3 takeaways from the Cleveland Browns Orange and Brown Scrimmage
By Joel W. Cade
Hue Jackson’s offense looks dynamic. Although the scrimmage did not give fans a full look at what the Browns running game will look like, if it can match the Browns passing attack then the offense will be fun to watch.
Unfortunately, the Browns did not run a single power run the entire practice. This is understandable given there were no pads on. Power run plays require a lot of smash mouth football that is hard to simulate without pads, so it was no surprise that every single run play was either a draw or outside zone.
One major surprise was the elements of college style spread in the offense. At one point, Griffin ran a run pass option play, or RPO for short, which is a basic play, seen mainly in spread offenses at the college level. The play gives the quarterback the option to either hand the ball off to the running back or throw a pass to a receiver down the field. Depending on the player, the offense will key, the play could go any direction.
On this particular play, Griffin faked the hand off to Isaiah Crowell then hit Gary Barnidge in the seam between the inside linebacker and safety. It was an easy enough play, but also one that is very effective in the red zone.
Don’t expect to see much of the RPO in the Browns offense, however. Even though Marcus Mariotta torched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with it Week 1 last season, remember it was Week 2 that the Browns recorded seven sacks against mainly the same RPO offense.
However, Griffin showed enough pocket poise and deep-ball accuracy make this offense look dynamic.
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