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 Atlanta Falcons.

• Jacoby Brissett had a strong first half, completing 13-of-18 passes for 171 yards, and also running for a touchdown. In the second half, he completed 8-of-17 passes for 63 yards and 1 interception. The second half lull started with him just missing Donovan Peoples-Jones off of a playaction pass; he just wasn’t as sharp in that second half.
• It seemed like an OK game for Brissett. I thought he played well above his norm the past two weeks against the Jets and Steelers, respectively, before settling back to being average in Week 4. It wasn’t a terrible performance by any means; there were just some more plays to be made out there. Also, it is now twice (against the Jets and Falcons) where Brissett had the ball in his hand and could have made a different play to get the team into long field goal range for K Cade York. Instead, he tried to push the ball deep down the seam, and both times he’s been intercepted.

• I’m sure Nick Chubb hoped for an even bigger game, but who can complain about averaging 6.2 yards per carry?
• There were two goal line situations where Chubb couldn’t get in — on the first drive, Cleveland tried to hurry up and run a play after getting to a 3rd-and-1, and he was stopped for a loss of 1 yard. In the second quarter, Chubb got the handoff on 1st-and-goal from the 1 yard line, and was stood up and nearly fumbled it. Cumulatively, both drives ended in a total of 3 points, when you expect 14.
• Chubb was the highest-graded non-offensive lineman on offense by PFF, grading out to a 72.4.
• Kareem Hunt again made the most of his work, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Brissett tried to get him the ball on a screen pass twice — at the end of the first half, and the end of the game, and both times he couldn’t get it past the defensive lineman for the design of the play. On the final play where Brissett was picked off, Hunt was also wide open for the dumpoff and would’ve gotten York in range for about a 50-yard field goal attempt.
• D’Ernest Johnson was active for the first time and played one offensive snap.

• Amari Cooper only had one catch after having had back-to-back 100-yard games. It’s not the worst thing in the world, considering Donovan Peoples-Jones sort of replaced his production, but you’d still like to see your top receiver a little more involved in the action.
• David Bell caught two nice passes and was the target on the interception; had the underneath defender not been there, I wonder if Bell would’ve secured the grab.
• Even if Anthony Schwartz’ reps have been reduced, you’d like to see a potential end around or reverse go to him, as opposed to David Njoku. The give to the receiver was very effective when Jarvis Landry was here, so why has it disappeared from the playbook?

• David Njoku was involved in the passing game again, which is great to see. Not-to-great is the fumble that he lost at the beginning of the game, leading to Atlanta’s only touchdown of the first half.
• Harrison Bryant seems to be a safety valve target for Brissett, although he did go to him on an important play with four minute to go in the game. I didn’t see a replay of it, so I couldn’t tell if Bryant dropped it on the bullet pass, or if Brissett put it too far out in front. Had that connection been made, Cleveland may have been able to run out the clock and kick a game-winning field goal.

• Jack Conklin was the Browns’ highest-graded offensive lineman with an 86.7, per PFF. He was followed by Jedrick Wills (76.1) and Joel Bitonio (72.4).
• The Falcons registered 1 sack and 7 quarterback hits.