Second thoughts: Browns still struggling while Patriots back on their feet with new coach and dynamic QB

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.

Second thoughts on Patriots 32, Browns 13 …

1. It’s been seven years since the New England Patriots won a Super Bowl. Geez, what a drought, right? Their dynasty crumbled when Tom Brady simply had had enough of coach Bill Belichick and defected to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2019 season. Belichick went 29-38 in the four years without Brady. Patriots owner Robert Kraft replaced Belichick with ex-Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo and then quickly admitted his mistake and replaced Mayo with Mike Vrabel. Vrabel inherited quarterback Drake Maye. Now, Vrabel and Maye have the Patriots poised to join the AFC elite once again. Quarterback and coach. Those are the two most important persons in turning around a football program. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has to consider that when re-examining his organization following what is shaping up to be an abysmal second season in a row.

2. Vrabel is just the latest example of it doesn’t have to be an offensive-minded coach to partner with the quarterback to have success. Others: Bill Parcells and Phil Simms. Marv Levy and Jim Kelly. Jimmy Johnson and Troy Aikman. Belichick and Brady. Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels. Sean McDermott and Josh Allen. A good head coach from the defensive side should be smart enough to support his franchise quarterback with an exceptional offensive coach. Vrabel chose Josh McDaniels. During their dynasty, Belichick also entrusted McDaniels to Brady. Johnson had Norv Turner to tutor Aikman. Quinn had Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta and now employs Kliff Kingsbury to tutor Daniels. McDermott leaned on Brian Daboll at the start and now has Joe Brady supervising Allen. The moral of the story is this: When the Browns choose their quarterback in the 2026 draft to lead them out of these doldrums, they shouldn’t necessarily be tied to an offensive-minded coach as his partner.

3. The Browns reached their bye week at 2-6 and with the pass offense arguably in the worst shape of Kevin Stefanski’s six seasons as head coach. Dillon Gabriel’s fourth start at quarterback was his worst effort yet, as the rookie managed to target only nine of his 35 pass attempts to wide receivers. Fourteen of Gabriel’s 21 completions were for nine yards or fewer, including four for negative yardage. Jerry Jeudy was targeted only twice. Guard Joel Bitonio said on Monday that the Browns’ running game was stymied against New England because the Patriots “ran [4-3] base defense to whatever personnel we put out there on first down. I think that limited our run game calls … if we bring 11 [personnel] out there and spread them out or tried to pass them out of base defense.” In other words, Vrabel just loaded up his run defense with linebackers to stop the run and dared Gabriel to beat it with passes – and he couldn’t. Every defense should copy New England and focus solely on stopping running back Quinshon Judkins. Until the Browns produce some semblance of a downfield passing game, their offense will continue to be constipated. It averaged 4.3 yards per rushing attempt and 4.0 yards per passing attempt against the Patriots. 4.0 yards per passing attempt defies professional football in 2025.

4. So the Browns during their bye week have to analyze the timetable of their inevitable next quarterback move. With nine games to go, there is time to not only see Shedeur Sanders on the field but also Deshaun Watson. Yes, Watson can step back in the picture soon. He is close to being medically cleared to return to practice. Once he gets that green light, the Browns will have a three-week window to decide whether Watson is activated or kept on an injury list the rest of the season. The Browns are paying Watson $46 million this year (and next), so they may as well try him again. These decisions surely are not long-term remedies to the Browns’ offensive problems but merely a means of getting to the finish line of the 2025 season.

5. As the trade deadline of November 4 approaches, the Browns made a couple interesting roster moves on Monday. First, they signed tight end Caden Prieskorn to their practice squad. Then, they claimed tight end Brenden Bates off waivers from Houston. Bates played three games with the Browns in 2024 and was signed to their practice squad after the 53 cut in September. Why stock up on tight ends? David Njoku is in the last year of his contract and could be a commodity GM Andrew Berry seeks to move for a future draft pick. Njoku trails rookie Harold Fannin in targets (51 to 41), receptions (38 to 27), receiving yards (352 to 260), and, most telling, snap counts (408 to 365). Still only 29, Njoku is in his ninth season with the Browns and appears no closer than ever to being the 1,000-yard receiver the team envisioned when trading up to draft him 29^th overall in 2017.

6. Defensive rookie-of-the-year candidate Carson Schwesinger is “week-to-week” after suffering what is believed to be a high ankle sprain against New England. Stefanski declined to say the exact nature of the injury. Schwesinger was injured when edge rusher Isaiah McGuire rolled up the back of his legs chasing a play. Another “friendly fire” incident occurred when cornerback Tyson Campbell suffered a concussion when he was accidentally kneed in the head by linebacker Devin Bush at the end of reception by Stefon Diggs.