Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield throws to to wide receiver Antonio Callaway, as offensive tackle Greg Robinson tries to hold off Houston pass rusher Whitney Mercilus during Sunday's game. Is Robinson a long-term answer for the Browns at left tackle? (Photo by Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is no secret the Browns' offensive line has been much better beginning in December. Following the Browns' 33-18 loss in Pittsburgh that saw quarterback Baker Mayfield sacked twice, pressured 12 times, hurried eight, and hit three times, the offense was forced into a change.

Rookie Desmond Harrison was struggling at left tackle, and his penalties -- including a holding in the end zone -- were becoming too much to overcome for an already limited offense.

Fortunately for the Browns, Freddie Kitchens took over the play-calling in early November against the Chiefs, and a Harrison illness forced Greg Robinson into the left tackle role.

The Browns have only allowed two sacks since that game on Nov. 4, and they have now gone three straight games without allowing a sack for the first time since 1988.

The interior of the offensive line plays a big role in the Browns' success of late.

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According to Pro Football Focus:

"Over the last three games -- a period during which the Browns have allowed zero total sacks -- Mayfield has faced pressure on 22.3 percent of his dropbacks, the lowest rate in the NFL. During this same period, the Browns interior offensive line of Joel Bitonio, JC Tretter, and Kevin Zeitler have allowed only five pressures in 309 combined pass-blocking snaps."

For Mayfield, the interior of his offensive line will always be paramount. Short quarterbacks need strong guard play to find those all-important passing lanes. But the Browns' issues have been finding stability at tackle.

Robinson has stepped into the role and provided some upgrade to the inconsistency that plagued Harrison, but is Robinson the answer long-term?

That is the question that Browns will need to solve over the course of the next four games.

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Robinson, the former second overall pick in 2014, faced a tough task in Houston last week and showed some of the issues that compelled former employers St. Louis and Detroit to move on from the young tackle.

Let's take a look at Robinson's tape, specifically last week in Houston, to see if the potential is there for a long-term relationship in Cleveland.

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WHAT ROBINSON DOES WELL

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Bull-rush stability

Robinson is big guy at 6-foot-5, 335 pounds, and he is able to absorb most defensive ends trying to run through him. This was an area where Harrison struggled being on the lighter side, just south of 300 pounds. Here, Harrison anchors Houston's Whitney Mercilus (an Akron Garfield product) as he tries to drive through him.

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Footwork

Robinson is a natural athlete with gifted feet. When he applies himself, he can really get deep in his pass set to handle speed rushers like Jadeveon Clowney here. The problem he runs into is that despite the quick feet, he fails to understand angles with his hips and maintain leverage. More on this later.

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Again you can see Robinson quickly get into his drop and wall off Clowney properly. He can accomplish the angles needed, but he has to become more consistent.

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Run-game athleticism

Browns go pin/pull here, which calls for Robinson to get on the perimeter to block the corner once he pulls. This is no easy task for a bigger lineman. He shows nice agility and speed here, getting outside to eliminate the corner initially.

Robinson's athleticism is a huge positive for his player profile.

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Run-game movement

A huge part of run game success is creating movement at the point of attack. Robinson has shown that ability over the last four games. When he gets locked onto his man he usually creates a good amount of movement to create angles. On the goal line Sunday the Browns run inside zone and he catches a linebacker in the hole and drives him out of the play and into the safety before he can inhibit Nick Chubb's touchdown.

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Robinson shows a mixture of the athleticism and power here, as he drives the walked-up safety out of the run lane on outside zone. Once he gets his hand locked into the chest plate (of the shoulder pads), he often dictates where the defender is going.

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WHERE ROBINSON STRUGGLES

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Run-block balance

Occasionally you will see Robinson get top-heavy and lean too much for his run block assignment instead of staying low and driving from his base. It leads to defenders quickly blowing past him with one move. The Chiefs' Chris Jones (No. 95) quickly slides past Robinson on this zone snap to make contact at the line of scrimmage.

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Interior pressure

Now, here is where Robinson is truly struggling. Too often Robinson is failing to keep his hip alignment neutral, and it is allowing his opposing rusher an alley to the quarterback. We saw it several times Sunday where his man won inside. Clowney forces the pressure with a quick swim move inside, and Mayfield is intercepted. Robinson is actually flagged for a hold on this play, but it was declined for the resulting touchdown for Houston.

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Robinson again falls victim to the swim move when his angle is too wide off the snap. Instead of working a deeper drop, he allows the inside path by working too wide. Luckily for the Browns, Mayfield is able to release this ball before the pressure gets home.

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Robinson handles the bull rush from Mercilus off the snap, but he has no answer for the inside club.

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Wide-9 rush

Typically defensive ends rush from a 7-technique (outside shoulder of the tackle).

But defenses create situations for their speed rushers to get wider and come off the edge with speed.

Robinson has struggled with this. He is able to get where he needs to in the drop, but he fails to keep his hips closed and deliver an important strike while in retreat mode. Mercilus took advantage here, and Robinson is forced to hold and nullify the deep touchdown to Antonio Callaway.

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This issue also popped up in Week 11 against the Falcons. Brooks Reed (No. 50) is in the wide alignment and is able to knock Robinson's hands away to win the edge and force the strip on Mayfield. The Browns were fortunate Mayfield came up with the recovery.

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HOW THE BROWNS CAN HELP ROBINSON WITH SCHEME

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Guard help

If Robinson is struggling to secure his inside gap, committing extra guard help will keep it secure. Not every pass drop can allow for this as defenses bring extra rushers, but anytime Joel Bitonio is left without an immediate responsibility, he should check late to peel for Robinson's man to eliminate the inside pressure tendency.

Bitonio peels late here after his rush threat bails to help Robinson's inside shoulder.

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The Browns came to this often in the second half. Clowney tries to swim again to Robinson's inside, but this time he is greeted by Bitonio to his left to clean up the issue. Week to week the Browns can help Robinson with this technique against elite rushers like Clowney.

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Tight-end chip

When offenses face quick speed rushers, you will see coordinators apply tight ends to the side of the quick rushers to slow them down. Myles Garrett faces this scheme often. It changes the rusher's angle and speed to impact.

Here, tight end Darren Fells (No. 88) is in the wing and gets a piece of Clowney before releasing for his route. The wrinkle should be a staple for the Browns in these last four games.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

It should be noted that Robinson has played much better for the Browns than any point is his career thus far. The Browns are getting the most out of him.

In the off-season he committed to working with former Brown and Buckeye LeCharles Bentley. The work has paid off, because the results the Browns are getting from Robinson have been better than many expected.

He is grading out around around a 60 on Pro Football Focus, but his pass-blocking grade is much higher than his run block grade - that is a rarity in his young career.

The Browns are doing their line favors by getting rid of the ball quickly, and everyone is better off for it. The tough part is evaluating the future of Robinson, and whether he can be the long-term solution.

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Robinson has strung together some solid efforts in his 2018 season, but what the Houston game showed was that he isn't quite able to handle the workload against some of the better rushers in the league. He still has inconsistencies.

Locking Robinson in as the future at left tackle seems ideal, and it would pay big dividends by allowing the Browns to use their money and draft picks at other positions. But the Browns would still be wise to invest in competition along the line at tackles.

Between Harrison and Robinson, there are still holes in each player's game that might remain that way throughout their careers. Using some free-agent dollars or a Day Two pick in the draft would be a wise way to approach the future of their franchise quarterback's left side.

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- Jake Burns played quarterback at the collegiate level and also has coached at both the high school and college levels. You can read more X&O analysis from Burns at the OBR and VikingUpdate.com.

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