4 takeaways from the inevitable 25-20 loss to the Ravens
There is a lot to talk about after the Cleveland Browns lost a heartbreaking home opener to the Baltimore Ravens, 25-20.
FirstEnergy Stadium was alive during the first quarter of Sunday’s game between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Browns were up 20-0 with 4:34 left in the opening quarter, riding high after Corey Coleman‘s second touchdown catch on the day. Patrick Murray just had to hit the extra-point to put the Browns up 21-0. That didn’t exactly happen.
The Ravens finished the game on a 25-0 run, improving to 2-0 while the Browns fall to the familiar mark of 0-2.
There is a lot to talk about following this disappointing result, so let’s look at four takeaways from another loss to the Ravens.
Josh McCown is tougher than all of us
Josh McCown may not be a great quarterback, but no one can question his toughness. It takes someone with a lot of grit to line up at quarterback and expect to get hit often, and McCown did just that once again in Sunday’s game.
McCown had the offense rolling early, leading three touchdown drives within the first 11 minutes of the game. But then he got injured and it seemed like Cody Kessler was about to become the third player to line up at quarterback this season.
Kessler is nowhere near ready to play, so McCown, who was told he was technically healthy enough to play if he could tolerate the pain, did just that.
“I don’t want to miss snaps. Unless it’s going to fall off … let’s make it work.” — Josh McCown on not sitting out due to his shoulder
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 18, 2016
McCown said he wants to play Sunday, but it may be wise to prepare Kessler for next Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. He still isn’t ready, but throwing an injured McCown out there would put the team at a disadvantage from the start. He at least deserves one week off, even if he tries to convince the coaching staff he is healthy enough to play. Fans love his toughness, but Hue Jackson needs to protect his veteran quarterback.
Terrelle Pryor didn’t taunt, but one play didn’t lose the game
Many plays determined the outcome of this game, but the taunting penalty called against Terrelle Pryor late in the fourth quarter will be the most memorable play for weeks to come.
Pryor was called for taunting because he let the ball out of his hands and it landed on a Ravens defender, taking away a 20-yard completion to the Ravens’ 10-yard line with 27 seconds left in the game. It was a terrible call that should have never been made, but it is wrong to say this one play lost the game for the Browns.
The Browns did not score a point after the first quarter, with the final three quarters featuring two interceptions and a missed field goal. Then there was the blocked extra-point in the first quarter that was returned for two points, drawing up flashbacks to the infamous “kick-six” play from 2015.
This is a young team that is going to struggle throughout the season, so be prepared for some more tough losses. There should be some fun, exciting wins along the way, but the Browns are still a team that has trouble closing out games. Until the team finds more talent, this is going to continue being the team’s ultimate downfall.
Corey Coleman is a budding star
The Browns selected Corey Coleman in this year’s draft after deciding to pass on quarterback Carson Wentz, meaning there was a lot of pressure on Coleman to perform and prove he is worthy of being a first-round pick.
He did just that on Sunday, hauling in five catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. He also made a great play late by getting out-of-bounds during the Browns’ failed attempt to win the game late in the fourth quarter.
Coleman struggled in Week 1, but playing with McCown seemed to make all the difference in Week 2. He is the clear number one receiver on this team, and will form a dominant duo with Josh Gordon once Gordon returns in Week 5.
Rooting during a rebuild is difficult
Browns fans came into the 2016 season with the expectation it would be a tough year due to all the youth on the team, but that didn’t mean fans would cheer any less.
So even when the early losses were somewhat expected, it doesn’t get any easier to stomach these outcomes. And after so many years of being told that the new group in town was the one to turn things around, fans may be wondering if this team will ever find success.
Right now, the only option is to hope Hue Jackson is indeed the one to turn this team around. It is not going to happen overnight, but firing him in the next two years would set this team back even further, making the playoffs a distant dream.
Next: Browns lose to Ravens, 25-20
In a season like this one, the positives must be enjoyed, while the negatives must be moved on from rather quickly, or else the frustration will be too great to overcome.