Browns Magic Power? Unlocking bad rushing teams, backup RBs

The Cleveland Browns are 3-7 in the 2022 NFL season. The disappointments are all over the place with the team with many expecting big changes sooner rather than later.

The shocking part of this season is that the expectation was that the defense would carry the team while awaiting QB Deshaun Watson. The second half of the 2021 season saw that side of the ball come together, control games and make big plays. Coming into this season, the majority of the defense was back together with some young players brought in to provide depth.

Instead of building on last year’s success, the defense has fallen apart in a variety of ways. Blown coverages, lack of big plays and a run defense that has made rushers look like Jim Brown over and over again.

For the year, Cleveland’s run defense is giving up 135.1 yards per game.

A look at individual games this year that the Browns lost also presents some shocking information:

• Jets - Breece Hall averaged 7.1 yards per carry (on just seven carries)
• Falcons - Backups with little experience, Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley, rushed for 140 yards on just 20 carries (7.0 yards per carry)
• Chargers - Struggled to run the ball all season but against Cleveland rushed for 238 yards on 34 carries (7.0 yards per carry)
• Patriots - Despite Damien Harris being out, New England still had three rushing touchdowns. Somehow, rookie Bailey Zappe controlled the game in the air throwing for over 309 yards but the run game was still strong.
• Ravens - 44 carries, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns without JK Dobbins.
• Dolphins - Similar to the Chargers, Miami was struggling to run the ball before their game with the Browns. Instead of continuing that struggle, the Dolphins ran for 195 yards on 33 carries.

Before Week 11, the Bills were also struggling. Cleveland’s magic power kicked in once again:

All Browns fans are aware of how bad it has been but the data is shockingly bad when put into context.