Taking a final glance inside and outside the box score of the Browns’ 18-13 win in Jacksonville, specifically focusing on Cleveland’s offense.
The Browns ran a lot of plays, 65 that counted and 72 including penalties. They used a lot of players in their various offensive packages, in part searching for some answers and in part to keep players fresh in the Jacksonville humidity.
The Browns didn’t have a lot of points, scoring only one touchdown, but the offense was much crisper than it was in the season-opening debacle despite again dealing with penalties. Deshaun Watson led a 16-play touchdown drive to open the game, and Cleveland also had two other drives cover at least 12 plays. The Browns converted just 2-of-14 third downs, but they extended drives by going 3-for-3 on fourth-down tries, all with Jameis Winston as the short-yardage quarterback.
All wrinkles and personnel packages were in play. All three of the Browns’ running backs played on the first series. D’Onta Foreman went from playing one snap in the first game to becoming the starter — and closer — in Week 2. Rookie Zak Zinter played 14 snaps as an extra offensive lineman in jumbo packages, and backup center Nick Harris logged 10 snaps as an extra blocker. But the jumbo packages are probably part of the team’s tight end shortage, and David Njoku’s absence played a part in Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy combining for 14 targets from Watson. That Moore and Jeudy both mostly delivered was a part of the marked improvement from the passing game.
The Browns have had at least three wide receivers on the field for 86 percent of their snaps through two games. There probably wasn’t a whole lot to take from the Week 1 loss in terms of personnel tendencies because Cleveland spent the last 35-plus minutes playing at a significant deficit, but the game in Jacksonville was more revealing. In Week 2, the Browns were in 11 personnel — one running back, one tight end — on 36 snaps, and they ran 17 plays with Watson alone in an empty formation, per TruMedia. Watson operated out of shotgun on 67.7 percent of snaps.
After the run game contributed little in the opener, the Browns got more production and showed more variety in Jacksonville. Watson ran both by design and to escape pass rushers. Foreman had 14 carries for 42 yards, and though Jerome Ford only got seven carries, he had the biggest gain of the day with a 36-yarder out of a fourth-down jumbo package. The Jaguars got caught in the middle expecting a Winston sneak, and Joel Bitonio and Harris both threw blocks to help Ford find daylight on the edge. On Winston’s second conversion via sneak, he followed a crushing block to Wyatt Teller to just enough daylight.
ROMEEEEEE! @JeromeFord down the sidelines for 36yds! pic.twitter.com/i5oDJvzyYb
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 15, 2024
Besides creating a new set of downs, what does successfully running the ball do?
“It tires out the defense,” Bitonio said. “And a simple thing: You get confidence from going forward, not back, all game. It gives you a chance to better sell the play-action fakes and make (the defense) respect the different sets you show them. Truly the main thing is it helps the line get into a rhythm of the game. You’re hitting, you’re sweaty and (when) you’re getting good contact on defenders, I think that just helps you get in a rhythm. And that helps the whole offense.”
Progress from the QB
Summing up how things went for Watson in a game in which he was much more comfortable than in the opener.
Best play: The obvious pick is Watson’s 1-yard touchdown run to open the scoring. It capped an impressive 89-yard march that took more than nine minutes. On second-and-goal, Watson ran on what appeared to be a designed keeper from the empty set with Harris and Zinter lined up out wide. Utilizing Watson as a weapon in the run game, at least on occasion, can help the Browns keep defenses guessing.
His best throw of the day came in the fourth quarter with the Browns facing first-and-15 with 5:40 to go. On a day when Watson mostly threw short, this was a 30-yard route to Jeudy off a play-action fake. The ball was on time and almost perfectly placed, and Jeudy secured it along the Browns’ sideline. Watson’s average depth of target for the day was just 6.7 yards, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, but that deep throw was his best of the season.
JERRYYYYYY #CLEvsJAX on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YdGLdrfE1D
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 15, 2024
Watson and Jeudy hooked up twice along the other sideline for key conversions — one early and one on the play following the 30-yarder — on plays that were improvised. Part of the Browns wanting Jeudy was because of his ability to accelerate and adjust on those scramble drill-type plays. Through two games we’re seeing that vision come to life.
Worst play: Watson trying to make a throw with the Browns protecting a five-point lead in the final 100 seconds. Throwing incomplete cost the Browns about 45 seconds and gave the Jaguars at least a glimmer of hope.
Why was Kevin Stefanski calling a pass play on third-and-6 with 1:37 left? Because he wanted to end the game. Stefanski called that play trusting his quarterback to either take an easy throw or take a sack. After the game, Stefanski said he was “mad” at Watson for not taking a sack but got over it quickly. Both Sunday and Monday, Stefanski said Watson got a game ball for his work.
“I’m not going to say comeback performance. That’s our starting quarterback out there making plays,” Stefanski said. “I thought his pocket movement, making plays off schedule was incredible. A couple of those throws down the field were really, really impressive and he never blinked.”
Areas of concern: Going just 2-of-14 on third downs is not generally a winning formula. The heavy lifting done by the Browns’ defense allowed them to win despite that.
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There’s another concern, too, and that’s the slow start by wide receiver Amari Cooper. Dating back to the start of camp, Watson and Cooper have appeared to lack chemistry. Cooper has just five catches on 17 targets in two games, and both of his drops in Jacksonville could have been costly. Cooper already has three drops this season. As expected, Stefanski said he’s not concerned about Cooper’s slow start.
“Small sample size,” Stefanski said. “I’ve seen it click with those two guys many times, so we’ll just keep working.”
Watson’s completion percentage in Jacksonville was 64.7 percent and, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, his expected completion percentage was 67.5. Considering that Watson in Week 1 had a 53.3 completion percentage with an expected completion percentage of 63.8, that’s progress. PFF has graded eight Watson passes as drops, the highest number of any quarterback.
“With Deshaun in particular, we played clean, we played on time, and I thought he spread the ball around,” Stefanski said. “He was very good in his reads, really throughout the day. But he kind of took what was there, if (target) No. 1 wasn’t there, moved on to No. 2 and played really clean.”
Depth chart, injury report
Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward was limited to 11 snaps with a shoulder issue that was listed on last week’s injury report. It was likely overlooked because he was a full practice participant all week. Ward started the game but was subbed out frequently in the first half, and he only played situationally later. When Ward was out, Greg Newsome II played outside and second-year cornerback Cameron Mitchell played in the slot. When starting cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. left briefly in the second half, Mike Ford Jr. played outside cornerback.
Myles Garrett had another strip-sack, and his presence on the Alex Wright safety forced Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence to step up in the pocket and basically into the arms of Wright, who quickly secured Lawrence and a crucial two points. But Garrett was limited to 41 snaps by a foot injury that he believes might linger. Garrett got a day off of practice last week, and that might again be in this week’s plans.
the man is in beast mode 😤 @Flash_Garrett | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/qqyusX8WaB
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 15, 2024
Stefanski gave non-answers when asked about Ward and Garrett on Monday. The coach did say he’s not ruling out Njoku for this week’s game versus the New York Giants and that there’s “a chance” Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin can make their season debuts. Both missed the entire offseason with knee injuries. James Hudson III has started both games at left tackle, and Germain Ifedi has twice been called up from the practice squad to serve as the primary backup tackle. Ifedi played 11 snaps Sunday when right tackle Dawand Jones left due to cramping.
Wide receiver David Bell is out for the season after suffering a dislocated hip in Jacksonville. The Browns had seven wide receivers on their active roster last week. How they replace Bell might depend on how they replace backup running back and key special teams player Pierre Strong Jr., who left the game with a hamstring injury. Stefanski said Strong is “week to week,” and when Stefanski says that it generally means the player will miss at least one game.
The Browns have running back Gary Brightwell on the practice squad. Cornerback Tony Brown II is probably the first practice squad call-up candidate for special teams snaps, while Cleveland’s potential kick return options include James Proche II, practice squad wide receiver Kadarius Toney and bringing back Jaelon Darden, who was waived late last week after handling the punt return duties in Week 1. The Browns officially signed Toney last Tuesday, but he sat out practice last week with an undisclosed injury.
(Photo: Jeremy Reper / Imagn Images)
