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BEREA — Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That’s not just something one would say about another person or something along those lines.
Browns quarterback Joe Flacco said it’s something that could be said about offenses as well.
“Sometimes when it’s not pretty, it doesn’t mean it’s not good,” Flacco said Sept. 17. “There’s going to be times where you’re going to have to punt the ball and pin ’em back and rely on those [defensive] guys to get a stop and get us good field position. And I think as an offense, when you are talking about playing complementary football, it’s realizing some of those things throughout the course of a game that sometimes even though things don’t feel great, that it still may be a positive. Then, when we do get our chances, just taking advantage of that.”
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Flacco isn’t defending the offensive production so far by the 0-2 Browns. It would be hard to justify a full-throated defense of what they have done in the first two games, even though, based on raw statistics, they’ve been middle of the pack: 10th in passing (242.5 yards), 16th in total yards (324.0) and 26th in rushing (82.9).
All of that has added up to an offense that has posted the 27th-best scoring average (16.5). More importantly, it’s contributed to a defense that’s top three in total yards (first, 191.5), passing yards (third, 146.0) and rushing yards (first, 45.5), but also is credited for allowing 29 points per game, tied for 25th.
The Ravens had four scoring drives that started on Cleveland’s side of the 50, including ones that started at the 24, 5 and 36. They also had a scoop-and-score on a fumble by Flacco that opened up a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“Well, obviously, you have to play well in the run game, you have to play well in the pass game. You have to stay on the field and score points, and certainly have not scored enough points the last couple games,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “And it’s really incumbent on us as a team to play complementary team ball. Of course, we would like to play well on all three sides of the ball, and there’s opportunities to always do that, but we have to play really good, complementary team ball.”
That said, the Browns also know they have to get the offense up and running at some point before the season spirals completely away. It won’t get any easier on Sept. 21 when they play the Green Bay Packers and their defense, which is right there with Cleveland’s.
That Packers defense is fourth in total scoring (15.5 points per game), second in rushing (48.5), third in total yards (238.0) and 10th in passing (189.5). They do all of that by starting with a “see quarterback, hit quarterback” mindset that has them tied for second in sacks with eight and second in quarterback hits with 18.
“I think when you build a plan, you build a plan for certain things, and I think when you go through your progressions and you go through your reads, it’s always built to get the ball out in certain timing,” Flacco said. “So, I think you just got to kind of rely on your training and going through your progressions and listening to your feet. I think the rest will take care of itself. It’s just part of the game.”
Flacco took a beating from his former team in Week 2, getting sacked twice and hit another nine times. When he was clean, which was on 64.6% of his dropbacks according to Pro Football Focus, he completed 73.3% (22 of 30) of his passes for 169 yards .
There was a 53% drop off when Flacco was pressured, which was on 35.4% of dropbacks. He was just 3-of-15 passing, with a touchdown and an interception.
“I think a big key is just going to be able to try to get him off the spot, get pressure to him,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur told Green Bay area reporters of Flacco. “I always tell our guys, whether it’s our quarterback or anybody else, it’s hard to throw from your back. So I think that’s going to be critical, but he can make every throw.”
The Browns need Flacco to be able to hit a few more deep shots to help take some of that pressure off him. Per PFF, he’s only 2-of-6 passing for 51 yards with an interception on passes thrown 20 or more yards down the field through two games.
The majority of his passes are either behind the line of scrimmage or travel no more than nine yards in the air. He’s a combined 44-of-55 passing for 264 yards with an interception in those two zones, and is 10-of-18 passing for 174 yards, two touchdowns and one interception between 10 and 19 yards.
As a team, the Browns only have six total pass plays that have gone for 20 yards or more. The longest of those were 25-yard receptions by Cedric Tillman and Jerry Jeudy against Cincinnati.
“I feel like, as an offense, that’s what every offensive guy looks for — that one big play, that one spark that just gives the offense momentum, and take advantage of that,” Jeudy said. “I feel like we need that for sure.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Joe Flacco, Jerry Jeudy look for ‘one big play’ that can spark Cleveland Browns offense
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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