What We Saw: Week 15

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Ravens @ Browns

Final Score: Browns 13, Ravens 3

Writer: Ryan Radel (@RadelFF on Twitter)

It was Deshaun Watson‘s first home game as a Brown, and for the first time this entire season, the Browns defense was the side of the ball that carried the team to a victory. On the other sideline were the surging Ravens (won six out of the last seven) without their MVP-caliber quarterback Lamar Jackson due to a knee injury. It was a sloppy, snowy game that seemed like a grind from the first snap – there were only a handful of plays that went for over 20 yards as both teams battled for first downs and field position. In the end, the Browns bent but didn’t break and did just enough to secure a lead in the second half to come away with a victory. The Browns improve to 6-8 while the Ravens are now 9-5.

I just thought this was funny considering the temperature was in the 20’s:

you know @TheRealJRSmith had to do it 👕🚫😂 pic.twitter.com/jEjMnIDoLn

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022

Baltimore Ravens

Quarterback

Tyler Huntley: 17/30, 138 yards, INT, 3 Sacks, Fumble (recovered) | 6 carries, 15 yards

The tweet below isn’t meant to besmirch Tyler Huntley but more so outline how badly this Ravens team misses Lamar Jackson. Huntley was recovering from a nasty hit last week and looked like he could’ve used a few more practices as he was slow to read and react against the Browns’ defense, especially their talented defensive end duo. His decision-making wasn’t great, the passes weren’t very accurate, and Huntley in general never looked comfortable in the pocket. He did know enough to pepper his best pass catcher, Mark Andrews, with targets all game. Huntley opened up the second half with a bad red zone interception and couldn’t climb out of the hole after that. He’s lucky he only had one interception.

https://twitter.com/MouthguardPod/status/1604271717437825024

Running Back

J.K. Dobbins: 13 carries, 125 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards

Gus Edwards: 7 carries, 55 yards

Justice Hill: 1 carry, 3 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 15 yards

Patrick Ricard: 1 carry

Overall, the Ravens’ rushing attack was incredibly effective as they averaged over seven yards per carry as a team, amassing 198 total rushing yards but were somehow kept out of the end zone all game. On the Ravens first drive, Patrick Ricard got stuffed on a 4th-and-short at the Browns seven-yard line, which was a huge play in retrospect. Justice Hill saw a couple of touches in backup work but nothing notable. Gus Edwards was the spell back and managed to gash the Browns for a 25-yard gain among his seven touches on his way to 55 total yards. J. K. Dobbins didn’t have the volume you’d prefer, but he made the most out of his touches either way. Averaging almost 10 yards per carry on the day, Dobbins looked more like his pre-injury self as he juked and jump-cut his way around the Browns rushing defense:

JK TAKES OFF❗️❗️@nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Rqeag0Kdeh

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 17, 2022

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Mark Andrews: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 31 yards

Devin Duvernay: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 29 yards

Demarcus Robinson: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 29 yards, 2 Fumbles (1 lost)

Isaiah Likely: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 18 yards

Josh Oliver: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 13 yards

DeSean Jackson: 3 targets

James Porche II: 2 targets

Mark Andrews led the team in targets (as he should) but only managed to secure three of them for 31 yards. He was smothered by the Browns as they clearly designed the game plan around him. A couple of targets weren’t really catchable, but a couple of others were broken up by great defense. Devin Duvernay brought in two of his three targets for 29 yards but was most notably able to recover two fumbles, neither of which were his own, for his team to keep possession. Backup tight ends Isaiah Likely and Josh Oliver were targeted a combined five times, bringing in four of those for 31 total yards as they acted as safety valves for Huntley to dump off short passes to. DeSean Jackson‘s biggest contribution was going in motion a few times to help Huntley figure out coverage – oh, he was also targeted three times. Demarcus Robinson had a pretty rough day. He was targeted six times and brought in all of them for 29 yards, but managed to fumble two of those receptions, one of which resulted in a turnover:

JJ3 punched it free 🥊

📺: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/2ayeHCYRMD

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022

Cleveland Browns

Quarterback

Deshaun Watson: 18/28, 161 yards, TD, 3 Sacks | 6 carries, 22 yards

Jacoby Brissett: 1 carry, 3 yards

Another game, another post-week 11 Jacoby Brissett sighting in what I could call “creative” play-calling. Brissett was brought in on a 4th and one in the fourth quarter on a quarterback keeper and converted for a new set of downs to keep possession as well as keep the clock ticking. It was a better game than the previous week, but it was still a rough outing for Deshaun Watson. His metrics, such as completion rate and quarterback rating, are slowly improving, but Watson still looks rusty on the field. To his credit, he did coordinate a 91-yard scoring drive off of a turnover which was a major deciding factor in this game. Unlike the last two weeks, he avoided turning the ball over this time which ended up being a major key to victory. A couple of drives resulted in nothing as the Browns kicker, Cade York, missed two makeable field goals at the end of drives. From a fantasy football perspective, Deshaun still has a very long way to go, but he’s already become a better decision-maker, especially when he decides to use his legs:

off to the races 🏃‍♂️💨

📺: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YbUgpylvoD

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022

Running Back

Nick Chubb: 21 carries, 99 yards | 2 targets

Kareem Hunt: 4 carries, 24 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards

Demetric Felton Jr.: 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards

Demetric Felton Jr lined up as a receiver a couple of times throughout the game, bringing in his lone target for five yards. Kareem Hunt had yet another quiet game with five total touches for a combined 27 yards. At this point, this usage excludes him from being startable in fantasy and is basically a high-tier handcuff at best moving forward. He simply doesn’t get valuable touches in this offense this season. Nick Chubb bounced back after a rough couple of weeks on the ground, turning 21 carries into 99 yards, falling a single yard short of the 100-yard threshold. He was targeted twice out of the backfield but failed to hold onto either ball, otherwise, he could’ve had an even better day. He was held out of the endzone, but he looked to be running hard once again:

this O-line >>>>

📺: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/MsjA7Pxgrg

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Amari Cooper: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 58 yards

Donovan Peoples-Jones: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 31 yards, TD

David Njoku: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 28 yards

Daylen Baldwin: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 25 yards

Harrison Bryant: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 7 yards

Michael Woods II: 2 targets, 1 reception, 4 yards | 1 carry, -5 yards

It was a home game for the Browns, so you’d expect Amari Cooper to pop off as is tradition. He tied for the team lead with six targets, but only brought in four for 58 yards. Cooper was only able to get a limited practice on Thursday under his belt and was clearly not 100% for this game, and I’m sure Deshaun knew that. David Njoku was the targets co-leader alongside Cooper, but also failed to do much with his six targets, as he brought in three for 28 yards. He was defended well over the middle. Harrison Bryant siphoned some of the tight end targets away from Njoku as he brought in two of two for a whopping seven yards. Daylen Baldwin, recently called up from the practice squad, made the most of his two targets converting them both for 25 yards. Michael Woods II was targeted twice, bringing in one for four yards, and was also involved in a busted trick play that resulted in a loss of 5 yards. Donovan Peoples-Jones stood out, bringing in four of four balls for 31 yards, including this short score in the third quarter to put the Browns ahead and ultimately secured the victory.