Cleveland, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns ran 11 plays over 3 offensive series officially inside the Bills 10-yard line Sunday and came away with just 10 points.
Including 3 penalties and an Austin Seibert 27-yard field goal, they had 15 tries in total to score points.
Even more frustrating, they ran Nick Chubb 7 times and he couldn’t crack the goal line.
Head coach Freddie Kitchens explained Monday afternoon, from his perspective, what went wrong.
“We have to do a better job of maintaining our blocks,” Kitchens said. “We were on the right people for the most part. We just have to win our one-on-one matchups a lot of times down there. When you get down in goal-to-go situations, you would like to be able to run the ball in. To do that, you have to win your one-on-one matchups.”
For Kitchens, there’s a difference between comparing efficiency from inside the red zone versus at the goal line.
“This is just my personal belief – you are dealing with different types of scenarios when you are at the 1-yard line as opposed to the 12,” Kitchens said. “It is a lot more about being precise in landmarks, execution, timing and things like that when you are in red zone offense because the field diminishes. When you are down there at the 1, it is almost like being in a phone booth. It is more of a mentality thing.”
Help could be on the way in the form of Kareem Hunt, who had 74 all-purpose yards but didn’t get any touches down by the goal line.
Kitchens admitted they didn’t get to that part of the playbook Sunday against Buffalo.
“I guess would be accurate to say that. Although, we could have gotten in normal offense down there,” Kitchens said. “Our playbook is still open down there. Of course, you are not going to throw a go-ball or anything like that down there and run out of the back of the end zone. For the most part, though, we can block our run game down there, most of it.
“It is kind of a two-edge sword there from the standpoint of we could have used them down there, but our goal line package did not include both of them down there, no.”
For as impressive as Hunt was with the ball against the Bills, he was even more impressive blocking without it, and Sunday showed they need all the blocking help they can get by the goal line.
Back to work – Kitchens, his staff and the Browns didn’t get much time to savor the flavor of victory, not with the suddenly resurrected Pittsburgh Steelers rolling into town Thursday night.
“Yeah, we started [Sunday] night,” Kitchens said. “Just trying to get a plan together for Pittsburgh who of course is a huge division opponent. Passion and energy will not be a problem. We have to prepare to control our emotions, stay in the moment and play the game and play the play.”
Following an 0-3 start and the loss of Ben Roethlisberger for the season, Pittsburgh has won 4 straight and 5 of 6 to move a full 2 games in front of the Browns in the AFC North. A major reason for that turnaround, their defense, led by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, acquired earlier this year from Miami for a 2020 first-round pick.
“They are one of the best defenses in the National Football League,” Kitchens said. “They have always been good on defense. They continue to hold that torch, kind of playing good defense. They are sound. They know what they are doing. They are smart. They are tough. They are physical. There are not many weaknesses over there.”
Fitzpatrick has 5 interceptions, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and a touchdown in 7 games since the trade.
“The ball seems to find him,” Kitchens said. “He is doing a good job of locating the ball, playing his assignments and he seems to be in the right place a lot of times. He is a very good player, one of many that they have.”
Vernon day-to-day – Kitchens didn’t have much of an update on defensive end Olivier Vernon’s injured knee.
“Olivier’s deal is still kind of day to day right now,” Kitchens said.
Vernon has 3 sacks this season prior to suffering the injury at Denver.
Injury report – The Browns did not practice on Monday but because they play Thursday night the league requires an injury report be submitted. The team estimated participation had they practiced.
DNP: S Eric Murray (knee), DE Olivier Vernon (knee)
FULL: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (groin), LG Joel Bitonio (back), CB T.J. Carrie (back), DE Myles Garrett (knee), OT Kendall Lamm (knee), WR Jarvis Landry (hip), S Damarious Randall (chest), LT Greg Robinson (shoulder), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (knee)
