CLEVELAND — I have not been gentle with the Browns, and they have given me plenty of material. I still believe replacing Baker Mayfield with Deshaun Watson was the worst decision this franchise has ever made, which is a crowded competition in Cleveland.
The trade cost draft capital, money and credibility, and watching Mayfield revive his career elsewhere has made it look worse. None of that changed Sunday. But fairness has to work both ways. When the Browns deserve criticism, I give it. When they show grit and fight, I should say that clearly too: I loved the team that battled its way to a 23-19 victory in Tampa Bay.
A week after a 34-10 embarrassment in Jacksonville, Cleveland again looked headed toward a long afternoon. The Buccaneers led 16-6 midway through the third quarter, the Browns had failed to score a touchdown on their first eight possessions and the running game was getting nowhere. This has often been the point when a bad Browns day becomes a full Browns production. Instead, they just kept playing.
And let’s be honest: Watson was pretty good Sunday. He completed 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, used his legs to keep drives alive and made the throws Cleveland needed late. One productive game does not justify the trade or contract, but he deserves credit for how he played in Tampa. I can oppose the decision that brought him to Cleveland while acknowledging that he delivered when the Browns were in trouble.
The encouraging part was how many other players helped pull Cleveland out of that hole. Rookie Denzel Boston caught five passes for 95 yards and turned a short crossing route into a 55-yard touchdown by bouncing away from three would-be tacklers. Tight end Blake Whiteheart slipped open for the 17-yard score that put the Browns ahead, while Harold Fannin Jr. made an important third-down catch. This looked like a young offense beginning to discover that it has some answers.
The defense supplied the backbone, which will have to be the norm all season and was completely lacking in the opener against Jacksonville. Cleveland held Tampa Bay to one touchdown, intercepted Mayfield and sacked him three times, then had to protect a four-point lead after a lightning delay of more than two hours. Think about that situation: the game is stopped at the two-minute warning, the Buccaneers are already in Cleveland territory and everyone has time to sit around contemplating exactly how painful the ending could become. The Browns returned in the rain, gave up one first down and then finished the job. That final stand said plenty about their composure and, in many ways, how they feel about their head coach.
The opponent made the afternoon emotionally complicated. Mayfield remains easy for many Browns fans to root for. I will not pretend one September game settles the Mayfield-Watson debate. It does not. Mayfield is a good quarterback, and the Browns’ decision remains a bad one. Sunday belonged to the players currently wearing orange and brown, however, and they earned the right to enjoy it.
It also belonged to Todd Monken, who received the game ball after his first victory as an NFL head coach. His team responded to its Week 1 embarrassment: the offense became sharper in the second half, the defense stayed steady and the Browns handled a bizarre delay without losing their edge.
Before the season, I predicted the Browns would have a better year than many people expected. That was never a promise that Watson would suddenly make the trade worthwhile, nor was it a prediction that Cleveland would cruise through the schedule. It was a belief that this roster had enough talent and enough hunger to be competitive, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Sunday was the first real evidence that the Browns may have the stubbornness required to prove that point.
There is still plenty to fix. Cleveland rushed for only 44 yards, struggled through most of the first half and needed a dramatic comeback to beat a Tampa Bay team that missed several opportunities. The Browns have not earned anyone’s full trust after one victory, and nobody should plan a parade route. They did earn a little grace after giving fans an afternoon that felt honest, tough and genuinely fun.
Now the Browns come home to face Carolina on Sunday with a chance to build on it. We will learn soon enough whether Tampa was the beginning of something or simply one satisfying afternoon. For now, I am willing to appreciate what happened without attaching a dozen qualifications to it. I can despise the Watson decision and admire the fight this team showed against Mayfield and the Buccaneers.
Honesty demands both.
