All season, I’ve been tracking the Browns’ penalties by unit, player, type, and impact. Here are a few facts you’re unlikely to see reported elsewhere.
Penalties committed (includes those offset and declined):7 -- L.J. Shelton (but none in the last four games)
4 -- Braylon Edwards, Sean Jones, Antonio Bryant, Steve Heiden, Dennis Northcutt, unspecified/team
3 -- Jeff Faine, Joe Andruzzi, Ryan Tucker, Alvin McKinley
2 -- ten players
1 -- 17 players
0 -- (among players active for most games) Phil Dawson, Kyle Richardson, Daylon McCutcheon, Reuben Droughns, Terrelle Smith, Mason Unck, Matt Stewart, Ryan Pontbriand, Orpheus Roye.
My tally shows that the Browns’ return units have been called for blocking fouls 16 times in 10 games. Eleven of those (69%) were by defensive players. One might infer that defenders have less skill and experience in blocking techniques, and this may be true, but the return units are primarily composed of linebackers and defensive backs anyway, which would explain the imbalance.
Penalties by unit:- Offense -- First five games: 20; Last five games: 18
- Defense -- First five games: 10; Last five games: 10
- Special teams -- First five games: 14; Last five games: 8.
Aside from two face mask penalties in Pittsburgh, there have been no personal fouls since the twin taunting calls at Indy in Week 3.
