The Browns have struggled to generate points offensively in the two games Deshaun Watson has played. The team’s offense has been outscored by the team’s defense and special teams in that stretch.
The Browns are 1-for-4 in the red zone with Watson at the helm and 8-of-28 on third down.
After Sunday’s 23-10 loss to the Bengals, coach Kevin Stefanski is taking heat.
“I think all of that goes with the territory,” Stefanski said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “I kind of keep a focus on what I can control and what’s going on in our building, those type of things. So I’m always looking for ways to improve, always looking for ways to put our guys in position to succeed that’s what I have [done].”
Stefanski defended his decision to bring in Jacoby Brissett on fourth-and-one from the 25 in the first quarter. Brissett overthrew Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone.
The “basis of it,” Stefanski explained, is the Bengals thinking Brissett was in to sneak it.
“There’s things that we can do, but he’s been good in short-yardage and we feel like that gives us an advantage,” Stefanski said. “Obviously frustrated in the result there and always looking at what we can do better — what I can do better — but that is obviously the idea behind it.”
He also does not regret going for it on fourth down. The Browns have converted only 18 of a league-high 33 fourth-down attempts.
“It’s just trying to put our guys in position to make a play, stay on the field [to turn] potential threes into sevens,” Stefanski said. “It’s a philosophy that I believe in. We’re going to try to be aggressive and I think our players understand that we’re trying to be smart while being aggressive.”