Three takeaways from the Browns season finale win against Bengals

A record breaking day, and the second win in a row for the Cleveland Browns. There aren’t many better ways for an NFL season to end. The Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals on a game-winning field goal, 20-18.

The Cleveland Browns may have finished the season at 5-12, but these last couple weeks should give the fans plenty of hope as to what this team can do next season.

Here are three takeaways from the final win of the season.

1. Myles Garrett just had the greatest pass rushing season ever

23 sacks, a new NFL record. The impact Myles Garrett just had on the Cleveland Browns this year can not be understated.

Teams threw everything they had, every chip, every double team towards Garrett to slow him down, and he still got the record.

He timed the sack so well, many people on social media swear he jumped offsides. Joe Burrow didn’t even have time to try and get away, going down for the record.

The Browns’ defense was among the league’s best, and it all started with Garrett.

Simply put, when he is on the field, every offense has to behave differently to try and keep him contained. The Steelers learned this the hard way, as they will be playing for their playoff lives after limiting their offense too much last week.

This season wasn’t just impressive, it really was the greatest season a pass rusher ever had, and may be the best a defender ever had. Garrett will earn his second Defensive Player of the Year, and may enter some insane discussion about career legacy during this offseason.

2. Defensive penalties can always be excused on touchdowns

The defense scored the only two touchdowns of the game, both coming in the first half.

On the first one, Devin Bush picked off Burrow in the red zone, and took it back 97 yards for his second touchdown of the season. After the play, he was called for an excessive celebration penalty that backed the PAT up.

Andre Szmyt didn’t mind, as he drilled it anyway.

On the Bengals next drive, Noah Fant caught a quick pass, but it was punched out by Jerome Baker. Sam Webb picked it up and returned it 47 yards for another touchdown. He also got an excessive celebration, but again Szmyt made the kick.

Obviously, penalties are not good. If you can avoid them, you should. However, in the last game of the season where the defending is doing the heavy lifting, the flags are worth it.

Let the team finish the season with good energy, and get ready for a difficult offseason.

3. A full circle moment for Szmyt

When Andre Szmyt started this season, it wasn’t pretty.

In week one, he lost the game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a missed PAT, and missed a field goal as time expired. Fans didn’t know what Szymt was going through though. His mother passed away just before training camp, contributing to a slow start for his career.

He had to fight back mentally to find some consistency, and keep going for his NFL career.

After that week, Szmyt became more and more consistent. He silently kept knocking down field goals, even in weeks where the offense couldn’t get anything else going. Against the Green Bay Packers, he hit a game-winner for Cleveland’s first win this season.

Now, he got the chance of redemption against the Bengals. He knocked down two PATs that were pushed back from penalty, and of course, won the game with a walkoff 49-yard field goal (he also hit a 27-yard field goal).

It was a beautiful moment for Szmyt to close out his first season in the league, and will hopefully be the start of a long and consistent career as the Browns’ kicker.