Browns’ offensive snap counts, stats, and notes: Week 13

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on offense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 13 game against the Houston Texans.

• Cleveland fans saw the team’s worst quarterback performance of the season in Deshaun Watson’s debut, and yet the team still won 27-14. Watson did not lead a touchdown drive, and showed the same exact rust that he did in the preseason. I get that he was going to be rusty, and I get that he hasn’t played in 700+ days or whatever. But the rust still seemed like a step beyond that, with him throwing the ball in the dirt multiple times (not intentionally) and being flustered at any form of pressure.

• Jacoby Brissett came in for one snap, presumably to get the defense thinking QB sneak in a short yardage situation. Instead, the ball was handed off to Harrison Bryant on an end around for a first down.

• The Texans had the league’s worst run defense, so some may argue that the Browns should’ve run the ball even more. But between Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, they had 26 carries for 136 yards. That is typically more than enough, and the decision of when to run vs. pass seemed appropriate — you just need Deshaun Watson to be better to sustain the drives.
• Chubb graded out to a 76.4, per PFF. Also from PFF, “Hunt made a significant impact for the Browns out of the backfield, turning nine carries into 56 yards and adding 18 yards from two catches. In all, 43 of his rushing yards came after contact and he forced four missed tackles.”

• This wasn’t a day where the receivers had much of a chance to shine. Most of the completions to Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones seemed to be over the middle.
• Cleveland was hurt at the receiver position, as Anthony Schwartz and David Bell exited early with injuries. That led to Demetric Felton getting 60% of the snaps as the third receiver, and you have to imagine that he’s a guy who Watson really didn’t even practice with as far as timing and reps go.
• Schwartz fumbled on one of his early opportunities before suffering a concussion.
• We usually don’t point out special teams play, but it’s so rare that the Browns get a punt return for a touchdown that we have to mention Peoples-Jones’ big 76-yard touchdown return to put Cleveland on the board.

• With David Njoku out, it was Pharaoh Brown who saw the most snaps at tight end, and he also received a solid grade from PFF (76.4).
• Harrison Bryant caught one pass, but his biggest play was moving the chains via an end around. Kevin Stefanski loves his end arounds and screen passes with tight ends...

• Joel Bitonio was the Browns’ highest-graded player, per PFF, with a grade of 86.0.
• The Browns allowed 1 sack and 2 quarterback hits. It seemed like a lot more than that, though — it might be related to the depth Watson was dropping back and the offensive tackles not being accustom to where that depth would be.