Cleveland Browns: 5 takeaways on offense from the loss in Baltimore

Running game nowhere to be found

Anyone who has followed these two teams coming into the game would know the gameplan for the Baltimore Ravens. Stop the run, and force DeShone Kizer to beat you. That definitely worked on Sunday, but more due to the fact that the run game was simply abandoned yet again this week.

Not counting quarterback runs, the Browns had 15 total carries for 62 yards. Kizer and Hogan had six carries for 31 yards. Isaiah Crowell had 10 carries for 37 yards and Duke Johnson had four carries for 21 yards.

As stated last week, this is not enough commitment to the run game. Hue Jackson does his quarterbacks no favors by dropping them back 42 times against a great defense (and on the road nonetheless).

There was daylight at some point, as Crowell and Duke had long runs of 17 and 16, respectively. I’m just still not quite sure if this is attributed to the offensive line not getting a push, or the running backs just not being able to get to the second level. Probably some combination of both mixed with an impressive Baltimore front seven. Regardless, there needs to be a way to get 20-25 carries to these running backs to control the game.

For once I’d like the Browns to line up in an I-formation and just put the defense on its heels. Instead, we get the draws and runs from the shotgun and pistol formation which do nothing but make it harder on the running backs to find a hole and get moving.

If the Browns are going to continue to drop back their quarterbacks 42 times against a great defense, I would expect more performances like the Browns pulled off in Week 2.