Many in the media did not project the Cleveland Browns to make the playoffs coming into the season. Even fewer could have expected them to be where they are through Week 15. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has his team in the first wild-card spot with a 9-5 record despite being led by 38-year-old Joe Flacco in the NFL's remake of the "The Replacements."
In a year where quarterbacks have gotten injured at an unprecedented rate, the playoff landscape and regular-season honors are incredibly difficult to predict, but Stefanski has made a strong case to be Coach of the Year.
Here is the starting lineup he sent out Week 1 against the Bengals versus the team that overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Bears Sunday:
| Week 1 | Week 15 | |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Joe Flacco | |
| RB | ||
| WR | Amari Cooper | |
| WR | ||
| WR | Elijah Moore | |
| LT | ||
| LG | Joel Bitonio | |
| C | ||
| RG | Wyatt Teller | |
| RT | ||
| TE | David Njoku |
Running back Nick Chubb and right tackle Jack Conklin were lost for the season in the first two games. Left tackle Jedrick Wills and quarterback Deshaun Watson have since joined them on the injured reserve. The same fate is true of Conklin's replacement, rookie Dawand Jones. In total, Cleveland's Week 1 offensive starters have missed 26.6% of the 154 possible games.
The Browns are one of four AFC teams with six wins against teams with .500 records or better. They are the only team to win at least one game with four different quarterbacks (P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Flacco and Watson).
However, it was a hire made in the offseason that perhaps prevented a total collapse by the AFC North franchise. Stefanski made the decision to hire Jim Schwartz as the team's new defensive coordinator. The former Lions head coach and long-time NFL coordinator has done a good job of moving his personnel around to create mismatches in pass-rush situations while also cultivating an environment that encourages players to be themselves and celebrate in-game wins. It is a choice that has led to viral moments like star edge rusher Myles Garrett crossing over opponents pre-snap or interior defenders rubbing their bellies in the backfield to celebrate a sack.
Cleveland's defense has delivered game-changing plays on an almost weekly basis, allowing the Browns to never feel like they are out of a game.
While the Browns have had unfortunate injury luck on offense, the opposite had been true of the defense until recently. Cleveland's starters have been unavailable for 7.8% of 154 possible games. Safeties Rodney McLeod and Grant Delpit are on the injured reserve and a report surfaced this week indicating that the team's second leading sack producer, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, may be lost for the season due to a pectoral injury. Key reserves Jacob Phillips and Maurice Hurst are also on the injured reserve. It is unlikely that anyone on Cleveland's injured reserve will return this season.
Cleveland has a one-game advantage on every team in the AFC wild-card hunt after this week with games remaining against the Texans, Jets and Bengals. SportsLine gives the team an 89.2% chance of making it to the playoffs. If the Browns were to advance to the postseason, it would only strengthen Stefanski's case of winning his second Coach of the Year award. Flacco is tied with Tom Brady for the most road victories in NFL postseason history.
It is not to say he is the favorite or should be the favorite, but the job Stefanski has done to keep that team focused should be acknowledged. There are several worthy candidates, such as Houston's DeMeco Ryans, Cincinnati's Zac Taylor, Baltimore's John Harbaugh, Indianapolis' Shane Steichen, Denver's Sean Payton, Philadelphia's Nick Sirianni, Detroit's Dan Campbell, San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan and Los Angeles' Sean McVay.
Stefanski is in his fourth season as head coach. He is the first Browns coach with multiple winning seasons since Marty Schottenheimer (1986-1988).
