Some losses hurt more than others. The Cleveland Browns know all about that heading into their Bye week.
Cleveland had no business losing to AFC North rivals the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Brian Hoyer thoroughly outplayed Super Bowl champion quarterback Joe Flacco. The defense of the Browns made big plays. The win was there for the taking for Cleveland.
But then: Same old Browns.
Both Cleveland coordinators and head coach Mike Pettine made poor decisions. Hoyer shrunk when under the spotlight. A defensive back advertised to be a shutdown corner was burned for the second time this season.
Not good enough.
Those in the organization will now have an extra week to contemplate the day’s events before the Browns are away to the Tennessee Titans. Today’s result is the type of defeat that can sink a season in the opening one-fourth of a campaign.
It’s on Pettine and company to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Ravens beat Browns: Points left on the field
The Browns left no fewer than 9 points on the field in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. They failed to turn an interception that gave the Cleveland offense possession of the ball at the Baltimore 30-yard line into even a converted field goal. Hoyer hit Taylor Gabriel with a deep ball over the middle that would have been a sure touchdown had Gabriel not tripped over himself. Billy Cundiff missed a 50-yard field goal and he had a second attempt blocked. That second field goal would have been a chip-shot had Hoyer not been guilty of an obvious Illegal Forward Pass penalty on third down.
It was another Same old Browns Sunday.
Ravens beat Browns: Awful execution
61. The is the amount of seconds that the Browns ran off the clock during their final two drives of the game with a lead. That’s unacceptable, and blame for it goes to coaches and players alike.
Hoyer’s overall numbers against the Ravens are fantastic. He completed 19 of 25 passes, threw for 290 yards, had a touchdown and didn’t turn the ball over.
Hoyer also missed on what was his most important pass of the afternoon. With the Browns seven yards away from being able to run the clock out, wide receiver Andrew Hawkins got open with enough space in front of him to get a game-winning first down. Hoyer threw the ball behind his target (Hoyer did the same when Miles Austin reeled in Cleveland’s lone passing TD of the day), Hawkins couldn’t complete the grab, and the Browns had to punt.
Hoyer deserves to remain atop Cleveland’s depth chart and ahead of rookie Johnny Manziel for now. That said, Hoyer has been presented with opportunities to close opponents out in three consecutive weeks. He delivered only once.
Ravens beat Browns: Overrated?
That o-word is being associated with Cleveland cornerback Joe Haden. It’s deserved. Haden was beaten deep for 32 yards when Flacco connected with 35-year old Steve Smith Sr. on Baltimore’s game-deciding drive, and it was that play that put the Ravens in field goal range.
That pass was not a one-off for Haden. Pittsburgh Steelers. Jacksonville Jaguars. Pittsburgh again. New Orleans Saints. Baltimore. All of those teams have abused Haden in big-play situations over the past 12 months.
There’s more. Rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert also couldn’t keep up with Smith Sr., and he was guilty of a pass interference in the fourth quarter that gifted Baltimore three points. Gilbert continues to appear as if he doesn’t belong in a NFL starting lineup, and he is a liability for the Browns until he improves.
What was supposed to be a bolstered secondary is right now today the weakest part of its defense. The fact of the matter is that the Browns would be 3-0 if the secondary was as good as it was thought to be during the summer.
Ravens beat Browns: Wrap-up
Baltimore has a champion head coach, champion quarterback, and veterans who know how to win. This young Cleveland roster isn’t at that level. It could get to that level in time.
The Browns aren’t there yet, and that is the significant talking point coming out of today’s game.
It’s still early days for the 2014 NFL season, but that October 5 game against the Titans is a must-win contest for Cleveland. A loss that puts the Browns at 1-3 before they host the Steelers could be an iceberg-hitting-the-Titanic moment for Cleveland.
