Browns vs Packers: Preseason Week 1 Offensive Takeaways

Robert Griffin III made his Browns debut on Friday and opened the game with a bang. On the first offensive play, he took a five-step drop and delivered a catchable ball to Terrelle Pryor for a 49-yard-gain. It was a great throw, but Griffin’s ability to throw the long ball was never in question.

During the game, it was evident that Griffin has evolved as a quarterback since his time in Washington as he stood in the pocket reading the defense. Even though much will be made about the interception he threw, on that particular play he read the defense correctly and put the ball exactly where it needed to go. Unfortunately, a rusty Gary Barnidge failed to split the safeties against Cover 2, leading to an interception.

Griffin also progressed in the area of self-preservation. He was able to throw the ball into the ground on a failed attempt at a halfback screen. He also threw the ball away on several occasions instead of trying to make something out of nothing.

For as much as Griffin has grown, Kessler looks like the rookie who was drafted in the third round. Like Griffin, his first pass of the evening was amazing. He had a perfect drop, threw the ball on time and with anticipation to Higgins for a touchdown. After the touchdown pass, however, Kessler looked like a rookie.

Kessler also did not receive any help when the Browns started a series on their own one-yard line. The whole game the Packers’ outside linebackers were coming up field into the backfield, but inexplicably the Browns called a naked bootleg off of zone action in the end zone. In that situation,  Kessler has three options in the face of a hard-charging outside linebacker:

• He can take a sack.
• He can throw the ball away.
• He can run his bootleg deeper to avoid the linebacker.

Quarterbacks are taught to run the bootleg deeper to avoid the linebacker and Kessler chose that option. The problem was he was in his own end zone when he did it and ran out of the back of the end zone for a safety. The Browns could have helped Kessler with a better play call in that situation.

Unfortunately, that play encapsulates Kessler’s work last night. Like a typical rookie, he held onto the ball until he was sure the receiver was open. That may work in college, but in the NFL Kessler will need to anticipate where the receiver will be and get the ball out sooner. By holding onto the ball so long, he also took three sacks and a second safety.

Next: Tight Ends