The Cleveland Browns close 2022 not with a bang but with a whimper in loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers

3 Bad

The same issues with the passing game

The issues when it comes to the Cleveland Browns’ passing game all season is two-fold. First, it’s the big names disappearing. Sure, you can argue they can only do so much without the ball in their hands, but to only target Amari Cooper three times, that’s sad. He’s about to be paid $20+ million per year. How are you going to justify his contract if he’s getting three targets per game in a rivalry game? Secondly, Deshaun Watsons’ decision-making. You can talk about timing and rhythm, and how apparently being with the team for 10 months isn’t enough time, but the man is absolutely garbage at it.

The playcalling, again

Kevin Stefanski may return in 2023 but if he returns as a play-caller, this team will never succeed. 2020 was a fluke with much better talent that no longer resides on the team and the Browns have got to do more offensively in 2023. Yeah, for the first half of the year, they had a top offense, but Stefanski knee-capped that unit with boneheaded call after boneheaded call. He either has to step aside in 2023 for the good of his team, or he has to be removed from the team.

Defensive ineptitudes

The Cleveland Browns defense looked good in the first half of the game, but we play more than just 30 minutes. The Browns’ defense couldn’t keep Kenny Pickett from the endzone and the unsung Watt brother, Derek, got himself a touchdown to close out the season. The Browns’ fancy $200+ million quarterback had nearly the same QBR as Pickett. That’s either an indictment on the Browns’ defense for allowing it,  an indictment on the Browns’ offense, or a wild combination of the two.