Kevin Stefanski handed over the play-calling duties for the second season before the week 10 game against the New York Jets. He has also faced scrutiny around claims of favoritism towards Dillon Gabriel, straining his relationship with the general manager. Now, after the loss, he has made another announcement about the future of the Browns.

“We’re gonna stick with Dillon. Obviously, this is a young player; we have to play better as an offense,” Kevin Stefanski said, according to Toni Grossi.

We can all agree that Dillon is a younger player and is a starter for the first time this season, but so is Shedeur Sanders. However, Sanders has not been anywhere close to the starter team during practice sessions. Any questions about his starting have only led to vague answers from Stefanski.

But that does not mean that Gabriel is playing his best game. He has faced one consistent issue on offense during play: conversion. The rookie quarterback opened the scoring for the Browns, but the Jets quickly answered with a 99-yard kickoff return and another 74-yard punt return. Constant pressure from the Jets kept the offense in check and forced them to run to their tempo.

Gabriel took six sacks and wasn’t the most accurate in the air. He completed 17 out of 32 catches for 167 yards. He initially struggled to find pockets and had inaccurate throws under pressure, but found his rhythm with the distribution. The offensive ground game has been a problem throughout the season. They had 158 yards on 32 carries, but no rushing touchdowns.

While Stefanski’s take on his QB lineup is unshaken, he has taken responsibility for his team’s performance.

Stefanski owns mistakes after Browns’ rainy loss

The Cleveland Browns lead the league as one of the best defenses, but a failed offense has yet again proven costly. The Browns have better stats on paper for the game, but the lack of conversion by the young rookie QB made the loss as harsh as the rain.

“We’re going to win as a team. We’re going to lose as a team. So we’ll all own that, including myself,” Stefanski stated after their 27-20 loss to the Jets, according to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi.

The Browns had a possession time on the ball for 34:04 and made 70 plays, yet when it came to scoring, they lacked effectiveness. The New York Jets’ special team plays breezed through the defense with speed and ease, posting numbers on the board. 

The offense averaged 4 yards per play and rushed for 158 yards, but gave up points when the defense could not play catch-up with the Jets’ offense. Breece Hall sealed the game after scoring a 42-yard touchdown with the Brown’s defense nowhere to be found; it was open real estate for the Jets.

After the game, it is evident that the Browns’ defense is not perfect and needs to work on improving coverage and better ground work when kickoffs are returned. The offense’s composure and passing are admirable, but conversion has been slow, raising questions about the young quarterback’s rise, with Shedeur still on the bench.