Cleveland Browns: Where to go from an embarrassing 4-4 start

Cleveland Browns: Where to go from an embarrassing 4-4 start

Offensive Playbook Needs to Change

Bootlegs, running the ball downhill 60% of the game, and a few deep shots. That’s what got the Cleveland Browns to the dance last season. And yet, the bootleg has all but disappeared in Kevin Stefanski’s playbook, and the running game was nowhere to be found on Sunday.

Is it because he doesn’t want his quarterback – dealing with a fully torn labrum and fractured shoulder – to turn away from the defense and risk further injury? Maybe. But if that’s the case, then the team needs to make the tough call of sitting Mayfield until it can be done.

Let backup Case Keenum do what Mayfield is hindered from doing right now. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but if players can’t perform what they do best, then they need to rest until they can.

As for the running game, it’s obvious that half of the best backfield in the NFL is missing with Kareem Hunt on IR, but we know what we have in D’Ernest Johnson, so that doesn’t quite add up.

The offensive line is also banged up, with the Browns announcing RT Jack Conklin will miss several games with a dislocated elbow, but that is one of five men gone. Coaches need to figure out a way to make plays inside and outside of the box or focus on the left side of the line. The injuries there are not nearly severe enough to excuse the absence of touches for the running backs these last few weeks.

And lastly – maybe give offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt one game to call the shots. It’s hard for any NFL HC to give up play-calling duties, whether it be pride or trust, but it is clear the analytics-driven Stefanski is becoming inconsistent in his ability to call plays consistently, but we’ll get to that later.