CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns coach Kevn Stefanski might be too cute calling plays sometimes. He might trust Harrison Bryant too much. And when quarterback P.J. Walker threw his backbreaking fourth-quarter interception on Sunday, Cleveland may have collectively cursed Stefanski’s name for calling a pass on 3rd-and-short.
But this week, the fourth-year coach deserves reprieve from the incessant living room complaints. Because against a defense that ranks top-10 in EPA per play -- and a Seattle crowd that makes communication difficult on opposing offenses -- the Browns scored four times, earned 23 first downs and gained 385 yards with a backup quarterback duringP.J.
But on Sunday, the Browns kept possession for 36:40 of 60 minutes against a good defense on the road with a backup quarterback -- who, as of last month, was a practice squad quarterback. Again, Walker deserves credit for his part in Cleveland’s success. But it’s worth remembering that the 2-5 Chicago Bears didn’tEntering Sunday’s game, Walker had thrown five career touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions.
He threw for 248 and his first Cleveland touchdown in Seattle. He also threw for two interceptions for the fifth time in his career and lost his first start as a Brown. In living rooms across Northeast Ohio, that -- and Stefanski’s decision to throw -- might be all fans remember. Such scrutiny is written in Stefanski’s job description. Coaches’ faults are easy to spot and even easier to nitpick. But their good calls deserve an equal spotlight. And Stefanski made plenty of good calls on Sunday, even though the Browns lost on the road, to a good defense, while starting a backup quarterback.