two fine posts in a row.
I could get used to this.
Here's the thing I continually go back to, when I read critiques of KS being too conservative/predictable/run-first in his play calling: The 2020 team was an unpredictable, entertaining team to watch. That's what made them the late-season darlings of the NFL, and gave Rich Eisen a feeling he hadn't experienced since high school. Same coach this year. What was different? It was the team. They wore the same uniforms, but they weren't the same group of players who finished last season (at this point, it should also be noted that CLE was one of the healthier teams down the stretch that year).
2021, we only had 1/2-2/3 the dudes from last year available at any given time. We had half a Baker for 80% of the season. And even with all the adversity and weekly patched-together personnel packages, how many games were decided by 6 points or less? To be truthful, 8-9 isn't so hard to swallow when we zoom out to see the total landscape. Of course, it's a disappointment. But snakebit seasons happen. This one just happened as spirits were climbing, which makes it hurt a little more.
I guess my point is this: two seasons are a pretty small sample size for any casual fan to think they have the book on Kevin Stefanski or the Browns O. I predict that if this team can stay healthy next year, we'll see more of the football that made Ben Roethlisberger cry in January.
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