What We Saw: Week 6

The What We Saw team recaps everything you missed from Sunday's action

Ben Brown
What We Saw 2 Years Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Commanders @ Bears
49ers @ Falcons
Patriots @ Browns
Jets @ Packers
Jaguars @ Colts
Vikings @ Dolphins
Bengals @ Saints
Ravens @ Giants
Buccaneers @ Steelers
Panthers @ Rams
Cardinals @ Seahawks
Bills @ Chiefs
Cowboys @ Eagles

Patriots @ Browns

Final Score: Patriots 38, Browns 15

Writer: Ryan Radel (@RadelFF on Twitter)

 

Bailey Zappe filled in admirably for the Patriots as they trounced the Browns in Cleveland, 38-15. The Patriots offense was firing on all cylinders, while the Browns offense shied away from their identity early in the game. To compound on that, the Browns defensive woes continue, as they just can’t seem to get a stop when it matters.  In general, the Browns were outcoached and outplayed in this game from start to finish.

 

New England Patriots

 

Quarterback

 

Bailey Zappe: 24/34, 309 Yards, 2 TD, 2 Sacks | 3 Carries, -4 Yards, 1 Fumble (Lost) | 1 Target, 1 Reception, -6 Yards

 

 

Bailey Zappe was named starter once again as he proceeded to dismantle the Browns defense. He took a couple bad sacks while losing a fumble, but otherwise did everything very well throughout the game. Patriots receivers helped Zappe out, getting wide open on their routes or winning jump balls downfield as this offense marched up and down the field. There was an excellent balance of run and pass, and Zappe executed the offense to near perfection. It will be interesting to see how Zappe performs against tougher defenses, but he sure looked good today:

 

 

Running Back

 

Rhamondre Stevenson: 19 Carries, 76 Yards, 2 TD | 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 15 Yards

Pierre Strong Jr.: 1 Carry, 5 Yards

Kevin Harris: 3 Carries, 5 Yards

 

With Damien Harris out again, the backfield was handed over to Rhamondre Stevenson, and he delivered. While he didn’t find a lot of space in the passing game, he still brought in some valuable receptions to inflate his PPR score. On top of that, he was able to score from 31 yards out as well as inside the redzone as the Patriots kept him involved all game. He was spelled by Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr for a few plays here and there, but otherwise Stevenson looks to have this backfield on lock. When Damien Harris returns to the lineup, Stevenson’s stranglehold on the backfield might loosen, but until then we can enjoy plays like this:

 

 

Stevenson had a great game, but it should have been better. He was unable to punch the ball into the end zone on three carries from the one-yard line. Another TD on one of those carries would have turned a great game into a spectacular one.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

DeVante Parker: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 64 Yards

Hunter Henry: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD

Jonnu Smith: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 61 Yards

Jakobi Meyers: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 60 Yards

Tyquan Thornton: 3 Carries, 16 Yards, TD | 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 37 Yards, TD

Kendrick Bourne: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 17 Yards

 

Zappe did such a great job of spreading the ball around that no single receiver really stood out from the rest. DeVante Parker was second on the team in targets and absolutely Moss’d a Browns corner early in the game. Hunter Henry was able to break into the open field and score on a 31-yard pass as his defender simply fell down. He was also targeted on a pass in the end zone that he caught for a TD, however, a defender pushed him out of bounds just before and a penalty was called for illegal touching. The penalty probably should have been called on the defender for illegal contact, though Henry was open before this sequence occurred and Zappe simply missed him.

Tyquan Thornton, in his second game back from a broken collarbone, was used all over the field as the Patriots tried to utilize his elite-level speed. Thornton caught a dart from Zappe from two yards out, and scored again later on a 19-yard end around. His burst off the line is something to marvel at, and he is a guy you want to monitor moving forward.

 

 

 

Jakobi Meyers continued to be a reliable asset in this passing attack, although his ceiling remains fairly low week to week. It was an absolute pleasure to see Jonnu Smith be involved in the Patriots passing game after a disappearing act in 2021 following a promising stint in Tennessee. With so many mouths to feed, it’s hard to rely on any consistent sort of production, but his strength and size will always be able to create mismatches:

 

 

Cleveland Browns

 

Quarterback

 

Jacoby Brissett: 21/45, 266 Yards, TD, 2 INT, 4 Sacks | 1 Carry, 1 Fumble (Lost)

 

This was probably the ugliest game Jacoby Brissett has had in a Browns uniform. Completing under 50% of your passes with two turnovers and four sacks is never a winning combination. The Browns rely on the run to open up the pass, and the run was bottled up today. The typical throwing windows from previous weeks were much smaller as defensive backs didn’t need to worry about run support. Jacoby had a couple of bad reads as well as the usual underthrown ball downfield. There’s a reason he’s been a journeyman, and this game was a great example of why. He still has it in him to make these nice touch passes from time to time, though:

 

 

Running Back

 

Nick Chubb: 12 Carries, 56 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 14 Yards

Kareem Hunt: 4 Carries, 12 Yards | 1 Target

D’Ernest Johnson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards

 

After looking at the rushing stats for the Browns in this matchup, it’s no wonder they lost. The Browns’ rushing game has been the cornerstone of this offense all season, averaging 172 yards per game. Today, they got to 70 yards as the Patriots contained both Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb. Neither back was able to get into a rhythm as the Browns were playing from behind and opted to throw. Chubb still ran hard, but there wasn’t space for much of anything out of this group. A great defensive showing from the Patriots.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Donovan Peoples-Jones: 1 Carry, 2 Yards | 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 74 Yards

David Njoku: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 58 Yards

Amari Cooper: 12 Targets, 4 Receptions, 44 Yards, TD

Pharaoh Brown: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 21 Yards

Harrison Bryant: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 18 Yards

Michael Woods II: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 15 Yards

David Bell: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards

Anthony Schwartz: 3 Targets

 

As I said last week, Amari Cooper should be started while playing at home. He only managed four receptions for 44 yards, but one of those receptions was a score. On top of that, he was targeted a whopping twelve times! Brissett wasn’t the most accurate with some of those targets, but it’s clear he’s the first read in this passing game. Donovan Peoples-Jones contributed by bringing in four of his five targets for 74 yards, one of which was a splash play for 37 yards where DPJ displayed his great athleticism. Two of the receptions, however, came in garbage time.

Pharaoh Brown and Harrison Bryant chipped in at tight end, combining for five receptions for 39 yards on seven targets, but the start of that group was again David Njoku. Unfortunately, he only reeled in half of his six targets, but Njoku was still effective when he had the ball in his hands. If Brissett has a bigger arm, this might’ve went for six:

 

 

Thank you for reading! Go Guardians!

Series Navigation
Introduction
Commanders @ Bears
49ers @ Falcons
Patriots @ Browns
Jets @ Packers
Jaguars @ Colts
Vikings @ Dolphins
Bengals @ Saints
Ravens @ Giants
Buccaneers @ Steelers
Panthers @ Rams
Cardinals @ Seahawks
Bills @ Chiefs
Cowboys @ Eagles

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