NASHVILLE, Tenn. ― The Browns did it again. They just seem to keep doing it again and again and again.
The latest one came Oct. 25 against the Tennessee Titans. This time, it was a 32-yard field goal by Andre Szmyt as time expired that gave Cleveland a 27-24 win, although it was decided the same way it seems to always be these days for the Browns.
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The Browns are 5-2. They’re technically tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North, although Cleveland’s 2-0 record in division is better than Pittsburgh’s 1-1, which includes a loss in Cleveland.
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Oh, by the way, who do the Browns play next? Why, it’s the Steelers, in Pittsburgh.
There’s a whole week to overreact ahead of that game. Let’s take some time to overreact to what just happened in Nashville.
Well, sort of. This is kind of like with wins for quarterbacks (or pitchers in baseball). There’s some validity there, but it’s a lot more complicated.
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Deshaun Watson absolutely gets all of the flowers for how he’s performed in the fourth quarter over the last six weeks, five of which have ended up in Browns wins. He does, in fact, seem like a different quarterback in the fourth quarter.
This is also where, maybe, we give some of those accolades to some of Watson’s teammates as well. Watson would be the first to tell you that.
Watson didn’t kick three winning field goals in the final 10 seconds of games over the last four weeks. He can throw the passes, but someone — such as Harold Fannin Jr. or KC Concepcion — has to catch them.
In other words, it’s football, which means it takes more than one person to make a play, or a drive, be successful. Watson absolutely has had a lot to do with the Browns’ successes, but spread some of the love out there as well.
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Szmyt has now missed one kick in each of the last three games. There was the point-after try against the New York Jets, then a fourth-quarter field goal in each of the last two games.
Now, take a really deep breath. Good?
It’s OK. Kickers are going to miss a kick here or there.
Szmyt has also, in the last two weeks, kicked game-winning field goal of some distance with no time on the clock. His leg is every bit the reason why the Browns are 5-2 as Watson’s arm or any other part or parts of assorted Browns players.
Neither miss, especially the two field goals, were egregious misses. One just went left and the other doinked off the right upright.
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The PAT, meanwhile, was an attempt made in a tropical depression. Maybe God that day realized the thought of the Browns winning what at that time would’ve been four in a row, and would now be a six-game win streak, went against the laws of nature.
So, again, relax. Szmyt’s going to be just fine for the long term.
Tony Pollard must salivate at the thought of playing the Browns. He’s rushed for 290 yards combined in the last two seasons against Cleveland, including 129 yards Sunday in what ended up being a Cleveland win.
That output comes two weeks after Braelon Allen of the Jets ran for 116 yards against the Browns. In fact, he was a big reason why they were able to beat Cleveland.
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So, is it much easier to run the ball against the Browns than we think? They came into the game 17th in the league against the run, allowing 112.3 rushing yards a game.
Then you remember what the Browns did a week ago against the Baltimore Ravens. They have this running back who used to play in Tennessee who very well could be heading to the Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done.
And, yet, Derrick Henry ran for 58 yards against a injury-riddled Cleveland defense. Oh, and fumbled once.
So, maybe, the answer rests somewhere in between.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at http://www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: The new Brian Sipe? Deshaun Watson’s heroics tops Browns-Titans overreactions
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