Titans @ Browns
Final Score: Browns 27, Titans 3
Writer: Ryan Radel (@RadelFF on Twitter)
The Browns needed a bounce back after the heart and soul of the team, Nick Chubb, suffered a season-ending knee injury last week, and they delivered in a dominating victory over the Titans. Deshaun Watson was on fire throwing the ball, and the defense smothered the Titans’ offense. On the flip side of this matchup, the Titans’ reliance on the run game was exposed as they were unable to sustain drives throughout the game. The Titans’ defense had a few additional chances for sacks, but Deshaun was able to escape the pressure throughout the game. Statistically, this was a very ugly game for the Titans, while being only somewhat sloppy for the Browns.
Three Up
- Deshaun Watson – Watson needed to step up after the loss of Chubb. He delivered with a >80% completion rate, two scores, zero turnovers, and ~300 total yards of offense.
- Jerome Ford – It’s tough to replace a guy like Nick Chubb, but Ford helped as much as he could with over 50 yards on 12 touches and two scores. Even with Hunt, he will be involved.
- Elijah Moore – The yardage wasn’t anything crazy but bringing in all nine of his targets kept the chains moving.
Three Down
- Derrick Henry – Gamescript was Henry’s enemy today. Zero targets and 11 carries for 20 total yards is a gigantic letdown. If the Titans can’t hang in games this might become a more regular occurrence than we would like.
- Ryan Tannehill – It looks like his age is starting to catch up to him.
- Treylon Burks – He was targeted six times (second on the team) but only managed to secure one throw for five yards. The targets weren’t of much quality and he’s clearly behind Hopkins in the pecking order.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill: 13/25, 104 yards, 5 Sacks, Fumble (recovered)
Ryan Tannehill needed to step up in this game but failed to meet the challenge. The Browns took the lead early and never looked back, causing Tannehill to have to throw to keep up. A lot of his throws were rushed due to the pressure generated by the Browns’ pass rush, while several other throws were simply inaccurate. The Titans focused on the sideline for much of their passing attack but it failed to generate much of anything. The lack of a rushing game exposed the flaws of this passing attack as a whole.
Notes
- Playing from behind is not going to be a good situation for anyone on this offense.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: 11 carries, 20 yards
When fantasy managers drafted Derrick Henry they expected a lot more than what was offered today. Even in what ended up in a blowout, the Titans opted to give touches to people not named Derrick Henry in what I can assume was an effort to protect him. Gamescript pretty much wrote Henry out of the game by halftime as the score sat 13-3 and the Titans tried to fight their way back from behind. Zero targets in the passing game is concerning but in a more competitive game that may not have been the case.
Tyjae Spears: 4 carries, 6 yards | 4 targets, 4 receptions, 3 yards
Tyjae Spears out-snapped Derrick Henry on the afternoon 27-17. While they were playing from behind, the Titans looked to the speed of Spears to help facilitate a comeback but he was kept in check both on the ground and through the air. His targets were dump-offs that were shut down immediately by the Browns’ defense.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
DeAndre Hopkins: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 48 yards
Ryan Tannehill did not look at his best while throwing under pressure. A couple of the targets thrown towards DeAndre Hopkins were desperation throws as Tannehill was under pressure. Hopkins was able to secure a few sideline targets but otherwise, his routes had no time to develop and he was kept in check. Gamescript would dictate a better game for Hopkins but the quality of targets he was offered was subpar.
🔟 toes in @DeAndreHopkins
📺: Watch #TENvsCLE on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/VMQHkDcxVV
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 24, 2023
Treylon Burks: 6 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards
As mentioned above, the quality of targets for a lot of Tannehill’s throws was less than ideal. Treylon Burks is clearly second-fiddle in this passing game behind Hopkins and his share of targets reflected such. He was able to secure one catch for five yards, but the rest of his targets were either smothered by the defense or a badly thrown ball from Tannehill. Right now this offense is in a weird place and Burks seems to be in limbo, regardless of his talent.
Chris Moore: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 41 yards
33 of Chris Moore’s 41 yards came off of a single catch (gif below) and it was a doozy as he basically took it out of the defenders’ hands. Ideally, you’d want to see this type of play from the two receivers mentioned above, but, here we are. Moore is the third or fourth option in this passing game but if he keeps making plays like this he may move up in the pecking order:
CHRIS MOORE WILL TAKE THAT
📺: Watch #TENvsCLE on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/CQPUl7Y3G7
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 24, 2023
Chigoziem Okonkwo: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 7 yards
Chigoziem Okonkwo acted as a safety valve for Tannehill on a lot of crossing routes and screens. This unfortunately resulted in very little production as the offense stalled all day long.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Deshaun Watson: 27/33, 289 yards, 2 TD, 3 Sacks | 4 carries, 16 yards, Fumble (recovered)
The Browns organization as a whole needed a victory and looked to Deshaun Watson to step up to the plate and honor the massive contract he was recently given. Watson answered the call as he looked like his old self from his Houston days, extending plays and escaping pressure at an elite level. He made a few boneheaded plays that would’ve been costly had they resulted in a turnover but avoided those catastrophes while operating the Browns offense at a high level. It was still a sloppy game at the start which may indicate even more room for improvement from Watson as the season progresses.
Running Back
Jerome Ford: 10 carries, 18 yards, TD | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 33 yards, TD
It’s impossible to replace Chubb, especially his ability to run between the tackles, but Jerome Ford has answered the call as the next man up admirably. His efficiency and yards after contact will likely not be up to par with his predecessor, but his ability to get into the endzone was demonstrated again (and again), and looks to play a key role in this offense as the season goes on. Backfield cohort Kareem Hunt doesn’t look like his skillset will overlap with Jerome Ford too much.
stretching past the pylon#TENvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/HlauI0QZFU
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 24, 2023
Kareem Hunt: 5 carries, 13 yards | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 22 yards
After finally signing on to a roster, Kareem Hunt was on a snap count (per his head coach) with his old team in a familiar offense. His carries on the ground were very generic as he was given the ball between the tackles and slammed forward for a few yards. It’s hard to predict what the backfield split will be, but Hunt is more physically built for between-the-tackles / short-yardage situations while Ford looks to be more lethal on the outside. The Browns’ offense is still adjusting to life post-Nick Chubb, but the backfield duo of Hunt and Ford will definitely be involved no matter the outcome.
wouldn't be official if we didn't get a Hunt hop ⏫#TENvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/5M5NgVXYDF
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 24, 2023
Pierre Strong Jr.: 6 carries, 27 yards
Pierre Strong Jr. received 8 snaps towards the end of the blowout and received 6 carries. He is just a depth option at the moment.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Amari Cooper: 8 targets, 7 receptions, 116 yards, TD
Amari Cooper is and will remain the primary passing option in this offense as long as he is healthy. Amari was presenting an excellent passing target all game (beating his guy inside, finding openings in zone coverage) and Deshaun was rewarding that with throwing darts. Cooper was able to draw a few defensive pass-interference calls on top of his excellent production in the box score. His day could’ve been even better if it wasn’t for a blown call by the refs near the sideline. Cooper would’ve been one one-on-one against the last defender and potentially found paydirt on a big play.
Missed Opportunities
- Terrible early whistle to blow a play dead that could’ve resulted in more yardage or potentially a score.
easy money 'Mari#TENvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YnIwfHBZQj
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 24, 2023
Elijah Moore: 9 targets, 9 receptions, 49 yards, Fumble (lost) | 3 carries, -1 yard
His effectiveness on the ground left a lot to be desired but Elijah Moore was clearly a key cog in the passing attack for the Browns. The majority of his targets were short-yardage and kept the sticks moving while deeper targets were sent towards Amari Cooper. Outside of a lost fumble, Moore was a reliable target for Deshaun and was crucial to keeping several drives alive. Unfortunately, his potential may be capped as his utilization calls for a lot of short-yardage usage.
tricky wit it for the 1st 👀 @e_moore03: 3 tgt, 3 rec, 31 yds on the first drive pic.twitter.com/2ygr09yB7u
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 24, 2023
Donovan Peoples-Jones: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 49 yards, Fumble (recovered)
David Njoku: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 20 yards
In the tight-end wasteland that is modern-day fantasy football, David Njoku will need more targets to be relevant in today’s landscape. Right now the Browns offense doesn’t look to regularly involve Njoku in the post-Chubb playcalling. He’s still a physical freak and creates a lot of matchup nightmares for opposing defenses, but he will need more than four targets to be valuable in fantasy football.
Harrison Bryant: 2 carries, 4 yards
Marquise Goodwin: 1 carry, 1 yard
I miss you ^^