Cleveland, OH-
The Cleveland Browns sit at the bottom of the AFC North with a record of 3-7. The excuses and finger pointing are at an all time high. One of the loudest arguments is placing blame on backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The fans who believe this have a narrative that “Deshaun Watson will make up for a lot of the teams’ mistakes.”
Let’s talk about those mistakes
The Browns have allowed over 30 points in five of their ten games. The defense leaves receivers open and has been shredded by the run.
Special teams have allowed at least one blocked field goal in each game.
Coaching and play calling from Kevin Stefanski has been atrocious. He’s went for it on fourth down when he should have kicked a field goal numerous times. Stefanski keeps saying he’ll do better yet week after week it’s the same story.
Defense unaccountable
Defensive coordinator Joe Woods’ unit is not working together. The unraveling is glaring. After the team’s most recent loss safety Grant Delpit was asked how to fix the trust in the run he game. Delpit said “In order to have trust you have to know what you’re doing.”
Defensive end Myles Garrett said “there’s a lack of importance” at practice. And possibly the most ironic statement of Garrett’s was “It doesn’t matter if you’re ready to run through a wall if it’s in the wrong direction.”
Blaming Brissett
The direction of this team is upside down. Blaming Brissett is factually incorrect. He has been one of the lone bright spots in this disappointing season. Brissett has one job and that’s to give the team a chance to win. He has arguably done that in every game. Brissett has a completion rate of 64.3% (213/331) he’s thrown for eleven touchdowns with five interceptions.
What grade would you give #Browns QB Jacoby Brissett so far this season?
(Via @Browns)pic.twitter.com/ypdbS95Kq1
— BrownsNation.com (@BrownsNationcom) November 7, 2022
Watson will not fix the problems within the Browns. In fact, he hasn’t played in over two years. Brissett may very well play better than Watson this season.
Put this into perspective. Josh Allen and the Bills took the first half of Sunday’s game to get in a groove after missed practices & travel due to snow. Read that again. Now, if a team needs time to overcome a snow storm, I’d say it’ll take a lot for Watson to jump back into the league and right the sinking ship that is the Cleveland Browns.
“Who knows Watson”
Despite Watson’s off-the-field behavior, his ability to be an elite quarterback is questionable. He’s entering a team that is torn apart at the seams.
This team needs leadership. They have that with Brissett and Watson quit on his last team. If Watson had issues with the Texans it’ll be interesting to see how he views the Browns organization.
Watson is a 230 million dollar question mark. Brissett has exceeded expectations and given Cleveland more than anyone could ask for. Throwing him under the bus is typical misplaced blame from disgruntled Cleveland fans. Saying Watson is the savior is typical delusion from disgruntled Cleveland fans.
Nancy Prater
November 20, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Love this. I was hoping Jacoby would do so well we wouldn’t need Watson. And he HAS proven that he can do it-it is too bad he isn’t being given credit as he should!
John Suriano
November 20, 2022 at 9:02 pm
Jacoby has done a good job. He has had a few costly and I mean costly turnovers but has played beyond expectations. Jacobys win loss record does not reflect the play he had produced The Browns are snake bit I’ve been rooting for this team since I could root thanks to my dad.Its hard to be a BROWNS fan but I’m a lifer. GO BROWNS!!
Robert
November 20, 2022 at 10:00 pm
This is spot-on. The majority of blame belongs to Haslem, Berry, Stefanski, and Woods.
Randy Hrvatin
November 20, 2022 at 10:17 pm
When I read Delpit’s comment,” in order to have trust you have to know what you are doing,” I posted on another site,” let’s see in the spring there were OTA”s, 2 mini camps, and then this summer training camp with 3 preseason games and now 10 regular season games. When will they know what they are doing, the last 5 minutes of the last regular season game? Not to mention the same d coordinator the last 3 seasons and most of the pieces back from last season.”
Paul
November 21, 2022 at 1:00 am
The fans are not the problem it’s the entire football operation . They had a wining team and they blew up the roster so the Ivey league boys could show how smart they are . We see how smart they are. Dorsey should have never been fired
Alan D’Entremont
November 21, 2022 at 6:29 am
Baker Mayfield wasn’t the problem either…Haslam is the biggest problem…with Stefanski running a close second…
George Bowers
November 21, 2022 at 7:18 am
Nailed it secondary cannot finish tackles linebackers cannot fill gaps corners cannot contain the run
Frank Saulino
November 21, 2022 at 5:12 pm
When Mayfield went in for an injured Tyrod Taylor, we all saw it, we all felt it, we all knew it…the city of Cleveland and every browns fan saw, felt and dug the crap out of the spark that guy provided… that intangible that had been missing for decades…The next season was a building effort that paid off in 2020….That was a winning season and we won our first playoff game in decades….We had acquired some of the best players in the NFL and what was presumably a great head coach….The Browns were finally rockin’ !!! What happened ?
I put the downhill spiral squarely on the shoulders of Kevin Stefanski……Here’s why……First of all, for his inability to quell the infighting among the players….They had a monstrous lineup, as good or better than most and as a leader he should have had them all on the same page working like a well oiled machine….A good “leader” would be able to do this……He also should have benched Baker after he was injured….regardless of what Baker or the team doctor had to say…..Keenum was an adequate backup and would have kept Baker from further injury…and likely won a few more games……And his play calling was just ridiculous….(first and goal on the one yard line and he calls a pass play despite having the best running backs in the NFL)….Browns were on fire for a fragile moment, but are now again just a basement laughing stock….
Frank Saulino
November 21, 2022 at 5:14 pm
Good article Natalie……Spot on…
Frank Saulino
November 21, 2022 at 5:16 pm
Before anyone brings up the egos of the players, let me add that a head coaches leadership skills should supersede those egos and be able to take maximum advantages of their abilities….He was not able to do that…and that “Coach of the Year” thing went to his head……I doubt we’ll see an opportunity like that for some time….
Keith Fickle
November 23, 2022 at 4:38 pm
The Ownership needs to let the football people do their thing and quit meddling with the on-field part of the game. And keep people around for stability. 6 head coaches in nearly 10 full seasons of ownership, & an overall record of 50-106-1.
ANDREW HALL
November 26, 2022 at 11:19 am
Nobody said Jakoby is the problem.
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