The Cleveland Browns have officially hit “Riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” status. As long as they have a quarterback with some name recognition — be it Deshaun Watson or Joe Flacco — the team plays with the confidence of a much more dangerous organization. Kevin Stefanski’s club could be motivated by the doubters, or the sect of football fans that don’t want to talk about them because they’re owned by a scumbag who traded for an alleged deviant, but whatever it is, the Browns have a mean streak.
They have wins over both Baltimore and San Francisco, which no other team in the league can boast, and are 8-2 with quarterbacks who have regular starting experience in the NFL. That’s the baseline.
DeJoe Watco has thrown for 2,422 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 11 picks, with a median completion percentage hovering around 60 percent over 9 full games. (Technically 10 starts, but Watson only attempted five passes against Indianapolis before leaving with injury. Cleveland went on to win that Week 6 contest, 39-38.)
Extrapolated across 15 games, Watco is essentially Matthew Stafford with a little higher risk-reward. I don’t know what to make of Amari Cooper’s record-setting 265-yard performance. He’s not yet 30, but feels as old as Flacco in wide receiver years. Was it play design? Was Houston due for a stinker? What would you bet on Flacco eclipsing 265 yards passing against the Jets on Thursday?
While I want to say this is unsustainable, people are asking if Flacco could be the next Nick Foles, as if he wasn’t the original Nick Foles. If Baltimore was as volatile as that Carson Wentz-led Philadelphia team, Flacco likely doesn’t hold John Harbaugh and that franchise hostage for as long as he did.
Regardless of whether the Browns are actual contenders, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them beat Jacksonville in the first round and then surprise a big-hitter in the divisional round. The Bills, Chiefs and Dolphins have all gone through periods of vulnerability this year. Everyone is on the Ravens after Monday night’s showcase, but AFC North games are notoriously weird. (Of the likely one-seed’s three losses, two came against AFC North foes.)
The Browns lead the NFL in total offense allowed by more than 400 yards. For context, four quarterbacks have thrown for more yards than Cleveland has given up (3,905). They turn opponents over, knock the hell out of QBs and are top 10 against the run. If you can be that ornery when the quarterback room has combined for 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, you should have the league’s attention.
It’s Cleveland, so football fans are conditioned to the other shoe dropping. You could say some people are actively rooting for it considering the villain that is Jimmy Haslem and Watson. (They’re the world’s worst buddy comedy that’s literally unconcealable.)
If anyone ever wanted to talk about the Browns, we might talk about them more. We’ll be forced to if they keep winning after the calendar hits January. The elf on the field probably won’t be acknowledged, but what else is new?
