by All right folks, you want to get nuts, let’s get nuts! It is week 8 of the NFL season, the Cleveland Browns are 4-2 and battling for first place, but at the same time, only 1 game out of last. Each win is more pivotal than ever, and yet, the team STILL has a quarterback problem. Even without Nick Chubb, a masterful defense has helped them win 4 games. Even with next to no production at the quarterback position the team has won 4 games. Crazy right? When will that luck run out? The Browns need to make a move and make it now!
Let’s breakdown the options of what is available and what makes sense.
Option One
Stick with PJ Walker
In two games with the Browns, PJ Walker has led them to two wins, well, kind of. He got them into field goal position enough times to win. Walker nearly gave the game away with a horrific pass against the 49ers inside of two minutes at the goal line that was almost picked. The Browns survived and won. He almost lost the game again in Indy when he took a sack that led to a fumble. The Browns got lucky again that there was a horrible illegal hand to the face call that kept the ball with the Browns, and they won again a few plays later when Kareem Hunt took over. Two last minute drives where horrific penalties helped the Browns win, not PJ Walker.
His has gone 33 of 66 for 370 yards with 3 interceptions and 0 touchdown passes. PJ Walker is not the answer long term, no one in their right mind would think that, but can he do enough to keep these games in contention to possibly get a few fluke plays to win it in the end like they have both of the last two weeks. Honestly, let’s call a spade a spade here, defense and horrific officiating have won the Browns their last two games.
I’d go with a different option.
Option Two
Give DTR another chance
He was a pre-season darling, and a regular season dud. In his lone regular season start, in which he had all of 90 minutes to mentally prepare for, he went a horrific 19 of 36 for 121 yards with 3 picks, and took 4 sacks in which he lost a fumble on one of them. He has a lot of physical tools, but appears to be a few years away from being at the NFL level of starting on a weekly basis.
I’d go with a different option
Option Three
Trade for Washington Commander Jacoby Brissett
So, let’s really talk about this one before we have knee jerk reactions either way. The Cleveland Browns under Brissett in 2022 went 4-7 in his 11 games as a starter. But, out of those 7 losses, can we really blame them all on him? He had no defense last year and should have fared well much better. In their loss against the Jets week two, he had them up by 13 with less than 90 seconds too go. It is not his fault his defense gave up 300 plus yards and 4 touchdowns to Joe Flacco.
Against the Atlanta Falcons and LA Chargers, he had them in position to win, Cade York simply couldn’t make a kick against the Chargers, and the Falcons game play calling by Stefanski was hideous. Against Baltimore, he only tossed 5 incompletions all game as they lost by 3. The Browns defense gave up 100 plus yards to a guy in Gus Edwards who hadn’t played in over a year. In their Halloween night win over Cincy, Brissett had a gem as he tossed 278 yards, and had touchdowns rushing and passing.
Against Tom Brady and the Tampa Buccaneers, he led a classic two-minute drill to tie the game, and then led the Browns to an overtime win.
The bottom line is that with any help from the defense last year, and even decent play calling from Stefanski the Browns go 8-3 in that 11-game run with Brissett, and not 4-7. Again, I’m not saying he is the long-term answer, and I don’t think anyone being honest would. But with the options on the table and Watson likely headed to the IR for either 4 games or the rest of the season, he may be the only option left to hold things together and give the Browns a fighting chance.
Cole and myself break down all the options in the last episode of the NFL Prediction Show.
