Simplicity Created Browns’ Upset Opportunity
Photo Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
I’ll be the first to admit, I came into this Sunday thinking the Cleveland Browns were treating Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers like an NBA “rest game.” With Deshaun Watson still nursing a shoulder injury and multiple offensive linemen out, it felt like an unwinnable matchup.
Boy, was I wrong. Not only did the defense hold the league’s best offense to 215 yards, P.J. Walker and the Browns’ offense found a way to be productive, especially when they had to be. Kareem Hunt had his best week of 2023, and Amari Cooper continues to prove he is an elite NFL wide receiver as he hauled in a couple of tough catches.
Even though I was ready to give up on the Browns on Sunday, it’s clear that the coaching staff and players never gave up, which says a lot. From the scuffle on the field before this game started, to recovering after giving up an interception returned inside the 10-yard line, this team finally showed they had some heart.
BROWNS WIN!!! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/0dnMQ00Lr4
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 15, 2023
So, what changed for the Browns over the bye week?
The biggest difference I noticed was the simplification of the offense and a better rhythm of play-calling. Kevin Stefanski was sharp on Sunday. Walker certainly played well and made a few throws, but he was put in a good situation by his coaches.
It was noteworthy that didn’t need as much time to develop. The Browns certainly took a few shots, but for the most part, it was a three-step drop, one read, and the ball was out. Walker wasn’t waiting for a receiver to clear or a window to open, he was slinging the ball quickly.
Additionally, the Browns ran the ball better on first down, and Stefanski mixed up the calls. For the first time this season, I felt like I didn’t know what was coming, and the 49ers certainly felt the same way.
Not only does that help the running game, but it also helps the offensive line. When the opposing team doesn’t know if it’s a run or a pass, they must be less aggressive and react to the play rather than pinning their ears back and either getting quick pressure or hitting the running back before the line of scrimmage.
Not all of their improvement was so straightforward. I’ll be the first to admit that if Jake Moody had hit the 40-yard field goal to win the game, I’d be bashing this offensive line for a few missed assignments and killer penalties. Instead I’m going to focus on some of the good.
The 49ers’ defensive line is as good as any in the league, and the Browns racked up 325 total yards of offense, including 160 yards on the ground. If this offensive line didn’t hold up as well as they did, these numbers would be far worse.
Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt were a great one-two punch, and Walker was an effective passer, a few ugly balls aside. And even though he was under a fair amount of pressure throughout the day, the 49ers only got him on the ground twice; neither were awful sacks that completely ruined a drive.
#Browns RB Jerome Ford was one of the main catalysts for today’s HUGE win.
He averaged almost 5 ypc, had multiple runs of 12+ yards, and displayed the vision and power that this team has been waiting to see in 2023.
Excellent effort by 34. #DawgPound
pic.twitter.com/lHbNkisC0G— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) October 15, 2023
Michael Dunn was asked to fill huge shoes at left guard for Joel Bitonio, who hasn’t missed a game since 2016 because of injury. And, for the most part, Dunn looked great.
I still want to see Jedrick Wills and Wyatt Teller clean up the pass protection and penalties, but overall I was pleased to see a little more help from tight ends and running backs to make sure the defensive ends weren’t left in true one-on-one matchups.
This defense has been elite all season (minus a drive or two against Baltimore), but on Sunday, they took it to the next level. Not only were they dominant, but they played with grit, almost to a point where you could tell that Brock Purdy didn’t want to be on the field anymore.
The defensive line got pressure quickly in passing plays, and the defense backs were on the wide receivers like glue on passing plays. The D-line also ate up blocks and allowed the linebackers and safeties to make plays in the running game.
The #Browns defense has allowed just 1,002 yards this season, the third-fewest through a team’s first 5 games since the 1970 merger, via @ESPNStatsInfo
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) October 16, 2023
At the end of the day, the 49ers had a chance to win the game but didn’t. In the NFL, you take any victory you can get. I don’t care if Sunday was a matchup with the 49ers or the New York Giants without Daniel Jones, a win is a win, and 3-2 is a heck of a lot better than 2-3 would feel this week.
You could tell that Jim Schwartz had talked to his group and they knew that if they weren’t on top of their game, this team had no chance. And this wasn’t just the Myles Garrett show either. Za’Darius Smith, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Denzel Ward, and several others jumped off the tape today and it was a full team effort.
The Browns will now start to focus on the Indianapolis Colts, who will almost certainly be without their starting quarterback. But Indy has still found a way to stay competitive and won’t just be an easy win for the Browns, any more than the Browns were for San Francisco.
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