The Browns drop a tough one in Cincinnati today. And as in so many frustrating and infuriating losses in the past, the opposing team didn't really beat the Browns as much as they beat themselves. You can't make self-destructive mistakes and poor coaching decisions and often expect to win.
That's not to take anything away from Joe Burrow or the Bengals today. Cincinnati played well, was the better team, and showed why they're a playoff contender. And Joe Burrow can finally say he beat the Browns, as this is his first win against them since coming into the league in 2020. But where did it go so wrong for Cleveland today in the Queen City? Let's take a look at the Keys to Victory and see if we can find out.
Run the rock!
Again, I think the Browns abandoned the run far too early. And by the time they would have had any chance to go back to it, Cincinnati had a big enough lead, that it forced Cleveland to pass. When Nick Chubb is your leading rusher, and he only has 14 carries for 34 yards on the day, something's wrong. Was Cincinnati having success stopping the run? Yes. But I still think the Browns abandon the run game way too early in situations like this. And it's so frustrating.
And I also saw a call on fourth down that still has me shaking my head, and saying some choice words that would cause me to get banned if I typed them here. But on the opening drive, the Browns looked solid. They were moving the football, Deshaun Watson was slinging it, and Cincinnati really had no answer. Until the play in question. The Bengals defense eventually caused the Browns to stall out a little bit, and were facing a 4th and 1 deep in Cincinnati territory. They were inside the 30 yard line, and poised to take the early lead.
Conventional wisdom and common sense in a situation like that dictates one of two things: You either take the points to go up 3-0 on the road early. Or you power it straight up the middle with the best running back in the NFL for the first down. But, as he has done in so many games this season, Kevin Stefanski dismissed common sense, tossed caution to the wind, and had Watson take a deep shot to the endzone, which was nowhere close to intended wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones. Turnover on downs. Bengals get the ball.
Even though the failed fourth down attempt didn't burn the Browns later in the game, I firmly believe that mistake set the tone for that day. Had Cleveland taken the field goal, or got the first down, and later scored a touchdown, that would have set the tone for the rest of the day in a positive way. They would have made a statement to Cincinnati that they were here to play, and that the Bengals were in for a fight. But that first defensive stop of the day for the Bengals happened thanks to poor coaching, and likely gave them the confidence they needed going forward throughout the rest of the afternoon.
Get after Joe Burrow
Early in the game, Cleveland was getting the job done here. I liked what I saw from the defensive line. They weren't often getting home and making the sack, but they were getting enough pressure on Joe Burrow to make him throw the ball earlier than he wanted to, and they kept him off balance for a good portion of the game.
But then Cincinnati's offensive line made some adjustments. Aside from a pair of sacks by all-pro defensive end Myles Garrett, and four quarterback hits, Cleveland's defensive line was largely held in check for the majority of the afternoon. The Bengals have now surrendered two sacks or less in their last five games, which also happens to likely coincide with their five-game winning streak. They're now 9-4 on the season. And a big part of that? It's likely thanks to the offensive line keeping Joe Burrow upright and clean. The Browns need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to get after the Baltimore Ravens next week. This defense is at their best when they're causing opposing offensive linemen to have nightmares in trying to block them, and bringing down quarterbacks. This unit is built off the pass rush. They need to do a better job next week.
Force turnovers
Cleveland only forced a single turnover here, an interception by Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones. But other than that, the Browns were unable to cause the Bengals to cough it up. Cincinnati looked solid, disciplined and they took care of the football. This just wasn't good enough to compete with a good Bengals team. Plain and simple.
Extra Key to Victory: STOP COMMITTING STUPID PENALTIES!
I didn't include this one in my pregame article. Mostly because I wasn't expecting the Browns to look this bad in this facet of the game. Clean games in terms of few or no penalties are expected from men who call themselves professionals.
But nine (yes, nine) penalties for 98 yards is just unacceptable. And I'm being nice. Pathetic might be a better word. Cincinnati's first touchdown drive of the game was practically created thanks to Browns miscues. That drive was also another tone-setting moment. I'm just gonna say it folks, and go ahead and laugh if you want: The Cleveland Browns shot themselves in the foot so much that by the end of this game, they didn't have a foot left! Goodness!
Poor coaching and so many unforced errors and dumb mistakes just flat out doomed this team today. And as much as I'll always love the Browns, they added another garden variety "carve your heart out with a rusty spoon and put it in a blender" type of loss to a lost season full of them. And it doesn't get any easier next week with a Ravens team rolling into Cleveland that needs a win to stay on top of the AFC North. The Browns will have their work cut out for them when they try to defend home turf next weekend.
Stat Leaders
Deshaun Watson: 26-42, 276 yards, TD, INT
Nick Chubb: 14 carries, 34 yards
Donovan Peoples-Jones: 8 receptions, 114 yards
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