If You Have No QB, Why Not Run The Ball More?

Recently, we mused on social media about what team in what sport would be the first team to go with an “old school” approach in building a team and in terms of style of play.

One of the reasons behind the thought was the Cleveland Browns and their constant search for a quarterback and using that need as the reason they cannot put together a winning team.

If you don’t have a “franchise QB”, why not just become highly proficient at running the football? We understand that would present its own set of challenges, such as what do you do if you fall behind, especially in the second half. That’s when a team needs to throw the ball and if you can’t do it, the team is essentially screwed.

Last year, the Baltimore Ravens threw the least number of passes in the NFL at 422, 24.8 per game, and they actually ran more than they threw, averaging 29.8 running attempts per game. That figure was almost three passes fewer than the next team, the Washington Commanders. The Ravens also ranked second in the league in rushing yards.

Buffalo and the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks also run more than they threw, but again, that might be a product of being ahead late in games and running the ball to keep the clock moving.

They did have Derrick Henry, who was second in the league in rushing behind Buffalo’s James Cook. The Bills led the NFL in rushing yards as a team.

Buffalo finished the season 12-5 while the Ravens were 8-9.

We thought back to when the Browns had Nick Chubb and in their playoff season of 2020, they ranked third in the league in rushing. In that year, they still threw the ball over 30 times per game. They also had Kareem Hunt on the roster, who led the league in rushing his rookie season for Kansas City. So, they had two great runners and threw the ball as much as they ran.

They were fourth in running the ball the following season and QB Baker Mayfield was battling a shoulder injury for most of the year.

They threw the ball 30.6 times per game that season and ran it just 28.5 times.

We get that it is never been easier to throw the ball in football than it is today. When the Miami Dolphins went undefeated in 1972, they ran the football 617 times and threw just 259 passes. For the season. Of course, wide receivers were allowed to be held up by cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. And the Dolphins had two 1000 yards rushers in Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris.

In 1985, just 13 years later, the Browns had two 1000 yards runners in Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner and ran the ball 533 times. But that was in a 16-game schedule. Miami was running it 44 times per game. Cleveland ran it 33 times per contest and threw it 25.8 times.

We guess our question is if you don’t have a solid quarterback, why do NFL teams keep throwing the ball all over the place? The answer is they probably can’t help themselves. That’s how the game is played today, much like basketball players who keep firing up three pointers even though their team is ahead late in games.

That’s how they played coming up and they can’t change it.

You would think if you don’t have a good QB, you would put less emphasis on the position. Maybe that’s just using logic.

One Statement Win, But More Are Needed For Browns

Without a doubt, the Cleveland Browns answered a lot of questions Sunday in their 41-35 win over the Tennessee Titans, but they haven’t passed the course just yet.

Most critics felt Kevin Stefanski’s squad had simply defeated a bunch of mediocre teams to have a winning record before Sunday (apparently the Colts don’t count even though they are 8-4), and many felt Cleveland would get their comeuppance against the Titans, who lost the AFC Championship Game a year ago and came into the contest at 8-3.

We guess their 8-3 was more legitimate than the Browns’.

Instead, the Browns put on a clinic in the first half, scoring on each possession and building a 38-7 halftime lead. It was the most points ever scored by the Browns in a half. Not just since 1999, but in the history of the franchise, and many younger fans don’t realize how good this team was from 1946-1971.

Cleveland put up 34 or more points for the fifth time this season. They can score points, and they did so early and often against Tennessee, enough that they made the Titans’ biggest offensive weapon, running back Derrick Henry, an afterthought after halftime.

It’s a winning season for the Browns, their first since 2007 when they went 10-6 and missed the playoffs, and it’s only their third winning season since they returned to the NFL in 1999 (2002, 2007).

And they still have four games to play, including one with the winless Jets in the penultimate regular season game in New Jersey.

On the other hand, although this was an impressive victory, the Browns play in the AFC North, and many national media types will still view the brown and orange with a jaundiced eye until they can beat the traditional division powers, the Steelers and Ravens.

It’s understandable since Cleveland lost the first matchups between each foe earlier this season by a combined score of 76-13. The Browns did beat the Ravens a year ago in Baltimore, their most impressive win of 2019 by far, but the win over the Steelers last year came with Ben Roethlisburger on the sidelines.

So, the Browns have another chance to send a message next Monday night at First Energy Stadium as the Ravens visit. Assuming Baltimore can win tonight against Dallas, they will be 7-5 coming into the contest and a Cleveland win would have the double positive effect of putting the Browns in great shape while crippling the Ravens’ chance at a playoff spot.

And with Pittsburgh’s loss to Washington last night, the last game of the season could have division title implications. Take a deep breath and think about that for a minute.

So, while the Browns passed a great test yesterday, and we didn’t mention no one is questioning the quarterback’s play this week, we understand that a victory against Baltimore and/or Pittsburgh will be the only things that eliminate questions for some fans and media alike.

However, the Browns are going to have a winning season, and more than likely are going to play a playoff game. The last time they won ten or more and went to the post-season? Try 1994 with Bill Belichick at the helm.

Browns Defense Puts A Lot Pressure On Baker

It feels like when people talk about the Cleveland Browns, both locally and nationally, the discussion seems to be about Baker Mayfield.

Either his performance each week is heavily scrutinized, and we get that, he is the starting quarterback of an NFL team, or his long term future is analyzed. Is he or is he not a “franchise quarterback”?

We thought Kevin Stefanski said it best last week on a radio show, saying these things have a way of working themselves out. For example, if the Browns wind up at 10-6 this year and Mayfield plays well in a playoff game, he will be deemed the future signal caller for the Cleveland Browns.

If the team falters in the second half, the questions will remain and will continue throughout the 2021 schedule.

However, the front office hasn’t given the QB much margin for error. We arrived at this notion with discussions of the next two opponents coming up for Cleveland, being Houston and Philadelphia, and the idea both of these games could be shootouts.

Currently, the Browns are 5-0 when they score 30 or more points in a game. What is troubling is that if they scored exactly 30 in every game, their record would be 2-5-1. And you couldn’t blame the offense, but there would be people blaming the losing record on the quarterback.

So the pressure is very much on the offense and Mayfield in particular to keep the production that high if Cleveland is to finish with a winning record and a possible post-season appearance.

First up is Houston, a team with a very good QB in Deshaun Watson, and averaging 24 points per game. A closer look shows over the past four weeks, the Texans have put 113 points on the scoreboard (28.25/game) and scored 30 or more twice in that span.

So, what happens if Mayfield and the offense isn’t electric and only puts say, 27 points on the board and Cleveland loses 30-27? Yes, the defense will get a share of the blame, and rightly so, but the loss goes on Mayfield’s ledger.

This isn’t to excuse the former Heisman Trophy winner’s performance in the two lopsided losses to Baltimore and Pittsburgh. In those losses, he completed 31 of 57 passes (just 54.3%) with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He needs to be better in games against the best teams in the division and conference.

But with the defense being what it is for the Browns, the pressure is clearly on the offensive coaching staff and the QB to continue to be prolific if the brown and orange want to keep playing once the 16 game schedule has been completed.

We know the Jaguars, Jets, and Giants are remaining, and Cleveland should be over a touchdown favorites in those contests, but the Texans and Eagles are a different matter. Both those teams are capable of putting up points.

And, of course, there are games vs. Tennessee (imagine Derrick Henry salivating at running the ball vs. Cleveland) and the rematches against the Ravens and Steelers. Right now, we would say if the Browns can’t put up at least 28 points in those games, they won’t be competitive.

Based on this, we would say if Mayfield can get the Browns to the playoffs, he should be considered a franchise quarterback. With the defense being what it is, he’s going to have to be very good game in and game out to get them to 9 or 10 wins.

As Stefanski said, that’s how it will work itself out.