The Cleveland Browns are set to continue rolling with Jameis Winston when the AFC North franchise hosts the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
On Sunday, the Browns fell 27-14 to their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Winston was 24-of-41 passing for 211 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as he was beaten by Russell Wilson and the vaunted Steelers defense.
It was Winstons sixth start of the season in place of the injured Deshaun Watson, who sustained a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The loss ensured the Browns have slipped to 3-10, which officially eliminated the franchise from playoff contention.
When asked on a call with media if he was sticking with Winston – whose deal with the Browns comes to an end at the end of the regular season – as the starting quarterback, Stefanski answered: Yes.
He clarified: We’re just going to continue to do everything we can to play better. Obviously, I think we can play better on offense. Certainly as a team we can play better, but really the focus is making sure that we put our guys in position to find a way to win.
With the Browns mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and a winning season, fans wondered if the team would turn to second-year backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson. After the game, Stefanski was asked if he contemplated putting Thompson-Robinson in against the Steelers, or whether the 25-year-old will get any time in 2024.
Stefanski said at the time: No. Did not. Let’s worry about this one right now. Jameis, obviously, we lost as a team. I know he feels like he can play better, but we win and lose as a team.
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Since Winston took the reins, the Browns have gone 2-4 with the quarterback throwing for 1,892 yards – including three games of at least 334 yards as well as a franchise-record and career-hugh 497-yard performance in the 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos. But, as always with Winston, the turnovers are relentless; the two interceptions against the Steelers took him to nine in six games – including five in the last two games.
And it’s still unclear whether Winston will stay in Cleveland. The experienced quarterback only signed a one-year contract ahead of the 2024 season and could move on in the spring, with the New York Giants, New York Jets, and Las Vegas Raiders among the teams who could trade for a new QB.
While Stefanski insisted the Browns win and lose as a team even when it comes to interceptions, Winston believes he can play better and bring more wins to Cleveland. He told reporters: One thing we don’t control is the outcomes of these games.
What we have to control is what we do, what we put out there on tape, what we put out, put into the week, every single week, how we continue to fight, and how we represent not only the Cleveland Browns but ourselves. As grateful as we are to have this opportunity to play football, a child’s game, we have to find a way to dig deep and find a way to get a win.
Winstons Browns take on the 12-1 Chiefs in their next game on Sunday, Dec. 15.
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