After defeating the Cardinals 27-0 in a shutout in Week 9, the Browns will visit Baltimore to take on the Ravens in Week 10, their next AFC North opponent.
We opened the mailbag and responded to a few of your inquiries as we approach Week 10.
At this stage in the season, what do you think has become the identity of this specific Browns team?– Nick Dolance, Surprise, AZ
They have, in my opinion, maintained a lot of their identity during the first part of the season, and that is due to their defence. With a season total of 1,160 passing yards allowed, they lead the league in this category. With 53, they also permit the fewest first downs through the air. They rank second in the league with just 34 rushing first downs allowed. Against the Browns, teams have only converted on 27 out of 104 third-down tries, indicating a difficulty in converting on third down.
That’s not to imply that they haven’t faced difficulties on defence. The Browns have allowed the Colts and Seahawks to run huge, explosive plays in their games. In Week 8, they were behind 14-0 after the first quarter to the Seahawks. But they fought back, holding Seattle to just a field goal before the game-winning touchdown.
The Browns defence then emerged in Week 9 as the formidable team that it once was, shutting out the Cardinals for the first time since 2007.
The defence is still playing with a swagger and confidence that has carried over to the other side of the court. Their mutual celebration of one other’s accomplishments on the field has shaped the locker room’s culture. The Browns take great pride in their defence, and I believe that this sums up the team’s identity as a whole.
Which aspects of the Browns’ play, in your opinion, still require work?– Phillip Clancy, Smyrna, GA
In my opinion, the wide receivers’ output is the area that needs the most improvement as we assess the Browns’ position in Week 10 of the season. The Browns’ main target has been wide receiver Amari Cooper. With 617 receiving yards, the most targets (65), and the most receptions (35), he leads the club in receiving yardage. This season, he has two touchdowns and is averaging 17.6 yards per reception.
However, the output from the rest of their receiving corps seems to have dipped after Cooper. With 270 receiving yards on 29 catches this season, Elijah Moore is in second place behind Cooper. Cedric Tillman has eight yards on two grabs, Marquise Goodwin has three receptions for ten yards, and David Bell has just four receptions for thirty-three yards.
Opposing defences pay close attention to Cooper, which may present possibilities for them to focus on other receivers. All that needs to be done is locate those chances for their other receivers.
“The ball travels where it goes,” HC Kevin Stefanski stated. It simply depends on coverage. Every one of our guys is performing their duties as expected. We also have a great deal of faith in each and every one of our receivers, tight ends, and receivers when the ball comes their way.”
Following the trade of Donovan Peoples-Jones, this question was a hot topic of discussion and builds on the prior one regarding the receiving corps’ total production.
Tillman will play a bigger part, according to Stefanski, who stated on November 3 that he has been meticulous in studying his tasks. Stefanski is confident that Tillman can assume a more significant part in their offence based on his observations throughout preseason practices and games. Tillman played in Week 4 against the Ravens and had one reception for five yards despite missing three games due to injury.
“We liked the kid when he was coming out because of this. Big, strong, and skilled with the ball, Stefanski remarked on November 1. He has been working quite hard, but we haven’t been able to motivate him to start. And a lot of it gets decided by the roster according to availability. There’s a limit to how many you can bring into the game. He still puts a lot of effort into his work, though
OC Tillman made several plays during training camp and the preseason, according to Alex Van Pelt, who stated that they had high expectations for him as he left camp. Despite Tillman’s three game suspension early in the season, they now see a chance to hasten his offensive development. Tillman can make contested plays, high point the ball, and act as a force blocker to add value to the run game, according to Van Pelt.
Tillman had one target and one reception for three yards in the first game against the Cardinals after the trade. For the rest of the season, there is still opportunity for further participation.
“Obviously, we put him in there quite a bit and put him in that role that Donovan (Peoples-Jones) has done for us, which is a lot of dirty work role in the run game,” Stefanski stated on November 5. “So, gaining some experience under his belt during his first outing. He’ll only keep getting better, in my opinion.”
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