00:00Back in the fan, that was Todd Munkin.
00:03Couldn't you tell how exhausted he was?
00:05And they showed him on the field where you could tell.
00:08He was sweating it out down the stretch like all of us were.
00:12But he was exhausted.
00:14Well, then he went to the Amazon seat right after that, him and Denzel.
00:19He'd be good on TV, you could tell.
00:21He put up the tablet and it had the score.
00:24He was kind of like, speaks for itself, here's the score.
00:27And I'm like, man, Munkin would be good on TV.
00:29But you're not getting him because he's not one and done
00:32because the Browns are 3-1 and in first place.
00:35Social media reactions on X are brought to you by...
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00:39I was corrected by a couple of people.
00:41It was 2003, the last time the Browns won in Pittsburgh in the regular season.
00:45Obviously, we know that they won in 2020 in the postseason out there.
00:49Speaking, Daryl Ryder joins us right now.
00:51He's the fan beat reporter.
00:52He's brought to you by...
00:53Also, Shive and Jewelers, Cleveland's premier jewelry store.
00:56Morning, Daryl.
00:57Hello, boys.
00:58Wonderful to talk to you.
01:00What did you think of the victory yesterday?
01:04Very impressive.
01:08Just when you thought it was going to slip away from them, they find a way.
01:12Very resilient.
01:14That's the word I would use to describe this football team right now.
01:17Very resilient.
01:19And they're in first place.
01:21They get a couple of days off.
01:23And they'll probably be 4-1 when they're done with the Jets in a week or so.
01:27You know, that's got to be a nice test of a young football team.
01:30And again, they're the second youngest roster in all the NFL.
01:34Pittsburgh makes that comeback.
01:35They tie it all up.
01:37You got to get a drive going.
01:38You got to get something there.
01:39You got to learn to play with a lead, play winning football.
01:42And they were able to do that.
01:43Because, you know, at some point here, your next step is to not be a team that sneaks up on
01:48everybody.
01:48It's to be a team that is to be taken seriously and reckoned with.
01:52Yeah, 100%.
01:53And they're overcoming negatives in games.
01:57That's what's most important as well.
01:59Whether it's a turnover.
02:01Whether it's the penalties, which they've got to find a way to clean up.
02:05Yesterday, it was the defense that got hammered with the flags.
02:10But they're finding ways, Ken.
02:12And Todd Munkin deserves all the credit in the world.
02:15Because, let's be honest about it, it's not just the way the season started in week one.
02:21Where we've seen this thing snowball in a negative direction and things crumble.
02:25Even, like, during games over the years.
02:29And that's not happening with this Browns team.
02:32Not one bit.
02:33So, hopefully they can keep it going.
02:37But I think you're being very disingenuous if you thought this team was going to be 3-1 after what
02:48happened in week one.
02:50No, I didn't think so.
02:51Yeah, Daryl, let's talk about Deshaun Watson.
02:55And it'd be one thing if they were winning in spite of him.
02:57But this is three games where he has had big moments in fourth quarters.
03:02Obviously, the second half wasn't great.
03:03First half, he was sensational.
03:05What do you make of the Deshaun Watson experience?
03:07Well, it's going to be a roller coaster.
03:09I think that that's just what it's going to be.
03:12Obviously, for as good as he was at times, he was also awful last night at times.
03:19You know, the missed throw to Harold Fannin Jr., who was wide open.
03:24That's just as easy of a layup as it gets.
03:28And, you know, he blew that one.
03:31He took the sack, right?
03:33You're worried that he'd just, you know, taken that sack.
03:35It all became about where they were going to spot the football.
03:38Was it going to be inside or outside the 40-yard line there?
03:43So, I don't know how he's doing it.
03:52But someone's on his side upstairs because, yeah.
03:57Again, for as good as he's been at times, he's been just as bad.
04:01But when it matters the most, he's finding a way.
04:05And that's all this game is about, just finding a way.
04:09And, you know, you're not going to be judged on how, you know, as a team,
04:14how pretty your wins are.
04:16It doesn't matter.
04:16Wins are wins.
04:17The only stat that matters are the numbers on the scoreboard
04:20when the clock hits the triple zero.
04:22So, it really is impressive.
04:25But his numbers yesterday were impressive.
04:26Threw for 268 yards, which for him is, you know, really, really good.
04:33Two turnovers.
04:34Able to overcome those.
04:35Had an interception.
04:37Had a fumble.
04:39Todd Munkin took the blame after the game for the read option
04:45in T.J. Watt's direction that led to the strip sack and recovery by Watt.
04:50But, all in all, give Deshaun his flowers.
04:54He seems to have found new life here with the Browns.
04:58Do you think, Daryl, it's the fact that Munkin has given him a system
05:04that makes a little more sense?
05:06Is it that they have receivers now?
05:08They haven't had that in a long time?
05:09By the way, welcome to the season, Jerry Judy.
05:12In some big moments yesterday.
05:14I didn't realize he was still on the team.
05:15Yeah, made some big catches there to help him score on that trip.
05:19So, what is it?
05:20Why is this happening?
05:22I know you were talking about maybe divine intervention,
05:24but, you know, he is summoning up some of the talent that, you know,
05:30a third of the league was, you know, hot after when he was a free agent.
05:34Right.
05:35And this is the player, the Browns, thought that they were getting.
05:39And, unfortunately, the off-the-field baggage derailed the start of his time
05:46in Cleveland, and then injuries derailed the remainder of his time here.
05:53Now he's healthy.
05:55Now he's getting – because this isn't the player we saw in training camp, okay?
06:01It was really ugly at times.
06:04That second half of the Buffalo game, right?
06:08And I'm not talking about his comments, about the boos and things like that.
06:12I'm just talking about the play on the field.
06:15And you're just sitting there, and you're just like, man,
06:19this is going to be a long, long season with this guy.
06:21Then week one comes.
06:22And you're really thinking, man, this is going to be a really long season with this guy
06:27and start the clock to when they put Shador Sanders on the field.
06:31And those conversations are tabled.
06:33There's no reason to even entertain that.
06:38And he's going to put – if this continues, he's going to put the Browns
06:43in a very difficult position when it comes to his contract and his future
06:49because he continues to win games, at some point you guys are going to be
06:53taking phone calls about whether or not they should extend this guy.
06:55Well, there's already been a few, Daryl.
06:57I've got to ask.
06:58Have you looked at it in certain cases?
07:00Because I brought up, like, well, I'd franchise tag him.
07:03Then there were several people yesterday, like,
07:04I don't think you can franchise tag him, Kenny.
07:07Are they not able to?
07:08I don't think they can with the way the contract is written.
07:14I'd have to do a dive into that to research that.
07:17Not the language in the contract, but I don't – I'm not positive
07:22that they can just franchise tag him.
07:25But here's the other thing.
07:27You know, if he continues to play well in the – last night the fans
07:31cheered him a lot, okay?
07:32We heard let's go Watson chants late in the game.
07:37Fans were behind him.
07:38So I think if he continues to play well and do these things
07:41and the Browns continue to win, I think the issue of the fans
07:45and the environment, I think that gets put to bed.
07:49I think that gets put in the rearview mirror.
07:51Deshaun even said after the game, referencing everything that has gone on,
07:55that's in the past.
07:56He's looking forward.
07:59I could – you know, maybe there is a scenario somewhere
08:01where they kind of meet in the middle.
08:03And the Browns say, hey, look, we didn't get a whole lot
08:05for the $230 million.
08:08Do we really need to go into market rate plus $50 million with your contract?
08:13Can we meet somewhere below that and, you know, for a year or two?
08:20Because I also, too, I don't think if you do go into a conversation
08:23about extension, I don't think you're talking – I think you're talking
08:28like a Baker Mayfield type of extension where it's a two-year
08:31in case it does go south again, you can get out of it and move on,
08:35you know, something like that.
08:36But I'm serious.
08:38Like, I'm not saying have it now.
08:40It's premature.
08:41But if this continues and, you know, we get to November
08:46and they got six, seven wins on the board here,
08:48and he's playing like this, and, again, you're going to have the roller coaster.
08:53He's going to turn the ball over.
08:54He's going to fumble.
08:55He's going to throw interceptions.
08:56He's going to have close calls.
08:57But, man, when the game's on the line, this is – I mean,
09:01this is three straight games where he has led a game-winning drive.
09:07And there's something to be said for that.
09:10So you guys are going to have some fun in a month or so if this continues
09:13about what to do with him next offseason.
09:17Darrell, the defense continued to get pressure even after the slew
09:23of injuries up front.
09:24So that was awesome to see those guys battle, including Mike Hall,
09:29come back off the cart and get out there on the field.
09:32I thought Mike Hall broke his ankle when I – you know, they hobble him to the –
09:37you know, he's being basically carried to the sidelines somewhat by the trainers.
09:43And then they put him on the cart, and I'm like, oh, boy, he – you know,
09:47first Mason, now him.
09:48And then I was shocked that he came back.
09:53God bless him.
09:54Not going to feel great today, probably.
09:56No, it's not.
09:57And, you know, maybe – I'm sure they gave him a little something to forget about
10:01that pain that he was experiencing last night.
10:04He's probably going to feel it this morning.
10:06They've got some time off here for him to get some rest for it.
10:11But what a gutsy, gutsy performance by him, first and foremost.
10:15So let's give him his credit.
10:16But, yeah, five sacks.
10:19Aaron Rodgers was under siege all night long.
10:22The secondary, I thought, did a really good job in spite of some of the penalties that they did have.
10:29Keep throwing to Denzel Ward.
10:31That seems to be a real intelligent strategy at this point.
10:34He's showing you game after game that he is legitimately the best in the business in the secondary.
10:43But, yeah, that was a lot of fun to watch that defensive front last night get after Aaron Rodgers who
10:49did not really get an opportunity to settle into that game.
10:53Darrell, what about Jared Verse?
10:56You know, there was a lot of complaints about him from the fan base.
10:58And, you know, you're 3-1, so now there's not going to be as many.
11:01But what are your thoughts on his play so far, I guess, lack thereof for so many fans?
11:07Well, I mean, he's – and they don't want to hear it because they just – they're spoiled by what
11:12Miles Garrett did.
11:13And they want to look at the sacks and the lack thereof.
11:15But he is affecting play up front.
11:17He is making a difference up front.
11:21I feel like the roles are reversed with him and Mason Graham early in the season, not only before Mason
11:27went out.
11:27But, like, Mason was getting the sacks and Jared was getting the assists.
11:32Well, last year it was Mason that was getting the assists and Miles Garrett was getting the sacks.
11:37So I feel like Jared Verse is affecting play.
11:41And I just think that this is a conversation that's going to be ongoing because this is how it was
11:46with the Los Angeles Rams.
11:48Now, I think he got more pressures with the Rams or was credited with more pressures with the Rams than
11:53he has been credited with here with the Browns.
11:57But he is – he's affecting things up front, Jared is.
12:02And hopefully sometime soon he'll get rewarded with a sack or two and then fans can take a deep sigh
12:08of relief.
12:09The good news is Jared Verse is playing for the Browns, whereas Miles Garrett, unfortunately, is not playing for the
12:15Rams right now because he got hurt.
12:16Is that another team we have a better record then?
12:18I believe it is.
12:19I can – yes.
12:20Oh, dangerous.
12:22Andre Schmidt.
12:23Along with the rest of the division there.
12:24Put the safety back on.
12:25Have we – that's right.
12:26Have we finally found someone to help us forget about our past unbelievable kicker, Phil Dawson?
12:37Are we there?
12:38How many straight kicks has it been for Andre Schmidt?
12:41I think 22.
12:42Oof.
12:43I went – and he told him to get to the 42.
12:47They got him – they got him three yards closer.
12:51So he had the thing from 65.
12:54There was – I mean, as soon as it left his foot, I immediately went to the TV to see
13:01if it was online between the uprights.
13:03And I saw it, and I started grabbing my gear to head downstairs.
13:08I did – before it even went through the goalpost, I was packing up to go downstairs because I was
13:15that confident that he had made it.
13:17Man, what a treat he is.
13:19And I – there was no doubt about that kick.
13:24And I – Munkin was hilarious after the game.
13:28He was like, yeah, you know, if you miss it, one of the best kickers gets it in prime position
13:34there with no time, so no pressure or anything.
13:37And then he's like, yeah, I really didn't tell him that, but that's exactly what I was thinking.
13:41But, yeah, Andre Schmidt has been Phil Dawson-esque, and I don't say that lightly.
13:50I mocked Jimmy Haslam for – after firing Kevin Stefanski when he explained to us why Andrew Berry kept his
13:57job.
13:58He pointed to Andre Schmidt as being one of the reasons.
14:03Well, I don't think we can laugh much more the way Andre has been kicking the football last season and
14:10then starting this season.
14:11What – just ice in his veins.
14:14And that's what you want from your kicker.
14:16That – that's – that's what your all-pro great kickers do.
14:20They win you games with 56-yard field goals, and they don't make you sweat it either.
14:26Darrell, thank you very much.
14:27We'll talk to you on Monday, buddy.
14:28All the best.
14:29You bet.
14:29Have a great weekend.
14:30Boy, the ballpark's going to be lit tomorrow.
14:32It's going to be fun.
14:32A lot of energy in the city after this one, so can't wait to get down to progressive field for
14:37the ALDS.
