The Questions Are Piling Up In Cleveland
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson comes off the field after practice during the NFL football team's football training camp in Berea on Aug. 4, 2022. Watson File Photo 5
After a slow start on Sunday, the Cleveland Browns not only overcame a 14-point deficit, they also positioned themselves to win the game late in the fourth quarter. But after back-to-back weeks of last-second wins, luck finally ran out for the Browns as the Seattle Seahawks defeated them, 24-20.
As I fan, I’m not too fond of anything but a 1 p.m. start on Sunday afternoons. That’s partly because I have no patience, but, more importantly for the team, it’s all about rhythm. There is no doubt that the West Coast trip is tough to hurdle, and a slow start by both the offense and the defense made things difficult on Sunday.
The team now sits at an underwhelming 4-3 and the questions about last Sunday’s performance as well as their future seem to be piling up.
What Happened To the Defense?
I know this defense has carried the team for much of the 2023 season, but the explosive plays they’ve allowed in the last two weeks are extremely alarming. Not only did the Seahawks march up and down the field during the first two drives of the game, but when it mattered most at the end of the game, the defense folded.
It was disappointing to see Jim Schwartz go into soft zone coverage at the end of the game, which is totally against his principles. Had the Browns gotten the chance to punt on fourth down and they had further to go, I would have understood. But, given the field position, Schwartz should have kept his foot on the gas.
Injuries didn’t help with Greg Newsome leaving the game, but Geno Smith bought time and made the Browns secondary pay on Sunday. And while Myles Garrett did end the day with a sack, the Seahawks did a fantastic job of game-planning against him and keeping him from being his usual dominant self.
The late interception put the defense in a really tough position on the game-winning drive by the Seahawks, but hopefully it was a learning moment for Schwartz moving forward.
What Happened On Third-and-Three?
Everybody calling for Stefanski’s head after this loss, cool it. This guy has been working with a backup quarterback for four consecutive weeks and went 2-2 — and stood a good chance of going 3-1.
Let’s get all the facts straight. It was third and a long three, with 2:04 remaining in the game. So, either way, the two-minute warning was going to stop the clock. A first down would have all but sealed the game, and everyone is all over Stefanski because P.J. Walker made a terrible read.
Can you imagine had he chosen to hand the ball off and we lost a yard and then the clock stopped either way? I know that Walker threw a pick, but Stefanski can only lead the horse to water, he can’t make them throw a great pass.
The #Browns clearly had the third-and-3 play dialed up for Amari Cooper. But PJ Walker had David Njoku wide open on the other side of the field @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/9QCtI5dpDQ
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) October 29, 2023
The outcome was unfortunate, but what the quote above fails to say is that it was the right play call. The Seahawks had done a great job against the run all day, and Walker had done a nice job in the short passing game for most of the day.
When you dive deeper into the play, Walker had two open outlets. Alas, he forced the ball to Amari Cooper and ended up throwing it off Jamal Adams’ helmet. Remember, hindsight is always 20/20, and in this situation, Stefanski absolutely made the right call.
How to Handle Watson Moving Forward
Besides two drives against the Indianapolis Colts, this was the fourth-straight game without franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns have hesitated to put him back in action before he is fully recovered from a nagging shoulder injury.
With the team not putting him on Injured Reserved, they must believe it’s a shorter-term issue, or certainly they would have freed up a roster spot for the last few weeks. But now the bigger question is, do you bring him back against an inferior Arizona Cardinals team, or do you believe you can get the win without him and give him another week of rest?
If Watson is even close to 100% healthy, I would push to get him on the field this Sunday. Not only are they matched up against the Cardinals, who don’t have a spectacular defense, but it’s also a home game where Watson played very well against the Tennessee Titans.
I know the organization wants to limit the risk of him getting injured, but you also must factor in how good this roster is right now. When you have a defense like the Browns have this year, you must take advantage.
I think Stefanski is also a bit scared to throw Watson out there. In the two drives he played in Indianapolis, he didn’t look anywhere close to right. I’m not sure if he wasn’t fully healthy, or if he has legitimately declined that much as a player in the last three years.
At 4-3, all the Browns’ goals are still attainable. I would not be shocked to see Andrew Berry working the phones hard before the trade deadline to improve this offense. Sometimes “sink or swim” is the best way to go. I’m hopeful that Watson will get a full week of practice and have the full playbook at his disposal on Sunday, because they are going to need him back, and sooner rather than later.
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