Ahead of Week 5's game against the Washington Commanders, the Cleveland Browns are antsy.
The team is antsy for turnovers, for health, for solid defense . More than that, it's antsy for wins. After its victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, the team has floundered. Between injuries and a poor O-line, as well as the lack of rushing game with RBs Nick Chubb and Nyhiem Hines still out, the Browns need some motivation.
According to Camryn Justice , a Cleveland sports reporter with News 5 Cleveland, STC Bubba Ventrone shared ahead of team practice on Thursday HC Kevin Stefanski's message to his 1-3 team: "do more."
It's good to see Stefanski seem amped up ahead of what feels like a must-win for the Browns. Despite injuries, Cleveland still has a fairly healthy receiving corp and a solid running game in the hands of Jerome Ford. If the O-line can simply clean up its act and provide both a consistently clean pocket for QB Deshaun Watson and holes for Ford, it can get into a nice groove early in this contest.
How can the Browns do more?
This messaging makes you wonder what players have, or have not, been doing to get ready for gameday. It seems like slowly but surely Watson is getting on the same page with his receivers after a solid outing during Week 4's loss. But WRs Jerry Jeudy and Amari Cooper have yet to show up this season, dropping numerous passes or struggling to get and stay open.
Additionally, the team's defense has been lackluster after a sensational year in 2023. The secondary has only allowed 175.8 yards per game in the air, but 123.3 yards per game on the ground. The D-line led by Garrett is clearly not able to perform to its preseason expectations with injury to him. With fellow DE Ogbo Okoronkwo listed on Wednesday's DNP list with an illness, the Browns might have to start worrying about how much they can "do," as Stefanski is asking of the team.
Cleaning up penalties part of doing more
The Cleveland Browns, through four games, have 34 penalties. That's the fifth highest amount in the league, and the team has sacrificed 250 yards as a result. Penalties like not being set properly before the snap, jumping early, and holding are all signs of a coaching staff not preparing its unit properly and a unit not used to cleanly getting off a play.
Doing more could mean having players better prepared for actions, something that ailed the team and its coaching staff in Week 4.
