The Opening Drive 10/24: Finishing Mailbag Questions and Friday Special Teams Analysis
Kick off your weekend Browns coverage with special teams banter and elite questions.
Happy Friday, everyone! We’re back for the usual here at BFB where I finish up any leftover questions from the latest Mailbag Edition of the podcast — which you can listen to here.
BFB Week 8 Subscriber Mailbag
We’re back with another Mailbag where we take the questions from the Founder’s Channel and BFB Subscriber Chat to provide deep analysis on your Cleveland Browns as we have reached Week 8. Today’s topics hit on the following:
Let’s get this thing rolling.
Is there a cap on how far the team can go Schwartz as a d coordinator? His defense has about as good of personnel as you can reasonably expect in the NFL but still seems to get carved up by any sharp offensive coach or an accurate quarterback who can hit the answers against man coverage. As fun as it is to absolutely bully bad offenses those don’t exist in the playoffs. At least a sweep isn’t a guaranteed first down this year.
-PB
I think this is a good question. I am encouraged by the process of last week’s gameplan and some evolution to their zone blitzing process. This year has shown me some progress in his ability to adapt coverage disguise and apply more techniques (quarters, for example). I do think if the offense could meet the standard, this unit would be good enough to have a real chance at a Super Bowl. You cannot downplay how bad the offense had been for so long and the impact that has on the overall process.
How would you rate Tommy Rees and Mike Bloomgren this year? Guessing it is hard with the closed organization. Should have the Browns just hired a true Shanahan/Kubiak disciple versus one offs like Ken Dorsey?
What has the shotgun/under center mix looked like? I believe the Eagles used more under center versus the Vikings. Run game struggles, return of wide zone. Give us something that can spark this offense. Or is it just playing easier teams?
-Mitch Knapke
I think it is a challenge to separate the performance of this collective offense from the whole staff. I do think Tommy Rees has tried to modernize some of Stefanski’s staples but the collective offense still feels disjointed. Bloomgren has not had the impact I hoped for but I also think he has been dealt a rough hand. But, again, they all share in the results. They have definitely used more gun since the arrival of Gabriel as the starter and they need to run better from those looks. They are also among the league’s worst on EPA in those play-action settings where it’s “non-predictable” pass. So, the under-center production needs more. I think some process in gun run would really help them, and Gabriel, and mask more of their run/pass.
Just curious who yinz both think are the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL this year? How much do you all value dual threat in a quarterback? Excuse my Pittsburghese I been living here too long.
-Dave Streett
We will let the Yinz part slide this time, Dave. But seriously, get the hell out of there while you can. I would think the best five are still most of the guys who have those resumes we all know but Mayfield has played well, and then a cast of others like Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott, Drake Maye, and Justin Herbert. I value a quarterback who can use his legs well, but as long as he’s not a statue, then we don’t need to recreate Lamar Jackson. Timely running but the process in the passing game matters far more.
If there were 3 draftable R1 quarterbacks this year, and we are picking at say 8, would you give up both first rounders to get to 3 considering the holes elsewhere on the roster?
-Eren Taner
If they love a quarterback, then they need to do whatever it takes to select the one they want. That is the element that keeps eluding this coaching staff and front office so they simply cannot keep delaying that process. Given they need to love one to make that choice, but they cannot live in fear of the risk necessary here to get that player.
You guys and many others have talked about the offenses DVOA and how they need to be more proficient. What is a respectable DVOA for an offense with a rookie in his 4th start?
-Drew
Tough to tell, Drew. That is likely always going to be in the bottom third of the NFL, but there are examples of offenses overcoming it. It has been done. And, again, this EPA point I keep referencing is a long view of the issues since 2022. That simply cannot happen for that long a period of time — and both the coaching and front office play a role in that.
Can you name one quarterback who would have success with the current Browns’ line up? All this analysis showing Gabriel underperforming is a bit unfair. Not a lot of time to run through reads when the pocket collapses.
-Mark B.
I think the process is what deserves evaluation. Nobody is making sweeping conclusions here about what Gabriel is going to be as a final product, but we need a baseline and showing the issues will be something we refer to later if he has growth. There is no doubt the offense isn’t propping him up here, but he has to do his job too. So, this isn’t personal, it’s about the process and establishing who he is early on. Also, the group around him was quite fine against the Dolphins so that “not a lot of time” angle doesn’t work for the breakdown of this past week.
Given the current events surrounding Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups, what former Brown would top your list of a player likely to be caught up in a gambling ring with the mafia. Obviously we must remove Johnny Football from the pool of players that you can pick.
-Ben Lobaza
I think the logical answer is Greg Robinson, right? He was caught with over 150 pounds of marijuana at one time and traveling close to the border. Some could lean the way of Josh Gordon with his history of suspensions and what not. Sometimes, though, these come from those you least expect so maybe Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler are running some high level Blackjack ring. The possibilities are endless.
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Below you will find your weekly Special Teams update in the form of EPA. The Browns got a boost from last week with their turnover created and strong day in the kicking department. They went from 27th to 25th.
Grant Delpit won Special Teams Player of the Week and Bubba Ventrone spoke about how the veterans impact on specials in trickling down to the younger players on the roster. “Yeah, I mean, it parallels what I was just talking about with the Vrabes, how at a young age you’re seeing the guy that’s in his – I don’t even know what year this is for Grant, probably like his fifth or sixth, seventh, whatever it is. You’re seeing a guy that is a defensive starter, that’s a Pro Bowl caliber like player at his position, factoring, you know, for us in multiple phases. A young guy, young undrafted guy, he’s going to see Grant Delpit setting the example and just be like, “Wow, this guy’s willing to do anything, going to take. So you just get that, it just trickles on down.”
Both Delpit and Rayshawn Jenkins, who recovered the fumble forced by Delpit, had two solo tackles apiece to lead the unit.
Punt
For the day, Corey Bojorquez averaged 43 yards per punt but only 34.5 on the net side. The Browns had no issue punting, even well into Miami territory, on the day due to the scoreboard and conditions. He found a way to get three downed inside the 10 yard line and the best of the day was a ball that Donovan McMillan caught as if he was returning it.
Punt Return
Gage Larvadain handled return duties and did well enough catching the ball clean. He had one return for just seven yards and fair caught the other three. Not much of note here.
Kickoff and Kickoff Return
Well, the kickoff unit had a day. The game’s biggest play was the forced fumble by Delpit, swooping in from the far right of the screen, to jar the ball loose and somehow right into the hands of Jenkins. It had a real impact on the momentum of the game in the early stages.
Ventrone noted, “I think just in the game it was a big shift in momentum. Not that we didn’t have the momentum at the time, but it just gave us even more momentum. So, we’re, it’s 10-3, we’re kicking off, forced the fumble and able to go down and convert and score a touchdown. Now you’re up two scores and it’s 17-3. It just gave us a lot of momentum in the game.”
The Browns did however allow two long returns. The first was a return of 40 yards where Jerome Baker (17) was pushed out of his lane too easily. This allowed a crease to form. Can’t happen.
The second, which went for 36 yards, was called back due to holding on Ifeadi Melifonwu (9) of the Dolphins. But that call feels a little nit-picky to me. The Browns caught a break. Their left side of the unit has to work on staying away from overlapping lanes.
Not much to note on Browns returns. Dylan Sampson tried to bounce one outside but contain got him before he could make it to the 35-yard line and another he muffed and only made it out to the 17. Again, need more production in the return unit.
Field Goal and Field Goal Block
Not much to note here as both teams only kicked short field goals (30, 33, 26) and then the four Browns PAT conversions. The rush units on both sides didn’t come after the kicks very hard due to the short variety and both teams handled the middle rush well.
Overall Special Teams Grade: (B+) They did have the game’s biggest special teams play, so that matters and is a welcome change, but the kickoff unit let some leaky returns happen and the kickoff return unit was sloppy as well. But overall a good enough day.
Browns Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh All-22 content.
Thanks for answering all of our questions.. I know a maybe crazy, but I am feeling a big return this week from Gage. He is getting comfortable back there. last week on his 7 yard return he was starting to do a spin move as he caught the ball... I returned punts my whole football career, so that is a big boy move right there.