Close losses are still losses
By STEVE KING
It’s time — high time, well past time, really — for the Browns to learn how to win close games against good teams, such as one against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Despite all their improvement — and they have certainly gotten a lot better over the last two years, let’s be very clear about that — the Browns still haven’t done that yet.
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Think about it. The Browns lost a dogfight to Kansas City in last year’s AFC divisional playoffs, and then again to the Chiefs a month ago in the 2021 season opener. Now they lose to the Chargers.
In all three games, they had ample chances to win, but didn’t do it. They couldn’t close the deal.
Yes, these games were all close, but they were all losses and close losses don’t get you anywhere. There is no listing in the standings entitled Close Losses, as if they somehow counted more. They are all simply losses. Close losses build character as a team goes from struggling to a contender. But the Browns are way past that now. They’re contenders, and have been since last season, so it’s all about winning, however you get it done, whatever you have to do to get it done.
So, then, the Browns must master the art of closing out wins against other contenders. It is indeed an art form, making big plays down the stretch, for that is when all of these types of games are won and lost.
The Browns make some plays in these games, but not nearly enough.
They will get another chance late Sunday afternoon when the streaking Arizona Cardinals, owners of a 5-0 record for the first time since 1974, come to FirstEnergy Stadium. Sooner or later — and much sooner than later, as in right now, this very minute — the Browns have to find a way to beat one of these teams, or else all their dreams and expectations won’t be realized. For to get to the Super Bowl and win it, these are the kinds of teams that stand in their way.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (10.11.21)
Opening statement:
“We got in late so we still have a bunch of MRIs pending so I do not really have a ton of updates for you guys on the injury front.
“Obviously, very disappointed. You go on the road against a good team, you want to come away with a victory, and we did not. I told the team, there are 1,000 reasons why we did not. We have to make sure we own them and get to the bottom of them because we have to be better. We will be in similar games against similar opponents, and we have to come through. I certainly have to do my part there, as well. Disappointed. Going to have to make some corrections and then have an undefeated Arizona Cardinals team coming to our place this weekend. We are going to have to again make corrections and then quickly move on.”
On if LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is back in Cleveland after being evaluated for a throat contusion:
“Not yet. He I think will land shortly, though.”
On if hindsight he wishes he would have done anything on the penultimate offensive series, including related to the draw play on third-and-nine:
“Yes, in hindsight, I definitely wish I did something different. This is where I have to put our guys in positions to succeed, and I did not do that there, and I am sick about it. Definitely got too wrapped up in the previous play call with the clock stopping and how that unfolded. Again, I have to put our guys in position, and I can’t do that to our team.”
On the Browns offense and defense playing well in certain games but not having a complete game of complementary football:
“You have to find a way to win every Sunday, Thursday or whenever you are playing. You have to find a way. Sometimes the defense is going to carry us like they did the last couple of weeks. Sometimes it has to be the offense, and the offense and myself, we have to come through in those moments. It is whatever the game calls for. Would we love for all three phases to be playing at their absolute potential? Yes, we would, and we are working real hard to make sure that happens.”
On calling a draw play on a third-and-long earlier in the game and if that indicates any lack of trust in the pass game in those situations:
“I do not think it sends that message. I talked to the offense about those calls. That first one, trying to really help the field goal. Third-and-longer when you get in the red zone and you limit the amount of space you have becomes difficult. We had a good run that really helped the field goal there. I would just tell you I have to do a better job bottom line.”
On clarifying his comment about getting caught up in the previous play call before the draw on third-and-nine in the fourth quarter, as well as if a potential missed penalty call factored into it, given QB Baker Mayfield’s comment after the game:
“I would just tell you, I am never going to rely and we as a team are not going to rely on the officials, and I need to in the moment, whether something gets called or does not get called, I have to move on and make sure I give the guys a chance to succeed.”
On if he feels the need to address officiating items to the team following a game when there may have been some questionable calls:
“We talked about it. I will obviously – like we do every week – have a discussion with the league on some of these plays. Listen, they are not going to get every play right, and I am certainly not going to call every play right and we are not going to execute every play right. It is going to be imperfect, but for our team, we are not going to leave it in the hands of the officials. We control a lot of that game, and we need to do better.”
On if there is something to be said about being in a close game against another good team with a chance to win:
“No.”
On if he ever thinks about potentially having offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt call offensive plays and allowing himself to focus on overseeing the gameday operations, given him taking responsibility for areas of improvement and comments about wanting to always put players in the best position possible to succeed:
“We have a really good collaboration on gameday. It is a lot of us on there, but particularly AVP and (offensive line coach) Bill Callahan do a great job in making sure that our operation is how we want it. Certainly, like you mentioned, there are going to be moments where I need to do better, but I am getting a ton of help throughout the game.”
On evaluating the two long TD passes to Chargers WR Mike Williams on the game film:
“Obviously when guys get that open, the answer is it always is a miscommunication. That is what happened. We had poor communication out there a couple of times. We have to get lined up, get the calls and execute the defense. You never know when it is going to hurt you, and it was unfortunate that we had some miscommunication back there. We have to work real hard to make sure it does not happen again.”
On having a few shorter completions to start the final offensive series rather than chunk plays:
“We had a four verticals called that we checked it down to (RB) Kareem (Hunt). Then it was a third-and-one where were aggressive to Kareem in the flat to try and get the first [down]. That is the truth of it. The first goal of that drive was to make sure that we are in location to throw a Hail Mary. Obviously, we would love to get as close as possible to do that. That is what happened there.”
On what the team has learned about closing out close games against elite NFL QBs:
“You have to find a way to get a stop. We let him (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) out of the pocket too many times. We have to do a better job in contain. That is certainly going to be something for this week as well coming up because it is hard to cover for that long when you let the quarterback out of the pocket. They made a few plays – we made a few of them, too – but we have to find a way on fourth down in particular to get off of the field.”
On if QB Baker Mayfield’s shoulder played a factor in the protection or play calling yesterday:
“No. I would tell you, again, you have to call the game that is called for. Certainly, understand that we had some guys playing in positions where I need to make sure I call the game in a proper, appropriate fashion, but that does not excuse not being aggressive when it is called for.”
On if WR Jarvis Landry will be activated this week:
“I do not know yet. He is running today, and we will see how that goes.”
On why WR Odell Beckham Jr. did not get a target during the last drive:
“Yeah, there was a couple of opportunities, but the coverage took the quarterback elsewhere. That is really the simple answer to it. We just have to make sure that we find ways to get him the ball and all of our guys the balls. We have a bunch of different guys that can do something with the ball in their hands – I think about Dave (TE David Njoku) yesterday making some really big plays with the ball in his hands so we will continue to do that.”
On if in retrospect he would have called a timeout on the offensive drive at the end of the first half:
“Given how it went, yes. We were slow to get into that second play. We had some miscommunication, which we should not, but we had a miscommunication on that second play there. Did not run it exactly how it was designed and then we had to scramble and throw the ball away. That just took too long to get lined up and then we have to throw the ball away, and it is taking up way too much time. In hindsight, if I had known that was the case, I would have called timeout there right after that first play.”
On if there is a reason why he did not immediately call the timeout in that situation:
“It felt like we could get quickly into a call we liked on that second down and still have an opportunity to call our timeout and still have time. It really took too long. Again, that is on me.”
On if he thought about going for it on fourth down after the draw on third down of the second-to-last offensive series, knowing how the Chargers were moving the ball offensively:
“I think hindsight always is going to cause me to look at those decisions and think about what I can do to come through for our team so I will look at all of those things.”
On P Jamie Gillan ranking near the bottom of the league in gross punt average:
“Obviously, we want to punt better – that is no surprise. He needs to be better, and he knows that.”
On G Blake Hance’s performance at LT yesterday:
“I thought he did a fine job. He battled. Had some good moments.”
On if there are any potential long-term injury concerns for Browns players who left yesterday’s game:
“I do not know that it would be appropriate to say yet. I have to see what the MRIs say.”
On T James Hudson III’s performance at RT yesterday:
“He had some good moments. He tries extremely hard. There are definitely some things that he will clean up from an assignment perspective and from a technique perspective. He has done a nice job in his moments out there.”
On if Mayfield was hesitant to put the ball in Beckham’s hand after the fourth-and-two drop, including a reference to the incomplete pass to WR Rashard Higgins in the fourth quarter when there potentially appeared to be an opportunity for Beckham:
“No, I do not think so. Any receiver throughout the course of a season, you are going to have drops. It just happens. We trust our guys. On that particular play, he thought he had an opportunity to Rashard down the field, but it was just an unfortunate play.”
On if he is OK with or has an issue with Browns players criticizing the officials after a tough loss:
“They understand that we are not going to rely on those guys. They can say what they want to say in those moments, and it is the emotion of the that certainly gets us, but we can’t rely on the officials.”
On T Chris Hubbard sharing on social media that season-ending surgery was ahead:
“He gets surgery. It is a big loss. He is a guy who played for us last season, played and gave us some good reps at tackle and at guard. You know how I feel about him as a person. We are going to miss having him in the lineup both as a player and just as he is rehabbing, going to make sure that he is as close to the team so we can make sure that his presence is around, particularly some of the young guys on the offensive line.”
On if the Browns expect CB Greg Newsome II and T Jedrick Wills Jr. back this week:
“I do not know yet. After today with their workouts and as we get into Wednesday seeing them move around, I will know better. It is hard for me to say it today.”
On DE Myles Garrett’s status and if the Browns initially expected DE Jadeveon Clowney to play last Sunday:
“Myles, I think we will see. Obviously, he is sore, but we will see as the week goes on. With Jadeveon, he had the elbow injury throughout the week, and then through pregame, his knee got sore. That is really what held him out of the game.”
On how to slow down an offense like the Chargers after gaining momentum in the fourth quarter:
“I think you just have to find a way to make a play. There were individual efforts that they made great plays on, but bottom line, it comes down to getting a stop – something I think we have done well the previous two weeks. We did not do it yesterday, and that is where we have to look at it from all angles, and again, just find a way. On these Sundays, we have to find a way to win, whatever it takes.”
Key dates ahead:
Oct. 17: Week 6 Arizona Cardinals vs Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy 4:05 kick
Nov. 2: NFL trade deadline, 4 p.m.
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