The Cleveland Browns got their second win of the season.
Riding a three-game losing streak, they couldn’t afford to drop another one, much less at home, and much less to the Miami Dolphins.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report named Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as one of the biggest winners in the NFL.
“Heading into Week 7, Kevin Stefanski’s seat was getting awfully hot. The 1-5 record was bad enough, but Stefanski’s game plan against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday was even worse. [Quinshon] Judkins received just 12 carries while [Dillon] Gabriel attempted a whopping 52 passes [in Week 6]. This week’s game plan was much more sensible, and Cleveland looked like a competent football team as a result. Beating a bad Miami team won’t give Stefanski any long-term security, but dominating the Dolphins should cool the hot season considerably,” the B/R NFL Staff wrote.
Things could’ve gotten ugly for Stefanski if the Browns hadn’t defeated the Dolphins, who also had just one win coming into the game.
Granted, it was a victory against one of the worst teams in football, and that’s nothing to brag about, but a team can only beat whoever is in front of it.
More than that, the Browns needed to win Gabriel’s first NFL home start.
They did a great job of making the most of the opportunity, helped by some difficult weather conditions.
The offense needed momentum, and while the passing game was still overly conservative, running back Quinshon Judkins gained 84 yards and scored three touchdowns.
The defense also returned an interception for a TD, and it was a well-rounded performance overall.
Now, things won’t get much easier for Stefanski, as the Browns travel to face the New England Patriots in Week 8.
Though Cleveland will be an underdog, a blowout loss and a subpar offensive performance might be enough to make Stefanski’s seat hot again.
NEXT: Alex Wright Predicts All-Pro Season For Browns Defender
