tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38006945048377857242024-03-13T23:18:10.882-07:00Rich's RantsForty-one years in The Plain Dealer sports department. Twenty-three years on Cleveland radio airwaves. Five years with the Orange and Brown Report. Now, a whole new place to piss people off.Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.comBlogger1688125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-2384436023487685832024-02-10T20:40:00.002-07:002024-02-10T22:01:39.445-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Random thoughts . . . </h1><p>Nice to see the Browns steal the show recently at the annual National Football League Honors gala with Myles Garrett, Joe Flacco, Kevin Stefanski and Jim Schwartz taking enter stage. All richly deserved the accolades.</p><p>Stefanski took down Coach the Year; Garrett captured Defensive Player of the Year; Schwartz took down Assistant Coach of the Year, and Flacco was named Comeback Player of the Year. </p><p>Nice haul. However, it doesn't make the resounding Wild-Card playoffs loss to the Houston Texans easier to digest. That one will take a while. </p><p>But it was encouraging to see many of the pundits who roam the NFL landscape recognize the future of the franchise is not as dismal as more than a few others believe. For the first time in a long time, stability has taken up residence in Cleveland.</p><p>Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry are entering their fifth season as guardians of the front office. They have booked two playoff appearances. Stefanski has also quietly won the most games (37) of any head coach in the post-1999 period. That's one more than Bill Belichick posted in 13 fewer games as head coach before the move to Baltimore.</p><p>Lasting that long in Cleveland in those jobs borders on the near-miraculous for a franchise that has not practiced patience since it returned to the NFL in 1999. Job security and working for the Cleveland Browns do not belong in the same sentence.</p><p>Stefanski returns with his second coach-of-the-year award after guiding the Browns through a season loaded with seemingly non-stop injuries and a minefield that included numerous games won -- often times miraculously -- on the final play of games.</p><p>Accomplishing it with four different quarterbacks made it not just more difficult, but virtually impossible. Beating odds like that is what won it for him. </p><p>My only quarrel there is Houston's Demeco Ryans deserved the award more. The rookie head coach took over a franchise that had won just 11 games total in the previous three seasons and guided it to a 10-7 record and a playoff appearance for the first since 2019. And he did it with a rookie quarterback who also happened to be special.</p><p>He topped it off in the Wild-Card game, ambushing the Browns, 45-14, before falling to Baltimore in the Divisional round. Ryans and Stefanski tied with the most points in the balloting with Stefanski breaking the tie with more first-place votes. <i>(Correcting an earlier version of this story that had Ryans winning with more first-place votes.)</i></p><p>As for Garrett, rather than get into another argument with regard to the value and his importance to the team, I remain firm in the belief he is the second-best defensive player in the NFL behind Pittsburgh's T. J. Watt. They are both great and special, but in different ways. </p><p>Their argument is of the apples-and-oranges variety. They are entirely different players who play different positions that affect their statistics differently, thus creating the annual argument as to who is more valuable.</p><p>Garrett, without question, is the better pass rusher. But that is the only job: Creating havoc in the offensive backfield is all he does. Granted he does it well. His main value lies in the pre-snap phase of a play. Find Garrett and stop him. And you'll generally see him in a three-point stance at one of the ends ready to pounce.</p><p>Watt, on the other hand, is an outside linebacker who rarely lines up in a three-point stance. He's either rushing the passer from a standing start, dropping back into some form of pass coverage or filling gaps in the defensive line expecting a run. </p><p>In other words, you can expect him lined up just about anywhere depending on the defense called. Garrett is a stationary target and less likely to fill up stats sheet. Watt will almost always compile better stats because he'll almost always be in the vicinity of the football.</p><p>I think Watt is more valuable because he can affect the outcomes of games more, for example, with caused fumbles, subsequent recoveries and interceptions as he has done for many seasons with the Steelers. He also has the innate the knack of making big plays when you least expect them.</p><p>Schwartz was a slam dunk as the assistant coach of the year. In one short season, the veteran defensive coordinator changed the culture of a defense that achieved historic highs and set a tone that will be difficult to replicate.</p><p>Flacco also was a slam dunk with a sensational season -- actually a sensational six weeks span down the homestretch. But without him, the Browns don't make the playoffs. Schwartz's defense was great, but they were going nowhere after Deshaun Watson went down for good in late October with shoulder problems.</p><p>When Flacco took Berry's telephone call of desperation while waiting for any team desperate enough to call while waiting in his his parents' home in New Jersey two-thirds of the way into the season, little did he realize what laid ahead.</p><p>He won four of his first five starts, throwing for 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions and 1,616 yards. He breathed life into an offense that had become stuck in mediocrity under Watson. He singlehandedly hauled the Browns back into playoff contention and became the toast of the town.</p><p>I could tell from the first snap of his first game against the Los Angeles Rams that he would be better than many of the Cleveland quarterbacks who had worn the uniform for nearly a generation. He had a confidence, a swagger that deemed to lift his teammates to play at a higher level. </p><p>It was all garnered while playing 15 seasons of championship football with the Baltimore Ravens. For whatever reason, it all came back to him after a long layoff he did not expect. The latest award is truly well deserved and most meaningful because of the manner in which is was accomplished. </p><p>Even at his advanced age of 39, Flacco right now is a better quarterback than Watson. Too bad the Haslam family unwisely decided a couple of years ago to head down a different road. That decision will haunt this franchise for at least the next three seasons.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-41940629832589830212024-02-02T17:37:00.004-07:002024-02-02T17:42:15.535-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Browns will miss Callahan</h1><p style="text-align: left;">As a general rule, the comings and goings of the Browns' coaching staff rarely make a dent in my thought processes. </p><p style="text-align: left;">With rare exception, their departures matter little because there is always someone out there on the National Football League landscape good enough and smart enough to replace them. The Browns have two rare exceptions, though, in Bill Callahan and Jim Schwartz.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Both are exceptional at plying their craft, Callahan responsible for the offensive line and choreographing the terrific ground game aspect for the offense, and Schwartz brilliantly coordinating the entire defense. They helped Kevin Stefanski reach the postseason in half of his four seasons in Cleveland.</p><p style="text-align: left;">That changes now with the news that Callahan, with the Browns' blessing, is leaving to be the offensive line coach for his son, Brian, the new head coach with the Tennessee Titans. That's two major changes on that side of the football with Ken Dorsey recently replacing Alex Van Pelt as coordinator.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The esteemed elder Callahan is one of the two assistant coaches on the Browns staff Kevin Stefanski could ill afford to lose. That dynamic will change dramatically with his departure.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There are going to be numerous changes on that side of the football in 2024 with new philosophies, a new quarterback now that the Browns have fully committed to Deshaun Watson, and the expected return of Nick Chubb and half of the offensive line from injury. </p><p style="text-align: left;">And now that the Browns have allowed the Titans to poach Callahan, it will be interesting to see whether the Browns morph back into the run-first offense Stefanski prefers or sides with Dorsey, who leans more toward the forward pass.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The only difference there is Dorsey had Josh Allen as his quarterback in Buffalo the last few seasons. Watson is nowhere near Allen's class when it comes to throwing the football. Not even close.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The return of Chubb, assuming he is fully covered from his devastating knee injuries last season, added to the RPO artistry of Watson conjures up interesting possibilities for Dorsey to consider. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Also take into consideration the return of the offensive line, when healthy considered one of the best in the NFL. And that is where the loss of Callahan comes into play. Veteran observers of the league firmly believe there is no better coach of that unit. </p><p style="text-align: left;">If the tide of injuries strikes the OL again in the new season, the Browns certainly can't expect a repeat of the miracle season that surprisingly prolonged a season that certainly would have ended a lot sooner elsewhere.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Most of that was due to Callahan's season-long cobbling together a line good enough to land the Browns in mid-January football. That won't happen in 2024 because Callahan's sage wisdom now resides in Tennessee.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-42747960556725173282024-01-29T18:09:00.001-07:002024-01-29T18:09:38.539-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Stefanski still the man</h1><p style="text-align: left;">As the Browns scoured the market for their next offensive coordinator in the wake of the surprising cashiering of Alex Van Pelt, the decision on who it would be elicited the following question:</p><div><p style="text-align: left;">What difference, really, does it make who they choose? It will make no difference -- none whatsoever -- to what the club does on offense for however long Kevin Stefanski owns the title of head coach of the Cleveland Browns.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As long as he's been on the job -- that's four seasons now since taking over for Freddie Kitchens in 2020 -- everything that deals with the offensive side of the football runs through Stefanski. He is the one and only offensive coordinator.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The prolonged musical-chairs search for Van Pelt's successor concluded Sunday with the announcement that Ken Dorsey gets an up-close-and personal look at how Van Pelt wound up back on the street. I still can't figure out why.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This is Stefanski's show. It's his offense, his philosophy, his own personal stamp on how the Browns operate when they own the football. He will continue to call the plays. Van Pelt held the title of offensive coordinator, which, as it turned out, placed him in the crosshairs when things went crooked. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Was it really his fault the ground game went to crap and became one of the main causal factors in the quick exit from the playoffs? You think maybe the week two season-sending knee injury to Nick Chubb, the best running back in the National Football League, might have had something to do with that?</p><p style="text-align: left;">Or perhaps an offensive line, when healthy one of the best in the NFL, was ravaged by injuries throughout the season might have had been a factor? What about losing the starting quarterback for a good portion of the season? </p><p style="text-align: left;">Van Pelt was kept busy all season making adjustments. Yeah it's part of the job, but the overwhelming number of injuries such as as the Browns suffered eventually began taking a toll to the point it began affecting the outcome of games.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Yep, all that <i>(sarcasm alert) </i>was Van Pelt's fault <i>(end sarcasm alert)</i>. The only thing that will change on the coaching roster once Dorsey arrives will be the face and name. It will still be Stefanski's show and it wouldn't surprise if he also had a new multi-year contract in his back pocket for the job he did this season.</p><p style="text-align: left;">By tinkering with the offensive staff -- new running backs coach in Duce Staley (maybe he can keep Chubb healthier than Stump Mitchell), new tight ends coach in Tommy Rees, (can't imagine he can improve Pro Bowler David Njoku any more than T.C. McCartney). Stefanski apparently wants his men to hear different voices. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Now along comes Dorsey, a backup quarterback for the Browns and San Francisco about 20 years ago before becoming a coaching vagabond with Carolina and Buffalo. He became available after the Bills fired him midway through his second season as coordinator this past season. </p><p style="text-align: left;">And that's a roster that boasts the likes of quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, running back James Cook and a solid offensive line that stays healthy. And yet they struggled to make the playoffs until Dorsey </p><p style="text-align: left;">Now the question becomes what does he bring to the Browns that Van Pelt either did not or could not at least to the satisfaction of Stefanski? The Browns don't have anyone like Allen at quarterback. And the Bills' OL is markedly better. Changing faces for the sake of changing faces does not always work.</p><p style="text-align: left;">To his credit, though, Stefanski in the past on occasion took responsibility publicly if he screwed up. Sort of with an "if I had it to do all over again, I might have done it differently" approach. Taking blame works just so often, though.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Time's nearly up.</p></div>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-30310125206125979312024-01-17T21:14:00.001-07:002024-01-17T21:16:30.448-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Someone had to pay</h1><p style="text-align: left;">Didn't take long for the Browns to start house cleaning after being unceremoniously booted out of the National Football League playoffs a few days ago.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Say so long and don't let the door . . . on the way out to offensive-coordinator-in name-only Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T. C. McCartney. Notice they're all on the offensive side of the football.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Team spokesmen referred to the changes as "moving parts", which leaves room for interpretation, suggesting the individuals no longer with the team were at least partially responsible for the rapid exit from the postseason.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Let's not forget they were also responsible for winning 11 games. They must have done something right to pile up all those victories. Working with four quarterbacks in one season is challenging to begin with. You can't say they didn't meet that challenge.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The moves, in light of the success the Browns achieved this past season despite an injury list that would have crushed other teams, immediately reminded me of the cruising industry. Dismissing Van Pelt, Mitchell and McCartney is akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. </p><p style="text-align: left;">It won't make any difference who the Browns hire to replace them. The entire offense -- and its philosophy -- resides between the ears of head coach Kevin Stefanski. It will not change because Stefanski is stubborn enough to keep trying the same things, this time around with different faces.</p><p style="text-align: left;">He can change the faces all he wants, but the results will not be any different. The great Albert Einstein once said: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.</p><p style="text-align: left;">That's Stefanski, who unsurprisingly will continue to call the plays for the offense in 2023 that piled up 11 victories in spite of losing the best running back in the National Football League in the second game of the season.</p><p style="text-align: left;">He also lost his starting quarterback shortly after and coached a sizable chunk of the season with backups at both offensive tackles. The starting offensive line played just one game together as a unit: The season opener.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Not even the magic of offensive line coach Bill Callahan could provide the necessary ingredients to unlock the one aspect of the game that badly needed to be unlocked. The running game suffered. While Kareem Hunt, Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. provided a semblance of strong relief at times, Chubb's absence was felt more as the season unfolded.</p><p style="text-align: left;">When Joe Flacco came aboard midway through the season and began shredding opposing defenses with his play-fake and bootleg wizardry, the offense hummed. But opposing defenses soon found out the Cleveland ground game wasn't that special after all and stopped buying the play fakes. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In the second half of the season, Stefanski basically coached with at least one hand tied behind his back. But it was Van Pelt, Mitchell and McCartney who ultimately paid the price. Wrong place, wrong time. Someone had to pay.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Was the blame misplaced? There are more than a few who believe that was the case. But there are also those who firmly think the season would have turned out differently had injuries not played such a major role in how things eventuated.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-61349512793333651522024-01-14T17:40:00.018-07:002024-01-15T15:02:54.351-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Torrid and Horrid</h1><p>The Browns' 2023 season was replete with stories galore. Most of them had brief shelf lives. But there was always one lurking and every once in a while, one or two gained traction and lingered the entire season. Here are a couple.</p><p>The injury list that didn't stop adding up until the Houston Texans rudely bounced them from the playoffs Saturday afternoon to stop the flow has to rank right up there near the top. That alone would have stopped most teams cold and playoffs would have been just another word in the dictionary.</p><p>But one other story stood out even more. It arrived about a third of the way through a season that looked doomed and saved it stunningly, paving the way to the postseason. It came gift-wrapped as a 6-6, 245-pound strong-armed 38-year-old quarterback who believed he still had some petrol left in the tank.</p><p>He sure did and it didn't take long to capture the attention of a rabid fan base that yearns longingly for just about anything and anyone who can be productive. And when Browns General Manager Andrew Berry lured semi-retired Joe Flacco off his New Jersey couch and back to the NFL, the torch was lit.</p><p>The sometimes inconsistent way Flacco played the rest of the way reminded me somewhat of a fictitious character from the pen of 19th-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow with regards to behavior. Bear with me here. This will make sense.</p><p>Longfellow wrote a short poem about a little girl with varying behaviors. She had a little curl in the middle of her forehead. It goes like this:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>There was a little girl,</i></p><p><i>Who had a little curl,</i></p><p><i>Right in the middle of her forehead.</i></p><p><i>When she was good,</i></p><div style="text-align: left;"><i>She was very good indeed,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>But when she was bad, she was horrid.</i></div><p><br /></p><p>Flacco reminded me of that little girl, not from a football standpoint of course, but from a behavioral standpoint as a football player. </p><p>How torrid Flacco was when everything clicked, like winning five of his six starts with sensational numbers, and how horrid he was as in the Houston beatdown in the Wild Card round of the playoffs the other day when he threw pick sixes on consecutive possessions that turned a relatively close game -- the Browns trailed by just 24-14 early in the second half -- into a 45-14 deficit in just a half hour.</p><p>It's feast or famine with Flacco. There is no gray area here. </p><p>Sure loved the way he played pitch and catch with receivers. The great timing, the tight spirals. Sensational with his play-fake and bootleg games. Enjoyed all those 300+ yard games. Not bad for an old codger. Glad he signed with the Browns even though he played mostly for the dreaded Ravens in his career. </p><p>It was a ten strike. Got the Browns to the doorstep of the postseason. Didn't see that coming once Deshaun Watson hit injured reserve. </p><p>But you hated it -- how often did you shake your head head in frustration? -- when the picks started to pile up. It took a while to find out that's the way he comes packaged. Learn to live with it if there's going to be a next season for him in Cleveland.</p><p>And will there be? Head coach Kevin Stefanski pawned that one off on Berry. "I leave all those things obviously to Andrew in this offseason," he said. "I will say this about Joe. He was awesome for this team. He did a great job. Battled like crazy. I know he enjoyed it."</p><p>But when he spoke to the media Sunday, he reportedly named Watson as his starting quarterback next season."He's doing great in rehab," he said. "I'm confident he'll be ready to roll. </p><p>How that impacts on Flacco is uncertain. He will be a free agent in a few months and in a position at that time to decide whether to remain with the Browns as a backup to Watson or accept an offer from a team willing to give him another shot at starting. After what he did his season, the guess here is he's gone.</p><p>Watson still has three guaranteed years left on his pricy five-year contract. He spent most of this past season idled by a variety of shoulder issues. He started six games, winning five, completed 61.4% of his passes for 1,115 yards with seven touchdown passes and four interceptions.</p><p>Right now, the Browns need to focus their attention of figuring out how and why the defense did not show up against the Texans. The secondary played as though they had no clue. Texans receivers were open -- sometimes wide open -- most of the afternoon.</p><p>The defensive line, where the pass rush ostensibly begins, didn't help by playing patty-cake with the Houston offensive line. They booked just one hit on Houston quarterback C. J. Stroud by Za'Darius Smith. </p><p>Based on how this season concluded, a lot of work remains. Welcoming back the likes of Nick Chubb, Jack Conklin, Dawand Jones, Anthony Walker Jr., Grant Delpit, Maurice Hurst II, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Rodney McLeod Jr. off injured reserve would be a good start. </p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-15350565259879282992024-01-13T21:33:00.001-07:002024-01-13T21:33:51.433-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Embarrassing payback</h1><p>For a couple of weeks when it became apparent the Browns and Houston Texans would have a rematch in the Wild Card round of the National Football League playoffs, we heard all about how different it would be this time.</p><p>In the first game about a month ago, the Browns behind Joe Flacco and Amari Cooper, humiliated the Texans on their home turf, 36-22, in an unfair fight. Unfair because rookie Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud missed his only game of the season with a concussion.</p><p>That wouldn't have happened with Stroud healthy, we were told. This team is different when he's got the huddle. You'll see this time. He has almost singlehandedly turned fortunes around in East Texas. But he's just one guy.</p><p>Most Browns fans know all about Stroud, who led Ohio State to the college championship neighborhood for two seasons and is well on his way to becoming the offensive rookie of the year in the NFL with a brilliant rookie season.</p><p>The Browns did, indeed, find out up close and quite personally Saturday that Stroud<i> is</i> the real thing. The laser accuracy. The command of the huddle. The poise in the face of a strong pass rush. A baby-faced kid playing like a seasoned veteran. A special talent. He definitely would have made a difference in the first meeting. </p><p>He didn't have to be special Saturday, though. That's because he brought along his defense. And that unit was extraordinarily special as the Browns were ingloriously booted out of the postseason tournament, 45-14. Stroud just needed to avoid mistakes.</p><p>He started early and surgically shredded a pretty good Cleveland secondary for 236 yards and touchdown throws to Nico Collins, Brevin Jordan and Dalton Schultz before halftime. </p><p>It was obvious the Texans were not going to allow Flacco and Cooper to embarrass them this time. Cooper drew extra special attention early and was targeted only twice in the first half.</p><p>In the first meeting, Cooper caught 11 balls for a team-record 265 yards and two touchdowns. while Flacco bombed away for 368 yards and a trio of scores. Saturday, the veteran wide receiver was held to four catches for 49 yards and no touchdowns on five targets.</p><p>For the first time in a long time, the Browns, who thrived all season on fixing problems mid-game, had no answers this time. It all collapsed due to an offense that became combustible as Flacco finally fell back to earth.</p><p>The game blew totally out of control at the beginning of the second half with the Browns trailing, 24-14, when the Cleveland defense watched helplessly as the offense imploded and helped the Texans put 14 gift-wrapped points on the board in a 10-minute game-clock span courtesy of consecutive pick sixes by Steven Nelson (82 yards) and Christian Harris (36 yards). </p><p>Flacco was due for something like his. His calling card also included interceptons. We accepted that because he piled up the victories anyway. But in the past couple of months, many of his picks were the fault of the receivers running incorrect routes. These were just careless throws Saturday. </p><p>In a way it's sort of sad go see him bow out like this after all he did to boost the Browns to the playoffs. He put charge into a team that was struggling when he arrived. Not many quarterbacks, especially at the age of nearly 39, could have done what he did.</p><p>If nothing else, this will make General Manager Andrew Berry's job easier in the offseason with regard to who the Cleveland quarterback will be next season. Barring totally unforeseen circumstances, it will be Deshaun Watson, and No, I don't think Flacco would accept a backup role. </p><p>This loss cannot be blamed on injuries, past or present. No, this is the kind of game where you tip your hat because the Texans flat out outplayed the Browns in every phase. At other times this season, they won games they didn't deserve to win.</p><p>Flacco couldn't have picked a worse time to be flat. It didn't help that he didn't have the luxury of a strong running game to make his play-fake game that much more effective and dangerous. It's at times like these that the Browns miss Nick Chubb . . . and Jack Conklin . . . and Dawand Jones.</p><p>That's a subject to be taken up in the offseason, which came a little too quickly this year. </p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-43773556405637766822024-01-12T18:25:00.004-07:002024-01-12T22:31:43.759-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Gonna get better</h1><p>It's right there in the injury report for wild-card weekend as the 2023 National Football League playoffs commence. </p><p>In the only game that matters to Browns Nation, the Houston Texans placed 11 players on that report after Friday's practice, seven limited and designated as questionable with only one (defensive end Jerry Hughes) ruled out for Saturday's game.</p><p>The Browns should be so fortunate. Numbers like that were a weekly occurrence during the regular season. And now after 17 games, they have hit the injury jackpot. </p><p>They doubled the Texans with 22 names on their report, 14 of whom fully participated Friday. That list included wide receiver Amari Cooper and defensive tackle Shelby Harris, who are expected to play. Cornerback Denzel Ward, who tweaked a knee in practice Wednesday, is listed as questionable after a limited practice.</p><p>Definitely out for the Browns are safety Grant Delpit (groin), wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) and kicker Dustin Hopkins (hamstring). </p><p>Bottom line: Advantage Browns. And why not?</p><p>They've played just about the entire season with vital contributors in all phases of the game who have been sidelined at one time or another for various stretches of time picked up by their brethren on the bench. This team somehow found ways to win. It's a bit of a cliche, but this team numerous times this season refused to lose.</p><p>They made plays at crucial junctures of games that ultimately led to a victory. When the game was on the line, everyone took turns coming through. Hopkins with all those clutch field goals is a perfect example.</p><p>When he came on board after Cade York kicked himself out of Cleveland, Hopkins arrived with a career percentage of less than 50% on field goals from 50 yards or more. He's been perfect from that distance, winning several games in the final seconds.</p><p>You don't get to 11-6 in the regular season by accident. The Browns did it the hard way at times by (1) imposing their will on the opposition and (2) ramping up their skill level with regard to reaching back for that little extra and overachieving, all the while utilizing five different quarterbacks. </p><p>Even the oddsmakers are convinced. The game's in Houston. Rookie quarterback C. J. Stroud, who was sidelined a few weeks ago when the Browns rolled the Texans, 36-22, is back and yet the Browns are favored by 2.5 points. </p><p>Stroud, who has the NFL offensive rookie of the year award all but locked up, hasn't faced a defense quite like the Browns'. You can bet he'll get plenty of intel from Case Keenum and Davis Mills, who were sacked three times in the earlier game.</p><p>Stroud will find out he can expect plenty of company at any time and from just about anywhere on the field from Jim Schwartz's bag of tricks. And don't expect zone looks from a team that thrives on man and press coverage. </p><p>Stroud achieved a large portion of his success early on with 5-9 rookie wide receiver Tank Dell, who caught 47 passes for 409 yards and seven touchdowns in his first 11 games before going down with a broken leg.</p><p>Nico Collins has stepped up and become more dangerous in a big way. The 6-4 wideout checks in with 80 grabs for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. Look for 6-2 Cleveland cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. to draw this assignment with Ward questionable at best.</p><p>Stroud lately has also discovered the talents of tight end Dalton Schultz in short-yardage situations that help sustain drives. That's a situation that could come to light considering the Browns have had problems this season with tight ends.</p><p>The one big difference the Cleveland offense faces this time is a Texans pass rush that was not at full strength last time. Edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Will Anderson Jr., who have accounted for 20 of the 46 Houston sacks, are healthy.</p><p>Their targets are the Browns' biggest weakness on offense: Tackle, where free-agent left tackle Geron Christian Sr. and second-stringer James Hudson III hang out. They are most effective when the football is out of the quarterback's hand within three seconds. Anything longer generally results in a negative play.</p><p>In the overall big picture for this one hovers one Cleveland weapon that can overcome any and all deficiencies. He's why -- the defense is I-A -- the Browns are alive and in position now to go where no Cleveland Browns team has ever been.</p><p>Joe Flacco has been nothing short of otherworldly since being freed from forced semi-retirement because several NFL teams that needed a quality quarterback passed on him and no doubt are regretting it in stunned silence.</p><p>The Browns are three victories away from the Super Bowl because of him. In five games, he has thrown for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, eight picks and delivered four straight games of 300+ yards. He has made tight end David Njoku a Pro Bowler. He has made Cooper a Pro Bowler for the fifth time.</p><p>He has brought not just a spark and a belief in this team, but a feeling of pride to the City of Cleveland. As unbelievable as this reads, this former Baltimore Ravens quarterback, who has brought so much misery to the city and fandom in the past, is crafting quite a story.</p><p>Where and when will it all end? It won't be Saturday down in Houston.</p><p>The Cleveland defense comes alive after last weekend's meaningless slog in the Cincinnati regular-season finale and shows Stroud what he missed the first time around with at least two sacks from Myles Garrett &. Co. and a pick by Emerson. Flacco won't extend his 300+ yard streak to five games. He'll get something more important. A victory and an invite to the next round: The Divisional championship. Make it:</p><p><i>Browns 27, Texans 23</i></p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-86534447693884443492024-01-08T20:23:00.004-07:002024-01-08T20:25:54.244-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Monday leftovers</h1><p style="text-align: left;">If there was one thing you could count on from the Browns this season, it was failing to master football security. On a weekly basis. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As in holding on to the prolate spheroid. Not gifting the opposition with it. Makes it a whole lot easier to win football games.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Ball discipline, of which the Browns had next to none and yet finished with an 11-6 record this season, made the season very interesting. Too interesting, in fact. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Lack of discipline prevented this team from seriously challenging for the AFC North championship. The talent was there. But carelessness followed them all season, which made it hazardous at best, downright frustrating at worst.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Fans never could get comfortable because they never knew when a lost fumble or interception would arrive without warning and blow up a promising possession. That unpredictability is what gave rise to the brilliance of the defense, which gained a large part of its solid reputation by putting out fires.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It shouldn't surprise anyone, then, that this playoff-bound team led the National Football League in turnovers this season with 37, three more than runner up Minnesota. They're the only playoff team in the top eight in that category. Right up on top. </p><p style="text-align: left;">They also lead the NFL in interceptions with 23 and finished fourth in lost fumbles with 14. How in the world did this team get here? Simple. The arrival of Joe Flacco gave them something they didn't have previously: The ability to simply outscore opposing teams.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sure the old quarterback throws interceptions. Eight in five games to be exact. But he has also thrown for 13 touchdowns in those give games. Only he can fix what needs to be fixed. The others did not and that's the difference.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Historic defense made the Browns competitive in the first half of the season when they had problems winning games with an offense that frankly was barely mediocre at best. Since his arrival, fans are justifiably confident the odds of losing have fallen significantly.</p><p style="text-align: left;">At the bottom of the turnovers list, by the way, or the team with the fewest turnovers in the NFL this season: The stingy Houston Texans with 14 turnovers. Yep, Saturday's playoff game in Houston game will feature the league's worst team with ball security against the best. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The defense for this one will be the most important unit for the Browns. They'll need to set the tone in what promises to be a battle waged through the air between two dangerous quarterbacks whose reputations are rooted in throwing the football.</p><p style="text-align: left;">How they start with the benefit of a game day off against Cincinnati a few days ago will likely determine the direction this game heads. Jim Schwartz's men need to be sharp against C.J. Stroud, who has helped turn around the team culture in Houston. </p><p style="text-align: left;">***</p><p style="text-align: left;">Breaking down the Browns' woes on offense: The gifting problems arose immediately with 10 in the first four games and lasted the entire season. The next three outings produced seven more. The only week with nary a turnover turned out to be the week nine 27-0 perfecto against the Arizona Cardinals at home. There were a few games with just one giveaway. It was uphill practically the entire season. But it sure got them ready for the money games. </p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-21929692897672126442024-01-07T17:06:00.004-07:002024-01-07T17:56:13.701-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Hey, it was just the JV</h1><p style="text-align: left;">If nothing else, Browns fans found out Sunday what the Browns look like when absolutely nothing is on the line: The junior varsity. The varsity was on the bench for both sides of the football, benched by the head coach but with an invitation to the playoffs securely put away.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><p>As a result, the Cincinnati Bengals practically waltzed through a ridiculously easy 31-14 victory to bring the regular season to a close Sunday. But that's okay. Can't imagine anyone really thought the Browns would win their fifth straight game. </p><p>So, is it time to start getting worried all over again about Team Chaos because of this? Don't think so. Chances are pretty good the result of this one has already been forgotten. </p><p>Under the circumstances, though, this was as bad as it could have been. The only mystery leading up to the game was how competitive those who got a chance to play would be. It was apparent early on the Bengals had nothing to worry about. </p><p>First possession for the Browns, third play of the game. Interception. Been there before. This time, help would never arrive. They were merely spectators while in uniform on the sidelines, benched by their head coach.</p><p>Defensively, the Browns forced six punts, but had problems corralling veteran Bengals running Joe Mixon, who piled up 86 yards and two touchdowns by halftime. Jake Browning, filling for the injured Joe Burrow, chipped in with touchdown passes to Mixon and a pair to rookie wide receiver Andrei Iosivas.</p><p>The Browns. who finish the season at 11-6, had no answers offensively until it was too late. It was so bad, at one point, the likelihood of being shut out became a possibility. The Bengals held a 31-0 commanding early fourth-quarter lead. </p><p>The last time the Browns were held scoreless was on Dec. 14, 2014 by the Bengals, 30-0. The quarterback for the Browns was Johnny Manziel.</p><p>The Cleveland offense had trouble Sunday getting beyond midfield until the second half, racking up just four first downs and a measly 41 yards in the first 30 minutes. Jeff Driskel's Browns debut at quarterback couldn't have gone any worse. Four for 10 for 37 yards in that span and picks by Jordan Battle and Logan Wilson. </p><p>It took him three quarters to get comfortable, throwing for 111 of his 166-yard total in the final 15 minutes and making the final score look more respectable with a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver David Bell.</p><p>Head coach Kevin Stefanski made certain the varsity would be healthy and ready to begin the games that really count next weekend down in Houston against the AFC South champion Texans. These teams played in Houston just a few weeks ago, the Browns emerging with a 36-22 victory.</p><p>The situation will be quite different this time. Houston rookie quarterback C. J. Stroud was sidelined with a concussion in that one with ex-Browns QB Case Keenum and Davis Mills filling in. They didn't stand a chance.</p><p>Joe Flacco, in his fourth game with the Browns, plundered the Houston secondary for 368 yards and touchdown throws to Jerome Ford, David Njoku and two to Amari Cooper while racing out to 36-7 lead entering the final quarter. Two late touchdowns in garbage time made the final look better than it was.</p><p>This time, though, the former Ohio State star will be ready. The favorite to win rookie-of-the-year honors has already thrown for 4,100 yards, 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions. </p><p>It should be the classic matchup of the young phenom against one of the best defenses in the National Football League. It will be interesting to see what difference the varsity Browns defense will make this time.</p><p>After the dyspeptic game defensive boss Jim Schwartz suffered through in Cincinnati, he probably can't wait to get back all those who were major contributors to the enormous success his defense has enjoyed this season.</p><p>Those guys who were spectators Sunday in Cincinnati.</p></div>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-10505200852568069512024-01-06T21:43:00.002-07:002024-01-06T21:50:30.642-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">On to the playoffs</h1><p style="text-align: left;">One of the mantras for the Browns this unique season involved the bench, the plug uglies who are rarely part of game plans. As a general rule, they await their turn until they hear, often times without warning, "next man up."</p><p style="text-align: left;">But this season, the general rule lasted practically the entire season and the next men up performed so well, they helped the Browns return to the postseason. And Sunday down in Cincinnati, their contributions will be rewarded with reps in the season finale against the Bengals.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sitting at 11-5 with a fifth seed that will not change no matter who wins this game enables head coach Kevin Stefanski to rest a vast majority of his starters and a few other major contributors in what amounts to a meaningless game.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>(It's not meaningless to history, though. If the Bengals win and finish the season at 9-8, the AFC North becomes the first NFL division since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to finish with every team over .500.)</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Don't look for regulars like Myles Garrett, Joe Flacco, Amari Cooper, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Denzel Ward, most of the offensive and defensive lines, linebacker corps, and most of the secondary and receiving corps. It's time to find out what the lower level of the roster looks like, including call-ups from the practice squad can do. Pretty certain they won't consider it meaningless.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Besides, the Bengals arrive with revenge on their minds. The 24-3 shellacking the Browns delivered in Cleveland to open the 2023 season has not been forgotten. That's the game in which the Cleveland defense quickly captured the attention of the National Football League universe. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The Bengals compiled only six first downs, 142 total yards, were two for 15 on third down and Joe Burrow threw for just 82 yards. It was also the game Dustin Hopkins introduced himself to Browns Nation with four field goals. Hopkins (hamstring) will not kick Sunday.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Deshaun Watson ran 13 yards in the second quarter for one score and connected with tight end Harrison Bryant from three yards to close out the scoring.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Burrow went down with a wrist injury for the season midway through the season and was replaced by Jake Browning, who excited Bengals fans by winning three straight against Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Minnesota before falling to Pittsburgh and Kansas City on the road.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Replacing Flacco at quarterback is 30-year-old Jeff Driskel, a journeyman who was recently plucked off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad and placed on the Cleveland active roster. Kind of like this move even though Driskel's resumé is not exactly what you would call distinguished.</p><p style="text-align: left;">He is 1-9 as an NFL starter, but appealed to the Browns through his connection to Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzig, who was the Browns' quarterback coach last season and runs a similar offense to the Browns'.</p><p style="text-align: left;">And right now, even though we haven't seen him take a snap, he's already better than P. J. Walker, who unbelievably was 1-1 as a starter with the Browns this season, and not-ready-yet rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson.</p><p style="text-align: left;">On Driskel's radar Sunday will be Cedric Tillman, James Proche, David Bell, Marquise Goodwin, Auston Watkins Jr. and tight ends Jordan Akins and Bryant. Wouldn't be surprised if Elijah Moore gets a day off to give his concussion an extra week to heal.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The ground game most likely will be divided among Kareem Hunt, Pierre Strong Jr. and John Kelly Jr. with Jerome Ford, who has been a major part of the offense lately in both phases of the position, given the afternoon off.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Bengals, meanwhile, are disgustingly healthy. Wide receiver Tee Higgins is the lone major player who won't suit up. He's doubtful with a hamstring. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The Cleveland defense can expect to see a lot of running back Joe Mixon behind a large offensive line, and wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd lurking in the secondary. Linebackers Owusu-Koramoah and Sione Takitaki, who have played strong football the last few months, are prime candidates to get the afternoon off. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The Browns' offensive line will have its hand full with edge rushers Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson, who have feasted against starters in recent years, working Sunday against a couple of backups. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Normally, this would be a difficult pick because these teams are so evenly matched. But there's been nothing normal bout this season. With that in mind and the situation at hand, the Browns' four-game winning streak ends. Browning throws for two touchdowns (Chase and Boyd), Mixon runs for one and the defense sacks Driskel four times and picks him off twice. Revenge complete. Make it:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Bengals 27, Browns 14</i></p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-59119496750755940312024-01-01T18:04:00.000-07:002024-01-01T18:04:04.457-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">For what it's worth</h1><p>As it stands now, the Browns are on a playoffs course that could propel them to a third game this season against the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens. Of course that would require a few other eventualities, but the way this season has unfolded, just about anything regarding this team is possible.</p><p>Here is how it could all come down.</p><p>The fifth-seeded Browns' opponent in the wild-card round on the road will be the winner of the AFC South, which is locked in a three-way tie for the lead heading into the final week of the regular season this weekend. The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the tie-breaker over Indianapolis and Houston.</p><p>Cleveland swept the division during the regular season, knocking off Tennessee and Jacksonville at home and Houston and Indy on the road. They did it mostly with offense, averaging 29.5 points a game with Deshaun Watson and P. J. Walker helming the first two games and Joe Flacco in charge of the final two.</p><p>What follows is presupposing a Browns victory. </p><p>Flacco stays on course with his sizzling Cleveland career and advances the Browns to the divisional round against the highest-seeded AFC team. That would be the top-ranked team in the AFC: Baltimore, which drew a bye in the opening round.</p><p>The Browns and Ravens met twice duding the regular season, each winning on the road. The Ravens humbled the Browns' defense, which stormed through the first three games of the season in historic fashion, with Lamar Jackson throwing for two scores and running for two more in a 28-3 victory.</p><p>The Cleveland offense had no chance with Dorian Thompson-Robinson, subbing for an injured Watson, looking very much like a fifth-round rookie quarterback making his first National Football League start.</p><p>The two teams met again in week 10 in Baltimore in a game that was pretty much a microcosm of the season because of the manner in which the Browns became relentless, demonstrating a never-give-up-approach to games that turned potential losses around.</p><p>The Ravens jumped out to the lead when safety Kyle Hamilton picked off Watson mere seconds into the game and romped 18 yards for the touchdown. They built the lead to 24-9 early in the third quarter on a Jackson-Odell Beckham Jr. connection and pushed it to 31-17 on a short Gus Edwards run with nine minutes left.</p><p>Just when it appeared it was going to be yet another Ravens victory, in this lopsided series, the Browns pulled off the kind of comeback Browns Nation has seen all too often from opponents. It began with Watson and Elijah Moore, who had been somewhat of a disappointment this season, collaborating on a 10-yard scoring strike to culminate a seven-play, 75-yard drive.</p><p>Minutes later, Greg Newsome II picked off Jackson and returned it 34 yards for the score to pull the Browns to within a point, but the usually reliable Dustin Hopkins shockingly missed his first point-after of the season. Nothing comes easy with this team.</p><p>The Cleveland defense stiffened on the next possession and forced a punt with 4:55 left. It took 11 plays to move the football to the Baltimore 22-yard line, bleeding the clock along the way with a variety of short to medium throws and the running of Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt. Hopkins gained his redemption with a right-down-the-middle field goal from 40 yards as time ran out.</p><p>That was the last time this season the 13-3 Ravens have been on the wrong end of the final score. That was six games ago. Since then, they have defeated several elite teams rather handily behind an elite defense and a dangerous offense led by the spectacular Jackson.</p><p>And now the distinct possibility exists that Flacco will get a chance to face his old team in Baltimore in what would be one of the wonderfully dramatic games of the season considering what he has done for not only the Browns, but the city of Cleveland this season.</p><p>It would be the second time he faced the Ravens, and the first in Baltimore. He was in his third season with the Jets when he faced them for the first time in the 2022 season opener, a 24-9 loss in New Jersey in what turned out to be a very busy afternoon. He attempted 59 passes and completed 37 for 309 yards, one touchdown and one pick. </p><p>What Sunday's regular-season finale in Cincinnati with regard to who plays and who sits in that game is anybody's guess. There's nothing to gain or lose. The guess here is head coach Kevin Stefanski starts his regulars for a possession or two and then gives the bench big minutes.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-56644109565315451252023-12-29T21:02:00.000-07:002023-12-29T21:02:01.171-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Monday leftovers</h1><h1 style="text-align: left;">Thursday edition</h1><p>While the Browns' offense grabbed most of the attention in Thursday night's playoff-clinching victory over the New York Jets with a 34-point first half, not enough has been showered on the other side of the football.</p><p>After being scalded for 17 halftime points and probably a scolding from defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Browns limited the Jets to just a Greg Zuerlein field goal in seven possessions after Kevin Stefanski took his offense conservative.</p><p>He gambled the offense put enough points on the board to pull back a little bit and give the defense, which has struggled a bit recently, a chance at redemption. Othere than the field goal, the Jets threatened only one other time, but defensive tackle Shelby Harris blocked another Zuerlein attempt on the intial possession of the second half.</p><p>The Jets piled up sizable yardage with quarterback Trevor Siemian playing pitch and catch with wide receiver Garrett Wilson and tight end Tyler Conklin, and running back Breece Hall was a pest running and receiving with 126 yards on 22 touches, but the Jets got no closer than the Cleveland 32.</p><p>They spun their wheels for a majority of the second half, unable to come up with a big play when needed. Linebackers Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Sione Takitaki were two of the main reasons, combing for 27 tackles, 18 solo for the evening.</p><p>Owusu-Koramoah has become the player the Browns envisioned when they selected him in the second round of the 2021 college draft out of Notre Dame. He always seems go be where the football is and has improved his tackling to the point where he leads the Browns in that department with 101 this season.</p><p>Takitaki has come a long way since starting his pro career as a special teams ace and situational linebacker, looking comfortable after filling in for oft-injured middle backer Anthony Walker Jr., who missed most of last season with a serious knee injury.</p><p>***</p><p>Credit Joe Flacco, as if he hasn't received enough already, with adjusting nicely in the absence of Amari Cooper Thursday night. Didn't take him long to tap tight end David Njoku with a 28-yard pass that set up Jerome Ford's seven-yard scoring scamper on the opening drive of the game.</p><p>The old quarterback has been money on opening possessions this season, putting touchdowns on the board right out of the chute in four of his five starts. He took the offense 75 yards in nine plays against the Los Angeles Rams in his Cleveland debut in week 13, Jerome Ford capping it off with a 24-yard pass.</p><p>He began the following week against Jacksonville with a six-play, 75-yard march. hitting Njoku with another 24-yard scoring flip. Then came his only miss so far against Chicago, the initial possession ending in a punt after a six-play, 19-yard drive stalled and brought on Corey Bojorquez.</p><p>Flacco got back on track next game against Houston, opening up the game with a 53-yard bomb to Cooper that ended three plays later with Ford again scooting four yards for the score. And on Thursday night, he engineered a seven-play, 75-yarder, highlighted by strikes of 36 and 28 yards to Njoku</p><p>There is nothing better for a defense than to watch your offense put up numbers like that and immediately gain an emotional and psychological advantage. Put the opposition on quick notice that it won't be easy.</p><p>***</p><p>Rookie wide receiver Cedric Tillman learned the hard way Thursday night that <span>quitting on running a route with Flacco under center is a really, really big no-no.</span></p><p><span>It happened late in the opening quarter with the Browns holding a 13-7 lead, shortly after recovering a fumbled kickoff return at the Jets' 12. Three plays later, Stefanski gambled on fourth and four at the New York six. </span>A strong rush and good coverage caused Flacco to scramble.</p><p>He moved right and appeared to wave Tillman to the wide receiver's right in the end zone. The wideout did and then stopped. The pass was nearly intercepted. </p><p>Flacco raised his arms disgustingly, indicating by motioning that the play might have resulted in a touchdown had Tillman not quit his route. He has been victimized enough by sloppy route running in his brief tenure with the Browns. </p><p>***</p><p><i>Finally . . . </i>New kicker Riley Patterson got off on the wrong foot with Browns fans, sending his initial point-after effort wide right following safety Ronnie Hickman's pick six. The fans mockingly cheered his 33-yard field goal late in the game and the success on the other four PAT. . . . The Browns close out the regular season Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, who helped them open the season back on Sept. 10 that resulted in a 24-3 Cleveland victory that featured quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson. . . . New punter Matt Haack looked a lot like Bojorquez in his Cleveland debut. The left-footed kicker averaged 51.7 yards a punt. The left-footed Bojorquez has averaged 49.5 yards this season on 80 punts. . . . Bojorquez might be ready for the playoffs. Can't say the same for Dustin Hopkins.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-40965190767959795032023-12-29T01:05:00.000-07:002023-12-29T01:05:21.863-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">What a fun ride</h1><p>The climb back to the postseason for the Browns was arduous most of the way, utterly daunting at other times and often felt damn near impossible with all kinds of impediments that pretty much declared, "Not this season, guys."</p><p>So you can imagine the sweet feeling of accomplishment that washed over the joyous capacity home crowd and the international reach of Browns Nation moments before the conclusion of the 37-20 post-season-clinching victory over the New York Jets Thursday night on national television.</p><p>It was Dickensian the entire 60 minutes. 'Twas a tale of two halves that featured a 12-round 34-17 slugfest in the first 30 minutes followed by the polar opposite the rest of the way: A slugfest that featured both defenses and two field goals.</p><p>The halftime score had just about everyone busting out the record books in case it continued in the second half. Didn't come even close with just a field goal by each team as it melted into a boring game with Kevin Stefanski satisfied to play much more conservatively, leaning on the ground game to protect the lead and bring this one home in style to stretch the winning streak to four.</p><p>Playing January football for only the third time in the last 25 seasons, the Browns did all the damage in the first two quarters with Joe Flacco throwing for 300 yards for the fourth straight game, and three touchdowns, giving him 13 on the season, before Stefanski used his play-not-to-lose card.</p><p>Operating for the first time without Amari Cooper, a pre-game scratch most likely precautionary after testing an injured heel, Flacco turned his attention to tight end David Njoku, who caught six passes for 134 hard-earned yards; Elijah Moore's six grabs for 61 yards and a score before leaving in the second half with a concussion; and running back Jerome Ford, who scored on both of his receptions.</p><p>The defense grabbed some of the spotlight, too, for the 11-5 Browns when rookie safety Ronnie Hickman's pick six of a Trevor Siemian pass early in the second quarter boosted the lead to 20-7. And Myles Garrett added to the celebration by ending his five-game sackless shneid.</p><p>The way Flacco was throwing, he could have gone well over 300 yards behind an offensive line that despite playing together for only a couple of games has protected the meal ticket very well. Another reason this team has become dangerous with the postseason around the corner.</p><p>Considering the way they have played the last dozen games (9-3), the guess here is any playoff team not considered elite does not want to face the Browns in the wild-card round. Certainly not with Flacco working his magic and showing few signs of wearing down.</p><p>His sideline demeanor Thursday night in the face of a second half when his coach unobtrusively took the game out of his hands with such a large lead and out of the spotlight he's been in all season, indicated this accomplishment meant a lot to him. He couldn't stop smiling and celebrating.</p><p>After sitting at home all summer waiting for a telephone call, any telephone call from any team in the National Football League, you bet this ranks right up there with the numerous significant memories in his lengthy career.</p><p>And now Browns fans in a few weeks will get to see Flacco playing in an atmosphere that seems to bring out the best in him to the point where he has flourished before our eyes. To be here at his advanced age and prospering beyond reason undoubtedly makes it that much sweeter.</p><p>He knows what it's like to play at an elite level. And now he's back on that level. If nothing else, this proves -- at least to him and no doubt his family -- that despite disappointing stops in Denver and New York with the Jets the last few years after after leaving Baltimore, he made the correction decision to stick it out.</p><p>So did Browns General Manager Andrew Berry, whose early November call to Flacco began the Browns' improbable march to a place that seemed like a pipe dream after Deshaun Watson went down halfway through the season.</p><p>The lone quibble is how much better would all this have turned out if Berry had placed that call earlier. The fact it was made, though, makes it that much more satisfying to a fandom that needed a team like this for whom to root. It does, indeed, embody what Cleveland is all about.<br /></p><p>And it could get even better.</p><p>Barring any surprises in the final weekend of the regular season, the Browns will finish with the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs, which means their likely opponent in the wild-card round will be the AFC South champion on the road. Don't tell anyone, but the Browns swept that division this season.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-40970659105402018752023-12-27T23:17:00.001-07:002023-12-27T23:17:23.522-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Playoffs dead ahead</h1><p style="text-align: left;">The season the fates sent to Cleveland for the 2023 season, the one that has agonizingly toyed with Browns Nation for practically the entire campaign, is a teeny tiny step away from returning them to the postseason Thursday night on national television.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The entire nation needs to see this team play a game of football to understand and appreciate how the Browns have become the darlings of the National Football League landscape the last month or so, coming from out of nowhere to carve out a 10-5 record despite injuries that would have felled lesser teams.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Giving into that was not in their DNA . . . on both sides of the football as it has turned out. The defense carried this team through the first half of the season until the offense caught up in a spectacular way the last month, or when the Browns went after Joe Flacco and he didn't say no.</p><p style="text-align: left;">These Browns are entertaining but not in a spectacular way. The lunchpail approach to their work on defense, in particular, plays well in blue-collar Cleveland. No matter what the scoreboard says, they have been in every game except one. Winning games on the last play of the waning seconds has become a specialty.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They major in hanging around. The game never gets away from them. And now with Flacco in charge of the huddle, that will not happen the rest of the season. They are never out of a game as long as he remains vertical and healthy.</p><p style="text-align: left;">All they have do Thursday night quite simply is score at least one more point than the visiting New York Jets and it'll be 2020 all over again. It's that simple. A just reward for a team that shrugged off all the major injuries, overachieved and outworked the opposition.</p><p style="text-align: left;">After trying to figure out the last few weeks who has to win and/or lose and/or tie to determine the Browns' fate, all that is about to reach a conclusion. </p><p style="text-align: left;">A couple of interesting storylines for this one, the main one involving Flacco, who led the Jets a year ago with far less success than he's had with the Browns and whose sizzling stats with Cleveland almost certainly has caught the attention of the New York defense, which permits only 190 yards a game through the air.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This season, Flacco and wide receiver Amari Cooper are playing otherworldly football with tight end David Njoku waiting in the wings to break through. Throw in an offensive line that has protected its ageless quarterback zealously and you have the winning formula.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Jets have rolled out three quarterbacks this season with Trevor Siemian owning the QB1 reps now after Zach Wilson traveled between hot and cold too many times before head coach Robert Saleh turned to Siemian, who beat Washington last week. He is not a long-distance threat. Tim Boyle lasted long enough to start and lose two games.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Jets running back Breece Hall will be the main concern for the Browns' front seven in both facets of the offense. He is just as dangerous catching passes out of the backfield as he is running between the tackles, compiling seven touchdowns and 869 total yards. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Former Ohio State standout Garrett Wilson is having another terrific season with 88 receptions for 958 yards, three touchdowns and 43 first downs. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The big question for the Browns is when -- or even whether -- Kevin Stefanski will turn his running game loose. The Browns have recorded just one 100-yard game -- and that was barely over at 107 yards in the Denver loss -- in the last six games.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the first nine games of the season, however, the Cleveland ground attack registered seven 100-yard games. It's understandable Stefanski wants to get as much out of Flacco as he can, but practically ignoring the run game might come back and sting if someone finds a way to shut down Flacco.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In the end, the is no denying the Jets are a mediocre, middle-of-the-pack team that does not play well on the road facing a team far more talented with just one loss in eight games by the lakefront. Flacco will enjoy the evening, rewarding fans with three more touchdowns (Amari Cooper, Jerome Ford and Njoku) and two more picks (that seems to be his MO this season). The defense will pick up two more takeways (that'll be 10 in the last four games) en route to an unusually easy victory. Make it:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Browns 28, Jets 13</i></p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-50895105487177777352023-12-25T18:12:00.004-07:002023-12-25T19:28:29.887-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Monday leftovers</h1><p>It took Kevin Stefanski exactly one game to realize the signing of free-agent quarterback Joe Flacco was not just another desperate move by the Browns after losing Deshaun Watson for the 2023 season.</p><p>With many very capable veteran quarterbacks out on the street as this fate-filled season rolled on, the club foolishly, as it turned out, cast their lot with a wet-behind-the-ears rookie and a National FootballLeague vagabond whose career has consistently met with little success.</p><p>So when General Manager Andrew Berry finally threw up his hands and finally determined the quarterbacks room had to change and plucked Flacco off the street on Nov. 19, little did he and his head coach realize what a ten strike it would turn out to be.</p><p>It took Flacco about 10 days on the practice squad to get himself back into playing shape while Stefanski altered the playbook to better fit his gunslinging style. The head coach had watched him from afar and wisely began catering to his strengths.</p><p>It took him one game to realize the Browns' offense was about to dramatically -- and seismically -- change and chart a new course to the postseason, a course that puts the 10-5 Browns one victory away from that goal.</p><p>Flacco debuted against the Los Angeles Rams in week 13, the second of back-to-back games out west. For some reason, he seemed to be holding the big quarterback back, sort of feeling out what and would not work with the new guy.</p><p>Stefanski dialed up 44 passes in the 36-19 loss for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But he looked good despite the loss. For the first time this season, including Watson's brief stint this season, the Cleveland offense looked sharp.</p><p>Flacco's play fakes were executed with exquisite precision, allowing him to complete easy passes as the defenses bit on the fakes. Even though he is on the verge of his 39th birthday, he reminded me a lot of the much younger Joe Flacco who led the Baltimore Ravens to numerous postseasons.</p><p>Stefanski obviously saw something that somehow foreshadowed what has happened to this franchise in the last three games, during which Flacco is putting up astonishing statistics that have captured the attention of the NFL.</p><p>Since the Rams loss, his production has been otherworldly. In those three games, all victories, he has booked three straight 300-yard games for 1.003 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. In four games overall, it's 1,257 yards, two more TD and a pick. </p><p>The Browns' first 11 games with three different quarterbacks produced 1,549 yards through the air, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Flacco has accomplished in seven fewer games nearly as much as three others.</p><p>Oh yeah, those interceptions. Flacco is not going to stop throwing them until his receivers run their routes correctly and be where the football is supposed to be. He is a timing quarterback who is often victimized when a route is run incorrectly against a zone defense.</p><p>Yes he's made some ill-advised throws if he misreads the defense. But he's savvy enough to quickly make corrections. Amari Cooper, who has become the huge beneficiary of Flacco's new-found success, admires how football smart the quarterback is.</p><p>What Flacco and Cooper have put together in the last three games sent a lot of people to the record books. Before Flacco arrived, Cooper had banked 47 receptions for 765 yards and a couple of touchdowns in the first 11 games. Since, he has caught 25 more passes for 485 yards and three scores. </p><p>His record-shattering 11-catch, 265-yard afternoon Sunday in the 36-22 victory over Houston is one record that will stand the test of time.</p><p>And with the offensive line getting healthier now with the return of Joel Bitonio and Ethan Pocic and the possibility of reenergizing a sagging ground game to couple with Flacco's play-action prowess, Thursday night's regular-season home finale against the New York Jets becomes a very winnable game.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-57001814636604905642023-12-24T18:07:00.007-07:002023-12-24T20:09:03.053-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Virtuoso time</h1><p style="text-align: left;">To classify the latest Joe Flacco-Amari Cooper performance on a football field as virtuoso would be an understatement of gigantic proportions.</p><p style="text-align: left;">What these two outrageously talented veteran members of the Browns' offense accomplished Sunday in Houston was several steps beyond remarkable as they willed their team to a 36-22 victory over the Texans in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicates.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In doing so, they lifted the Browns closer to an invitation to the postseason with two games remaining, including a Thursday night home date with the New York Jets on national television. Even at 10-5, seven different ways to clinch remain that are way too complicated to go over here.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are so close now, it's almost inconceivable they won't make it. Too many other possibilities have to come together perfectly in order to keep them out. But hopes rise significantly because the offense hasn't played this well in a long time and Flacco seems to be totally reinvigorated and rejuvenated..</p><p style="text-align: left;">It's been only four games since he joined the Browns, but the stats he has compiled would lead one to believe it has been much longer than that. The symbiotic relationship he has developed with Cooper has helped produce three straight victories.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The quarterback, who will be 39 the middle of next month, has thrown for 1,257 yards (314 per game) and 10 touchdowns for an offense that was totally lost before he arrived, in addition to seven interceptions (two more Sunday).</p><p style="text-align: left;">He and Cooper combined for 11 receptions (on 15 targets) for the wide receiver's one-game club-record 265 yards and two touchdowns against a Texans defense that looked clueless. The so-called terrific Houston defensive front never dropped Flacco, who received better protection with Joel Bitonio and Ethan Pocic back after shaking off injuries. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Can't remember the last time one man made this much of a difference to turn around a team headed in the wrong direction and with little hope when he arrived. Flacco has hoisted not just the offense on his shoulders, but the defense now seems much more motivated.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Before the Texans turned a 36-7 deficit into a closer game with consecutive touchdowns against mostly against backups, the Cleveland defense looked a lot like the one who played so well in the early stages of the season.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Only 75 yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes. Texans quarterback Case Keenum threw for just 40 yards. It was an unfair fight.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The only Houston points in the first half were scored off special teams with running back Dameon Pierce taking Dustin Hopkins' kickoff 98 yards following the second of Cooper's scores early in the second quarter. Other than that, the Cleveland defense smothered everything the Texans threw at them.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The coaching strategy of the game changed, though, after Hopkins pulled a hamstring while futilely chasing Pierce and couldn't kick. The man responsible for four game-winning kicks, the man who has missed only three field-goal attempts and the man who was perfect on eight kicks from 50+ yards this season was finished for the day.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Head coach Kevin Stefanski scrambled. At first it was two-point attempts after touchdowns with Dorian Thompson-Robinson. It became worse later when punter Corey Bojorquez went down with what was called a lower-body injury. Safety D'Anthony Bell kicked off a couple of times.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Everything changed strategically after the Texans were successful on an onsides kick and started moving the football better than they had all afternoon with little or no Cleveland resistance.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had seen enough after Davis Mills, who had replaced Keenum, moved the Texans quickly on each possession, finishing with scoring throws to Nico Collins from five yards and tight end Andre Beck from a yard out.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Schwartz had seen enough this season to know something was in the early stages of ruining what looked las though it was going to be an easy victory and brought back the starters to settle things down. They probably didn't like working a little overtime, but it worked.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The biggest worry now is fixing the sudden problem with the kicking game, an area that has not caused any worry whatsoever this season. Bojorquez has been one of the league's best and most effective punters this season. And Hopkins has been, well, the Browns' most valuable player with his clutch kicking.</p><p style="text-align: left;">General Manager Andrew Berry probably experienced a fair amount of indigestion as he watched the victory from a suite in the stadium. It looks as though he can cross the offense off his to-do list. And the defense, with the exception of the brief letdown Sunday.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In his business, it seems, it's always something. Next up: The kicking game.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-61228412513081755252023-12-23T16:11:00.004-07:002023-12-23T16:15:40.747-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Playoff atmosphere</h1><p>There's good reason to believe it's still a wee bit early to suggest the 9-5 Browns are a virtual lock to return to the postseason after a two-season absence.</p><p>But with three games remaining, including Sunday's in Houston against the Texans, there is every reason to believe every game from here on out will fully prepare them for the playoffs because the intensity of these late regular-season games often produces a playoff-like atmosphere.</p><p>Every play, every snap, every decision will be meaningful and in most cases impact the ultimate outcome. Precision of execution is of the utmost importance. The slightest mistake can become larger due to the pressure involved.</p><p>Just about everything takes on greater importance at this time of the season, especially when you get this close in a season that many times was headed in the wrong direction with roadblocks no one saw coming. Everything magnifies now.</p><p>The biggest problem for the Browns lies in the fact this is nowhere near as strong a football team on offense as the talent-laden crew that began back on Sept. 10 with a home victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. The talent quotient is at a season low.</p><p>Gone until next season are the likes of Nick Chubb, Deshaun Watson and most of the offensive line with injuries now playing havoc with various parts of the secondary and defensive line. Early-season mastery that threatened to break numerous records on defense has abated to the point where that side of the ball is just hanging on.</p><p>And if it weren't for Andrew Berry's sagacious decision to bring Joe Flacco back to the National Football League, there's no telling where the Browns would be at this moment. In a relative blink of an eye, the ageless quarterback has become a franchise savior. The irony is stupefying and astonishing all at once. </p><p>If there's anyone who knows what it's like to play this level of football at this time of the season and excel with so much on the line, it's Flacco, who has booked 15 games over the course of six postseasons with the Baltimore Ravens and thrown for 3,223 yards, 25 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions. Oh and one Super Bowl MVP.</p><p>A vast percentage of this roster can only dream of playing meaningful football this far into the season. Flacco seems to be the kind of guy willing to share his experiences. There's no better time to start than Sunday against a team locked in a three-way tie for the lead in the AFC South -- right there with the Browns in the post-season chase -- and a 5-1 record at home.</p><p>The Browns won't have to face quarterback C. J. Stroud, spending his second weekend in concussion protocol. The former Ohio State standout has put up sensational rookie season numbers with 20 touchdown passes and only five picks, and is a lock to win NFL rookie-of-the-year honors.</p><p>Case Keenum, so backed up Baker Mayfield in Cleveland for a couple of seasons, steps in and will be the main target for the Cleveland defense, which has played horrendously on the road his season. Many of the playmakers responsible for the sensational early start are either on injured reserve or just a step or two shy of that status with nagging injuries.</p><p>Keenum is more efficient when he works from sideline to sideline, whereas Stroud is a north-south, gunslinging flamethrower. Keenum is excellent at taking what the defense gives him. The deep secondary won't have to worry about him. Look for a more well-balanced Texans attack.</p><p>Keenum will throw primarily to wide receiver Nico Collins, who has banked a 1.000-yard season with six touchdowns, tight end Dalton Schultz, who checks in with 513 yards and five scores, and the wide receiver tandem of Noah Brown and Robert Woods, who have filled in nicely after rookie Tank Dell, who flashed for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games, broke a leg recently.</p><p>The Texans' ground game will be handled almost exclusively by Devin Singletary, who has rushed for half of the team's 1,400 infantry yards. </p><p>Defensively, the Texans are opportunistic with at least one takeaway in all but two of their games, 20 overall. And the offense has gifted teams just 12 times. (FYI: The much more generous Browns have distributed 30 of those gifts this season, including six in the last two games, both victories.) </p><p>On offense, it has reached the point where head coach Kevin Stefanski, as the playcaller, all but abandoned the ground game in the last two games because his new patchwork offensive line was incapable of opening holes or creating creases through which running backs can prosper. </p><p>But it protected Flacco well enough and long enough for him to throw for 212 of his 374 yards and two of his three touchdowns in the final quarter of the dramatic 20-17 victory over the Chicago Bears Sunday. And with center Ethan Pocic and left guard Joel Bitonio reportedly ready to return, that could change Sunday.</p><p>Factoring in the improbability of what the Browns have done on any given Sunday this season and the success the Texans have enjoyed at home, this one figures to be close for at least the first three quarters with neither team sustaining any momentum. It will be a battle of the defenses featuring a multitude of turnovers. In other words, it'll be quite ugly and yawningly boring. Coin flip time: Going with the home-field advantage like I did last week against the Bears. Make it:</p><p><i>Texans 24, Browns 23</i></p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-49690908494582188372023-12-21T18:23:00.002-07:002023-12-21T18:23:45.365-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Mid-week thoughts</h1><p>Overlooked somewhat, due most likely to the anticipation of the Browns clinching at least an invitation to the National Football League's 2023 postseason Sunday, is one sobering fact.</p><p>Two of the season's final three games, including Sunday's in Houston, are on the road. And with the Browns approaching the precipice of their first invitation to the postseason since 2020, the road is not where they should be. Unless the figures lie, that is.</p><p>They don't. </p><p>Instead, they indicate trouble lurking in this almost magical season that has not only weekly entertained and fascinated Browns Nation, but unveiled characteristics that have eluded this franchise for way too long. </p><p>The Cleveland community has connected with this group because they embody what Cleveland is all about: Grit, determination, overachievement, and somehow finding ways to win games in spite of an enormous number of physical impediments that would cripple other teams.</p><p>That they are 9-5 at this point of the season is borderline miraculous, a testament proving that just about anything can be achieved with hard work. And luck, which has been attached to this team by some from time to time, is the residue of hard work. That attribute will be put to the test down in Houston.</p><p>The Browns have played six games away from downtown Cleveland, where they are 7-1. They are the antithesis of road warriors at 2-4 and that's a slippery 2-4. Both road victories were achieved by merely outscoring the opposition (33-31 in Baltimore and 39-38 in Indianapolis). Only Carolina (0-8), Las Vegas (1-5) and Tennessee (1-6) are worse on the road.</p><p>Defense is the main culprit, surrendering 184 points in the six games (30.7 per). And most of that was accomplished before the devastating injuries arrived. Still labeled one of the best defenses in the league, that clearly is not the case away from home.</p><p>And now we are in week 16 when most of the players are either healthy second-stringers who are part of sub packages and don't get many reps, or a season-long starter. fighting to stay healthy but not nearly the the player he was earlier in the season.</p><p>Attrition is starting to catch up to the Browns on this side of the football after it all but wiped out the vast majority of the starting offense. Most of the defensive line (where pass defense begins, says defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz) is either gone for the season or on injured reserve.</p><p>Myles Garrett, playing at about 60% due to a bad shoulder, is the Lone Ranger on the edge. Too bad he ean't play both simultaneously. Right now, he is stuck on 13 sacks for the season with a career-high four straight games without a sack. Schwartz needs more than Garrett, a lot more. If he doesn't get it, nothing starts with the Browns line.</p><p>The only area that hasn't ben hit hard by hard by injuries is linebacker, where Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah has been a tackling machine with 84 (60 solo) to lead the team in both categories and Sione Takitaki, whose versatility has been rewarded with more snaps.</p><p>The fact the defense will face Case Keenum rather than hot-shot rookie C. J. Stroud, in concussion protocol, is a break. Stroud is a vertical quick-strike quarterback for the Texans. Keenum, who backed up Baker Mayfield with the Browns in 2020 and 2021, is a horizontal quarterback with a more conservative approach.</p><p>It has been almost six weeks (Nov. 12 against the Ravens) since the Browns won a road game. Many positives have occurred since, including a few miracles at home created mainly by the offense but with occasional timely help from their defensive brethren. They need at least one more like it. And from what we've seen all season long, all the right attributes are there. </p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-50581251237739896352023-12-18T18:13:00.000-07:002023-12-18T18:13:03.503-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Monday leftovers</h1><p>Lost in the frenzy of the Browns' recent surge back into the National Football League's post-season picture lies the stark reality that Joe Flacco appears to have unlocked the secret as to why David Njoku has been a sizable disappointment since being selected in the first round of the 2017 college football draft.</p><p>Njoku had the size at 6-4 and a famously-chiseled 246-pound frame he proudly displayed during pre-game warmups no matter the weather. He sure looked impressive in his uniform. </p><p>Once he stepped onto the field, though, it was a different story. He played the game as though he was allergic to pigskin. No matter the quarterback, he has had trouble with his hands, not only securing the throw when targeted but holding on to it. Instead of catching the ball, he fought it and piled up his drops.</p><p>He became unreliable to the point where he often became an afterthought in game plans. At the same time, he worked on his blocking and developed into a reliable asset in the ground game, but did not abandon his quest to become valuable in the passing game.</p><p>It wasn't until Flacco came along three games ago that Njoku showed signs of flourishing. In fact, prior to his arrival, the great concern in Browns Nation was Njoku's drop count rose to the point where he was among the league leaders in that department.</p><p>The two didn't click in their first game together, a loss in Los Angeles against the Rams, but Flacco seems to have picked something up with regard to how Njoku runs his routes and makes himself available, and how savagely he runs after catching the ball.</p><p>Of the 704 yards in receptions he has compiled this season, the big tight end has gained 394 of them after making a catch. That's good enough for 18th place in the league, but given Flacco's new symbiotic relationship with him, that number should increase nicely.</p><p>He is a load to bring down when both feet are on the ground and churning following a reception. And now that he has added a hurdling kind of leap over defenders to his repertoire to avoid low tackles, he has become a danger to opposing secondaries.</p><p>Flacco apparently likes to see that kind of yardage pile up. Makes his stats look better. In the last two games against Jacksonville and Chicago, both victories, he targeted his tight end 22 times with Njoku grabbing 16 of them for 195 yards and three touchdowns. His 10 touches against the Bears represents his season high in that department.</p><p>To put that in perspective, Njoku scored only two touchdowns in the first 12 games of the season. </p><p>***</p><p>Watch out, Wyatt Teller, the grim reaper is coming for you after claiming fellow guard Joel Bitonio early in the Bears victory with a bad back. Teller is the lone remaining offensive lineman from the group that began the season. Back injuries are tricky, especially for someone like the 6-4, 320-pound Bitonio, who is 32. He is now listed as day-to-day.</p><p>Gone and not coming back until 2024 are LT1 (Jedrick Wills Jr.), C1 (Ethan Pocic), RT1 (Jack Conklin) and RT2 (Dawand Jones). </p><p>Protecting Flacco now are tackles Geron Christian and James Hudson III, Teller and Michael Dunn (depending on Bitonio's status come game time Sunday in Houston) and center Nick Harris. The latter limped off the field in the fourth quarter Sunday with a foot injury, but returned. If he is unable to go against the Texans, rookie Luke Wypler from Ohio State is the next man up.</p><p>The inexperience of that new offensive front could be one of the reasons Kevin Stefanski has slanted his attack heavily toward the forward pass. Sunday's 29 yards on 18 attempts was a season low. That's not Stefanski football. He keeps this up and opposing defensive coordinators will ignore Flacco's play fakes and zero in on him. Got to keep them honest.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-5726743662044399792023-12-17T18:24:00.006-07:002023-12-17T18:46:55.121-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Snatching a victory<br />from jaws of defeat</h1><p>Six minutes and five seconds remained in the third quarter of Sunday's National Football League game between the hometown Browns and Chicago Bears and I had a feeling at that point as to the outcome. </p><p>The Bears had just taken a 17-7 lead and the Browns showed no signs whatsoever of indicating that observation was improbable and seriously understating it. In fact, just about no one saw it coming. </p><p>"This one's over," I wrote in my notes at that point after the Bears had taken a 17-7 lead on a Cairo Santos field goal. Why so early? What made it so evident? Lack of faith? Not with this team. More injuries? To an extent when guard Joel Bitonio left with a back injury early in the fist half.</p><p>There was just something about this one that said winning will have to wait one more week this time. The Browns have exhausted their comeback victories for the season. Couldn't put my finger on why not, though. </p><p>And that is why the 20-17 Browns victory that slowly unraveled ranks as one of the most improbable, stunning, mind-blowing, how-in-the-world-did-that-happen, come-from-behind victories this iteration of the franchise has recorded. If I hadn't seen it, I would never have believed it.</p><div>Practically nothing worked for the Browns. Until it did.</div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">The run game was hardly used. Not sure why. Joe Flacco, who had a Jekyll-Hyde afternoon, finally floated back down to Earth with three more interceptions that helped set up all the Bears points before resurrecting himself in the second half. It all had the feel of a loss because there didn't seem to be any effort to find ways of changing the situation.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The offense, which knows how good their defense is, discovered the Bears' just might be a little better, much more opportunistic and crazily disruptive. Once getting the lead in the second quarter, they threw just about everything at Flacco, who was sacked four times, 2.5 by Montez Sweat, and hounded mercilessly.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As it was, the Browns were fortunate to be on the wrong end of just a 17-7 score at the time. That's because the Chicago offense isn't very good and couldn't put the Browns away, in part thanks to a defense that hung around long enough to finally do something about it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This team has been through so much this season in their efforts to win games, nothing after this would seem improbable. And yet, in real time, I had this feeling their good fortune was about to run out. even as it played out. The postseason was slipping away.</p><p>It lingered into the final quarter. The Browns hung around, desperately looking for something, anything that would serve as a jolt of inspiration to get them focused on the task at hand.</p><p>And then there was a glimmer, a spark that suggested this one wasn't over just yet. Rookie cornerback Cameron Mitchell made the play of the day on the first snap of the fourth quarter, dropping scrambling Chicago quarterback Justin Fields shy of a first down on fourth-and-one at the Cleveland 40.</p><p>It was almost as though Flacco took a clue from the big play, booking a sizzling second half, hitting on 14 of 21 in the final 30 minutes for 234 yards and a scoring strike of 51 yards to Amari Cooper that tied the score after completing 14 of 23 for 134 yards in the opening half.</p><p>The Browns defense, by now looking a lot like the one that was so spectacular at the beginning of the season, recorded their eighth three-and-out in 15 possessions and turned the game over to Flacco, who connected with David Njoku on throws of 31 and 34 yards that moved the ball to the Chicago 15, where Dustin Hopkins, per usual, delivered the final dagger from 34 yards.</p><p>But this being the Browns and their unpredictable selves this season, nothing is assumed. Fields found Tyler Scott for 30 yards at the Cleveland 45 against soft coverage. It was his final completion of the day, but not his final heave. The final Hail Mary toss to the Cleveland end zone wound up in the the hands of Browns safety D'Anthony Bell.</p><p>Drama there, too. Television replays showed Bears wide receiver Darnell Toomey, in the group gathered in the end zone in the event of a deflection, was on the receiving end of such a deflection. He actually had the football in his arms before losing it with Bell on the recovery for the interception.</p><p>Considering the way this season has gone for the now 9-5 Browns, this result is a microcosm of their journey thus far. There's a charm about this team that's hard to define. Tough and resilient come immediately to mind. Lucky, too, but that's because they create their own luck through hard work. </p><p>It has also become obvious they love playing at home at 7-1, ending the home schedule against the New York Jets (and Aaron Rodgers?) with road games at Houston next Sunday and Cincinnati in the regular-season finale.</p><p>The postseason has been the main goal. And now they are on the precipice. They arrive a physically battered group wearing, for the most part, the scars of victory. The latest one, though, will be remembered as the most satisfying.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-5894455253647012072023-12-16T14:16:00.002-07:002023-12-16T14:18:33.383-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Creeping closer</h1><p>If the injury reports of the two teams meeting down by the lakefront Sunday afternoon are used as a portent of what lies ahead for the outcome of that game, the Browns are in a hit of trouble against the Chicago Bears. </p><p>As of Saturday, there are 14 names on that list for the banged-up but still very much in the postseason picture 8-5 Browns. The 5-8 Bears, already thinking of next season, list five. </p><p>The Browns enter the game with only two healthy starters on the offensive line that began the season in guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller. Two new tackles and a new center will attempt to keep new quarterback Joe Flacco vertical.</p><p>Defensively, two backups (one a rookie) will man the safeties; the pass rush will rely on a badly bruised Myles Garrett, who is sackless in three straight games with no one coming even close to stepping up to help; and a head coach/playcaller who seems to have forgotten he's got a good ground game.</p><p>Pretty grim thus far. How about a dose of optimism? Like kicker Dustin Hopkins, who is primarily responsible for the current record with clutch kick after clutch kick. And punter Corey Bojorquez, who has kept opposing teams buried deep in their territory, averaging 50.3 yards per boot. </p><p>That's as much pushing this narrative is going to receive. No, this one will be decided by which team, at the risk of abusing a cliche, wants it more. This has become a war of attrition for the Browns at a time when overachieving is the primary goal and generally produces the best results.</p><p>The Bears are playing out the string. The Browns somehow keep overcoming the landslide of crippling injuries with the postseason remaining the main goal. They keep finding ways to win, which is more difficult at this juncture of the season.</p><p>On the plus side, there's the Browns' 6-1 record at home to take into consideration. For whatever reason, that's where the Browns have played their best regardless of any outside impediments. They have outscored the opposition on friendly turf, 144-88 (20.57-12.57 on the average). On the road, where they are 2-4, it's 145-184 (24.2-30.7).</p><p>The Bears, meanwhile, have been on a roll lately with an opportunistic defense playing a major role, winning three of their last four outings after losing six of the first seven games of the season. They have recorded 11 takeways in the last three.</p><p>The Browns, meanwhile, continue to be way too charitable with the football which, at least theoretically, plays into the Bears' plans for Sunday. They are now up to 26 turnovers. The lone game with none was the 27-0 perfecto they threw at Arizona in week nine.</p><p>One can only imagine how much more dangerous the Flacco offense would be with a little more concentration on ball security.</p><p>The Bears lately have also picked it up on offense with the return of quarterback Justin Fields, who missed four games with a broken finger on his throwing hand. The ex-Buckeye has thrown 13 touchdown passes in his nine starts with only six interceptions.</p><p>He is just as dangerous with his feet than he is with his arm, leading the Bears in rushing with 458 yards despite having missed a month of the season. This could be the game where the underwhelming Cleveland run defense of late gets back on track.</p><p>But when it comes to airing it out, Fields and wide receiver D. J. Moore have developed a nice relationship since the Bears traded for Moore with Carolina during the last NFL draft. They have collaborated this season on 56 receptions for 860 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games, including an eight-catch, 230-yard, three-rouchdown afternoon against Washington in week five.</p><p>It sort of boils down to this: A Browns team with a roster not nearly as talented and dangerous as the one that began the 2023 season against a resurgent Bears team playing up to its capabilities in the last month. </p><p>Sounds like a game where the special teams could be the deciding factor. That said, don't expect Flacco to keep up his torrid pace against a team aching to shut him down, Look for Kevin Stefanski instead to get back to a run game that keeps the chains moving and the clock running. Nothing fancy. </p><p>Quick last question: Remember what happened to Fields during his rookie season when he made his starting debut against the Browns in Cleveland? Loyal fans do. Garrett sure does. He accounted for half of the nine sacks Fields absorbed in the 26-6 loss on Sept. 26, 2021.</p><p>"Hope we can change that going back this weekend," Fields said when reminded of that day. Not gonna happen.</p><p>Finding a way seems to have become the Browns' mantra lately. They'll honor it again Sunday as they creep closer to the postseason as the injury-riddled defense finds another gear and drops Fields at least twice and Flacco throws for two more touchdowns (Amari Cooper and David Njoku). Make it:</p><p><i>Browns 23, Bears 21</i></p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-61229348130922519132023-12-14T17:39:00.003-07:002023-12-14T22:17:21.665-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Mid-week thoughts</h1><p>If I didn't know any better, I'd give a lot of thought to the notion somebody up there does not, in a far out way, want the Browns to even sniff the postseason.</p><p>How else can anyone explain the torrent of injuries this roster has suffered at the most inopportune times this season? Take, for example, what happened from a medical standpoint following the 31-27 victory over Jacksonville Sunday that snapped a two-game losing streak.</p><p>Just when the defense was beginning to show signs of recovering from a mid-season swoon, a few new major injuries crippled that side of the football. Edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo and tackle Maurice Hurst II, both of whom have played well, gone for the season with torn pectoral muscles. </p><p>What are the chances . . . ah, never mind.</p><p>Strong safety Grant Delpit, the club's leading tackler, gone for the rest of the regular season with groin miseries. Then news arrived that offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., already on injured reserve, had knee surgery that ended his season and rookie right tackle (knee) Dawand Jones was through for 2023.</p><p>It seems the Browns are adding names to the injured reserve list on a weekly basis. There are now 11 players on that list, nine of whom were either starters or key contributors at one time or another during the season.</p><p>It also seems as General Manager Andrew Berry can't catch a break when he arrives in the office every Monday morning following a game. It's one piece of bad news often followed by even worse news hours later after checking with the team's medical staff.</p><p>So when Berry says,"It's always something," he really means it. This time, it's a tsunami of injuries that has shown no signs of relenting. And there's still a month left to further hamper his effort to get this team to mid-January football and beyond.</p><p>At this point of the season, the free-agent market is getting slimmer from a talent standpoint. The Cleveland active roster gets weaker every time a move is required.</p><p>It all makes it tougher for position coaches and coordinators to quickly acclimate the newcomers with the nomenclature of the club's systems so they can move right in and be productive. </p><p>With so many major stars no longer available on the open market, the current Browns are far less talented than the group that assembled in Berea back in August. Then again, so are numerous other National Football League teams experiencing the same problems. The Browns, however, rank in the top three.</p><p>Head coach Kevin Stefanski goes into Sunday's home game against the Chicago Bears with backups Ronnie Hickman and D'Anthony Bell as his starting safeties. If defensive tackle Jordan Elliott does not clear concussion protocol, rookie Siaki Ika will take his first reps as a pro. </p><p>Offensively, it's not as dire, although Stefanski might have to fight off some indigestion knowing tackles Geron Christian and James Hudson III protect -- and not very well -- the flanks of new quarterback Joe Flacco, who generally gets rid of the ball quickly. And if center Ethan Pocic's stinger remains bothersome, backup Nick Harris starts in the pivot. Better hope Pocic is a quick healer. </p><p>It has almost reached the point where Stefanski might need to ask for a show of hands at daily practice to determine how many are ready to play a game of football against the Bears Sunday. </p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-62263796626190980712023-12-11T21:40:00.002-07:002023-12-11T21:43:54.160-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Monday leftovers</h1><p>Basking in the glow of Sunday's big victory over Jacksonville comes good news and bad news, both affecting the direction the Browns are currently headed in the race to the postseason.</p><p>The good news concerns Joe Flacco, whose style of playing quarterback in the National Football League has captured the imagination of Browns Nation. The 38-year-old veteran, who has shown fans of this team exactly how the position should be played at this level, has been elevated to the main roster from the practice squad.</p><p>Head coach Kevin Stefanski made it official Monday in the aftermath of the 31-27 victory over the Jagwires. Flacco, who has thrown five touchdown passes in his first two games, will have the huddle for the remaining four games on the schedule and the postseason.</p><p>This isn't exactly a show-stopping revelation considering the quality of Flacco's performances. It was pretty obvious Stefanski had seen enough from Flacco to realize he had no other option that made sense since his other quarterback was a raw rookie in Dorian Thompson-Robinson.</p><p>What this move does, though, is prevent other teams in need of a quarterback from signing him off the Cleveland PS. Like the Los Angeles Chargers, for example, in danger of losing Justin Herbert (busted index finger on his throwing hand) for a long period</p><p>Flacco in a short period of time has become a leader in the clubhouse, rising in popularity with his teammates in leading by example. It was that side of the football that had not kept up with the defense for most of the season. </p><p>Now with the new guy at the helm, the Browns can outscore opponents if that's what's needed to win. With the other three quarterbacks who have suited up this season, that was rarely the case. Points were hard to come by. Not any more.</p><p>***</p><p>Now the bad news. Rookie offensive tackle Dawand Jones is done for the season with a knee that requires surgery. That's not just bad news; it's terrible news. That's because James Hudson III now becomes the new right tackle.</p><p>Hudson has been in and out at the position throughout the season filling in for Jones on occasion. And each time he did, the quality of play hampered the offense. The third-year pro tries hard, but he's just not very good. He's a liability at pass protection and with pre-snap penalties.</p><p>He was guilty of three false start penalties against the Jags: One in the second quarter with 6:14 on the clock on first and 10; another in the second quarter at 1:31 on second and 10; and one in the final quarter at 3:12 on third and one. Totally unacceptable.</p><p>Jones has become a revelation, providing the Browns with the kind of solid pass protection not often seen in a 6-8, 375-pound package. The former Ohio State star has allowed just three sacks in more than 700 snaps. The guess here is the Browns will ask Jones to shed some weight, which might have accounted for enough stress on his knees that eventually ended his season.</p><p>Unfortunately, Hudson has not come even close to being the tackle Jones is right now. And the overall pass protection will suffer as a result. Unless, that is, General Manager Andrew Berry is able to find someone in the free-agent market.</p><p>From now on, it will be Hudson and Geron Christian at the tackles unless Jedrick Wills Jr., currently on IR, heels quickly enough to retake his position at left tackle. Until then, look for a lot of chipping by the tight end ends and/or running backs the rest of the way to keep Flacco vertical.</p><p>Have you noticed how banged up the offensive line is? The only two who have escaped missing games are the two guards, Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller. And now center Ethan Pocic is questionable after suffering a stinger Sunday. Nick Harris, a lesser talent, will fill in if Pocic can't go Sunday against Chicago. A distinct downgrade.</p><p>***</p><p><i>Finally . . . </i>It's only one game, but David Njoku appears to be back and actually holding on to the football. After spending the last few weeks fighting the ball instead of securing it, the flashy tight end had a spectacular game against Jacksonville with six receptions on eight targets for 91 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The first came on a gorgeous play fake by Flacco, who found Njoku all alone down the seam from 35 yards on the first possession of the game. The second climaxed a four-play, 72-yard drive that consumed just 85 seconds. Njoku caught a short pass at around the Jags 20, stiff-armed Jags safety Andre Cisco to the ground at the 12 and danced in. If he keeps this up, his target count will rise.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-75275839306281513302023-12-10T18:22:00.000-07:002023-12-10T18:22:15.464-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">A Stefanski save</h1><p>Without question, it was the best play call Kevin Stefanski has made this season with so much on the line. Ian Eagle on CBS-TV went so far as to call it "a brilliant play call." It saved the Browns Sunday at the exact time they needed it in their 31-27 home victory over the Jacksonville Jagwires.</p><p>After piling up an early 21-7 lead on a pair of touchdown passes to David Njoku by the ageless Joe Flacco and a short Kareem Hunt score with less than 10 minutes left in the third quarter, everything seemed comfortable because of a Cleveland defense that usually plays lights out at home.</p><p>Well, someone forgot to turn out those lights as the Jaguars stormed back behind quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a Jacksonville defense that played a lot differently in the second half and slowly crept to within striking distance at 21-14 with less than five minutes left in the third quarter.</p><p>Until this one, the Cleveland defense at home had permitted an average of just 10 points a game in six outings. That surely should have been enough to put this one in the correct column with no problem. And even though they won, it might be time to take a closer look at the disappearing former No. 1 defense in the NFL.</p><p>It got sloppy along the way with both teams having problems holding onto the football, combining for seven turnovers. Flacco accounted for two of the Browns' three giveaways with an interception and fumble on a strip sack that set up the touchdown that pulled the Jags to within seven at 21-14</p><p>And that is where Stefanski yanked his little miracle out of the playbook.</p><p>Shortly after Greg Newsome II picked off a pass intended for Calvin Ridley at the Jacksonville 48 on the third play of the fourth quarter, the offense bogged down and stalled at the 41 after a third and three pass fell incomplete.</p><p>Why not punt at this point and pin the Jags deep in their territory? Play the field-position game. Sorta made sense. But this is Kevin Stefanski and just about anything can happen with him, including failing and turning the ball over to the Jags in plus territory if it failed.</p><p>Fourth down and the punt team remained on the bench. What's he got up his sleeve? The play of not just the game as it turned out, but it has a nomination here for play of season to date.</p><p>It began with seldom-used wide receiver David Bell lined up next to fellow receiver Elijah Moore directly behind Njoku on the line of scrimmage to Flacco's right. At the snap, all three moved forward before splitting up and heading in different directions, Njoku to the right, Moore to his left and Bell straight ahead before stopping.</p><p>The execution so flummoxed the Jags' secondary, cornerback Darious Williams slipped and fell trying to get back to a wide-open Bell at the 26. By the time he had recovered, Flacco had delivered a perfect pass and the wide receiver had nothing but grass in the way of his first touchdown as a professional.</p><p>It was so stunning, one had to blink a few times before realizing what had just happened. Like how could such a defensive breakdown happen? The replay unraveled the mystery. A perfect call against a full-out blitz made it happen. </p><p>It boosted the Browns back to a 14-point lead at 28-14 with 13:34 left in regulation and a cushion in the event anything else went wrong because Lawrence was beginning to warm up after a slow start. Dustin Hopkins' 55-yard field goal provided a little more cushion a couple of possessions later.</p><p>Both head coaches chose to throw the football most of the afternoon, combining for 95 passes and 568 yards. Flacco, who checked in with 311 yards and three touchdowns, has now thrown for 565 yards and five touchdowns in his burgeoning two-game career as a Cleveland Brown. </p><p>The Jags stormed back to make it a game and throw a scare into Browns Nation. Lawrence, who was questionable all week with a high ankle sprain suffered last Sunday, was a surprise starter but paid a heavy price. He was picked twice by cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. and once by Newsome. </p><p>He threw 50 passes for 257 yards and three scores, two to tight end Evan Engram and narrowed the deficit to 31-27 with 93 seconds left after failing on a two-point attempt. </p><p>The outcome finally ended the Jags' unbeaten streak on the road at five games and snapped the Browns' two-game losing streak out west, lifting them into second place in the AFC North, a game ahead of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati tied for fourth.</p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3800694504837785724.post-45121809082147572032023-12-09T18:13:00.006-07:002023-12-09T18:13:59.694-07:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Two streaks end</h1><p style="text-align: left;">The first clue arrived early Saturday morning.</p><p>The first clue to what? </p><p>The first clue to answer the dumbest and silliest question of the week as to who will quarterback both teams when the Browns and Jacksonville Jagwires (yeah, I know) meet Sunday down by the lake.</p><p>Let's start with Cleveland. We pretty much know it will be Joe Flacco even though Dorian Thompson-Robinson cleared concussion protocol Saturday and will be the only other candidate following the waiving (finally) of P. J. Walker.</p><p>Head coach Kevin Stefanski can hem and haw all he wants as he tries to shroud the mystery of his choice, but he knows Jags head coach Doug Pederson isn't falling for this nonsense. Why start an unproven rookie just out of concussion protocol when you've got a proven 16-year National Football League veteran who is healthy and easily the best quarterback on the roster?</p><p>Pederson has all his faculties and isn't for one minute buying any of that crap Stefanski is trying to sell. It's kind of obvious the Browns' head man must have had a hard time in psychology class as a student at the University of Pennsylvania.</p><p>So what's the clue? It deals with the conundrum over whom Pederson will start Sunday. It became a conundrum the moment Jags starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a high ankle sprain late in last Sunday's overtime loss to Cincinnati. </p><p>High ankle sprains generally require at least a few weeks to heal, thus generating this little conundrum. And Saturday, Jacksonville added quarterback Nathan Rourke to the active roster from the practice squad, ostensibly to back up journeyman C. J. Beathard, who took over when Lawrence went down. </p><p>The move indicates one of their now three quarterbacks on the active roster won't play Sunday. That could also be Beathard, who suffered a shoulder injury in the Bengals loss. </p><p>So why did the Jags make this move if Lawrence is ready to go? Beats me. I believe, though, he is. Ready, that is. And that's why the Browns probably will prepare more for the much more dangerous Lawrence. The only possible argument against that notion is why risk further damage to his ankle?</p><p>All these questions about two teams pretty much neck-and-neck in the race to the postseason. The call here is Flacco against Lawrence, a couple of 6-6 quarterbacks at opposite ends of their careers.</p><p>Here's shat Lawrence offers with regard to statistical importance: He has thrown for 3,004 yards this season, including 14 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. He's been sacked 27 times.</p><p>He lost Christian Kirk, his best wide receiver, for the season in the Bengals game. But he still has speedy Calvin Ridley and tight end Evan Engram, on whom he leans heavily in short-yardage situations.</p><p>The Jags pretty much rely on Travis Etienne Jr. in the ground game, Lawrence's former college teammate has run for 771 yards and eight touchdowns infantry style and added another 346 yards and touchdown through the air. He is especially dangerous on screen passes.</p><p>On the Browns' injury front, cornerback Denzel Ward is expected back after missing the last two games with shoulder issues; wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was concussed last week in Los Angeles, has cleared protocol and should be a go for Sunday (Flacco is smiling); and corner Cameron Mitchell (hamstring) is back.</p><p>The bad news is offensive tackle Dawand Jones is out with a knee. That means James Hudson III will start at right tackle. More bad news considering how much better the rookie has been than the third-year man. Fortunately, he won't have to face defensive end Josh Allen, who owns 13.5 of the team's 26 sacks. </p><p>That responsibility belongs to newcomer Geron Christian, who fortunately has excelled at protecting his quarterback, but needs to work on opening holes for his skilled teammates.</p><p>* * * </p><p>Facts entering the game: The Jags own this series, winning 12 of the 18 previous meetings. They also hold a 7-2 edge in Cleveland. . . . Jacksonville is also unbeaten in five road games this season. . . . The Browns are 5-1 at home, outscoring opponents 103-61 (17.17-10.2 per). . . . On the road, they are 2-4 and outscored, 184-152 (30.7-25.3 per) by opponents. Considering those revealing stats, good thing this is a home game. </p><p>* * * </p><p>Flacco sustains his nice start as a Cleveland Brown especially with Cooper back from protocol. And maybe this will be the game where Stefanski mingles more ground game with his three-headed monster into the game plan and finally realizes, as Flacco has, tight end Harrison Bryant is more reliable in catching the football than David Njoku. Flacco throws two more scoring passes (Cooper and Elijah Moore), and now that they're at home, the Cleveland defense makes life miserable for whatever Jags quarterback shows up. Two streaks fall: The Browns' two-game loser and the Jags' unbeaten string on the road. If I'm wrong about Lawrence, it will be worse. Make it:</p><p><i>Browns 24, Jaguars 20</i></p>Rich Passanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06802826156712863793noreply@blogger.com0