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Factoid

Browns on the rise

Under Kitchens, Cleveland's offense is looking elite

The work Freddie Kitchens did last year with the Browns was remarkable. He was the clear Offensive Coordinator of the Year, in my opinion, even though he was in that post for only half the season.

Cleveland, recall, fired Hue Jackson and Todd Haley halfway through last season. Haley himself is a seasoned, worthy play caller. Or seemed to be. He’s been doing it for a lot of years. Entering last season, I would have listed him as one of the top 10 offensive coordinators in the league.

But the Browns under Jackson and Haley were a disaster. They allowed a league-high 33 sacks in the first half of last season while completing under 56 percent of their passes. That’s about what everyone expected, with them starting a rookie quarterback.

That’s the mess Kitchens inherited, and on short notice he was able to make a few changes and completely turn the offense around. In the second half of the season, Baker Mayfield completed 68 percent of his passes while taking a league-low 5 sacks.

That doesn’t even seem possible.

Kitchens used more spread formations and worked more run-pass option plays into the offense. The Browns also plugged in Greg Robinson at left tackle, benching Desmond Harrison. I’m not sure who came up with that idea. It could have been interim head coach Gregg Williams or some other assistant. But it was brilliant. Robinson flopped in his three years with the Rams and wasn’t any better in 2017, but he nailed down that spot. The Browns re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $7 million in the offseason.

I imagine some opponents will do a better job of countering what Cleveland is doing. Adjustments will need to be made. But this is looking like an up-and-coming offense. I will be surprised if Baker Mayfield isn’t a top-10 quarterback, and he might be more of a top-5 guy.

SACKS ALLOWED (first 8 games)
TeamPctYardsTDIntSack
New Orleans76.2%2,3901819
Indianapolis65.6%2,18723810
Kansas City65.6%2,52626610
New England67.5%2,20016711
Pittsburgh64.6%2,58216711
Carolina67.4%1,90615412
LA Chargers67.2%2,24419312
Baltimore60.9%2,33113615
Cincinnati63.9%2,14117816
Washington63.5%1,8679316
Chicago64.2%1,94916717
LA Rams67.5%2,43717517
Miami65.3%1,94716817
NY Jets55.2%1,705111017
Arizona57.8%1,47271022
Atlanta70.8%2,70519322
Denver64.0%2,138111022
Jacksonville61.3%2,17711922
Detroit67.1%2,12514723
Minnesota70.7%2,52116423
Tampa Bay65.5%2,974231724
Green Bay60.3%2,59715225
Oakland71.9%2,20610825
Seattle66.1%1,79118525
Houston64.1%2,17615726
Philadelphia69.5%2,25414326
Tennessee65.0%1,5867626
Dallas62.6%1,66010528
Buffalo53.7%1,40431329
NY Giants68.4%2,4349631
San Francisco60.1%1,970131031
Cleveland55.7%1,93310833
SACKS ALLOWED (last 8 games)
TeamPctYardsTDIntSack
Cleveland68.2%2,3281995
Indianapolis68.8%2,4081678
New England64.2%2,20513410
New Orleans70.0%1,78415611
Buffalo54.9%1,678101012
Denver60.9%1,7928512
Pittsburgh68.6%2,592191013
Philadelphia71.5%2,27015814
Chicago70.2%1,79812716
Kansas City66.4%2,60024616
LA Rams62.6%2,29315716
NY Giants62.2%1,97114616
Baltimore58.6%1,3775317
Minnesota69.4%1,77714617
San Francisco64.2%2,277131017
Tampa Bay65.1%2,38413917
Detroit63.4%1,7198518
Atlanta68.0%2,24417420
Carolina66.9%2,165131220
NY Jets58.8%1,6997920
Cincinnati57.7%1,42810521
Tennessee69.2%1,6699621
LA Chargers68.7%2,07213922
Seattle65.0%1,65717226
Oakland65.3%1,8519227
Dallas71.6%2,22512328
Green Bay62.3%2,03210228
Washington58.3%1,42071228
Arizona56.5%1,4128830
Jacksonville61.6%1,2544431
Miami62.8%1,36210535
Houston72.5%1,98911236

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index