The Browns are running the ball better than any other team in the NFL right now, and as Patriots coach Bill Belichick prepares to face them on Sunday, he says the personnel and formation is a big part of it.
In a video breaking down the Browns’ film, Belichick showed how the Patriots like to bring in backup offensive lineman Michael Dunn, line him up at tight end, and then tight ends David Njoku and Harrison Bryant on the same side of the field to block, giving them a personnel advantage in run blocking that fuels much of Nick Chubb’s production.
“These guys use three tight ends more than anybody in the league,” Belichick told Patriots.com. “They use the jumbo lineman more than anybody in the league. They use two tight ends a lot. Again, multiple formations, multiple shifts, and a lot of stuff before the snap. Then the ball is snapped you better be ready to go because they’re coming after you, and they’ve got a great back, so there’s no rest for the weary there.”
“It’s one tight end, two tight ends, three tight ends, two tight ends and a jumbo lineman. There are multiple formations where they put them all on one side and balance them off. Put them all on the other side and shift them from one side to the other side. Shift from balanced to overloaded. Unbalanced line, shift unbalanced line, you name it. There are a lot of things for the defense to worry about.”
The Browns are averaging 192 rushing yards a game, easily the best in the NFL. Belichick expects his defense to have its hands full trying to stop that.
