Yeah, it has come to this.
We all knew this day would come.
It’s just time.
The Cleveland Browns did not just lose to the New England Patriots on Sunday; they were taken to the woodshed in the 32-13 loss.
After taking the ball down the field for a touchdown in a beautiful drive on their first possession, after that, nothing worked. The offense looked horrible. The kicker is a roller coaster. The defense is the star of the game, yet they are on the field so much that they just crash and burn in the final stages.
RELATED: FANS WEIGH IN – IS THIS THE START OF A TURNAROUND?
The Browns are now 2-6-0. It’s time. No more waiting around for this ship to right itself, despite half the schedule left on the calendar. Despite what owner Jimmy Haslam said last week, it’s time to move on from head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The realization is that the Browns’ owner wanted to give him one more chance after losing 14 games last season. Getting beaten in 14 games isn’t an issue in hockey, or soccer, or really, any other sport. But since football only plays 17 games, well, you get the point.
This is Stefanski’s seventh season. Yes, he is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year. We get that. Yes, he took the franchise to the playoffs back when face masks were mandatory and Kobe Bryant, Eddie Van Halen, and Alex Trebek were still alive.
Stefanski will always be in the hearts of Browns fans for beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37 in the Wild Card Playoff match. In their house.
But there are so many things wrong with this ballclub that cannot, and will not, and have not been corrected.
He is supposed to be an offensive guy who builds his offense around the running back, yet the run game is among the worst portions of this enigmatic offensive attack. Right now, the rushing game is ranked #25 while the passing attack ranks #26. This is Stefanski’s skillset. This is his wheelhouse.
Let’s just end it. Please. In 2023, when Cleveland fought long and hard, ending up 11-5-0 with a spot in the playoffs and earned the highest Wild Card seed, everyone who followed the Browns had visions of when Marty Schottenheimer was leading the franchise, and every year the team was in the playoffs. That was our goal. We could accept not advancing, but at least we were in the post-season year after year with a run of double-digit win seasons.
Why couldn’t we be that team?
For those of us who have met Stefanski, he is a great guy. Very personable, nice, calm, pleasant, well-spoken, and obviously intelligent. We all like Stefanski. It’s nothing personal – just business.
And the business of Cleveland Browns football isn’t pretty.
Fans hate that he shows minimal emotion during games while on the sideline. That is just who he is. He is very chill, and things do not rattle him. He is the Jalen Hurts of NFL coaches – calm, reserved, studious.
Does he have a passion for the game? Of course. Does he get upset with players who make dumb mistakes? Yes indeed, but not in front of God and everyone. He is a person who takes his grievances and closes the door to address his concerns.
The players love him. He is viewed as a player’s coach.
But plainly put: his offense sucks. His side of the ball has zero ability to adjust to the opponent’s defensive adjustments. In his press conferences, his continual reference that “we will learn from it” or “it’s frustrating” has gotten stale.
The Browns’ MVP of the offense is most likely punter Corey Bojorquez. How sad is that? Play calling doesn’t have much imagination. Downs where one yard is needed, the offense has one receiver wide, and everyone else is tight at the line. The defense then lines up eight in the box and two more close waiting for the run play. How does a running back escape 10 bodies? Why not come out in a four-receiver set, which would spread the defense out, then let the quarterback roll out, which gives him the option to throw short or run for the brief yardage?
Rarely is there any accountability for mistakes.
And what is worse is that this offense has some talent. The tight end group of David Njoku and rookie Harold Fannin should be getting 10-15 targets a game – each. Granted, Njoku gets hurt a lot.
What happened to throwing to Jerry Jeudy? The issue is that the remainder of the receiver group has been disappointing and underwhelming at best. Rookie RB Quinshon Judkins is going to be a star in this game and has great hands, yet he rarely sees short passes tossed his way.
And the quarterback situation just never gets solved. It just seems to always be the next new guy.
Yes, the offensive line has been a mess. We all know the offense will only go as far as the offensive line will take them. But nobody can predict – or halt – injuries, and it has been an ongoing battle all season, just like last year. Cleveland has used seven different offensive line groupings so far this year.
We all know how this season will end. Let’s just get this over with.
Here is a short list of qualified candidates to replace Stefanski (in no particular order).
Kliff Kingsbury
Age: 46
OC Washington Commanders
This choice only works if the Browns can develop or acquire a running quarterback. Kingsbury is an offensive master who knows how to work with young quarterbacks and develop a good offensive line.
He is more interested in throwing the ball, and his offensive scheme can be more described as a modified “Air Raid” system. He likes it pass-heavy. The Browns have pass-catching tight ends, Jeudy, and Ced Tillman at their disposal. Kingsbury does use creative schemes to set up play-action passes.
Joe Brady
Age: 36
OC Buffalo Bills
The Bills feature a balanced attack and, of course, have a very good quarterback to run it. That makes Brady look good. But Brady knows offense and how to correct situations.
He tends to use heavy personnel packages to gain a physical advantage. This may mean the offensive line might need to go through some changes, and either select some new guys early in the draft, make a trade or two, or be busy participants in free agency with a focus on the line. One of Brady’s traits is the use of motion to be able to confuse defenses with different formations.
He is adept at creating mismatches where the offense can run the ball when the defense will use fewer bodies in the box with receiver spreads. Brady also likes quick-read plays and uses his tight ends and slot receiver quite a bit. Currently, the Bills are the #1 rushing team in the league.
Jim Bob Cooter
Age: 41
OC Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have exploded on offense this season, and yes, have finally found a suitable quarterback who can run the ball when needed. Cooter has been a QB and a RB coach for different teams, so he knows how groupings work. He is also a former college quarterback.
One word to describe Cooter: meticulous. On gameday, he is prepared. He likes to spread the ball around and uses the run more than most. That works when you have a bellcow, which the Colts do in Jonathan Taylor, and so do the Browns. But Taylor was almost an afterthought in this Indy offense until Cooter showed up.
Cooter includes elements such as the Zone Read and also the Power-Run option for his quarterback, which has brought flexibility to the Indianapolis offense. He prefers shorter, safer passes and is creative with play calls. And most importantly, he recognizes the talents of his players and adapts plays to fit their strengths.
Jim Schwartz
Age: 59
DC Cleveland Browns
Obviously, this would be the easy move, and really, it makes the most sense. Schwartz has taken this defense to new heights, and GM Andrew Berry has been feeding him a steady diet of capable defenders, like getting two defensive players with their first two picks in this year’s NFL draft. Those dividends are paying off already.
Schwartz has transformed every defense everywhere he has been employed. It is quite possible that if the Browns hired another guy to be the head coach, they would retain Schwartz, but a lot of coaches like to bring in their own guys.
Now, keep in mind that if the Browns decided to promote Schwartz, he would need to bring in an excellent offensive mind to handle that side of the ball.
From 2009-2013, Schwartz was head coach of the Detroit Lions. They went to the playoffs a single season after going 10-6-0.
His defenses are known for being an aggressive, attacking style that places pressure on the quarterback. Schwartz will attack gaps, and his cornerbacks use man coverage, which frees up the linebackers to make tackles in the run game and provide coverage to tight ends and running backs. In 2023, the Browns’ defense was ranked #1.
