CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – A day after getting blown out 28-3 by the Ravens at home, much of the focus was on how the Browns handled Deshaun Watson’s shoulder injury leading up to the game.
Here’s our top Brownie Bites from Monday as they head into the bye week.
The handling of Watson’s shoulder injury over the last week raised questions about the Browns decision making processes leading up to the game. “He knows his body,” Stefanski said Monday. “He's played through serious pain before. Very, very serious injuries. It wasn't a matter of pain tolerance or anything. He just did not feel like he had his full faculties.” According to Stefanski there is no structural problems with Watson’s right shoulder, so that’s good news. The Browns failed in how they handled Baker Mayfield’s injury in 2021. Mayfield said he could and wanted to play but he struggled the remainder of the season and it led to a divorce. Last week the Browns kept listening to Watson tell them he was okay and ready to play despite being unable to throw during practice. Then came Sunday morning and he still couldn’t throw a football. “He didn't throw all week and we had to get to the game and that was the first time he was going to throw to see ultimately how he felt, if he felt like he could drive a throw, those type of things,” Stefanski said. “So he was confident in it. Like I told you guys, he's disappointed but I wouldn't make it any more than that.” Stefanski did not change the gameplan to accommodate rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who appeared ill-equipped to handle the backup role that saw him complete 19 of 36 passes for 121 yards with three interceptions, Stefanski dismissed the notion that better planning for Thompson-Robinson to start would’ve yielded better results. “What happened yesterday was not an issue of not knowing if DTR was going to play,” Stefanski said. “That was not it at all. We just have to coach better and play better.”
Run aground – The last two weeks the run game has been stuck in a rut and Nick Chubb isn’t walking through that door until next season. “Obviously I trust in the guys we have,” Stefanski said. “I trust in the scheme, those types of things. We're four games into the season, so it's an incomplete sample size to draw a ton from it. But we can be better. We will be better.” The Browns are averaging 3 yards per carry the last two games on 56 rushes. “I think that missing 24 is a big deal to that,” right guard Wyatt Teller said. “He's the human eraser as we like to call a damn good player. So we got to be able to run without one of the best running backs in the league. It's not easy. That's a good front. Even though they're banged up, the scheme's good, those linebackers are unbelievable. So we had to run the ball well early. When you don't do that and you get behind, it's hard to just be able to run the ball. I know that that's what a lot of people say and a lot of couch coaching would say, but it's not that easy. You got to be able to pass effectively, run effectively, and if you can't do that, then it's going to end up like yesterday.”
Gutsy effort – Tight end Dsvid Njoku played despite suffering burns to his hands and face in a fire pit accident. “It's hard to feel good about anything, but the way he played was unbelievable to me with what he went through,” Stefanski said, “and not just the pass game, the run game, he's the first guy picking his teammates up off the ground. It felt like every single play. So he was a warrior yesterday. It was impressive to watch.” Njoku, who played 48 snaps, led the Browns with six catches for 46 yards in the loss. “He is a tough character man,” linebacker Anthony Walker said. “Just the will to get out there on the field and go to war with your teammates. I thought that was awesome seeing him and seeing how he responded. I could tell you now, I don't think I'm playing in that game just with the way everything, I don't know if you guys have seen him, but it was a lot. And he's tough, man. He's a tough guy. I mean, that's always been his persona since I've known him throughout college and being in the NFL, he's a tough guy.”
Moore yards – Elijah Moore’s one carry Sunday lost 20 yards. Stefanski has tried getting the receiver the football in a variety of ways in the hope that explosive plays will follow, but in the run game, they haven’t. “Obviously that was a tough play the other day, but we want to continue to get him the ball,” Stefanski said. “He's going to be a big part of what we do. He has versatility where he can line up in the formation and we will do a better job of getting him the ball.” Moore has three yards on seven carries with a long of 19 yards but the 20-yard loss and 16-yard loss last week he was charged with for covering up Watson’s backwards pass have skewed his average per carry which is why Stefanski doesn’t seem inclined to change much. “I think like anything with your roles you start to carve them out and they evolve over the season,” Stefanski said. “Anytime you can do more, we're going to explore ways to get guys to the football in different ways. But he certainly works hard at learning his job and then doing his job as well.” Moore is second on the team with 17 catches for 148 yards.
Quote of the day – “It's the NFL honestly… Every year we say it, you can't predict what's going to happen. That's why everybody tunes in. It's unscripted as far as I'm told.” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on what has been an eventful first four weeks to the season.
Injury report – Center Ethan Pocic suffered chest and knee injuries Sunday. “If we had a game this week, likely wouldn't have made it, but good thing that we're on a buy this week,” Stefanski said. Defensive end Myles Garrett left the stadium with a walking boot on his left foot. “[He is] day to day, but feel good about him,” Stefanski said.