Only the Browns could lose a game where not one, but two players had career nights. Only the Browns could lose a game where they racked up 32 points and 552 total yards of offense. Only the Browns could lose an entertaining shootout like this in the most annoying, infuriating way possible.
Even though it's been a lost season for a while, losing games like this one makes me a level of angry you would not believe.
You could pour boiling water down my throat and I'd swallow it and spit out ice cubes within seconds. My Irish temper rears its ugly head during Browns games. It's explosive.
But I am trying my best not to blow my top for the sake of my sanity. With that said, hide the women and the children. This tongue lashing might get ugly. Fair warning, folks.
Jameis Winston: Pastor or Quarterback?
Let me preface this by saying I think Jameis Winston is a genuine person. I'm glad he's a Christian and believes in Jesus. I'm glad he has the courage to share his faith with a worldwide TV audience. I need to be more like him in that way.
But after tonight, he'd be better giving sermons on Sunday instead of pulling on a jersey, pads and cleats!
Sometimes I just don't know what the heck he sees! He seemingly has no vision, and struggles to read defenses at times. Two pick sixes, and three overall, may have been the single biggest reason the Browns lost this game.
I can understand letting it fly and challenging opposing secondaries to beat you. But with Jameis, he's like the Sammy Sosa of football: He throws beautiful touchdown passes that are right on the money. Or he throws boneheaded interceptions that seal the game. There's usually no in between. It's feast or famine with this guy.
That last play call of the night, on first and goal from the two (thanks Dorsey eye roll) still has me angry. The Browns probably weren't going to win at that point. But no offensive coordinator with any shred of common sense throws the ball from the two yard line, and has his best running back on the sideline.
But a pass is exactly what Ken Dorsey decided to do. Why? God only knows. But Winston promptly threw away our last chance to do anything. He threw it right to the DB.
Winston did throw for 497 yards and four touchdowns. But you just. CAN'T. TURN. THE. BALL. OVER! UGH!!!
That's sadly why he's never been a franchise quarterback. Old habits die hard. Good lord...
But along with being a turnover machine, you also can't let Denver gash you either, but that's exactly what Jim Schwartz and his "defense" did too.
They got smoked like that Thanksgiving ham and turkey you ate last week. Through both the air and on the ground.
No defense anywhere... AGAIN.
I am legitimately starting to wonder if Jim Schwartz's defense last year was a happy, stupid fluke. An anomaly. An outlier.
Watching his unit play this season has probably taken years off my life, given me my first gray hair, and caused my hairline to recede even faster as I inch closer to 34 years old.
I'd have more fun yanking my own molars out with a rusty pair of pliers and no anesthetic, than watch defensive games like that!
The Browns gave up an even 400 yards. They gave up 106 yards (4.1 per carry) on the ground, and 294 through the air. Heck, Denver's receivers even averaged 16.3 yards per catch as a team tonight!
The run defense looked atrocious in critical situations where they needed a stop, and Bo Nix continually found the gap in Cleveland's coverages. He nickeled and dimed the Browns all night long. He picked them apart.
Denver also went 6-13 on third down. The vast majority of those conversions came in critical situations too. A good defense probably holds their opponent to around a 30-35 percent conversion rate on third down. If you go even lower than that? You're probably elite.
But as a defense, you just need to GET OFF THE FIELD. Simple as that. You cannot allow an opposing offensive unit to extend drives when you have them backed up against the wall and facing third or fourth down. Especially not in a shootout. You have to finish them off! Good teams do that. The Browns did not. Jim Schwartz and his unit couldn't stop a nosebleed!
And the final reason the Browns lost was a more of a mental thing. Good teams don't make this next mistake.
No awareness and stupid errors!
The Browns were called for five penalties for 46 yards. Not horrible on paper. But when you consider Winston was flagged not once but TWICE for delay of game penalties on crucial third downs, it's enough to drive a guy crazy!
And the Broncos also returned one of Winston's interceptions 93 yards to the house...because no one bothered to make sure the DB was down.
The Denver defender's knee never touched the ground after he made the interception. His butt hit the ground. That meant he was still eligible to get up and run the ball back. And that's exactly what he did. He took advantage of our brainfart. Good for him.
Someone should've made sure he was down. But there was no one within 15 yards of him, and no one realized he was free to run the ball all the way back. By the time they did? He was long gone. Mental errors like that are absolute killers! They're the kinds of mistakes professionals should never make!
And it's a big part of why this team is 3-9 and going even further down the hole. Do I dare keep watching this mess?
Hang in there Dawg Pound. Only five games left. Then we can all decompress until April or early May. It can't come fast enough.
Statistical Leaders
Jameis Winston: 34-58, 497 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs
Jerome Ford: 9 carries, 41 yards
Jerry Jeudy: 9 catches, 235 yards, TD
Source
ESPN
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