Loss to the Bengals a frustrating but fitting finale for the Browns
I’ve often questioned the impact of the Browns’ “Hardland of America” slogan. It never seemed to catch on. At least not to the level that the huge “Hardland of America” banner behind the team’s indoor training facility in Berea would indicate.
But as a slogan for the Browns’ 2019 season, it’s perfect.
Because this season was hard.
So it makes sense that the Browns would finish things off by losing to the one-win Bengals, 33-23. It’s a frustrating and fitting end to another season in the Hardland, where nothing is given, everything is dangled like a carrot you’ll never reach.
Even wins against the Jets, Ravens, Bills, Steelers and Bengals came with frustrating issues that the Browns couldn’t shake: red-zone offense, Odell Beckham Jr.’s impact, Nick Chubb’s inconsistent carries, Myles Garrett’s meltdown, etc...
Losses to the then threewin Cardinals and now the one-win Bengals are the cherries on top of the frustration sundae that is this Browns season.
Harder still was the fact that losses never offered a glimpse of better things to come. They were just losses, full or problems, not potential.
The Hardland of America indeed.
Here are a few more thoughts from the game: 1. A Week 17 game without playoff implications shouldn’t determine someone’s job. But you don’t want the final impression of the season being full of things that made you question Freddie Kitchens’ ability to be a head coach and/ or play caller. You want to see the things that made you want to hire him. I’m not sure we saw much of the latter. 2.
Steve Wilks hasn’t made a strong case for returning as defensive coordinator in 2019. The defense has dealt with a bunch of injuries — and a couple suspensions — but if you were looking for the unit to overachieve through adversity, it hasn’t happened.
Having only 10 players on the field for the Bengals’ second touchdown wasn’t a good look for Wilks’ defense. Neither was watching Joe Mixon channel Jim Brown for the second time this season. Or Andy Dalton using his legs to score a touchdown. 3. The Bengals had just 10 quarterback pressures against the Browns in Week 14. They might’ve had that many in the first half on Sunday. Mayfield was sacked a season-high six times by game’s end, compared to just once three weeks ago. 4. The Browns offense has gone into sleepwalking mode so many times this season. After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, the Browns had minus-2 net yards over their next three possessions. After rallying late in the first half, they started the second half with minus-7 yards over their first two drives of the third quarter. 5.
Odell Beckham Jr. reached 1,000 yards receiving. That means the Browns have two 1,000yard receivers (Beckham, Jarvis Landry) and a 1,000-yard running back (Chubb) in the same season for the first time in franchise history. They also have six or fewer wins in a season for the 16th time since 1999.