Cleveland Browns: 5 worst games of 2020
By Sam Penix
1. Week 16 at New York Jets
It’s very difficult to win in the NFL when you are starting third-stringers at left tackle and right guard, are without your defensive signal-caller at linebacker, and were stripped of your top four wide receivers less than 24 hours before kickoff.
Even with the terrible hand the Browns were dealt for this game, it still seems as if they should have been able to beat the hapless Jets. And perhaps if a particular call had gone their way, or the defense had come up with an interception in the multiple opportunities they had, Cleveland would have emerged victorious.
From the Browns first snap of the game, you could tell something was off. Mayfield ended up attempting 53 passes, which angered many fans, but if you were watching the game, you could easily see why Stefanski decided to throw the ball so much; the Jets were selling out to stop the run, blitzing their corners and disrespecting the receivers that Cleveland trotted out.
The team averaged just 2.5 yards per carry en route to only 45 ground yards on the day. It was a putrid performance in a situation that was extremely difficult to thrive in.
Next. Another claim Browns will move on from Baker with loss surfaces. dark
To make matters worse, as the Steelers had defeated the Colts that day, a win would have clinched a playoff spot for Cleveland. Instead, the Browns had to wait one more week before they could do that, and they got it done all the same.