Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

5 Areas where Cleveland Browns need improvement in Week 4

By Randy Gurzi

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 22: wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the Cleveland Browns poses on the field during warm ups before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 22: wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the Cleveland Browns poses on the field during warm ups before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 22: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns is sacked by Clay Matthews #52 of the Los Angeles Rams and Dante Fowler Jr. #56 during the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 22: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns is sacked by Clay Matthews #52 of the Los Angeles Rams and Dante Fowler Jr. #56 during the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

3. Pass protection

Throughout the Browns game on Sunday Night Football, the same topic kept being brought up. Cris Collinsworth continually said the Browns were at their best when Baker Mayfield got the ball out of his hands within two seconds of taking the snap.

Sure, that’s a good thing to be able to do in order to take defenses by surprise, but no offensive game plan can survive if the defense knows the ball is always coming out that quick. They have to be able to mix things up and considering Odell Beckham, Jr. can get deep and Mayfield has a cannon, it would make sense to be able to dial up some deep plays from time to time.

Unfortunately, they can’t do this because Collinsworth was right — Mayfield can’t hold the ball that long or he’s going to get killed. In fact, he already has been taking hits at an alarming pace.

So far, Mayfield has been sacked 11 times in three games, which projects to roughly 59 sacks in a season. And remember, that doesn’t even include the number of hits he takes while delivering a pass.

In short, the pass protection needs to get better. This isn’t said to absolve Mayfield or head coach Freddie Kitchens of any of their blame but the line does need to be better about giving him the time to make the reads. Otherwise, it’s going to continue to be a long season.

Home/Browns News