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With a Week 8 upset of the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns picked up their first win since Week 2. Jameis Winston led the team in his first start at quarterback, prompting head coach Kevin Stefanski to immediately approve of him as their signal caller moving forward.
Stefanski named Winston the indefinite starter with a simple but confident statement after the team's second win of the year.
“Jameis is the starter,” Stefanski said, via ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.
The decision was simple for Stefanski after Winston threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds remaining. Winston's performance marked the first time the Browns scored over 20 points in a single game in 2024.
Tillman was Winston's leading receiver on the night, bringing in seven catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Veteran Elijah Moore topped him with 12 targets and eight receptions but turned his opportunities into just 85 yards and did not reach the end zone. Winston's third touchdown pass went to tight end David Njoku in the third quarter.
After original starter DeShaun Watson went down with an Achilles injury in Week 7, Winston was the third quarterback to sub into the game. Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the first man off the bench in relief of Watson but suffered his injury, giving Winston his opportunity as the emergency third-string.
Despite his success late in the team's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Winston was not immediately named the starter ahead of Week 8. Stefanski did not declare him as the team's starter for the game against the Ravens until the Tuesday before Week 8.
Browns have one game remaining until Week 10 bye.
Once Watson went down in Week 7, it felt as if the Browns were desperately limping to their bye week in Week 10. However, Winston's heroic performance leading to a massive upset win over the Ravens has seemingly given the team a new life.
With one game left until their bye week, the Browns have one more chance to build on their momentum before the break. Cleveland will remain home for the third straight week and take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. The Chargers bring their 4-3 record into the game after dominating the New Orleans Saints in Week 8.
The Chargers are far ahead of the Browns from a record perspective but have won just two of their last five games. Los Angeles has been led by running back J.K. Dobbins early on, who will have a tough time breaking down a Browns defense that limited Derrick Henry to 73 rushing yards, his second-lowest total of the year.
