Even with the passing of The Great Jim Donovan, which cast a pall over Northeast Ohio and beyond in Browns Nation that will continue for a while, and understandably so, there was a pep in everyone’s step on Monday.

The Browns won on Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens. And they now have a quarterback — a real one, it appears — in Jameis Winston.

Life is good again — or at least better — in this Browns football-crazy community.

When you have a quarterback, then you have a chance. So let The Chance Era begin once more. Welcome back! It’s good to see you. We so missed you. 

And with that, then, to steal a saying from former Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano, “It gives you the audacity of hope.”

Indeed. There was no hope with Deshaun Watson, the $230 Million Man. There is now with Jameis Winston, The Bargain Basement Man.

One game — even one in which Winston passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns, which is light years ahead of anything that Watson did — does not a season make. But it sure didn’t hurt, either. It’s a start. And you can’t go anywhere without one.

At the same time, even though it appears Winston came out of nowhere because of the depths to which the geniuses who are the Browns’ deep thinkers had buried him, the truth of the matter is that he came to the team this season as an accomplished pro quarterback. Plus, he looks to be a leader of men, while Watson only led the NFL in a certain off-the-field behavior. That’s a big difference, ladies and gentleman, and it counts for a lot — a whole heckuva lot, actually.

You saw it Sunday. Winston led with his actions and his words. Watson was leading the Browns into the abyss.

What changed from the first seven games? Nothing other than the insertion of Winston, who soothed the mourning Browns’ fans souls with some positivity and a reason to believe, something he encouraged his teammates to have, and something that neither his predecessor nor their head coach, Kevin Stefanski, were able to supply with that dreadful 1-6 start.

Steve King