Jameis Winston returned to New Orleans, his last stop on a football roster before coming to Cleveland. He spent most of his time there as a backup for Drew Brees and Derek Carr while producing a 6-4 record during his starting opportunities. He was expected to become the heir apparent to Drew Brees when he retired after the 2020 season. However, injuries prevented him from getting a chance to turn his career back around in New Orleans.
Fresh off a bye week, Jameis fired off his cannon at the Saints defense with two touchdown passes and 395 passing yards. The score was tied at 14 until the fourth quarter when the Taysom Hill avalanche began. His 33-yarder to the endzone from the echoing battle cries from the Superdome and the Browns would finish with Hill going 75 yards on a sprint down the left sidelines untouched for his third touchdown of the day. Winston and the Browns' offense was cooled down in the fourth quarter by Cameron Jordan and the Saints' pass rush, forcing them to 2 punts and a turnover on downs on their only three possessions of the quarter. The Browns' horrific tackling overshadowed their suddenly wide-open offense that went unnoticed.
Aggressive Play-Calling
Ken Dorsey opened up the playbook more this week, as there were a lot of crossing patterns mixed in with some deep post routes toward the corners of the field from his pass catchers. Jameis Winston seemed more comfortable in this offense, which was designed with medium to deep route patterns. It's similar to the offense that Dorsey created for Josh Allen back in Buffalo during his last two and a half seasons there. Winston threw the football 46 times and completed 30 of those passes on an 8.6 yards per completion average.
The deep shot to Jerry Jeudy for the Browns' first touchdown of the game made the adjustments made during the bye week obvious. Jeudy averaged 23.7 yards per catch during the contest, while tight end David Njoku, being involved with a team-leading nine catches, averaged 9.0 yards per catch. Every pass catcher for Cleveland averaged no less than 7 yards per catch, while four averaged in the double-digits range.
There was added creativity in the offense, as shown on a gimmick run play with wideout Kadarious Toney taking a handoff in the backfield. The low score of 14 didn't show the team being a more wide-open offense compared to earlier in the season. However, their 443 yards of offense, their highest total this season, show big signs of improvement with the offense production. It can grow much more in the upcoming weeks if the run game can pick it up much more.
More Nick Chubb
That Kadarious Toney run play turned out to be a waste of a play call, as the play went for a seven-yard loss and the only time he stepped into the game. Nick Chubb averaged a decent 4.5 yards per rush, with his longest run of the day going for 14 yards. He rushed for 50 yards and was only given the ball 11 times. He was beginning to get back to his true form before injury last season.
There was a drive sequence during the early third quarter when he was given the ball three plays in a row and converted a first down on two. He was getting stronger and stronger each time he was given the ball. Rarely during the game was he stuffed at the line of scrimmage, and not once was he caught in the backfield for a loss of yardage.
Jerome Ford getting the ball just five times is unacceptable as well. His big play ability was apparent through his skills coming out of the backfield, catching four passes for 29 yards and averaging 7.3 yards on those catches last Sunday. There was a time when the running game was their identity, and Ken Dorsey needs to realize that if he wants to turn this offense into a productive one. Just 66 total rushing yards won't do. They can do so by mixing up the pass and the run instead of strictly becoming a pass-oriented offense.
What has Happened to the Defense
Except for Denzel Ward, who took care of his part of the field, Jim Schwartz's defense had trouble restraining the Saints' offense. They allowed their pass catchers to roam all over the field. They couldn't get to their quarterback, Derek Carr, but just once all game last Sunday. Their display of blown-up coverages and permitted long runs show why it is a bad idea to format a wide base defense and blitz less often than you should.
They allowed 214 rushing yards, most of which came from Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill. Holes were more inviting for them to run through than being made by the offensive line. Many overly aggressive blitz schemes were sent, allowing open space for them to run and more open receivers to run downfield. It showed a lot on that Marquez Valdez-Scantling touchdown when there were just three Browns defenders spread out in deep coverage on that play without anybody on Valdez-Scantling.
The horrible tackling was the icing on the cake for the Browns' pitiful defensive performance. Their bad tackling angles and bad tackling forms made Taysom Hill look like Mike Alstott out there. Seeing a 6-foot quarterback running free into the second level, trucking everyone in his path is shameful on any defense. Tackling Taysom Hill has always been challenging; this isn't the first time he witnessed this kind of performance. But it was still some of the worst tackling that can ever be seen. It looked so bad that where it looked like they were inviting him to score.
Up Next: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2)
They have a short time to prepare for their next game against the sole owners of the number-one spot in the AFC North. Their most hated rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is coming off another statement win over the powerful Baltimore Ravens. Their pass defense, led by T.J. Watt, will undoubtedly be their biggest challenge. The Browns' pass protection is still in shambles and failing to protect their quarterbacks. How they broke down Baltimore's average offensive line should make you not wonder what they will do to Cleveland's decaying O-line.
While the Steelers are gradually getting better with their production on offense since starting Russell Wilson under center in week 8. The Browns are rapidly declining in their ability to stop opposing offense from scoring and moving the football downfield. The NFL's number one-rated scoring defense in 2023 is now the 21st-rated scoring defense in the league. The Steelers running back committee of Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Cordarrelle Patterson should be expected to open up more like a Sunami upon one of the league's worst run defenses.
Final Score: New Orleans Saints 35, Cleveland Browns 14
Anderson's Three Stars
1st Star - Saints QB Taysom Hill (3 Rushing Touchdowns, 138 Rushing Yards on 7 Carries, 8 Receptions, 50 Receiving Yards, 206 All-Purpose Yards)
2nd Star - Browns CB Denzel Ward (1 Interception, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery, 1 Pass Defended)
3rd Star - Browns WR Jerry Jeudy (1 Receiving Touchdown, 6 Receptions, 142 Receiving Yards, 23.7 Yards Per Catch Average)
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