Cleveland Browns: 3 reasons Kevin Stefanski should lead the Coach of the Year race
By Josh Brown
Accountability, and much-needed discipline
At Kevin Stefanski’s introductory press conference, he stated, “Personality is welcome. Your production is required.” Stefanski has shown throughout 2020 that he will let his guys be who they are, but that comes with expectations. He has taken the Browns of 2019 and done a complete about-face.
On the field, penalties are down from 79 in 2019 to 57 in 2020. Stupid penalties are at near zero. No punches are being thrown or helmet incidents. Off the field, the players are not throwing temper tantrums in the media, talking about shoes or visors. They are talking football like any other team in the NFL, and it is gloriously uneventful.
The players fill gaps on defense, tackle with authority, and make big plays nearly every week. After two years of leading the NFL in missed tackles with 149 in 2018 and 140 in 2019, Cleveland’s defense has missed just 50 tackles placing them in a tie for fourth-best in the league. This type of discipline has the Browns run defense ranked in the top ten for the first time since 2017. Early in the year, we saw some blown assignments, but Stefanski and the staff have done a good job cleaning that up as the year has gone on.
This will not be confused with the Colts or Steelers, but they play hard and are in the right place to create big plays. With added talent to that side of the ball, the defense could make a big leap in 2021.
The offense has been anchored to the running game, and it should be. Kevin Stefanski and offensive line guru Bill Callahan has a line with two new players and multiple injuries playing like they have been together forever. The line has committed just 15 penalties in 10 games, with rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills leading the way with eight.
For the first time in years, the Browns are not self-destructive when it comes to penalties. Gone are the days of big plays and good things erased by a penalty to become one more penalty, and next thing you know, it’s third and 40. This offense steps up and smashes you in the mouth and makes enough plays through the air to get it done. Everyone is in sync as a unit.
Cleveland has a young and flawed roster, especially with all the injuries, but they play the right way every Sunday because of their rookie head coach. When you do that, you have a chance to win each week.