Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski crossed paths in one of the strangest box scores you’ll ever see, and the result had to sting for Browns fans who still remember both men from Cleveland.
While the Browns were getting handled in Pittsburgh, Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were outlasting Stefanski’s Atlanta Falcons in a game that turned bizarre fast. Tampa Bay won without completing a single pass, becoming the first team since the 1974 Buffalo Bills to win a game despite not completing a pass. The Buccaneers finished with negative-2 net passing yards after a late sack.
The weather played a huge role. The game was soaked by a monsoon, and Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. never found a rhythm.
He threw more completions to Bucs defenders - four - than Tampa Bay attempted passes, which was three. Todd Bowles’ team leaned almost entirely on the ground and set a franchise record with 324 rushing yards, including 170 from Bucky Irving.
For Stefanski, it was a brutal loss to absorb. His offense couldn’t do enough against a team that didn’t ask its quarterback to throw the ball, even with Bijan Robinson in the backfield.
Mayfield’s history with Stefanski added another layer to the night. The former No. 1 pick said in the offseason that Stefanski never reached out after the Browns traded him, and he clearly had this matchup circled.
He may not have imagined a win like this, though. Mayfield did plenty of the dirty work, putting his body on the line, blocking for his runners and continuing to hand the ball off as Tampa Bay kept grinding away. It was one of the most absurd statistical games of his career, but it ended with the result he wanted.
And for Browns fans, that’s the part that had to make them laugh. The quarterback many have softened on helped deliver a loss to the coach many have soured on.
In Other News...
Browns Trade Deadline Debate Just Got More Urgent After New Concern
After the loss to the Steelers, Todd Monken kept the Browns message steady: patience, perspective and a reminder that the team has earned its 5-3 start. Even so, the conversation around Clevelands trade deadline plans has only gotten louder, because the issues that have trailed them into November are the kind that can shape a playoff push if they are not addressed soon.
The debate has centered on two obvious pressure points, the rushing offense and a defense that has shown some recent vulnerability. But the latest buzz suggests Cleveland may be leaning toward help on the defensive side first, with a run-stuffing tackle viewed by some as the cleaner fit than an offensive backfield addition. For a team trying to stay in the AFC mix, the next move could say plenty about how it sees itself. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Need One Low-Cost Move To Save Their Offense
The Browns loss in Pittsburgh left them in a tougher spot in the AFC North, and the bigger concern is still the same one that has followed this offense for weeks: protection. Cleveland has had trouble creating lanes in the run game and keeping Deshaun Watson upright, a combination that has made the unit harder to trust and easier for defenses to attack.
One possible fix would not require a splashy move, either. The idea of going after Colts tight end Kylen Ogletree makes sense because of his reputation as a blocker, and that kind of low-cost addition could help steady the edge of the offense while giving Cleveland more help where it needs it most. The Browns do not need another headline-grabber as much as they need a piece that makes the whole operation function a little better. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Run Defense Problem Is Putting One Trade Deadline Move In Focus
The Browns run defense has become a real issue at the wrong time, with opponents piling up 100-yard rushers in back-to-back games and exposing a problem that has started to shape the conversation around the roster. With the NFL trade deadline approaching, Clevelands need for help in the middle of the defense is hard to ignore, especially for a team trying to steady a unit that has been too easy to move on the ground.
A name that has surfaced in that discussion is veteran defensive tackle AShawn Robinson, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Insiders have pointed to Robinson as a possible trade candidate, and his reputation as a strong run defender fits the kind of fix the Browns could use if they decide to make a move before the deadline closes. [Read more 🡒]