It’s Victory Monday again. I could get use to this. The Browns are now 4-1. The last time the Browns started 4-1 was 1994. The Browns dropped 32 points on the number one defensive team in the NFL. That’s four straight games scoring 30 plus points. That hasn’t happened since 1968 when the Browns scored 30 plus in seven straight games. Currently the Browns are number 2 in offense, number nine in defense and 27th in special teams. As you can see, this is new territory for many Browns fans.
Lets start with the positives. QB Baker Mayfield was 21 for 37, 247 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. However with Mayfield it was a tale of two halves. In the first half, he was 19 for 29, 228 yards with two touchdowns. Mayfield had to step up in the first half because the Colts run defense is legit. The Browns did rush for 124 yards, but 28 of those yards came on D’Ernest Johnsons game clinching first down run late in the game. RB Kareem Hunt finished with 72 yards on 20 carries. I love how this team keeps running the ball as the game goes on. It was good to see Rashad Higgins make it out of the witness protection program and walk the red carpet after his touchdown reception. And his block helped on Johnsons 28 yard gain. Of course, Landry, Beckham and Hooper were their usual selves. RG Wyatt Teller gets hurt early, Chris Hubbard steps in and the offensive line didn’t skip a beat. Colts DT DeForest Buckner was held to his worst Pro Football Focus grade since week one of 2019. For the third week in a row, the Browns scored before the end of the first half. What’s amazing was the amount of time left for the other team. Week three, 7 seconds, week four, 5 seconds and this game, 32 seconds. That’s good play calling.
One defense, it all starts with DE Myles Garrett. Another sack and his seventh pressure leading to a turnover. To put that in perspective, last year two players led the league in turnovers off of pressure and they were tied with six apiece. Again this week individual players stepped up. LB Sione Takitaki, LB Jacob Phillips, LB Malcolm Smith, S Ronnie Harrison and S Sheldrick Redwine. The defense is slowly getting better. Last, the Browns committed two penalties, TWO. When’s the last time that happened?
As for the negatives. QB Baker Mayfield in the second half. He was 2 for 8, 19 yards and two interceptions. HC Kevin Stefanski admitted today the play calling was at fault. This team has to keep the offensive pressure on all game. Baker Mayfield’s QB rating per quarter, 1st qtr. 77.3, 2nd qtr. 91.5, 3rd qtr. 51.9 and 4th qtr. 7.4. Yikes. The defensive play calling in the middle of the field is horrendous. Opposing WRs are open way too much. They had so much time, I could’ve sworn I saw Colts WRs filling out change of address forms. The safety positions did improve with Harrison and Redwine playing. Harrison had a PFF rating of 79.6 and Redwine with nineteen defensive snaps had a PFF rating of 93.6. The special teams are a mess on kickoff returns. K Cody Parkey was perfect again and P Jamie Gillan kicked a perfect punt to the Indy four that led to the safety.
Injuries are starting to pile up. Mayfield (ribs), Teller (calf strain), Harrison (concussion), Jordon Elliott (knee) and Olivier (groin). Today the Browns finally put CB Greedy Williams on Injured Reserve and will miss at least three games. Mayfield and Teller will get X-Rays today, we’ll have to wait until the injury report on Wednesday to find out anything on the other players. Hopefully Harrison and Larry Ogunjobi will be back for the Steelers game. The defensive line is starting to get a little thin.
It’s Steeler week. I watched a little of their game against the Eagles. Their offense is still totally generated by Big Ben. The Steelers offensive line is average, so disrupting Ben Roethlisberger is the key. On defense, if I’m the Browns, I target former Brown CB Joe Haden. He has definitely lost a step. Eagle rookie WR Travis Fulgham burnt him for ten catches, 152 yards and a touchdown. The Browns offensive line has already faced two of the better front fours in the league in Washington and Indy, so keeping Mayfield upright is a must. On defense, the Browns have to clean up the middle of the field. The 4-1 Browns head to Pittsburg to play for first place in the AFC North. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.