Bye leftovers

Is there any question the bye week this season arrived at exactly the right time for the Browns? Not a one. Welcome back Nick Chubb, Wyatt Teller and Austin Hooper.

Suffice it to say they were missed, especially in the loss to the Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland again/Las Vegas Raiders. Your absences arguably were the difference between a 6-2 record and the current 5-3.

Chubb, out for the last four games with a knee, is a difference maker -- maybe the difference maker  -- in head coach Kevin Stefanski's offense. The elite running back's presence on the field makes Baker Mayfield a more dangerous quarterback.

Teller, who hit the injured list with a calf injury the week after Chubb departed, reunites with an offensive line that enabled the Browns to momentarily take the National Football League lead in rushing. His absence at right guard -- again arguably -- is the reason the ground game has leveled off. 

Hooper, who has been so important in the overall offensive scheme Stefanski favors, is not ringing up dazzling offensive figures. The high-priced tight end, back after an appendectomy, has 22 receptions in six games, averages 9.3 yards a catch and has just one touchdown.

His value lies in his blocking in the run game and providing a large target for Mayfield on third downs. He is a key figure in Stefanski's balanced offense 

So with the notable exception of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., out for the season with an ACL tear, the Cleveland offense is now whole again. A little banged-up, to be sure, but whole and ostensibly ready to resume shattering opposing defenses.

The second half of the schedule is rife with losing teams with leaky defenses. Five of their eight opponents -- Houston, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, New York Giants and New York Jets -- have a combined record of 8-32-1. Dead ahead are home games against Houston and Philadelphia.

The highly suspect Cleveland defense, which has surrendered 38 more points than the offense has delivered, has improved not one iota over the break. The pass rush is still a one-man weapon. If you don't know who that is, you're reading the wrong blog.

The Cleveland linebackers room is full of players who on most other teams would be watching games from the bench. It's not their fault their talent level resides far below where it should be. The fault lies with the architects of the defense and I don't mean the coaches.

The secondary, much like the pass rush, is a one-man operation. It's cornerback Denzel Ward and then cross your fingers, although Ronnie Harrison,Jr., who has taken over at strong safety, has played well the last two games.

Add up the whole situation from a team standpoint for the Browns in the next couple of months and it looks very much like many of those games remaining on the schedule will have a familiar look.

There is a good chance the offense once again will have no problem scoring at least 30 points a game -- they did it four weeks in a row earlier this season -- and the defense will continue to have all kinds of problems preventing opposing teams from scoring 30 points.

Don't count on any improvement from this defense in the second half. The only reason this crew limited the Raiders to only 16 points eight days ago was the nasty Cleveland weather, which hampered both teams in the visitors' 16-6 victory.

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General Manager Andrew Berry during his session with the media several days ago was asked where he stood with Mayfield and the possibility of a long-term contract extension and seemed to demur.

Berry has a decision to make with regard to Mayfield's future in Cleveland. He can either pick up his quarterback's fifth-year option, which would make him an extremely rich young man, or decline and create a narrative that would cause all kinds of speculation on whether the Browns are in the quarterback game again.

"Honestly, I really don't get too caught up in that type of narrative," Berry answered the question. "All I know is I think Baker has played well and done a nice job during the first eight weeks. He has allowed us to play winning football."

Let's stop right there for a moment before resuming. Has Mayfield played well? That's hard to believe considering his unimpressive performances against Pittsburgh, Baltimore and the Raiders. If Berry considers those three games, playing "well," it's time to redefine the meaning of the words "well" and "nice job."

Is "allowed us to play winning football" code for "he has cut down on his interceptions?" Only seven in eight games, including three games without a pick, after throwing 35 in his first two seasons. Yeah, I guess "allowed" is not incorrect.  Moving on.

"We've had winning football from that position." the GM continued. "Expect him to keep doing that over the second half of the year. Look, we're going to be in a good place as a team and organization if that is the case."

But he did not directly -- or even indirectly -- answer the question. He did not come close. Draw your own conclusions.. 

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Finally . . . Some interesting first-half stats: The defense has permitted the opposition to convert third downs nearly 50% of the time, the main reason they haven't been able to get off the field and let the offense roll. Oh, and they have stopped the opposition on fourth down just once in 14 tries. Yikes! . . . Myles Garrett owns nine of the team's 20 sacks. . . . Jarvis Landry, broken ribs and all, leads the team in receptions with 33, good for 419 yards and no touchdowns. What would have been his first against the Raiders was overturned by replay. . . .Middle linebacker B.J. Goodson leads the club in tackles (58)  and solo tackles (37). He also leads in interceptions with two of the team's seven. . . . Outside backer Sione Takitaki, who has played limited minutes, is third with 39 tackles, 23 solo. . . . Kareem Hunt, who will get some rest with Chubb back, leads the Browns in rushing with 529 yards. He will now be more of a factor in the passing game.