The Browns are the Browns toughest opponent

By: Isaac Moore

As I lay on my deathbed Sunday morning with what some may call the “man flu”, I awaited the 1pm Browns kickoff to lift my spirits. Jacked up on Dayquil and an array of other cold drugs, I was able to force myself to stay engaged in what any other normal day I would call: a shit storm.

The Cleveland Browns taking on the Atlanta Falcons after coming off of a convincing win in Pittsburgh where Jacoby Brissett looked like a true commander of the Browns offense, I still have a sense of worry… and I was right. After quickly trailing 0-10 the Browns seemed to find their stride after a convincing touchdown drive in the second quarter that ended with JAKE BRISKET doing his best Kyler Murray 2-point conversion impersonation, scrambling into the endzone to cut the deficit to 3. This is where the “Browns is the Browns' ' started to come to the surface. After forcing a 3 and out by the Falcons, the Browns went on a 7 minute nearly 80 yard drive getting all the way down to the ATL 1 yard line. After a failed rushing attempt by our lord and savior Nick Chubb, Kevin Stefanski decided to get cute and attempt a pass on 2nd and goal which resulted in a holding penalty that put the Browns back to the 11 yard line. From there Jacoby had two incomplete passes and the Browns were forced to kick the field goal tying the game at 10 going into the half.

As a true and delusional Browns fan, at this point I am still invested in the game and chalked the first half up as a draw and it was 0-0 going into the second half. The first two Browns drives in the second half resulted in three and outs, but then on Atanta’s third drive of the second half, the defense finally stepped up for what seems like the first time this season with an interception to give the Browns the opportunity they needed to take a firm hold of the game with the ball on Atlanta’s 43 yard line. At this point, Jacoby Brissett stopped looking like the commander of the offense and we started to see the true backup he really is and the player we all expected coming into this season, ending the drive with a 45 yard field goal attempt.

ENTER - The true Browns defense.

After what seemed to be a solid day on the defensive side of the ball, the true Browns defense showed up once again, allowing a rookie and a guy with 1 year practice squad experience to combine for 75 yards on 10 carries to take the lead back from the Browns.

The Browns two headed monster was then released, as Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb combined for 66 yards and a score to take back the lead.

After a pair of Atlanta field goals the Browns sat with the ball, down 20-23 with 2:28 left on the clock and no time outs. At this point I had an eerie dejavu feeling of Baker Mayfield having the ball last in a must score drive at the end of the game, but this isn’t the Baker Mayfield Browns team. This is Jake Brisket, Amari Cooper, and Nick Chubb, surely they can march down the field and get a score in time of need. Starting at their own 25 yard line things seemed on the up swing for the Browns as they made it into Falcons territory without ever reaching 3rd down. And then it happened….

The “BROWNS IS THE BROWNS”.

Sitting in position for what would be a nearly 60 yard field goal, the Browns had 1st and 10. Incomplete pass, penalty, SACK, out of field goal range. Now at this point as a Browns fan my heart dropped into my shoes, but there was still, to quote Marty Schottenheimer, a “Gleam of Hope”. We drafted a kicker in the 4th round who had already hit a 58 yard game winner earlier this season.

“We can do this.”

After everything that happened on this pathetic drive, the Browns only realistically needed 7-10 yards to give Cade York a chance to kick the game tying field goal on 4th down. Jacoby drops back, D’Ernest Johnson flashes out of the backfield with what seemed to be an easy 10 yard or more completion to get back into solid field goal range…. But in true Browns fashion, Jacoby Brissett decided to throw the ball to rookie David Bell in TRIPLE COVERAGE well into field goal range to try and pick up the first down.

Interception.

Game over.

Browns is the Browns.

I’m not sure why we have all four WR’s running 15+ yards down the field on that play, other than what I would guess is to allow Johnson to get the ball with room to run, but nevertheless, it is clear to me that Kevin Stefanski does not trust his rookie kicker.

Now sitting at 2-2, the Browns have the 2nd hardest schedule in the NFL for the remainder of the season. For now, all we can do as Browns fans is pray that Jacoby and Kevin hold it together long enough until Deshaun Watson comes back against the Texans in week 12.

Until then, stay strong Dawg Pound.