Every Sunday, the Cleveland Browns find novel ways to lose football games. It was no different against the Seattle Seahawks, as the Seahawks intercepted a pass deflected off a helmet. I know soccer is a growing sport in America, but I never expected to see a header in the real version of football. It’s truly incredible how the Browns manage to fail spectacularly in the most pain-inducing way possible.
What makes the situation more pathetic is that the Browns looked like the talented team fans expected after trailing 14-0 to start the game. The defense locked down the Seahawks during the second and third quarters. The offense clawed and fought their way back from the deficit. The team relied on its star players and offensive leaders.
For most of the game, it looked like the Browns could compete with any team in the NFL. It’s important to remember the Seahawks are one of the most talented teams in the NFC and a frontrunner to win the NFC West. Overall, the Browns leave the Emerald City with a loss, falling further behind in the race for the AFC North. Here are the studs and duds in the humiliating defeat in Seattle.
Stud: WR Amari Cooper
Amari Cooper is living on the Stud list. This is his third time on the list, and the only thing that keeps him off of it more often is the unreliable quarterbacks he has played with. When Nick Chubb suffered his season-ending injury, it was clear that the Browns’ offense had to radically change. The offense could no longer be one-dimensional.
The team had to find an answer in the passing game. Cooper has become that reliable superstar for the Browns. The veteran receiver had 89 receiving yards on six receptions today. He drew a tough matchup against a budding superstar in Riq Woolen, but the savvy veteran had his way against the second-year cornerback.
If Cooper wasn’t open on any given play, it was likely a flag for defensive holding or interference would land near Cooper after the play ended. Cooper had a fantastic game today. Hopefully, his production skyrockets under the command of a stable quarterback situation.
Stud: TE David Njoku
David Njoku has slowly transformed into the Browns’ most vocal leader. It’s hard to believe that the once 20-year-old rookie would assume such a role after a rocky start. Njoku displayed his leadership on Sunday after a fierce performance. Njoku was doing everything he could in the passing and running game to help the Browns win. The tight end was determined to leave everything on the field.
Njoku got the first Browns’ touchdown of the day after breaking two tackles. Later in the game, Njoku dug the Browns out of the shadow of their endzone when he took a screen pass 41 yards to midfield. Njoku finished the day with four catches for 77 yards. He also tried to make a heads-up play when attempting to strip the ball from a cornerback after an interception.
Unfortunately, the player was ruled down before the strip happened. Something tells me that won’t be the last time we will see that maneuver with our quarterback play.
Stud: RB Kareem Hunt
(Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)Kareem Hunt always runs with ruthless determination. His running style resembles a bucking bull, hopping, twisting, and kicking for any extra yard. He is the definition of fighting for the extra yard. Sunday was no different where the veteran running back was determined to win the game for the Browns.
He didn’t get the opportunity to win the game for the Browns as he was shuffled out of the rotation during the 4th quarter. He finished the day as the leading rusher with 67 yards on 15 touches and a touchdown.
The Browns have a triumvirate of good running backs but there’s only one ball to go around. In the future, Hunt has to be the focal point in that room.
While he doesn’t have the big play ability that Pierre Strong and Jerome Ford do, he is the experienced veteran willing to do everything he can to get a win. Hunt showed that willingness on Sunday and that’s why he’s the final stud.
Dud: QB P.J. Walker
I’ve tried to be patient with P.J. Walker. The six-year veteran has never been the most polished passer, but he’s always been a playmaker. This is his first time in a wide zone offense and he’s learning the system. However, six turnovers in three games are entirely unacceptable.
Giving the Browns’ defense a short field to defend is the only way teams are reliably scoring on the unit. The turnovers are more dangerous to the team than his inability to find the end zone. It’s terrifying to think that the Browns’ season relies on a quarterback whose biggest problem isn’t scoring points.
Walker does a good job of letting his main receivers make plays, but it comes at the expense of reading the play. Walker predetermines almost every throw and is oblivious to the defenders keying in on this. On the consequential third-down attempt, Walker had multiple players open as the defenders knew the ball was going to Amari Cooper.
Walker missed a touchdown pass earlier in the game when he ignored a wide-open Elijah Moore near the end zone to target a covered Cooper. Walker is slightly improving week to week. This week he realized he needs to make plays with his legs if he can’t make them with his arms. I think the learning curve is too steep for him at the moment. The Browns need to relieve him of his duties as the primary backup quarterback.
Dud: LB Anthony Walker Jr.
Anthony Walker Jr. has played very well for most of the season. It’s hard to play linebacker in Jim Schwartz’s system as they’re tasked with cleaning up the mistakes of the defensive linemen trying to wreak havoc. This has become a very difficult task when offenses are using presnap motions to split the defense. The Browns have been dreadful either chasing the movement or being oblivious to it. They rarely communicate and adjust to the motion as a unit. The veteran linebacker needs to
get the defense to adjust properly to shifts from the offense. He wears the green dot and relays the play to the defense. He needs to help guide them through the snap. When the defense isn’t properly aligned, Walker has to fly around the field trying to fix any mistakes, but at this point in his career, Walker is a step too late in most instances. The linebacker is getting badly exposed in the run-and-pass game.
Walker plays well in the system, but the moment he’s asked to over-extend himself the defense starts to struggle. Walker needs to better facilitate communication on the back end for the Browns’ defense to remain historically great.
