Why Kevin Stefanski isn’t committing (yet) to a Joe Flacco takeover at quarterback
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Second thoughts on Browns 29-12 loss to Denver Broncos …1. A day later, the Browns’ injury news was much better than feared. Defensive end Myles Garrett, who said he felt a pop in his left shoulder during the game and addressed media in the locker room with his left arm in a sling, suffered no structural damage in the shoulder, per Kevin Stefanski. “The shoulder is sore, but [we] feel good about where he’ll be … but, [he’s] day to day,” the coach said. Stefanski affirmed that he expected Garrett to be ready to play Sunday against the Rams. Receiver Amari Cooper (ribs) and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (ankle) also are “day to day,” said Stefanski, adding he thinks both will be “OK,” for Sunday. The one exception is quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion), who must pass through the meticulous protocol process before his game status can be ascertained. Players who suffer a concussion in a game nowadays rarely are able to play the next game.
2. Which means the Browns have to prepare Joe Flacco for game action one week after signing him off the streets of New Jersey across the Delaware River from Philadelphia – Stefanski’s old stomping grounds. If nothing else, Flacco, 38, is physically and mentally fresh; whereas Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker are beaten up on both counts. DTR was an emotional wreck after beating Pittsburgh, and the brutal shot he took from Denver linebacker Baron Browning in full sprint mode was the worst hit -- but certainly not the first -- he’s absorbed in his three starts. As for Walker, he has earned his share of potential playoff money with two wins, but, frankly, the Browns have squeezed just about all they could out of him.
3. Nevertheless, Stefanski was typically non-committal about going all-in on Flacco in the practice week in Los Angeles. “As you can imagine, we have P.J., we have Joe if Dorian’s not available,” Stefanski said, almost comically. Asked what he needs to see from Flacco this week to start him against the Rams, Stefanski said, “We’ll see where it goes, where this week goes based on, obviously, Dorian’s health.” What exactly is that word salad all about? I want to believe Stefanski mostly is being respectful to Thompson-Robinson and Walker, who have given everything they have in their appearances in relief of the fallen Deshaun Watson. My concern is that there is a directive from the personnel and analytics departments to keep Thompson-Robinson at the helm and coach him through this forced growth period. I could understand that if the Browns were out of the playoff picture. But the Browns’ playoff hopes, obviously, are very much alive; they would be the AFC sixth seed if the season ended today. The Browns have scored 3, 13 and 12 points in DTR’s three starts. I asked Stefanski why he feels the fifth-round rookie is capable of shouldering the enormous burden of playoff expectations with six games to go. “Yeah, I would just tell you any young player that you put in there and you’re continuing to coach and bring them along again,” he answered. “Disappointed that he got hurt in yesterday’s game, disappointed that play occurred, but we’ll just keep bringing our young guys along.” More word salad there. I think Flacco’s cannon arm, his icy demeanor and his 15 years’ experience are what the Browns need at quarterback right now.
4. Compounding this quarterback decision is the fact the defense is now taking major hits with injuries and is leaking oil. The sad possibility is that Jim Schwartz’s defense might have already peaked. So offensive points figure to be even more of a premium going forward. Fortunately, the Browns don’t have a road-heavy final schedule – three at home and three on the road. Schwartz’s defense has been historical at home but merely mortal on the road. In six games at home, the defense has permitted 10 points a game; on the road, 26.8 (and that figure subtracts two defensive touchdowns by the Steelers in Game 2). At home, the defense is yielding 176 yards per game; on the road, 334.6.
5. Stefanski’s pass-happy offensive game plan against Denver’s 32nd-ranked run defense – 24 runs v. 46 pass plays (counting four sacks) – drew heavy criticism from fans. I believe the ire was intensified by the harsh, but fair, criticism on the FOX broadcast leveled by analyst Mark Sanchez, the former Jets quarterback. I thought Sanchez was spot-on on a couple occasions. When tight end David Njoku mishandled a Thompson-Robinson pass between four – yes, four – Denver defenders, Sanchez exclaimed, “This is almost a defensive team meeting. You’re asking DTR to do these trick shots right now. I can’t wrap my head around it, especially when you can run the ball the way you do.” Sanchez sounded the frustration of Browns fans everywhere in his commentary on the ill-fated double-reverse involving Elijah Moore and Pierre Strong that resulted in a turnover and Denver touchdown in the fateful fourth quarter. “Why are we getting so cute?” Sanchez shrieked. “This isn’t the Harlem Globetrotters right here. I mean, what are we doing? Right downhill. The way you won games, 2-1 with P.J. Walker as a starter. You got to go win this game. You got 15 minutes to put this game away and you’re going to flip the ball around to different players? I just don’t understand, man. Especially with the rushing attack you have … the O-line coach, the way they’re moving the ball.” That’s good stuff. And fair commentary.
6. A 29-12 final score had never happened in pro football history before Sunday in Denver. Thus, the score has been tagged as a scorigami, a word coined by sportswriter, blogger and documentist Jon Bois to signify unique scores in pro football history. For the record, there have been 17,560 games played in pro football – not just the NFL -- through Monday night, according to the fabulous Website profootballreference.com. There have been only 260 one-time, unique final scores, aka scorigamis. The Browns have been involved in 17 of them. Notable Browns scorigamis: Bengals 58, Browns 48 in 2004; Browns 40, Ravens 25 in 2019; Browns 48, Steelers 27 in 2020 AFC wildcard game. I thought Browns 51, Steelers 0 in 1989 would be a scorigami, but two other games ended with that score. The most common score in pro football history? According to profootballreference.com, it’s 20-17. It has happened 286 times – 54 times more than second-most common score of 27-24.
