Cleveland Browns: Don’t blame the refs, blame the Browns

It’s easy to try and blame the refs, but much of the Cleveland Browns issues are self inflicted to this point in the 2018 Season

Yes indeed, Cleveland Browns fans, the refs should have called a false start against the Chargers last Sunday.

And if they wouldn’t have missed that strip sack on Derek Carr or Carlos Hyde’s first down in the Week 4 Oakland Raiders game the Browns might have beaten them.

And if they wouldn’t have called Myles Garrett for roughing the passer during that Week 1 tie with the Steelers the Browns would have won that one, too.

And if my aunt had a beard, she’d be my uncle (in most cases).

Lots of heated Tweeters are online blaming the refs for the Browns below .500 record as if the way the Browns have been playing in the NFL has nothing to do with it.

Yes indeed, Browns fans, there have been some horribly incorrect, game-changing calls made against the Browns, but when you start looking at some basic stats and overall rankings, it’s obvious the refs’ bad flags should be the least of the team’s (and fans’) worries.

It’s easy to assume it’s the refs’ fault, especially if you also assume…

…with Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward, the Browns have a top-notch defense.

That’s only sorta true.

The truth is, the Browns are great at intercepting the ball – they’re currently ranked 4th in the league with 9 of them.  They’re tied for the best at passes defended with 39. They’re only average at sacking opponents’ quarterbacks – they’ve done it 15 times total, tied for 16th in the NFL.

But the Browns defense let opponents gain 366.2 total yards per game (ranked 20th).

They’ve let opponents get 22.2 first downs per game (ranked 25th).

They’ve let opponents score an average of 25.2 points per game (ranked 20th).

They’ve let opponents score 9 touchdowns (ranked 19th).

When the Browns are top ten in all of those defensive categories, then maybe blame the refs.

…the Browns’ run game is solid enough to carry the offense

The Browns’ run game is definitely solid – Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson and Nick Chubb have combined for an average of 137.7 yards per game, making the Browns the fifth most productive running team in the NFL.

But the Browns total offense is ranked 20th out of 32 teams because they only average 228.5 passing yards per game, and they only score 21.3 points per game, both ranked 23rd in the league.

Where it gets ugly is when you rank passing percentage – the Browns only complete 53.2 percent of their passes, and only one other team in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills, is worse.

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Where it gets absolutely hideous is when you rank dropped pass percentage – according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), 9.8 percent of quarterback Baker Mayfield’s passes have been dropped, the highest rate in the league.

And those stats will be even tougher to improve now that injuries and a trade to the Patriots have drastically reduced the quantity and quality of the Browns’ wide receivers room.

When the Browns’ offense starts catching the ball and scoring more points, then maybe blame the refs.

…Baker Mayfield is good enough to save the Browns

Okay, this one is ridiculous – football is a team sport and as Mayfield has said repeatedly, every player has to do his job.

It doesn’t matter how talented Mayfield is in the pocket if the receivers can’t get open and the offensive line doesn’t protect him better and he continues to get sacked almost four times per game (3.7).

It doesn’t matter how elusive Mayfield is outside the pocket if the team can only convert 33.7 percent of their third downs, 29th worst in the league.

It doesn’t matter how incredibly accurate Mayfield’s arm is if balls continue to get dropped and field goals and extra points continue to get missed.

It doesn’t matter how much of a leader Mayfield is if the team stays undisciplined and tied for 7th most flags thrown with 55.

When the rest of the Browns and Baker are all doing their jobs, then maybe blame the refs.

Yes indeed, Browns fans, it feels good to blame bad officiating for the Browns’ 2-3-1 record – but numbers don’t lie, and they’re telling  us not everyone on the team is doing their job.

If that begins to change, so will the record.

And if my aunt shaves her beard…

Team statistics and rankings courtesy of Pro Football Reference

For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.