Tale of two coaches
Taylor’s patience paying off in Bengals’ big turnaround Browns’ Stefanski, reigning NFL Coach of Year, struggling in 2021
When Zac Taylor was the quarterbacks coach with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, he’d sit in his office and listen to the press conferences of other head coaches.
Taylor took notes about what questions these head coaches were asked and how they answered them. He studied how other head coaches handled the adverse situations they faced during the season.
The reigning NFL Coach of the Year is a shell of his 2020 self.
No adjustments. No passing game. No assertiveness, at least publicly. No points. No discipline, at least when it comes to his players.
Last season, first-year coach Kevin Stefanski navigated the Cleveland Browns through constant disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and led
“We’re just not doing a good enough job, and that starts with me.”
Kevin Stefanski Browns head coach
them to an 11-5 record and their first playoff appearance since 2002. They were so well organized that they won a wild-card playoff game in Pittsburgh while Stefanski watched from his basement with a case of the virus. They nearly pulled off an upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. Now they can’t even count to 11. Stefanski spent the previous 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before the Browns hired him. Working his way up from Vikings coach Brad Childress’ gofer and given a full season as offensive coordinator after he was passed over by former Browns general manager John Dorsey in 2019, Stefanski seemed ready. He was poised and confident. His answers gave no shred of doubt, even in situations that warranted it, like having his best receivers deemed close COVID-19 contacts for a road loss to the New York Jets on Dec. 27. He excelled as a play-caller. Now he’s regressed as badly as his team. He’s been reduced to taking the blame weekly and vowing to fix things, and nothing gets fixed.
The Browns (6-6) have scored more than 17 points only once in the past seven games. In that span, they’ve averaged 16 points, and that’s skewed by the 41 they put up against the Cincinnati Bengals. Losing two of their past three, the Browns have totaled 27 points.
Last season, when Stefanski had a healthy Baker Mayfield at quarterback, the Browns scored 25.5 points per game. This season, they’re at 21.2.
“It is very frustrating,” Stefanski said. “To not score enough, it’s always a combination of things — it’s staying on the field on third down, it’s trying to run the ball effectively and getting in the red zone, all of those things. But we’re just not doing a good enough job, and that starts with me.”
Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium dealt a severe blow to the Browns’ playoff chances, and Stefanski fell on his sword three more times.
On why running back Kareem Hunt, the Browns’ fourth-leading receiver coming in despite just being activated from injured reserve, caught no passes, “Yeah, not good enough.”
On failing to get the right number of players on the field three times on special teams, including getting caught with 12 before and after a timeout, “That’s coaching. That’s on me. Bottom line.” On what was going on that led to the 12-men penalties, “Again, that’s coaching. Put that right on me.”
Another for which Stefanski has been taking the blame for weeks is penalties, and miscues continue to plague them. The Browns committed five for 45 yards against the Ravens. Their 85 penalties are the fourth-most in the league and their 771 penalty yards third most.
Perhaps as a result of the problems quarterback Baker Mayfield’s injuries have presented, Stefanski is resorting to trickery. It blew up in his face Sunday when receiver Jarvis Landry took a direct snap, was sacked and fumbled.
“The Jarvis play, listen, hindsight is 20-20. If I had known that was going to happen, obviously, I wouldn’t have called it,” Stefanski said. “But he’s been really good in those moments with the ball in his hands and making a play when it’s there and making a play when it’s not there.”
Odell Beckham Jr. forcing his way off the team may still have ramifications in the locker room. Some players could be losing faith in Mayfield if the social media posts of their fathers are any indication.
Asked what he needs to do better, Stefanski said, “All of the above. Put a better plan together. Put the guys in positions to make plays.”