by The Browns couldn’t stop the weather or the Raiders run game today, and this caused them more than anything else to lose 16-6 and drop to 5-3 on the season.
The Raiders rushed for a combined 208 yards and controlled the second half clock, never allowing Cleveland to put anything together.
The Raiders were incredible on third down, keeping drives alive and using up the clock. The Raiders went 8 of 14 on third down, which is simply incredible and a Super Bowl winning team style of stat. They also went 2 of 2 on fourth down and it was demoralizing for the Browns and their freezing fans.
Perhaps the most telling stat of all was the near 38 minutes of possession time the Raiders had. This was never more evident than in the second half when the Browns had the ball 3 times total. Those drives leading to a field goal, a punt and a missed field goal. It hard to blame Baker Mayfield when his defense can’t get him back on the field.
The main producer for the Raiders was Josh Jacobs who went for 128 yards on 31 carries. Derek Carr did a little bit of everything as he ran for 41 yards on 6 carries and also threw for 112 yards on 15 of 24 passing with a touchdown. Carr managed to stay upright and not turn the ball over either.
He was only sacked twice, hardly pressured and committed zero turnovers. If this horrendous Browns defense can’t force turnovers, then they will not win.
Browns fans cannot pin this one on Baker as he was barely out there today. When he was, he went 12 of 25 for 122 yards. He had very little help as his receivers and tailbacks dropped several balls that hit them right in the hands. You can’t blame Kareem Hunt either as he only had 14 carries, and did the most he could with them by gaining 66 yards.
The bottom line of todays game is this, they couldn’t get off the field on third down on defense. When they had the chance to move the ball and sustain drives, they dropped passes right in their hands or bread baskets. The sole exception to that is the Jarvis Landry touchdown drops. The first one could have been ruled a catch on the opening drive of the third quarter, and the second he got blasted so hard I’m not sure anyone in the history of the NFL could have hung on. Baker got him smashed on that one.
Browns fans cannot pin this one on Cody Parkey either as the kickers went 1 of 3 combined on Field Goal attempts on that side of the field today. It was windy, it was nasty and that side of the field is traditionally tough. Expect local talk show hosts to agonize over the coin toss decision for at least 2 hours tomorrow.
After forcing a Raider punt on the opening drive, the Browns saw their opening drive cut short. A nice rollout pass from Baker Mayfield to Harrison Bryant looked as though it would have legs, but Bryant fumbled it back to Las Vegas, killing that drive.
The Raiders couldn’t capitalize as they missed a field goal attempt towards the dog pound. The Browns would answer early second quarter as Cody Parkey hit a field goal from 41 yards out pointed towards that same windy end of the stadium. The Raiders would bounce back however with two Daniel Carlson fields to take a 6-3 lead into the half.
The Browns came out firing to start the second half with several first downs and large chunk plays to move the ball. It appeared for a brief moment that Mayfield hit Jarvis Landry in the corner of the endzone for a go-ahead touchdown toss. The replay official had other idea’s and it was called back. The Browns would settle for a 38-yard Cody Parkey field goal to tie the game.
The Raiders responded on their next drive of 14 plays and 75 yards to take the 13-6 lead on a 4-yard touchdown toss from Carr to Hunter Renfrow. The Browns couldn’t get a stop on third down all drive long, and the Raiders made them pay.
Las Vegas would eventually put together yet another long clock soaking drive resulting in a field goal to take a commanding 16-6 lead. The game would end by that same score as the Browns head into the bye week at 5-3. That record keeps the Orange & Brown in the mix of the playoff hunt.
