Two weeks in a row the Cleveland Browns have been unable to slam the door shut when they get out to a lead. The margin for error on offense is low, the opportunity for error on the defensive side of the football is sky high. All-in-all, the Browns are 2-3 after the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers despite boasting the third best offense in the NFL.
This all leads to yet another lacklust 4 Downs as these are much less fun after losses. As the Browns look to pick up the pieces after a lackluster start, is there anything salvageable from this loss to the Chargers?
1st Down: No defensive help is wasting a special season from Nick Chubb
Currently leading the NFL in rushing, Nick Chubb is already up to 593 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. He is also already up to nearly 100 carries on the season. He is the Offensive Player of the Year through five weeks, and the Browns are lucky to have such a special football player in Chubb.
It was clearly the plan to ride Chubb through the first 11 games of the season to maximize offensive success in 2022, and they have been precise with this plan. However, this defense is throwing every last bit of Chubb’s efforts into the garbage disposal as the Browns have blown three close games.
This season is taking time off of Chubb’s career given the workload he’s been asked to carry, and the Browns have just two wins through three games to show for it.
2nd Down: Hopefully the Deion Jones trade is just the start
The trade for Deion Jones was such a low risk, low cost trade that it made sense to get another body in the room that has at least had success in the NFL. Recently he has been pretty bad, and has not played thus far in 2022, but there is at least a former self he could return to.
At only 27 years old, Jones has a bit of football left in him as well. And even if the Browns end up cutting him at the end of the season, the Falcons have already eaten the bulk of his owed money. There is just no risk to this move, with the reward being that the Browns may be able to squeeze serviceable football out of Jones.
Hopefully, however, this is not the last move the Browns make on the defensive side of the football. Sure, replacing Jacob Phillips is a step in the right direction, but unless the interior defensive line shapes up, they could have Fred Warner at the second level and he would still get washed off the football.
Ndamukong Suh is not a name of interest, but there are options. As the Panthers just fired their head coach and are in need of a rebuild, there is a chance they may be more than willing to dump off assets for draft picks. They have a couple of defensive tackles in Derrick Brown and Matt Ioannidis that would be of interest.
3rd Down: Kevin Stefanski is not giving up playcalling
Why in the world would the Browns want to change the one thing that is working like a well-oiled machine? Why would head coach Kevin Stefanski want to put his job security in someone else’s lap? Quite frankly, Stefanski giving up playcalling duties is the dumbest idea for this team to pursue.
This offense is scoring points with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, but no single player, playcaller, kicker can withstand the pressure of every single drive being a high-leverage situation. Every offense goes three-and-out, every offense has scoreless drives, but the margin for error is so thin due to the defensive issues.
If this defense was even a middle-of-the-road unit, we would not be talking about the offense or playcalling at all. If this defense was even a middle-of-the-road unit, The Browns are more than likely 4-1 on the season.
Playcalling is not an issue, and making the offense an issue can only serve to take a net positive and hope for another net positive situation.
4th Down: This team can score with anyone, but how can they close out games?
Six points.
The Browns are six points away from being 5-0 on the season. And yet that is not how this works as they sit at 2-3. The Browns just have to find ways to close out games. In fact, another late-game meltdown had the Browns in danger of starting the season 1-4.
An ill-timed interception in a goalline situation where Jacoby Brissett could have scrambled for the first down, blown coverages early in the season, missed field goals all down the stretch have doomed this team.
Point blank: this team has to learn how to finish games.
The good news is this offense is good enough to score with the best of them and keep them in any game. This team will have plenty of opportunities to prove they can close out games, starting next week against the New England Patriots.
Expect that one to be a close one too. Stefanski is 13-4 after losses, so his team will be ready to rally back. But they have to shut the door.
