Browns bounced in Baltimore 16-10

    The Cleveland Browns defense did about all one could ask for in controlling Lamar Jackson (other than allowing one touchdown and one huge gainer when Jackson basically tossed the ball up to avoid a sack) in sacking Jackson twice and intercepting four times but in the end, it didn't matter as the Baker Mayfield-led offense could only manage ten points against the Baltimore defense in a 16-10 defeat in Baltimore.

Baker Mayfield threw for 247 yards and the only Cleveland touchdown to David Njoku, while Jarvis Landry led the receivers with six catches for 111 yards.

Cleveland falls to 6-6 and has this week off before hosting these same Ravens in Cleveland.

Brownie Bits

1) What a wasted defensive performance for a team that has been erratic all season.

Four interceptions of Lamar Jackson, three of them in a two-minute span, and an effective pass rush against a player that has often confounded them.

What a waste.

2) Holding Baltimore to only one touchdown and that score was essentially a fluke as Jackson threw a prayer as he avoided several Browns that found a waiting Mark Andrews in the end zone.

Andrews is another noted Browns killer and the coverage breakdown was understandable as players attempted to keep Jackson from racing upfield

3) Jadeveon Clowney was a player that came to Cleveland with a rap as a player that didn't always bust his hump on every play.

I haven't seen that player in Cleveland as I've seen a guy that doesn't take plays off and some of that could be limiting his use a bit, Clowney has an impact on the pass rush and has done exactly what the Browns could have hoped for with Myles Garrett.

I would be more than fine with another one or even two-year deal with Clowney if it can be afforded.

4) Myles Garrett was another player that seemed to be everywhere with a sack, a batted-down pass that would have been a touchdown as the receiver was open in the end zone, and several near misses on Lamar Jackson.

5) The word was that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was drafted to be the type of versatile defender that could spy on Lamar Jackson and not allow him to run with abandon.

The first game for JOK appeared to be a success as Jackson rushed for 68 yards with a long run of thirteen yards.

Owusu-Koramoah finished with six solo tackles, six assisted tackles, and half a sack, so Owusu-Koramoah seems to be an excellent fit for the job.

6) Onto the offense which was utterly terrible.

Baker Mayfield wasn't as bad as he had been at times this season and he didn't throw an interception for a change but he wasn't accurate and once again failed to complete fifty percent of his passes (18/37).

Don't blame Mayfield completely for the loss but he didn't do very much to help matters either.

7) Kevin Stefanski concerns me with his third week in a row with Jarvis Landry taking snaps at quarterback and taking a big loss as a result.

Stefanski was excellent as a play-caller last season but he has struggled to find his path this season and I'm wondering if the demands of coaching an expected playoff team and calling the plays aren't beginning to wear on him.

8) More Stefanski with a team that is paying big money to both of their guards and has built their team to run the football behind a rugged offensive line to wear teams down late in the game.

Yet with two of the better running backs in the game, Kareem Hunt ran the ball seven times (20 yards) and Nick Chubb only eight (16 yards) and there wasn't an excuse of not being able to run the ball because they were behind in the game.

Why Kevin Stefanski didn't use the one part of his offense that is above average right now more is baffling to me.

9) Off off those four turnovers that the Browns defense provided, the Browns turned those into a grand total of three points.

10) While there was pressure on Baker Mayfield on the final fourth down play that saw Mayfield complete the pass to David Njoku but the pattern didn't have Njoku reaching the sticks and Njoku was tackled short of the first down.

Few things in football frustrate me more than a five-yard pattern when you need seven yards.

11) The Browns have scored 17 points or less in seven of their last nine games.

12) The Browns aren't returning to the playoffs.

At 6-6 with five games to go and placed in twelfth place when seven teams make it AND losing tiebreakers to several teams involved in such a race, I think it's over unless they run the table and win all five remaining games.

Baltimore, Las Vegas, Cincinnati at home, and Pittsburgh and Green Bay on the road is not a very likely run to 5-0 and I'm not even sure that winning them and finishing at 11-6 will be a sure thing considering their lack of tiebreakers against teams that they have to jump.