The streak is over!
The Cleveland Browns ended their 11-game stretch of not scoring 17 points or more with a resounding 31-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
(whispers…we aren’t going to talk about the defense scoring a touchdown and setting the offense up on the five-yard line on a separate possession, so really, the offense only put 17 points on the board)
Kevin Stefanski’s squad is now 2-5 on the season and did not have a turnover offensively for the third straight week.
(whispers…the Browns showed they are not close to being the worst team in the NFL)
Look, the Browns needed a win bad. The vultures in the media and among the fans were starting to circle over Berea and if the outcome was reversed, we are sure there would have been plenty of things said about Stefanski being able to survive the week.
It was a rainy, windy day on the lakefront, not at all conducive to offensive football. The Browns only gained 206 yards, and Miami was held to just 219. The first scoring drive for Cleveland was aided greatly by Dolphins’ penalties, including two on third down which extended the drives.
The game plan was much like the home game against San Francisco in 2023, a game won by Cleveland. Stefanski basically kept the ball on the ground, had his quarterback avoid any mistakes, and let the defense dominate.
It worked then, and on Sunday, Dillon Gabriel threw the ball just 18 times, completing 13 for just 116 yards. The leading receiver was TE Harold Fannin, who caught four passes for 36 yards. The only other receiver with more than 20 yards on catches was Jamari Thrash, who gained 23 yards on his only grab.
And back were the bootlegs, and Gabriel threw when a Brown was open and otherwise kept the ball and got positive yardage, running four times for a dozen yards.
Putting the game into the hands of the best unit on the team is a good strategy, albeit probably not sustainable.
Jim Schwartz’ defense had three interceptions; one returned for a TD by newcomer Tyson Campbell, and another returned to the three-yard line by Rayshawn Jenkins. When that happens, it makes the offense superfluous really.
The defense also contributed four sacks and even the special teams got involved, forcing a fumble, caused by Grant Delpit and recovered by Jenkins.
It was a good start, a good way to end the losing streak, but the offense has to get better. Stefanski put the ball in the hands of his best weapon in Quinshon Judkins, but it says here the coach still doesn’t trust the offensive line, and with good reason.
He trusts Gabriel to take care of the football, despite some bad throws he still hasn’t thrown a pick, but not to make plays. Sure, you can beat a team like Miami playing that way, but next week it’s New England, and the Patriots are playing well with four straight wins.
Can the offense put up more than 20 points without a big assist from the defense? We understand it seems like we are moving the goalposts, but that’s what most teams in the NFL can do.
The Browns won a game they should have won on Sunday. They were the better team, and they were victorious. Hard to get excited about it.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 