Stefanski fails to call Chubb's number at crucial time in loss to Ravens | Jeff Schudel
Oct. 23—The Browns are two games out of first place in the AFC North after losing, 23-20, to the Ravens in Baltimore on Oct. 23. So why does the deficit seem like so much more than that?
Players are apparently getting frustrated, and no wonder. The team is 2-5 and has lost four straight games. Four of the losses are by nine total points.
Reporters standing outside the visitor's locker room at M&T Bank Stadium reported hearing "a screaming match" before doors were opened to the media. But the players shouting or what they were yelling about could not be identified.
"Yeah, that's normal," Coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters after the game. "Normal football."
Unlike a week earlier when the Browns were pulverized, 38-15, by the Patriots, the Ravens were beatable. But so were the Jets (a 31-10 loss), the Falcons (23-20) and Chargers (30-28) and the Browns came up short or let the game slip away each time.
"The guys, they work their tails off during the week to get out there and play hard and you don't come away with a victory," Stefanski said. "So it's frustrating. I think we understand there are things we need to do and not do in order to win. A couple times we didn't do those things. So credit to (the Ravens), but frustrated."
That song by Stefanski is getting old. The four-game losing streak is the longest of his tenure.
We can start the autopsy from Baltimore with the phantom false start penalty called on Michael Dunn.
The Browns, facing fourth-and-5 at the Ravens 37, were lined up to attempt the game-tying field goal from 55 yards with 2:09 to play. A Ravens players appeared to jump offsides and a penalty flag was thrown, but after a lengthy meeting by officials they came to the conclusion Michael Dunn was guilty of a false start. Replays appeared to show Gunn didn't move.
"I didn't get a good (explanation) yet," Stefanski said. "I'll make sure I'll — I'll get an answer there but I didn't get a good one on that."
Cade York's 61-yard-field goal attempt after the penalty was blocked. The Ravens were able to run off all but the final 16 seconds off the clock.
Games are rarely decided by one play. And once again, the question "Where was Nick Chubb?" is part of the decision-making Stefanski has to explain.
"Obviously we want him to be involved in what we're doing," Stefanski said. "So there's moments that are frustrating. But I think the big thing with Nick, or all the players, I think the big thing is staying on track, staying with efficient plays allows you to stay in manageable third downs and then ultimately will allow you to stay on the field and run more plays trying to get the ball to different people."
I get not wanting to run Chubb into the ground. But he carried only 16 times against the Ravens. He carried only 12 times last week.
The Browns had first-and-10 at the Ravens' 42 with 2:38 left, trailing 23-20. Time wasn't a factor in keeping Chubb on the sideline.
Go back to the end of the first half when the Browns, who at one point led 10-3, trailed 13-10.
The Browns had the ball with 1:57 to play and the ball on the Cleveland 12. Jacoby Brissett threw four straight passes. The Browns got a defensive pass interference call on Brissett's fifth straight pass. The penalty moved the ball to the Baltimore 40 with 1:01 left in the half.
"Paging Nick Chubb!" Nope.
Brissett was sacked on back-to-back plays. He fumbled on the second sack, though center Ethan Pocic recovered.
A pass to Kareem Hunt on third-and-20 from midfield gained four yards. The Browns had to punt.
It was still a 13-10 game when the Browns got the ball for the first time in the third quarter. Brissett was sacked for a five-yard loss on first down. A short pass to Chubb gained two yards. Brissett was sacked and lost the ball on third-and-13 on the next play.
Between the last series of the first half and the first series of the third quarter, Stefanski called 10 straight pass plays in a three-point game.
Joe Woods can't be blamed for losing to the Ravens. Brissett can't be blamed. He made some Lamar Jackson plays to get out of trouble. He completed 22 of 27 passes for 258 yards. He was sacked five times. It should have been more.
Sometimes coaches outthink themselves. Stefanski was guilty of that in losing to the Ravens.
