Cleveland Browns Week 1 grades: An early ‘A’ performance ended in failure late

Cleveland Browns Defense: Grade C

If this game were graded just by halves then I’d probably would have given the Browns defense a B but the blunders at the end forced my hand and dropped it to a C.

Cleveland’s revamped defense did look better overall but several things took place during the game that reminded you that the defense is the weak link still for this team.

Until, the defense can bring that same mentality that the Browns offense already has established, which is basically telling other teams that we’re great and you can’t stop us, then the defense will continue to struggle at times.

Browns safety Ronnie Harrison started off early by getting kicked out of the game because he shoved a Chiefs coach after he’d been shoved by that coach. Why the Chiefs coach was not tossed is still unknown. However, Harrison’s blunder may have cost the Browns secondary in the end.

The Browns held the Chiefs to 10 points in the first half. But then they gave up a lengthy Chiefs drive to start the second half. After the Chubb fumble at midfield, the Browns defense did better in only giving the Chiefs a field goal. After the Browns then extended the lead again on an impressive drive of their own with only ten minutes left in the game, building the lead back to 29-20 you had the feeling that Cleveland had a real chance at victory.

That all changed on the next play.

That next play was the difference in the game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes launched a prayer that his receiver was able to grab 50 yards down the field and somehow avoided Browns other safety John Johnson III. The touchdown was so deflating as the Browns had just scored.