Kevin Stefanski has to change his offensive game plan in the rematch against the Ravens. The season is on the line and will end with a loss. (Cleveland Browns)
Second thoughts: Kevin Stefanski better follow the script of Mike Tomlin and, yes, Freddie Kitchens in rematch v. Ravens
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Second thoughts on an eventful Browns bye week …
1. Even after blowing a four-interception defensive performance against Lamar Jackson in the 16-10 loss in Baltimore, this Ravens-bye week-Ravens gauntlet continues to be incredibly fortuitous for the Browns. This rare scheduling quirk is quite the perk for the Browns. If they don’t take advantage with a win in the rematch Sunday in Cleveland, the season will be over with four games to go and player evaluations will commence a month early. Look for lots of player turnover on offense after the season if that happens. Until then, the football gods smiled on the Browns on their bye. The Bengals (7-5) continued their Jeckyll-and-Hyde season with a big loss at home to the Chargers, during which Bengals QB Joe Burrow suffered a dislocated pinkie on his throwing hand. (So, other quarterbacks besides Baker Mayfield are playing with injuries? Shocking!) In Pittsburgh, the Steelers (6-5-1) stayed alive by TKO’ing the first-place Ravens (8-4) in a typical AFC North physical brawl. It bears noting that both Ben Roethlisberger and Jackson rose to the moment by leading their teams to touchdown drives in the final 6 ½ minutes. Jackson’s drive – 60 yards in 1:36 with 1 timeout – was sublime, but his pass for Mark Andrews to win it on a 2-point conversion was off the mark when T.J. Watt’s pressure forced him to throw an instant too early. The Ravens also lost All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey to a torn pec muscle. Humphrey, who routinely manhandles Browns receivers, is out for the year, joining Marcus Peters, who was lost in training camp. Where would the Browns be without Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome? For some reason, Somebody Up There wants the Browns to win this division, but they keep getting in their own way.
2. Kevin Stefanski and his coaching staff have an advantage in game-planning for the Ravens without having played a game since their last meeting. “We really have our game and the Pittsburgh game as new tape, if you will, that we did not have available to us when we were game-planning previously,” he said. What Stefanski saw was the Steelers not backing down from the Ravens’ 8- and 9-man defensive fronts. Mike Tomlin pounded rookie back Najee Harris 21 times. Although Harris netted only 71 yards (a 3.4-yard average), the body blows paid dividends on Pittsburgh’s go-ahead drive. On the Steelers’ 11 plays to the end zone, they ran the ball 6 times for 35 important yards. In contrast to the Browns (15 total rushes by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt for 36 yards), Mike Tomlin didn’t throw up his hands and sigh, “Can’t run into that defense. Nope, can’t do it.” Tomlin has now coached 31 games against the Ravens. He knows you have to be physical on offense to beat them. Even with a suspect offensive line totally inferior to that of the Browns, Tomlin challenged his running game and it got the job done with the game on the line.
3. In addition to Sunday’s Pittsburgh-Baltimore game, Stefanski should pull out the game tape of the Browns’ 40-25 mauling of the Ravens in Game 4 of the 2019 season. Yes, those were different iterations of both teams, but the Ravens’ defensive philosophy hasn’t changed since then. In his shining moment, Freddie Kitchens fed the rock to Nick Chubb 20 times despite the Ravens crowding the “tackle box” that day – just like they always do. Behind an offensive line featuring Greg Robinson at left tackle, Eric Kush at right guard and Chris Hubbard at right tackle, Chubb stomped over and through the Ravens for 165 yards and three touchdowns. His success enabled Mayfield to throw 30 times for 342 yards and one TD in an offensive beatdown that actually effectuated changes that turned the Ravens’ season around. Stefanski’s pass-oriented, finesse game plan in the first Baltimore game might have been his worst moment in a bad year. He has come up short in selling out to whatever he has to do to win a game and shown too much faith in Mayfield. Luckily for him, he has a chance to atone and redeem himself.
4. Stefanski’s week of “self-scouting” should open his eyes to the error of his ways, even though the loss of Humphrey may tempt him to throw, throw, throw. But the high ankle sprain injury to Harrison Bryant will force a schematic change away from Stefanski’s beloved 13 – three tight ends – sets. “With Harrison out, we will have to adjust,” Stefanski conceded. “That is the conversation we are having. Where do you want to go with that? Who do you want to put on the field and how do you want to evolve your game plan based on who is available to you?” OK, let’s walk through this. Do you replace Bryant with practice squad tight end Miller Forristall and stubbornly run the 13 formation plays? Do you replace Bryant with a third receiver – Ja’Marcus Bradley or Rashard Higgins? Or do you put Kareem Hunt on the field with Nick Chubb and finally – finally! – create a 22 package (two running backs) with either or both motioning out of the backfield as a receiving target? “Yeah, I do think it is something you can do in this system and really any system in terms of plugging in those guys,” Stefanski said. “I think we just want to be mindful and intentional about why we are doing and what we are doing. If you do something like that, you want to have a good reason to do it and put those guys in position to succeed.” Here are the reasons to do it: 1. You have to play physical to beat the Ravens, and 2. Chubb and Hunt are the most physical playmakers on offense.
5. One of the downfalls of the Browns’ offense has been the situation at right tackle. The season-ending injury to sixth man Chris Hubbard in October was exacerbated by injuries (dislocated elbow and ruptured patellar tendon) to starting right tackle Jack Conklin. These events forced guard-center Blake Hance to right tackle, which even line coach Bill Callahan has said was unfair. The Browns have used a third tight end to help Hance in pass pro, but with Bryant out, that resource is gone. Stefanski indicated Callahan is considering a change, as Hance’s four starts at right tackle have been akin to playing with fire. “I think we will work through all of those types of things this week,” Stefanski said. “With all of our guys, we are looking at what gives us the best chance, and certainly at the offensive line, you have to replace a guy like Jack, that is not easy. We are working through all of that.” Possibilities include giving fourth-round rookie James Hudson another start, or conducting an audition in the practice week between guard Michael Dunn and practice squad tackle Alex Taylor.
6. It used to be that long snappers only got noticed when they misfired their missiles to punters and holders. Now in the pandemic era, they get a mention if they land on the COVID list. So it is that Charley Hughlett, the Browns' dependable long snapper, has not yet passed through COVID protocols. Hughlett, who is second in service time on the roster to Joel Bitonio, has a streak of 110 consecutive games (counting postseason) on the line – longest active streak on the team – not to mention hundreds more perfect spirals delivered from his upside-down stance. “It is an anonymous position,” Stefanski said. “He does a really nice job for us. He has done it at a high level. He is a leader for this special teams group so we are excited for when he can get back in here.” In the meantime, the Browns will practice with their backup long snapper, who is – ta-da – linebacker Mack Wilson. The last linebacker to serve as a Browns long snapper was Scott Nicolas in 1986.
