Cleveland Browns 3 studs (and 2 duds) in last-second win over Steelers
• DTR made the plays when it counted
• The head coach deserves some praise
By Randy Gurzi
Cleveland Browns Stud: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Quarterback
After the way Dorian Thompson-Robinson played in Week 4, it was a huge risk to start him this week against the Steelers. It was understandable why Kevin Stefanski made the call since they actually lost to the Seattle Seahawks due to a poor pass from P.J. Walker. Still, we all were hopeful the rookie would be better in this outing.
As far as the stats go, there wasn't a lot to get too excited about. Thompson-Robinson was just 24-of-43 for 165 yards with no touchdowns and one pick. He did have 20 yards on the ground but it felt as though he was hesitant to push the ball downfield. That was surely part of the game plan as the Browns wanted the defense to win this one but there were times he held the offense back with inaccurate passes.
After the win, #Browns players had high praise for Dorian Thompson-Robinson's effort, especially on the final drive to help get the team in field goal position and ultimately get the win. pic.twitter.com/rFrilqXHdI
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) November 19, 2023
Having said that, he was on fire when it counted most. DTR was 4-of-4 for 39 yards on the final drive before spiking the ball with five seconds left. He stood in the pocket and made the right reads on that drive, allowing his team to get the win. And in all honesty, he threw some dimes on the previous drive but they were dropped.
Still, the most important thing was that final drive. Cleveland is now 7-3 and on a three-game winning streak. They have a strong enough defense to win as long as the offense doesn't make mistakes and Thompson-Robinson was able to do just enough. All they need in order to make the playoffs is a hame manager and he proved in Week 11 that he can be that. That gives them plenty of confidence as they prepare to face the Broncos on the road in Week 12.