Monday leftovers (Tuesday edition)

It's the day after the night the Browns shocked the world of professional football by systematically dismantling the Cincinnati Bengals, reviving a fading fan base that had all but given up on the 2022 National Football League season.

If nothing else, this wonderfully talented football team that has seriously underachieved finally convinced themselves there is still life in what was slowly turning into a corpse-like state. Losing game after game after game, some by the slimmest of margins, wore them down emotionally.

It finally exploded about 10 days ago in Baltimore after they dropped a very winnable game against the Ravens by committing mistake after mistake, basically beating themselves for the umpteenth time this season. 

Ranting, raving and shouting, engendered by the frustration and abject anger of losing their fourth straight game, was loud enough to be heard by the media and appears to have awakened them from their season-long slumber.

It wasn't so much they defeated a division rival. That's always a plus. Rather it was the way in which they accomplished it. By displaying an aggressiveness on both sides of the football, they took the game to the Bengals instead of sitting back.

Football is a sport that rewards aggression, attacking, establishing authority at the line of scrimmage. Until Monday night, the Browns played relatively passive football, especially the defense. It translated into a 2-5 record, landing them on the brink of planning for the 2023 season.

Something happened between the Ravens loss and the Monday night beatdown that triggered what we all witnessed. Maybe it was the explosive post-game release of pent-up frustrations in Baltimore that eventually reached its boiling point.

After all, the Browns were considered by many on the NFL landscape to be legitimate contenders for the postseason, Deshaun Watson's 11-game suspension notwithstanding. And here they were struggling to win a game. Any game.

It was almost as though a switch was flipped because this game featured the antithesis of the Browns we witnessed the first seven weeks. At least for this one they no longer were their own worst enemy. With few exceptions, everything was crisp. They looked, well, damn good.

No longer -- with one gigantic exception that will be critiqued later -- was playcaller Kevin Stefanski getting in the way of his talented offense. And no longer was the defense, playing its second solid game in a row, a hindrance. 

This team played like it wanted to win. Like nothing was going to deter them. This nonsense needed to end. Unfortunately, the Bengals were in the way. With a mind-set like that, there is no telling what this abundantly talented team can do.

The hard part from here on out for the Browns is sustaining whatever drove them to this unexpected victory. I categorized it in the game story as a didn't-see-that-coming triumph. I could just as easily have labeled it a where-did-that-come-from victory.

They truly hold their fate in their talents. The good news? There's now a pulse where there was virtually none before Monday night.

***

Time to acknowledge the continued  brilliance of the Browns' offensive line, which closes in on elite status as the season unfolds. That includes the quality depth that has helped produce when playcaller Kevin Stefanski trusts it.

There have been occasions -- too many, in fact -- where Stefanski abandons the ground game too quickly when it encounters trouble and places his faith in a journeyman quarterback whose inconsistency gets him, and the offense by extension, in trouble.

Jacoby Brissett was terrific against the Bengals. That is not arguable. It was easily his best game of the season. Therein lies the consistency. He's been hit and miss throughout the first eight games, coming up well short when called upon to makes plays. He is not a playmaker. Never was. He's a bridge to Watson.

Stefanski must learn his offensive line and outstanding running backs have to be trusted and not abandon them when falling behind early. They are the heart and soul of the offense. His recent usage of this unit indicates the light may have gone on.

Right tackle Jack Conklin remains his All-Pro self; left guard Joel Bitonio might be the best at his position in the NFL; center Ethan Pocic has been a pleasant surprise in the middle; left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. has improved greatly from his disappointing first two seasons; right guard Wyatt Teller, who has missed the last two games with a calf injury, has been his usual steady self; and Hjalte Froholdt, who replaced Teller, has not embarrassed himself. 

But it's Stefanski's use of other offensive linemen in several jumbo packages when short yardage is needed to move the chains that has caught my attention. Michael Dunn,, a guard by trade, has been piling up the snaps in those situations. He logged a season-high 23 snaps (33%) against the Bengals. 

Tackle James Hudson III joined the huddle for nine snaps and guard Drew Forbes checked in for one.The Cleveland offense ran 24 plays with six offensive linemen on the field, nine with seven on the field and one with all the above on the field. When Teller is healthy, Froholdt gets in on the fun, lining up a few times as the upback in the I near the goal line. 

They keep referees busy when they enter the game and declare themselves as eligible receivers, as they must when entering the game with a uniform number of anyone other than a so-called skill player. Smart strategy.

***

It went unnoticed, but Stefanski did not dial up a pass to any of the three tight ends who dressed for the game. Harrison Bryant played a majority of the game as TE1 with starter David Njoku sitting out with a high ankle sprain. Pharaoh Brown played about half the snaps with Miller Forristall logging just one.

Interesting strategy by Stefanski, whose use of multiple tight-end sets is well known in league circles. That he didn't target even one is news. Bryant and Brown were used exclusively for blocking as Stefanski sought to play bully ball, calling twice as many plays on the ground as through the air.

It served Brissett well, making him much more effective with play-action passes that enabled wide receivers Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones to sneak behind the Cincinnati secondary and grab numerous chunk-yardage passes.

***

From the department of rip that page out of the playbook and burn it: The normally strait-laced Stefanski tried to get cute on the Browns' second possession of the game. It backfired spectacularly. Here's how it went down:

First and 10 at the Cleveland 44, second play of the drive. Brissett hands off to Nick Chubb skirting left end. Chubb pitches the ball back to Cooper coming the other way. Cooper then pulls up and attempts to throw a pass in the direction of wide receiver Michael Woods II about 25 yards downfield near the right sideline.

Before continuing, you need to know Cooper has never thrown a forward pass at any of the levels he has played. Not with the Oakland Raiders or Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. Not at Alabama, where he was strictly a wideout. And not at Miami (Fla.) Northwestern Senior High School, where his quarterback was Teddy Bridgewater, now with the Miami Dolphins.

And yet here he was stopping, pulling back his right arm and attempting his first ever forward pass. Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson sniffed it out and jostled Cooper as he released the ball, which came fluttering down at the Cincinnati 38 into the waiting arms of safety Vonn Bell, who returned it 10 yards. What the hell was Stefanski thinking?

Fortunately, the defense came to Cooper's rescue and forced a three-and-out. Suffice it to say this play is no longer in the playbook.  

***

Finally . . . After logging two games on a row where the opponent won time of possession, the Browns rebounded  nicely against the Bengals, owning the football for all but 7:25 of the second half. It resulted in three straight time-consuming touchdowns.. . . . Rookie wide receiver David Bell is slowly working his way toward more playing time. He has caught at least one pass in every games since the season opener with nine receptions in 11 targets. Shouldn't be long before he sees more balls thrown his way. . . Myles Garrett was very active with two sacks, sharing one with Taven Bryan, two tackles (one for a loss), a pass defensed, four quarterback hits and three hurries. . . . Rookie kicker Cade York needs to work on his consistency. Had a 53-yard field goal blocked easily in the first half, but connected easily on a 55-yarder on the final play of the half.