Baker Mayfield threw for 238 yards and one touchdown but threw two interceptions in a game that saw the rookie look the way most rookies can at times.
David Njoku led the Browns receivers with seven catches and the only Cleveland touchdown.
The now 2-3-1 Browns travel to Tampa next week in what could be a very fun game to watch against a 2-3 Buccaneers team that has allowed 30 or more points in four of their five games.
Brownie Bits
1) Baker Mayfield returned to Earth in the loss as the Chargers took away his passing lanes and limited his ability to move around the pocket.
Notice that I didn't use the word "Exposed" as that would mean teams would have a concrete way of stopping Mayfield, but the problems that helped me grade him lower than other QB"s arrived on this day- trouble seeing through a dirty passing lane, can he avoid athletic blitzers (The Chargers had success sending corner Desmond King and safety Derwin James), how quickly does he figure out illusions in coverage and how long does it take to get rid of the football.
2) Note that I'm not saying that makes him a failure either. Baker has been able to get the ball out faster in the previous starts than against the Chargers and some of that has to with his lack of targets (more later) and others on what the Chargers did against him.
This game is one of adjustments, the more film that is available on Baker, there will be things that opponents try and he'll have to be able to change accordingly.
The players that have initial success and then fade away are the players that aren't able to do that.
That is what is interesting about watching the maturation of a young quarterback.
3) Jarvis Landry isn't a number one receiver.
That's not a knock. He's a hell of a number two receiver, but he's not a number one.
If the Browns are able to find themselves a number one in the next season or so, we'll all see just how good Jarvis Landry is, but when covered by top corners that are able to push and shove him around because they don't have to worry about him running by them.
In the defeat, Landry saw nine passes tossed his way and he finished with two catches for just eleven yards.
4) Baker Mayfield's line didn't do him any favors either.
The aforementioned passing lanes weren't cleared and Mayfield had little time to throw.
Perhaps the rookie didn't get the ball out as quickly as in his previous three games, but the Chargers sacked Mayfield five times and none of them were by their best rusher in the absence of Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram.
Desmond Harrison struggled for the first time since the Steelers game and the offensive line is going to have to do better.
5) For as poorly as Baker Mayfield played, it wasn't all on him and his numbers should have looked far better as both Antonio Callaway and Damion Ratley dropped very catchable passes in the end zone.
Would the Browns still have lost? Of course, but three touchdowns and two picks on a bad day certainly would have looked better in reviewing the game for Mayfield.
6) Personally, I don't know why the Chargers even bothered to throw the ball at all.
The game hadn't even reached the second quarter yet and I'm noting "Melvin Gordon does whatever he wants, gouging for huge chunks of yardage, UGH".
Gordon would finish with 132 yards on 18 carries with three scores.
7) It wasn't just Gordon, the rest of the Chargers added 118 yards on 18 more carries.
Two points here- first, this is where offensive coordinators get too cute (the Chargers bungled a trick play for a large loss early) and don't catch on that they are bullying the opponent to do what they wish.
Second- I think Keith Lincoln could have entered into this game and rushed for fifty yards.
Keith Lincoln was a Charger great that retired in 1968.
8) The one play that you could circle and say this isn't our day-The 45-yard touchdown pass from Phillip Rivers to Tyrell Williams that dropped through three Browns for the score.
When three guys are on one and the ball is caught without a tip or a fluky bounce- it's usually not your day.
9) And then consider the second Rivers to Williams score from 29 yards away.
Tackle Russell Okung not only moves for a false start, HE STOOD UP, which screams FALSE START!
All the Browns stop and most visibly Myles Garrett and Larry Ogunjobi stand there as the flags stay in EVERY referee's pocket and Rivers just drops back and hits Williams for the score.
The Browns didn't lose because of that call, but boy you are starting to think that someone really hates the Browns or someone on the coaching staff.
Supposedly, Hue Jackson got an apology for that when the game went to commercial.
Big Whoop.
10) On top of that, another wideout injury after losing Rashard Higgins in the win over Baltimore and Derreck Willes on Friday to a broken collarbone, it's Rod Streater that is lost on special teams in the first quarter.
Editor's Note: Streater was announced Monday to be lost for the season.
That meant that only Jarvis Landry and rookies Antonio Callaway and Damion Ratley were available wide receivers for the rest of the game.
I'm not excusing the drops and miscues, but with only those guys available, it had to limit the formations and even play calling.
11) Before the game (and of course, they couldn't use him because he had not even practiced) the Browns signed former Baltimore first-round pick Breshad Perriman to help with the wideout depth.
Now, the Browns will have to sign another receiver in the next day or two as well.
Perriman missed his rookie season in 2015 but had an intriguing 2016 with 33 catches for 499 yards and three scores.
Perriman caught just ten passes last year in eleven games before the Ravens released him in their final cut.
Washington would sign him but only kept him for four days.
I have no idea what Perriman will bring to Cleveland, but at 25 years old and considering the "free" talent, I'm interested.
Perriman's dad is former Saint WR Brett Perriman, a noted Tecmo Bowl legend.
12) Joe Schobert left the game with a hamstring injury and no word on his status for Tampa Bay.
The Browns linebackers aren't a particularly deep bunch as it is and backup James Burgess also left the game with an injury as well.
13) Ok- teams in various stages of growth will throw a shoe every now and then.
It hurts that it was a home game and even though I bought into things a little too much and picked the Browns, the Chargers are a better football team (they'd look even better in the AFL powder blue uniforms) and in hindsight should have been the favorite.
That's over and now it's a trip to Tampa Bay for a huge game.
Why huge at 2-3-1?
Tampa Bay has played five games and allowed 30 points or more in four of them with the one that didn't reach 30, it was close at 27.
Tampa Bay stops no one.
However, they score a lot and if you take away their version of yesterday ( a 48-10 loss at Chicago) they have scored 48,29 and 27 twice, so they will score points.
The Browns will need this one because they will be underdogs at Pittsburgh and home against the Chiefs, so a loss to Tampa Bay could see the Browns quickly at 2-6-1 before hosting Atlanta, a score a lot/allow a lot team before the bye.
So there is a scenario that sees the wheels flying off at 2-7-1 entering the bye and that could mean goodbye to Hue Jackson.
This next one is a big one, bigger than some will imagine and it could decide just where this season goes.
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