D'Ernest Johnson ran the night away with a career game in the Browns' 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos. (Cleveland Browns)
On a must-win night, D’Ernest Johnson stole the show in prime time for the Browns
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Right from the start, you felt something different about the Browns.
They took the ball first after winning the coin toss. Kevin Stefanski never does that.
And before you knew it, there was Case Keenum bootlegging to start a drive, and not Baker Mayfield. And there was D’Ernest Johnson delivering pulverizing runs, and not Nick Chubb.
In five plays, the Browns were in the end zone and up, 7-0, thanks to two Keenum completions and runs by Johnson of 20, 10 and 4 yards for the touchdown.
It set the tone for a much-needed, 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos that halted a two-game losing streak, staved off the gravediggers, and allowed an injury-riddled team to enjoy their mini-bye weekend with a 4-3 record.
Filling in for the injured Chubb and Kareem Hunt, Johnson, the former mahi-mahi fisherman who DM’d every team in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football League for a tryout in 2018, was inspirational from beginning to end.
His career-high 146 yards on the ground included 52 on the Browns’ final possession that ate the remaining 5:12 off the game clock after Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater brought the Broncos to within three points with a 17-play touchdown drive.
“It was beautiful,” said defensive end Myles Garrett, who fought through constant uncalled holding to register 1 ½ sacks for 9 ½ on the season and move into second place all-time on the Browns’ sack list with 52.
“You love that. That’s our brand of football,” Garrett continued. “Especially the AFC North, that is what everybody does. Tough, physical, built to run the ball on anybody, and we doing it the best of anyone in the league right now. The best backs in the division all the way through.”
On a night the Browns got some injured players back just hours before kickoff following a short work week rife with concern, Stefanski’s offensive recipe for the win was his bread-and-butter running game; low-risk, quick-release passing by Keenum; and a rejuvenated, if humbled, defense.
Safety John Johnson intercepted Bridgewater in the end zone and the Browns shut out the Broncos in the first half on the scoreboard and held them to 0-for-4 on third downs.
Chase McLaughlin’s 52-yard field goal made it 10-0, Browns, at halftime.
Keenum, playing error-free, scratched another touchdown drive together with a big fourth-down conversion on a keeper and a 1-yard toss to fullback Johnny Stanton.
But the night belonged to Johnson.
Receiver Jarvis Landry, who made it back from a knee injury after missing four games, called Johnson’s night “amazing.”
Stefanski said, “D’Ernest Johnson to me is a warrior and a great teammate. What he has fought through in his career and then to go have a night like that … I thought was just outstanding.”
Johnson even received a shout-out in a Tweet from LeBron James watching from home.
“LeBron? Man, that is my favorite basketball player, I’m not going to lie to you,” Johnson said when informed of James’ Tweet. “LeBron? LeBron James? Wow, that is big time. That is amazing. LeBron James, I appreciate it, bro. That means a lot. Wow.”
Johnson appeared in the post-game interview room with a T-shirt bearing his motto: Trust the Process.
“I never lost trust in the process,” said Johnson, who came to the Browns after the AAF folded in 2019. “Coming from a fishing boat [off the Florida Keys], I always dreamed of playing in the NFL. Even when playing in the AAF, I always dreamed of playing here in the league. Being able to be on this team is a blessing.”
Johnson stole the spotlight from Keenum, who won his first start with the Browns and his first overall in two years and eight days since 2019 with Washington. Keenum admitted he was energized when Stefanski surprised everyone by taking the ball first after the coin toss.
“When Kevin told me that, I was like, ‘Let’s go,’” said Keenum, who completed 21 of 33 passes to 10 different receivers for 199 yards.
The Browns got a big boost from the effort of injured players to press themselves during the short week to get on the field. Those included Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., and left tackle Jedrick Wills. Also, Blake Hance did a great job filling in for right tackle Jack Conklin and keeping Denver pass rusher Von Miller all but invisible, until Miller injured a knee in a collision with a teammate just before halftime.
Baker Mayfield also tried to get back but couldn’t. In a news bomb before the game, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that Mayfield told him he suffered a fracture in his left humerus bone (that runs from the shoulder to the elbow) after his shoulder popped out in last week’s game against Arizona.
Mayfield told Glazer he still hoped to be ready to play next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the bone has to heal for that to happen.
“I am not going to get into specifics of Baker’s injury at this time,” Stefanski said. “He is another guy who is fighting, and he will be back out there as soon as he can.”
Stefanski said “there is a chance” Mayfield could play, “but it is too far away” to predict.
There’s plenty of time for that debate to be had. For now, the Browns get to enjoy the weekend and watch everyone else lose on Sunday.
