Browns defeated in OT-Denver drops Browns 26-23

Photo Credit-Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Cleveland Browns had multiple chance to deal the undefeated Denver Broncos their first loss of the season on Sunday in Cleveland.
But,these still are the Cleveland Browns,so between poor decision making by the quarterback,poor decision making by the coaching staff and a Denver defense that was too strong over the long haul,the Browns dropped a 26-23 overtime decision and fell to 2-4 on the season.
Josh McCown threw two touchdowns to Gary Barnidge,but also threw two interceptions that turned out to be massive in the result of the game.
Travis Benjamin caught nine passes for over 100 yards,while the real star of the day was veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby,who intercepted two passes,one of which he returned 41 yards for a touchdown.
The 2-4 Browns travel to St.Louis next week for a date against the 2-3 Rams.

Brownie Bits

1) Right off the bat,let us address the biggest complaint of Browns fans on this Monday-Mike Pettine's decision to go for two rather than kick the extra point with eight minutes to go in the game.
After Karlos Dansby's interception and gallop down the sidelines,the Browns held a 20-16 lead.
Pettine decided to go for two and failed. Had the Browns gotten the two,the lead would have been six points,an extra point would have been five and with the failure of the play-the lead was four.
Here is my issue with going at that stage of the game.
There is eight minutes to go.Even if Denver scores a touchdown (which they did quickly) and likely convert the extra point,the Browns still need a field goal to win,even with the two.
Kicking the XP would have meant that no matter what Denver did,the Browns could still win the game with a Travis Coons field goal.
By missing the conversion,the Browns took that off the table and when Coons eventually made the kick-it was worth only overtime,not a win...

2) Josh McCown reverted to past form.
Nothing great,but made a few plays pro and con and as a result looked like a vagabond QB rather than a comfortable pocket passer.
McCown just has issues in getting the ball away.
He takes too many sacks and he needs to just throw the ball away,which he didn't in an attempt to that,which was instead intercepted with under a minute to play....

3) Look at the situation that McCown inherited in overtime-first and ten at the Denver 39 after Barkevious Mingo (I know!) leaped into the air to intercept a Peyton Manning lob.
The play call of a pitch that was bobbled by Robert Turbin for a loss admittedly put McCown in a hole,but to take two sacks right after that?

4) I know Denver's defense is terrific and their pass rush ranks at the top of the game,but boy did the O-Line looked overmatched in allowing four sacks.
The Browns could go a long way in getting players to pressure the passer,but they draft guys to do that-they just pick the wrong guys...

5) Before I start ripping on the defense,full credit to Karlos Dansby,
Not just for his two interceptions and touchdown,but for the seven tackles and being in the screen far more than that.
It's easy to mail it in when you are an aging member of the Browns-Dansby hasn't.

6) Denver entered the game 30th in rushing yards at just 71 per game.
Cleveland allowed Ronnie Hillman alone to go over 100 and 152 to the Broncos as a team.
And this was supposed to be a team upgrading against the run?
The interior defense is better,but the outside defense against the run is a reminder of a good whiff of rotting meat...

7) I'm not going to hammer the Browns pass coverage on the one good pass that Peyton Manning threw all day-the long score to Emanuel Sanders.
The coverage was fine,Manning just put the ball exactly where he needed to....

8) The Robert Turbin debut was underwhelming as he finished with just 27 yards on ten carries.
Give him a little time,but for now,I didn't see much to be excited about...

9) Travis Benjamin with another strong game.
I don't believe that Benjamin will ever be a true number one receiver (size),but boy could he be a hugely effective number two or three on a team with a big pass catcher..

10) Peyton Manning looks done to me.
Whether it is the finger "feel" issue or the lack of sync between his skills and what Gary Kubiak wants from a quarterback,this isn't working in Denver.
Denver is 6-0,but has exactly one win over a team with a winning record (3-2 Minnesota at home),I think this might be a team that gets whipped by better competition...

11) Finally,It's easy to look at things and say the Browns are close.
I don't see that at all. I saw a winnable game given back by poor decision making from the field and the sidelines.
I see a team lacking in talent that would be better suited for a talent upgrade than winning meaningless games.
I don't think they are close at all and remember Browns fans 3-13 is greater than 5-11....