CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns’ offensive collapse against the Pittsburgh Steelers might come down to one statistic: Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, arguably the team’s most dynamic offensive weapon, was on the field for just 33 of 82 offensive snaps.
This decision became a central focus of this week’s Terry’s Talkin’ Podcast, where cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto took issue with head coach Kevin Stefanski’s game plan.
“I don’t care if he was having some trouble running the ball. Leave him out there,” Pluto said. “You could fake it to him. You could throw him a pass.
The numbers tell a damning story. As cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe wrote earlier this week, the Browns had 27 passes and 11 runs in the first three quarters when it was still close. This wasn’t a case of abandoning the run because the team fell behind, Pluto said. This was the primary strategy from the beginning.
Perhaps most telling was when the Browns had a critical first and goal at the Steelers’ 3-yard line, and Judkins was not in for first or second down.
Stefanski, of course, is not just the head coach, but also the offensive play caller and tone-setter for the unit.
“I think Kevin is sort of shell-shocked, I really do in terms of just how rough the season has been and the struggles to score the points,” Pluto said. “It’s just been, it’s been hard for him.”
Pluto also talked about Stefanski’s postgame comments and a telling quote: “We’ve got to get it fixed because before you start winning, you’ve got to stop losing.”
Pluto’s reaction? “I just kind of laughed at that... it’s the kind of thing you say when you’re tired, worn down and discouraged.”
Beyond the Judkins situation, the podcast detailed other strategic issues, including leaving their quarterback exposed in empty-backfield formations. Pluto said that twice during the game, he predicted sacks before they happened simply by recognizing the vulnerable formation.
“We’re seeing empty backfield and I was like, ‘There’s trouble.’ And bang. There was a sack both times,” Pluto said.
Will the Browns offense change its approach? We’ll find out Sunday against the Dolphins.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
If you have a question or a topic you’d like to see included on the podcast, email it to sports@cleveland.com, and put “Terry’s Talkin’” in the subject line.
You can find previous podcasts below.
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