The Cleveland Browns return to the city without a win from their two weeks out west, wrapping up the trip against the Los Angeles Rams. The team comes back injured and badly bruised. The injuries became insurmountable as they finished the remaining Browns’ stars: Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Amari Cooper. The team returns home to lick their wounds as they prepare for the Jaguars and a battle for wildcard positioning. Wide receiver Elijah Moore had his best game as a Brown, and guard Wyatt Teller continues to stack weeks.
The Browns were competitive against a well-coached Rams team for the first three quarters. The Browns stuck to their roots and showed an effective play-action passing attack off the backs of an inefficient run game. The Browns were unable to generate much offense outside of those staple concepts.
Joe Flacco did an admirable job quarterbacking the Browns after signing with the team’s practice squad just weeks ago. However, the unfamiliarity between the quarterback and offense hamstrung the Browns in obvious passing situations. The Browns will need to spend the week deciding if they want to start Flacco or Dorian Thompson-Robinson on Sunday. Flacco played well enough to beg the question as the Browns are desperate for any offense.
In this week’s studs and duds, we look at five difference-makers in the loss against the Rams.
Dud: RB Jerome Ford
Jerome Ford caught a touchdown on a wheel route on the first drive. It was a great route and catch. Ford is blossoming into a quality receiving back. Unfortunately, Ford’s abilities haven’t translated in the running game. Ford’s an inconsistent rusher; that was the case on Sunday when he ran for 19 yards on nine carries. Ten of those yards came on a single carry. He’s a boom-or-bust rusher.
Ford is at his best when he is galloping through the line of scrimmage, using his momentum to bounce off of would-be tacklers. At his worst, Ford plods toward the line of scrimmage, struggling to read the blocks before getting hit well behind the line of scrimmage.
The Rams were able to sniff out most of Ford’s runs on Sunday. The Browns could not do anything to get the young back going. The team desperately needs a running back to separate themself from their peers. The organization cannot afford to spend half of its carries to test which back will be the best that day. The offense needs every play to go toward scoring points.
Dud: DC Jim Schwartz
Jim Schwartz has done an excellent job unlocking the potential of the most talented defense in the NFL. Schwartz brought a swagger with his scheme that has propelled the defense forward. The scheme has faltered recently, and the swagger has slowly disappeared. The defense should have communicated before and after the snap.
The Rams exploited this weakness as Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford moved the Browns’ defense around like puppeteers. The duo strung the Browns around as their presnap motion would bump the Browns’ defenders down the line like a row of foosball pieces. The Rams seemed to know every check the Browns were making off of the Rams’ adjustments. Puka Nacua’s 70-yard touchdown pass came as the Rams got the Browns into a split safety look after multiple motions.
The Browns weren’t just giving up big plays in the passing game. Fly motion sweeps also terrorized the Browns’ defense. The Rams did a great job of outflanking a Browns defense that wants to get downfield. The Browns need to develop strategies to combat motions. Motions more than injuries have become kryptonite to the defense. Schwartz needs to find a solution to this major problem.
Dud: Defensive Tackles
The blame for the defense does not solely lie at the feet of Jim Schwartz. The Browns’ defensive tackle unit did not show up against the Rams. They were a non-factor in both the passing game and the running game. The four defensive tackles accounted for five tackles as a group. It was a pitiful showing for them as the Rams took advantage of their aggressiveness. The players weren’t able to adapt.
In the passing game, they were a non-factor as Matthew Stafford deftly moved around the pocket all day. Stafford loves a shallow pocket that makes it harder for edge rushers to bend the arc and blindside the quarterback. Defensive tackles need to dent the interior of the pocket so the quarterback has no room to step up.
The Browns’ defensive tackle group was unable to generate any penetration, making it harder for Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith. Stafford was allowed to set up camp on Sunday. The veteran quarterback finished the game with a clean jersey. The Browns were unable to sack Stafford and barely pressured him all day. The results are completely unacceptable. Stafford is a sharp quarterback.
He will beat any team that gives him the time to do so.
Stud: WR Elijah Moore
Elijah Moore played an excellent game on Sunday. The wide receiver was a threat at every level of the field, just as the Browns envisioned this offseason. For the first time, it felt like the team correctly used Moore. As a receiving threat and not just a gadget player. Unfortunately, the season is almost over and Moore has shown most brightly with his former Jets teammate, Joe Flacco.
Flacco’s trust in Moore was discussed by both players all week. Their bond proved true on Sunday. Flacco’s arm strength helped highlight Moore’s deep speed as the pair connected multiple times on Sunday. Moore did a great job of stepping up to replace a concussed Amari Cooper. Hopefully, he can continue in this role after Cooper heals up. The Browns need all the firepower to ignite a listless offense.
Stud: OG Wyatt Teller
Wyatt Teller did a great job on Sunday. The guard faced his toughest opponent of the year in future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. Teller was able to keep Donald in check for most of the game. Teller had no problem keeping the rest of the Rams defenders in check.
Teller was a weapon in the run game as the Browns used him as a puller for their power concepts. Teller was able to knock off heads and clear lanes in those situations. Teller was strong and fast on Sunday, and the game was one of the best he played all season. If Teller can finish the season on a strong note, the veteran guard should be awarded a First-team All-Pro selection.
