Cleveland Browns: Hue Jackson Adds to Legacy of Fullback Shenaningans

Hue Jackson has put himself in the conversation with Pat Shurmur and Maurice Carthon as Cleveland Browns play-callers with infamous fullback blunders

The Cleveland Browns lost to the Washington Redskins 31-20 on Sunday. The game was lost by the Browns largely due to three turnovers that came on consecutive possessions, starting late in the third quarter. Two of those were fumbles came under significant scrutiny, the first for the play-call involved and the second due to the way it was officiated. But the first will probably linger in the memory of Browns fans given the history involved.

Leading 20-17, the Browns were in the midst of an eight-play drive that had gotten them to the 16-yard line of Washington with 1:07 left in the third quarter. While Isaiah Crowell, who rushed for 112 yards on 15 carries for the day, was out getting a breather and Duke Johnson (nine carries for 53 yards) was being checked for a concussion, the Browns had Malcolm Johnson line up as their lone back alongside rookie quarterback Cody Kessler.

Hue Jackson opted to give Johnson his first career carry at this point. Johnson took the ball, got a couple yards before he was stripped by linebacker Will Compton, who recovered the ball for Washington. Washington then responded with a 10-play, 91-yard drive that was capped off by a Kirk Cousins five-yard touchdown pass to Chris Thompson. Along with the extra point, that gave them a 24-20 lead.

This single play didn’t lose the game. The Browns would lose the ball on a Duke Johnson fumble, despite Johnson coming up with the football. Kessler threw an interception to Josh Norman that enabled Washington to finish off the Browns with a Matt Jones touchdown.

Malcolm Johnson doesn’t get a pass for fumbling. He shouldn’t have fumbled the ball. Nevertheless, the question that has to be asked is why was the Browns’ fullback put in as a single back and asked to carry the ball on 1st-and-10 in the red zone for his first career carry?

Yes, Duke Johnson was unavailable as he was being evaluated for a head injury. And yes, the Browns gave Crowell a breather after making a terrific run after a catch to get them the to the 16-yard line and that first down. But was Malcolm Johnson the next best option?

Hue Jackson could have passed there before getting Crowell back in to run the ball. After a big first half, Terrelle Pryor largely disappeared in the second, seemingly due to Washington’s adjustments. Even so, he’s a big target in the red zone and had a touchdown earlier in the game. They also have Gary Barnidge coming off a Pro Bowl season who has been able to make plays in traffic.

He also could have played George Atkinson III, who was claimed off of waivers after cut day from the Oakland Raiders before the season started. The Browns waived Terrell Watson, who was then sent to the practice squad to put Atkinson on the active roster.

To this point, Atkinson does nothing but return kickoffs and rarely even does that. So if he can’t contribute as a running back, why have him on the roster at all? Watson, with his size and strength in addition to good hands as a receiver, likely would have been more useful and could have come in and maybe run behind Malcolm Johnson.

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If none of these options sound good, let the play clock run down and call a timeout. Then go back in with the offense at full strength. It was a pretty important series and a huge opportunity to get a two-score lead.

But no—Malcolm Johnson on the carry.

The problem for Jackson is this adds to his tendency to be too cute with play calling. Give it to the fullback instead of going to more proven playmakers. If Johnson had rumbled into the end zone, Jackson might have looked brilliant. But giving it to the fullback, especially for his first career carry, seems dubious at best.

Johnson never carried the ball in 45-game career at Mississippi State either. He was utilized as an H-back and tight end in addition to being a fullback. His touches came as a pass-catcher, which only adds to how strange the call was. His last carry in a game was at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, AL.

In the best case scenario, Jackson might look smart. But it still looks confusing given the success of other options. What’s more, the Browns got the worst case scenario, having Johnson fumble the ball, Washington recover, and then respond with points to take the lead.

This play adds to a weird history of truly bizarre play calls involving the fullback position. Maurice Carthon, in his tenure as offensive coordinator for the Browns during 2005-06, famously had then rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers throw a fullback pass on 3rd-and-inches intended for Kellen Winslow that fell incomplete.

Jan 3, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles interim head coach Pat Shurmur looks on against the New York Giants during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Eagles won 35-30. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Pat Shurmur unleashed “fullback” shenanigans on the Browns as well during his tenure. In a situation where they didn’t have a fullback, moved tight end Alex Smith to the backfield as a fullback. Shurmur then called a play to give Smith the football, who hadn’t taken a hand off since high school. The exchange was botched and the Browns lost the football.

After the game, Jackson defended the decision in response to being questioned about it being Johnson’s first career carry:

“That has nothing to do with it. Malcolm practices at that position carrying the ball. Malcolm’s a pro football player that gets paid on our football team and he can carry the ball. He’s got to do a better job.”

Jackson is right about all of these things, but that doesn’t make it any less bad a decision on his part. Vickers practiced the pass to Winslow all throughout the week and it was still a train wreck. Even if it worked, it would have been head scratching.