Power Rankings: Top Post-Draft Offenses (16-20)
Dec 1, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon (12) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Browns 4-12
Last Season’s Rankings: #17 Overall Offense (339.4 total yards per game) #11 Passing Offense (252.9 passing yards per game) #27 Rushing Offense (86.4 rushing yards per game)
Last Season
First week of the season nobody expected Brandon Weeden to be replaced by Jason Campbell, first week of the season nobody expected the Browns running game to see six starting running backs and first week of the season nobody expected to see Josh Gordon lead the league in receiver in the manner in which he did. I think that 2013 for the Browns was exactly the same in that they lost 12 games, however it was different in that they found new ways to lose. In 2013 the Browns ranked poorly in nearly every offensive category, ranking dead last in rushing touchdowns (four), second to last in completion percentage (55.7%), seventh in interceptions (20), 23rd in yards per carry (4.0), third in sacks allowed (49) and 27th in points per game (19.3 points per game). Their lack of a solid running game ended up dooming them for 2013. Campbell and Weeden and the Browns actually ranked 11th in the league yards, however because of their 27th-ranked running game, they only ranked 17th overall.
Run Offense
After the atrocious showing of running back talent last season, the Browns are looking to have a massive overhaul of their running game. In the off-season the Browns got rid of most of their running backs and added former Texan Ben Tate and drafted Terrence West out of Towson. Other than the addition of Tate, West shouldn’t really have any competition in the backfield. Perhaps the combination of Tate and West could be a lethal one-two punch for the Browns. When you think about it Tate and West could be the name of a famous New York law office or something to that extent. If that is the case, than the Browns mean business in the AFC North this next season. At Towson, West rushed for 4,854 career yards and 84 touchdowns. In his junior season at Towson, West was able to rush for 2,509 yards and 41 rushing touchdowns. With that type of production, it was impossible for the Browns to pass up on West. Perhaps with West’s speedy bursts and Tate’s efficiency, the Browns’ offense could be humming next season.
Compared to last season, the Browns are much more prepared in the running game. Last season saw Fozzy Whittaker, Bobby Rainey, Chris Ogbonnaya, Willis McGahee, Edwin Baker, and of course Trent Richardson. For the Browns there were actually some bright spots such as Chris Ogbonnaya who actually rushed for 240 yards on 49 carries (4.9 yards per carry) along with 343 receiving yards out of the backfield. The problem wasn’t necessarily that the entire Brown’s backfield was horrible, it was just that the Browns didn’t give the ball to the right backs. Edwin Baker and Ogbonnaya both rushed for over 4.0 yards per carry, yet Willis McGahee got the majority of the touches (138) even though he rushed for only 2.7 yards per carry. I think next season with Tate in as back, the Browns should have a solid starter. I think Ogbonnaya will come in on shotgun situations where he could be used to block or catch passes out of the backfield because he can be elusive. As well, the Browns solidified their offensive line in the off-season with OT Joel Bitonio from Nevada. I think where the Browns will be successful is in that Coach Mike Pettine will be firm with his starting running back, not flip flop from back to back like in 2013. If Tate performs poorly after a certain amount of time, put in another back but don’t keep the players guessing. Tate was a yards per carry machine in Houston and I expect nothing different in 2014.
Pass Offense
Everybody knows about Johnny Football, his antics and most importantly: his playing ability. Analysts predicted Manziel going fourth overall to the Browns, however the draft ended up much different than expected. The Browns ended up making a few trades and viola, Johnny Manziel was selected as the 23rd overall selection. What came as no surprise to us was the comments stated by Head Coach Mike Pettine which said Manziel would not be the Brown’s starting QB in 2014. Everyone in Cleveland has waited eagerly for a player like Manziel. The amount of resewn jersey’s to include all of the Browns’ QBs has gotten out of hand. I believe with Manziel, the Browns’ are not getting necessarily a franchise QB, however they are getting relative short-term excitement and production (something that is hard to come by in Cleveland). With such receiving talent such as TE Jordan Cameron (over 900 receiving yards in 2013), Josh Gordon (1,646 yards and 9 touchdowns) and recently acquired Miles Austin (averaged 970.75 yards from 2009-2012), Nate Burleson (averaged 731 yards from 2009-2011) and Andrew Hawkins (caught 51 passes for 533 yards in 2012), the Browns needed a QB to throw to those receivers. As it stands right now Johnny Manziel is not one player at all. In fact in the grand scheme of this draft Johnny Football is two players: a). an absolute bust with improper mechanics and small frame or b). an unstoppable offensive dynamo.
On the boom side, he is fast and incredibly agile. As you have seen in his college days at A&M, Manziel has the ability to start and stop and zoom around defenders with relative ease and composure. Where Manziel is a boom candidate is not only in that he can run, but that he can escape pressure and make plays. Look at the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against Duke. Manziel and the Aggies were down by a 21 point half-time deficit and ended up scoring 35 points to win the football game 52-48 over the Blue Devils. Say what you want about the kid; “he is the next Tim Tebow,” “he’ll never be a proper NFL Quarterback,” “he’s got bust written all over him.” The fact of the matter is that he makes plays. You can not deny his play making ability and the ability to make something out of seemingly nothing. From an owner’s standpoint Manziel is a goldmine. Not only will you get added ticket revenue, but you will get jersey sales and people actually watching your games. At the same time though, I have to admit Manziel has some bust tendencies.
He is not as big as some of the other QBs, which does have its own downsides, however that shouldn’t necessarily define him as a player. Time and time again people have considered height into the equation of future NFL success and I can say that nobody has truly solved the equation quite yet to be making judgements based on size alone. Often we have seen a bit of inappropriate on and off the field behavior that NFL owners will cringe at. However, that is what fuels his competitive drive and spirit and is exactly what Cleveland needs at a time like this.
The NFL has seen it’s share of booms and busts. (Everyone remembers the unfortunate ballad of Ryan Lief). With Johnny Manziel, he has too much to lose in the NFL. Although he may be 6’1″, 207 pounds, he is one of the most talented QBs in this year’s draft. For starters, Manziel runs a 4.68 40-yard dash time, 31.5″ vertical leap, and can shuttle in 4.05. Looking at his playing style though is where Johnathan Football separates himself from the rest of the pack. He’s fast, but it is how he uses that speed to his advantage that really makes him a worthwhile QB. For instance, because he is a dual-threat QB, he has the ability to tuck it and run if persuaded. However, as the NFL becomes smarter and smarter about the read option offense, the use of dual threat QBs will start to get less and less as well. For the time being though, if pressured in the pocket, Manziel can use his nimble and agile body to avoid defenders and throw a strike down the field. I will admit that Manziel is a gamble, he is. But they don’t call the NFL ‘The Big Show’ and they don’t call Johnny Manziel ‘Johnny Football’ for nothing.
Johnny Football was an absolute beast in college football ever since he started his first game at A&M. During his freshman season, Manziel was a scoring dynamo, passing for 3,706 yards, 26 touchdowns on just nine interceptions and a 68.0 completion percentage while rushing for an astonishing 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns on 201 attempts (an insane 7.01 yards per carry). His performance in 2012 earned him the Heisman trophy, the only Freshman to do so in NCAA history. Next season in 2013 Manziel was admittedly not as dominant as his freshman season, particularly in the running game, however he was able to work on and improve his passing game exponentially. In 2013, Manziel passed for a healthy 4,114 yards and monstrous 39 touchdowns on a 69.9 completion percentage (completed 300 out of 429 pass attempts) while adding 759 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns from scrimmage. Manziel’s season was tough to say the least, however in big games against ranked Alabama, Auburn, Vanderbilt and Duke, Manziel played extremely well, passing for an average of 401.25 yards, 4.25 touchdowns and a 73.95% completion while adding 57.5 yards per game on the ground. The stats speak for themselves, the question is whether or not he can sustain it against NFL defenses. Only time will tell.
In picking JF2K14 (Johnny Football 2014), some may argue Manziel will drag the Browns down, however I believe that Manziel’s leadership and tenacity/passion for the game will help them rise above. Manziel is technically a pocket passer by design, however where he excels most is outside of the pocket. When looking at Manziel from the outside looking in; great and perhaps a bit underrated arm strength, not that of Bortles or Carr where they can bomb footballs down field, but he can still throw it medium range with great accuracy and speed. What is great about Manziel is his great accuracy in the pocket, but also his undeniable ability to complete passes on the run and in high pressure situations. Because he has the magic touch, throws under pressure and across his body can be made with relative ease by Manziel. His throwing motion is compact, but he uses all of his genuine arm motion when slinging the football.
For those not familiar with Hoyer, join the club, not many people do. He started out his career as a undrafted free agent out of Michigan State. As a Spartan, Hoyer was able to pass for an average of 2,564.5 yards per season, 55.15% completion and 29 total touchdowns. After Michigan State, he went undrafted and signed with the Patriots. He then bounced around numerous teams before landing himself in Cleveland where he actually got a chance to start last season. He did pretty well too, averaging 295 yards per game with five touchdowns in those two games that he did start before tearing his ACL against Buffalo. I think that Hoyer will and should probably be the starting in 2014. Had he not injured his knee last year, Hoyer probably could have lead this Cleveland team to a decent record. I see this season being Hoyer’s time to shine. After being a journeyman for so long, I think that 2014 is when Hoyer really establishes himself as a starting QB in the National Football League. As for Manziel, he’ll be watching from the bench for most of the season. Only reason I see for the Browns to change to Manziel is if Hoyer’s production goes down and the Browns aren’t winning any games. I think with Manziel’s supreme running ability, the Browns coaching staff could turn to him later on in the season in order to make up for a lack of offense. It is all in due time however, and ultimately, a decision to be made as the season unfolds.
Regardless thought of who the starting QB is, the Browns do have some other great additions. For instance, they added mean OT Joel Bitonio out of the University of Nevada. Out of the University of Navada, Bitonio was rated one of the best and one of the meanest offensive tackles from the Mountain West. The pickup of Bitonio was absolutely crucial to Cleveland’s success next season. Last season the Browns ranked one of the worst teams in sacks and yards rushing per game (49 sacks allowed, ranked 3rd-worst as well as 86.4 rushing yards per game, ranked 6th-worst in the NFL). I think if Bitonio shows up and plays, he could be big for the Browns. They already signed some key offensive lineman in the off-season and (granted there are no injuries) should see the sack total go down.
In general, while I don’t really consider this Browns team “loaded,” they have a lot of talent on their offense. Andrew Hawkins is perhaps an underrated sleeper who has the ability to add clutch receptions when needed. Burleson and Austin are gray beards compared to Gordon and Hawkins, however that experience has lasted them their entire careers in the NFL. Not to mention Gordon and Cameron will be coming back. Cameron is both good looking and I think if Gordon shows that he can be the star in Cleveland, the Browns passing offense could potentially be top-10 in 2014.
In The End
I think that 2013 (like most other years for Browns fans) was just an unlucky season. To me the Browns are exactly like the Cubs, every year they add somebody new, get a new coach, get a new QB (pitcher) and everyone is always excited to see if they will win it all. I think this season (unlike the 2014 Cubs) the Browns will see glory. The simple star potential of Brian Hoyer, Ben Tate, Josh Gordon, Jordan Cameron and Johnny Manziel is quite simply too much to overlook. If the Browns end up doing poorly on offense, I don’t think it will be the players faults. This team has too much talent on offense to fail miserably like years past. Stay healthy and perhaps the Browns will reach the ever elusive January (football’s October).