It’s rare we talk about the same team in consecutive weeks for this column. Then again, the Cleveland Browns and Joe Flacco are proving to be rare.
Teams who start four different quarterbacks across meaningful games don’t make the playoffs. They’re usually awful. And, more to the point, they rarely exist considering how many injuries and/or poor signal-callers must be involved for that to happen.
Yet we’re starting with the Browns, because Flacco and Cleveland can’t stop winning.
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Joe Flacco makes the tough plays and the easy ones, too
Flacco has been correctly lauded over the past month for opening up the Browns’ deep-ball attack, something he was great at during his heyday with the Baltimore Ravens.
But Flacco also brings calmness and experience to the playoff-bound Browns. We saw it Thursday night in Cleveland’s second drive on its way to a 37–20 victory over the New York Jets.
Tied at 7 in the first quarter, the Browns had a third-and-12 at midfield. The Jets were in a pressure look with seven defenders at the line. It was easy for Flacco to decipher. New York was in a single-high defense, man-to-man otherwise.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
On the snap, the play was clearly designed for tight end David Njoku (No. 85). Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had Njoku running a shallow drag across the field, matched up against inside linebacker C.J. Mosley (No. 57). On the right side, Cleveland had two receivers in condensed splits, with Elijah Moore (No. 8) running a hitch route to the deep middle, while David Bell (No. 18) ran a clear-out go-route.
Up front, the Browns did a nice job of picking up the blitz, which curiously came from the Jets’ best cover-corner in Sauce Gardner (No. 1). Flacco, despite some pressure off his right side, didn’t backpedal into a problem or lose his eye discipline. Instead, he knew Njoku was going to break free, as Mosley tried to get over the top of the tight end and, in the process, completely ran himself out of the play.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
The result was a 43-yard play, and Mosley in the trail position with nobody in the ZIP code to help out. It wasn’t a great throw by Flacco, and it was an easy read set up by a terrific play-call against the right defense.
However, it’s symbolic of what’s going on with the Browns. Stefanski made the correct choice on his menu; Flacco executed the offense in a way we haven’t seen from Deshaun Watson over the past two years; and the playmakers around him gained chunk yardage.
When the Browns play like this, they’re tough to beat.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
Joe Flacco is dealing, and David Njoku is having a great year.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) January 2, 2024
Also, the Jets coverage here, along with blitzing Sauce Gardner on third down, is not ideal. pic.twitter.com/w0Fn7BojGX
Eagles’ defense has problems
Sometimes, it’s one thing. Other times, it’s everything. Right now, it’s the latter for the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense.
On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals went into Lincoln Financial Field as double-digit underdogs. They trailed 21–6 at halftime. Then, on four second-half possessions, the Cardinals scored 29 points on four touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
While a dozen plays could have been picked out to highlight Philadelphia’s issues, specifically against the run, the one below is jarring in its simplicity.
With 1:26 remaining in regulation, the Cardinals faced first-and-10 at the Eagles’ 41-yard line. Arizona came out in a 3x1 look, with Philadelphia matching in man with a single-high safety.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
As the play begins, Greg Dortch (No. 83) is in the slot, the second receiver on the right side. He ran a simple out route, initially working inside and then breaking toward the boundary to create separation against slot corner Avonte Maddox (No. 29).
Kyler Murray decided to target Dortch in hopes of a 10-yard gain while potentially stopping the clock. Instead, what you see below turned into a 36-yard pass. Look at where Maddox is in relation to Dortch when Murray throws and when the receiver catches the ball.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
This is a relatively easy tackle that should be inbounds, keeping the clock running. Instead, Maddox whiffed, and Dortch turned it upfield. However, there’s another opportunity to bring him down at the 14-yard line. Let’s see how that went for safety Reed Blankenship (No. 32).
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
Moments later, the Cardinals scored the go-ahead and, eventually, game-winning touchdown.
Let's just say this tackling display isn't getting anybody put into the Hall of Fame, except for maybe Greg Dortch. pic.twitter.com/B9N2MVwAnY
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) January 2, 2024
Ravens rolled Dolphins on way to AFC’s top seed
On Sunday, a few things happened in Baltimore. The Ravens wrapped up the AFC’s No. 1 seed for the second time in five seasons with a resounding 56–19 victory over the Miami Dolphins. And Lamar Jackson cemented his second MVP award in the same span.
Perhaps the play that began putting the game away came in the second quarter, after Miami had kicked a field goal to trail 14–13.
Presnap, Baltimore lined up in a 3x1 set. However, receiver Zay Flowers (No. 4) went in motion, balancing the formation while forcing Miami to shift. The Dolphins were in a quarters look, with three underneath zone defenders and four zone players deep.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
Immediately, Miami has a huge problem. Corner Eli Apple (No. 33) is at the bottom of the screen. He was responsible for the wide fourth of the field, carrying any route deep. Instead, when linebacker Duke Riley (No. 45) widened on Flowers’s motion, Apple panicked and ran inside to help on Rashod Bateman (No. 7), who was running a deep hitch to the 40-yard line.
By doing this, Apple completely vacated the deep right side … where Flowers was running on a go route.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
As Jackson began loading up for the deep ball, Apple was woefully out of position. (It should also be noted Apple is only in the game because Xavien Howard went out with a foot injury after the Dolphins’ first defensive series.)
With Apple looking inside, Jackson has a massive window to hit Flowers.
Screenshot from NFL+ all-22
The throw was true, and Flowers needed to make only one man miss for a touchdown. He did, and the Ravens never looked back.
Miami was in the right coverage. The Dolphins should have been fine, or in a worst-case scenario had Apple on Flowers in essentially man coverage, using the sideline as a double team. Instead, the motion caused confusion, and ultimately six points.
The Ravens got the Dolphins out of sorts all day on Sunday, and certainly on this 75-yard bomb to Say Flowers.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) January 2, 2024
Miami was in a good defense for the play, but the pre-snap motion from Flowers caused issues, Eli Apple got sucked inside, and that was that. pic.twitter.com/bgD6nIBELq
