The Cleveland Browns are 7-8 with two weeks left in the 2021 NFL season. The year has not gone as the team would have hoped and, as often noted, the team is what their record says they are.
After the loss to the Green Bay Packers, head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the team’s decisions on the final offensive possession. With a chance to win the game with a field goal, the Browns threw the ball five straight times after Nick Chubb had gained 18 yards on three carries.
Stefanski noted the confidence in their decisions, noting that they felt in control of the game at that point. The coach noted that looking back and analyzing the decisions made by the offense is tinted by the results.
“We felt like we were in control there, but ultimately, when you do not come through, you second-guess everything – you second guess the first play of the game, the second play of the game or whatever it is. When it does not work, we are definitely second-guessing ourselves.”
While his statements are not wrong, they will likely fall on deaf ears with Browns fans. For the team, calling passing plays was the best way to move the ball at that time. Had it worked, fans would be praising Stefanski’s aggressiveness and QB Baker Mayfield’s clutch play, finally, late in a game.
Since the plays failed, hindsight analysis says they were the wrong plays. The same would have likely been true had the Browns continued to pound the ball with Chubb but the Packers had stopped him.
Based on Stefanski’s statements, the team will analyze their decisions but have been doing so all year long. Their analysis led to the play calls made late in Saturday’s loss to Green Bay. Had those very same plays led to a victory, they would have been lauded.
Will Cleveland’s second-guessing from Saturday lead to a significantly different offensive game plan and play calling on Monday Night Football? It seems unlikely but the team, and their fans, are hoping the result of the game is different.