JIM DONOVAN GOT HIS WISH, AS OFFENSE LEADS WIN

By STEVE KING

Longtime Browns radio play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan and I usually text each other before games.

“A great opportunity today,” I wrote to him about three hours before the Browns met the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium.

He replied, “Make it three in a row. Time for the offense to carry them.”

That’s exactly what needed to happen, and it did, as the Browns, missing all kinds of key pieces on defense because of injuries and suspensions, were able to overcome that by finally putting it all together offensively en route to an overwhelming 41-24 win. It is, as Donovan indicated it would be, their third consecutive win to push their record to 5-6 and keep them in the AFC playoff hunt heading into a key rematch in Pittsburgh against the Steelers (6-5) next Sunday.

The game wasn’t really as close as the 17-point margin of victory. The Browns (5-6) had their best half in forever in blowing out to a 28-0 second-half lead.

But the Dolphins (2-9), who had won two of their previous three games after a horrific start, carried that same don’t-quit attitude for the next quarter-plus. They made it 28-3 at halftime and then scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to close it to 28-17.

But the Browns, who got too giddy after building their big lead, regrouped and put their foot back onto the gas pedal and pushed the advantage back up to 24, 41-17, late in the fourth quarter before the depleted defense, which played much, much better than anyone could have imagined, gave up a meaningless TD in the final seconds.

It was the Cleveland offense, though, that was the big story. This was the way this group was supposed to have been playing, but wasn’t, from the beginning of the season. Now, quarterback Baker Mayfield is continuing to get on the same page with his receivers, especially Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr.; he is doing a much better job of moving in the pocket to buy himself time, thus helping an offensive line that is slowly but surely improving; and running back Nick Chubb is doing what he has done all year by churning out yardage on the ground to keep the attack balanced – and dangerous and productive. Plus running back Kareem Hunt once again made his presence felt, giving the offense yet another prolific weapon.

After all that, I’ll be anxious to see what Jim Donovan texts me next Sunday morning from Heinz Field.

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