-team offense before getting the start. Although some may say the offense was conservative at times, Mullens wasn’t getting enough help from his receivers in the first half. In the second half, he led what I wish had been a game-winning touchdown drive, converting several key third down throws and then the fourth down touchdown pass.

• Nick Chubb seemed to be in a mini funk for the past three games, part of which can be attributed to the Ravens’ defense for back-to-back weeks. In the first half of this game, you could still tell from the eye test — there were those plays you saw where normally, you’d start bracing yourself for Chubb to make a defender miss in a one-on-one situation, but instead he was being tackled easily. That changed in the second half, and it helped propel the team to two second half touchdowns. Sadly, the run didn’t work on the all important 3rd-and-3 that would’ve sealed the game.
• D’Ernest Johnson played 18 snaps, but only touched the ball once.

• I was frustrated with Donovan Peoples-Jones in the first half, as he wasn’t able to haul in several catchable passes. He turned things around in the second half, but it would’ve been nice to have helped Mullens out much earlier in the game.
• Rashard Higgins caught 3 passes, but just doesn’t seem to be viewed as a focal point of the offense.
• How can Demetric Felton go from a creative weapon in the preseason/early part of the year, to being a guy it feels like we’re wasting reps on now?
• Anthony Schwartz returned from a concussion, but only played 13 snaps and was not targeted.

• David Njoku probably should’ve been targeted a little bit more against this Raiders defense. On the two passes he didn’t catch, they were nearly big plays, but one was just barely out of bounds and the other was broken up by a safety.
• Harrison Bryant snagged two short yardage passes for a first down and touchdown, respectively, on the team’s big touchdown drive.

• Joel Bitonio made his first career start at left tackle, and as far as I could tell, he played a clean game. Per PFF, “Cleveland’s front five was excellent in pass protection nearly across the board.”
• The run blocking for the reserves wasn’t strong, as PFF says that Michael Dunn and Blake Hance struggled quite a bit in that area.