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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski remaining with Jameis Winston as starting QB against Chiefs
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- Browns coach Kevin Stefanski remaining with Jameis Winston as starting QB against Chiefs
The Browns have no more hope for either the playoffs or a winning season. They're not changing their quarterback just because of that fact.
Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Monday that Jameis Winston will remain the starting quarterback for Cleveland for Sunday's home game against the back-to-back Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs .
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Asked on a Zoom call with the media if he was sticking with Winston as the starting quarterback, Stefanski answered, "Yes."
"We're just going to continue to do everything we can to play better," Stefanski said. "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."
Asked if there might become a time when the Browns would turn to second-year backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson , Stefanski said, "My line of thinking really is about Kansas City and this week that's where I'll really focus."
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston signals at the line against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Browns lost 27-14 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. That dropped them to 3-10, which officially eliminated them from playoff contention.
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After the game, Stefanski was asked if he contemplated putting Thompson-Robinson in the game, or even going forward at some point. He 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."
Winston was 24-of-41 passing for 211 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. It was his 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 .
"One thing we don't control is the outcomes of these games," Winston said after the game. "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."
The Browns have gone 2-4 with Winston at the controls. He's thrown for 1,892 yards in those six starts, including three games of at least 334 yards, and a franchise-record and career-high 497 yards in a 41-32 loss to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 2.
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The biggest problem with Winston has been the turnovers. The two interceptions against the Steelers gave him nine in six games, including five in the last two games.
Winston's record night in Denver on "Monday Night Football" was short-circuited by three critical interceptions. Not only did he throw the three picks, two of them were returned by the Broncos for touchdowns, including one with 1:48 remaining that sabotaged Cleveland's comeback attempt.
"I look at it as we need to play better as an offense to help our team win," Stefanski said. "We don't want to give the ball away in any form or fashion. We don't want to fumble it away. We don't want to throw in receptions, but we also coach each play because each play is a little bit different than the last.
"So, like I've said to you guys before, not all interceptions are created equal and all we can do with any play has learned from them, and that's what Jameis will continue to do."
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(This story has been updated with new information.)
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jameis Winston will remains Browns starting QB against Chiefs
