Stefanski admits Browns need better second halves
Coach Kevin Stefanski said he shared quarterback Baker Mayfield’s sentiments about their struggles to put away the Ravens in the second half of the Browns’ 24-22 victory Sunday at Firstenergy Stadium.
“For us as a team, these wins are hard to come by,” Stefanski said. “We’ll continue to fight, scratch and claw for 60 minutes or more, and that’s going to be our focus.”
Mayfield’s comments came after the Browns failed to score in the second half, and the Ravens cut into a 24-3 secondquarter deficit.
“We did enough to win the game, so check that box off. We got conservative,” Mayfield said Sunday. “We need to put it away. That’s what good teams do, so we need to improve on that.”
Asked about Mayfield’s “conservative” remark, Stefanski said things might have been different had the Browns turned a 10-play drive at the end of the third and start of the fourth quarter into a touchdown. The possession stalled at the Baltimore 23 when Mayfield failed to connect with receiver Jarvis Landry on a deep pass. Chase Mclaughlin’s 41-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright with 11:30 remaining.
“I also lamented that we didn’t put the game away. Miss a field goal to go up 27-9. On that third-and-10, would love to have converted there and get seven off of that drive,” Stefanski said. “That was a long fourth-quarter drive and we need to do more of that. It’s certainly something that we talk about internally where we can get better ... to put those games away, and that’s what we need to do.”
Mclaughlin remains Browns kicker
Stefanski said the Browns are sticking with Mclaughlin and will not bring in others for tryouts, despite the kicker’s recent slump.
Mclaughlin is 15-for-20 on field-goal attempts, with all his misses coming since Oct. 21.
Stefanski wants improvement late in games
The Browns have been outscored 170103 in the second half and 105-52 in the fourth quarter this season, but Stefanski downplayed a seeming lack of halftime adjustments.
“We do have to be better. That is obvious,” Stefanski said. “That is a team stat. Offense, defense and special teams, we have to be better through all four quarters.
“The adjustments that you make, they really happen within series and within quarters. It is not like you get in at halftime and you wholesale change things.”