That'll work! The Cleveland Browns take care of business against a bad Arizona Cardinals team, control this one from wire to wire, and get to 5-3 on the season!
Not only did the Browns keep pace in a very tight AFC Playoff race with the win, they also made a little bit of history today. Cleveland posted their first shutout win since December 16th, 2007.
In that game, the Browns blanked the Bills 8-0 in blizzard conditions. Phil Dawson nailed two field goals and the Browns defense tacked on a safety. Little did they know that would be one of their key wins on the way to a 10-6 season that year, where they just barely missed the Playoffs.
But fast forward to today's game, and Cleveland controlled this one from start to finish. How'd they do it? Let's take a look at today's Keys to Victory!
The Browns didn't play down to the competition
In the NFL, one win is one win. Whether it's against the Niners or Cardinals. And it was definitely fun watching the Browns take care of business today. But we do need to keep things in perspective here. Arizona was 1-7 coming in. They're the worst team in the league. The Browns had one of the biggest point spreads as a favorite I've seen in a long time, as 13-point home favorites. And Arizona's quarterback, Clayton Tune, was a rookie making his first NFL start against one of the tougher defenses in the league.
But with all that said, I'm pleasantly surprised at how easy the Browns made this one look. There have been too many times in the past where Cleveland was a heavy favorite coming into a game, and they would let their opponents hang around. Sometimes the Browns would hang on for a win that was too close for comfort, or they'd lose one they shouldn't have. But there was no anxiety about this one. It never felt in danger at any point during the day. And a big part of the reason why, is my next Key to Victory...
The Dawg Defense showed up!
Cleveland's defense against Clayton Tune looked eerily similar to how the Ravens played against DTR earlier in the season. Myles Garrett and Co. never let Tune settle into a rhythm, and they gave the rookie his "Welcome to the NFL" moment.
The Browns registered seven sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and had three takeaways which the offense eventually turned into 14 points. They also held Tune to 11-20 for just 58 passing yards and two interceptions. That's the kind of defense I love to see! Yes, Arizona is awful. But the Browns' defense has been gashed the last couple games. It was nice to see them with a strong bounce back effort. They're going to need a confidence booster with the massive game that's right around the corner. And the guy who is the next Key to Victory is going to have to show up big next week like he did today.
Welcome back, QB1!
This game wasn't just a confidence booster for the defense. It was also just what the doctor ordered for Deshaun Watson as well. It was nice to see him sling the football out there. He had a couple big plays to Amari Cooper where he lit the Cardinals up, and he made good decisions with the football. He also took what Arizona gave him defensively, didn't try to do too much outside his comfort zone, and he ran when he had to.
Hopefully he continues on an upswing, and plays the rest of the season. If he had still struggled today, I would have been very nervous for next week, as well as for the rest of the season. But we definitely saw flashes of the "old" Deshaun Watson that lit it up in Houston when he was still with the Texans. He went 19-30 for 219 yards, 2 TDs and zero interceptions. Solid stat line. I'm happy with it! Now the question is: Can he build on it?
Consistent running game
I think the running game got overshadowed by how the defense played today, as well as with the whole "Deshaun Watson saga." But they quietly put together a decent day on the ground. Cleveland was committed to running the football, and they ran it 40 times for 113 yards.
The yards per carry average was lower than what you'd like to see (2.8 vs. 4+). But I'm happy Kevin Stefanski stuck to running the football, and that Kareem Hunt and Jerome Ford both had decent days. Even without Nick Chubb, the Browns need to stay committed to running the football consistently. It's still their identity. And they still have a good chance at playing their best football when they run it well, and run it often.
Up next for the Browns? They travel to Baltimore for a MASSIVE AFC North battle with the division-leading Ravens, who look red-hot after absolutely destroying Seattle 37-3 to get to 7-2 on the season. That one makes me a little nervous. The Browns lost in heartbreaking fashion to Seattle last week, when they absolutely would have won the game if Kevin Stefanski had called a running play.
To see the Ravens dismantle Seattle like they did, while we stubbed our toe against them, makes me a little uneasy.
But anyone can win on any given Sunday. If the Browns defense kicks it up several notches and rounds back into Championship-level form, and Watson plays well? Cleveland has a chance to win next week.
The Browns will need to win at least one of these next two games. They either need to beat the Ravens or Steelers to keep pace in the AFC Playoff chase. They're currently 6th in the AFC. They'd be in if the Playoffs started today. If they could be at least 6-4 heading into the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I would be happy with that.
But for now, the Browns get win #5 on the season, and post a dominant shutout of the Cardinals. Enjoy this one, Dawg Pound! GO BROWNS!
Statistical Leaders
Deshaun Watson: 19-30, 219 yards, 2 TDs
Jerome Ford: 20 carries, 44 yards
Amari Cooper: 5 catches, 139 yards, TD.
Source: ESPN
Picture Credit: clutchpoints.com
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