Cleveland Browns: 5 obstacles to success in 2018

Will the new offensive scheme be still born?

The offensive play calling was a major concern last season. Head coach and play caller Hue Jackson did not commit to running the ball. Once the team got down by more than seven points, he called the NFL equivalent of the Air Raid offense. Call pass plays almost non-stop. It was awful and predictable. Defenses simply pinned their ears back and went head hunting.

Worse, Jackson’s play calling often failed to put players in a position to succeed. He seemed to have a system in which he was trying to make his players fit. Forcing rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer to run an offense that did not fit his skill set.

Related Story: Crowell complaints shows importance of Todd Haley

This year the Browns hired a full time offensive coordinator in Todd Haley. Haley’s offense in Pittsburgh was defined by a heavy dose of running the ball with play action passes. He did a great job of putting his players in a position to succeed.

The real question is will Hue allow Todd Haley to run his offense. Yes, the Browns are installing Haley’s playbook and learning the plays. They are adapting to a new system that should allow for better run and pass balance.

But will Hue Jackson allow Todd Haley to truly run his offense? Or will Jackson panic when down by more than seven and try to take over for Haley. It would be disastrous for Jackson to veto Haley.

The Browns need to commit to running the ball to take the pressure off the quarterback. This is particularly true given the questions at left tackle described above.

It is imperative for the Browns to commit to Haley’s system and for Jackson to let the game play out even when playing from behind.

Fourth, safety play needs to improve.