Time to re-think Stefanski and Browns

A troubling thought occurred to me during the Browns 23-9 loss to the Steelers on Sunday.Now, this is nothing new.It's common to have troubling thoughts during a Cleveland football game.It's also normal to be horrified, angered and, perhaps, enraged.But for some reason, this one thing kept coming back to me as the clock wound down in Pittsburgh and the Browns dropped to 1-5:What if Deshaun Watson wasn't that bad?It has been the normal refrain over the last three years to blame the disastrous state of the franchise on the trade for the once-star quarterback.The Browns traded three first round picks to receive Watson, and all of his off the field baggage.Watson has been – to be charitable – underwhelming when he's played for the Browns. The rest of the time, he's been hurt.But after watching Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jameis Winston, Bailey Zappe, Joe Flacco and now Dillon Gabriel look all absolutely miserable at QB over the last two seasons, I think there's another fair question:What if the problem is Kevin Stefanski?It's not just how the Browns have played recently, although that's most of it.It's also seeing that Baker Mayfield is playing like an NFL MVP with the Buccaneers.Heck, it's also watching Flacco look competent with the Bengals last week in Green Bay.I've defended Stefanski a lot over the years. He's had two excellent seasons as head coach, in 2020 and 2023.Stefanski did a wonderful job in 2020 leading the Browns through the COVID-affected year that produced a 12-6 record and a playoff win.In 2023, he navigated his way through a slew of injuries – Cleveland started five quarterbacks that season-- to another playoff berth.But since then, the Browns have been embarrassing.The team is 4-19 in its last 23 games.Worse than the record – somehow – is how the Browns have played.The offense is boring and about as threatening as cold oatmeal. Receivers drop passes. The offensive line only exists to provide an escort for defenders on the way to the quarterback.Cleveland hasn't scored more than 17 points in a game since early December of last year.Certainly, Stefanski isn't to blame for all of this.But as coach, he has responsibility over what we see on Sundays.Too often, the Browns aren't just bad, they're undisciplined, penalty filled and downright dull.Stefanski has also made some odd choices.In the second half Sunday, with the ball on the Steelers 4, the coach not only didn't have the Browns best offensive threat – running back Quinshon Judkins – on the field, but he didn't even call a run.Instead, there were three straight pass plays. Two incompletions and a sack. And then a field goal.Stefanski also had Gabriel – a rookie in his second NFL start – throw the ball 52 times.For a second I thought I was watching Hue Jackson and DeShone Kinzer out there.That's not good.And you have to wonder how – or if – it will get better under this coaching staff. PLAYER OF THE GAME: Andre Szmyt. The kicker made all three of his field goal attempts, one from 53 yards. NEXT WEEK: The Browns host the 1-5 Dolphins. It's been bad in Miami all season, but there's one thing coach Mike McDaniel and his crew have going for them.They score points.MY PICK: Dolphins 24, Browns 16