The Browns got exactly what they needed in Week 2: a win, a locker room that felt different afterward, and a defense that delivered when the game got weird.
Todd Monken said in the locker room after the game that there is nothing like winning in the NFL, and there is nothing like the locker room after a win in the NFL. It was Monken’s first win as an NFL head coach, and Cleveland made sure it came in memorable fashion.
The game itself came with a record-setting weather delay that had plenty of people uneasy, with some flashbacks to a certain World Series. In the end, though, the Browns defense got the stop and brought the win home as Cleveland heads into Week 3 of the NFL season.
The delay made for a tense afternoon, and it also left the game with a place in the record book. It was the 3rd longest game in history, and the lightning forced the teams off the field for over two hours in the longest single weather delay in NFL history.
There was also a quarterback conversation floating around Sunday morning, with reports suggesting the Browns might change QBs for Week 3. That can be put to bed for at least a week.
Elsewhere around Browns coverage, the conversation after the victory has centered on the defense and the odd shape of the win. Kelsey at Browns.com broke down three big takeaways from Cleveland’s defense putting together a good game against the team’s former QB. Dan Labbe at Cleveland.com described it as a weird, ugly win in Tampa, and that feels about right for a game that had just about everything except normal.
The quarterback angle drew plenty of attention too. Newsday highlighted Deshaun Watson outdueling Baker Mayfield, even though the two quarterbacks did not play against each other. Meanwhile, Dawg Pound Daily rounded up 10 instant reactions to the Browns’ wild win, and The OBR posted snap counts and quick takeaways from Browns vs Bucs.
One other topic that picked up steam: Bill Cowher implored Cleveland fans to cheer for Watson, a storyline that figures to keep following the Browns into Week 3.
And then there was the injury note that landed with a thud: former Browns TE David Njoku was carted off with a difficult-looking knee injury for the Chargers.
For now, though, the headline is simple. The Browns survived the delay, got the stop, and walked out of Tampa with a victory.
In Other News...
Todd Monken Sends Clear Message After Browns Silence Early Doubts
The Browns response in Week 2 did more than just get them back in the win column. It also gave Todd Monken a chance to push back on the chatter that followed their opening loss, and he did it by reaching back to a comment from former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Monken acknowledged Clevelands rough performance in Week 1, but he made clear he did not believe one bad afternoon should be treated as the whole story.
What matters now, from the Browns perspective, is turning that point into something more lasting. Monkens message was simple enough: the team has to play better if it wants people to think differently about it, and a single win does not erase the early doubts. Tomlin later answered with humor, but for Cleveland the larger issue remains the same, because the only real way to quiet outside opinions is to stack more Sundays like the one that followed Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Sent Baker Home With A Win Fans Will Debate
The Browns got the kind of result that can calm a week down fast, beating the Buccaneers 23-19 in Week 2 to even their record at 1-1. Deshaun Watson was the clear headliner on the scoreboard side, throwing two touchdown passes and finishing with a 121.9 passer rating while Clevelands defense looked sturdier than it did a week earlier. The win also came with the sort of familiar side plot Browns fans know well, since former quarterback Baker Mayfield was on the other sideline.
Cleveland did enough in the key moments to send Tampa Bay to 0-2, with plays from Denzel Boston among the helpers in a game that had enough back-and-forth to keep it tight. The one area that still left something to be desired was the rushing attack, which never really got going, so the Browns came away with a win that felt encouraging and a little unfinished at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Secondary Has A New Name Fans May Need To Watch
Clevelands Week 1 loss to Jacksonville exposed plenty of issues on both sides of the ball, but there was at least one young defender worth tracking in the aftermath. Rookie defensive back Emmanuel McNeil-Warren got onto the field for 25 percent of the defensive snaps and more than half of the special teams work, a sign the Browns are willing to get him involved early while they sort through a shaky start.
McNeil-Warren arrives with a versatile skill set and the kind of college production that makes him an intriguing part of the conversation, even if his path to a steady defensive role is still a work in progress. For a Browns secondary looking for answers after an uneven opener, his usage is the sort of development that can matter over time, even if the bigger role is still ahead rather than here now. [Read more 🡒]