5 Browns whose stock is up following Cleveland’s win over the Titans.
The Cleveland Browns find themselves on the cusp of a playoff appearance after upending the Titans in Nashville, 41-35 in Week 13.
Tennessee marked the Browns biggest test of the season, as nationally, the Browns were viewed as soft, piling up wins against teams under .500.
However, in beating the Titans, the Browns beat a division leader and shocked their fan base by jumping out to a 38-7 halftime lead.
Some quick thoughts on the contest before I get to the stocks…
1. The Browns are 9-3 for the first time since 1994. That squad was the last Browns team to win a playoff game.
2. In victory, Cleveland clinched just its third winning season since being re-born in 1999. With a league setup for parity, that’s remarkable. That’s what firing your coach and GM every other year for the better part of two decades gets you.
3. The Browns are currently seeded fifth, which is the No. 1 wild card spot. If the season started today, the Browns would play the AFC South champion Titans in Nashville in the Wild Card round.
4. Things are far from settled in the South, though. With four games remaining, the Titans are tied for first with the Colts at 8-4. Each has won a head-to-head matchup, but the Titans would get the tiebreaker right now. Again, there’s a lot of football left to play.
Here’s five Browns whose stock is through the roof following the victory.
1. Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield played so well, the third-year veteran’s name was mentioned in the same breath as Otto Graham. For those unfamiliar with the name, Graham was the quarterback of the Browns from their inception in 1946 through the mid 1950s. He was basically the Tom Brady of his generation. Go ahead, Google it.
Mayfield became the first Brown since Graham to throw four touchdown passes in a first half. Graham accomplished the fete in 1951.
Mayfield finished the contest by going 25-of-33 for 334 yards, in addition to his four scores. He posted a 90 percent adjusted completion percentage, according to PFF.
Mayfield looked comfortable and completed passes to nine different players. Heck, even backup offensive tackle Kendall Lamm caught a touchdown pass. Mayfield’s always been at his best utilizing all of his weapons and that was the case against Tennessee.
As for Mayfield’s future, the Browns must continue to be patient with the former No. 1 overall pick. The Browns just aren’t fighting for the postseason now, they’re looking to get into the playoffs and win a game.
The Browns can offer Mayfield an extension after this season, but it’s not a guarantee. It’s the perk of having a fifth-year option on a player drafted in the first round. If Mayfield deserves that extension, it should be obvious by the end of 2021, meaning, the Browns should know if he’s the quarterback who can lead them to a Super Bowl win.
2. Kevin Stefanski
I don’t usually like to list coaches here, but Kevin Stefanski took a step up the coaching rankings against Mike Vrabel and the Titans and should be in consideration for coach of the year.
This game was important to the Browns, and it was evident through his play calling. There was a sense of urgency for Cleveland to prove itself against a good team and Stefanski pulled out all of the stops.
This game saw Jarvis Landry complete a pass to Mayfield and Kendall Lamm become a threat in goal line situations. He was near flawless in his play calls for Mayfield, setting his quarterback up for success with the right mix of play-action passes.
Browns fans need no reminder of how Vrabel and his Titans came into Cleveland during Week 1 of the 2019 campaign and blew up what was supposed to be Baker’s coming out party under then coach Freddie Kitchens.
Vrabel went on to best Bill Belichick in the AFC playoffs, while it seemed the Browns were embarking on yet another coaching search.
But in Stefanski, the Browns finally have a weapon wearing the headphones. He’s smart, measured, and doesn’t let his emotions get the best of him. And so far, he wins.
3. Sheldon Richardson
The defense needed a playmaker early on, and Sheldon Richardson delivered. The veteran defensive lineman played a big part in stopping Derrick Henry on 4th and 1 from the Cleveland 42. Tennessee challenged the spot of the ball, but the call was upheld.
Cleveland took over possession and would go on to score a touchdown nine plays later.
Richardson would impact the game yet again on the first play of Tennessee’s next possession, as he stopped Henry with the Browns recovering on the Titans 23-yard line. It was the first time Henry coughed up the ball in over 350 touches.
Six plays later, the Browns were in the end zone again.
Two huge defensive plays turned into 14 points for the Browns–and the Titans had to flip the switch to catch-up mode after going down 17-0.
The deficit forced the Titans to get away from Henry as their primary weapon. He finished with 60 yards on 15 carries.
4. Donovan Peoples-Jones
Donovan Peoples-Jones isn’t the Browns most spectacular rookie in 2020, and the truth is, there were a lot of reasons to get down on him prior to this contest.
With a stellar outing in Cincinnati as the exception, DPJ was a non-factor every time he had suited up.
He looked to be trending the wrong away, yet again, when he dropped a throw on a slant pattern at the 5-yard line. Had he caught it, he could’ve walked into the end zone.
Peoples-Jones redeemed himself early in the second quarter, by putting a wicked double-move on the covering defensive back and getting wide open to score a 75-yard touchdown.
It was a huge score because the Titans scored relatively easily on the previous possession, cutting the score to 17-7. Whatever momentum the Titans had was snuffed out by the Mayfield-to-DPJ connection.
Peoples-Jones added another chunk play later in the game to finish with two catches for 92 yards. Yes, he erred early on, but he pulled it together and made a difference on the bottom line.
It’s important to remember that he’s still a rookie and was a fifth-round pick. He’s now been directly responsible for big plays in two of the Browns wins.
5. M.J. Stewart
If you knew who M.J. Stewart was before this one, congratulations. You’re truly one of the diehards.
Sure, Stewart lucked into his third quarter interception, but how many times have we seen a Brown get his hands on a ball like that, only to drop it and then bang his facemask into the turf out of frustration?
The timing could’ve have been any better when Stewart plucked the gift that Adam Humphries couldn’t handle, because it kept the contest a three-score game. With the Titans offense noticeably picking up the pace after the half, Stewart’s pick was the slowdown the doctor ordered.
The Browns defense gets a lot of flak, and rightfully so. It’s not a perfect unit. That said, they know how to take the ball away. Tennessee entered the contest having turned the ball over only five times in 11 games. Cleveland forced three turnovers in victory.
The Browns entered Week 13 tied for third in the NFL, with 20 turnovers. They trailed only Pittsburgh (23) and Miami (21)
With Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams out, the Browns needed a play from someone in the secondary and they got it from Stewart.