As we’ve been doing for many years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual player standpoint. Like last year, Josh Carney and I will cover the opposing team’s offense. I will focus on the scheme, Josh on the players. Today, our scouting report on the Cleveland Browns’ offense.
Alex’s Scheme Report
Browns’ Run Game
The Browns’ running game is Mike Tyson. Once packed a heavy punch, it is now a shell of itself. Playing from behind certainly hasn’t allowed them to get the ground game going like they’re used to. In 2022 and 2023, the Browns’ offense ranked top-five in rushing attempts. 2024? They’re 30th in rushing attempts with just 224 on the season.
Nick Chubb returned earlier in the season from his devastating knee injury against the Steelers early last year. He’s involved but the production hasn’t been there. He’s averaging an ugly 3.1 YPC with a 39.6-percent run success rate. His snap count has waned the last two weeks, playing about one-third of the time. He has logged at least 11 carries in every game he’s been back, but that might be a problem. A high number of his snaps are carries, a pretty big tell the ball is going to him when on the field. Over the last two weeks, over 50 percent of his offensive snaps have resulted in carries (26 of 50).
RB Jerome Ford has only four more carries this season, 57 to Chubb’s 53, but has been far more efficient—a 5.1-yard average coupled with a 50.9-percent run success rate. D’Onta Foreman has been phased out, while third-stringer Pierre Strong sees a handful of carries. Last week, former first-round pick Ka’Darius Toney received one carry, but it was a failed toss play. But overall, the receivers don’t get involved in the running game.
The Browns’ offense ranks 29th in rushing yards per game (88.5) and 28th in yards per carry (4.0). It has just three rushing touchdowns (tied with Dallas for last). It has just one rushing score since Week 3 and none over its last three games. Its 21 runs of 10-plus yards rank 28th, and Chubb is responsible for three of them. Overall, the run game has been poor.
Schematically, they frequently run to the boundary. Outside zone and gap runs are their favorite schemes, and they’re willing to call both to the short/closed side of the fields. Examples below include a pretty tendency breaker by running counter/power to the same side on which the back is aligned.
They are generally a heavier outfit with lots of 12 personnel. They will also bring in a sixth offensive lineman, usually No. 68 Michael Dunn. He’s served in that role for multiple years and logged five offensive snaps in the last two weeks.
Cleveland likes to use jet action as window dressing to hold backside players and fool the eyes of second-level defenders. It’s mostly for show, and they don’t tend to hand the ball to the jet player.
Some other offensive stats: Cleveland is 31st in scoring offense, averaging 16.2 points per game. Only the New York Giants are worse. They’ve scored more than 18 points just once this year, in QB Jameis Winston’s first start, a 29-24 Week 8 win over the Baltimore Ravens. They’re 27th in total yards with 291 per game.
It’s no surprise to know they’re poor situationally. Abysmal in the red zone, dead last, converting just 28.2 percent of the time. Their red zone offense isn’t much better, at 52.9 percent. Cleveland’s done okay at taking care of the football, turning it over 12 times in 10 games. That’s about the league average.
Browns’ Pass Game
Jameis Winston replaces Deshaun Watson, who is out for the year with a torn Achilles. The offense has improved under Winston. For starters, they’re a more aggressive outfit. In classic Winston fashion, he’s fearless and will push the ball downfield. He’s averaging 7.2 yards per attempt compared to Watson’s 5.5 before getting hurt. Watson had an ugly 3.8 ANY/A before his injury. Winston’s figure isn’t great but markedly better at 6.3.
Winston has a lower completion rate, but it’s a byproduct of pushing the ball downfield. He’s taking far fewer sacks, though he’s still been dropped 11 times in his last three games. Cleveland has been sacked a league-high 46 times this season. Winston also has a higher interception rate and has thrown three picks this year.
The biggest beneficiary of Winston starting is clearly WR Jerry Jeudy. On the year, he’s caught 39 passes for 560 yards and two touchdowns. But in Winston’s three starts, he’s averaging six catches for 98 yards and 0.3 touchdowns (including an 89-yard score last week). With Watson starting, Jeudy averaged only three receptions for 38 yards and 0.1 touchdowns.
Along with Jeudy, TE David Njoku and WR Elijah Moore also have exactly 39 receptions. In fact, six current Browns have caught at least 20 passes this year (seven if you include the traded Amari Cooper). WR Cedric Tillman, RB Jerome Ford, and TE Jordan Akins are also involved in the passing game. For comparison’s sake, the Steelers have just three players with 20-plus catches this year.
Four different Browns have between 2-3 touchdowns this year, so they’re spreading the ball around well.
Schematically, they primarily run out of 2×2 balanced looks. They will, of course, use 3×1 formations, but they run lots of 2×2 to balance out the strength of their formation. Smash is a popular concept to run out of it, a curl/corner combination that works best against Cover 2.
Alert fast motion by the RB from the backfield to the flat as a Fast No. 3/4. In 3×1, they will look to tag and attack the backside 1v1, though it’s not as effective without Amari Cooper, who was a very good X-receiver for them.
In two-minute/end-of-half situations, expect them to use more 3×1. When time is running out near the red zone, they’ll use a constant dosage of four (and even five) verticals out of empty. Allow Winston to try to take some 1v1 shots with the best matchup he sees.
Josh’s Individual Report
It’s Browns week, Steelers fans!
It also comes on a short week after a physical matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are undoubtedly sore and tired, but there’s no rest right now. A big AFC North matchup awaits on the shores of Lake Erie. Though the Browns are a hapless 2-8 on the season, it is still a divisional game and is a location the Steelers haven’t won at since 2021.
This is a different Steelers team, though. It is focused, hungry, and playing some great football, having won five straight games. Even with the Browns being 2-8 on the season, they are showing signs of figuring things out offensively with quarterback Jameis Winston under center.
Winston and the Browns racked up 400+ yards of total offense on Sunday in a blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints, and most of it came on the right arm of Winston, who had a very strong day as a passer.
He still has great accuracy, and his decision-making seems to be much, much better under head coach Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland. He can extend plays with his legs, too, and the accuracy doesn’t wane when he’s on the move.
That’s a great job of climbing in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield, and firing a strike on the move to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, leading to an explosive 89-yard touchdown for the Browns.
That ability to move in the pocket and make throws on the run is rather remarkable. He’s an athletic quarterback who can move in the pocket and throw on the run.
It’s all over his tape in Cleveland so far.
Again, nice job climbing the pocket and breaking out to his right to throw a dime to wide receiver Elijah Moore. That’s great accuracy and ball placement to put it where only Moore can make a play on it.
Winston is still prone to mistakes, though. He is a bit of a gunslinger, one who wants to take risks and hunt the big plays. But he’s playing some very good football for the Browns.
He’s doing so without a full complement of weapons after the Browns traded Amari Cooper to the Bills. Losing the No. 1 receiver isn’t ideal, but Winston is making do with the likes of Jeudy, Moore, and even Cedric Tillman, who has broken out recently.
Tillman is playing good football for the Browns, and Winston trusts him. He’s gone to Tillman quite a few times in big spots, much like he did here against the Baltimore Ravens in a big-time win for the Browns.
Good route out of the slot from Tillman and a great throw from Winston for the game-winning touchdown. Tillman has played well as that bigger slot and has done a good job of getting open and creating separation, which has increased his target share.
Jeudy is the pseudo-No. 1 receiver with Cooper gone. He remains a very good route runner and has a good feel for how to find space and get his head around for targets.
Nice Cover 2 hole-shot here from Winston, too.
The Browns have a great weapon at tight end, too, in David Njoku, who has quickly developed into one of the very best in the NFL. He can line up all over the formation, is a weapon in the passing game, and has made strides as a blocker.
He’ll be a difficult player to deal with on Thursday in coverage.
Matching up against the Steelers’ safeties and linebackers will be a tall task for Njoku, too, but he has had success playing Pittsburgh in the past.
Backup Jordan Akins is a dependable weapon, too. He has great hands and a feel for leverage in coverage, which allows him to work open.
Make no mistake about it, though. This Browns offense goes as running back Nick Chubb goes.
Mr. Chubb, as Mike Tomlin affectionately and respectfully refers to him, is quite the comeback story. He suffered that gruesome injury last season in Week 2 on Monday Night Football against the Steelers, but he’s back now and is playing solid football.
The numbers might not be there overall, but he still looks like himself with good vision, patience, and power.
The key for the Browns is to remain in the game, stay on script, and lean on Chubb. In recent weeks, they’ve fallen behind big and have had to get away from the run, but that hasn’t hindered Chubb’s impact when he does get the rock.
Jerome Ford is more of the backup running back that gets work in the passing game. He was the starting running back early in the season and had some success after having a strong 2023 season, too, but with Chubb back, he’s more of the third-down and passing game option out of the backfield.
The key for Cleveland will be in the trenches, where they are banged up this week, and on a third-string left tackle.
Here’s how I expect them to line up left to right on Thursday:
LT — Germain Ifedi
LG — Joel Bitonio
C — Ethan Pocic
RG — Wyatt Teller
RT — Jack Conklin
Ifedi has played just over 50 career snaps at left tackle in his career, with 43 coming last week in New Orleans. Without a doubt, losing Dawand Jones was a massive blow for the Browns. Ifedi was poor at right tackle throughout his career, and now he’s the left tackle moving forward.
Good luck.
Bitonio has had a down year by his standards, but he’s battling through injury. He still remains solid, though. Teller has been up and down this season after returning from injury, while Conklin has been up and down.
In the past, this was a dominant Browns offensive line. That’s not the case right now.
On special teams, Cleveland is having some issues.
Kicker Dustin Hopkins missed two chip shots last week and has been a mess for much of the season. He’s just 14-of-20 on the year, and both missed kicks Sunday were in a dome. Now, bad weather is expected in Cleveland on Thursday.
Not a great recipe.
Corey Bojorquez is a solid punter for the Browns. He’s averaging 51.42 yards per punt, which is a monster number. On 55 punts this season, he has downed 24 inside the 20-yard line and has a long of 84 yards.
Pierre Strong Jr. will handle the kick returns in the return game, while Jaelon Darden is the primary punt returner. However, Darden has 28 kick returns on the season, so the Browns split the work evenly.
In the punt return game, Darden averages 11.3 yards per return on 20 punt returns. Keep an eye on him potentially shaking loose on one to give the Browns a boost.
