Browns tied for second in TD percentage in vital situations

Goal-to-go situations have been quite good for the Browns offense

Offenses in the modern NFL are all about the quarterback and the play-caller. After that, in whatever order, the team’s weapons and offensive line. The gap in importance between the first two and the latter two is pretty huge.

In 2023, the Cleveland Browns started five different quarterbacks who all had struggles but still ended up with an 11-win season and a playoff birth. Despite all the injuries and up-and-down QB play, HC and offensive play-caller Kevin Stefanski was able to navigate the team to a successful season.

Not all Browns fans are on board despite Stefanski taking home his second Coach of the Year Award.

At times, Stefanski’s creativity tends to backfire as his non-traditional plays seem to have less chance for success. His aggressive nature on 4th downs leads many to remember all the failures, given the percentages there are bound to be a number of them and not the successes.

There has also been a lingering concern about failures in “key situations.” A new data point pushes back on that in one, very important, area: goal-to-go situations:

First, Matt LaFleur needs all the flowers that can be sent to him for the huge gap between the Green Bay Packers and those in the next slot 12 percentage points lower.

Second, it is interesting to see the list of teams that hold that second spot. Kyle Shanahan is seen as one of the best play-callers in the NFL but the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders did not have that kind of reputation on offense in 2023.

From conversations at the NFL combine, Stefanski’s reputation around the league is closer to Shanahan’s than many fans and media might believe.

It is interesting to note that Cleveland’s offense was far better in 2023 than they were in 2022 in the same category. That year, the Browns converted just 71% of those goal-to-go situations, near the middle of the league while the Packers were dead last at 50%.

Are you surprised by the above numbers for Cleveland’s offense under Stefanski?