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Cleveland Browns Lack Urgency and Other Stories From Preseason Game 3

No Urgency and Other Takeaways from Browns Preseason Game 3: The Cleveland Browns must improve after a rough game against the Eagles.
Browns Preseason Game 3

The Cleveland Browns have a win, loss and tie after Preseason Game 3. The tie came Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, concluding a week of joint practices between the teams.

The storylines for the Browns going into their final week of preseason games are familiar. The defense is steadily improving. The offense still has questions. The kicking game is… highly problematic at best.

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The Cleveland Browns Lack Urgency and Other Stories From Preseason Game 3

Is Head Coach Kevin Stefanski Leading With Enough Urgency?

On Monday, the word out of the Browns-Eagles joint practices was positive for the Lake Erie team. Even the Eagles seemed to acknowledge that the Browns dominated them on Monday. Things reversed  on Tuesday, though Browns guard Joel Bitonio was talking about “cheap shots” from the Eagles after practice.

However, concern seems to be growing over the Browns passing game. The Athletic published a piece on Tuesday, saying, “The passing game has been completely unimpressive. Anything that involves Deshaun Watson remaining in the pocket has been an adventure, and not since early in camp have we seen strings of consecutive completions in any 11-on-11 period”.

Yet, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski chose to sit Watson this week. Not only that, he kept his anticipated QB2, Josh Dobbs, on the bench as well. Dobbs was awful last week, and the offense looked terrible when he was out there.

This is a win-now year for Cleveland. They have installed a new offense and essentially turned over their entire quarterback room. Yet, Stefanski is running this team as if they have been together for years.

Watson and Dobbs have barely played. The team lacks veteran reserves among the running backs and in the linebacker room. The kicking game has also been awful. The playcalling down near the red zone has been vanilla.

All of this can be attributed to the preseason, but this team needs to turn it up a notch sooner or later. Stefanski cannot expect the Browns to turn the key on September 10 and be ready.

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The Cleveland Browns Defense is Good

One thing is clear: The Browns defense is coming along very nicely.

The Browns logged their second safety in as many games (incidentally in the first quarter, both times). The pass rush was fierce all night, making Eagles veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota look like the greenest rookie.

Mariota, who was once the second overall choice in the draft, completed just 9/17 for an anemic 5.1-yard average and an interception. The defense logged six sacks, seven tackles-for-loss, five passes defended, nine quarterback hits, and an interception.

The Cleveland Browns Still Have a Cade York Problem

It took until the Browns’ Preseason Game 3, but kicker Cade York finally put a field goal through the uprights. He followed it up with two more. Browns fans started to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking the ‘Cade York Problem’ might be behind them.

That is, until late in the fourth quarter. With the Browns and Eagles tied at 18, York trotted onto the field for his fourth try of the night. The television camera cut to him as he was getting ready. Wide-eyed and steadied breathing, before… wide right. He missed.

But wait… the Eagles were offside. York got another chance… and missed wide left from 41 yards.

The young kicker did not get a chance to redeem himself as a last-ditch attempt by Cleveland to get into field goal range went awry. York, meanwhile, visibly relaxed as he was let off the hook.

Stefanski can preach patience all he wants. York cannot handle the pressure. It is long past time for the Browns to bring in a veteran kicker to push York.

The Battle for QB3 is Over While the Battle for QB2 Has Begun

Fifth-round rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has already become a fan favorite. Thompson-Robinson was electric in the first two preseason matchups, looking poised, confident, and efficient.

In the Browns’ Preseason Game 3, the UCLA product’s numbers came back to Earth as he completed just 13/25. However, the numbers do not tell the whole story.

Going against the best both teams were willing to offer, Thompson-Robinson started off hot, completing eight of his first 12. He cooled off as the Browns had two drives deep in Philadelphia territory. But, as has long been an issue for the Browns under Stefanski, the playcalling stalled the drive, and Cleveland had to settle for field goals.

Regardless, Thompson-Robinson has shown he has more value than an average QB3. There is virtually no chance the Browns could get him to clear waivers onto the practice squad. Given how QB2 Dobbs played last week, Thompson-Robinson could be Watson’s primary backup sooner rather than later.

Austin Watkins and Ronnie Hickman Continue to Push for Roster Spots

The most productive player on the Browns this preseason has been Austin Watkins Jr., a young wideout. Watkins has been everyone’s favorite target so far, hauling in 15 passes for 245 yards and two scores.

The 25-year-old is making a name for himself in a crowded Cleveland receiving room. If the team keeps seven receivers, which is quite possible, Watkins might find himself among them. Either way, he has (at minimum) locked up a practice squad spot.

Safety Ronnie Hickman left the game with a possible concussion on Thursday night. That was after he grabbed his third interception of the preseason.

Hickman had just three picks in his entire career at Ohio State. He also has special teams experience, something highly prized by new special teams boss, Bubba Ventrone. If Hickman is able to play next week, a good showing should lock him a home on the practice squad, at least.

Main Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Gorman

Jack Gorman

Jack Gorman is a former sports executive with two decades of experience in the NFL, NCAA Arena Football League, and World TeamTennis. As an executive, his teams won six championships in 20 years. In addition to writing about the NFL, Jack currently works as a filmmaker in Cleveland, Ohio.

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