Off-season thoughts (Vol. III)

Something the Browns, namely head coach Kevin Stefanski, should seriously consider while making plans for the 2022 National Football League season . . . 

Eliminate the three tight-end look and think about opening the offense with a (much, much) brighter spotlight on the passing game. Continuing with emphasis on three tights is a prescription for another 8-9 record.

The NFL is -- and has been for most of the last decade -- a passing league. Stefanski is a stubborn, close-to-the-vest coach wedded to the notion the run game opens up the passing game. Worked in the second half of the 2020 season, ending with a playoff run.

Did not last season because Baker Mayfield played a vast majority of the season wounded, performing well below his capabilities due mainly to wretched decisions on whether he was fit to play. It was obvious game after game he wasn't even close.

As a result, the club suffered. The players, who entered the season firmly believing it was going to end the second Sunday in February in Los Angeles, suffered. The fans suffered. Seeds of change were in the air.

It became evident early last season that the rest of the NFL caught up with Stefanski's offense by taking away the Browns' bootleg, misdirection and counter plays that worked beautifully in 2020. What worked in 2020 failed in 2021. Stefanski had no answer.

Instead, he quickly (too quickly?) abandoned them and rolled the dice with a wounded quarterback playing with what turned out to be an iffy offensive line and receivers corps filled with players either injured, not quite ready for prime time or bad fits.

The offense was heavy on tight ends with Austin Hooper, David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. Stefanski played with 13 personnel (one running back, one receiver and three tights) more than any other team. The entire league played just 4% of the time with that grouping.

The Browns lined up with that personnel, which almost automatically indicated a run, a staggering 165 times, or 17% of the time, nearly double the next team (Tennessee at 9% with 91 times). The result, not unexpectedly, was a precipitous dip in scoring.

Were it not for the defense in the last half of the season, the Browns would have occupied the AFC North cellar by themselves once again for the umpteenth time since 1999.

Hooper is a better blocker than catcher of the football. You never know what you're going to get from Njoku, whose ceiling is much higher than his consistency. And Stefanski called on Bryant, the best receiver of the trio, not nearly as often as he should have.

Hooper, who carries the most heft in the salary department, is a liability in the passing game. Most teams don't pay good-blocking tight ends nearly as much as Hooper cashes. He might be in a different uniform next season if Stefanski's offensive stance swings over to a passing game featuring more wideouts.

Njoku's on again, off again, back on again love affair with Cleveland is back on, so he'll be back. So will Bryant, whose work load should rise substantially after being targeted just 28 times last season. A Hooper departure would be the first sign Stefanski's philosophy is beginning to turn.

In order for that to eventuate, General Manager Andrew Berry must reconstruct the wide receivers room through trade channels, free agency, the waiver wire and college football draft. Right now the only reliable occupant in that room is Jarvis Landry and there is no guarantee he'll be back with his sizable contract.

Who's left? Donovan Peoples-Jones: Like Njoku, too inconsistent. He'll dazzle you and frustrate you on the same possession. He'll be back, though.

Rashard Higgins: The mystery man. Mayfield likes him, but his play-calling head coach rarely gives him the opportunity to throw the football in his direction, Time for him to find a new home with a coach better suited for his talents.

J'Marcus Bradley: Bounced between the practice and the active roster several times in 2021. Unknown quantity until given a chance.

Ryan Switzer: Perennial practice squader. Not quite good enough to move up.

Anthony Schwartz: World-class track star masquerading as a football player. Third-round draft choice last season with hopes his dazzling speed would translate to the football field. It hasn't thus far with little indication it will. Directly responsible for the injury Mayfield suffered in game two that hampered him the rest of the season.

That's it. Worse than you thought? Rhetorical question. 

Conclusion: Ditch a tight end and completely redo the wide receivers room.

Time for Berry to work the magic that transformed the offense in 2020 and defense in 2021.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. II)

The most anticipated surgery of the offseason is complete and Baker Mayfield is ready to roll. Well almost.

His left arm in a sling following surgery in Los Angeles Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, the badly beaten-up Browns quarterback took to Twitter Wednesday and assured fans "this is not the end of my story," and labeled the procedure "a complete success."

It's the initial step to what Mayfield called "one of those steps to get back to my true self." Assume he meant the quarterback who led the Browns to the postseason in 2020 with a sensational second half of the  season and the club's first playoff victory in nearly two decades.

That all fell apart in the second week of this past season when he partially tore the labrum in his left shoulder  He exacerbated that by continuing to play when the club's medical team continued to green-light him only to see the labrum morph into a complete tear followed by a small fracture at the top of the shoulder. All that necessitated wearing a harness to protect the affected area.

During a good portion of the season, some critics (including me) wondered whether the harness inhibited Mayfield's throwing motion. Fans were told no, it didn't. Turns out it did. How do we know? Because offensive coordinator AlexVan Pelt admitted it.

"Hopefully, next year without the harness, you'll see Baker back to normal with his throwing mechanics," he said the week of the week 17 loss in Pittsburgh during which Mayfield was sacked an unconscionable nine times. "It (the harness) definitely handcuffed him a little bit with his ability to get that left side out of the way (on his followthrough)."

A little bit? He had trouble throwing to the left side of the formation as a result. For a majority of the season. That's almost like taking half the playbook away from him because he had problems properly executing plays to that side of the field.

This, as Mayfield asserts, is not the end of his story as a National Football League quarterback and is reasonably certain to produce a player much more like the 2020 version than the one who struggled and bailed one game shy of completing a very forgettable 2021 campaign. We'll get a better idea of how all this eventuates in several months when he begins throwing again.

***

News: Browns defensive tackle Malik McDowell was arrested and jailed Monday in Deerfield Beach. Fla., on charges of resisting arrest with violence, aggravated battery of a police officer and public nudity near a preschool when he was seen lying down completely naked in the school's parking lot.

Views: The Browns had the opportunity to cut this troubled young man for any number of reasons (possible morals clause in his contract) when the news broke, but chose instead to issue the following statement:

"We are aware of the very concerning incident and arrest involving Malik McDowell and are in the process of gathering more information. We understand the severity of this matter and our thoughts are for the well-being of all involved. We will have no further comment at this time."

That's it. How much more information do they need? The story has gone viral with corroborating video. Possibly fearful of being accused of reacting in knee-jerk fashion, no further word has emanated from Berea.

It's hard to believe McDowell is still a member of the team after an incident that brought shame and embarrassment not only to himself, but the Browns, the NFL and the City of Cleveland. 

The 6-6, 295-pound McDowell, who played well in his first season with the Browns after signing a one-year contract, is an exclusive rights free agent as of March 1. The easy move would be to cut the troubled young man right now and move on. 

McDowell, 25,  arrived in Cleveland with loads of baggage. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2017 college draft, but never saw the field due to a series of off-the-field incidents that resulted in jail time.

The Browns, who needed help at defensive tackle due to the departure of Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson, believed in giving him what amounted to a third chance. He started 14 games and was credited with 33 tackles overall, 19 solo, and three sacks, He was also a force in stopping opposing teams' ground games as the defense came alive in the second half of the season.

It's sad something like this occurred. It's also time for the Browns to move on, do the right thing and cut McDowell loose. 

Off-season thoughts (Vol. 1)

Something Browns General Manager Andrew Berry said in his post-season (postmortem?) wrapup with the media a few days ago struck a note.

"We fully expect Baker to be our starter and bounce back (next season)," Berry said, referring to his badly banged-up and mismanaged quarterback Baker Mayfield.

He later went on to say, "We're looking forward to Baker getting healthy in the offseason and then putting in good work through the spring and with his coaches for having the type of season we know he can have."

First of all, I don't take those words seriously. Not accusing Berry of prevarication. I just know lying is a sport played on a daily basis by front offices around the National Football League. It's fake news until it isn't.

Right now, I have a hard time believing Mayfield is in the Browns' long-range plans and that includes next season, but the Cleveland GM is smart enough to couch his thoughts and plans in a deceptive kind of way. 

As for Mayfield bouncing back and playing well, isn't that what Berry said about his quarterback during the bye week this season when a badly battered Mayfield had a chance to rest? "We expect him to play his best football down the stretch after the bye," he said. 

Mayfield played only three of the final five games (winning one) after the bye, missing the Las Vegas loss because of COVID-19 and the season-finale victory over Cincinnati when he finally said, "Enough," and shut it down for the season. He didn't give the team medical staff another chance to expose him to further punishment.

He threw six touchdown passes and seven interceptions in those three games as the offense scored just 60 points. In the loss to Pittsburgh, he was sacked nine times. Is it any wonder he called it quits? So much for expectation.

I don't believe for a minute Berry wants Mayfield back as his quarterback and is doing his best to make certain to make that happen. The fact he's the Browns' quarterback is credited to -- blamed on? --  Berry's predecessor, John Dorsey, who made the former Heisman Trophy winner the No 1 overall pick in the 2018 college lottery.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit that Berry has surreptitiously put the word out that Mayfield, even though he is damaged goods right now, is available for the right price. And what would that price be? A veteran quarterback -- Minnesota's Kirk Cousins, for example -- who might have worn out his welcome and might not mind moving on.

Why Cousins? Because he hasn't lived up to the hype that accompanied him when he bolted to Minnesota four years ago, taking the Vikings to the playoffs only once. And that, not coincidentally, was the year Kevin Stefanski was his offensive coordinator. Not suggesting that's the case. Just trying to connect the dots. In addition, there either are or soon will be others out there in free agency Berry likes better. 

Then there is the reported disconnect between the quarterback and his head coach with regard to offensive philosophy. Mayfield and Stefanski deny there is any friction even though the quarterback went public twice during the season with criticism of Stefanski. They maintain their football relationship is not as fractured as some would believe.

Nevertheless, count me very surprised if Mayfield returns in a Cleveland uniform.

***

It was back on the night of April 23, 2020 that I suggested the Browns had made a mistake with their first selection of the 2020 draft. They needed an offensive tackle and three of the top candidates fell to them at No. 10.

As I watched team after team select the so-called skill players, I couldn't believe the Browns would be so fortunate. That normally doesn't happen to them. And this was Berry's first draft. I remember thinking let's see what this guy's got.

Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Mekhi Becton were still there. Wirfs was my first choice and it wasn't even close. "You don't pass on an offensive lineman out of Iowa, especially one like Wirfs, who was a three-year starter with the Hawkeyes," I wrote.

I remember thinking about writing Wirfs' name down, figuring "it was a slam dunk" but "decided to hold off because a little voice suggested I was being a little too confident and should wait until (NFL Commissioner Roger) Goodell made it official."

And when Goodell announced Wills as the pick, "My shoulders slumped," and I thought to myself, "Why can't they get it right?" Shortly after, I realized Wirfs had no shot at winding up in Cleveland. Browns Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta said Wills "was actually the top tackle on our board from the beginning."

Meanwhile, Wirfs dropped to 13, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn't get the pick in quickly enough.

And now here we are two seasons later, enough time to evaluate that decision. Normally, three years is the standard applied for reaching such conclusions. Not this one. It is that decisive. By now, you probably realize where this is going.

Wills, who played only offensive right tackle throughout his career, was shifted to left tackle by the Browns and has encountered problems. He has started 28 of 32 regular-season games, playing 91% of the snaps as a rookie and only 69% this season due mainly to ankle problems. 

In his two seasons, he has allowed nine sacks and numerous quarterback hits and hurries and been flagged 12 times for false starts and six times for holding. Pro Football Focus graded him at 61.5 in his first season and 65.9 this past season. He is clearly the weak link of the offensive line, grading much better as a run blocker than protector of the quarterback's blind side.

Wirfs, on the other hand, is the two-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro (this year) right tackle with the Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl ring in his rookie season with another shot at making it two in a row this season. 

The 6-5, 325-pounder was the talk of the 2020 Indianapolis Combine, posting eye-opening stats for such a big man. He ran a seeing-is-believing 4.85 40-yard dash (Willis ran a 5:04) and stunned scouts with his agility and change of direction. His pulling skills were deemed effortless by scouts.

In his three seasons at Iowa, Wirfs started at right tackle as a freshman and remained there through his first two seasons, but displayed his versatility switching between left and right tackle in several games in 2019. 

Many scouts reportedly thought Wirfs would be better suited to begin his professional career inside at guard, but the Bucs thought differently. They needed a right tackle. Besides, Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa were set at guard.

(The following is written with full knowledge that Wirfs suffered an ankle injury early in Sunday's victory over Philadelphia in a wild-card game and missed most of the game.)

Since coming to the NFL, Wirfs is one of only three players who have not missed a snap -- 2,255 of them -- in the last two seasons. Not only is he an iron man, he plays like a seasoned professional. He has allowed only three sacks and been flagged for only four false starts and two holds. That garnered an 81.8 grade from PFF last season and an 85 this season. 

This is not to pat myself on the back. Heaven knows I have been horribly wrong numerous times throughout the years. But this one jumped out so strongly, I often think Wirfs would have made the Browns' offensive line clearly the best in the NFL.

Monday leftovers

Is there any question that where Baker Mayfield plays football next season will be the biggest and longest-running topic of the offseason? Two sides of that coin.

If the Browns want to -- and right now there is no indication they don't -- bring him back to play out the final year of his five-year contract for around $19 million, does he want to return after a season that can be best described as extremely eventful for the wrong reasons?

It is entirely possible the mercurial and brash Texan has seen enough of Cleveland and has quietly suggested it might be better if he wears a different uniform next season. Not saying that's the case because both sides are being tight-lipped.

They are saying all the right things now to stem the flow of speculation that is certain to linger until a positive resolution is achieved. And nobody, not even the so-called insiders, have any idea how long this will last.

Everything will depend on the front office's evaluation of Mayfield's highly disappointing performance this season from a number of viewpoints and whether it was an aberration or a sign of decline and it's time to move on.

There is no question he was not the same quarterback who took the Browns to the playoffs last season for the first time in two decades with a great offense. He justified being the face of the franchise with a performance in the second half of the season that surprised many of his critics.

He was the toast of Cleveland with a playoff victory in Pittsburgh and gave the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs all they could handle in a five-point loss in the division playoff. Everything pointed to a banner 2021.

And when the Browns went into Kansas City in the season opener and scared the Chiefs again before losing by four points this time after the brand-new struggling defense blew a 12-point lead, no one seemed too concerned. That loss was blamed on a dropped snap by punter Jamie Gillan that gave the Chiefs an easy touchdown, not Mayfield.

Game two in the home-opener victory over the Houston Texans was the turning point for Mayfield, only no one knew it at the time. Early in the second quarter, he threw an interception when rookie wide receiver Anthony Schwartz stopped his route and Houston safety Justin Reid had an easy pick. 

Mayfield attempted to stop Reid on his return and dislocated his non-throwing shoulder in the process. It popped out, but was popped back in and the quarterback, after a brief trip to the dressing room, returned and finished the game.

That injury, initially diagnosed as a partially torn labrum that subsequently became fully torn, led to a series of more serious ailments all over his body, including a non-displaced broken bone in the same shoulder that made it difficult for him to throw after wearing a harness to protect the area.

Playing behind an offensive line that rarely gave him a clean pocket and occasionally landing on that shoulder after being sacked exacerbated the problem. And yet, Kevin Stefanski trotted him back out there because the Browns medical staff foolishly gave him the green light. (Guilty of practicing medicine without a license.)

Mayfield played the good soldier despite ailments to his knees, foot, groin and who knows what else. By the time the defense had settled down and played well enough to win at least two or three games they eventually lost because of a sagging offense, Mayfield was not the better quarterback on the roster.

It was as though he was playing with no bullets in his gun belt. Stefanski mishandled the situation by putting a badly battered football player out there on a weekly basis when his healthy backup would have been a smarter choice, especially with a vastly improved defense.

I want to see a close-to-100% healthy Baker Mayfield at camp next summer with an Andrew Berry redo of the wide receivers room through free agency, a trade or the college draft. Bring in a young veteran quarterback if need be to give him some competition and see how he responds. That would be a fairer test to determine whether this past season was, indeed, an aberration.

Trade him? Who would trade for damaged goods? 

In the meantime, let the rumors flow, but pay little attention to them.

***

All season long, Stefanski has given me reason to rail every time fourth down comes into view and the football is on the plus side of the field. I'm a charter member of the "Don't Leave Points on the Field" club. The Browns have lost enough close games where kicking instead of gambling could have meant the difference between heading home with an 8-9 record and the playoffs.

Stefanski this season gambled 29 times (sure seems like a lot more) and was successful a meager 12 times, or 41.4%, which ranks 30th in the National Football League. The 29 opportunities was the eighth most around the league. Last season, they checked in at 40.7%, good enough for 27th place.

One can look at that as fractional improvement, which means he'll get better exponentially by no earlier than 2031 if he is still around and remains faithful to the analytical side of the sport. I've seen coaches become more successful relying more on gut instinct than a bunch of numbers spitting out of a computer.

***

I was among those not exactly fond of the free-agent signing of defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to what amounted to a one-year prove-it contract. Can't stay healthy. He's a better run defender than quarterback harasser. Waste of time. Clearly on his way down. Smacks of desperation. Why waste $8 million?

He made a liar out of me. He started 14 of the club's 17 games and recorded nine sacks, five and a half in his last three starts.  He still is solid against the run, taking great advantage of his quickness. And he definitely improved his pass rush as the season wore down, 

According to reports, Clowney loves playing for the Browns and wouldn't mind signing a longer contract to continue his career in Cleveland after becoming somewhat of a vagabond after leaving Houston, which made him the overall No. 1 pick in the 2014 college draft. He had quick stops in Seattle and Tennessee before the Browns expressed interest. 

***

Expect the Browns' defense to be even better next season. With the likes of Greg Newsome II, Grant Delpit and A. J. Green operating full-time in the secondary for the first time and playing well, the future looks bright. Same with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Jacob Phillips at linebacker and Malik McDowell at defensive tackle.

Each made major contributions this season, JOK in particular. He is a superstar in the making. And Phillips' late surge after spending most of the season on injured reserve with a torn biceps saw him lead the club in tackles in the season finale against Cincinnati.  

***

Finally . . .  Remember how many fans complained about the number of penalties the Browns accrued this season? They were right. Cleveland was the seventh-most penalized team in the league with 112 (not including those that were declined) and their 1,035 yards (61 a game) were fifth-highest. That falls on Stefanski. . . . It will be a little shocking if Jarvis Landry returns for a fifth season. The wide receiver experienced his worst season by far as a pro with 52 catches and only two touchdowns. After cutting his cut his buddy Odell Beckham Jr. loose and an injury-plagued campaign, a change of scenery might be in order. . . . The only survivor of the special teams trio will be snapper Charley Hughlett, who will snap for a new punter and placekicker. 

Beating the backups

Pondering how to take the Browns' 21-16 season-ending victory over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday . . . 

Do I Kevin Stefanski-it and say it was a great way to end the nightmarish 2021 season, except he wouldn't say nightmarish?

Or do I look at it more practically and think Stefanski should send Bengals head coach Zac Taylor a thank-you card or note or text or whatever for the gift of giving the afternoon off to a significant number of his starters on both sides of the football?

It was basically the Browns' starters against the Cincinnati bench in a game that didn't have any real drama until the final quarter and even then, the final outcome was not seriously in jeopardy mainly because of a Cleveland defense that allowed just one touchdown.

The entire Bengals starting defensive line, two starting linebackers and a good chunk of the starting secondary enjoyed the game from the sideline along with every key member of the skill-set squad on  offense. 

That meant the Cleveland defense didn't have to worry about quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receivers Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and rookie Ja'Marr Chase, who was in the game just long enough to set a club record for most receiving yards in a season, tight end C.J. Uzomah and running back Joe Mixon, locked in COVID-19 prison back in Cincinnati.

The final does not indicate how much the Browns dominated this one against the Bengals reserves as Case Keenum managed a relatively clean game other than a couple of brain-cramp moments on consecutive possessions at the tailend of the first half. 

The first, a strip-sack by Bengals defensive end Wyatt Ray, halved the score at 14-7 lead after the Browns had scored on a 26-yard strike to Jarvis Landry and a D'Ernest Johnson four-yard run. SafetyTrayvon Henderson, covering Landry the intended receiver, scooped up the ball and took it 29 yards for the score.

On the next possession, Keenum drove the Browns 63 yards to the Bengals' 11, badly overthrowing a wide-open Harrison Bryant in the end zone before his third-down attempt was deflected  and picked off by cornerback Mike Hilton.

The first half belonged to the Browns' defense, the Cincinnati attack breaching Cleveland territory just twice and not that deep. Kevin Huber ended each of the six possessions with a punt. With backup Brandon Allen running the show, those drives compiled just 51 yards and three first downs.

It was just a matter of keeping the Bengals' offense, which showed more energy in the second half,  between the 20s the rest of the way. They chipped away at the Cleveland lead with a 14-play, 52-yard drive that consumed more than eight and a half minutes, capped by an Elliott Fry 35-yard field goal.

The Browns came right back with a 79-yarder in nine plays, highlighted by a 35-yard burst by Nick Chubb that brought about a first and goal at the Bengals' 8. After a couple of Chubb runs that netted just a yard and a five-yard completion to Landry at the 2, stubborn Kevin Stefanski struck again.

How many times this season have we seen the head coach, probably influenced by the analytics of the game, disdain a field goal and go for the touchdown on fourth down and short near the opponent's goal line? Correct answer? Too many. It might take a few years to sink in that you should never leave points on the field.

So instead of TAKE THE POINTS!! to make it a seven-point game again, Stefanski gambled. And lost. Because Donovan- Peoples-Jones could not hold on to a Keenum bullet at the goal line. It was slightly behind him, but very catchable.

But after the fifth Bengals three-and-out of the day that had a little drama, Peoples-Jones muffing a punt that was recovered by A. J. Green in Cincy territory near midfield, the Cleveland offense came right back infantry style to take what turned out to be a commanding lead.

Johnson, who ran for 123 yards on 25 carries, was called on  nine straight times and pounded out 36 yards down to the Bengals 10. The 10th play was a beauty, a little screen pass to rookie Demetric Felton lined up in the slot to Keenum's right.

He took one step back at the snap, grabbed the short toss and negotiated the final 10 yards behind terrific blocks by tight end David Njoku, center JC Tretter and right guard Wyatt Teller with 7:14 left in regulation.  It was a well designed and executed play.

Still enough time for the Bengals' offense, operating much more efficiently at this stage of the game, to make it interesting. Which they did with the help of  Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips, whose dropped interception at his 10 would have slammed the door on what turned out to be a 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive, Allen and running back Chris Evans hooking up for the score from four yards with 2:26 left.

A failed two-point attempt created more drama in this meaningless game, this time involving a mysterious onsides kick -- actually the recovery -- by the Bengals, who had exhausted all their timeouts. Fry's attempt bounced into and out of the hands of Bryant near midfield and the scramble was on as the ball rolled free.

With at least a half dozen players diving at the football, it took officials nearly four minutes to unpile the mass of humanity wearing football paraphernalia. One can only imagine what was going on under there. Needles in haystacks have been found quicker.

Back Judge Jimmy Russell almost immediately signalled Bengals football as players from both teams pointed in their own direction in an effort to influence the call. No other officials signalled until referee Bill Vinovich ended the mystery by announcing it was Cleveland's ball, Green again credited with the recovery and the end of a three-game losing streak secured.

So the Browns are now 1-0 as they take the next six months off to lick their wounds in a season that began so hopefully and ended so dismally at 8-9. 

A ho-hum Sunday

Kevin Stefanski is keeping it predictably strait-laced as he prepares the Browns for the final game of the extremely disappointing 2021 season against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at home.

When the season began back in early September, this one was thought by many around the National Fotball League to be a meaningless game because the Browns, a heavy pre-season favorite, had already wrapped up the AFC North title.

It will be meaningless, though, but for an entirely different reason. Fate had a different plan for the Browns. The Bengals, too. They were supposed to bring up the rear again this season after winning just four games last season. That didn't happen, either.

But that apparently doesn't spoil what appears to be Stefanski's normal approach to the next game on the schedule regardless of the opponent or situation. In this case, it's the Bengals; the division champion Bengals.

"We want to make sure we're going to win the game first and foremost," he told the Cleveland media recently. "That's always going to be our goal anytime they're keeping score." Isn't that kind of what all coaches do? Or should do? Now tell me something I don't know.

He seemed to forget the line about finishing the season on a high note. Never mind the three-game losing streak the Browns lug into the game. Never mind an offense that has plumbed the depths of futility on a weekly basis the last two months.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and COVID-19 are making it a little easier to attain Stefanski's goal. Taylor is giving quarterback Joe Burrow, who struggled in the week nine hammering by the Browns, the afternoon off. And the virus idles running back Joe Mixon, who saves some of this best games for the Browns.

Burrow's outstanding sophomore season in the league has seen his star rise to the point where he is being compared to the meteoric rise of Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes II. He is is just 400 yards shy of 5,000 yards this season with 34 touchdowns and a 70% completion rate. He has instantaneously become the best quarterback in the division.

Neither team has anything of importance on the line unless you factor in the possibility of the Bengals seeking revenge for the previous battering. The Browns, on the other hand, might be thinking more along the lines of finally, finally welcoming the offseason after such a seemingly long, chaotic and arduous season.

Taylor most likely will have his starters on both sides of the ball on a pitch count as he gets ready for the playoffs in a week. With nothing to gain, making certain his team is healthy for the postseason will be his main goal with entering the playoffs with a four-game winning streak a close second.

Stefanski, meanwhile, will rely on Case Keenum to stop the Browns' three-game bleed as Baker Mayfield awaits shoulder surgery. The nine-year veteran, who should have been called on when Mayfield was clearly not the Browns' best quarterback because of health issues, makes his second start of the season.

He game-managed a 17-14 victory over the Denver Broncos in a nationally televised Thursday night game in week seven as the Browns controlled the football for nearly 37 minutes. That was the evening seldom-used running back D'Ernest Johnson burst into the spotlight with a 146-yard performance and a touchdown in the absence of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

Keenum was 21 of 33 for 199 yards, delivered a short scoring pass to fullback Johnny Stanton IV and had no interceptions. It was also one of the few times this season Stefanski's offense was well balanced at nearly 50-50. Look for more of that kind of football against the Bengals.

That was also the game when the Cleveland defense began to play at the level expected after General  Manager Andrew Berry's overhaul on that side of the ball. That defense limited six of the last 10 opponents to less than 20 points a game, but won just three. In the losses, the offense scored just 34 points.

The season concludes with the offense fractured beyond repair. It is hard to imagine that side of the football is capable of putting as many as 20 points on the board Sunday. The question is whether veteran journeyman Brandon Allen, who fills in for Burrow, can against the Cleveland defense.

Both teams will struggle on offense. The busiest players Sunday might be punters Kevin Huber of the Bengals and the Browns' Dustin Colquitt and long snappers Clark Harris of Cincinnati and Charley Hughlett of the Browns. Make it:

Bengals 13, Browns 10

Mid-week thoughts

Remember how quickly Kevin Stefanski became the savior of a franchise that had been misbegotten for nearly a generation before his arrival in Cleveland a couple of years ago?

He was young, bright, smart, accountable and definitely ready to become a head coach in the National Football League. It took him exactly nine months to become a star in his rookie season, crafting an 11-5 record and a playoff victory for the Browns in the process. 

He was the toast of Cleveland, bringing the city and its ardent fan base national recognition. He was named the league's coach of the year. Heady stuff for a freshman head coach. He seemed to make all the right moves.

Finally, the fans cried joyfully After all these years of becoming the NFL's punch line, they rejoiced. Took them more than 20 years of trying, but the Browns now had their man. Visions of a first Super Bowl for the franchise danced in their minds.

A pandemic didn't stop the Browns last season. What could go wrong in 2021? Everything seemed in place after General Manager Andrew Berry remodeled a defense that was downright awful the previous season to go along with the productive offense.

So here we are almost exactly one year later and the Browns, with virtually the same personnel on offense as last season, are 7-9 with one game remaining Sunday against the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals and a lock to finish yet another season in the cellar.

What in the world went wrong?

Was it the seemingly unending stream of injuries? Can't use that as an excuse. The other 31 NFL teams suffered as much. What about COVID-19 playing havoc weekly with the active rooster? Nope, can't use that, either. Same reason.

The bloom clearly has fallen off Stefanski's rose. As the current season unwound, fans expecting positive results and receiving the opposite gave the head coach some rope, some slack, at first. But the longer the losing continued, he eventually ran of rope and slack.

Week after week, loss after loss, Stefanski threw himself under his own bus. Took the blame. Protected the players who had disappointed him. My fault, he would say. He was speaking mainly about his baby, the offense, often taking blame for their weak performances.

"That's on me," he would say after a loss "We've got to get better. We need to coach better." On and on and on until it reached a point where you begin to think maybe it's not the players. It's the lament of a losing coach.

But what about being a head coach? You know, the guy at whose door all blame and praise lands, the guy most responsible for preparing the team along emotional and motivational levels for a game. What about him? Where was he? Possibly concentrating a little too much on the offense perhaps?

Football is a game played as much from the neck up as the neck down. Talent goes just so far for 60 minutes each week. To be successful, one has to rise above his talent level. That's called overachieving. 

And who is mainly responsible for getting them ready to play -- and I don't mean on just a physical level -- on a weekly basis? Who gets them mentally and emotionally ready to play a collision sport under the team motto -- smart, tough and accountable? Seems to me that falls under the purview of the head coach.

The Browns are 7-9 at this point because they have not played beyond the level of mediocrity all season. Their seven victories were achieved against teams with a combined winning percentage of .396. Their nine losses were against teams with a combined winning percentage of .622. 

How often have we seen the Browns this season totally prepared to play their best? Not so much from an Xs and Os standpoint, but a mental and emotional standpoint. Rarely is the correct answer.

How could this happen to such a talent-laden roster constructed to be a serious contender for the Super Bowl? The offense had been labeled by many pundits as scary, dangerous, lethal.

The defense, for the most part, came through after a rough start. It's the offense, Stefanski's baby, that has been a colossal disappointment.  Since beginning the season 3-1, the Browns' scary, dangerous and lethal offense has been anything but. It has produced just 185 points in the last dozen games (15.5 a game). Subtract the outlier 41-16 victory over the Bengals in week nine and the average dips to 13.

To make matters worse, there definitely seems to be a disconnect between Stefanski and his starting quarterback. Baker Mayfield hasn't come anywhere close to being the quarterback who led Cleveland to the playoffs last season. 

Stefanski tried to turn Mayfield into his type of quarterback instead of tailoring the offense around his talents. Mayfield is not a three tight end kind of quarterback. He's more of a  three wide receiver guy who loves to sling the ball.

Thus, interceptions are up, touchdown passes are way down and sacks are way, way, way up (43 in 14 games). Mayfield, who finally decided offseason shoulder surgery is needed after a nine-sack mauling in the latest Pittsburgh loss, pronounced himself "pretty damn beat up right now." Small wonder.

Actually, he has been beat up throughout most of the season after suffering a torn left labrum in his left shoulder in week two and subsequent fracture of the humerus bone in the same shoulder a few weeks later. It robbed him of his effectiveness. He should have been shut down to heal as much as possible before returning.

Stefanski had a perfectly healthy backup quarterback in Case Keenum, but opted to stick with Mayfield as long as the medical staff gave the green light. As a layman, however, I saw the steady deteriorating quality of Mayfield's play and wondered what the hell the doctors were thinking. 

He kept coming back, though, even after frightful beatings with Stefanski using the reasoning that the medicos approved despite the obvious physical pain that limited him. They robbed him of what he did best. 

Mayfield also became more unsure of himself in the pocket than he has ever been. If, as Stefanski professes, he always want to put his players in the best position to win, then he failed miserably with his quarterback and yet stubbornly stayed with him. No special treatment there.

Know who seems to get special treatment? Nick Chubb. Stefanski sometimes seems to enable and coddle his bruising running back and biggest playmaker at the strangest times. How many times have we seen Chubb on the sideline with the Browns in the red zone or needing a few precious yards? A quick check of the snap counts reveals he's on the field only about 45% of the time. Is he really that fragile?

Now compare that to rookie Pittsburgh running back Najee Harris, who carved up the Browns last Monday and checks in at 86% of the time in the huddle. Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts is at 68%; Cincinnati's Joe Mixon logs 67% of the snaps. I sometimes wonder who monitors and controls Chubb's snaps -- Stefanski or Chubb.

It's not difficult to call Stefanski's playcalling into question, either. For example, the Steelers entered Monday night's game against the Browns with the worst run defense in the NFL. Ground game all night, right?  Pound relentlessly. 

After opening up the game with a two-yard loss by  Chubb, Stefanski called four straight pass plays. In the first half, 18 of the 26 plays were passes. 

An argument can also be made he didn't put his quarterback in the best position to win against the Steelers by starting rookie James Hudson III at right offensive tackle against All-Pro outside linebacker -- and likely defensive player of the year -- T. J. Watt with little or no help. That's when he hauled out his "that's on me" excuse. Hudson gave up three sacks and five pressures. 

And then there's the senseless pre-snap penalties like false starts, illegal formations, offisdes ands delays of game. They are drive killers on offense and gifts by the defense that show an alarming lack of discipline. And the man ultimately responsible for it? The head coach.

It's easy to blame players when things go wrong and losing becomes an unwanted habit. It's time to take a close look at the man responsible for calling all the shots. 

Am I suggesting a change at the top? Not at all. I'm suggesting Stefanski take the offseason to self evaluate because what worked in 2020 clearly did not in 2021, He needs to find out why and  come back in 2022 with a stronger understanding of what it takes to become a successful head coach on a consistent basis.

It might be time to seriously consider giving up playcalling duties and devoting all his attention to the real reason he's in Cleveland. Be a head coach and delegate authority. Coach the coaches and let the coaches coach the players. 

Staggering continues

Lisa Salters of ESPN corralled an emotional Ben Roethlisberger after he, ground-pounding running back Najee Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense ravaged the Browns, 26-14, Monday night on national television in what probably is the big quarterback's last appearance before the home folks after 18 seasons.

"How do you leave this place?" she asked him as he left Heinz Field. It was the perfect setup and he came up with the perfect answer. "As a winner," he replied as he quietly celebrated his 26th career victory over the Browns in 30 games, all but one as a starter.

But Roethlisberger wasn't the main reason the Steelers extended the Browns' losing streak to three games and reduced their record in the last dozen games to 4-8 as they slowly sink deeper into and practically lock up another AFC North cellar finish. He was the benefactor.

The future Pro Football Hall of Famer had plenty of help from a relentless defense that sacked Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield nine times, knocked him down another 11 times, batted down five of his 38 pass attempts and picked him off twice. The fact he emerged vertical at the end is a minor miracle.

And then there was Harris, a 6-1, 230-pound rookie running back who carved up the Cleveland defense for a personal-high 188 yards on 28 carries, capping the evening with a 37-yard scoring burst against a whipped Cleveland defense after the Browns had closed to within 19-14 with 70 seconds left in regulation, but failed on an onsides kick.

He shredded that defense for 74 yards in 13 attempts in the first half, then pounded and pounded and pounded out another 114 yards on 15 more carries in the second half as they had all kinds of trouble getting him on the ground

Those are the kinds of statistics and opportunities many Browns fans would like to see Kevin Stefanski give Nick Chubb, the Browns' ground-pounding tackle breaker. For some reason, Chubb ran the football only four times in the first half for 35 yards, 32 of them on the first play of the second possession, before he disappeared. He came back in the second half to add eight more carries and 23 more yards.

If there is a good reason to use Chubb so sparingly, it's time for Stefanski to explain why because his quarterback is definitely not nearly the playmaker Chubb is.

Only two of the Browns'13 possessions in this one lasted longer than five plays. One lasted nine plays and went nowhere at the end of a scoreless first half; the other was a slow-motion 17-play, 76-yarder that removed 4:38 off the game clock and was helped by a pair of pass interference penalties against the Steelers.

Mayfield, who earlier hooked up with tight end David Njoku for a score from five yards out at the tailend of the third quarter, found tight end Harrison Bryant from a yard out to cut the margin to five. But it proved too little and way too late.

The offense was so offensive, in fact, Dustin Colquitt was called on eight times to punt as the extremely active and decidedly emotional Steelers defense was determined to shut down the Cleveland attack and preserve the victory for Roethlisberger.

In the first half alone, the Cleveland offense racked up just two first downs and 51 total yards on 17 plays and bled just 5:49 off the clock on the first five possessions of the game. Mayfield at one point failed to connect on 10 straight passes after opening the game with a 20-yarder to Jarvis Landry.

Steelers linebacker T. J.Watt abused poor Browns rookie right tackle James Hudson III all evening with a virtuoso performance. The National Football League's leading sack artist collected four of the nine sacks, five of the 11 quarterback hits, three of the 10 tackles for loss and added two defensed passes for good measure as he campaigns for defensive player of the year.

Mayfield didn't help himself much, often looking confused after taking the snap, uncertain as to what to do with the football, On numerous occasions, strong coverage by the Pittsburgh secondary was the causal factor for many of the sacks.

At other times, Mayfield, who was also victimized by at least four drops, appeared to find someone open and wound up to throw, then changed his mind and pulled the ball back, either scrambling if there was room or taking a sack due to his inability to escape the pocket, which had to frustrate the offensive line.

Roethlisberger, who has lost to the Browns only three times in his 18-year career, had a frustrating evening (other than the victory), completing only 24 of his 46 passes for a measly 123 yards and a first-quarter scoring strike to Diontae Johnson.

The way this season has turned out, it can't be over soon enough for the Browns and probably the fans. With the AFC North Division champion Cincinnati Bengals up next in the season finale at home Sunday in yet another meaningless game, one can only imagine how disinterested the Browns will be.

Just like no one saw the stunning 11-5 record and first postseason in two decades coming last season, the same can also be said about this edition, but in a slightly different context. Given all that talent (at least on paper), no one saw a losing, underachieving season unfolding as the extremely disappointing 2021 Cleveland Browns stagger to the finish line.

Pass the No-Doz please

The Browns will face the best quarterback in the AFC North Division next Sunday when they wrap up the extremely disappointing 2021 season against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hold on. Don't they play the Steelers in Pittsburgh on national television Monday night? You know the game Ben Roethlisberger says "might be" his final game in front of the home folks. What about that one?

Well it might be the final appearance at home for the Ohio native as the future Pro Football Hall of Famer winds down his brilliant 18-year career. Other than that, it will a totally meaningless game for both teams. 

Neither the 7-8 Browns nor the 7-7-1 Steelers have a chance to win anything except maybe second place in the division. That title dream went poof Sunday afternoon. The Bengals rendered that possibility moot with a come-from-behind, last-second 34-31 victory over Kansas City to wrap up the division title.

To remain alive, the underachieving Browns needed a Baltimore loss to the Los Angeles Rams, which they got, And for the Chiefs to stretch their winning streak to nine straight games in Cincinnati, which they didn't. That and a Cleveland victory in Pittsburgh would have set up a Browns-Bengals battle for the division title next Sunday. Woulda . . . coulda . . . didn't.

That's because Joe Burrow, the aforementioned best young quarterback in the division (and it's not even close) authored yet another masterful performance that strongly suggested he is rapidly establishing himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the entire National Football League.

In his last two games, Burrow has completed 67 of 85 passes (79%) for an incredible 971 yards, eight touchdowns with no interceptions. Two games! To put some perspective to that, Baker Mayfield of the Browns has completed 87 of 155 passes (56%) for 902 yards, seven touchdowns and eight picks in his last five outings. Five! FIVE!! FIVE!!!!

Burrow, another native of the Buckeye state, shredded the Chiefs all afternoon in the offensive slugfest with Patrick Mahomes II of the Chiefs as he and rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase played pitch and catch that spawned three of Burrow's four TD passes.

It appears as though he has no competition in the the foreseeable future identifying the best QB in the division. Roethlisberger is ancient and perceptibly slowing down, while Baltimore's Lamar Jackson can't stay healthy.

Then there's Mayfield, nearing the finish line in not even arguably the worst season in his four-year career with the Browns. It has been a relative nightmare for the Texan who has played a vast majority of this season with major injuries. 

And now that the last two games have been reduced to meaningless status, now might be a good time for the Browns to shut Mayfield down and get him to surgery, giving him that much more time to get healthy again and ready for the 2022 season. 

Going into Pittsburgh and knocking off Roethlisberger in his final game there for the second straight year would be delicious irony under ordinary circumstances. But that is no longer the case.

Sure it would've been nice to beat the Browns' slayer one final time after all these torturous years. But somehow losing the opportunity to play in the postseason for the second straight season overrides it. It makes Kevin Stefanski's job in Pittsburgh and the following week at home in the season finale against Burrow and his buddies that much tougher.

The Browns walloped the Bengals, 41-16, way back in week nine, the only game this season Burrow hasn't thrown a touchdown pass. Since then, the Bengals are 5-2; the Browns are 2-4. 

The Steelers, meanwhile, have never experienced a losing season under head coach Mike Tomlin since 2007. Pride plus Big Ben's "might be" finale in Pittsburgh will serve as their motivations. A victory assures that streak continues.

Like the Browns, the Steelers win with defense these days because the respective offenses are, at the very least, partially broken. The Steelers have scored more than 20 points only once in the last five games. The Cleveland offense has scored as many as 24 points in a game just once in that span. 

For the first time in the COVID19-ravaged season, the Browns are relatively healthy on both sides of the football, although safeties Ronnie Harrison Jr. and John Johnson III and slot corner Troy Hill have been ruled out. The return of center JC Tretter and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr, almost reunites the starting offensive line. Only tackle Jack Conklin (injured reserve) is missing.

Originally, I was giving serious consideration to picking the Browns, a surprising 3.5-point favorite, to win a low-scoring game. No longer is that the case. Now that the postseason is just a dream that won't  come true for Cleveland, the Steelers have much more motivation in this one. 

Roethlisberger, 25-3-1 in his Browns-tormenting career, limps into retirement on a good note. The Steelers, who somehow managed to defeat the Browns, 15-10, in week eight in one of their five should-have-won-but-didn't losses this season, do it again, handing the Browns their third straight loss and fourth in their last five game in a yawner. Make it:

Steelers 17, Browns 16