ESPN’s Tony Rizzo was the consummate “every fan” for a few minutes of his show this past Monday.
That’s when he unloaded on Kevin Stefanski about the 2 plays that left Cleveland Browns‘ followers shaking their heads in unison.
Holding a playbook loaded with options for every occasion, Stefanski called consecutive quarterback sneaks with a yard to go.
At first glance, it might not have been the worst call even of the Buffalo game.
The moment was too big and @TheRealTRizzo has had enough 😪 pic.twitter.com/6anS8Yb0eE
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) November 21, 2022
After all, he has a big-bodied quarterback with an excellent record of converting such plays.
And if he tried to get fancy and lost yardage, it would not have saved Stefanski from the ire of the fans.
But Jacoby Brissett was operating behind his third-string center against one of the best front 7s in football.
And the reminder of those variables on third down wasn’t enough to elicit a different plan on fourth.
Rizzo: Moment Too Big For Stefanski
Rizzo’s rant was really about more than a lousy segment of play calls.
The ESPN pundit called the sequence a perfect example of a moment that was too big for Kevin Stefanski.
And he offered a solution that would allow the head coach to do a better job.
“Get your face out of the play sheet!” Rizzo yells. “Start coaching a football team. Fire up your defense on the sideline like a head coach should. I’ve seen enough!”
Calling his own plays on game day has led to criticism of Stefanski from the moment he took over in Cleveland.
Play calling at that critical moment was pathetic. #Browns
— Tony Rizzo (@TheRealTRizzo) November 20, 2022
Despite his offense getting more than expected from Jacoby Brissett, he leaves himself open to questions almost weekly.
Stefanski’s situational decision-making lags behind his general game planning, as evidenced by his offensive statistics versus win totals.
But it is his hands-off attitude towards his defense and special teams that might ultimately put heat under Stefanski’s seat.
What Stefanski Missed In The Moment
Analytically speaking… Cleveland’s failure to convert a third and fourth down early in the 3rd quarter didn’t end their chances.
But that is exactly why analytics can’t be the default response to every situation.
Stefanski’s offense had a chance to take back control of the game after Buffalo scored 13 unanswered points
Penalties helped Cleveland march downfield in response, an indication everything wasn’t going to go the Bills’ way.
I know Jacoby Brissett is good at the QB sneak, but it’s very #Browns to not even act like Nick Chubb is on their team on huge third- and fourth-and-shorts
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) November 20, 2022
Brissett converted an early third down and Nick Chubb set up the 3rd-and-1 with his best run of the day, 9 yards on second down.
It was a perfect time to let Chubb show the Bills’ defense how different the second half might be.
Or maybe Stefanski could have let Brissett take a shot at the end zone off play-action in 4-down territory.
But a kill shot wasn’t analytically correct, and Kevin’s big sheet told Brissett to fall forward… twice… for no gain.
NEXT: Browns Nation News And Notes (11/22/22)
You are spot on about Stefanski! I have bern saying the same thing for 2 years. Stefanski is NOT a leader of men. He is an introvert who only coaches by analytics from that fraud DePodesta, who is a baseball guy. Stefanski has horrible communication skills.
Stefanski never takes his nose out of that play sheet and never talks to players or coaches during games. We need a real HC who can relate to and inspire players. Not a geek squad guy who may be better off working at Best Buy.
Couldn’t of said it better. I remember Cowher coaching. That’s the difference !
Don’t throw Cowher into the mix. He was overrated. He could fire up a defense but was clueless offensively. With the teams he had he should have won many SB’s. He was lucky to win one the way he coached.
After every loss we hear the same crap “we will watch the game film and learn from this” why isn’t this the smartest team I football. They learn nothing. Grade “F:
Amen!!
AMEN!!!
SO AGREE!!!
Amen!!! Watch the fukin game ffs!!! Act like ur in the sideline at an NFL game!!! And stop forgetting that you have the best RB in football!!!
Take away Chubbs longest rush of the night (12 yards) and his stats were 7 yards on 13 carries. Continuing to hand him the ball on 3rd & 1 and 4th & 1 doesn’t exactly fill me with an abundance of confidence. We need a defensive coordinator and special teams coach. Then we need some players who can actually play on Sunday instead of watching the game on TV. There’s no toughness on this team. Just a bunch of cupcakes.
WE WANT CHUCKY!!! 😠😠😠
I am 61 years old , been to alot of games in the old stadium and still a browns fan today. UNBELIEVABLE !
Another gaffe, coming out of a time out how do these guys leave S. Diggs wide open in the end zone??? Further more 2 yes 2 penalties for too many men on the field and 2 delay of games on the offense, TOTALLY inexcusable!!! Ruiz is 100% correct
I have been a browns fan for 65 years. When I heard they selected Depodesta, a baseball guy, to select strategic players for the Browns I wondered why he wasn’t in baseball anymore. Mystery solved!!! His selections might be moneyball correct, but not football. This ownership group does not have the knowledge or the b””ls to make correct moves. Please sell the team to someone who gives a damn about our team and loves our city!!!!!
Agreed. The Haslams, Stefanski and DeShame can all get out of town! I’m disgusted by this “leadership”.
hell yea!
After every loss the browns say we will watch the game film and learn from this. This should be the smartest team I football but they still lose. It’s embarrassing again. Every coach should go. This team is a joke
The browns reflect the head coach, no passion or intensity.. The browns have great first drive, but when other teams adjust the browns don’t adjust. Why can’t the coaching staff make in game adjustments,
Been yearning for a Cowher type coach ever since the Browns came back. It is evident Stefanski does not have the respect of the players. No confidence, No fire, no heart. It’s just that simple.
With DePodesta in charge we will never see a strong take charge Head Coach.
DePodesta only wants yes men.
I am sick of him. He makes bad decisions every game. Two hard nosed running backs and he calls two an sneaks. Who does that????. This team has too much talent to be losing every Sunday, FIRE him today!!!!!!!!!. I have been a Browns since the 70’s,
I meant Quarter back sneaks in my previous comment
When analytics is telling them to go for it, wouldn’t it also tell other teams that you are going for it and they can be ready for it.
We win Sunday and DW gets retribution in Houston and all the mathematical equations to make the playoffs take over the conversations again. The only guy I agree with is NJoku who said it best…still alot of football to be played Go Browns!
There is less then a 5% chance if DW wins all the games. Johnson said today that they all were waiting on DE to come back so that tells me the inmates run the show and the season was just for show the defense is awful and special teams is garbage Garrets talking about his prime the season is lost and Haslam gets richer. Oh I’m not picking on your comment it was the last I read
After watching the Browns play this year, the coach act like he does not care what goes on with the rest of the team. We need a offensive coordinator and I’m surprise Myles Garrett still want to hang around through all of this losing..
Maybe they can go the route of the Colts & hire Joe Thomas. He can’t be any worse can he? At least he’ll kick field goals early in games & hand it to Chubb on 3rd & 1 / 4th & 1. lol
Couldn’t agree with you more. Stefanski “reads” too much, plain and simple. The Browns need a more FIERY, GET IN YOUR FACE, Coach!🏈
Should have kept Gregg Williams. He checks all these boxes and you could tell he had their respect.
The other obvious question is, why was there not at least one big body, better yet two, in the backfield to push Jacoby from behind to get the additional push like EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE LEAGUE DOES! Also, why not run the sneak with a spread offense which would open natural spaces for Jacoby to pick from, and not condensing both the offense and defense into the middle and creating an almost impenetrable wall!
This guy frustrates the crud out of me!
Football is an emotional game, you have to get fired up to play it or you get rolled on the back of your head. That hasn’t been there with Stefanski. May work on chess or checkers, but NOT with football.
Years of playing and watching football taught me that every adjustment made opens other options. A defense can’t cover everything. Nick Chubb with the “ best offensive line in football” (they say) doesn’t get 19 yards on 13 Carrie’s without the defense over committing and opening up other opportunities. Big pass rush/ screen, over penetration / trap.. Where was an adjustment? It’s a chess game, not we’re doing this try to stop us!!!!
After every loss we hear the same crap “we will watch the game film and learn from this” why isn’t this the smartest team I football. They learn nothing. Grade “F:
After every loss the browns say we will watch the game film and learn from this. This should be the smartest team in
football but they still lose. It’s embarrassing again. Every coach should go. This team is a joke
As a recovering Browns fan who despised the NFL for allowing the original Browns to move to Baltimore, I often wish they would never have approved this expansion team.
Our worse enemies are the owners the worthless coach we have. People think Watson can do something……not played for damn near 2 years. Haslam destroyed the team going for Watson who set out the because of his conduct and abusing women. Don’t remember what Hunt went through when he came to Cleveland that was one woman…..22 23 24 how many for Watson…………
Looking back to the expansion era I think that they should have went with a different name and colors. Paul Browns team is in Cincinnati not in Cleveland. Paul probably cursed the team when he started another franchise. Look at how long it took Baltimore to get a Super Bowl ring after the rat Art Modell stole our team and we lost the best head coach bc of it too!
My goodness – he did just that- kill shot against the ravens on 3rd and short- and you said the opposite. Face it – you all don’t know what you are talking about- you just react- anything doesn’t work- you call it anaylitics.
I can’t disagree about the play-calling but there are other problems as well. What’s really disappointing is hearing non-local sportscasters saying the Browns are deep, the Browns are talented, etc. I even heard some say the Browns will make the super bowl the last 3 years. And yet they continually fail. I think the biggest issue is they don’t know how to draft. How many times have we seen their 1st pick be a bust! Giving top picks to the worst teams is supposed to help them get better yet the Browns never do. It’s sad.
We were at the game & were so frustrated by the D. Clowney barely played & stood on the sideline with his helmet off. If he’s not going to play let him go & free up some money. Clowney & Garrett never on field together. I know some of them care but sure didn’t see it Sunday. Terrible play calling on both sides of the ball!
Yes.Yes.Yes Rizz. Not just this game either. Stefanski has been making bad play calls. Also decisions as well. Zero Leadership. It has cost us a few wins as well as the season.. Ive seen enough too..
Stefanski has to go immediately along with Joe woods. He’s completely lost the locker room. He’s not a head coach and the team has continually regressed under his watch. Pack up KS. Time to go.
Fire all of these Idiots! Damn!
There are calm collective coaches and loud obnoxious coaches some good some bad in both of these areas. But after being the coach of the year, after the front office was celebrated a year ago. The Haslams were cheered when they arrived. You would think after hating Art Modell for good reason. Hated his hiring of Bill Belicheck, media hated him , fans hated him. Now you again turn on this ownership, front office and coach and staff because you follow this media knucklehead looking for attention and others hoping they get you to agree with them. Sure enough he did. The Browns organization and true Browns fans deserve better than this…
Cleveland needs to bring back the real Cleveland Browns from Baltimore
.This team the new Browns are a imposter.
Our worse enemies are the owners the worthless coach we have. People think Watson can do something……not played for damn near 2 years. Haslam destroyed the team going for Watson who set out the because of his conduct and abusing women. Don’t remember what Hunt went through when he came to Cleveland that was one woman…..22 23 24 how many for Watson…………
It’s not if but it’s when i’d wait for the season to conclude then have the GM fire them all with this cavoite the
GM better show marked improvements at his job or he’ll be gone by the end of 2023 enough mediocrity enough weakness and meekness hire a tough guy the players have been pampered the last 3 years we need a but kicker.
But Dave Bacon say’s were wrong that Stefanski is a great play caller and we should not fire him.