by Announcers Chis Collinsworth and Al Michaels summed it all up perfectly at the end of the game tonight. Until the Browns offensive line holds up, they will not be able to do anything but make quick passes and convert short routes.
That was once again, for the third straight week, the problem tonight. Without Higgins and Calloway in the lineup to keep the defense honest, it will be blitz after blitz and Baker Mayfield will have little time to allow routes to open up downfield.
It is just that simple. The line isn’t going to improve dramatically overnight. It simply doesn’t work that way. From here, they have at least one game without their full compliment of threats playing on the offensive side of the ball.
They must find a way with Chubb to win until week five when they can regroup and run the offense, they practiced all training camp long.
Yes, they lost tonight 20-13, but in the first half when they ran the smart routes, Mayfield stayed upright and they were able to move the ball at times.
Without a secondary, without even 3 decent receivers, and only two, they still only lost by 7 to the defending NFC Champs. Again, a close loss is still a loss and they will look at missed chances and kick themselves.
There was once again questionable play calling from their rookie head coach who continues to look lost out there. That also needs to improve. Kitchens has been terrible thus far.
No one is happy they lost, and moral victories do not exist anymore, but it could have been a lot worse. On to Baltimore….
