Winners and losers from the Browns’ 31-27 win over the Jaguars

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns defeated the Jaguars on Sunday, 31-27, but that’s just what the scoreboard said.

Here are the real winners and losers from the game:

Winner: David Njoku

Joe Flacco and David Njoku proved to a terrific tandem during Sunday’s win. Flacco has quickly shown a knack for chemistry with Cleveland’s pass catchers, but it feels different with Njoku.

It was as though the two simultaneously locked in prior to their first drive, which capped off with a 34-yard receiving touchdown as Flacco found Njoku off play action.

Nobody on Jacksonville could slow down the duo, as Flacco found Njoku again coming across the middle, for a 30-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Njoku’s final statistics came in the first half, catching six of his eight targets for 91 yards and two touchdowns. His 91 receiving yards is the second-highest total he’s recorded in a game, the most coming in a 47-42 loss to the Chargers in 2021, where he recorded 149 yards.

Loser: Ball security

Maybe it’s because we’re in the holiday season, but both teams were in the mood for giving. Fans witnessed a combined seven turnovers: four by Jacksonville, and three by Cleveland.

The interesting element is that among the teams that have given the ball away, less than a handful are competing for a playoff spot, and the Browns are one.

Cleveland leads all teams in giveaways (27). Minnesota owns the NFC’s sixth-best record but is tied for second (24), and Jacksonville is tied with Kansas City for sixth (22).

Winner: Going for it

The Browns’ efficiency in converting fourth-downs this season has dipped.

In 2022, they led the league in fourth-down conversions with 23 conversions out of 42 attempts. Going into Sunday, the Browns had only converted on 9 of their 20 fourth-down attempts this season.

But on Sunday, the fourth-down playcalling featured a mixture of logic and guts, leading to a conversion on every single attempt.

1. Joe Flacco’s quarterback sneak in the early part of the third quarter on a fourth and 1, where his 6-foot-6 figure helped keep get over the line of scrimmage. This conversion helped keep the series alive, and the Browns scored a touchdown a few plays later to go up 21-7.

2. On a fourth and 3, Kevin Stefanski elected for a gutsy pass play in which David Njoku, Elijah Moore, and David Bell lined up in the slot. With Moore already crossing the middle, Bell waited a second before opening up for the pass from Flacco, eventually leading to an untouched 41-yard touchdown. This series helped increase the lead to 28-14, and Stefanski was excited as he ran down the sideline.

3. Though they wouldn’t score during the series, the Browns wasted off a couple minutes as Kareem Hunt, powered his way for the first down on a fourth and 1 in the fourth quarter.

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Loser: The Browns’ ground game

Cleveland entered Sunday ranked seventh in rushing yards per game (135.1), while Jacksonville ranked 21st (103.3).

Cleveland’s run game finished with 28 carries for 82 yards (2.9 per carry) and one touchdown, while Jacksonville finished with 58 yards on 20 carries (2.9 per carry) and one touchdown.

The most productive carry the entire game was Jerome Ford’s 26-yarder in the second period. It didn’t help that the Browns were again without tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Dawand Jones, and then lost center Ethan Pocic to a stinger in the first half.

Winner: Next man up

Without their star cornerback in Denzel Ward, and losing Rodney McLeod for the season, the Browns were already short in the defensive backfield, and then safety Juan Thornhill was a scratch right before kickoff with a calf injury.

The remaining members of Cleveland’s secondary unit stepped up.

Rookies Cameron Mitchell and Ronnie Hickman Jr. are among the members who started. Mitchell, the fifth-rounder draftee, slowly found his stride in the game and recorded two tackles and a pass defended against.

Hickman, the undrafted rookie, took part on 76 snaps and finished two tackles, two tackles for loss and one pass defended against. He also finished with an overall grade of 72.7, and tackle grade of 78.2, per Pro Football Focus.

D’Anthony Bell is included as well for his play, finishing with three tackles and an overall grade of 74.4, a tackle grade of 78.0, and a coverage grade of 71.9 per PFF. Bell also would’ve recorded his first career interception late in the game, had it not been for Anthony Walker Jr.’s defensive pass interference.

The Browns held Calvin Ridley to catching four of his 13 targets, and Zay Jones to catching five of his 14 targets.

Martin Emerson Jr. caught both of his interceptions in the second period, as Greg Newsome II grabbed his on the second play of the fourth period. Prior to his groin injury which resulted in an early exit, Grant Delpit showed fierce play with six tackles and one sack.