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Cleveland Browns Escape with Victory, Concern Over QB Only Deepens
Deshaun Watson returned to the Cleveland Browns lineup after missing the previous two games because of a shoulder injury. He lasted less than one quarter before being injured and finding himself back on the bench.
Enter P.J. Walker. Again.
The Indianapolis Colts gave the Browns everything they could handle, with Cleveland finding a way to claim a 39-38 victory, thanks to a fourth-down touchdown plunge by Kareem Hunt.
On the positive side, the Browns defense showed it can take over and even win a game when necessary. Myles Garrett looked like the future NFL Defensive Player of the Year with two sacks, two forced fumbles, a defended pass, multiple run stops and even a blocked field goal for good measure. Ultimately, the Browns scored 17 points off those two forced fumbles and the blocked kick.
Negatively, the Colts found the soft underbelly of the league’s top-ranked defense by accumulating 456 offensive yards. A strong run game coupled with some missed tackles and breakdowns by what was a unit on a historic pace will have Cleveland reassessing its performance throughout the week.
The Browns do need help from their offense. According to head coach Kevin Stefanski, Watson would have re-entered the game had Walker gotten hurt. Still, the injury and constant shuffling haven’t allowed Cleveland’s offense to establish any rhythm.
A 4-2 start is great, particularly with the circumstances Cleveland endured so far, but the Browns will eventually need more from the quarterback position.
Positive Signs Emerge for Indianapolis Colts Despite Loss
Once again, the Colts found a way to snatch a loss from the jaws of victory. In fact, Indianapolis has lost four games over the past three seasons when scoring 30 or more points, which is tied for the league’s most.
Surely, Colts faithful will be upset with two suspect pass interference calls on the Browns’ game-winning drive, especially since Indianapolis’ defense seemed to secure the victory with a strip-sack.
Despite the gut-wrenching ending, these Colts are different than last year’s squad. It’s clear as day, and head coach Shane Steichen deserves significant credit.
As noted earlier, Steichen, who also serves as the team’s offensive play-caller, pieced together a game plan that had the league’s best defense on its heels most of the day.
The Colts saw rookie slot receiver Josh Downs eclipse 100 yards for the first time. Running back Jonathan Taylor started to look like himself after being eased into the lineup over the past two weeks. The defense broke on a couple occasions, but short fields certainly didn’t help its cause.
The biggest issue in Indianapolis is a combination of injuries at key positions and talent deficiencies at others. This is a rebuilding team. But it’s trending the right direction.
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