After a bad loss to the Broncos, the Cleveland Browns have spent the week in Los Angeles, California, preparing for the Rams on Sunday. I believe the team had the right idea of putting distance between themselves and the Broncos game. The theme of this week’s “Data Dump” is reminding ourselves of the season, not the results of one game. It’s about the cumulative work of a team battling injuries and adversaries throughout the season.
The Browns announced that Joe Flacco is the backup quarterback if starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson is not cleared from the concussion protocol. If Flacco starts, he will be the fourth quarterback to start for the Browns this season. While Browns fans are accustomed to starting four or more quarterbacks in a season, winning those games is a welcomed change. Unfortunately, four quarterbacks over 13 weeks is a death knell for an offense that will certainly rank near the bottom of the league in most metrics and categories.
The defense is the team’s shining star leading us to the playoffs. They still rank at the top of the league after an uncharacteristically rough game against the Denver Broncos. They have a chance to correct the course against a Rams offense that has been red-hot the past two weeks.
Let’s reflect on how the Browns are doing this season in spite of their injuries.
Recap of the Broncos game
The Browns had the offensive production of a team that started a rookie quarterback and then had to replace him. The metrics paint a perfect story of what happened on Sunday. The Browns defense had one of their least successful games all season and still held the Broncos to an average offensive performance.
NFL Week 12 – Advanced Stats Review
Cleveland Browns 12 – Denver Broncos 29 pic.twitter.com/2GYjEAhgbe
— SumerSports (@SumerSports) November 27, 2023
Browns fight towards the fourth tier
The Cleveland Browns are teetering between tiers four and five as the offense cannot find consistency at quarterback.
~~ 12 weeks into the NFL season ~~
If the Steelers make the playoffs and Bills do not, we riot (just kidding) (sort of) pic.twitter.com/1uexYp7zbS
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) November 28, 2023
Success rate on offense and defense
The success rates of the Browns offense and defense are a tale of two teams.
How consistently each defense prevents their opponent from earning a new set of downs.
I think the Bengals' defense is the single most overrated unit this year. They are not what they've been in seasons past (could throw Eagles defense in there too) pic.twitter.com/CBhEvQLTLv
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) November 28, 2023
Early down efficiencies
The Browns have been unable to find success on early down play-action passes as they have in seasons past. As a result, the Browns are one of the least efficient offenses in the NFL.
Rushing and passing efficiency on early downs
The Panthers/Giants/Jets are in the corner of sadness pic.twitter.com/6AoDMXewyU
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) November 28, 2023
The Browns are still aggressive on fourth down
The Browns have done a good job remaining aggressive after finding an answer at kicker. The team has found a solid balance of allowing Dustin Hopkins to score points while keeping one of their best strategic edges in the NFL.
How often teams make the correct decision on 4th down (according to my bot).
More than half the league is getting it right more than half the time- dramatic improvement from a few years ago!
Meanwhile, the Bengals are horrible at this pic.twitter.com/afLqFjbSXE
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) November 28, 2023
Browns still dominant in the trenches
Ending Data Dump this week with my favorite metric, which combines the subjective grading of PFF with the tracking data from ESPN. The play of the Browns offensive line has rapidly deteriorated over the past few weeks. The team is battling numerous injuries to their starting and backup tackles. The Browns desperately need to find a replacement for left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. who may return at the very end of the season.
All trench measures from PFF and ESPN
The Eagles are very good in the trenches and the Giants are…not pic.twitter.com/3uaLJbQMUC
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) November 28, 2023
