Snap Count Analysis: Pierre Strong Sees Highest Usage Yet With Browns
We’re breaking down some of the top takeaways from the snap counts in the Cleveland Browns’ wild 39-38 win Sunday over the Colts.
- RB Pierre Strong Jr. saw his highest snap count total yet with the Browns and played 23 snaps (31 percent) of the offensive plays. He hadn’t previously played more than 13 snaps in a game, and he saw an increased amount of work even before lead back Jerome Ford left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
Strong finished with eight carries for 25 yards, which was third on the Browns behind Ford and Hunt. The performance wasn’t a memorable one, but Strong has still averaged a respectable 4.9 yards over 21 carries this season, and he could see a larger share of rushes if Ford is forced to miss any time.
Oct 22, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) runs the ball while Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) defends in the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
- After seeing over 80 percent of the snaps in each of the first five games, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones played a season-low 46 snaps (61 percent). Some of that load was moved to WR Marquise Goodwin, who saw a season-high 18 snaps.
- Second-year WR David Bell saw a season-low three snaps after previously attaining at least eight in the first five games. Rookie third-round WR Cedric Tillman was a healthy inactive for the game.
- T James Hudson III (eight snaps) and C Nick Harris (six snaps) each were occasionally used as extra blockers.
- After leaving last week’s game with a concussion and clearing concussion protocol this week, LB Anthony Walker Jr. was on the field for all 70 of the defense’s snaps. His dependability was especially needed with the absence of LB Sione Takitaki, who missed the game with a hamstring injury suffered in practice earlier in the week.
- With Takitaki out, LB Tony Fields II also saw a season-high 32 snaps. Fields recovered the fumble Myles Garrett forced on Colts QB Gardner Minshew in the end zone in the second quarter, which was his second career defensive touchdown.
