Another great Jameis Winston performance could save Kevin Stefanski’s job

It doesn’t take long to go from the penthouse to the outhouse in the National Football League, and that certainly goes for head coaches. In 2016, the Philadelphia Eagles hired Doug Pederson to be their newest sideline leader. The Birds went from the NFC East basement in his first year to a Super Bowl title in 2017.

The Eagles reached the playoffs each of the next two season, but bottomed out in 2020 via a 4-11-1 finish. That proved to be Pederson’s last year with the franchise, who is currently the Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach (and may be on the hot seat again).

Back in 2020, the Cleveland Browns hired Kevin Stefanski to replace Freddie Kitchens. The team finished 11-5 and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Cleveland’s boss was named NFL Coach of the Year and the Browns (with Stefanski isolated with COVID-19) went on to win its first postseason game since 1994.

This past season, the team utilized five different starting quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, and the club claimed its second playoff berth in four years. Stefanski was once again named NFL Coach of the Year.

It's been a different story for the Browns in 2024

This season, it’s been quite the mess in Cleveland. A team that finished 11-6 a year ago has already lost six games. Fair or unfair, Stefanski is getting a little heat. It’s worth noting that the Browns finished below .500 in both 2021 (8-9) and 2022 (7-10), so criticism is nothing new to this head coach.

Last week, the Browns won their second game of the season by cooling off a then first-place Baltimore Ravens’ team that was riding a five-game winning streak. Cleveland’s 29-24 victory featured a huge performance from veteran quarterback James Winston. He hit on 27 of his 41 throws for 334 yards and three scores and overcame a lost fumble in the much-needed win.

The Browns host the Chargers Sunday, meaning Stefanski and company can complete a tidy little sweep of the Harbaugh brothers in the span of eight days. Could another big effort from Winston and company, as well as the Cleveland defense, make it two straight wins as the club heads into its off-week?