Cleveland Browns: Surprises and disappointments at quarter mark of 2018
By Dan Justik
The Cleveland Browns enter the first quarter mark of the 2018 season with a record of 1-2-1, and there are plenty of encouraging signs for the young team.
Entering the season with mixed expectations, the Cleveland Browns have started the 2018 season in interesting fashion.
They started the season with a tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game in which they should have won.
The Browns then traveled to New Orleans and played a competitive game against a team that many expected to be a Super Bowl contender in 2018. The Browns were in line to win this game as well, but kicker Zane Gonzalez missed multiple kicks, ending any chance for Cleveland to come away victorious.
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Cleveland won their first game in 635 days in their Week 3 game against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. Baker Mayfield entered the game for the first time in his career and helped the Browns overcome a 14-point deficit.
The Browns played another winnable game against the Oakland Week 4, but their inability to put the game away in the fourth quarter allowed the Raiders to crawl back, and then win the game in overtime.
For a young team, it is expected for them to struggle in the closing moments and not put games away. All four games have been winnable for the Browns, but they have not been able to get over the hump in three of the four games.
Despite the record, the Browns performance this season is certainly an improvement over the past few seasons.
Here’s a look at the players that have been surprises and disappointments for the Browns at the beginning of the season.