Cleveland Browns: Evolving the Offense

Coming into the 2015 season, the Cleveland Browns offense was supposed to be built around running the football, controlling the clock and limiting turnovers. A month into the season, the running game is struggling and the offense under Offensive Coordinator John DeFilippo has evolved to come up with new ways to create plays while still holding true to the vision they had coming into the year – controlling the ball, the clock and limiting turnovers.

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The past two weeks, the Browns have put up some gaudy passing numbers that were extremely unexpected, especially with the personnel they have on offense, including Josh McCown at quarterback. The running game has been a struggle, but it has also been used as somewhat of a secondary option as well, looking at the disparity of pass plays to run plays.

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Against the Oakland Raiders, the Browns ran 49 passing plays against just 14 runs. Some of that was obviously impacted by the score and the need to try throw their way back into the game. But then against the Chargers in a game that was neck and neck the entire way, the Browns still ran 45 pass plays against 21 runs.

The key with Flip and the offense is how they were throwing the ball. The first three plays of the game, the Browns threw three passes – completing a pass to Travis Benjamin for 9 yards, an incomplete pass to Taylor Gabriel and an incomplete pass to Benjamin. On second and third down and just 1, the Browns passed both times. A move that can easily be criticized and Flip may be the first one to take blame on it.

Nevertheless, the offense tried to get the ball to their two fastest outside playmakers right off of the bat. Both have the ability to stretch the field and test a defense, forcing them to play them honestly as long as the offense can execute. That deep speed can open up opportunities underneath and in the middle of the field.

Enter Duke Johnson. When the Browns drafted him and got him into training camp, they could not stop talking about his ability as a receiving threat and the potential to get him the ball out of the backfield as well as moving him around formations to exploit matchups. The past two weeks, Johnson has run the ball 12 times for just 34 yards, which is pretty bad. Meanwhile, he has been targeted as a receiver 17 times, caught 15 of them for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Be it as a safety valve or in designed routes, Johnson is playing a critical role in the success of the offense. He has been giving linebackers fits who are trying to stop him in the middle of the field whether he is on the move or making a quick move to shake someone to gain yardage on a simple dump. In a few situations, McCown was just flipping the ball at the last second to Johnson and praying he could make something out of seemingly nothing. Johnson did, gaining yardage in some ugly looking situations and picking up five first downs.

His best moment was when he was lined out wide in an empty set with Malcolm Johnson with three receivers lined up on the other side of the formation. Johnson ran a wheel route, able to get behind his defender and made a great catch in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown.

Johnson’s dynamic ability opened up some opportunities and allowed Flip to look extremely smart. With Johnson, the Chargers were worried about him as a receiver and concentrating on Crowell as a runner. Crowell was a bit of a plodder running the ball at 2.8 on 11 of his carries, but exploded through a hole perfectly and was able to get a 32 yard run, forcing the Chargers to play him more honestly. This allowed Flip to call a pass to Crowell which went for a 53 yard gain, seeming to catch the Chargers completely by surprise.

Oct 4, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) throws a pass during the third quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

On the day against the Chargers, the Browns running game looked far better than it had in weeks past. The Chargers run defense is struggling, obviously helpful, but the Browns ran the ball 21 times for 100 yards. The 32 yard run from Crowell felt like a breakthrough for both him and the team. The Browns can plod as a running offense, but if they can just get the occasional big play, it changes the game and opens up opportunities elsewhere.

On top of the 94 yards that Johnson and Crowell ran for (Shaun Draughn had the other 6), they combined for 13 targets, 12 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. While McCown’s 356 yards look gaudy, the more illuminating number in terms of how the game was played is the combined 247 yards, air and ground, that Johnson and Crowell combined for in this game.

Travis Benjamin continues to look like a legitimate weapon, catching another 6 passes for 79 yards this game in addition to his threat as a punt returner. He came close to breaking another punt return for a touchdown as well. His speed as a deep threat is his calling card at this point but he displayed some great route running that enabled to make some plays underneath and toward the sideline.

The Browns clearly miss Jordan Cameron, who may be wishing he was still a Brown the way the Dolphins offense is cratering, but Gary Barnidge has been great. His size and speed were a difficult matchup for opposing defenders, making the receivers’ lack of size far less of an issue. Barnidge is ideally suited to be a second tight end, which is what he was when Cameron was here. He is a do everything type of player that teams love to have on their roster, because he does his job, does not complain, but can stress defenses because when he is the fourth option, they are out of guys to really cover him, giving him space to make plays.

Oct 4, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson (29) celebrates their 34-yard second quarter touchdown with quarterback Josh McCown (13) against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

With the abomination that is Dwayne Bowe, who the Browns should cut immediately, Barnidge is the Browns option with any size, so he has gotten opportunities to make plays and he has taken full advantage. With the huge catch (after review) that set up the game tying touchdown, also to Barnidge, he has caught a total of 12 passes for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns the past two weeks.

The Browns are not the team that was going to dare teams to try to stop their running game that the team themselves tried to suggest. Clearly, that is still where they want to go and the running game is improving. As Mack’s ankle gets healthier and more flexible and the backs get better in terms of seeing and hitting the holes created for them, it should get better. The other part of that is using the passing game to open up running lanes and executing the plays they should make is all it took to do that, but the Browns also made a number of plays that went above and beyond.

Even though the Browns are not running down opponents like grass, they are getting a ton of production out of the running back position and while teams may adjust to a certain point, it looks repeatable. Johnson should continue to be a featured part of the offense that helps to supplement the running game. And just a month into his rookie year, Johnson will hopefully just continue to get better.

Aug 29, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge (82) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest issue with the Browns offense was penalties, particularly presnap. There were too many situations where the Browns put themselves in holes on offense.

In one situation, the Browns put themselves into 1^st and 30. They were able to get 26 of those yards back, but were forced to punt on 4^th and 4. Those missed opportunities add up and prove costly.

The other issue is simply getting field goals instead of touchdowns in certain spots. Red zone offense is an area that needs to be a focus, so they can capitalize on the opportunities they get. If they can score touchdowns and get leads, it puts the defense into better situations by making the opponent more predictable.

On the whole, the Browns offensive gameplan proved successful, finding different ways to mask weaknesses, keep the opposing defense off balance and find ways to get the ball to their playmakers.

Some of it was ugly, some felt lucky, but the Browns were able to run 66 offensive plays, 432 yards, 20 first downs and controlled the ball for 34:19 while scoring 27 points. Considering how this team is structured, that is supposed to be the recipe for a win and may well be as good a game as Josh McCown is capable.

And not only should that be a win, but it should also provide optimism going forward that there are better things to come. Unfortunately, the defense was unable to make enough plays and any optimism is muted by another gut wrenching loss with fans pointing fingers.

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