Browns offense finds identity on way to first victory
Cincinnati CLEVELAND —
Bengals cornerbackWilliam Jackson III hit on something significantwhenhe analyzed quarterback BakerMayfield after the Browns prevailed 35-30 on “Thursday Night Football” in their home opener at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Mayfield had a habanero hot start in prime time as he repeatedly rolled out of the pocketonplay-action passes.
“I feel like they were just playing it safe for the quarterback, giving him a little momentum,” Jackson said. “He’s great outside of the pocket. When he’s in the pocket, he’s kind of suspect. They wanted to get himoutside the pocket and let him be an athlete.”
Mayfield has excelled as a play-action passer throughout his NFL career, even when his overall game regressed last season.
Sowhen the Browns hired KevinStefanskiasheadcoach in January, he laid out his vision for catering to Mayfield’s strengths in an offense predicated on running the ball behind wide-zone blocking and passing it off play action.
The systemStefanski long admired and then learned fromGaryKubiak last season in Minnesota didn’t take its classic form with the 2020 Browns (1-1) until it unitedthe rushing and passing attacks against the Bengals (0-2).
It’s a goal Stefanski didn’t achieve in Sunday’s 38-6 season-opening loss to the defending AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens. Although the running game proved to be successful in Week 1, the passing game leftmuch to be desired, and Stefanski drifted away from play action.
However, the two key elementswereinsyncThursday.
“It makes it real tough to figure out run and pass,” Bengals defensive tackle D.J. Reader said, “especially whenthey’re running stretch and outside zone with cuts.”
The offense establishing
its identity led to Stefanski’s first victory as a head coach, an occasion commemorated by Browns players giving him a game ball in the locker room afterward.
It also provided Mayfield with amuch-needed boost.
“It builds an enormous amount of confidence,” Mayfield said. “With us not having the extended week to prepare, just to come out here and execute whatever is called, you go out there, do your job and trust in that system that there are going to be holes.
“If you establish that run game [and you’re] taking care of the ball, then you’re going to have success. I think that’s going to build confidence for us, and us playing complementary football with the defense, that’s the scary part is ifwe start clicking and keep getting better, it’s going to be a fun ride.”
Mayfield finished 16 of 23 passing (69.6%) for 219 yards andtwotouchdownswith an interception for a passer rating of 110.6. He didn’t take a sack and ran three times for 5 yards. He helped the Browns convert 5 of 8 third downs after theywent 3 of 12
in the same category against the Ravens.
He led the Browns to a 21-13 halftime lead by going 11 of 14 passing for 167 yards and two touchdowns with a rating of 156 in the first half. He completed his first five passes for 98 yards and a touchdown with a perfect rating of 158.3 until an intentional grounding penalty snapped his hot streak with 8:55 left in the second quarter.
Of Mayfield’s first five passes, three were off play action, including the 43-yard touchdown pass he threw to widereceiver OdellBeckham Jr. as the quarterback bootlegged to his left. Beckham beat Jackson with a double move, and his TD allowed the Browns to seize a 14-3 lead with 11:54 remaining in the second quarter.
“Great throw and catch on the touchdown to Odell — reallywell-executed,” Stefanski said. “We just want to keep growing as an offense. I hope this is not the ceiling.”
Actually, at this point, the Browns shouldn’t even be scratching the surface of the offense because they didn’t begin practicing it
on the field until last month as a result of an offseason altered by theCOVID-19 pandemic. And without preseason games, they didn’t receive any live trial runs until the real games began.
Running backs NickChubb (22 carries for 124 yards, 5.6 average, and two touchdowns) and Kareem Hunt (10 carries for 86 yards, 8.6 average, and a touchdown, plus a receiving TD) were dominant.
“If youcan run the ball like that and then marry up the passgamewith itandmake it all look similar, you’re going to have success,” Mayfield said.
Andthe truth isChubband Hunt dragged the Browns across the finish line.
After Mayfield’s pass intended for rookie tight Harrison Bryant on second-and-4 fromthe Cincinnati 26-yard line was intercepted by Jackson with 11:22 left in the fourth quarter, the Bengals cut their deficit to 28-23 when rookie quarterback Joe Burrowthrew a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiverMike Thomas with 5:55 remaining.
On the next series, Stefanski called nothingbut running plays. Chubb 4 yards. Chubb 26 yards. Hunt 33 yards. Hunt 1 yard. Hunt 10 yards. Hunt 1-yard TD with 3:55 remaining.
Burrow answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Tyler Boyd with 43 seconds left, slicing the Browns’ lead to five points one last time, but fullback Andy Janovich recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal Cleveland’s win.
Stefanski refused to call the victory a morale boost coming off an embarrassing 32-point loss in the opener.
“We don’t ride thewave,” he said.
But everyone knows the Browns needed a lift.
“We were determined to get back on track,” defensive endMyles Garrett said. “We don’twant that to be our legacy — that first game — and we don’twant that to be the story told about the 2020 Cleveland Browns. We had to make a stand very fast, and tonight was the night to do it. Guys responded.”
Mayfield wasn’t perfect, but he answered the bell. And the offense looked the way it’s designed to look.