Rivalries in this league do not always require two teams sharing a division, and sometimes a single soundbite is enough to spark one. Last week, Mike Tomlin went viral after saying the ‘Browns is the Browns’ in reviewing their blowout loss to the Jaguars. Browns head coach Todd Monken appears to have used it for bulletin board material ahead of their Buccaneers matchup.
After the win over the Bucs, Monken sounded off about the comment and said ‘F*** that.’
During the telecast of Sunday Night Football on NBC, Tomlin was shown the video clip of Monken’s response and said that he’s glad that he can still motivate people.
“I’m glad that I can still motivate, although I’m not coaching anymore,” Tomlin said.
Mike Tomlin's one-liners are still having an impact in the NFL. 😂
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That contrast is really what gives this storyline its edge. Cleveland did not just win Sunday, it delivered the exact kind of response that undercuts the “Browns being Browns” narrative before Tomlin’s comment had even finished making the rounds online.
Watson bounced back from a rocky opener to outplay Baker Mayfield head-to-head, finishing the second half 17 of 21 for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. Denzel Boston added a 55-yard score, and a defense that managed almost no pressure in Week 1 came away with multiple sacks and a turnover against Tampa Bay’s offense.
For the Browns, the exchange adds a bit of extra energy to a week that already carried real momentum. Silencing a week of quarterback controversy, and now trading public jabs with one of the most respected coaches in recent AFC North history all in the same 24-hour stretch gives this locker room plenty to feed off heading into a home opener against Carolina that now carries far higher stakes than it did before kickoff in Tampa.
NEXT: 2 Young Browns Rookies Quietly Dominated In Sunday's Win
