CLEVELAND, Ohio — The quarterback battle was the talk of the offseason.

In reality, that overshadowed the holes in this Browns offense that have already been exposed in September.

Three weeks in and this unit has its hands full.

The best way to really understand how inefficient this unit has been is from the lens of data and analytics.

We’ll list five team or individual numbers, and dive into what makes that specific number worth mentioning

3.8

The quicker the pass, the better off you’ll be.

That’s Kevin Stefanski’s offense, favoring the shorter pass option that falls under the West Coast scheme. It overlaps into a lack of air yards and movement for the offense.

Currently, quarterback Joe Flacco ties for the second-fewest completed air yards (3.8), per Next Gen Stats.

If you want to bring up Flacco’s age (40) factoring into it, that’s one thing. But keep in mind, the Browns are coming off last year where they ranked 31st in yards gained per play (4.6). Currently, they sit 22nd in that same category (4.4).

If the offense expects the pass to spread the field, an increase in the rate of deep shots would help.

110

A shining component of this offense so far has been running back Quinshon Judkins. The rookie running back has displayed that bruiser ability, as though the only way he can run is north.

The 36th overall pick has only played two games off limited practice, due to off-the-field issues. Despite all of this, Judkins has still found ways to show why Cleveland took him.

Judkins currently ranks 10th among all qualifying running backs in yards after contact (110), per Pro Football Reference.

Rushing yards obviously are important, but gaining more yards after contact is a big bonus.

The 2024 season stands as the only season Cleveland didn’t finish in the top 10 in YAC since Stefanski took over the coaching reigns in 2020.

Seventy-three of Judkins’ 110 yards after contact came in the Week 3 win over Green Bay. A win that featured a comeback that really started with Judkins, since 62 of his 94 rushing yards came in the final quarter, along with the only Browns touchdown.

Nonetheless, Judkins’ play makes you wonder what the future of the season holds for him.

6

The Browns are currently tied for fifth in drops (six), per Pro Football Reference. Three of those drops are credited to Jerry Jeudy, two of which came in the season-opening loss.

Dating back to 2022, Cleveland has finished each season with a top five ranking in drops. Last season, the Browns led all teams in drops (49). Despite a Pro Bowl nod, Jeudy accounted for 13 of those drops.

5

All turnovers are not created equal.

However, the turnover’s existence is more than enough to create a disadvantage for you.

The Browns are tied for fifth in giveaways (five). Flacco accounts for all five: four interceptions and one fumble.

Two of his picks came in Week 1, though the blame pointed toward his targets for being unable to catch them.

His third interception and first fumble were recorded in Week 2. The interception could’ve been prevented had Flacco thrown the ball away instead of toward David Njoku in tight coverage.

It’s early in the season, but never too early to highlight Cleveland’s ongoing tendency for giving the ball away. It has finished first in interceptions and giveaways in the last two seasons.

Heading for a third time doesn’t help anyone.

19

A question mark has hovered over the state of Cleveland’s offensive line.

A unit that usually was among the NFL’s more consistent has seen a dip in productive blocking over the last couple seasons.

Swing tackle Cornelius Lucas leads all players in quarterback pressures allowed (19), per Pro Football Focus.

The tackle position has been a tedious one for Cleveland, due to inconsistency and injuries. It’s become even more tedious this season, due to Dawand Jones suffering a season-ending knee injury, and Jack Conklin’s nagging elbow injury. Lucas and KT Leveston will both see more time in the following weeks.

If there’s no improvement in the pass blocking, decisions will be made.

And not the best kind that would benefit either of them.

Conclusion

These problems are evident within Cleveland’s offense, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be resolved.

Facing a problem is the first step. Because the longer they linger, the worse the consequences are.