CLEVELAND, Ohio – This is what a dangerous staff does.
I misplaced monitor of what number of occasions I stated that in the course of the Browns’ 20-16 loss to Las Vegas on Sunday.
Let’s begin with Deshaun Watson.
I've no main issues with the Browns QB. He might have made a few higher throws. I might have appreciated to see him a minimum of throw the ball into the tip zone whereas working for his life on Cleveland’s closing play of the sport.
Instead, he took a sack. The Browns had the ball on the Raiders 9-yard line. The rating was 20-16. The clock was working down. It was fourth-and-3.
I don’t know what that closing play was purported to be. For a transient second, he appeared to have Jerry Jeudy breaking open over the center and tight finish Jordan Akins maybe heading into the clear ultimately zone.
But Watson was underneath a lot of stress. He ended up working out of the pocket and was knocked the bottom – the ball nonetheless in his fingers.
What dangerous groups do
That stated, had Dustin Hopkins (YIKES!) not missed an additional level earlier within the recreation – properly, the Browns would have been in place to a minimum of tie the sport on the ultimate drive with a discipline aim. Yes, Hopkins is a wonderful kicker. He booted a 56-yard-discipline aim earlier within the recreation.
But that further level …
Had Amari Cooper had caught a wonderful cross from Watson … however as a substitute, it bounced off his chest … excessive into the air … and was intercepted. If Cooper makes his regular play, the Browns would have had the ball on the Las Vegas 30-yard line.
Had Nick Harris not been flagged for holding, then Watson and Cooper would have linked for an 82-yard TD.
Had the Browns not allowed the Raiders to run for 152 yards … My goodness, Las Vegas got here into the sport with 155 whole yards dashing of their first three video games.
Had the Browns …
The scoreboard doesn’t lie
The Browns are 1-3. The 4 groups the Browns have confronted have a mixed file of 5-11.
The Browns don’t wish to hear it, however they are enjoying like a dangerous staff, interval.
Rather a lot of adverse consideration has justifiably been on the offense. They scored just one TD Sunday. For the season, the Browns offense has six whole TDs.
The Browns haven’t scored greater than 18 factors in a recreation.
But on this recreation, Watson was strong. He was 24 of 32 passing for 176 yards. His solely interception was the fault of Cooper. Hard to know what's with Browns Pro Bowl receiver, who has had drops and different issues this season.
Yes, the offensive line has been hammered with accidents.
But the identical was true of the Raiders, who had two rookies beginning up entrance.
Part of being a good staff is working across the accidents on the offensive line.
Defense is simply so-so
The Browns allowed solely 20 factors. That must be sufficient to win, particularly when dealing with a struggling staff corresponding to Las Vegas.
But the Browns protection has not been dominating because it was a yr in the past. Way too many missed tackles. It’s laborious to think about how the Raiders simply ran over Cleveland – however they did.
Watching the Browns is painful.
They are underachieving. They are irritating and pissed off. They appear incapable of developing with massive performs when wanted essentially the most.
The Browns’ longest performs of the sport had been a 36-yard run by Jerome Ford and a 19-yard catch by Jerry Jeudy. That’s it. The Browns scored a TD on this primary drive of the sport, and no extra TDs after that.
What are the Browns after 4 video games?
They are a dangerous staff doing what dangerous groups do.
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