The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Underachieving Browns throwing season away
The Browns just passed the point in their season where they could blame a difficult schedule, unfamiliarity with each other or silly offensive penalties for their problems.
The autopsy after they lost, 25-19, to the Broncos Nov. 3 reveals the Browns’ heart shut down at crucial moments, just as it did in at least three other games this season. They are being coached by a man who proved over eight games last year he might be a very good offensive coordinator. But after four straight losses it looks more and more like he is not ready to be a head coach.
Freddie Kitchens can keep saying his team will show up on Wednesdays in Berea and work hard. But the things that went wrong in Denver exposed a team that cowers in big moments.
This was a “must game” against a 2-6 team, the start of the “easy” part of the schedule for the 2-5 Browns. Baker Mayfield last week said, “Urgency is at an all-time high.” Empty words from someone who this season looks better in commercials than as an NFL quarterback expected to lead the Browns to the playoffs.
It was another game the Browns could have won. But they didn’t win, and that’s all that matters
Kitchens has made questionable decisions all season.
But the most inexcusable (so far) was taking Nick Chubb off the field on fourth-and-1 at the Denver 5 with Denver leading, 17-12, with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
Instead, Kitchens called a quarterback sneak. It appeared Mayfield got the first down on a run between right guard Wyatt Teller and right tackle Chris Hubbard. But officials ruled he was stopped short. But even if he had made it, taking Chubb out of the game in that situation is ridiculous. Chubb is one of the best running backs in the league at gaining yardage after
contact. Even if Kitchens wanted Mayfield to keep the ball, having Chubb in the backfield would have distracted the Denver defense from Mayfield.
Mayfield did not throw an interception. But he was miserable in the red zone again. The Browns were inside the 20 five times and scored only one touchdown in those opportunities.
Mayfield did not even look in Odell Beckham’s direction on the Browns’ final offensive play — a fourth-and-4 from the Denver 28. Beckham beat his defender down the left sideline, but Mayfield’s pass to a tightly covered Jarvis Landry was broken up.
The Browns were pathetic in crucial moments on defense. One of those
crucial moments came after the turnover on downs at the Denver 5. Get a three-and-out there, get the ball back for the offense and give Mayfield another crack at it. But, no, that isn’t what happened.
Brandon Allen, a 2016 sixth-round draft pick by Jacksonville who never played in a regular season game until facing the Browns, completed passes of 16 yards, 4 yards, 10 yards and 24 yards to get to the Cleveland 30.
Allen handed to Lindsay on the next play and Lindsay ran off tight tackle 30 yards for a touchdown.
You could have won a lot of money betting Allen would outplay the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft.
Browns safety Damarious Randall missed his second straight game
with a hamstring injury. Jermaine Whitehead replaced him as a starter and missed at least three tackles. But he wasn’t the only one. Greedy Williams, Adarius Taylor and Whitehead whiffed trying to tackle Noah Fant on a 75yard catch and run by the rookie tight end.
I don’t want to hear “Everybody has to look in the mirror.” No more “Do your job,” as if saying those things will fix everything and close the book on another failure.
This is a team of underachievers, and until that changes, the disappointments will continue to mount.
Reach Schudel at JSchudel@News-Herald. com. On Twitter: @jsproinsider