Through three games, the Browns are the only team ranked in the top 10 overall in offense (seventh) and defense (third). If that keeps up, the Browns will be a factor in January. (USA Today)
Second thoughts: For one day, Browns resolve two issues that could dictate their playoff fate
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Second thoughts on Browns 26-6 win over Chicago Bears …
1. How far the Browns go this year depends on good overall team health, of course, and positive answers to two questions: a. Can Joe Woods develop the new defense into a force? and, b. Can Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. manufacture the chemistry to exploit Beckham’s amazing ability? On Sunday, the answers to both questions were yes. The Bears presented a perfect storm for Woods’ defense to relieve concerns created in two previous games. Bears coach Matt Nagy, left tackle Jason Peters and quarterback Justin Fields made unforeseen contributions, but Woods made the necessary adjustments from the two previous games to attack the Bears’ offense, rather than play passively. And Mayfield allayed concerns about forcing the ball to Beckham (5 catches on 9 targets for 77 yards). Now, Mayfield did appear to look for the home-run ball to Beckham on at least four occasions, but he wisely checked down a couple times or placed the ball where only Beckham could catch it.
2. The 26-6 final score was the most lopsided win in 19 games under coach Kevin Stefanski. It could have been at least 37-6. Mayfield, who had his share of good throws in the game, overthrew Demetric Felton in the first quarter for what would have been a 38-yard touchdown and then overthrew tight end Harrison Bryant in the fourth quarter for what would have been a 34-yard score. (The Browns kicked a field goal after the latter miss.) Chicago’s stout defense sacked Mayfield a season-high five times and limited him to a season-low 61.3 percent completion day. But those two throws were unforced errors. Also, a review of the game on NFL Game Pass showed Myles Garrett easily could have had seven sacks instead of 4 ½. This was a game in which the offensive yardage margin of 418-47 was a more accurate measure of the Browns’ dominance than the 26-6 score.
3. It was a bit puzzling to see Stefanski use Felton as the third-down back instead of Kareem Hunt on the first two offensive possessions. On the first series, Felton ran a good pattern out of the backfield on third-and-5 and had linebacker Roquan Smith beat with nobody behind him, but Mayfield’s pass fell a full yard beyond Felton’s reach. On the second series, Felton was the intended receiver on one of those Chiefs-like orbit motion plays, and he was felled for no gain after the catch. I asked Stefanski on Monday why was Felton playing on those downs instead of Hunt. “There are some plays that we will have for Demetric each game as his role will grow, as he earns his role. I would not read into it more than that,” he answered. Hunt reappeared on the third series and ran like a mad man on first down for 12 yards. That intensity continued the rest of the game, causing Mayfield to remark, “The look in his eye, everybody could tell the way he was running. It seemed angry – angrier than usual.” So I wondered if Hunt might have been angered by having his role taken away early. “I do not think so, but I like an angry Kareem Hunt so I will make a mental note of that,” Stefanski responded, wryly.
4. Don’t look now but Felton is developing rapidly as a punt returner. Felton leads the NFL in returns (11) and yards (129) and is third with an average of 11.7 yards after having six returns of 11 yards or longer on Sunday. Felton and kicker Chase McLaughlin are the most notable players responsible for improved special teams play the past two games. McLaughlin is a perfect 14 of 14 on PATs and field goals through three games. Stefanski credited Greedy Williams, Troy Hill, Grant Delpit and A.J. Green for locking down Chicago’s gunners on punt coverage.
5. Nick Chubb had a frustrating day, I thought. The Bears held him to 3.8 yards per rush. When I went back and checked, I was surprised to learn this was the 12th time in 40 starts that Chubb was held under 4.0 a rush. His career average is a robust 5.2. The Bears suffocated the tackle box when Chubb was on the field because they rightly figured there was no threat of passing to him. This was only the second time in 15 games under Stefanski that Chubb was not targeted a single time in the passing game. The only other time was in Dallas last season when Chubb was knocked out of the game early with an MCL injury. I asked Stefanski if he was mindful of giving Chubb some passing targets so as not to allow defenses to focus on him exclusively as a ball-carrier. “I do not know,” Stefanski said. “I would tell you that [Chicago defensive front] is a really, really formidable front. We knew it was going to be tough sledding, especially early. You do not really rush for a lot of yards against that front early in the ball game. We knew that. We certainly can be better and I know I can be better, but Nick is an all-around player. He can run it, and we can certainly throw it to him. Just in that ball game, it just shook out that way.”
6. For the second game in a row, Jedrick Wills labored at left tackle. He’s toughing through an ankle injury from the Kansas City game. Wills played 70 of 81 offensive snaps after gutting through 43 of 61 snaps against Houston. Wills clearly has not been at his best playing with this injury. I’m sure if super-sub Chris Hubbard were healthy, Wills would have sat out the last two games. But Hubbard is down with a triceps injury and it is evident the Browns are not confident enough to start Blake Hance or rookie James Hudson in Wills’ place. The Browns have to be careful not to let Wills’ ankle injury linger all season. All of which underscores the importance of a solid sixth man on the offensive line. Hubbard is that, but he’s injured. I don’t know of any NFL offensive line with the luxury of a second veteran as a seventh man.
7. By the way, McLaughlin’s field goals of 57 and 52 yards put him in the royal company of Phil Dawson as the only Browns kickers ever to boot two field goals of 50+ yards in a game. Dawson did it three times – twice in 2011 and once in 2012.
8. Watching the replay of the FOX broadcast of the game, I was impressed with the insight, timing and knowledge of the Browns from newbie analyst Greg Olsen. Olsen retired in January after 14 NFL seasons as a prolific tight end with the Bears, Panthers and Seahawks. On the broadcast, he marveled at the Browns’ diverse running game, exclaiming at one point, “If you love running the football, this is a fun team to watch.” While it was easy to criticize Bears coach Matt Nagy’s uncreative game plan for Fields after the fact, Olsen expressed frustration with what he was seeing early in the game. “I want to see Matt Nagy come out and utilize his young stud,” Olsen said after the first quarter. “You drafted this guy so high, let him play. Push the ball down the field. Let him run a little bit. Let him impact the game.”
