After the Cleveland Browns' Week 8 upset of the Baltimore Ravens, the teams' energy seemed to shift from a dire team trending towards the first overall pick to a team hopeful they can magically make the playoffs. In Week 9, the Los Angeles Chargers came into town with both teams hopeful for a statement win.
The matchup between the Browns and Chargers was a massive one that seemed to set the tone for the remainder of the Browns' season. After an enormous disappointment on the heels of a defense incapable of stopping the big play, and an offense from gaining any momentum, the Browns fell to the Chargers 27-10. Without further ado, lets get into the stock up/down report.
Stock Up: Myles Garrett
Heading into the second half, Myles Garrett already had three sacks, and consistently applied pressure to opposing quarterback Justin Herbert. Garrett was one of the sole bright spots on the Browns, and in general, Jim Schwartz's defensive front could apply the pressure he was looking for, with six total sacks in the first half. The breakdown on defense came from the Browns' secondary. After stringing together a few weeks and registering zero sacks, Garrett finally got home three times and the defense didn't capitalize at all on his massive effort.
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Stock Down: Browns Secondary
For all the good Garrett and the rest of the Browns defensive front did between pass rush, and stopping the run, the Browns secondary made a bad habit of giving up massive plays almost immediately after. Miscommunications, bad coverage, and total breakdowns led to two big touchdowns, and most importantly, the Chargers could stay on the field on third down, regardless of the down and distance.
It is possible that the loss of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah led to confusion within assignments, and specifically the play calls being disseminated among the defense, but the truth is that the Browns have been giving up the big play all season long. Look for Andrew Berry and the front office to deep dive into the current DB group before the 2025 NFL draft.
Stock Down: Jameis Winston
Many Browns fans watched Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens and cringed at each pass from Winston that should have been intercepted, as it fell to the ground. Do not worry, in Week 9, the Chargers defense was not as giving, intercepting Winston three times. Playing off the exciting upset of the Ravens, Winston hoped to build off the momentum but fell to an elite defense and began forcing throws to make something happen.
The remainder of the season should be about determining if Winston is capable of starting next year while a rookie waits in the wings, as well as determining if Dorian Thompson-Robinson can develop into a long-term backup.
Stock Down: Bubba Ventrone
Browns fans will understand the anxiety of holding their breath every time former Browns QBs dropped back for a pass. It has become a similar experience with punt and kick coverage this season. In fact, apart from Corey Bojorquez, the entirety of the special teams is playing terribly. A late fourth-quarter field goal block from the Chargers sealed the deal for a unit that's consistently holding the team back. One bad season shouldn't spell the end of Bubba Ventrone's time in Cleveland, however, it is imperative that Cleveland use the remainder of the season to fix their special team's issues.
Stock Up: Corey Bojorquez
As mentioned before, special teams for the Browns have been a disaster in 2024. Bojorquez has been a lone bright spot due to his ability to pin opposing teams deep within their territory. Twice on Sunday, he was able to down the ball within the Chargers five-yard line, which should have resulted in points for Cleveland. A breakdown on defense and inability to produce anything on offense led to the Chargers sneaking out of being pinned deep, and scoring points.
Stock Up: Cedrick Tillman
The second-year receiver continues to develop into a future number-one receiver. Since the trade with the Buffalo Bills that sent Amari Cooper packing, Tillman has shown that the Browns were right in trusting in for more opportunities. For the second week in a row, Tillman led the Browns in receiving with six catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. The Browns would be wise to build their offense around him moving forward.