Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – After a year hiatus – we just couldn’t justify an awards list for a winless team in 2017 – the highly acclaimed Brownies are back.
The Browns appear to be too.
After completing the best season in over a decade that saw the Browns end a 19-game winless streak, 18-game AFC North winless streak and a 37-game Sunday winless streak, it’s time to hand out awards for the best from 2018.
Coach of the Year: Freddie Kitchens
The job Kitchens did as offensive coordinator during the second half of the season can not be overstated enough. Kitchens didn’t reinvent Todd Haley’s playbook, he just dug deeper into it and empowered his players to help him put them in the best possible position to be successful. Prior to the Falcons game Kitchens joked he wanted to use the wishbone, and it turned out he wasn’t joking because the Browns used it for an entire drive. Trick plays were a weekly occurrence as Kitchens dialed up the creativity that included a Jarvis Landry 63-yard competition – left handed. It resulted in a 10 percent jump in Mayfield’s completion percentage, increased scoring and yardage per game as well as a 5-3 record.
MVP: Baker Mayfield
It all starts with the quarterback and the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft validated his selection by throwing for a rookie franchise record 3,725 yards and an NFL rookie record 27 touchdowns. Not only did Mayfield lead the Browns to 7 wins on the field, he rallied his teammates around them and was a central figure around the team’s second half turnaround that saw him throw 19 touchdowns and complete 68 percent of his passes with 8 interceptions over the final 8 weeks of the season.
Comeback Player of the Year: Jabrill Peppers
The Michigan product and 25th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft took tremendous heat for a lackluster rookie campaign but Peppers showed consistent play-making ability throughout his sophomore season. Peppers intercepted a pass, forced a pair of fumbles, recovered 3 fumbles, had 5 tackles for loss and increased his tackle total from 57 to 79. His first NFL sack came in the closing minute at Denver on a fourth-and-10 that sealed the victory. Peppers also increased his average punt return by 2.8 yards and his all-purpose yardage by 163 yards this season on special teams and defense.
Tough Guy Award: JC Tretter
Tretter played the final 10 games with a high ankle sprain after suffering the injury Oct. 14 in a 38-14 loss to the Chargers. Despite not being able to practice on Wednesdays and Thursdays so he could rehab during the week, Tretter didn’t miss a game or even a single snap. Not only did Tretter play through the injury, but he continued to play at a high level.
Rookie of the year: Baker Mayfield
While pro bowl cornerback Denzel Ward and running back Nick Chubb deserve a mention, Mayfield was unquestionably the star of this year’s draft class.
Defensive player of the year: Myles Garrett
Garrett had a tremendous year that earned him his first Pro Bowl berth and second-team All-Pro honors. He finished with 13.5 sacks, a half sack shy of tying Reggie Camp’s 1984 official team record of 14 to go with 44 tackles – 12 tackles for loss, 29 quarterback hits, 3 forced fumbles and 3 passes defensed.
Offensive player of the year (not named Baker Mayfield): Nick Chubb
Chubb lost his 1,000-yard season when he was tackled for a 5-yard loss in the fourth quarter at Baltimore and finished with 996 yards. Chubb averaged 5.2 yards per carry, set a franchise record with a 92-yard touchdown run against the Falcons, totaled 1,145 total scrimmage yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns.
Game of the year: Browns 21, Jets 17
Trailing 14-0 and the offense going nowhere with 6 straight punts, starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffered a concussion with 3 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Baker Mayfield came on and electrified the crowd and team with his first 2 completions and quickly led them to a field goal right before the half. He caught a 2-point conversion off Cleveland’s version of the Philly Special from Jarvis Landry to tie the game at 14. Carlos Hyde, who would be traded in mid-October, ran for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns while Mayfield finished 17 of 23 for 201 yards in his official NFL debut. Joe Schobert and Terrance Mitchell sealed the victory with interceptions in the final 2 minutes. Mitchell ran the ball down to the Dawg Pound and jumped in the stands to celebrate as the victory fridges opened, chants of “Baker Mayfield” filled the ramps while fans made their way into the streets to celebrate the death of a 19-game winless streak.
Headline of the Year: Browns Hue-miliate former coach, Bengals 35-20
The Browns raced out to a 28-0 lead and cruised to a 35-20 victory against their in-state rival and former head coach who joined Marvin Lewis’ staff 2 weeks after Cleveland Fired him. Jackson went 3-36-1 in 2 ½ seasons. The Browns went on to win 5 of their last 7 games of the season without him.
Stat of the Year: Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield’s 27 touchdown passes in 13 starts equaled the Browns’ touchdown total in 2017.
Run of the Year: Nick Chubb
Chubb ran right into the Browns’ record books when he ripped off a 92-yard touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons that helped seal a 28-16 victory. It was the longest run from scrimmage for a score in franchise history.
LVPs: The officials
The Browns finished the season 7-8-1, and that’s likely the record they deserved but the officials interjected themselves into games too many times in 2018. Oakland: Myles Garrett and Genard Avery strip sacked Derrek Carr that would’ve gone for a scoop and score, but the play was inexplicably blown deal. Late in the fourth quarter what appeared to be a first-down run to seal a victory was reviewed a re-spotted. The Browns punted, and the rest is history. Against the Chargers the officials missed an obvious false start on left tackle Russell Okung with 57 seconds left in the first half that saw Phillip Rivers hit Tyrell Williams for a 29-yard touchdown on the play. Baker Mayfield almost got decapitated in Tampa when Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead drilled Mayfield, who was sliding, in the earhole with the crown of his helmet. The officials picked up flags on the play explaining that Mayfield was allowed to be hit in the head. Whitehead was fined for the hit. The final blundering blooper from the men in stripes came in Baltimore late in the first half when Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leaped for the goal line, but the ball was punched free and Jabrill Peppers was on his way 93-yards for a touchdown, but of course they ruled Jackson crossed the plane of the goal line thus the play was blown dead. After review, instead of 7 points, the Browns got the ball at their own 7.
Troll job of the year: safety Damarious Randall
Randall handed the ball he just intercepted from Andy Dalton to former head coach and Bengals special assistant Hue Jackson in the second quarter of a 35-20 win at Cincinnati.
Quote(s) of the year
“It’s contagious, bro” – Jarvis Landry during his impassioned speech that aired on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
“I woke up feeling pretty dangerous” – Baker Mayfield following a 28-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons that saw him complete 17 of 20 passes for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns.
