They leave town with their head down, a season in disarray, and with many questions, including the direction of the franchise after a 34-13 defeat.
The offense was terrible, receiving only one touchdown, a fourth-quarter garbage time pass from DeShaun Watson to Jordan Akins.
The standout for Cleveland was Jeremiah Owosu-Koahmoah, who finished with a sack, forced fumble, interception, and another pass knocked down.
The Browns drop to 1-4 with the loss and finish their three-game road swing in Philadelphia next week against the Eagles.
Brownie Bits
1) DeShaun Watson did throw the aforementioned touchdown as the game wound down.
He also finished with 125 passing yards without a completion of longer than nineteen yards.
2) Watson was sacked seven times and while he didn't throw an interception, Watson's refusal to get the ball out quickly continued to end drives before they began.
I seem to write this every week!
3) The offense is so broken that I could comment on several factors.
A lack of commitment to running the ball even a little, Watson's inaccuracy downfield, the receiver's inability to get open beyond ten yards, the problems with the offensive line (although Wyatt Teller's absence is a factor, and questionable game decisions all contribute.
4) The wide receivers are a major problem as for the second off-season in a row, Andrew Berry made a trade to add a disgruntled and disappointing receiver from another team and then stopped his work in place, thinking that he had improved the position enough.
Elijah Moore (Jets 2023) and Jerry Jeudy (Broncos 2024) haven't been awful but they haven't been difference-makers either.
Moore caught three passes vs Washington for a whopping eleven yards, while Jeudy caught one pass for sixteen and dropped a would-be touchdown pass in the end zone.
At least, the Browns can escape Moore, who is a free agent at the end of the year, Jeudy was signed to an extension by Andrew Berry before he had played a snap in Cleveland.
5) DeShaun Watson was sacked seven times as I mentioned above but the offensive line has to take some blame as well.
The Browns have been without Jack Conklin and Wyatt Teller, which certainly doesn't help, but they don't drive block on the run and or protect Watson well.
Dawand Jones has taken a step back after a promising rookie season and Jedrick Wills should be shown the door at the end of the year rather than be re-signed.
6) Jeremiah Owosu-Koahmoah's stats for the game are listed above but his interception at the goal line in the first half was the type of reception that you would expect from a tight end, not a linebacker.
JOK is one of the few Browns that is playing as expected in the first five games of the season.
7) Corey Bojorquez averaged over fifty yards on his seven punts and dropped two inside the five.
It's a long day when the punter was the top offensive threat.
8) The Browns rushing numbers were inflated during garbage time but Jerome Ford and D'onta Foreman combined for ninety-one yards on eighteen carries.
The numbers are deceiving but better than expected.
9) David Njoku returned to the field after missing the last three games and on the first offensive play, caught a pass for fourteen yards.
Njoku would not catch another pass in the game.
10) Myles Garrett was controlled by Washington as Garrett would not only finish the game without a sack, he didn't even notch a tackle.
When your best defensive player has so little impact on the game, it's always a tough day.
11) The wheels have clearly come off the wagon for the Browns.
The problem is this- what can really be done to stem the tide?
Kevin Stefanski could allow offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey to call the plays rather than Stefanski and the Browns could try Jameis Winston at quarterback and bench DeShaun Watson.
Neither of those is likely to happen.
Stefanski's ego won't allow Dorsey to call plays because Stefanski believes that's his domain and starting Winston will appear that the Browns are blaming Watson (fairly or unfairly) for all their woes.
And when you make the move to sit Watson, whenever that is, you have to be prepared to make the decision stick because if Winston succeeds, a situation develops (as in the Joe Flacco case) that any eventual move to return Watson to the lineup will be highly unpopular with the fans.
If Winston doesn't play well, going back to Watson wouldn't be appreciated by anyone, and even Watson would be unlikely to be thrilled by that position.
In other words, unless the Browns and DeShaun Watson as currently constructed can improve their play, The Browns are at checkmate.
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