Icy home-field benefit makes no affect on dome-ridden Saints
No dome, no drawback for the New Orleans Saints who got here into the supposedly advantaged Cleveland Browns in icy, out of doors situations. Within the coldest recreation in Cleveland since 1981, the Saints beat the Browns by a score of 17-10 regardless of their pure habitat being in a roofed facility in Louisiana. The one scoring play for Cleveland got here on a 12-yard run by Deshaun Watson.
Falling to 6-9 on the season, the Browns have sealed back-to-back dropping seasons below head coach Kevin Stefanski. The Saints advance to 6-9 on the season as properly. With two weeks to go, the Browns look to choose up the items against the Washington Commanders next week.
For one more version of 4 Downs, what stood out from this largely unforgettable recreation between the Browns and Saints?
Record
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1st Down: Nick Chubb received his 20 carries, so what occurred?
Dec 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns working again Nick Chubb (24) runs with the ball as New Orleans Saints security Tyrann Mathieu (32) defends throughout the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports activities
There goes the adage that the Browns will win if Nick Chubb will get 20 carries.
On the day, Chubb completed with 23 carries for 92 yards, averaging lower than 4 yards per carry. Too typically the Browns had been caught in second and third and lengthy conditions because of the climate and their lack of ability to get issues persistently churning on the bottom.
Whereas the optics of throwing 31 instances on this recreation doesn’t look fairly, the Browns threw over a 3rd of these makes an attempt on the final drive, and eight inside the final two minutes of the sport. That quantity is far more inflated than it seems on the floor.
It flat-out involves the Saints being extra dominant up entrance and bottling up the Browns’ floor recreation. They as soon as once more misplaced within the trenches and misplaced on the scoreboard.
2nd Down: 3 dropped landing passes loom giant on this one
Dec 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns extensive receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) can’t make the catch of a cross in the long run zone as New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (27) defends throughout the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports activities
For as many play-calling qualms as there have been within the recreation, and there was a handful within the second half, the Browns couldn’t have dialed up higher redzone pictures on the final drive of the sport. And execution failed as extensive receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and tight finish David Njoku dropped landing grabs on back-to-back pictures.
Throw within the landing that Amari Cooper dropped within the first half, and the Browns left fairly just a few factors on the board on this loss to the Saints. We are able to argue concerning the run/cross splits as a lot as we wish, however the brief reply is that the Browns left at the very least 14 factors on the board due to lapses in execution.
third Down: Now that the playoff hopes are formally useless, what can the Browns look in the direction of?
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods appears to be like to the scoreboard for a replay throughout the first half of an NFL soccer recreation at FirstEnergy Stadium, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]
Issues are going to look so much completely different by the point the Browns come again for rookie minicamp. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods can be fired, particular groups coordinator Mike Priefer may now be far behind him and anticipate some turnover on the offensive aspect as properly.
Quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing has been a scorching identify this season as he seems to be in line to land an offensive coordinator place this offseason. Whereas Stefanski is expected to return in 2023, he may exit and add a passing recreation coordinator who makes a speciality of unfold and air raid ideas to aim to meld Watson’s play model with Stefanski’s offense a bit extra intently.
Regardless, there may be going to be numerous spinning on Stefanski’s employees this offseason. They nonetheless have two video games left, however my hunch is that numerous these selections have been made for weeks.
4th Down: Convey on the 2023 NFL Draft
Followers collect across the stage as they look ahead to the Cleveland Browns to make their first-round choose within the NFL soccer draft Thursday April 29, 2021, in Cleveland. The Browns selected Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II. (AP Photograph/David Dermer)
Even with no first spherical choose, there are numerous enjoyable prospects in a deep class for the Browns to choose from once they come on the clock. Proper now, it appears to be like like they will be picking anywhere from 41-to-46 by the point the 2023 NFL Draft rolls round.
It’s a deep crop of defensive tackles and edge rushers, each wants for the Browns. There are enjoyable and explosive extensive receivers who would complement this present set of cross catchers as properly. The Browns should not have as many voids to fill because it appears, however this can be a good class to have eight picks in given its depth.
Browns Wire draft protection will choose up, and mock drafts worldwide will choose up. Now that the Browns are eradicated from the playoffs, it’s time to have some actual enjoyable.
Story originally appeared on Browns Wire
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