Will Stefanski Survive?

Frustrations with Stefanski haven't just formed out of thin air. One year in, he could do no wrong after leading the Browns to their first playoff appearance in 18 seasons. But after two straight years of inconsistent offense, three different starting quarterbacks (and a few backups), Stefanski still needs to recapture the magic from 2020.

Complaints about being too buried in the analytics to get an authentic "feel" of a game are warranted, although this year, the third-year head coach has seemed to adapt a little better; four weeks in, the Browns currently rank 20th in fourth down attempts.

The aggressiveness on fourth down and in the red zone opting for touchdowns over field goals certainly aren't taboo in today's version of football. It's some of the head-scratching play calls Stefanski uses in those situations that are more problematic. Decisions like bringing in Jacoby Brissett to throw a fade on fourth-and-one. Deshaun Watson's second game back against Cincinnati last season or opting not to run Nick Chubb, arguably the best back in football, in similar situations.

And for his latest act, Stefanski didn't seem to structure his offense to help get rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson comfortable this past weekend after Watson was ruled out during pregame warmups.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, yet Stefanski is still the best coach this organization has had in the last two decades.

This offseason was a litmus test of how malleable the Browns head coach could be. Two straight losing seasons, a controversial trade for a quarterback, and a few off-the-field situations in the locker room left Stefanski with some difficult decisions. By all accounts, he passed, firing two assistant coaches to bring in highly respected replacements in Jim Scwartz as defensive coordinator and Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator.

Stefanski also tried to cater his offense to Watson, and that's been abundantly clear through these first four weeks of the season. But Watson looked wildly through the first two weeks of the season as he continued to re-acclimate himself to football after two years away. That isn't on Stefanski either.

Still, the Browns sit at 2-2 while they rest up during the bye week, with one of the best defenses in the NFL and a significant blown opportunity on their resume in the form of that frustrating loss to Pittsburgh. Oh, and a meeting with the juggernaut 49ers and their coach with a grudge against Cleveland awaits the Browns in Week Six.

It would take a colossal meltdown after the bye for franchise brass to part ways with him before the end of the season. Meaning the 13 games that remain will decide Stefanski's fate.

It's not always fair for the coach to fall on the sword when things go awry – mainly when several factors work against him. But that's the life of an NFL head coach.

Stefanski's seat is hot, and time is of the essence.