Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has had better weeks. He’s just come off an excruciating last-second 16-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, on a last-second field goal.
“Incredibly disappointing with the result,” said Stefanski, who, for the second time in his two years as Browns coach, watched a game from the basement of his home after a positive COVID-19 test. “Getting the lead late and not finishing, it’s very frustrating.”
The Browns played the game without 22 players and three coaches – including Stefanski, and both his quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum – all of whom tested positive for COVID-19.
Had the grossly-undermanned Browns somehow managed to win Monday’s game, they would have been in first place in the ultra-competitive AFC North. But because they lost it, they now sit in last place in the division with a record of 7-7.
On Saturday, they will celebrate Christmas by having to play the Packers in Green Bay, which will be the short-handed Browns’ second game in six days. The Browns have three games remaining: Green Bay, at Pittsburgh, and home to Cincinnati. They are all must-win games for Cleveland, even more so following the loss to Oakland.
“They are one-game seasons,” said Stefanski of his team’s plight. “That’s how we approach it. We have a bunch of veterans on this team that understand that.”
Picked by many to win their division, if not their conference, and make their first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl, the Browns this year have been a major disappointment even before COVID-19 ransacked their roster.
Now, with the season, and their postseason hopes seemingly slipping away, there is no more room for error. It’s a win, win, win finish, and hope for the best. Or wait until next year.
Thanks to an endless run of injuries, and the recent roster rupturing COVID-19 haymaker, the Browns have been the picture of mediocrity this year. At various times in the season, they’ve had records of 1-1, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, and now 7-7.
In order to avoid having a losing record for the first time since their season-opening 33-29 loss to Kansas City, the Browns on Saturday will have to win a quarterback matchup of Aaron Rodgers vs. Nick Mullens.
Emergency starter Mullens was terrific in the loss to Las Vegas, completing 20 of 30 passes including a touchdown pass, with no sacks, fumbles, or interceptions.
“He played how I thought he’d play,” Stefanski said. “He was efficient. He got through his reads, delivered the ball on time, and he fought to the end. Nick’s a grinder. I’m not surprised.”
The Browns hope to have back some of the nearly-two dozen players idled for the Raiders game by COVID protocol. Stefanski and Mayfield could both return if – and this hasn’t happened much this season – things broke the Browns’ way.
“We’ll game plan on the people we know we have, and then adjust accordingly,” Stefanski said.
Even if all of those who missed the Raiders game are back for the Packers’ game, winning in Green Bay in December is a tall order any team. Problem number one for the Browns will be Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“They are a great team. Well coached, and Aaron Rodgers is a great, great player,” Stefanski said. “Our job is to put together a game plan that will put us in a position to succeed, and find a way to win.”
Having Stefanski back on the sidelines would help. The Browns are 1-1 when Stefanski is watching from his basement. He was there for the Browns 48-37 win at Pittsburgh in last year’s Wild Card game. And he was there for Monday’s loss to the Raiders.
“I sat and watched it like a lot of our fans,” he said. “It’s tough. You really want to be there for your team. You want to help your team. It’s a tough deal.”
Stefanski’s second year as the Browns’ coach has been a tough year. With three games left in the regular season his team’s backs are to the wall. Mayfield could return for the Packers’ game as well, but that won’t be known until the end of the week.
What’s known now is for the Browns to give themselves a chance to return to the playoffs for the second consecutive year they will have to win three games in a row – and this is a team that hasn’t won two consecutive games since October 3.
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