The Opening Drive 9/25: The Browns Downfield Passing Game is Broken and Here are the Reasons Why it Fails
Late edition today, but an important topic.
The Browns are struggling to get the ball downfield in the passing game. This much we all know. Plenty of energy across the last week has been spent on what people believe is an offense going conservative to help their defense. I actually beg to differ as the offense has used play-action for 28 dropbacks — tied for 15th in the league. The issue is the consistency when using it. They are chasing big plays but the process if failing and has led to a league-worst -0.29 EPA when throwing chasing those shot plays with play-action.
Kevin Stefanski spoke on the topic in his time with the media on Wednesday. “Well, obviously offensively you need to find ways to be explosive via run or pass. And when there are opportunities in the pass game, you know we’re going to take our shots.” Stefanski continued. “So much of that is dependent on having the time that allows you to do that. So, this game is no different than any other game in that you’re going to try to game plan or scheme up some opportunities to take those shots, quote unquote. But it’s really dependent on what the defense is doing.”
Going back to Flacco’s 2023 run, albeit not a full season, but we still have five full weeks of data. When the Browns used play-action they were deadly. They ranked 6th in the NFL in deep throw rate at 20% usage, 1st in 20+ yard completions with 13, and 2nd in air yards per attempt at 12.1. They also allowed pressure on just 27.3% of those throws — 5th best in the NFL during that time.
Now, compare those numbers to this year. When using play-action they are currently tied for 15th in air yards per attempt at 6.5 yards, but the problem is the elements within each dropback. They cannot push the ball downfield, ranking 27th in the NFL in percentage of throws 20+ yards downfield (3.7%). The only reason the Browns are not worst in EPA/dropback when using play-action is because Flacco has done well avoiding sacks when the chaos quickly arrives.
Flacco spoke on the topic Wednesday as well. “It’s little things here, little things there that kind of take you off of it or the situation of the game maybe, whatever it may be. I think every time you go back and watch film, there’s some things that maybe you thought you could hit and that was true or wasn’t, and this was no other. I think I was, in the moment, a little bit disappointed about a couple opportunities that I thought I might have had.” He continued, “And I think there was opportunities there. But I also can see maybe why I didn’t do what I did, maybe why I did do what I did. I think you’re going to have those all the time, and I think the biggest thing with this one is at least were able to win the football game and learn from those things. And that’s just a learning experience. You watch it on the film, and maybe the next time you get in those situations, you treat it a little bit differently.”
Let’s dig into why the Browns are failing in play-action in such a serious way.
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The single biggest issue plaguing the Browns downfield passing game is the pressure allowed. As we all know, to get routes open downfield, it takes time to develop. The routes have deep breaking concepts, and inside those route developments, quarterbacks have to process the coverage. Basically, it takes time and getting time is the toughest part of the process.
Most often teams use a form of deception known as play-action (or run-action) to do two things: give those routes time to develop, and fool the defense into creeping forward to play the run. This is common practice across the NFL.
Of all explosive downfield plays in the passing game, north of 80% of them come off some form of play-action. The problem for the Browns is that they are being pressured at a whopping 50% rate when using play-action. Only the Bengals have been pressured on more of their play-action dropbacks. For comparison’s sake, the Bills lead the league in pressure percentage allowed on play-action dropbacks at just 17.9%. This immediate pressure problem leads to quick throws and bailouts due to that threat of taking a sack or worse.
The next level of issue is that the Browns are allowing that 50% pressure rate on play-action dropbacks but also only being blitzed on 14.3% of them — by far the NFL’s lowest blitzed team using the concept. The next closest offense is Tampa Bay being blitzed on 23.8%. Consider the league’s highest blitzed teams when using play-action are north of 60% and you can see the issue. The pressure is coming from the opposing front alone and allowing the defense to drop seven or more into coverage. That is concerning to say the least.
An offense doesn’t mind dealing with blitz looks against play-action because that acquired pressure from the blitz can lead to downfield opportunities. Makes sense, right? Fewer bodies in coverage due to the pressure package. If the pressure still arrives while dropping seven deep into coverage, then you have a big issue on your hands when trying to hunt those rare explosive plays that take time to develop and require space downfield.
The Browns can do some things here to help scheme up answers too. They can run concepts to keep the backside edge off the quarterback and allow for the bootleg concepts the time to develop among other ideas.
When they do get protection the quarterback also has to read it out and make the shot throw that is there. No single player has been above blame for the issues in chasing downfield opportunities.
The biggest thing, though, is they just have to play better. Rocket science stuff, I know. But seriously, there is no magic remedy at times. Every player has to do their job and they cannot allow pressure to leak through. Flacco simply cannot get away from it effectively enough, or with enough consistency, to overcome the issues within a play where a lineman badly loses his matchup. He is still willing to throw it downfield when given the proper time, though. Even when he isn’t given time. Play-action or not.
There is still a hunger to get this moving in a better direction. They are not punting on offense design that requires downfield development for the sake of their own defense and “turning it over less.” They want the big plays. They just have to get everyone holding up across the board to get those shot plays they badly want to find.
Establishing some run game consistency can help. Get defenses blitzing more on early downs to stop it, and get teams out of two-high shells. All those elements become less frequent when the run game is carving up the first and second levels.
But overall, this offense’s ability to create those chunk plays will be dependent on rectifying this issue. If they can’t get more out of play-action, in an offensive scheme predicated on marrying the look of their run and pass game, then it will be a tough season to watch for the offense. Let’s see if they can take some steps toward solving it this week in Detroit.
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