Mid-week thoughts

A year ago at this time, the Browns were 5-7 and on the verge of losing three of their last four games, including the final trio, to finish 6-10; the owners were angry; the fans were angry; the head coach and general manager, unbeknownst to them, were teetering on the precipice of dismissal; numerous players were grousing, quarterback Baker Mayfield looked erratic and was well on his way to throwing 21 interceptions; and Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard were the offensive tackles.

Flash forward to the present. 

The Browns are 9-3, have won four straight games, are the talk of the National Football League and teetering on the brink of the postseason for the first time in 18 seasons; the head coach, one of three rookie head coaches (Carolina's Matt Ruhle and Joe Judge of the New York Giants) in the league, has the best record by far of the three; his rookie general manager and owners are no doubt thrilled; Baker Mayfield has become a solid game manager and learned to stop throwing interceptions; and Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin are the offensive tackles.

What a difference a year makes.

A year ago, head coach Freddie Kitchens was losing his team. They stopped listening to him. He was the opposite of what you'd expect a head coach to be. His club was undisciplined from the start. He was a loose cannon with no idea whatsoever on how to organize and coached by instinct rather than thought. He was always at least a step or two behind throughout the course of a game and outcoached on a weekly basis. He was an assistant coach way, way, way out of his league and couldn't be cashiered quickly enough.

Kevin Stefanski, on the other hand, is the antithesis, the polar opposite, of his predecessor. His communication skills are a large part of the reason the Browns are where they are entering Monday's night's showdown at home against the Baltimore Ravens in front of a national television audience.

There is no question he has the attention of his players. If for no other reason that everything, it appears, seems to be working. Which is all the more remarkable considering he entered his rookie season as the man without the benefit of minicamps, OTAs, a full-blown training camp and the total absence of exhibition games.

Because of the global pandemic that paralyzed this country and prevented him from communicating with his team in person at first, Stefanski ZOOMed his way into the hearts and minds of his new players. He connected in a way that has paid huge dividends and landed him in conversations with regard to coach-of-the-year consideration.

It might be a little too early to totally and faithfully believe Stefanski is the man fans will blindly follow and believe everything he says. Because that's what Browns fans -- well many of them -- have been saying for the last two decades.You know how that goes. "I have total faith and believe in (fill in the blank) no matter what." 

Based on what we have seen thus far, though, that blank might have found some permanence with Stefanski. Who's to argue? The results back up that contention.

There is no question, though, he has a firm grasp on this team. Nothing, it seems, bothers him. Either that or he puts up a stout front that belies his concerns. He doesn't let the public see it. Everything that qualifies as a problem is handled internally.

Take Monday night's game, for example. Its importance cannot be overstated. "In regards to our players, I think they know what we're about and what we're about is working," he said the other day. "They understand what's so important about our preparation is that we're continually grinding on it. I think the guys get that message from me."

Playing on national television and the attention the game will receive? No problem. "My mind does not really go there," Stefanski said. "They tell me were we're playing, when we're playing and who we're playing." Next.

His stolid approach is working. That cannot be argued. And Browns Nation is the beneficiary.