Overview
- Cleveland allowed a 99-yard kickoff return to Kene Nwangwu and a 74-yard punt return to Isaiah Williams within about 36 seconds in a 27-20 loss to the Jets.
- Special-teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone called the breakdowns “dumb, dumb, dumb football” and said corrections are underway.
- Head coach Kevin Stefanski offered a public vote of confidence, saying he has “a ton of faith” in Ventrone and the unit.
- Ventrone said in-game personnel changes steadied coverage, and the unit later executed a hurried 45-yard field goal before halftime to tie the score.
- Film analysis attributes the issues to execution errors—lane integrity, spacing, leverage and tackling—with reporting noting five return touchdowns allowed over the past two seasons.