Monday leftovers

How many times does Kevin Stefanski have to screw up, vow to correct those mistakes with zero change to a Browns' offense that has become deadly dull before he is called out?

He is not the same coach who guided the Browns to a 11-5 record and the first playoff appearance in nearly two decades last season. He is not even close. 

He did it again Monday in the aftermath of Sunday's improbable 15-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that wrapped up a three-game homestand that exposed numerous weaknesses on both sides of the football. Improbable because that game was eminently winnable. 

Asked Monday why Odell Beckham Jr., ostensibly his best receiver, was targeted only once in the loss, Stefanski, per usual, pointed the finger of guilt at himself. "First and foremost, I need to do a better job," he said. Stop right there. 

Where have we heard that humble reply before? Correct answer: All the time. Depending on the situation, it's his coaching crutch to take pressure off the players. It is becoming tiresome, mainly because he isn't doing a better job. If he is, it's difficult to detect.

Not sure if it's because the players on offense are not responding to his leadership or maybe they are incapable of doing what he wants. Whatever it is, it has produced just five touchdowns and a measly 38 points in the last 12 quarters in front of the disgruntled and concerned home folks.

Throw in dropped passes, dumb penalties, losing focus and you have the recipe for a talented team that has lost it in slow motion and doesn't know how to find it. That all falls under the purview of the head coach.

It seems as though every time Stefanski and his staff clean something up, another problem shows up. The dike, it seems, is out of control and it's manifesting itself in mounting losses. The situation is exacerbated by injuries to key personnel and the backups have not come through.

Beckham has been targeted by quarterback Baker Mayfield just 34 times since returning to the lineup in game three after rehabbing a torn ACL in game seven last season. He has caught half of them for 232 yards. His lone contribution against the Steelers was a six-yard screen pass on the second series of the game

Beckham has kept remarkably silent despite Stefanski seemingly ignoring his presence. As the season unfolds further, it will be interesting to see if he can maintain that silence. Winning three of the first four games might have had something to do with that. Losing could be a different matter.

First up in Stefanski's vow to "do a better job" with Beckham is Sunday in Cincinnati against the Bengals, who have scored 106 points in the last three games. The Browns will need a bust-out game from Mayfield and Beckham, especially if it turns into a shootout.

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It has become obvious Mayfield is limited by his shoulder miseries in what he can and can't do throwing a football. Most everything against the Steelers was either short or medium range. He rarely threw inside the numbers.

One of the keys to a quarterback's success is the ability to throw any pass at any time. Right now, Mayfield cannot do that, semi-restricted by the harness he wears to stabilize the left arm with a torn labrum and broken bone at the top of his shoulder.

Deep routes are out. Seam routes, too, unless they are quick hitters hoping the receiver gets a step on the defender and breaks a long run. Slants and sideline routes appear to be working the best. As a result, teams are starting to cheat up to the  line of scrimmage and load up the box, daring him to beat them deep. 

The most important part of Mayfield's game is instant recognition of who's open and then delivering the football before defensive linemen reach the pocket. Easier said than done and that's where he encounters most of his trouble. If he can't deliver the ball in three seconds or less, the result is generally negative.

He has dropped back to throw 245 times in seven games this season, scrambling on 21 and being sacked 22 times. To give it some perspective, he was sacked only 26 times all last season. His lack of mobility combined with his difficulty finding someone to throw to has led to this difficult stage of his career.

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Based on the current slump, is it too early to suggest the end is near and thoughts of making it back to the playoffs is now just a hope even though nine games remain? Yes. but it sure is coming into view. 

Of those nine games, only one is against a team with a losing record. That's a Nov. 21 date at home against the Detroit Lions, who are winless in eight games. Seven have winning records; the other sits at .500 now.

Last season, the Browns played a last-place -- and easier -- schedule, winning many of those 11 games with a terrific offense that countered an awful defense. This season, the schedule is much tougher and the offense, thought to be the strength of the team, has turned out to be anything but. This team is clearly on the downslope.

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Could the solution to the problems on offense be as simple as handing the football off to Nick Chubb more? Much, much, more. Let the offensive line, which run blocks better than it pass blocks, do the dirty work. Take some of the pressure off Mayfield. And when Kareem Hunt returns, don't stop. Feed Chubb.

For some reason, Chubb averages just 18 carries a game this season. He's a playmaker. He needs to be in the huddle most of the time. He booked just 33 snaps (56%) against the Steelers, ran just 16 times and was on the bench during crucial periods that could have used his presence. He can't inflict damage from the sideline.

On the other hand, Steelers rookie running back Najee Harris touched the football nearly 30 times. His numbers were more workmanlike than spectacular, but he was a key element in the Steelers successfully moving the chains and sustaining drives. With nine games left and Chubb the superstar healthy, it's time he was rewarded.

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Finally . . . Interesting stats at the sort-of halfway point in the season: Mayfield has thrown six touchdown passes in seven games, (Not a typo.) He has completed a career-high 66.7% of his passes. . . . David Njoku leads the club in receptions with 20 (tied with Hunt) for a club-leading 323 yards. He and fellow tight ends Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant have accounted fore 47 receptions. . . The wide receivers have hauled in 67 passes; the running backs check in with 44.. . . . The defense is more than halfway to bettering last season's sack total of 38 with 22 thus far.  Myles Garrett has almost half (10.5) of them. . . . It will be much more difficult to top last season's 11 interceptions. A paltry three thus far in eight games (Greedy Williams, John Johnson III and Malcolm Smith, all for zero return yardage) factors out to 6.375 in 17 games. . . . Middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., who missed three games early in the season, is the runaway leader in tackles (43) and solo tackles (21).

Underachievers anonymous

It's really quite simple. Here we are roughly halfway through the 2021 National Football League season and the Browns have either forgotten how to win games or become incapable of doing so when it counts. Maybe both.

Yep, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his 39-year-old body did it again Sunday, stealing a 15-10 victory simply by letting the Browns self destruct, lifting his career record against them to 25-2-1, including 12-2-1 in Cleveland. Suffice it to say, Browns fans will not miss him after he retires at the end of the season en route to his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction..

The loss was the Browns' third in the last four games (including two at home). They now stand 4-4 with victories over Houston, Chicago, Minnesota and Denver, teams with a combined record of 11-19 (not counting late Sunday or Monday night games). The four losses have been dished out by Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona and now Pittsburgh, teams with a combined record of 18-11 (ditto). 

Coming into this season, the Browns were regarded by many in the NFL community as one of the top teams in the entire league. Solid, even dangerous, on offense, on the come on defense with practically a whole new cast via free agency. 

A .500  record at this point was completely unexpected and is unacceptable. Or should be. If this team is better than last season's 11-5 group, why isn't it winning games that must be won? That is how good teams become solid teams. And solid teams become great teams. And great teams become championship teams. Beat the teams you should and split with the others.

The Browns are so far removed from any of those categories now, it will be extremely interesting to see how head coach Kevin Stefanski handles his team from now on. Right now, it is a team with no clear direction. The offense is stagnant and the defense is clueless in the clutch. He's got major damage control to address.

Coaches like to say when things go wrong to "find a way" to do your job better. Well, the Browns sure have a lot of finding to do.

You know it's bad when Jarvis Landry, inarguably the most reliable member of the team, drops key and very catchable passes and fumbles at a critical time. The fumble didn't hurt because of excellent transition defense, but the drops were deflating.

And it's bad when the Steelers hold the Browns, the best running team in the league, to less than 100 yards on the ground even with what is presumed a healthy Nick Chubb. who put up only 61 yards on 16 carries. Pittsburgh's defensive line, which has had problems stopping the run this season, beat the Browns' offensive line off the snap all afternoon with six-and seven-man fronts.

The answer, it sure would appear, is the Browns can't -- and eventually don't -- win the games they need to win even though they are better from a talent standpoint. They almost always come up short when it counts. The offense, in particular, is playing right now with what sure looks like no confidence.

The only good news about the offense Sunday was Baker Mayfield, playing with a torn labrum and broken shoulder bone in his non-throwing arm, came out unscathed from a physical standpoint. He was sacked four times, three of which were of the coverage variety by a solid Pittsburgh secondary.

After the game, Mayfield was realistic. "It's on all on us," he said. "Everybody is going to point fingers at a few plays, but the fact is we just didn't get into a rhythm today, We stubbed our toe a few times. . . . just didn't make the plays we needed to win."

In reality, there was a reason for toe stubbing in play here. The reason worked on the side of the football opposite the Cleveland offense. It's a smothering defense designed to throw off the kind of rhythm so important to the Cleveland attack. 

After a decent first two series that produced 114 yards and a Chase McLaughlin field goal in the opening quarter, the Steelers' defense tightened and racked up back-to-back three-and-outs (combined -5 yards from scrimmage) and permitted just one first down in the second quarter 

A rare bad decision by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin kept the halftime score at 3-3, the lowest score this season at the half in the NFL. A botched fake field goal attempt by Steelers kicker Chris Boswell, who had tied the game with a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter, knocked him out of the game.

Boswell was drilled by Browns defensive lineman Jordan Elliott after his pass fell incomplete in the end zone late in the first half. He did not return, forcing Tomlin to go for two points after touchdowns.

The Browns took a 10-3 lead on their first possession of the second half with an eight-play, 86-yard march, featuring Chubb's longest run of the afternoon (21 yards) and a 21-yard connection with tight end Harrison Bryant, D'Ernest Johnson stepped the final l0-yards after a nice cutback at the point of attack. That, as it turned out was it for the offense.

Roethlisberger answered immediately with a 12-play 88-yarder, rookie running back Najee Harris  scampering the final  eight yards, hurdling over two defenders at the goal line. The two-point attempt failed to keep the Browns in front by a point. Harris was a workhorse with 29 touches and 120 yards from scrimmage.

On their next possession, the Steelers traveled 81 yards and reached the Cleveland two in nine plays. Tomlin gambled on fourth down after the Browns held on the first three plays, 6-5 rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth outjumping Browns safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. for the score. Again, the two-point try failed.

The Browns still had a chance, actually two, but chances mean little if they aren't taken advantage of. Landry fumbled away the first opportunity at the Pittsburgh 20, ex-Brown Joe Schobert raking the ball out of the wide receiver's arms after an 11-yard gain with a Mayfield pass.

On the second, the Browns advanced to the Steelers' 24 with three minutes left thanks in large part to a questionable roughing-the-passer call on Pittsburgh linebacker Alex Highsmith. The drive failed when Landry, who had dropped one pass earlier in the drive, dropped a catchable one in first-down territory on fourth down.

The stats pretty much tell the story of this game, the Browns with one exception looking like a team stuck in mud after a promising start. Their first two possessions produced 21 plays and 108 yards; the last seven only 37 more plays for 200 yards.

The Browns limited the Steelers offense to just 20 plays and 49 yards on the first three series, but Roethlisberger and his crew busted out with 321 yards in 49 plays the rest of the way, Harris doing the bulk of the work. 

There are still nine games left, argue those who lean toward optimism, and this club is starting to get healthier after an avalanche of injuries robbed them of some valuable talent. Not to worry. It will get better.

Sure there are nine games left, argue those who lean toward pessimism -- or, as I like to call it, realism -- and this team better start winning now against a tougher second-half schedule, starting next Sunday in Cincinnati. 

Time for this underachieving team to start overachieving. In other words start knocking off teams it should or last season's fun season will become nothing more than an aberration and a nice remembrance.

Keeping Mayfield vertical

When the Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers get together for the 140th time in their 82-year-old rivalry Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie, the emphasis should be on the game itself. Unfortunately, that will not be the case..

This one has a subtext. It comes in the form of a quarterback for the Browns who, under ordinary circumstances, would sit this one out. What will take place, though, is far from ordinary.

First of all, there is nothing ordinary whatsoever about Baker Mayfield. He has been a lightning rod since that late April day in 2018 when the Browns stunned the world of professional football and made him the No. 1 overall pick in the college football draft.

Since then, he has become the face of the franchise. In his brief career, his highs have been nearly stratospheric, his lows plunging to depths that would damage those who have trouble dealing with failure. His resilience has no boundaries. So, it would appear, does his ability to deal with pain.

When he trots out Sunday for the Browns' initial possession of the game, he will do so with injuries that would at the very least sideline others for at least a brief period of time. It took a fully torn labrum in his left shoulder and a broken bone in said shoulder to tether him to the sidelines for last week's victory over Denver. In addition, his shoulder has popped in and out on several occasions.

All week leading up to this game, no one knew for certain whether Mayfield would miss two games in a row until head coach Kevin Stefanski, after watching him practice for three days and, presumably, with consent from the club's medical staff trumpeted his return to lead the huddle.

"He's met all the requirements medically," Stefanski said. "I feel good about that process and how that went. It's pretty simple,  . . Medically, he's ready to go. . . . Baker feels he's ready and ready to help this team win."

And how does Mayfield, himself, feel about what's going to unfold in a game where he's far less than 100% physically?  "If you go out there (and) you're scared, you're timid. That's how you really get hurt seriously, so I can't do that." 

I guess that means he was scared and timid previously because he was clearly seriously injured enough where he had to miss a game. That's how he got hurt in the first place. Scared and timid? Nah. Careless? Definitely.

Mayfield has been battered all season long. He has been sacked 18 times in six games and either hit or hurried on at least a few dozen other occasions. Part of his problem this season has been his inability to locate open receivers and extend plays with his legs, often getting trapped in the pocket.

One team that thrives on quarterbacks who lack mobility is the one coming to town to visit Sunday. The Steelers, edge rusher T. J. Watt in particular, always seem to take it to another gear for the Browns. And you can bet one of their targets -- maybe No. 1 -- will be Mayfield's left shoulder.

All it takes to exacerbate his condition is taking a shot to that shoulder or falling on it once again while attempting to escape pressure. It has happened too often for it not to happen again. That seems to the gamble Stefanski is willing to take to win.

In what ways has Mayfield protected himself? Correct answer: None. All you have to do is look at his patient chart and the only conclusion you would come to is he has learned nothing with regard to protecting himself. Not protecting himself is what got him into this mess.

Because of that problem, Stefanski, as the playcaller, will almost have to call a defensive kind of game on offense. Low-risk, high-percentage passes that leave Mayfield's hand quickly, Nothing that takes time to develop. Cater to the situation and be conservative. Counter, or at least neutralize, the Pittsburgh pass rush.

The ground game, which leads the National Football League, will take care of itself with the return of Nick Chubb and D'Ernest Johnson and be Cleveland's biggest weapon on offense.

Defensively, the job for the Browns will be somewhat easier. The Steelers, at 3-3 and coming off a bye, have had trouble scoring this season, averaging just 19 points game with season high of 27. Ben Roethlisberger, now 39, is playing like a 39-year-old quarterback unlike 44-year-old Tom Brady, who is playing like a 30-year-old quarterback.

Big Ben, who has feasted on the Browns (24-2-1) since entering the NFL, has thrown for only seven touchdown passes this season and fumbled five times, losing three. He also lost JuJu Smith-Schuster, his most reliable receiver, in week five with a season-ending shoulder injury. But he still has Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and James Washington, each of whom has hurt the Browns in the past.

Rookie running back Najee Harris is the Steelers' biggest threat. The dual-purpose back has totaled 632 yards from scrimmage (105 a game) on 136 touches and scored four of the club's 12 touchdowns.

Key to the afternoon for the Cleveland defense lies in the line's ability to take advantage of a mediocre Steelers' offensive line and make life miserable for Roethlisberger, likely making his final appearance in Cleveland.

The Browns have 20 sacks on the season, a robust and near-record nine coming in the Chicago victory. In four games since then, the Cleveland pass rush has mustered only eight sacks, four by Myles Garrett, who seems most of the time to be a one-man gang with 9.5 overall.

All this adds up to a low-scoring game with the Browns building a barricade around Mayfield to keep him vertical, throwing in a few play-action rollouts to keep the Steelers defense honest and mainlining Chubb and Johnson on the ground.

A couple of notes: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is 10-4 coming off the bye week, three of those losses coming on the road. . . . And Jim Nantz and Tony Romo are doing the game for CBS. Why do I mention the latter? Because I can't remember the last time those two were in the booth for a Cleveland victory. 

So until that changes, I will continue -- regardless of the situation entering a game -- to pick against the Browns with Nantz and Romo on board. They'll be in Cincinnati, too, a week from Sunday for the Browns-Bengals game. Make it: Steelers 20, Browns 18

Mid-week thoughts

It sure looks as if Baker Mayfield fully intends to start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers despite major injuries that would idle other quarterbacks. "People talk on the outside," he says. "They don't know how I feel nor do they decide whether I can go or not."

He wants to play. Who could blame him? This is the Steelers; the classic archrival. That's the kind of attitude you like to see from one of your team leaders. But realism has a way of interferring with clear thinking. That seems to be the case here.

Nursing a torn labrum and broken bone in his left shoulder, suffice it to say the bravado Mayfield displays is foolish in that the next big blow he receives in a collision sport as he plies his trade very well could turn his career in an entirely different and unfortunate direction.

The guess here is the Steelers dearly want him to start Sunday. They have the kind of defense that inflicts large doses of pain. And being keenly aware of Mayfield's physical problems, his left shoulder becomes a bull's-eye if he starts.

Mayfield has also proven since initially injuring the shoulder in week two against Houston that he hasn't learned how to avoid further damage. His broken shoulder is the result of an awkward landing on his already-damaged shoulder while being strip-sacked by J.J. Watt in the Arizona loss. His shoulder pops in and out routinely it seems.

As if the Steelers needed any more incentive, memories of that 48-37 shellacking the Browns delivered in last season's wild-card playoff game in Pittsburgh still resonate in the their locker room.

The Steelers love teeing off on Mayfield. In six career meetings with Pittsburgh, he has been sacked 16 times and battered unmercifully on numerous other occasions. And with his recent problems with regard to finding open receivers and inability to escape the pocket, he would be a sitting target.

The Steelers are not the kind of football team you want to expose your quarterback to, especially one with significant injures that could seriously jeopardize the difference between winning and losing. At 4-3, the Browns can ill afford to lose this one.

It makes much more sense to sit Mayfield, who is 3-3 against the Steelers and thrown for more than 200 yards just once, at least one more game and let Case Keenum become the game manager. A 100% Keenum gives the Browns a much better chance to win than a 50%, at best, Mayfield.

Right now he clearly is not thinking with his head. This is the time when head coach Kevin Stefanski needs to look at the bigger picture and do what's best for his team, not his quarterback. 

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Question of the week: Is Denzel Ward really a shutdown, or lockdown, cornerback? It's been about three-and-a-half seasons now sinceWard, a native Clevelander, was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 college draft by the Browns.

During that time, has Ward been a difference maker? National Football League quarterbacks generally avoid cornerbacks who make plays that affect the outcomes of games. What I've seen of Ward does not fit that description.

Don't get me wrong. He is very good at what he does, but he is not a game-changer like, say, Trevon Diggs of the Dallass Cowboys, or Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams, or Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers.

When drafting a corner that high in the draft, you better make damn certain he is a playmaker. When then- General Manager John Dorsey had the chance to draft edge rusher Bradley Chubb with the fourth pick, he went with Ward instead after conferring with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Ward, who has yet to play a full 16-game season with the Browns (he has missed 11 of 55 games), does not seem to be a ballhawk. He had only two interceptions at Ohio State in three seasons and just seven thus far with the Browns. 

Doesn't sound like the player they thought they were getting when they surprised draft pundits by selecting Ward so high. He hasn't been a bust by the strict definition of the word, but he hasn't been a standout, either. The best you can say about him is he is above average. A fourth overall picks should be better than above average.

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The Browns drafted eight young men from the collegiate ranks last May. Five have been either major or significant contributors to the cause on both sides of the football. The other three fall under the category of "he's still on the team? I didn't know that."

Cornerback Greg Newsome II (round one), linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (round two), wide receiver Anthony Schwartz (round three), offensive lineman James Hudson III (round four) and running back/wide receiver Demetric Felton (round six) have made themselves known to the public.

So where are the other three? And who are they? Well, there's fourth-round pick defensive tackle Tommy Togiai from Ohio State; and fifth-round picks linebacker Tony Fields II and safety Richard LeCounte III (the Browns are big on Roman numerals).

Yes, this trio is still on the active 53-man roster. But you'd never know it because they play anonymously on special teams only. LeCounte, who played five scrimmage snaps in the season opener and none since, has logged 47 other snaps on special teams in games one, four, six and seven, Fields has seen 50 ST snaps in games three, four, six and seven.

Togiai, who was expected to challenge for a role along the defensive line, has surprisingly been a healthy scratch for every game. And yet there he is, No. 93 on the main roster. Hmmmmm.

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John Johnson III is by far the busiest member of the defense this season. The free safety has played 98.86% of the plays -- that's 433 snaps -- in the first seven games. Ward is the busiest corner with 357 snaps (81.5%). Defensive end Myles Garrett checks in with 343 snaps ((78.37%), while slot corner Troy Hill has logged 317 snaps (72.37%).

On offense, center JC Tretter, left guard Joel Bitonio and right guard Wyatt Teller are the iron men, playing all 481 snaps. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin have missed either entire games or parts of them. What makes Tretter's feat remarkable is he does not practice during the week in order to protect issues with a knee.

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Finally . . . Why does it seen second-year tight end Harrison Bryant is being targeted less this season? Because he is. He was targeted 38 times as a rookie, catching 24 for 238 yards, three touchdowns and 14 first downs. This season, he has been targeted just 12 times in seven games for 84 yards, no touchdowns and four first downs. He is on pace to be targeted just 29 times this season. What gives? . . . It seems as though Schwartz is being used more as a decoy than one of the prime receivers? If so, why? . . . Notice Blake Hance is the first plug-in at either tackle instead of Hudson in the event of injury? Good move. . . . Eleven players have landed on injured reserve so far this season, Running back Kareem Hunt and JOK are due back by the middle of next month.

Friday leftovers

So what did the Browns' 17-14 victory over the Denver Broncos Thursday night prove? Correct answer: Plenty.

In no particular order, it proved . . . 

The Browns can win a football game with backups at quarterback, running back and offensive right tackle; Case Keenum is Baker Mayfield lite; the depth on offense is better than originally thought; D'Ernest Johnson is the best third-string running back in the National Football League; and the Browns have the best offensive line in the league despite all the injuries. And that's just the offense.

Defensively, it proved . . . 

When unleashed by coordinator Joe Woods, this team flies to the football; the safety blitz is still in the playbook; the tackling improved at least 100% over the last two games during which the D surrendered 84 points; the pass coverage was tighter and much more focused; the pass rush, however, needs more help from the tackles; and the safeties really do know how to play correctly in over/under coverage.

Let's break it down.

Johnson, at least based on his 142-yard effort against the Broncos, is arguably every bit as as good as many starting running backs in the league. Eighty-four of those yards came after contact. He also forced six missed tackles, at least two with classic jump cuts, and broke five more. 

It was a statistical display associated more with Nick Chubb, who watched and enjoyed the performance from the sideline with a calf injury. If Chubb is not ready for the game against Pittsburgh a week from Sunday, suffice it to say Johnson will get his second start.

Even if Chubb is ready to go against the Steelers, Johnson becomes the go-to guy when Chubb needs a rest. Kareem Hunt is on injured reserve. Even so, there will be little to no dropoff in talent with Johnson, though an argument can be made the Steelers' defense is considerably stronger than Denver's.

In the case of Keenum (yes, intentional), head coach Kevin Stefanski got exactly what he wanted out of the 10-year veteran. No egregious mistakes. Terrific game management. Intelligent decisions. He threw for just 199 yards. And was the winning quarterback.

Keenum is never going to put up Mayfield numbers. He doesn't own a strong arm. He tried to stretch the field once against the Broncos and failed. He is best at short- to mid-range passes to tight ends and running backs with occasional rips to slanting wide receivers.. He plays within his limitations. As long as it works, why not continue?

ProFootballFocus was more explicit: "Keenum wasn't spectacular, He didn't need to be." Truth is he rarely is. He is the type who keeps the chains moving. That's been his MO throughout his career. He is a game manager, a throwback field general.

As for the offensive line, it is the heartbeat of that side of the football. No team blocks better in the run game. All five men were outstanding when Stefanski dialed up a run play, On the other hand, the pass protection needs to be a little tighter, although Keenum helped by extending plays with his legs.

Standouts included tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Blake Hance. Wills has battled an ankle sprain incurred in the season opener in Kansas City. He played every snap against the Broncos for the first time this season. Hance, who can play every position on the line, moved to right tackle for Jack Conklin in this one and played well.

Defensively, it was refreshing to see the speed and quickness on that side of the ball utilized to its fullest extent in the first half. Two first downs. A trio of three-and outs. A takeaway, Sure tackling. No blown coverages. Where has this unit been the last two games? 

And the blitzing? More of it, please. Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was sacked only twice, but was forced to get rid of the ball before he wanted on numerous occasions. In many cases, that's the next best result to a sack.

All in all, it was a game the Browns needed and the closeness of the final score in no way indicates how much the Browns were in control. It was very much a team victory. 

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Now the Baker Mayfield saga.

The young Cleveland quarterback has a completely torn labrum and now a broken humerus bone -- it's called a Tuberosity fracture -- in his left shoulder. Technically, it's a fracture of a bony bump located opposite the head of the humerus, according to orthoatlanta.com.  It interferes with the rotator cuff and generally takes anywhere from six to 12 weeks to heal after surgery,

If that does not scream surgery for Mayfield, nothing does. It seems, however, there is a conundrum within the organization. The Browns, perhaps because they aren't sure how to handle this, are doing so cautiously. They do not want to come right out and use the word "surgery."

Stefanski was asked by the media Friday if resting Mayfield for another week will be beneficial for his quarterback. "I don't know the exact answer to that," he admitted. "I would just tell you we are going to continue to listen to the medical staff on this. When he is ready, he is ready."

A little later, he was asked if the club was hopeful Mayfield would be available for the Steelers game. "We have been very consistent with our medical team with Baker on this injury and I will continue to listen to the medical staff of when Baker is ready to go."  A non-answer.

This all goes well beyond just one game. Mayfield is badly damaged. Exposing him to the possibility of even more damage is reckless. He is still young enough where fixing the problem surgically ensures he will be able to continue his career when healthy. Subjecting him to the possibility of further damage in a collision sport makes no sense.

This is more about Mayfield's future as an NFL quarterback than it is about the 2021 season. Besides, Keenum has been here before, taking over in Minnesota when two quarterbacks went down for the season early and he stepped in to take the Vikings to the NFC championship game. He knows the routine well.

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If Keenum does finish out the season, look for Stefanski to utilize a three tight end look often. In the Broncos victory, he targeted David Njoku, Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant just six times. They were in the game for the most part to block for the ground game and downfield in the passing game.

As he said the other day, Keenum is made for this role. This is what he does. Initially, it was helping Mayfield understand Stefanski's offense and the philosophy that generates it. And now if the shoulder injury sidelines Mayfield for the season, he is ready.

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Best run of the night -- well maybe not the best, but definitely the most important -- belonged to Keenum, whose little five-yard scramble helped set up the touchdown that gave the Browns a 17-7 lead  in the final minute of the third quarter. The 13-play, 75-yard journey was in response to the Broncos' first score of the evening.

Third and three at the Denver six and no one came open for Keenum. So he took off right up the gut, breaking two tackles, gouging out enough for the first down, before being stripped of the ball at the one. Hooper recovered the ball in the end zone, giving the ball back to the Browns at the site of the fumble. Next play, Keenum found fullback Johnny Stanton IV by his lonesome in the end zone.

*      *      *

Finally . . . Keenum spread the ball around to 10 receivers, It probably would have been 11, but Donovan Peoples-Jones injured a groin muscle warming up before the game and did not suit up. . . . Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, back after a three-game visit to injured reserve, were targeted 13 times and grabbed seven for 60 yards. . . . The Browns controlled the ball for a season-high 37 minutes, including 21 in the first half, and were nine of 15 on third down, , , , On the negative side, nine penalties for 60 yards is concerning. , , , Middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. led the defense with 10 tackles, seven solo. . . . Kicker Chase McLaughlin missed his first placement of the season when his 41-yard field-goal attempt late in the second quarter was blocked by Shelby Harris, who earlier in the possession recorded the only sack against Keenum.

Breathing easier

It wasn't pretty. It didn't need to be. It produced a victory, something the Browns hadn't experienced since winning their third straight game in Minnesota 18 days ago.

It was a game they had to win. Losing was not an option for a team hauling a two-game losing streak into the second game of a three-game homestand, The margin for error was narrow enough that one slip along the way would have been devastating. It never showed up.

The 17-14 victory over the Denver Broncos Thursday night in a game that lived down to expectations saw both teams play plenty of football between the 20-yard lines, treating the red zone as though it was off limits.

The Cleveland offense, behind the outstanding running of D'Ernest Johnson and strong leadership of quarterback Case Keenum, looked sharp for a major portion of the game while the defense came alive for the first time since Minnesota.

The injury-riddled offense, operating with Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and right tackle Jack Conklin in street clothes, shot out to a 10-0 start on their first two possessions of the game and held on because the defense, mainly the secondary, stopped blowing coverages.

A victory is a victory no matter how it is achieved. But this one felt especially good because most of the vibe in the last couple of weeks turned so negative, causing some members of Browns Nation to conjure up thoughts of the first two decades since the resurrection of the franchise.

In a way, it was almost like starting from scratch Thursday night with the offense running a lot of basic plays on the ground and through the air, designed to keep the chains moving and the Broncos' defense on the field. It worked beautifully in the first half when the Browns ran 38 plays to just 16 by Denver.

Nothing fancy. Just grind-it-out football featuring an offensive line that manhandled the Broncos' defensive front, creating nice holes and protecting the second-string quarterback.

Johnson, filling in so beautifully for Chubb one would have thought it was Chubb himself, gulped up 146 yards on just 22 carries and scored the first touchdown of the game as the Browns needed only 2:40 to travel 75 yards in just five plays.

The key play was a beautifully executed middle screen to tight end Austin Hooper that completely fooled the Denver defense. It gained 40 yards on the second play of the drive and set up Johnson, who galloped the next 34 yards, including the final four into the end zone. It was ridiculously easy,

The next possession produced another nice drive, but it was stalled by a Joel Bitonio hold and head coach Kevin Stefanski settled for Chase McLaughlin's 52-yard field goal. McLaughlin's 41-yard attempt with two minutes left in the first half was blocked, but that made no difference because the Cleveland defense was dominant in the first half.

The Broncos ran just 16 plays for 76 yards on four possessions that took a mere 8:49 off the game clock and produced just two first downs. Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was completely baffled by a very active Cleveland defense.

Defensive stats for the first half: A shutout that featured  a trio of three-and-outs, three punts and a pick. The Broncos ran just three plays in Browns territory. The closest they got to the Cleveland goal line in the half was the 31. That drive was ended by free safety John Johnson III, who picked off a poorly thrown ball by Bridgewater in the end zone. It was just the third interception by the Browns this season.

Tha Denver malaise ended quickly at the beginning of the second half when the Broncos, looking like a completely different team, took the opening kickoff and marched 76 yards in 16 plays, Melvin Gordon scoring from nine yards on a Bridgewater pass, breaking a Denzel Ward tackle at the three.

The Browns answered right back and regained the 10-point lead with a 13-play, 75-yarder, Keenum hitting fullback Johnny Stanton IV, all alone in the left flat, from a yard out following a terrific ball fake. 

The Broncos added a little drama with an exhausting 17-play, 80-yard possession, converting four third downs along the way, rookie running back Javonte Williams galloping the final nine yards with a screen pass. .It was a three-point game again with five minutes left in regulation, which automatically triggers angst among Browns fans.

Not this time. The Broncos never saw the football again. The D'Ernest Johnson Show wrapped up the victory in stylish fashion, running the ball seven times in nine snaps, picking up 52 yards and forcing the Broncos to exhaust all their timeouts. They knew he was going to get the football and still couldn't stop him. Sort of like Chubb.

Keenum was the ringmaster, though. He managed a mistake-free game, distributing the football to 10 different receivers. His offensive line was terrific, opening up sizable holes for Johnson, who also displayed his ability to break tackles and gain extra yardage.

Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr.'s sprained ankle held up well and Blake Hance, who moved over to right tackle for Conklin, more than held his own.

Even though the Browns never lost the lead, they had trouble putting the Broncos away. And yet, it was the kind of victory fans can look back and point to as a small turning point in a season where injuries have greatly dictated the club's direction. 

It served as momentary salve following the news Mayfield had suffered a broken bone in his left shoulder in last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. His status for the Pittsburgh Steelers game a week from Sunday will be determined between now and then. 

Singing the losing blues

The Cleveland Browns -- or a reasonable facsimile thereof -- take to the national television stage Thursday night with an offense that resembles a M*A*S*H unit and a defense that gives defense a bad name.

Word Wednesday that Baker Mayfield's starting streak as the Browns' quarterback will end at 51 games as soon as Case Keenum takes his first snap changes the entire complexion of game seven of the National Football League's 2021 season against the invading Denver Broncos.

The Cleveland offense is a battered and bruised mess. Gone for the time being are the starting quarterback, starting running backs, best wide receiver and, likely, starting tackles. Besides, the three tight ends are having trouble catching the football as is the second-best receiver.

No one knows what to expect from an offense with backups at every key position except the center, who hasn't practice at all this season, and two guards. The vaunted running game is no longer vaunted. It will be handled by D'Ernest Johnson, Demetric Felton and John Kelly behind a suddenly-suspect line. Oy!

Head coach/playcaller Kevin Stefanski will be supremely challenged to navigate extremely choppy waters against a decent Denver defense (compared to the Browns'; more on that later). And because it's Keenum in this one, look for Stefanski to go ultra, ultra conservative.

There will be nothing fancy. Primarily basic stuff for a quarterback who hasn't started a game in nearly two years, one not noted for throwing a football at anything resembling or approaching dazzling velocity. He is the polar opposite of Mayfield.

But he knows Stefanski's offense. At least that's what those in the know say. That's why he's in Cleveland. Here's a sliver of evidence to back up that conclusion.

Back in 2017, Keenum came off the bench with the Minnesota Vikings and had the only career year in his well-traveled 10-year career, fashioning an 11-3 record as a starter. The Vikes finished 13-3 and won the NFC North. Stefanski was his quarterbacks coach. Thus the connection.

Since then, the 33-year-old Texan has failed twice-- with Denver and Washington -- in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately department. We are on the verge of finding out now that he is reunited with Stefanski whether he can summon the old magic.

Is he still the same quarterback who led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game four seasons ago? Or is he just a proverbial journeyman who was fortunate his old quarterbacks coach in Minnesota is now a head coach and believes he still has the talent to replicate, at least on a brief level, that season's wizardry?

If nothing else, Keenum is quite confident, perhaps overly so. "I feel very ready," he says. "I've been ready. You don't have to get ready if you stay ready and I've been ready since I got here (in 2020).  I'm excited. . . . I'm built for this. This is what I've done my whole career."

As for Keenum making his Cleveland starting debut, Stefanski said via the club's public relations machinery, on Wednesday. "We have full confidence in him to lead us and do the things necessary to put us in a position to win."

The other backups also have their coach's weighty confidence. "I honestly have a ton of confidence in all of our backups," Stefanski told the media in a very Stefanskian way Tuesday. "I really do. I think these guys stay ready so they don't have to get ready. (Sound familiar? Check above.) I think they do a great job in the meeting room and on the practice field."

When a coach uses words like "honestly" and "ton of confidence" and "I really do" to bolster thoughts,  my skepticism gene kicks in. It's nice the players do well in meeting rooms and in practice. That's not the problem, It's how it all translates to game day that has been the largest concern lately.

Over the years, I have seen players terrible in practice, but show up big time on game day. Conversely, I have seen terrific practice players fail to show up for games. I prefer the former type of player. Often times, there's too much emphasis on practicing. 

The Cleveland defense, with the exception of rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's trip to injured reserve, seems to have improved in the health department. It is vitally incumbent that side of the football rescues their brethren on the other side in a time of need. That offense, such as it is, is not nearly strong enough anymore to merely outscore teams when the defense is absent.

The only way the Browns win this one is if the defense does what it is supposed to do, which they failed to do the last two games with spectacular ineptitude. It made last season's ugly defense, which lingered pretty much all season, look downright pretty by comparison.

With no Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and ostensibly Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin and a Denver defense that had been stingy until last Sunday, it's difficult to be optimistic about what lies dead ahead. The lone saving grace? The Broncos arrive on the heels of a three-game losing streak.

A season that looked so bright for the Browns as recently as two weeks ago is now teetering with two straight crushing losses. The likelihood of a momentum change, especially with such little time to prep for the Broncos, has been railroaded by an onslaught of injuries (19 names on the injury list). Thursday night will be an important litmus test.

There are too many negatives surrounding the Browns entering this one. The offense obviously is a shadow of the dangerous crew that opened the season. The defense, while getting better from a health standpoint, is not from a performance standpoint.

Denver's running game with Melvin Gordon and rookie Javonte Williams and a passing game featuring wide receiver Courtland Sutton and tight end Noah Fant is strong enough to continue baffling the Cleveland secondary, complementing Teddy Bridgewater's 70% passing accuracy. The heart wants to say the Browns end Stefasnki's two-game losing streak. The head says the streak reaches three games. 

Make it: Broncos 20, Browns 13

Reality slap

Murphy's Law paid an extremely painful visit Sunday to the stadium the Browns call home. Actually, there are seven of them. The first and seventh applied to what unfolded in the club's ghastliest performance of the young 2021 National Football League season.

The first says, "If anything can go wrong, it will." That one lasted all afternoon against the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals. From a ragged beginning to an even more ragged conclusion, the Browns were nowhere close to being ready to play a football game.

The seventh law says that "left to themselves, things have a tendency to go from bad to worse." That one was written with the Browns in mind following their 37-14 battering by the still unbeaten Cardinals witnessed by a full house of stunned fans.

Nothing worked. The offense was offensive and not in a good way. The defense was even more offensive, again not in a good way. The same mistakes that plagued them in last Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers showed up again and again and again.

The Browns didn't stand a chance in this one. They kept beating themselves as quarterback Baker Mayfield personally gifted the Cardinals defense with two fumbles and an interception -- not to mention the five times he was sacked -- in the club's most inept and sorry performance since the Hue Jackson era.

Entering the season, the Browns were one of the favorites to not only reach the postseason for the second season in a row, but seriously challenge for their first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl. Right now, thinking like that falls under the category of dreaming.

This clearly is the worst a Kevin Stefanski team has looked in his 23-game tenure as head coach. He has an awful lot to unpack as he tries to put this 3-3 team back together and he has only a few days until a Thursday night date at home against the Denver Broncos.

He has an awful lot of correcting to do at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. in Berea. There's a whole mess of cleaning up to do. The head coach does not like excuses so let's not talk about the absence of offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin and running back Nick Chubb.

Why the Browns ran only seven times in the first half is a question only Stefanski can answer as his offense sputtered on its first four possessions as Cards quarterback Kyler Murray led his offense to five straight possessions that put points on the scoreboard, 23 to be exact.

In a believe-it-or-not moment, the Browns actually pulled to within a deceiving nine points on the final play of the first half when Mayfield and Donovan People-Jones hooked up on a 57-yard Hail Mary that, as it turned out, gave people false hope this one was far from over.

Yes it was because the defense, which is becoming more clueless by the game, still can't defend against the pass. And here we are after game six. It's supposed to be the other way around by now. Opposing receivers continue to come wide open due to blown coverages. Confusion reigns in the secondary.

Denzel Ward and rookie Greg Newsome II were back from injury. Made no difference. Ward was flagged twice for pass interference. Newsome, back after a three-game respite on injured reserve, looked just like, well, just like a rookie.

The offense does not escape blame for a second half that produced a robust zero points. Mayfield was battered throughout the game by a relentless Cardinals pass rush that sent him to the medical tent with a recurrence of his left shoulder injury in the first half and the bench late in the game when Stefanski mercifully yanked him.

To make matters worse, the Browns lost running back Kareem Hunt, filling in for Chubb, with what appeared to be a right calf injury with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter. He pulled up short on a fourth-and-4 pass at the Arizona seven that was dropped by Odell Beckham Jr. in first-down territory.

The pain was bad enough that he had was placed on what some used to call the meat wagon, which wheels players to the dressing room if they can't walk back. Not a good sign especially with Chubb temporarily shut down. 

It comes down to this with the next game just a few days away. Stefanski has been putting out so many fires in the last couple of weeks, there isn't nearly enough time to right this ship by then. What looked so good after the first four games despite a few warning signs has turned into a disaster in progress.

It wasn't supposed to be this way at this juncture. The secondary, most of whom apparently are slow learners, is getting worse. The pass rush has all but disappeared. The crisp tackling that stood out early in the season, has gone stale.

And the head coach/playcaller seems to have lost his way philosophically. Just because he lost his top running back doesn't mean you turn over the game to a quarterback who has shown lately he has lost his ability to make plays.

Extending plays used to be one of Mayfield's strengths. Not anymore. 

Combine that with a defense that has regurgitated 84 points in the last two games and you get a football team on the verge of turning a season that included "Super Bowl" in the thoughts of many throughout the NFL universe and trashing it.

It will be interesting to see how Stefanski handles his first genuine crisis since taking over. He has enjoyed the journey thus far. The hard part of the job has arrived.

Another slugfest?

As if it wasn't bad enough facing -- and losing to -- a high-powered team last weekend in Los Angeles, it could conceivably be even worse for the Browns Sunday when they return home to entertain the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals.

For the second week in a row, the Cleveland defense that saved games two, three and four with outstanding efforts and collapsed against the Los Angeles Chargers will be challenged to stop a team that couldn't be stopped until San Francisco slowed them down but lost, 17-10, Sunday.

The Cardinals' undefeated streak drips with good fortune. They should be be 4-1 for this one. In week two in the their home opener, the Cardinals led by a point with seconds left and the Minnesota Vikings threatening. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph, who earlier had made a pair of 52-yard field goals, was wide right from 37 yards on the final play.

The Cards entered Sunday's victory over the 49ers averaging 35 points a game after bludgeoning the first four opponents and becoming the talk of the league.  Even though they lost, the 49ers appeared to unlock the secret to slowing down head coach Kliff Kingsbury's high-powered offense featuring quarterback Kyler Murray.

Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods, possibly still dazed at how Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and his cohorts slapped his defense back to reality Sunday by savaging a secondary hampered by injuries and blown coverages, might want to look at the game tape on that one to figure out how to stop the elusive and very accurate Murray.

Unlike the Chargers game, where cornerbacks dropped like flies, Woods will have close to a full complement for Murray.

Like the Browns did in weeks 2-4, the Arizona defense rescued the offense and shut down the 49ers, probably because starter Jimmy Garoppolo was injured and rookie Trey Lance was overmatched. 

The smallish Murray -- at barely 5-10, he's two-plus inches shorter than Baker Mayfield -- is rarely brought down due to his twitchy quickness and great speed. It's like trying to catch a gnat. Because of that, he is difficult to hem in the pocket, making plays that oftentimes defy description.

He is also deadly accurate now that he has been furnished with one of the best wide receivers rooms in the NFL, completing 75.5% of his passes to the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, A. J. Green, the ex-Cincinnati veteran, and flashy rookie Rondale Moore, a 5-7 stick of dynamite.

And with a howitzer attached to his right arm, the stocky Murray is able to squeeze throws through the tiniest windows with just four interceptions in 165 attempts. He doesn't fit the prototype of an NFL quarterback, but somehow gets the job done.

Defensively, the Cards are opportunists with 10 turnovers and a +5 turnover ratio. But Sunday, they'll have to do it minus half the starters on the defensive line, edge rusher Chandler Jones and tackle Zach Allen back in Phoenix with COVID-19. Joining them will be Kingsbury, who ceded control of the game to quarterbacks coach Cam Turner and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers.  

The strength of the Cards' defense lies in the back seven with Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, a pair of young 6-4 linebackers, and ubiquitous free safety Budda Baker, who anchors the secondary.

Woods isn't the only Cleveland coach efforting to restore order on his side of the football. His boss, the head coach and playcaller on offense, also faces a challenge after what went down in the stretch run last Sunday against the Chargers.

Nothing wrong with the running game and the passing game, dormant for a few games, has once again come to life. More than anything, Kevin Stefanski must clean up the mess he engenders with his strange playcalling in the final moments of games that can be won, but aren't.

What he needed against the Chargers was a large dose of Jarvis Landry, Baker Mayfield's most reliable wide receiver who has been idled since game two against Houston. And he just might get that Sunday with Landry placed on the active squad Friday. If he's ready, he's playing. That, if nothing else, boosts the effectiveness of the offense.

Like Woods, Stefanski is dealing with injury concerns that robbed him of his starting tackles for the entire last quarter against the Chargers. The man needs a bye week, but won't get one until week 13. It's entirely posssible Jedrick Wills Jr. (ankle) and Tony Conklin (knee) will not be ready for the Cardinals.

If that is the case, it will be Blake Hance and rookie James Hudson III and cross your fingers. Adding to the dilemma will be the absence of Nick Chubb with calf miseries, which means Kareem Hunt will get a majority of the carries with D'Ernest Johnson and rookie Demetric Felton ready just in case. Hunt is an established starting running back in the NFL, so there will not be any dropoff in production

It is possible Stefanski, since he does not have all his weapons on offense, will pull back a bit and become more conservative and eschew long-developing pass plays, especially if his starting tackles can't go.

The Cardinals game is the first of three outings in a 14-day span for the Browns, who welcome Denver on a Thursday night and then the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks from Sunday. They are 8-2 at home under Stefanski, who has never lost two games in a row as a head coach.

A look at the Cardinals stats suggests this one, too, could turn into another slugfest. Four quarters of dynamic and entertaining football, The Browns have compiled 2,088 offensive yards from scrimmage; the Cardinals sit at 2,066. Both teams have shown the ability to play solid defense on occasion. Tough call.

One of these days, the Cleveland offense and defense will climb onto the same page and lay a whipping on some poor unsuspecting team. Hasn't happened yet. It says here Sunday will be that day, leaving the NFL with zero undefeated teams.  

Hunt will continue battering opposing defenses -- the Cards cough up 139 infantry yards a game on defense -- and get help this time from a rebounding Mayfield, a defense that neutralizes Murray for the better part of four quarters and a head coach/playcaller who learns lessons the hard way and keeps his losing streaks to just one game. Make it: Browns 27, Cardinals 17

Monday leftovers

It has been Kevin Stefanski's way of being a respected head coach to protect his players publicly. It's a hard and fast rule to never speak negatively about any of his players.

He will always take the selfless route in the postmortems of games. "Blame me on that one," he will say about a bad or ill-timed play call. "That one is on me. I've got to clean that up." Pointing fingers of guilt at someone else is not in his playbook. The players love him for that and play harder.

It has become a staple to the point where you can expect it somewhere in the breakdown of every game. It's all very admirable. But every now and then, he should be taken literally instead of shrugging off the notion he is just deflecting.

Case in point took place three times in Sunday's disappointing loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles. The club's chief playcaller on offense, normally an aggressive, in-your-face type, went conservative and in the mind of numerous fans cost the Browns a victory.  

Waning seconds of the first half, Browns up 17-13 and the defense makes a play deep in Chargers territory, safety Grant Delpit causing a turnover with a jarring hit on running back Austin Ekeler at the LA 22. Thirty-eight seconds left and not one shot at the end zone. A 31-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin was the parting gift.

More coaching brain farts occurred late in the zany fourth quarter on consecutive possessions as Stefanski took his foot off the pedal. The most egregious arrived shortly after the Browns ducked a bullet when Chargers kicker Tristan Vizcaino missed his second point-after of the afternoon and maintained a one-point lead at 42-41 with 3:15 left in regulation. 

Three ineffective plays, including a puzzling draw play on third and 10 that gained three yards, had Browns fans wondering what the hell was happening. Such a peaceful surrender with the lead was antithetical to Stefanski's basic offensive philosophy.

The resultant Jamie Gillan short punt was returned into Cleveland territory, setting up the Chargers' winning touchdown against a worn-out Cleveland defense, setting up Stefanski's third tactical and/or strategic error of the day.

After allowing (helping?) Ekeler to score that touchdown, the Browns still had 91 seconds (and no timeouts) to maneuver into position to be in position to win the game. The Browns ran 10 plays (including two spikes) in that span and advanced the ball just 22 yards.

Noy once did Baker Mayfield attempt a sideline pass to stop the clock. Everything was in bounds and relatively short. Not one receiver made himself available to make a play. In situations like this, Mayfield needed his most reliable receiver. But Jarvis Landry, who always seems to come through in the clutch, is stuck on injured reserve with a sprained MCL.

Yes, Stefanski has to work with whoever is available, But if it worked for the first 50 or so minutes of the game, there was no reason to believe it wouldn't at that point of the game. The fact it didn't makes me wonder whether Stefanski in games like this with so much going on and whose outcome is determined in the final moments needs help. It happened in the season opener in Kansas City and now this.

He is the head coach who is responsible for all aspects of the team. Maybe it's time in moments like this he cedes temporary control of the offense to Alex Van Pelt, whose lone responsibility as coordinator is to  just that side of the ball. 

His deflection this time takes on a greater meaning because of the result of the game. Once again, he pointed fingers at himself. "I need to do a better job," he said for the umpteenth time. "I share in that loss just like everybody else does. . . We're going to win these games together and lose these games together. I need to do a better job."

He might start by looking at the big picture instead of the one he has taken on himself. No, this one he blew all by himself by not being himself when it counted most.

*      *       *

There seems to be a growing conclusion that Mayfield and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. are just not a good fit. Mounting evidence points heavily in that direction

Ever since Beckham arrived in a trade from the New York Giants a couple of years ago, he and his quarterback have rarely been on the same page. He was supposed to be the final piece of the puzzle, bringing along a sterling reputation as one of the best receivers in the NFL.

And yet, the two have connected roughly 55% of the time in 26 games. That is not nearly enough for this tandem. They have played together enough now to have serious doubts whether they will ever become effective.

In the Chargers loss, it was as though Beckham was a spare part. He was on the field for 58 (of 71) snaps and was targeted just three times. Three measly times for the club's No. 1 receiver. Donovan People-Jones and Rashard Higgins were thrown to 12 times.

Beckham caught two passes for 20 yards, but it was the one he didn't catch fans will remember. Mid second quarter, the Browns trailing 13-10 and driving nicely. Fourth and two at the Los Angeles 17 and another Stefanski fourth-down gamble instead of a field goal.

Beckham runs a shallow cross right to left and Mayfield targets him for the first time and hits him in stride in first-down territory. The perfectly thrown pass leaks through his hands into his pads and flutters harmlessly to the ground. Browns Nation gasps. 

With the trading deadline looming in about three weeks, what else do the Browns need to see to convince them that holding on to Beckham isn't in the best interests of the team? Hasn't General Manager Andrew Berry seen enough?

As much as Beckham made his reputation in New York with Eli Manning, it has been quite the opposite in Cleveland. There is no evidence that points to the situation changing. Ignoring him Sunday was borderline insulting to the star, who complains when he doesn't see the ball enough.

It would not surprise if he quietly asks to be shipped out to a team that appreciates his talents and has a quarterback who can cater to them.

*      *       *

I come from the school that believes officiating does not determine the outcome of games. Players and coaches do. There are way too many mistakes by players in the game of football that factor into the equation. 

Yes, officials make mistakes. They are human,. That's why instant replay has been used as an officiating tool to correct those errors. And generally, it has been effective.

I bring this up because a couple of bad calls against the Browns Sunday have been used as reasons they lost Sunday.  Uh, no. The Browns lost because the defense collapsed. It had nothing left in the tank in the fourth quarter when the Chargers scored touchdowns on four straight possessions, gaining a robust 262 yards that took only six minutes and 26 seconds off the clock.

That is what lost that game. Not the officiating, although I can't quarrel with the terrible call on Browns cornerback A.J. Green, who was flagged for pass interference against the Chargers' Mike Williams on a fourth and four from the LA 41 midway through the final quarter.

Replay clearly showed Willians tugging at Green's jersey as the two wrestled for the pass, which fell incomplete. The nearest official to the play only watched. The trailing official did not see the jersey tug and threw his flag. The 33-yard penalty enabled the Chargers to go on and tie the game at 35-35. Marginal call at best, but it happens.

No mention of the final play of the Minnesota game when Browns cornerback Greedy Williams all but mugged Adam Thielen of the Vikings in the end zone on a Hail Mary and did not draw laundry. Somehow, these things have a way of evening out.

*      *       *

It's time for the front office to reevaluate punter Jamie Gillan and perhaps bring in some free agents to challenge him because he seems to be regressing. 

His fine rookie season saw him average 46.2 yards a boot and 28 of his 63 punts land inside the 20-yard line. Last season, his average dropped to 44 yards per with only 14 of his 51 punts landing inside the 20. This season, the average has dipped to 41.8 yards with only five of his 15 punts inside the 20.

His diminishing numbers is a warning sign right now, His lack of distance has to be a concern. And who can forget his mishandling a snap in the season opener in Kansas City that led directly to the Chiefs' comeback?

The Scottish Hammer seems to have lost his effectiveness as someone coached to dictate field position for the defense. His weak 42-yard punt late in the fourth quarter Sunday enabled the Chargers to begin their game-winning drive in Cleveland territory. 

*      *       *

Finally . . . The Browns became the first team in National Football League history to lose a game where they scored at least 40 points and did not turn the ball over. Until Sunday, NFL teams were 463-0 in such games. . . . Now that he has proven he can be a dangerous target, it's time to integrate tight end David Njoku more heavily into the offense. His seven-catch (on seven targets), 149-yard, one touchdown day was a personal best and should elevate him over Austin Hooper. . . . Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt keep getting better. Since a modest 116-yard opener, the duo has combined for 502 yards on the ground in the last four games and accounted for nine of the club's 16 touchdowns overall. . . . Reviving the Andy Janovich meme: Why is he still on the roster? Only six snaps against the Chargers. 

Side note: There will be no mid-week thoughts this week.