BALTIMORE — A one-point loss in the season opener is a great place to find overreactions. To follow that up with a four-score loss on the road to fall to 0-2 only adds gasoline to the hot takes.
The Browns are just that, 0-2, after losing 41-17 to the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 14. Unlike the opener, there’s not a singular aspect to blame, with everyone at least having a say in the matter.
You could, potentially, give the defense a bit of a break considering the job it did most of the day. However, 41 points is still 41 points, even if not all of those points were scored on the defense.
Cleveland Browns need to make a QB change from Joe Flacco to a rookie
There is a segment of the Browns fanbase that has felt this from the very start. They’ve been all about a third-round pick (Dillon Gabriel) or fifth-round pick (Shedeur Sanders) being thrown into the fire as soon as possible.
Make no mistake, it would be throwing them into a fire if the move was made now. Joe Flacco wasn’t great against Baltimore, but he also was far from the only culprit to blame.
Even worse is the fact Gabriel wouldn’t be guaranteed to have the kind of running game needed to take some of the pressure off him. Rookie Quinshon Judkins was good in his debut, but still has a ways to go himself.
Also, it feels like starting Gabriel against the Green Bay Packers is like offering up a sacrifice to the pass-rush gods, just throwing chum out into the water for Micah Parsons to swoop in and devour.
So, no, it’s not time to make a change. It may come soon enough, but not right now.
Cleveland Browns offense is unsalvageable
The Browns offense is bad right now. It feels like, when big plays happen, they’re almost by accident.
A perfect example of that was Cedric Tillman’s touchdown catch on a pass cornerback Marlon Humphrey had right in his hands and couldn’t handle. Complete luck resulted in seven points.
Two questions, though, to see if they help. The first is about a run game that, with Judkins back, could start to find a rhythm.
The second is about an offensive line that was down right tackle Jack Conklin with an injury. Conklin’s return next week isn’t savior-level stuff, but it at least gives another body who knows what he’s doing up there.
That’s it. Those are the suggestions for now.
A winless season is on the table for the Cleveland Browns
It’s not been good so far. The next few weeks don’t look much better, at least in terms of opponents.
But a winless season? That’s a major, major overreaction.
This is the NFL, where upsets happen almost every week. For a team with a defense like the Browns, they’re going to find a way to win at some point.
Just remember, a week ago you were complaining about a kicker costing the Browns in a one-point loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
