Passing on a sound approach - Browns Daily Dose

PASSING ON A SOUND APPROACH TO OFFENSE

By STEVE KING

A Browns Daily Dose story idea popped into my head Thursday night as I watched the Browns break off big chunks of rushing yardage play after play in the 35-30 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

For about 16 cents a day you can get exclusive #Browns news, stories and podcasts right to your inbox. Cancel anytime. #ClevelandBrowns https://t.co/KFP8GLu2fb
— Connor Wright (@StarkSports) September 15, 2020

The Browns were already ahead and trying to add to it. The Bengals defense was ripe for the taking, The guys up front were gassed and getting pushed yards off the ball by the Cleveland blockers as the Browns moved deep into Cincinnati territory.

I thought to myself, “Good idea, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Just keep running the ball to wear them down even more, eat up the clock and put points on the board to deliver what could well be the knockout punch. Wait until the Bengals finally stop you before even thinking of throwing a pass.”

I was all set to write about Stefanski’s common-sense approach to his play-calling.

Then, to my absolute horror, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield dropped back into the pocket to throw a pass over the middle that was intercepted, and my story idea instantly morphed into the piece you’re now reading (Passing on a sound approach). The Browns had been thwarted, while the Bengals, first with the play call and then with the pick, heaved a sigh of relief. They had been given a second life. They were still in the game.
Arghhhhhhhh!!!!!

Why?

You see this all the time at all levels of football, including even the NFL, in which offensive coordinators — Stefanski doubles as such because he calls the plays — outsmart themselves. Instead of just sticking with something that is working — that the defense is unable to stop — they get cute and try to prove how smart they are by swerving off course and calling a play that no one expected. In this case, no one, that is, except the Bengals.

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. If something is not broken, please refrain from trying to fix it.

There’s a good story about all this type of thing. Jim Tressel — perhaps you’ve heard of him — was hired as quarterbacks coach by Syracuse in 1981 by Dick MacPherson when the former Browns assistant under Sam Rutigliano got the head-coaching job there. MacPherson put Tressel upstairs in the coaching box and had him call plays.

In the first offensive possession of the season, the Orangemen, as they were known then, ran the ball at will against their opponents, using the same play time after time to march down the field. Finally, MacPherson said to Tressel through the headset, “Jimmy, don’t you think you should call something else other than 28 power?”

“I sure will, Coach,” Tressel replied, “as soon as they stop us.”

Are you listening, Kevin Stefanski?

No one except the Bengals, that is.

Steve King brings the Kardiac Kids stories back to life. Subscribe below for an all new exclusive series straight to your inbox.