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Cleveland Browns: Win over Steelers was Kevin Stefanski’s masterpiece

By Sam Penix

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski talks with Nick Chubb, left, Kareem Hunt, and Baker Mayfield during a game against Washington on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won the game 34-20. [Phil Masturzo/Beacon Journal]Browns16 2
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski talks with Nick Chubb, left, Kareem Hunt, and Baker Mayfield during a game against Washington on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won the game 34-20. [Phil Masturzo/Beacon Journal]Browns16 2 /
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Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski argues a penalty on the offense that takes back a touchdown in the second half. The Giants lose to the Browns, 20-6, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, December 20, 2020, in East Rutherford. /

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

To say this team was prepared is a gross understatement. The botched snap-turned-touchdown on Pittsburgh’s first play from scrimmage certainly helped, but the Browns completely dominated the line of scrimmage and scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions to take a commanding 28-0 lead.

The defense gradually let the Steelers back into the game, which is par for the course in blowouts this season. But Cleveland held a two-possession or larger lead from 9:46 to go in the first quarter through the final whistle. It was a wire-to-wire win for a team that many thought couldn’t overcome the odds.

Here is a non-comprehensive list of the disadvantages the Browns were at:

  • Down four coaches
  • Robert Jackson, a practice squad corner/special teams gunner, starting
  • No Olivier Vernon
  • No KhaDarel Hodge
  • No Odell Beckham Jr.
  • No Greedy Williams
  • No Grant Delpit
  • No Denzel Ward
  • No Kevin Johnson
  • No Joel Bitonio
  • No Chris Hubbard
  • No Nick Harris
  • Down to fourth and fifth-string left guard
  • Down to third-string right tackle
  • Two practices over the past two weeks thanks to COVID-19
  • Myles Garrett’s effectiveness plummetting after contracting COVID-19

And despite all of that, the team came out and utterly demolished one of the NFL’s best franchises of the past 20 years. They made the playoffs for the first time in 18 years, won a playoff game for the first time in 26 years, and beat Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh.

Stefanski has been great at game management and decision-making this season, but there is so much more to coaching than what happens on Sundays. It’s just incredible what he’s been able to do with this team given the circumstances.

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