Browns dropped by Chiefs 21-7

     The Cleveland Browns turned the football over six times. Only through the surprising ineptness of the Kansas City Chiefs offense was the game remotely close as Kansas City won a 21-7 decision over the Browns in Cleveland.

Jameis Winston threw three interceptions and was benched in the final quarter in favor of Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Only a sixty-two-yard rushing touchdown by Jerome Ford dented the scoreboard for the Browns with Ford finishing with eighty-four yards on the game.

Jerry Jeudy caught eleven passes for one hundred-eight yards to lead the offense.

Cleveland dropped to 3-11 with the defeat and will travel to Cincinnati to play the also-unwinding Bengals next Sunday.

Brownie Bits

1) Starting with the worst news of the day, Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot on a play that saw Jameis Winston fake a handoff to Chubb and then turn to make a pitch only to find no one available.

Chubb broke his foot without contact and will miss the remainder of the season, not that he'll miss much in time or quality.

2) Nick Chubb finishes the season with three hundred thirty-two yards on one hundred and two carries with three touchdowns.

Chubb averaged 3.3 yards per carry and never seemed to find his stride after returning from his knee injury. While that was expected, it puts the Browns in a position to make one of many key decisions before the 2025 season.

Do the Browns re-sign Chubb and gamble that he returns to form with the money he will cost to please the fanbase?

Or do they risk allowing the most popular player on the team in years to leave town when he states he wants to stay and perhaps reverts to his past performance elsewhere?

It's a tough call and I don't envy it.

3) I think the Browns are going to start Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback for the final three games, and while I don't have an issue with it in a lost season, I do disagree with the narrative that "The Browns need to see what they have in DTR."

They should know what they have because it's apparent to most that his slight frame and lack of arm strength makes him a backup at best, a situational gimmick QB at worst and if they think he is more than that, the Browns really need to reevaluate their talent evaluators.

4) Jerry Jeudy continued his fine play and moved past one thousand receiving yards for the first time in his career.

What will be interesting is if Jeudy's numbers drop off when Dorian Thompson-Robinson takes over at quarterback after he didn't perform well until Jameis Winston took over from DeShaun Watson.

5) The Browns released Kadarius Toney last week after he fumbled a punt against Pittsburgh.

Of course, his replacement, James Proche. fumbled the first punt of the game, which led to the Chiefs first touchdown.

6) The Browns turned the ball over six times, the Proche fumble, three interceptions by Jameis Winston (one wasn't his fault), another interception by Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and a Nick Chubb fumble.

Simply awful.

7) Kansas City didn't play well despite their easy win, and the Browns defense didn't play poorly and managed to keep the game close enough to not be humiliated.

8) The Browns made a silly decision on a fourth and one by going for it with a pass.

I could understand trying that but I can't understand why Jerry Jeudy, the only true weapon, is in the backfield as a decoy.

That alignment sticks the offense in a hole before the snap and the throw is going to anyone but the best pass catcher.

9) The Browns did have one big play, the long run by Jerome Ford, which was aided by several holds that weren't called but such is NFL life.

Ford will likely have the bulk of the carries now that Nick Chubb is finished for the season.

10) The worst news for this team came well before this game as Jimmy Haslam announced that Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry would return next season.

I still wouldn't think it is written in stone that either or both are sure to be back but if that is the case, I'm not sure there is hope for this franchise.

Pick Six's sink Browns in Denver

 Jameis Winston set a Cleveland franchise record for passing yardage in a game and threw four touchdowns but it was two of his three interceptions that decided the game as Denver Bronco defenders would take two tosses and return them for touchdowns as Denver dumped Cleveland 41-32 on Monday Night Football.

Winston finished with 497 yards passing with Jerry Jeudy (nine catches, 235 yards, and a touchdown), Elijah Moore (eight catches, 111 yards), and David Njoku (nine catches, fifty-two yards, and two touchdowns) leading the offense.

Cleveland fell to 3-9 in defeat and clinched a losing season.

The Browns travel to Pittsburgh next Sunday for the second game against the Steelers in three weeks.

Brownie Bits

1) Jameis Winston's entire career was on display in this game.

It shows Winston's willingness to fire the ball downfield, stand in the pocket, and gun the ball to receivers through tight coverage.

Winston's tools rank with the best in the league and when he is on his game, it is very fun to watch.

2) The downside is his overconfidence in his arm, which results in poor decision-making, which was shown in the deciding play of the game.

Cleveland is down by two with 1:48 to play, needing just a field goal to win and nearing field goal range, Winston throws to a covered Elijah Moore.

Instead, Ja'Quan McMillian grabs the ball, falls to the ground, isn't touched, gets up, and runs for the backbreaking touchdown.

And that play will be what is remembered most about a record-breaking night.

3) That is the biggest problem with Jameis Winston.

Winston makes bad teams fun to watch and the Browns are far more watchable now than under DeShaun Watson but while that's endearing now will it be so if Winston is the starter in 2025 and another season is wasted?

I doubt it and while I'd prefer Winston to Watson and others, I'm not sure I'd want to hitch my wagon to him.

4) Jerry Jeudy was a major disappointment with the Broncos and he didn't change opinions in Cleveland before DeShaun Watson's injury.

Jameis Winston's insertion into the lineup has improved Jeudy's performance but that was nothing compared to Jeudy's eruption against Denver.

Jeudy was motivated for his return to Denver and talked about his feelings often as the game approached.

I'm not saying that Jeudy is a true number-one receiver but he's showing the signs of things starting to fall into place for a productive career.

5) One thing I will point out about Jeudy's game was that he was often covered by one of the league's best corners Patrick Surtain Jr.

As good as Surtain is, Jerry Jeudy practiced against him for years at Alabama and Denver.

If anyone knows Surtain's abilities and tendencies, it's Jerry Jeudy.

6) Elijah Moore's game has picked up with Winston and it has come perfectly for Moore, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Moore might be making a case for the Browns to re-sign him and the Browns might be forced to pay more than they thought to retain him should he finish the season playing at this level.

7) The once-anemic Browns offense outgained the Broncos 552-400 and who would have thought that before the lineup changes?

Only one lineup change has made all the difference,

8) The running game is still struggling.

The Browns rushed for 77 yards averaging 3.3 yards per rush.

Jerome Ford and Nick Chubb each carried the ball nine times with Ford outgaining Chubb

I wonder if the Browns and Chubb might consider ending the season for the popular running back, which might help Chubb better prepare for next season.

Shorter than usual but I wanted to get something up before too much time passed

Sunk in New Orleans, Browns Downed by Saints

    Before I begin, due to work issues, I was unable to watch the Ohio State 31-7 win over Northwestern with any type of normal attention, so I'm not going to do a game review for the Buckeye victory.

The Cleveland Browns received a stellar day from Jameis Winston in his return to New Orleans but a defensive inability to control the Saints Taysom Hill led to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and a 35-14 New Orleans win at the Superdome.

Winston finished with 395 yards passing and two touchdowns without an interception and Jerry Jeudy grabbed six passes for 142 receiving yards including an eighty-nine-yard touchdown.

Cleveland drops to 2-8 on the season and will have a quick return to action with a Thursday night game against the visiting first-place Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brownie Bits

1) I may be way off on this but whether the house cleaning is now or in January, this loss feels like the turning point when the fans and maybe even the Haslams see no more hope.

The Haslams may have silently decided to clean house after such a loss as I'm not sure that that anyone can feel like this can be turned around with the current people in charge.

2) The defensive breakdown in the fourth quarter from the supposed strength of the squad is another item that I just cannot grasp.

Poor tackling, players in the wrong places, and in a few cases, indifferent effort have been part of the franchise for years and often has been the tip-off that it's time for yet another regine change.

3) One thing that I have seen far too often over the last few games is Juan Thornhill getting lost with his assignments and then pointing out another player for fault.

The Saints (and others) get the ball to someone in the open field, the player cruises in for a score as my jaw drops open as in how did that guy get so open, and then the camera scans to Thornhill pointing to someone and jawing back and forth.

Thornhill was signed as a costly free agent before the 2023 season and played in eleven of seventeen games in that season and five of the ten thus far in 2024.

Thornhill's been a huge disappointment and I would wager that he will be a major candidate for a cap casualty in the off-season.

4) And there was Taysom Hill, the Victorinox of New Orleans, who seemed to become Nile Kinnick before the Brown eyes with three rushing touchdowns (including one of seventy-five yards), rushed for 138 yards, caught eight passes for another fifty yards, completed a pass for eighteen yards, and returned a kickoff for forty-two yards.

And Hill could have been better as he lost a fumble inside the Cleveland ten-yard line!

5) The Browns seemed astonished by Hill and his usage and what made that even worse was New Orleans interim head coach Darren Rizzi's interview at the half with Jen Hale (one of the better sideline reporters).

Hale asked Rizzi if he thought the Saints were using Hill too much in the game as the fumble occurred late in the half.

Rizzi's answer was that he didn't think they had used him enough and thought they would use him more in the second half!

Yet, no one either saw this or sent the message to the coaching staff and Hill just destroyed the Browns in a game that won't be forgotten for quite a while.

6) Dustin Hopkins was reliable last season and received a three-year contract extension from the Browns.

It appears 2023 was the aberration as Hopkins missed two field goals, one of them a twenty-seven-yard chip shot that he was given a second chance by a Saints penalty after missing from thirty-three yards.

Hopkins is currently fourteen of twenty this season and has missed two extra points.

7) The extension that Dustin Hopkins signed showed the issues with extending kickers as only the very best booters are elite every season.

Kickers are very much like relief pitchers in baseball- it's very hard to rely on them being consistent every season and one season's standout often is the next's disappointment and Hopkins is another example of not only that rule but how Andrew Berry has needlessly spent this team into cap problems.

8) Jameis Winston's numbers were good and didn't throw an interception, although the Saints did drop a few possible picks but where he was the most impressive was where he continued to improve the Browns receivers, who look closer to league average with Winston in the pocket.

Winston is still erratic but the Browns have a chance to win with him while I don't think the same should the Browns start Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

9) What I can do without are the interviews with Winston, where he rambles incessantly about the Almighty.

Now I'm more than fine with crediting the Lord and discussing his beliefs but couldn't Winston answer the questions that are asked as well?

It's clear that his teammates love Winston and he's got charisma to burn but you can at least speak a little on what you are asked before kicking into Benny Hinn mode.

10) The Browns suffered a big loss as left tackle Dawand Jones broke his ankle when Wyatt Teller rolled over Jones, snapping his ankle with an injury that will end Jones's season.

Germain Ifedi finished the game and might play against the Steelers but it could mean the eventual return of the noted "businessman" Jedrick Wills to the lineup for the following game against Denver.

11) David Njoku caught all nine passes thrown to him for eighty-one yards and is the reliable short man for  Jameis Winston's checkdowns.

Njoku is going to have a ten-plus, one hundred-yard-plus with scores game before this season ends, he's sitting on it, it's just a matter of time.

12)  Denzel Ward intercepted a Derek Carr pass in the game, which ordinarily wouldn't be a big deal but when you consider that the Browns had intercepted a whopping one pass after nine games.

13) The Browns are out of control and the fourth-quarter meltdown against the supposed strength of the team showed that this team is close to giving up and turning this season into a wreck for the ages.

Should Pittsburgh dominate the Browns on Thursday on national television, the Haslams could make a move if not THE move.

Winston strikes late! Browns upset Ravens 29-24

      Jameis Winston hit Cedric Tillman with a thirty-eight-yard touchdown pass with 1:37 remaining in the game to lift the Cleveland Browns to a 29-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland.

Winston threw three touchdowns, all in the second half, two to Tillman and the other to David Njoku along with three hundred thirty-four yards passing to lead the Browns.

Tillman led the receivers with seven catches for ninety-nine yards for the Browns, who ended a five-game losing skid, and improved to 2-6 with the win.

Cleveland will host the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday before their bye week.

Brownie Bits

1) The Browns dedicated their win to their former radio announcer, Jim Donovan, who passed away earlier in the week.

I'll have a longer post on Donovan soon but the Browns, a franchise not always known for classy moves, did a very classy thing for the Donovan family as Kevin Stefanski gave the game ball to them following the game.

2) Jameis Winston will make some bad throws on occasion and Baltimore helped him three times with dropped interceptions, one by Kyle Hamilton on the final drive but you could see the difference from the first drive of the game between Winston and DeShaun Watson.

3) There are many differences, Winston's willingness to stand into the pocket, his arm to drive the ball downfield, and his preference of taking snaps under center rather than the shotgun but the biggest difference is that Winston isn't afraid of an interception while Watson seemed to be so afraid of getting intercepted that he was satisfied with the short safe pass and took very few chances.

Life with Jameis Winston, like with Joe Flacco last season, may come with its aggravations but it's going to be more fun to watch than the Browns under DeShaun Watson.

4) I'm not sure how much credit to give Ken Dorsey as the new play caller or with Jameis Winston in for DeShaun Watson, Kevin Stefanski would have been equally as effective but no one can doubt that Winston spread the ball around far more than Watson.

Eight players received passes with six of those finishing with receptions, eight to Elijah Moore to lead the team in catches.

5) The offensive line looked better this week with the return of Wyatt Teller at right guard and Dawand Jones at left tackle for the injured Jedrick Wills.

Some of this is because Jameis Winston gets the ball out so much faster than DeShaun Watson, who always preferred to extend plays, which forced the line to hold their blocks longer, and even the best line struggles to hold their blocks for extended time.

Jones came into camp weighing over 400 pounds and had his struggles but has dropped down to 370 according to the Athletic.

Also, any line that doesn't have Jedric Wills is going to look better.

6) It wasn't all good news for Cleveland as they lost their two top players on defense (outside of Myles Garrett) and it's unknown how long the team will be without their services or even if one or both can return at all.

Jeremiah Owosu-Koahmoah left the game on a backboard after a collision with Baltimore's Derrick Henry and while JOK left the hospital on Monday, his availablilty for Sunday's game against the Chargers is in question.

7) The Browna also lost cornerback Denzel Ward with a concussion, the sixth of the former Ohio State standout's career.

That's a troubling number and it is fair to consider if Ward might decide to question his football career.

Ward is owed over eighty million dollars from 2025-27, which is a lot of money to give up but is a small price to pay for avoiding brain trauma.

8) Cedric Tillman had his second solid game in a row with his two scores, and perhaps Tillman is on his way to being the Browns number one receiver.

I think on a contender, Tillman is best suited as a number two receiver but I've really liked what I've seen in his two games in the starting lineup since the trade of Amari Cooper to Buffalo.

9) Za'Darius Smith has been a name often mentioned as a trade piece to a contender since the Browns awful start and if yesterday's game was considered a showcase, Smith did well as he sacked Lamar Jackson and finished with two other tackles for loss.

10) Finally, many are questioning if this season could have been saved if the Browns had moved Jameis Winston ahead of DeShaun Watson a few weeks ago and that's valid.

But my question is a little different, If Watson didn't suffer a season-ending injury, when would the Browns make the move to play Winston? 

Would it have happened at all? What would the record have been when it was finally considered to be bad enough?

Browns sign Jameis WInston

     The Cleveland Browns made sure that they had a veteran alternative at quarterback to DeShaun Watson going into 2024 but it wasn't the player that their fan base preferred as the Brown signed former top overall pick Jameis Winston from the New Orleans Saints to a one year contract worth up to 8.7 million dollars.

The decision to sign Jameis Winston means that the Browns will not re-sign Joe Flacco, which ends the veteran's miracle run in Cleveland that saved the 2023 season and allowed the Browns to reach the playoffs.

Winston was the first player selected in the 2015 draft from Florida State by Tampa Bay and spent five seasons in Tampa before moving to the Saints for four seasons, making ten starts over that time.

Winston played in seven games for New Orleans last season, throwing two touchdowns and being intercepted three times with 264 yards passing backing up Derek Carr for the Saints.

Over his career, Winston has thrown 141 touchdowns and 99 interceptions, thirty of those interceptions in his final season with Tampa Bay, when he also threw his career high in touchdown passes with thirty-three.

At 6'4, 235 pounds, and a booming arm, Winston has all the skills and can make all the throws but he has been prone to the interception at the wrong time as the bugaboo for his career.

Winston turned thirty in January, so he's still not an old player and what I like about the signing is that Winston reminds me a lot of Joe Flacco- big in stature, power arm, but not the most mobile quarterback at this stage of their career, and needs solid protection in the pocket.

And one more- Winston is not Joe Flacco.

Cleveland fell in love with an aging quarterback who spent most of his career playing for a rival as he saved a season that seemed to be yet another Browns season going down the drain.

That's a good thing and created a slot for Joe Flacco in Browns lore which will never be forgotten.

However, each season creates a new story and DeShaun Watson is going to be a major, if not THE major story of next season I can understand why the Browns wouldn't want a situation where Watson struggles a bit, and here comes the chants for Joe Flacco.

While I can understand those reasons, it does seem a little (just a little) ungrateful to not allow a player who did so much and seemed to want to return the opportunity to do so.

The Browns can deny the Flacco fans were a factor and while it might not have been the biggest factor, it had to be in play for an organization that knows that their fan base is still divided over DeShaun Watson.

I'm fine with Jameis Winston, it makes sense and I understand why but there is a part of me that believes in sentiment and wants to see Joe Flacco in Cleveland.

Football is not a business for sentiment.

Back later with more Browns additions and subtractions.