Nick Chubb averaged 7.4 yards a rush, but the Browns still allowed Baker Mayfield to throw 36 times and be intercepted four times. (Cleveland Browns)
Kevin Stefanski’s faith in a rusty Baker Mayfield results in four interceptions and a 24-22 loss
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
RUN THE DAMN BALL.
That’s what Browns safety John Johnson live-tweeted from home watching Kevin Stefanski allow Baker Mayfield to throw once, twice, three times to the Green Bay Packers in the first half.
Mayfield arrived in Green Bay early Christmas morning via private jet when he cleared COVID protocols. He had not practiced for 10 days, yet Stefanski’s early game-plan put unrequited faith in his quarterback.
When Stefanski came to his senses, it was his Pro Bowl running back, Nick Chubb, who put the Browns in position to win. Chubb was unstoppable running with the football and fueled two scoring drives in the second half. He energized his defense to force Green Bay to punt three times in the fourth quarter after two three-and-out possessions and one five-and-out.
It came down to another failed offensive drive in the final 2 minutes. The Browns drove from their 25 to midfield in five plays – three runs and one reception by Chubb. So they had the ball at the 50 with one minute to go and owned all their timeouts.
And what did they do? Mayfield threw three consecutive passes. Two were incomplete. The third was intercepted for a fourth time to seal the 24-22 defeat to the Packers.
Afterwards, Stefanski said he was trying to score a touchdown. Obviously, he had no faith in setting up a game-winning field goal try by his raw, emergency kicker Chris Naggar. The young Naggar missed his first PAT in his first-ever NFL kick but had settled down to make a 37-yard field goal and a PAT in the fourth quarter.
RUN THE DAMN BALL
It may be the epitaph for this Browns season.
A second excruciating loss in five days dipped the Browns’ record to 7-8 with two games to go. There is a scenario for the Browns to claim the division title with wins over Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but they need help from other teams. The loss leaves their destiny out of their control.
“We may not control our destiny but we control what we do this week in Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football,” Stefanski said.
Chubb carried the ball only five times for 37 yards in the first half when Mayfield was zinging it hither and yon. But it was obvious the Packers couldn’t stop Chubb. He rolled up 89 yards on 12 carries in the second half. In all, Chubb averaged 7.4 yards a rush, 126 yards on 17 attempts, with one touchdown. Chubb also had 58 receiving yards on three catches, including a 40-yard catch-and-run with a screen pass on the second play of the game. It was his day.
RUN THE DAMN BALL
Stefanski’s explanation for his pass-heavy game plan: “In the moment, you’re trying to do whatever you can to help the team. We had good moments in the run and pass, but ultimately we came up short as a team.”
How on Earth could the Browns coaches expect Mayfield to be sharp after he was forced to quarantine after testing positive for COVID on Dec. 15?
His first interception was thrown deep into double coverage for Donovan Peoples-Jones. The second one was a typical high ball intended for Jarvis Landry, who was open inside the Packers’ red zone. The third was also intended for Landry, who slipped when he turned and saw the ball coming. The last one should have been called defensive holding on cornerback Rasul Douglas who was tugging on Peoples-Jones.
“Little bit of contact, but you can’t bank on that being called,” said Mayfield, who was disgusted with himself.
Mayfield was 21 of 36 for 222 yards. He had touchdown passes of 1 yard to Harrison Bryant and 5 yards to Anthony Schwartz. He was also sacked five times and his four interceptions accounted for a lowly passer rating of 55.3. All would have been forgotten if he had had come through at the end or had he just handed off to Chubb and earned a fairy-tale, game-winning field goal try by Naggar.
Who knows? Chubb might have took it to the house on his own.
“Just missed throws. Uncharacteristic. I hurt this team. That’s what’s frustrating to me,” he said. “I’m a quarterback in the NFL. I need to make those throws.”
Stefanski never throws his players under the bus and usually takes the blame for anything that goes wrong, especially on offense. But he didn’t do that after this game, though he probably should have apologized for a game plan that put too much responsibility on Mayfield.
“Finished minus-4 in the turnover margin vs. a team that doesn’t turn the ball over. To be in a 2-point game when we didn’t do a great job with the ball is unfortunate. With Baker, I know we had four interceptions, but we win as a team, lose as a team. Baker’s going to take it hard.”
The harshest thing Stefanski said about Mayfield was “poor decision … we’ve got to learn from them.”
Once again, the offense wasted a strong game from the defense. Without four starters – and with defensive end Myles Garrett obviously less than 100 percent playing with a groin injury – the defense held Aaron Rodgers to 202 yards passing. Rodgers took advantage of Mayfield’s three interceptions in the first half with three touchdown passes of his own, extending his Packers record to 445 career TDs.
Rodgers has been playing with a broken small toe on his left foot and he hobbled to the sideline on two occasions when first Garrett and then Packers right guard Royce Newman stepped on his foot in the first half.
The problem was the defense couldn’t produce a turnover of its own.
It probably wouldn’t have mattered because the Browns didn’t RUN THE DAMN BALL until it was too late.
