Lose and any slim chance of salvaging a disappointing season over the second half almost disappears.
Win and then moving into a week off keeps the Browns with a small layer of hope.
So naturally, the Browns played their best game of the season and trounced the Cincinnati Bengals 32-13 in Cleveland to improve their record to 3-5 and end a four-game losing streak.
Amari Cooper caught five passes for 131 yards and a touchdown and Nick Chubb scored twice along with rushing for 101 yards to lead the offense with Jacoby Brissett throwing for 278 yards and a score.
Cleveland's two games following the off week are on the road at Miami and Buffalo.
Brownie Bits
1) Just when you think the wheels are flying off, the Browns stepped forward and played their best all-around game of the season.
Other than the Amari Cooper pass that was intercepted, I can't think of anything that was wince-inducing.
2) And even with the Cooper play, I wouldn't have an issue with the play call as Michael Woods was wide open downfield.
The issue was that Cooper should have just run because his arm was hit during the throw, which caused the ball to be well underthrown and intercepted by the Bengals' Vonn Bell.
3) When Cleveland scored their first touchdown and attempted the extra point from Cade York, the Bengals were called for twelve men on the field with Kevin Stefanski deciding to take the penalty and go for two.
Risky, yes but I understood it and what I really liked was...
4) Stefanski then used the Browns' strength to get the two points.
Rather than getting cute as many coaches do, Stefanski used the offensive line to their strength, brought in Michael Dunn and Drew Forbes as tight ends, and just knocked the Bengals off the ball as Nick Chubb crashed into the end zone for two points.
5) The best part of the Chubb score was the block from James Hudson on Bengal linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither that was so debilitating that it reminded me a bit of the classic MNF block by the Bears William "The Refrigerator" Perry on the Packers George Cumby.
6) This version of Jacoby Brissett is what the Browns hoped that they would receive from Brissett more often.
It's simplistic sounding but hitting the open man, not forcing any passes, and avoiding the big mistake goes a long way when you are a running team.
Brissett did lose the ball on a sack but didn't throw any interceptions.
7) Myles Garrett looked like Myles Garrett against the Bengals with a sack and a half and hit Joe Burrow with what seemed to be every other dropback.
Garrett has the talent to rank among the best pass rushes in the game and I wouldn't say that he disappoints anyone but he only occasionally has the type of game that shows the dominance that he is capable of from week to week.
7) The Bengals hadn't allowed a touchdown in the second half all season.
They allowed three consecutive touchdowns to start the second half against the Browns.
Go Figure.
8) Joe Burrow has been to a Super Bowl and, to date, has never defeated the Cleveland Browns.
Go Figure-Part Two.
9) The key in the momentum game?
How about with forty seconds in the first half, Evan McPherson misses a field goal from forty-seven with the Bengals and the Browns aren't satisfied with their 8-0 lead, so they are aggressive and move the ball enough to allow Cade York a fifty-five-yard field goal attempt.
York drills it to end the half and while 11-0 isn't a huge lead you could feel the difference going into the half.
10) Jacoby Brissett took a huge shot from Trey Hendrickson and with the clock running, Brissett painfully scrambled up and kept the drive rolling, a drive that resulted in the above field goal.
Say what you will about Brissett's talent but don't doubt his toughness.
11) So this gives the Browns hope at 3-5 entering the bye and I know I've said they had to be no worse than 5-6 going into the DeShaun Watson era to have a slim chance.
But they are only two games behind Baltimore and one down from Cincinnati and the Browns' 2-1 division record will help in a potential tiebreaker with the Bengals, who have lost all three divisional games.
12) After the bye, Cleveland will play the erratic 5-3 Dolphins in Miami and while I'd lean towards the home team, I don't think that the Browns have no hope of winning.
That's more than I can say about the following week as the Browns travel to Buffalo against who may be the best team in football in the 6-1 Bills.
The final game is Tampa Bay at home and that looked tougher before the season than it does currently with Tampa also at 3-5 and filled with drama from the various off-the-field issues with Tom Brady.
Winning two of those games is possible and that would give them hope.
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