The Cleveland Browns won again, but what do we really know about them, other than that 7-3 thing? Doug Lesmerises
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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Great, another week without learning much about this Cleveland Browns football team. A win, sure, whatever, but there have been seven of those this season. Seven wins is as many as the Browns had in any of the previous 13 seasons, matching the high water marks of 7-9 in 2014 and 7-8-1 in 2018. The wins have been so comparatively plentiful, are we really that impressed by any single one of them?
Congrats on the 22-17 victory. But what does it mean?
Anyone whose pregame assessment of this game discounted the fact that Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz is playing atrocious football should sheepishly apologize for neglecting the obvious. But is preying on a lousy QB a winning formula? I mean, it is. But really, is it?
And the Browns again shoved their running game down the throats of an opposing defense to seal a win, but what might happen when the Browns aren’t ahead in the second half? Yes, they’re 6-0 when leading at halftime and 1-3 when they aren’t. But they might trail again some time.
And Myles Garrett didn’t even play. Is a win without your best player even a win?
It’s not just Sunday in Game 10. How are we supposed to analyze of this?
Game 9: Last week, the wind was blowing passes sideways, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson said so, and the Browns found a way to win 10-7, but honestly, pretty weird.
Game 8: The week before, the wind was bad too, and Nick Chubb wasn’t there and Garrett played half as many snaps as usual, so that 16-6 loss, hard to really count it.
Game 7: The week before that was like a miracle. Donovan Peoples-Jones caught the game-winning pass out of nowhere, and truly, the Bengals defense is awful. So nice comeback Browns, but what does that 37-34 win really say?
Game 6: The week before that, Baker Mayfield was picked off on his first pass and Minkah Fitzpatrick returned it for a touchdown, and it was like the Browns wanted a do-over. But the NFL doesn’t allow that, apparently. So it was a 38-7 loss, but still, do-over?
Game 5: Before that, the Browns beat the Colts 32-23, but Indy was without linebacker Darius Leonard, its best defender, and quarterback Philip Rivers had an awful day, so a Browns win, but were those the real Colts?
Game 4: The week before that was the 49-38 win over the Cowboys and that leaky defense, and the Odell Beckham miracle run had to save the Browns, and now he’s hurt, so he couldn’t do that again, so is it even like he did it the first time?
Game 3: Before that, Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins threw it to the Browns three times and those interceptions helped lead to his eventual benching. So the scoreboard said Browns 34, Washington 20, but what does your heart tell you?
Game 2: The first Bengals win was the week before that, and rookie QB Joe Burrow was making his second career start, and come on, rookie quarterbacks? So 35-30 Browns, but that’s like a freebie.
Game 1: And before that was the opener against Baltimore, when everything was new and Lamar Jackson was still good, and how can a 38-6 loss in Kevin Stefanski’s first game as a head coach hold any significance?
So, from the most recent game to the earliest game, that’s Terrible Quarterback-Weather-Weather-Miracle-Blowout-Colts Injury-OBJ Play-Terrible Quarterback-Rookie Quarterback-First Game.
What is that?
You could say it’s a 7-3 record, a great spot in the playoff chase, a shot at their best season since they returned to Cleveland, and a foundation for a team that has battled injuries, fought through it and has its best football ahead.
But at this rate, with a few more bad quarterback opponents on the horizon and that December weather waiting, there’s a chance the Browns will make the postseason and maybe even sneak in a playoff win and we’ll still be like …
Who are these guys?
New Browns face masks for sale: Here’s where you can buy Cleveland Browns-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection for adults and youth, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All NFL proceeds donated to CDC Foundation.
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