CLEVELAND — Well what a difference a couple of days makes, huh?
From the heartbreak of last Sunday when the Browns blew that lead against the New York Jets to elation on Thursday night as they really put it together, specifically offensively. They beat their archrival Pittsburgh Steelers 29-17 and are now 2-1 on the season, but more importantly 1-0 inside the AFC North Division.
You know the funny thing about this football team? Before we started the regular season, it was believed that the Browns' defense would pull the team along and get them wins as they waited for Deshaun Watson to become available at the beginning of December. But it's completely the opposite: The Browns' offense is doing the work right now; the Browns' defense is still struggling — a little bit better tonight, but definitely struggling, not playing at the level that we thought they were going to play coming into the season.
The offense is a much brighter story, led by Jacoby Brissett, who is running it to perfection. In fact, he's running the football himself on these quarterback keepers that keep getting first downs in key situations in the game.
Then, the ol' reliables are doing it: the running game, the one-two punch. Nick Chubb had over 100 yards against a tough Steeler defense and a rushing touchdown. Then, Kareem Hunt comes in and gives them 48 rushing yards, but those are all key yards to keep the clock moving, keep the Browns in possession of the football.
And in the wide-receiving game, Amari Cooper and Brissett have become a very good combination. Remember, in game one, Cooper had a tough time getting the attention of the quarterback. Not so in the last two games, and not so tonight: he went over 100 yards receiving and caught a touchdown pass.
Finally, David Njoku. He cashes in on that big contract, and the Browns can feel better about it. He had a wail of a football game, grabbing a touchdown pass and coming down with big catch after big catch, and the Steelers simply didn't have anybody who could cover him.
But really, the guy who is surprising everybody is Jacoby Brissett, though not the Browns' coaches. They were that high on him.
Now to the Browns' defense. The worrying part of it was the Steelers really took it to them in the second quarter and took the lead at halftime by one point, 14-13, because Cade York missed another extra point.
Then, in the second half, the Browns started to lose players. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah went out, Anthony Walker went out and ended up leaving the field in a cast, and also Ronnie Harrison went out in a pregame warmup injury to a hamstring. Now, you had young players coming in and taking on key roles in a tight game, and they did well.
In particular, Jacob Phillips, the linebacker out of LSU who the Browns are thrilled with because of his overall speed and athleticism. He's had to fight off injuries in his first couple of years, but he was very, very good in this game against Pittsburgh.
So the Browns get a long weekend, and we all get a long weekend, and we get it on a winning note over the Steelers. On to Atlanta a week from Sunday.
Winnable game? You would think so. Remember, the first four games were going to be critical to the start of the season for the Browns.
What a Thursday night. Enjoy the weekend, everybody!