CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans! It's a much-welcomed victory Monday here in Cleveland, as the Browns and their fans revel in a cathartic 31-6 victory over the plummeting Miami Dolphins.
THE DAILY BLOVIATION
Watching Browns football in the McBride household is a lot different from what it was before 1999 in the McBride household. It used to be a communal activity, but thanks to the OBR, it's now a bit of a solitary one.
I spend the game behind a group of screens, watching the game while slamming updates into the Insider Game Thread, my wife watches the game on the big screen in the living room, and my kids watch it in their rooms. The wireless gets stretched thin as we have four TVs running with the game on.
Since we all watch the game more or less independently, other than text messages back and forth after big plays, it's possible for all of us to reach different conclusions about how the Browns did. Such was the case yesterday, where my wife emerged from the game enthusiastic about the Browns development and I was left (cautionary as always) concerned about what percentage of the game was representative of just how bad the Dolphins are.
I've been asked a few times over the past weeks whether I felt Kevin Stefanski would be relieved of his duties. My general reply is that I think he's safe "unless the wheels come totally off" through the season.
What does that look like? It looks exactly like the Dolphins and doomed head coach Mike McDaniel looked yesterday: A sloppy team making a lot of mistakes because their head and heart weren't in the game. When the Dolphins weren't on offense, they weren't busy turning the ball over; they were on defense, committing crucial penalties to help the Browns keep drives going.
After the game, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel wasted no time tossing starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa under the bus: "There are multiple factors in those turnovers, but I know at least one to two of them were extremely preventable from Tua, and he knows that," McDaniel said. "He just wasn't good enough, so we'll watch the tape and change our style of play if we have to. Everything's on the table when you go to a game, you fully know that you have the capability to win and get handed a very, very humbling loss."
The wheels are clearly off in Miami, so how much of that 31-6 Browns victory is "real" versus being a product of facing a disinterested and mistake-prone Miami squad?
It would be easy to point to the Browns' mere 206 yards of total offense, 20% of which came on one play, as a sign that the underlying offensive problems are still there. The media is rife today with praise for running back Quinshon Judkins, but the hard fact is that if that 46-yard scamper is taken away, the running back gained just 38 yards on 24 carries otherwise.
Of course, one shouldn't "Butch Davis" the situation, waving off big runs and saying that the back was otherwise limited. The 46-yard run happened and was glorious. But the fact that the Browns were otherwise stymied on the ground has to be considered, as they prepare to face a very much in-the-race Patriots team that may be less prone to mistakes.
Quinshon Judkins, Kevin Stefanski
Quinshon Judkins, Kevin Stefanski (Photo: Getty)
Otherwise, head coach and playcaller Kevin Stefanski pulled every trick he could off of that sheet of plays he carries around, even going wildcat in the red zone and sending Ethan Pocic out five yards to get in the way of defenders chasing Browns wide receivers. Mike Vrabel now has those plays on tape, so Stefanski will need to come up with a new bunch of tricks to try to get traction out of an out-manned offense.
Nothing, however, should take anything away from an aggressive and opportunistic Browns defense and their efforts on Sunday. They held the Dolphins to 219 yards of total offense, making a unit that looked unstoppable back in 2023 look as inept as, well, the Browns looked last week against the Steelers. Holding De'Von Achane and the usually-efficient Dolphins passing attack to just over 200 yards while forcing three interceptions can't be ignored.
To me, what's most encouraging is the discipline that the Browns played with, their attention to detail, and relatively clean execution. These things simply don't happen on a team that has lost faith in its coach. The team seems to still be listening to its head coach (and vocal players like Myles Garrett), and has shown they can dominate a game when all three phases of their game are executing well.
As bad as the Dolphins are, the Browns didn't just casually glance at the opportunities provided by their mistakes. The Browns grabbed those opportunities and took full advantage.
No, the Browns are not likely to make the playoffs or cause consternation among the league's elite teams. They're too limited on offense from a personnel perspective, and the offensive line and receiver issues didn't disappear overnight. But they're still paying attention to their head coach, making an effort to win, and will be able to pluck off a few wins as this season continues.
So, enjoy the win. This team continues to try hard and doesn't seem close to the death spiral I feared after the loss to the Steelers. After a week where a large percentage of the media and fanbase was calling for his head, Kevin Stefanski gave notice that he's still got the attention of his charges, proving some measure of hope for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
CLEVELAND BROWNS GOODIES
BROWNS VIDEOS
Cleveland Browns, get back in the WIN column embarrass the Dolphins - (youtube.com)
Two-Minute Post-Game Check-In: Browns 31, Dolphins 6 - (youtube.com)
Off The Leash: Episode 13, Feed The Buckeye | Full Episode - (cleveland19.com)
BROWNS ARTICLES
Quinshon Judkins, Defense Carry Cleveland Browns to Decisive Win Over Miami Dolphins - Petet
Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 10/19: Emerging Quarterbacks, Run Blocking, and Deshaun Likes a Video - Barry
Cleveland Browns David Njoku, Jack Conklin, Mike Hall Out; Mason Graham Active - Fred
Cleveland Browns Snap Counts vs Miami Dolphins Quick Takeaways - Jack
Takeaways from Cleveland Browns' 31-6 Dominating Win over Miami Dolphins - Fred
BROWNS FORUM POSTS
ASK THE INSIDERS (VIP)
Another big thanks.
Njoku inactive
Way to early Coaching prediction from Jack
This Past Draft If No Trade
Upcoming Draft - QB Dilemma
JW Johnson - what's his influence?
INSIDER DISCUSSION (VIP)
Browns-Dolphins: Official Insider Game Discussion Thread
THE WATERCOOLER
Broken Running Game
The Official Last Member Standing Thread Week 8
O.T. Your Top 10 (nsfw)
Giants loss was so Browns
We need to trade for a WR IMHO
OT: Favorite Music Videos
Two RB Set
OT: Jewelry Heist at the Louvre
Thoughts on the Game. 101925
Game Balls and no Goats.....!
About the QB: A small video look back. ( Bernie )
Browns-Dolphins: OFFICIAL Watercooler Game Thread!!
O.T. Song of the Day or what are you listening to right now?
LiveWire Thread for 1019 - GAMEDAY vs Dolphins
Today's going to be a fun day
THE LIFT
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
Girls Volleyball Team Buys Beloved Custodian a Car to Repay Him for All He's Done–Watch the Texas-Sized Surprise - (goodnewsnetwork.org)
Sixth Tiny Home Village is Ending Homelessness for Veterans Across the US: 'This place saved me' - (goodnewsnetwork.org)
You know, it's hard to tell from all the political invective that I see every day tossed from one side to the other, but there are good people in America doing good things every single day. I won't comment further than saying here are two good examples from opposite sides of the country.
WRAPPING UP
When not trying to keep himself from getting too optimistic, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.
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