Butter-fingered Britt endures another tough day
CLEVELAND — Browns coach Hue Jackson challenged Kenny Britt to step it up last week as the elder statesman of the receiving corps, but it didn’t help during Cleveland’s 31-7 loss to the Bengals on Sunday.
Against the Bengals, Britt false-started on third down on the first drive, slipped and dropped a pass on third down on the second drive, and then had another pass go through his hands and off his chest to get picked off with 10:01 left in the second quarter.
DeShone Kizer was driving the Browns to tie the score at 7 when his pass glanced off a leaping Britt’s hands at the Bengals’ 7.
It was the second straight week that a pass went off Britt’s hands and was picked off.
Kizer yanked
Jackson pulled rookie Kizer, who was getting hit hard, with 6:30 left in the game in favor of Kevin Hogan.
“DeShone Kizer is the quarterback. ... I didn’t want to take a chance of leaving him in there and getting him injured,” Jackson said of the rookie. “That was nothing about DeShone’s performance.
“I don’t think his spirit’s broken or anything. He wanted to stay in there, trust me. ... I’ve been in this long enough to know we have to protect our quarterback.”
Missing teeth
Carl Lawson didn’t want to get on camera after the game, but the Bengals linebacker did speak even though he was missing parts of his two front teeth.
The rookie thought he had a sack of Kizer early in the fourth quarter, but a few things went wrong.
One, the officials ruled Kizer got the ball off. And two ...
“When I’m bringing him down I see my teeth just in the air,” Lawson said. “I’m like, ‘Oh crap.’ ”
After that play near the Bengals sideline, offensive tackle Andre Smith rushed out, along with Bengals medical staff, to help Lawson find the pieces.
“It didn’t hurt. I just saw my teeth in the air,” said Lawson, who hopes the teeth can be reattached.
Burfict back
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict returned from his three-game suspension, giving Cincinnati’s defense some pop, literally. Burfict made his presence known with his typical hits, and he was also flagged for roughing Kizer in the fourth quarter, a shot that might earn him more league discipline. Burfict totaled six tackles.
Injury update
The Browns were without three first-round picks in defensive end Myles Garrett (high ankle sprain), receiver Corey Coleman (broken hand) and defensive tackle Danny Shelton (calf). They were also without linebacker Jamie Collins (concussion).
Garrett returned to practice Thursday and didn’t report any problems, but the Browns are being cautious and will delay his regularseason debut at least one more week.
Notable
• Since winning in Cincinnati on Nov. 6, 2014, to improve to 6-3, the Browns are 4-38.
• The Browns remain the only team in the league not to lead at any point through four games.
• Adam “Pacman” Jones, who turned 34 on Saturday, helped set up Cincinnati’s first touchdown with a 40-yard punt return.