Tag: Kevin Stefanski

3 bold predictions as Browns face the banged up Jaguars at home

Can the Browns continue to defend their home field?

The Browns return to Cleveland trying to shake off a two-game losing streak on the road where the defense did not look good. This week they face a Jacksonville Jaguars team that is banged up and might be without their starting quarterback and is down to their third-string left tackle.

The Browns control their destiny in the playoff race, especially after the Steelers’ loss on Thursday. This game has massive playoff implications and every game the rest of the way is a must-win. Cleveland is likely to get back some key contributors and if Denzel Ward returns to play they have no excuses not to get it done.

Kevin Stefanski declined to name a starting quarterback this week but with Joe Flacco playing well in his debut and taking all the first-team reps it seems like the veteran will get the nod. Here are my bold predictions of the week as Cleveland looks for win number eight.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1361]

Browns WR Amari Cooper still in concussion protocol but could clear in time to play vs. Jaguars

Cooper could still clear protocol and play on Sunday

After leaving the game against the Los Angeles Rams with a concussion, wide receiver Amari Cooper returned to practice on Friday for the Cleveland Browns. Kevin Stefanski said after practice that Cooper remains in concussion protocol but he could still clear on Saturday and play against the Jaguars.

Cleveland felt the loss of their best wide receiver last week in the second half and having him back would be a big boost. This is a must-win game for the Browns after the Steelers lost to the Patriots Cleveland is sitting at the top of the wild card standings.

Though no announcement was officially made it feels like veteran Joe Flacco will start against a banged-up Jaguars team on Sunday. Marquise Goodwin seems to be ready to go giving another true deep threat and if they can pair that with a healthy Amari Cooper you like Cleveland’s chances. For now we just have to sit back and wait for the official announcement.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski declines to name starting QB vs. Jaguars

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has not named a Browns starter against the Jaguars as both Joe Flacco and Dorian Thompson-Robinson practice.

The Cleveland Browns got their rookie quarterback back to practice as Dorian Thompson-Robinson returned after suffering a concussion against the Denver Broncos. They also have Joe Flacco, who has taken all of the first-team reps this week after a strong debut against the Los Angeles Rams. As the Browns prepare for the Jacksonville Jaguars, however, head coach Kevin Stefanski has declined to name a starting quarterback.

Every NFL team does this when there is uncertainty at the quarterback position. They believe that it gives them the competitive advantage to have the opposing team have to prepare for both quarterbacks before one takes the field after the opening kickoff. However, this one feels pretty straight forward for the Browns.

It would be a surprise to see anyone other than Flacco take command of the Cleveland offense when the Jaguars come to town on Sunday. Their passing offense looked functional and a deep passing attack (for maybe the third time this season) existed against the Rams.

Sitting at 7-5 and in the driver’s seat toward a playoff spot, Flacco gives the Browns the best chance to win the rest of the way out.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=646863720]

Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains in concussion protocol

The rookie remains in protocol

One day after declining to name his starting quarterback against the Jacksonville Jaguars,  head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Cleveland Browns rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains in concussion protocol. That doesn’t mean that he will not clear it in time for next week’s game but as of now, he needs more time to recover.

Head injuries are hard to predict when they will heal but Wednesday’s practice will tell us if the rookie might be cleared. In his absence, former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco stepped in and showed he has plenty left in the tank. Regardless of if the rookie clears the Browns should heavily consider starting Flacco either way.

The timing was off between the veteran and his receivers but as they get more reps together those issues should be resolved. It was the best the offense has looked almost all season outside of a couple of good games from Deshaun Watson. We will see as the week continues but it could be Flacco again on Sunday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=646863720]

Browns Twitter reacts to difficult loss on the road vs. Rams

Cleveland drops another one on the road

The Cleveland Browns had a chance again late this week to win another game but a crushing interception from Joe Flacco took that chance away. This was after Flacco had a pretty impressive debut considering he signed with the team just a couple of weeks ago and Amari Cooper went out with an injury. Kevin Stefanski should at least feel good about the passing offense today against the now 6-6 Los Angeles Rams.

The defense was picked apart by another good offensive coach in Sean McVey as they were exploited over and over again. They could not get pressure on Matthew Stafford all day as they exploited the defense’s aggressive play with misdirection all day long. They couldn’t come up with enough stops in the second half and Cleveland dropped to 7-5.

It was a bit of a rollercoaster overall as they had highs and lows like they always seem to have. Let’s take a look at how Browns Twitter reacted to the loss to the Rams.

Report: Browns ‘thrilled’ with job Kevin Stefanski has done in 2023

Stefanski’s seat is ice cold.

The Cleveland Browns sit at 7-4 on the season. Under head coach Kevin Stefanski, the franchise sits with a 33-27 record over the past three-and-a-half seasons. And as they get set to take on the Los Angeles Rams tomorrow, The Athletic’s Diana Russini has reported that the leadership in Berea is “thrilled” with what Stefanski has gotten out of this team in 2023. She writes:

“The Cleveland Browns organization is thrilled with head coach Kevin Stefanski’s leadership this season. Though there have been some questions over the years, and even suggestions that Cleveland should move on from the 2020 NFL Coach of the Year, Stefanski is here to stay based on conversations with multiple league sources. That seal of approval goes for general manager Andrew Berry too. The pressure was on this past season, and the duo has been able to navigate the choppy waters.”

It is hard to blame the Cleveland brass given the quarterback situation the Browns and Stefanski have faced in 2023. Despite starting now his fourth different quarterback, and only having his starting quarterback Deshaun Watson for just five games this season, he has the Browns sitting at 7-4 on the season.

No team has overcome more than the Browns have in 2023. If Joe Flacco and the Browns can sneak out a win in Los Angeles, they will become the first team since the 2015 Houston Texans to win games with four different quarterbacks in the same season. It would also push their probability of making the playoffs to a whopping 87 percent likelihood.

Ready or not, Stefanski is staring down the barrel of a contract extension at season’s end.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=646863720]

5 things to watch: What impact can Myles Garrett, Joe Flacco have in Browns vs. Rams?

The Browns are set to take on the Rams shorthanded. What impact can a hurt Myles Garrett have as they likely trot out Joe Flacco as well.

The Cleveland Browns are looking for a bounceback win against the Los Angeles Rams in this Week 13 matchup. They saw their playoff odds take a massive drop after the loss to the Denver Broncos a week ago, and the Browns will continue to have their work cut out for them. Their best player Myles Garrett is banged up, and it is trending toward a Joe Flacco start under center.

Somehow sitting at 7-4 on the season despite all of the key injuries this season, can the Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski pull out another shorthanded win in Los Angeles? The defensive side of the ball will need to rebound as well but will do so with a hurt Garrett and potentially without Denzel Ward.

The team stayed out west this week, practicing at UCLA and taking in the team bonding opportunities. Let’s hope that helped.

Here are five things to watch as the Browns hunt out their eighth win against the Rams on Sunday.

X-Rays on Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper’s ribs came back negative

The Browns wide out may have avoided serious injury

Another game with the Cleveland Browns losing a major player or two to injuries as they have plagued the team all year long. Amari Cooper went down with a rib injury late in the game that also saw injuries to Myles Garrett and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

After the game, it was reported that Cooper had X-rays on his rib and that they were negative. This is good news for the Browns who can’t afford to lose Cooper to injury for an extended period of time. Though they came back negative it doesn’t mean that he is in the clear as rib injuries tend to be really difficult to play through and need time to heal.

The Browns could be in line to start their fourth different quarterback of the season if Joe Flacco plays next week with DTR potentially out. If this happens they will need Cooper to be healthy for Flacco to lean on as he establishes himself in Cleveland.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Browns Twitter reacts to loss to the Denver Broncos on the road in Week 12

The Browns suffered a disappointing loss on the road

The Cleveland Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski hit the road with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and it didn’t go how they wanted it. They suffered more major injuries, including to Thompson-Robinson, and just couldn’t take care of the football. The Denver Broncos had been living off of turnovers coming into this week and they keep t that winning recipe forcing three more against the Browns.

Thompson-Robinson was starting to settle in and it seemed like he was taking a step forward until his injury. More drops plagued the offense and an eventual injury to Amari Cooper shut down Cleveland’s offense.

Defensively they got burned by big plays and they missed Denzel Ward in a bad way as Greg Newsome II was picked on all day long. The Broncos were ready for the Browns’ run defense and showed a major flaw in Cleveland’s defensive armor.

Let’s take a look at how Browns Twitter reacted to this week’s loss to drop the Browns to 7-4.

The time is now for the Browns to extend Kevin Stefanski

It’s time to lock up Cleveland’s head coach

Despite several key injuries for a majority of the season, head coach Kevin Stefanski has his Cleveland Browns at 7-3 and a half-game behind the Ravens for the number one seed in the AFC. Read that again, the Browns are just a half-game behind from earning a first round bye in this year’s playoffs.

They have done that despite starting three different quarterbacks, without Nick Chubb, and a rookie day three pick starting at right tackle. If that is not enough for fans to finally give Kevin Stefanski the respect he deserves then I don’t know what is. This team has overcome a mountain of adversity and Stefanski has them playing hard from start to finish knowing they always have a chance to win.

It is clear the culture change we have desired for so long is finally taking shape in Cleveland. Jason Lloyd of The Athletic agrees having published an article this week stating that he has earned a new contract.

There is still plenty of football left to play but it is impossible to not see the special thing being built in Cleveland. If they can get some injury luck to go their way and if the quarterback play improves this team is a major contributor now and it starts with Stefanski.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]