CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Things got off to an ominous start as storms rolled through northeast Ohio delaying kickoff by 70 minutes.
Last week in Canton saw a 17-minute delay after the banks of lights on the south side of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium went out between the third and fourth quarters.
The final score – Commanders 17, Browns 15 didn’t matter but the delay was a sign of not so good things to come.
Here’s a look at our top Brownie Bites from a soggy Friday night.
Aside from points, Kevin Stefanski got exactly what he wanted from Deshaun Watson and the opening offensive drive – 12 plays, 67 yards. “So much of the focus for us was just operation and getting us in and out and having a good tempo,” Stefanski said. “So I thought all that was really good. I thought he saw the field really well, made plays with his feet. So he was doing a nice job as an operator, and that was really the goal. Get them through the pregame warm up, get them out of the huddle, get them through the first series there. And I thought he did a nice job." Running backs Demetric Felton and John Kelly, who are vying for the No. 3 RB slot, were stopped on third and fourth down at the one so not a great showing for either of them. Watson completed the three passes he attempted for 12 yards and ran three times for 20 yards before taking the rest of the night off. “I wouldn't say satisfied because we didn't get into the end zone, but it was exactly what the coaching staff wanted us to do,” Watson said. “[The] operation, get the feel of the game, drive it down, and try to get points on the board. Washington did a great job of stopping us once we got down there, but we didn't, of course, show exactly what we would be doing in goal line offense, but they did a good job of stopping us and wish we could have punched it in, but it was fun to be back outside.”
Cade York has kicked himself onto the bubble – or he should be. York’s 46-yard field goal sailed wide right with 8:42 to play in the third quarter and he missed last week from 49. “I think Cade’s, like every young player, going to continue to learn and grow from all of these experiences.” With so much at stake this season, the Browns may have no choice but to explore competition for York, who was drafted in the fourth-round last year, in the coming days even though Stefanski said “no” when asked if they would. “I think Cade is working his craft as all young players do, so [we’re] very confident in him,” Stefanski said.
Za’Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson pressured Washington quarterback Sam Howell in the end zone drawing a holding penalty and giving the Browns a safety and 2-0 lead. “Well I got held, but the call was to where I had a two-way goal, so I could go inside,” Smith said. “So the tackle oversetted me, not just one inside. I had a chance to see the quarterback, wish I could have got him, but the holding call got us the safety as well. Wish we could have had a sack with that.” The defensive starters played just over two series. “I thought it was important for Z and Dalvin to get some reps in this scheme, and I thought he came off the ball and was physical, obviously,” Stefanski said. “Big play down there when we had him backed up, but continuing to really just take the practice field to this game field.”
Washington quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who entered after Howell, capped an eight-play, 89-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run for a 14-2 lead with over six minutes left in the second quarter. The big play on that drive saw Browns cornerback AJ Green give up a 32-yard completion from Brissett to Byron Pringle.
The end of the first half was wild. With the Browns trying to get in field goal range in the final minute, Josh Dobbs overthrew receiver David Bell, and the interception was returned 42 yards. Dobbs made the tackle. Then on the next play, Brissett was picked off on a deep ball by Ronnie Hickman at the two. Hickman ripped the football away in the fourth quarter from Commanders receiver Curtis Hodges inside the 10 on a pass from quarterback Jake Fromm. “I knew it was close to the end zone so I didn’t want to back up too much, but I felt the inward breaking route, was able to lock eyes with the quarterback and saw him kind of staring at it,” Hickman said. “I went to go make a play on the ball and was fortunate to come down with it.”
Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw a 7-yard touchdown on a quick slant to David Bell with 37 seconds left in the third quarter to pull the Browns within 17-9 of Washington. “It felt great,” Bell said. “It was a lot of hard work and preparation just to get to that point. Definitely was needed to boost the team and just get some points up in the board.” DTR finished the night completing 9-10 passes for 102 yards and the score in a quarter of work.
Kellen Mond capped a 10-play, 78-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Mike Harley with 1:39 remaining. The two-point try failed as Mond’s pass to Austin Watkins was incomplete providing the final score.
Injury report – Receiver Elijah Moore walked into the locker room with trainers after the opening drive where he underwent X-rays on his ribs, which came back negative. Cornerback AJ Green left with a shoulder injury and was ruled out. Linebacker Jacob Phillips also went to the locker room in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and was ruled out. Safety Bubba Bolden suffered a hamstring injury and did not return.
Dawg gone it – The Browns added a few hundred field level seats around the field, including in front of the Dawg Pound, thus effectively ending the tradition of the Dawg Pound leap into the front row of the bleachers by players following touchdowns.
Roll call – CB Greg Newsome II, LB Anthony Walker Jr., WR Jakeem Grant Sr., WR Mike Woods II, WR Jaelon Darden, WR Marquise Goodwin, S Grant Delpit, RB Jerome Ford, LB Matthew Adams, LB Sione Takitaki, DE Isaiah Thomas, G Drew Forbes, TE Harrison Bryant, DE Alex Wright, DT Shelby Harris and DT Trysten Hill were listed on the “will not play” list. WR Amari Cooper, LG Joel Bitonio, RB Nick Chubb, DE Myles Garrett and CB Denzel Ward were among the starters who did not play.
