In what turned out to be Kevin Stefanski’s final game as the head coach for the Cleveland Browns, the Browns were able to squeak out a win in Cincinnati.
Firstly, in a game where they did everything in their power to stop Myles Garrett, they were unsuccessful. Myles Garrett finished the game with one sack and broke the NFL sack record with 23 sacks in the season. In a season when the Browns finished 5-12, Myles Garrett was one of the few bright spots the whole season. Congrats to Flash!
Another obvious storyline is Andre Szmyt hitting the winning field goal as time expires. Previously, he had missed a field goal and an extra point against the Bengals in the first game of the season, but the Browns stuck it out with him. Although he got off to a rough start, Szmyt turned out to be a solid kicker for the Browns the rest of the season. After week one, he only missed two more kicks the whole season, including a 56-yard field goal against the Lions. Szmyt also never missed an extra point for the rest of the season. His final totals were 24/27 on field goals and 25/26 on extra points. The Browns may have finally found their solution at kicker, something that plagued them throughout the Stefanski era.
Shedeur Sanders is not the answer. He ended the game 11/22 with 111 yards and was sacked six times for 29 yards. Not only was it a rough day for him, but a rough ending to the season that saw him finish the season with seven touchdowns and ten interceptions. The excitement for Shedeur was obvious throughout his first couple of starts, but quickly died down as his questionable decision-making began to show through. He frequently threw the ball into double coverage, leading to picks, many of them dropped, and he ran backwards on sacks trying to extend the play. His pocket awareness is mediocre at best, as he would frequently trip or take sacks that could have been easily avoided. As the offseason continues, expect the Browns to find a different solution at quarterback.
The defense played exceptionally as well, including Devin Bush scoring a 97-yard pick-six and Sam Webb scoring a 47-yard fumble return touchdown. Bush continues to be a bright spot at linebacker as he led the game with 14 tackles in a game without Carson Schwesinger. Bush becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season, but expect him to resign.
The Browns were able to close out the disappointing season with two straight wins against division rivals. The offseason has already begun with the firing of Kevin Stefanski, so expect major changes in the coaching staff and potentially an offensive overhaul.
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