3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 15 Win vs. Bears

The Cleveland Browns survived Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears by the narrowest of margins.

Cleveland took a three-point lead with less than a minute remaining, but the Bears got into position to give Justin Fields one last desperation shot at the end zone. His pass was tipped into the arms of Bears receiver Darnell Mooney, but Mooney bobbled it and kicked it to safety D'Anthony Bell for a game-sealing interception.

It was another ugly one for Cleveland. Joe Flacco threw three interceptions, including a pick-six. The offense got nothing going on the ground, and the Browns didn't get their first lead until Dustin Hopkins' 34-yard field goal with 32 seconds remaining.

The Browns got the win, though, showing the resolve of a playoff contender in the process. Here's what we learned from Cleveland's Week 15 win over Chicago.

Defense, Flacco Keep Giving Cleveland Chances

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Browns QB Joe Flacco

Our biggest takeaway from Sunday's game is that the combination of a good defense and Flacco will make it tough to count Cleveland out in games moving forward.

Two of Flacco's three picks led directly to 14 Chicago points, while the third came near the goal line and took points off the board for Cleveland. Yet, the defense limited the damage by holding the Bears to 236 total yards and 4-of-18 on third down.

The return of cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) was huge, and while the defense has been much better at home, it will give Cleveland a chance to be in every game over the final three weeks.

Flacco's experience and strong arm will also allow the Browns to climb back into games. Despite trailing for most of this one, Flacco shook off his turnovers and got hot enough in the fourth quarter to deliver 13 unanswered points.

The 38-year-old finished with 374 yards, two touchdowns and three picks. He had clutch throws to David Njoku and Amari Cooper—who tight-roped the sideline for a 51-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter—to bring Cleveland back.

According to ESPN's Jake Trotter, Flacco's 212 fourth-quarter passing yards were the most by a Browns quarterback in a single quarter over the last 45 seasons.

Another Potentially Critical Injury Looms Large

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Browns G Joel Bitonio

If you've followed the Browns at all this season, you're probably already familiar with the team's injury issues.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Nick Chubb, offensive tackle Jedrick Wills, offensive tackle Jack Conklin and safety Grant Delpit—all Week 1 starters—are on injured reserve. So is Dawand Jones, who took over at right tackle when Conklin went down. Ward has missed time, while center Ethan Pocic and safety Juan Thornhill both missed Sunday's game.

Early against Chicago, Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio exited with a back injury and did not return.

"Bitonio said his back locked up and it is difficult for him to move," Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the game.

This left Wyatt Teller as the only Week 1 starter along the offensive line on the field against Chicago. With Bitonio out, the ground game suffered. Jerome Ford led the team with just 20 rushing yards, and Cleveland compiled 29 as a team.

If Bitonio misses an extended period, it's going to be difficult for Cleveland to post a winning record over the final three weeks. While the New York Jets were officially eliminated from contention this week, the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals (both road opponents) are firmly in the mix.

Kevin Stefanski Deserves an Extension

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Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski

Head coach Kevin Stefanski probably won't win Coach of the Year because he just won it in 2020, and voters love to find a fresh story. However, he's certainly worthy of consideration.

Considering all of the injuries that have impacted Cleveland's season, the Browns' 9-5 record is remarkable. So is the fact that Stefanski has won with four different starting quarterbacks while beating six teams that currently hold a .500 record or better.

We've seen past Browns teams fold when adversity hit, but that hasn't been the case under Stefanski this season. And with Sunday's win, he has become the first Browns coach since Marty Schottenheimer to produce multiple winning seasons.

He may not be Coach of the Year, but Stefanski deserves to be Cleveland's coach of the future. That didn't seem to be a sure thing in the offseason, when the Browns were coming off of back-to-back losing seasons.

"We'll talk about that at the appropriate time," franchise owner Jimmy Haslam said in March, per Heavy's Andrea Reiher.

Stefanski had the sense to hire defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone in the offseason. He's helped cultivate the competitive culture the Browns have long lacked during the year.

Entering the fourth year of a five-year contract, it's time for Cleveland to ensure that Stefanski's deal doesn't expire after next season.