Nathan Shepherd celebrates a sack of Baker Mayfield as the Jets shock the Browns with a 23-16 victory over Cleveland. (New York Jets)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
All season long the Browns had been steeling themselves for the possibility of having to defeat Covid-19 in addition to an opponent on the field.
When the moment finally arose, with a playoff berth on the line, they weren’t up to the task.
And that’s why they took the 23-16 loss to the lowly New York Jets (2-13) so hard.
From Day 1, Stefanski preached that the survivors at the end of this bizarre season would be the ones to handle the Covid protocols the best, that overcoming player losses was paramount to reaching their goal.
They insisted it wasn’t the traumatic events of the previous 30 hours that cost them a chance to lock up the franchise’s first post-season appearance in 18 years.
The coach and quarterback adamantly refused to pin the painful defeat on losing their top four wide receivers, starting left tackle and two starting linebackers to Covid-related protocols.
“That has nothing to do with the results of this game,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We got beat. We had plenty of guys. We had all of the guys we needed, and we did not get it done.
"Credit to the Jets. They beat us. I got outcoached. We got outplayed. We did the things you can’t do. We were minus-two in the turnover battle – you can’t do that. Penalties. Drops. Not good."
After an excruciating two days, the Browns returned from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey knowing their playoff hopes are still alive.
By virtue of Pittsburgh’s comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts (10-5), the Browns (10-5) cling by a fingernail to the AFC’s last playoff seed, below fifth seed Miami (10-5) and sixth seed Baltimore (10-5).
A win over the Steelers (12-3) in FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday would guarantee the Browns a ticket to the post-season. A loss would take losses by the Colts against Jacksonville or two losses by the Titans, starting Sunday night against the Packers.
“What is ahead of us is everything that we set out to do this season,” Stefanski said. “It is all still right there. We have to make sure that we are very honest about the tape tomorrow when we look at it together and then identify, correct and move on. Then Wednesday, we are getting back to work.”
The Browns won’t know until Thursday how many of the players identified as high-risk contact will be available. Linebacker B.J. Goodson, who tested positive on Saturday morning, will not be cleared to play. The fate of left tackle Jedrick Wills, who was ruled out Sunday morning after clearing protocol on Saturday, is uncertain.
What is certain is that Baker Mayfield had no excuses for losing the ball three times on fumbles, including twice on fourth-quarter possessions with chances to go ahead or tie. It was an abrupt reversal of his surge up the charts in the previous seven games.
Mayfield attempted 53 passes, completing 28 for 285 yards. He was sacked four times and suffered the three fumbles. Falling behind, 20-3, in the first half, the Browns ran the just 18 times for 45 yards and short touchdowns by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. The Jets’ defense played with a ferocity that belied their 2-13 record.
Mayfield used one question to deliver a passionate commentary about his performance and then walked out of the post-game Zoom room after two minutes, seven seconds.
He said of the weekend’s misadventures:
“It is pretty much 2020 all in 24 hours. This is what happens, and you have to adapt and change. It is not an excuse. I am just going to go ahead and answer all of the questions right now.
“None of this, there is no excuse. Yeah, it sucks that we did not have our guys, but we believe in the guys we have in this locker room, no matter who it is. That is why they are here. That is why they are Cleveland Browns. That is why they were brought here. We suited them [up]. We believe in them, and I told every single one of those guys that.
“There is no excuse. Plain and simple, I failed this team. I put three balls on the ground – two of them they recovered and the other on the fourth down, I just need to hold onto the damn ball. Plain and simple, I have to hold onto the damn ball. I failed this team.
“We had exactly what we needed to win this game, and I did not do good enough. That is it. I am proud of these guys being able to step up. These guys did not even think they were going to play. For anybody to criticize them, shame on you. Put it on me for not doing my job, for not playing at a high level like I should have and for not getting these guys going and finishing out this game.
“I have to hold onto the ball during a QB sneak … This one is on me.”
Because of the lateness of the player losses – just hours before the team was scheduled to depart to New Jersey on Saturday afternoon – Stefanski said it was too late to redo a gameplan. He had to conduct a team walk-through Sunday morning in the parking garage adjacent to the team hotel to get practice squad receivers Ja’Marcus Bradley and Derek Willies, and never-used new arrival Marvin Hall up to speed.
“Those guys were in all of the meetings, they were at the walk-throughs, they were at practice and they understood the plan,” Stefanski said. “We made some modifications, as anybody would in that situation, but the guys understood what we were doing.”
Mayfield found a rhythm after Sheldon Richardson blocked his second kick of the game – a 50-yard field goal attempt with the Jets holding a 20-3 lead. The offense kicked up its tempo and Mayfield started connecting with Bradley, and Chubb and Hunt got rolling.
A 60-yard TD drive in 2:45 was followed by an 83-yard TD jaunt in 3:43. But when Cody Parkey doinked the PAT off the left upright, it bode badly.
Mayfield’s costly fumbles occurred with 3:14 left on a strip sack by pass rusher John Franklin-Myers at the Browns’ 15-yard line, leading to a Jets field goal, and then with 1:18 left on a fourth-and-inches quarterback sneak. Hunt recovered beyond the first-down marker, but by rule in the final two minutes the ball had to be returned to point of fumble, which was short of the marker.
Ultimately, Mayfield failed to produce his third fourth-quarter comeback win of the season. It made a winner of 2018 draft rival Sam Darnold (16 of 32, 175 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers).
“Here is the thing,” Mayfield said. “This one is going to sting for a day or two, but we have the Steelers to win and get in. Yes, I am aware of what could have happened if we would have won today. I am well aware of that, but it is what it is.
“I am going to have to roll with these punches. Backs against the wall, and we have to win to get in. This group fought today, but I did not do enough and play well enough for us to win, and that is it.”
After everything the Browns have been through, all they have to do now is go 1-0. Just like the coach has been saying all along.