Second thoughts: Kevin Stefanski’s worst day of game management was biggest factor in Browns’ 21-17 loss

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.

LONDON

Second thoughts on Vikings 21, Browns 17 … 

1. Upon every loss this season, Kevin Stefanski has not been shy about saying, “We as coaches have to do better.” But never has the statement rung truer than after this defeat. It was Stefanski’s worst performance of game management that I can remember.

2. Start with the Browns’ offensive series beginning at their 41 with 3:27 to go and a 17-14 lead. Two safe inside handoffs to Quinshon Judkins netted minus-1 and zero yards, after which Minnesota used their first two timeouts. By third-and-11, the series already was a failure, and Stefanski should have cut his losses. But instead of calling a wide zone run to bleed a few more seconds off the clock and force Minnesota’s third timeout, Stefanski had Dillon Gabriel throw. Gabriel’s intentional overthrow stopped the clock at 3:16. So, the Browns had to punt after eating only 11 seconds off the clock. “The goal there is to stay on the field, get first downs, make the clock roll and finish the game with the ball,” Stefanski said. “Obviously going three-and-out doesn’t get it done. And when you look at that as a coach, you always immediately, and also now, think about different things that you can do. There’s a ton of philosophies there on what you’re trying to do, who you’re trying to play through if you want to have risk involved and you know, potentially use the quarterback there. So, there’s all sorts of things that we can do in that situation. And anytime you come up short, you always think about putting your players in position to succeed. So frustrating to not gain yards on that first and second down calls and then frustrated obviously to come away with an incompletion on third down. But we’ll teach off of it. We’ll learn from it.”

3. Just as egregious seemed the ensuing defensive series. In five plays, Carson Wentz took the Vikings from their 20 to the Browns’ 27. Stefanski burned his first timeout at 1:10. The next two plays netted 6 yards and Stefanski burned timeout No. 2 at :59. On third-and-4, Wentz converted the first down on a 4-yard completion to Jordan Addison. A replay assist delay resulted in the officials ruling Addison had not reached out of bounds to stop the clock. Stefanski had the option then of using his third timeout or accepting a 10-second run-off. He chose the timeout at :54. So Wentz then had the ball at the Browns’ 17, and two plays later hit Addison for the 12-yard TD. Incredibly, the Vikings didn’t need to burn their last timeout and still were able to travel 80 yards. Stefanski kept stopping the clock for them. “Obviously it didn’t work out for us how we wanted it to work out, both in the result of the game and that drive itself,” the coach said. “So, you’re always thinking about different ways you can do it. But we trust our guys to come through it. But we didn’t come through as a football team. That’s players, coaches. That’s offense, defense, and special teams.”

4. In the past, Stefanski has always said the Browns’ process in managing these situations includes feedback from other coaches and the team’s research analyst in the coaches booth. His name is Dave Giuliani, and he was appointed to the position of VP of research and strategy by Paul DePodesta, chief strategy officer. From what Stefanski has said in the past, nobody orders him to do anything. He gathers data supplied by Giuliani and opinions of assistant coaches and makes the call himself. But time is of the essence and the chaotic moments of these crucial situations require clear and quick thinking. I asked Stefanski if he thought there are too many voices in his headset complicating sound decision-making. “I don’t. I don’t. I’m very comfortable with the group we have in game,” he said.

5. Not a great performance, either, by the officiating crew headed by referee Scott Novak. Three missed calls could have severely changed the flow of the game, and two would have benefitted the Browns. The first was a taunting penalty NOT called on Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson on Minnesota’s scoring drive to open the second half. Jefferson made his typical high-point catch for 21 yards down to the Browns’ 35, and then he flipped the ball at cornerback Greg Newsome and jawed at him. Taunting has been a point of emphasis in the league this year. Many flags have been thrown already with far less taunting than Jefferson showed on this play. The second missed call came on the failed 51-yard field goal attempt by Minnesota’s Will Reichard with 9:41 to play. Replays clearly showed the ball deflected wildly to the right after hitting a cable supporting the overhead mobile camera to aid the NFL Network broadcast. The rules state the kick should have been replayed, but nobody realized in real time what happened. “I was not aware,” Stefanski said. “I’m not sure if anybody else was. I was not aware.” Finally, on the game-winning TD pass to Addison, replays showed Minnesota left tackle Christian Darrisaw moving out of his stance an instant before the snap of the ball. The Vikings should have been penalized five yards and had the ball moved back to the Browns’ 17 with :25 left. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter,” Stefanski sighed. “I thought it live, but it doesn’t matter.”

6. Quinshon Judkins had his finest NFL game – rushing for 110 yards, and having 67 more nullified by holding penalties. He added 18 receiving yards on one catch. Which made it baffling to many that Judkins was not on the field on a 2-minute drive at the end of the first half. Gabriel took the Browns from the 34 to Vikings’ 9 in 11 plays. Both teams called timeouts with :25 left. With Judkins still on the sideline, the Browns proceeded to run Jerome Ford up the middle for one yard, and then after the obligatory Browns false start penalty pushed it back five yards, Gabriel had his arm hit on one incompletion, and he threw it out of the end zone on third down. Andre Szmyt then made a 31-yard field goal for a 10-7 Browns lead at halftime. Why no Judkins there? “When you get into 2-minute drives and you’re playing at the line of scrimmage, obviously we have a veteran in Jerome that we trust in the pass protection game, and the run game, pass, running routes, etc.,” Stefanski said. “Quinshon will continue to grow in those areas. And then you’re also trying to be mindful of Q’s workload, and making sure that he’s fresh, for all 60 minutes.” Yes, but he could have come in once they got inside the 10. I mean, he had the whole halftime recess to rest, coach.