Huge win for the Browns last week that I'm not sure anyone saw coming. The defense played very well, the weather was what they would have hoped for, and Walker played better than expected. Toss in an injury or two for San Fran, less than their best day and a break of two that went our way and the Browns get a signature win that they have been waiting for. It's a week to celebrate, as it was a very big win for many reasons and well earned.
Winning a game that you are not "supposed to" in the NFL can be a very big deal. It can spring you forward with a confidence not there before. And it can put the emphasis back on football and not on the side stuff that losing can dredge up. After beating the Niners, this week do you really care who plays QB this week as much as you did last week? LOL well, of course we all want our guy to play, but somehow it doesn't seem as important as it did then. We will see what the Browns do with this win, and the Jets too, see what they do after beating the Eagles leaving us with NO unbeaten teams.
The Browns showed a great deal of heart last week, notably on defense as it's the heartbeat of the team. It's amazing what happens when a coach of a position group asks them to play with passion and shows that same passion outwardly. Jim Schwartz, is the most important person this organization has hired in years, and that without question includes the actual guys that hired him. I feel he has a good chance to be here longer than them too. But - there's this to keep in mind. (Temporarily he is saving their jobs) Schwartz is a head coach, so at the end of this season the Browns will have to make a big decision. Keep Schwartz (somehow in some way) or lose him to one of the teams that will be looking for a head coach. Because they will be calling. Chargers, Bears, Washington, even New England comes to mind.
It's a shame it took this long to get it through our heads that defense is important and not an afterthought. Especially after Stefanski's famous line last year, "No one plays smashmouth football anymore." The league heard that and smashed our mouths every week. Incredible he actually said that on the record. Now the Browns are in a place they didn't envision a few days ago. A winning record with some very winnable games ahead. The 49ers and Eagles proved it can be very tough to win on the road in the NFL and that's exactly where the Browns are going. The Country Club 4 of 5 game home stand is over - for the next two weeks, at Indy and Seattle. In fact, 5 of the next 7 games are on the road. But good defense travels well and it looks like it's going to have to.
Isn't it ironic? All this money, drama, trading draft picks and emphasis on trying to score 100 points a game for an offensive minded coach, and now we win by scoring barely enough - and giving up very few. We have this incredible defense that was a single hire and a few players away. And for those screaming for Stefnaski to turn over play calling to Alex Van Pelt, you can be rest assured that is NOT going to happen - now especially. There's no way he'll let another coordinator possibly outshine him as much as Schwartz is clearly doing right now. BTW the most points we've scored in a game since this coaching staff has been in place was against the Steelers in the playoffs a few years ago and Stefanski was in his basement with COVID watching on TV.
Football, as much as many try to make it different, it's still this. If you give up less points than them - you win. It's just math. 3-2 is ALL thanks to the new guy. Keep it going, take care of the pesky Colts today!
GO BROWNS!
