Jaylon Johnson's steal of a perfect pass to Jerry Jeudy prevented a Browns TD and wrapped up a big win for the playoff-bound Bears. (Chicago Bears)
brought to you by Kaz Company - call 216-901-9300
You must have an active subscription to read this story.
Click Here to subscribe Now!
Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
CHICAGO, IL
The Browns shouldn’t even had bothered to come.
They mailed it in on a bitterly cold day in Soldier Field and played like a team signalling to everyone that, yeah, it’s not only OK for big changes, it’s probably time for them.
Only a few of the Browns came to play the Chicago Bears, who climbed to 10-4 under first-year head coach Ben Johnson after a 31-3 rout. The Browns dropped to 3-11 under sixth-year coach Kevin Stefanski – 6-25 over the last two seasons.
Supposedly a trap game for the Bears in between two pivotal contests against division-rival Green Bay, the Bears padded their league-leading turnover margin with three interceptions. They probably wouldn’t have broken a sweat even if the temperature were 90 degrees. In one year, they’ve built a physical team suited for December football.
The Browns put rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in an impossible situation by falling behind, 14-0, because of repeated blunders, none of which was his fault.
They allowed a 52-yard return by Devin Duvernay on the opening kickoff. The Bears didn’t score, but their subsequent punt pinned Sanders at the 1-yard line after a Browns replay challenge seeking a touchback failed.
One false start and a 12-men-in-the-huddle penalty later, the Browns’ first punt then was returned 18 yards by Duvernay to the Browns’ 42. It led to Chicago’s first touchdown on a 6-yard run by D’Andre Swift.
On the Browns’ second offensive possession, a Sanders scramble for a first down was overturned by “replay assist.” The Browns punted and their defense laid down as Bears quarterback Caleb Williams took them 80 yards in nine plays. Williams tossed TD to D.J. Moore crossing to the left corner after he beat backup cornerback Myles Harden at the snap of the ball.
That defensive possession was so bad that linebacker Carson Schwesinger – one of the few Browns who showed up – made a tackle of receiver Luther Burden 40 yards downfield. In the first two defensive possessions, Schwesinger made four of his game-high 14 tackles.
“Yeah, [we were] ready to play,” Stefanski maintained. “Obviously, they had a good return coming out, and then we got backed up there. I felt like the player [downing the punt] was on the line. I was not sure how that didn't get overturned, and then we're backed up inside the one, which is a tough place to start in a game against a good team.”
Yes. But ballgame at that point?
Myles Garrett was another defensive player who showed up, as usual. Garrett was credited with 1.5 sacks to draw him within one of the official NFL record of 22.5.
Otherwise, the defense had one of its worst games. It allowed 21 first downs, 361 total yards, 142 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, and 242 yards and two TDs passing from Williams. The second-year Chicago quarterback was 17 of 28 and unfazed by the minus-1 wind chill.
Williams protected the ball and threw accurately on the move. He made one amazing TD throw across his body to D.J. Moore between Grant Delpit and Tyson Campbell in the second half.
So, two touchdowns down, Sanders had no chance. The offensive line featured a center making his second NFL start and then it had to fit in off-the-street arrival Garrett Dellinger at right guard when Teven Jenkins suffered a shoulder injury.
The running game was atrocious from the start. Quinshon Judkins had 21 yards on 12 carries. Sanders was the Browns’ leading ground-gainer with 24 on two scrambles.
“It was just hard for us to get into rhythm,” Sanders said.
Sanders didn’t know whether to pin the running problems on the early deficit or the offensive line doldrums.
“Honestly, I don't know how to answer that. I'm not sure. I think overall, I just got to get us out of that situation. Then that’ll open the door,” he said.
Sanders tried to light a few sparks to the offense. He connected with Isaiah Bond for a 42-yard pass in the middle of the field when down, 14-0. That scoring threat ended in one of his five sacks.
In the third quarter, Sanders evaded a sack and connected with Harold Fannin for 13 yards and a first down at the Bears’ 32. That foray ended in a 50-yard Andre Szmyt field goal to close the deficit to 14-3.
After Sanders’ first interception – a great play by linebacker D’Marco Jackson, who tipped the pass near the line of scrimmage and intercepted it – resulted in a Chicago TD and 21-3 lead, the rookie came back again with a 47-yard completion to Isaiah Bond.
But from the Bears’ 24, Sanders laid in a perfect pass for Jerry Jeudy down the right sideline. The ball went off Jeudy’s hands and when Jeudy tried to grasp it to his chest cornerback Jaylon Johnson took it away and intercepted in the end zone.
“It's going to happen, so, like, it is what it is,” Sanders said. “I'm not one to, you know, kick somebody when you're down. You know, he understands it's a big play, and I'm sure he's hard on himself. So, there's no need for me to be extra [down on him].”
Jeudy’s explanation was that Johnson made a good play on the ball. Jeudy had two catches on four targets for 22 yards.
After that, the defense let Williams move his team 80 yards in nine plays for another Swift TD run of 17 yards.
Sanders was intercepted one more time and finished with numbers befitting a rookie trying to beat a good team on the road with little help from his teammates. He completed 18 of 35 passes for 177 yards. The three INTs lowered his passer rating to 30.3, marking it by far the worst statistical outing in his four starts, three of which are losses.
The outing didn't secure Sanders' future as the starting QB next year, but he'll have three more starts this year, Stefanski reaffirmed.
“I'm the same person regardless, so I still got the same belief in myself, and I definitely feel like it’s like it every week. You got to get out there, learn from it, play better, and that's it,” Sanders said.
With three games to go, any learning gained from these painful experiences will benefit only those returning next season. You really have to wonder if Stefanski will be one of them.