This is head coach Kevin Stefanski’s standard answer when asked by the Cleveland media about the Browns lack of execution. He says it when they lose and he says it when they win. Yes coach, everyone has to do a better job. So far the 2021 Cleveland Browns aren’t doing their jobs. From catching the football, to blocking and to tackling, the 2021 Cleveland Browns are having a season of missed opportunities. The Browns have led going into the fourth quarter in three of their four losses. Last year this team knew how to close games. Sometimes recovering an onside kick was necessary to secure the win, but they still closed out the game. So who’s to blame for this pile of average? There’s plenty of blame to go around.
Let’s start with the head coach. The Browns lead the NFL in penalties. The last time they did that, Freddie Kitchens was the head coach. If you’re a Browns head coach, the person you don’t want to be compared to is Freddie Kitchens. Penalties are placed at the foot of the head coach, it shows lack of attention to detail. A key third down and your wide receiver has a false start? What a freaking joke. Last year the whole team fed off of Stefanski’s calm, cool demeanor, this year there’s a sense of stressful nervousness. As for the play calling, yes wide receivers, tight ends and running backs were dropping routine passes, but the play calling in the second quarter was horrendous. I know Kevin Stefanski can be an offensive genius, he proved it with the first offensive possession in the second half. It was a nice mix of passing and running plays. Finally you have to keep running the ball, don’t give up on the run.
Next up, QB Baker Mayfield. Yes he had some high passes, but my problem was he’s not seeing the whole field. He’s missing wide open receivers while trying to force the ball into uncatchable situations. Where the hell was TE David Njoku for three quarters yesterday? He’s the ninth highest graded TE in the NFL. For weeks, everyone was saying the Browns missed having Jarvis Landry on the field. Now their saying the team really misses Donovan Peoples-Jones. Last time I looked, Njoku has been there every game. He can be a nightmare for a defense.
On a day where the defense held their opponent to 15 points and lost, quarterbacks like Trevor Siemian, Cooper Rush and Mike White were winning NFL games. Hell, even Geno Smith won yesterday. The Browns have scored 41 points their last three games. That’s a little over 13 points a game. This offense has become boring and inconsistent. All a defense has to do is put seven or guys in the box to take away the run and dare the Browns to throw the ball. What the hell happened to the offense that was used in the first game against Kansas City? Or the offense that was lighting up scoreboards in 2020? Opposing defenses were afraid of that offense. I think Kevin Stefanski was so worried about other teams figuring last years offense, he lost his creativity. Where are the trick plays? I could have sworn the Browns drafted a wide receiver with world class speed.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling for anyone to be fired and I still think Stefanski is the coach that can lead this team to the promise land. I also still have faith in QB Baker Mayfield. My advise to Kevin Stefanski, not that he cares what a self-employed accountant thinks, relax, don’t overthink things. This team was built to score a ton of points, get the lead and then run the ball to hold onto the lead. That way, the opposing team is in panic mode and making mistakes. The Browns can still make the playoffs, but they’re going to have to score more than 13 points a game. The whole team needs do a better job. I still think this is the most talented Browns roster I’ve seen. Let’s relax and refocus, because right now the team looks like they’re disoriented. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.