The Browns’ 23-10 loss to the Dolphins was a field goal game at the end of three quarters and quarterback Brandon Weeden was intercepted three times in the first half, which seems like just the formula for running back Trent Richardson to play a major role.
It was just the opposite, however. The Browns called 59 passing plays against Miami while giving Richardson 13 carries, far fewer than you’d imagine for a player that offensive coordinator Norv Turner has talked about carrying the ball 300 times this season. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports that Richardson said Thursday that he was expecting to see the ball more against the Dolphins and that he spoke to Turner and head coach Rob Chudzinski about being eager for a bigger workload.
Turner said he’s going to give Richardson what he wants. Turner said that he wants Richardson to get more than 20 carries against the Ravens in Week Two.
Signaling one’s intentions isn’t always the smartest strategy, but we’re not talking about the secret formula for Coke being given away here. The run-pass ratio was wildly out of whack last weekend and it would be strange if they weren’t hoping to recalibrate things against Baltimore. Seeing it through will take more than simply handing the ball to Richardson over and over, though. The Ravens are likely going to focus on making Weeden beat them and the quarterback has to respond with a better performance than he had the last time out.