The Browns got a little relief in Week 2 with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the early-season unease around this offense isn’t going anywhere. The quarterback conversation has taken up most of the oxygen, and Deshaun Watson has taken plenty of heat for that. But the bigger issue in Cleveland is sitting right behind him.
Todd Monken’s run game has been a disaster.
That’s the part of the Browns offense that’s dragging everything down, and it’s the kind of problem that can sink the whole operation no matter who lines up under center. Watson has been uneven, sure, but the ground game has been so inefficient that the quarterback play hasn’t even been the main story.
Through two weeks, Cleveland ranks 28th in the NFL in yards per game. The passing numbers are more functional than flashy - 19th in EPA per pass, 13th in passing success rate, and sixth in yards per attempt. That’s not enough to make anyone forget the problems, but it does suggest the aerial attack is at least giving the Browns something to work with.
The rushing attack is where things really fall apart.
Cleveland’s rushing success rate sits at 28.9%, which is dead last in the league. That mark would have ranked last in each of the past four seasons, too. The Browns have averaged just 2.9 yards per carry, and their longest run so far this year - a KC Concepcion carry - has gone for only 10 yards.
That lack of production on the ground keeps the Browns stuck in bad down-and-distance situations and helps explain why their late-down success rate is so low. When the run game can’t create anything, the offense keeps backing itself into a corner.
And this isn’t exactly uncharted territory for Monken. Even with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in Baltimore, his Ravens offense ranked 19th in rushing success rate last season. Cleveland doesn’t have anything close to that level of talent on offense, which makes the current issues even harder to ignore.
If this doesn’t turn around soon, it won’t matter whether the Browns stick with Watson or move to Shedeur Sanders. The quarterback can change, but the structure of the offense won’t improve if the run game stays this inefficient. With one of the NFL’s worst rushing attacks, Cleveland’s offense is going to keep fighting an uphill battle.
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Browns Fans Will Love How Cleveland Is Closing Nick Chubbs Career
Nick Chubbs Browns chapter is set to end the way so many Cleveland fans always hoped it would. After building a standout career with the franchise as a four-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro, Chubb will sign a one-day contract so he can officially retire as a Brown, a fitting finish for one of the most respected players of his era in Cleveland.
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Browns Rookie Is Forcing His Way Into A Bigger Role Fast
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The Browns have reason to feel encouraged about their young receiver room after rookie wideouts KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have flashed enough promise to make the future look brighter. Even so, the conversation around Clevelands pass-catching group has not stopped there, especially with the Browns coaching staff bringing real experience developing wide receivers and a front office that has shown it will at least consider ambitious additions if the fit makes sense.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has become the name worth watching because the upside is obvious for a Browns team that could use another dynamic target to deepen its receiving corps. The Cardinals receiver still has the kind of physical gifts and work ethic that made him such a coveted prospect, but his role in Arizona has been less central than expected, which is exactly why the idea of a trade has traction in Cleveland circles. The question now is whether the Browns would see enough value in making a bold move for a player whose talent is not in doubt, even if the situation around him is. [Read more 🡒]