Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns: Ground Game Gives Team Winning Chance in Week 4

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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A strong rushing attack—and a commitment to it—could help them earn the Cleveland Browns their first win of 2016 against the Washington Redskins.

Back when the 2016 NFL schedule was released, it appeared that the Week 4 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins could be an exciting one. The game, after all, was supposed to mark quarterback Robert Griffin III’s return to Washington.

Of course, Griffin only made one start before landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Fellow quarterback Josh McCown is also dealing with an injured shoulder. That, of course, means rookie Cody Kessler will be making his second start for the Browns in Week 4.

Despite a rocky start in his debut, Kessler performed reasonably well in his debut against the Miami Dolphins last week. He finished going 21-of-33 for 244 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The performance wasn’t tremendous by any means. But it was a far cry from the disastrous debut of one Johnny Manziel.

If the Browns are smart, though, they won’t make the focus of their Week 4 matchup about their quarterback at all.

The 2016 Browns are a young, growing team that doesn’t do many things tremendously well. One thing Cleveland has done extremely well this season, though, is run the football. Led by running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson, the Browns have racked up an average of 144.7 yards rushing per game, fourth most in the NFL. Head coach Hue Jackson made it clear during the offseason that he believed in Crowell and Johnson.

“Those two guys are as good as I’ve seen in a while,” Jackson said back in May, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Their talent is extreme.”

While some might have scoffed at the thought of anyone on Cleveland’s roster—not named Joe Thomas, anyway—having extreme talent, the Browns backs have indeed been a bright spot. Crowell is currently averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Johnson is averaging 6.4. Crowell’s 274 yards rushing are actually tied for second-most in the league right now, behind only New England Patriots back LeGarrette Blount. It appears Cleveland’s third-year runner is well on his way to reaching his preseason goal.

“I want to run for 1,000 yards,” Crowell said before the season kicked off, per Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com “That’s my personal goal.”

In addition to their running-back tandem, the Browns also have receiver and change-of-pace quarterback Terrelle Pryor. He rushed four times for 21 yards last week against Miami.

There are a couple of reasons why the Browns need to lean on the ground game in their upcoming contest with Washington. The first is that it should help protect Kessler, both from the opposing pass rush and his own potential rookie mistakes. A dedicated rushing attack could also allow Cleveland to control the clock, keeping Washington’s offense off of the field.

The biggest reason for the Browns to make the ground game priority No. 1 is that run defense has been a big weakness for the Redskins so far this year. Pro Football Focus rates Washington 19th in run defense for the season so far. As a team, the Redskins rank 25th in rushing yardage allowed—an average of 123.0 yards per game allowed.

So running the ball is a clear strength for Cleveland. Stopping the run is a clear weakness for Washington. This is one of the few mismatches in the game that seems to favor the Browns. It’s also a reason why the team some predicted wouldn’t win a game in 2016 has a legitimate shot at winning its first this weekend.

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