Despite Mounting Challenges, Browns Offense has Means to Beat Ravens
The Cleveland Browns hoped to come out of the bye week refreshed and in a position to take a step forward on offense, but continue to deal with challenges on the health front which notably included the unexpected loss of tight end David Njoku due to COVID-19. Despite the obvious challenges, the Browns do have avenues in which they can improve as they face off in a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens.
It's a challenge for the Browns to lose Njoku on the heels of losing Harrison Bryant in the first matchup against the Ravens. Likely not having rookie Anthony Schwartz, who has been out with a concussion suffered in arguably the most violent hit of the entire 2021 football season also away takes a means to create space.
Bryant was the second leading receiver in the first matchup before suffering a high ankle sprain while Njoku has historically done well against the Ravens. For all the things Schwartz isn't at this point, he is still track fast.
Even if he doesn't play to the 4.2 he is capable, he still forces opponents to account for him, which likely forces a safety to back up, creating space underneath and breathing room at the line of scrimmage. Absent Schwartz, the Browns are limited in their options that can create that spacing.
For all of the players the Browns will be without in the rematch against the Ravens, a key option they will have back in a bigger way is Kareem Hunt. Hunt played in the first matchup, coming off of the calf injury that had him on injured reserve for over a month, but he wasn't all the way there.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't acknowledge he was on a pitch count, but he wasn't as prevalent as he otherwise would have been and the calf tightened up at the end of the game, forcing him to miss the final drive of the game.
Two weeks later, Hunt is seemingly full go as is Chubb and that's important for the Browns. Hunt is a player that has succeeded against the Ravens in previous matchups and causes their defense discomfort in how they match up, which is exacerbated by the loss of Marlon Humphrey with a season-ending injury suffered against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the shoot out on Monday Night Football in 2020, the Browns offense broke through and took off once Hunt was spread out as a receiver. Initially covered by a linebacker, it became obvious that wasn't going to work and they had to start using more capable coverage options, including their corners. Even that had mixed results, but after the Ravens had initially stifled the Browns wide receivers, they were able to find space to operate.
Not only should the Browns utilize Hunt in this manner, they should do it with Chubb on the field, be it in the backfield or out in space. Force the defense to account for Chubb as a run threat while also having Hunt threatening them with his size and physicality on the outside.
One of the ways the Browns sought to attack the Ravens in the first matchup was to play big, using 12 and 13 personnel to force the Ravens to play base. The Ravens aren't comfortable in base, especially in pass coverage. That enabled the Browns to average 9.9 yards per pass in these situations.
Hunt is another good option in that scenario, but particularly with the loss of Njoku and Bryant, they may want to tweak it with Hunt being a primary threat. The Browns could use jumbo personnel, having a sixth offensive lineman, Michael Dunn, line up as a second tight end.
Immediately, that makes the Browns more physical at the point of attack while potentially protecting Blake Hance if he's indeed the right tackle again. It limits his exposure at tackle.
Sacrificing a receiving option for a lineman could help the Browns create more space in the running game on its face. The bye week, allowing the offensive line some rest, while the Ravens had to play the Steelers could also help.
Accompanying that switch could come additional creativity with play calling, utilizing multiple backs. Hunt and Chubb stand out, but the Browns could use three if they were so inclined. Simply utilizing the best 11 players at their disposal, it's not difficult to see how they could get here.
It creates additional avenues of attack in the running game as well. The Browns could line up or motion Hunt to a wing. From that position, he could be an extension of the blocking scheme or come across to kick out a defender. It also opens up play-action opportunities.
Just as importantly, the Browns could hand the ball to Hunt at a different angle while the defense is still watching and accounting for Chubb. Get the defense going one way while the ball is going the other for example, stretching them horizontally.
The sheer ability to cause problems with motion would be helpful and something the team has been missing. Outside of tight end shifts, it's been something the team has lacked.
One major goal for the Browns is to stay out of third and long, which has been a challenge for this offense in the best of circumstances this season. Against the Ravens, it limits their ability to put in their dime rush package, forcing them to play more base.
This could be way to help achieve it.
And as much as this sounds like advocating for the Browns to turtle up and slam the ball into a wall hoping to eventually find their way through, that's definitely not the case.
More teams are incorporating concepts like jet sweeps and end arounds to attack the perimeter of defenses or at least keeping them honest. Hunt could be a dynamic threat in that capacity, but he's not alone. Demetric Felton and D'Ernest Johnson could be factors, while having Hunt do something else to draw defensive attention.
It forces the Ravens to play bigger, where they are already uncomfortable while adding an extra element to consider.
Force the defense to make an extra read or check. If they have to at least consider which back is getting the ball in the running game and where, not unlike what the Ravens do with Lamar Jackson, it creates one more element to process. Simply planting that seed could pay dividends in the game.
In the first matchup, the Ravens sent run blitzes to time up and try to knock out the play in the backfield, putting the Browns behind the sticks. Patrick Queen is an impressive athlete, but doesn't always process information at a high level. The Ravens simply eliminated the read variable by sending him on the blitz, tasking him with getting into the backfield and chasing the ball. This could enable the Ravens to pause and consider that plan, especially if they get gashed because the ball isn't anywhere near the blitz.
Tightening down too much becomes a major risk. It shrinks the amount of field a defenses has to cover, giving them more freedom to send blitzes to create additional early pressure. Defensive coordinators make the reasonable gamble they can cover the remaining field long enough to outlast the play.
The Browns may have played big personnel in the first matchup, but they varied their alignments, spreading them out enough to try to limit issue preemptively. Hunt's ability to line up wide is hugely valuable in continuing it.
This could also enable some organic rub concepts to free up receivers that have struggled against man coverage. That could lead to some explosive plays in a passing game that desperately needs them.
This all fits into Stefanski's offensive philosophy, which is akin Bruce Lee's mantra of flowing like water. While there are plenty of offenses opt to find ways to fight against what defenses want to take away, trying to figure out ways to get through it and get playmakers the ball, Stefanski has often focused on taking what the defense gives them.
Rather than fight against the lack of tight ends in addition to their underwhelming wide receiver position, the Browns should lean into what they have; a talented stable of backs with enough versatility to put stress on a defense.
On the Browns best day, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt should be in their top 11 players on offense. With injuries and other issues ahead of this game, they are easily the best two best.
While it has been reasonable in the past not to overwork these two, trying to avoid a situation where they were unavailable, D'Ernest Johnson has earned credibility to come in and operate as a relief option. Demetric Felton can bring an additional skill set, both as a back and a receiver.
They can employ those players without taking away from Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones, the three best available weapons on offense outside of Chubb and Hunt. They are simply flowing into their best 11 offensive players and forming the offense around them.
It may not be how the Browns were hoping to operate their offense in week 13 of the NFL season in a pivotal matchup that could decide their playoff viability, but they can move the ball, generate points and win.
It's the same approach the New England Patriots took into their game with the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Bill Belichick was applauded for winning the game while quarterback Mac Jones threw just three passes.
The Patriots didn't set out to do it that way, but they game planned to their strengths and they leaned into what they believed would give them the best chance to win. That's all the Browns offense need to do in any game they play, but certainly how they will take on this challenge against the Ravens.
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