In Week 11, Jameis Winston and the Cleveland Browns had very Jameis Winston and Cleveland Browns games.
Jameis Winston had himself a game, completing 30 of his 46 passing attempts for 395 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions – which, in a way, is somewhat out of the ordinary – and yet, the Browns somehow lost 35-14, as they weren’t able to put up a single point on the ground, on defense, or through their special teams unit.
How is that possible? On paper, Winston had himself a game, one of the better fantasy efforts of Week 11, to be exact, and yet, his team was outscored by three touchdowns and were ultimately out of the game by the fourth quarter.
Discussing Winston’s impact on the Browns as a starter and whether or not the former first-overall pick had lived up to expectations in Cleveland, Kevin Stefanski noted that he’s been happy with how this quarterback has played in limited action.
“I think he continues to get better as he becomes more comfortable,” Stefanski told reporters. “I thought the pass protection in the last game was good, Tom (Withers), which allowed him to get through his progressions and get the ball, spread the ball around to guys. I think that’s another big piece of this. When you can utilize all of your guys, I think it makes you more difficult to defend.”
Asked about how Winston has been able to get his teammates involved all over the offense, Stefanski praised that, too, noting that the Browns’ offensive line has helped to make the FSU QB’s life easier.
“I think it’s a main key to when you want to push the ball down the field, obviously you can throw a fade and that comes up in quick game timing,” Stefanski noted. “When you want to throw a 20-yard in cut, that’s off seven-step timing. So, protection has to hold up in those cases. So, when you are pushing the ball down the field, it does require protection to be really good.”
Can the Browns win with Winston under center? Sure, they won with Joe Flacco leading the way last year, and Winston is probably a better player at this stage of the game. But can they win with Winston as presently configured? That remains to be seen, as their roster simply might not be good enough to overcome their flaws anymore.
Jameis Winston wants to give his Browns WRs chances down the field
Discussing his big passing game against the Saints, which saw seven different players catch a pass, Winston noted why he’s willing to distribute the ball to all of his playmakers, as, by his assertion, every receiver wants an opportunity to show what they can do.
“The receivers talked about you giving them a chance to make a play. So, what goes into that? How much trust is needed on your end and even their end to make that connection come around? Well, I think we have a group of veteran receivers, for the most part, Ced (Cedric Tillman) is our youngest pass catcher, and I think just the work that they put in every single week,” Winston told reporters.
“We talk about the precision passing game, ‘I want you at this place at this time,’ and they strain, and they work to get there. They know, ‘Hey, versus man-to-man coverage, what does that mean? You got to win. Regardless of how you get open, let’s win, and I’ll put the ball on you.’ I think when you got a play caller like Ken (Dorsey), who’s given all of them opportunities, you keep them engaged. When receivers get engaged, it’s just, it’s the best of both worlds; they want the ball, they’re blocking for each other, they’re out there executing, and it makes football really fun.”
While it’s hard to imagine Winston starting for the Browns in 2025, if he continues to feature his teammates in a positive light, he will remain employed for a very long time. Why? Every team wants a backup quarterback who looks out for his teammates.
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