Cleveland Browns Week 5 grades: Baker Mayfield, offense should have earned an A

Cleveland Browns Defense Grade: F

Cleveland’s defense, especially the secondary, was terrible Sunday. Yes, there were injuries on that side of the ball, but that’s not an excuse for the defense getting torched on so many occasions. The Chargers are a very aggressive team on offense and challenged the Browns, especially in going for several fourth-down conversions — all of which were a success.

Time and time again the Browns defense was able to put the Chargers in tough situations and every time the Browns secondary bailed them out. There was a controversial pass interference call against the secondary on a 4th and 14 call late in the game that gave the Chargers another chance and tying the game, but there were so many other chances that the defense squandered that it’s not worth the time to say that last pass inference call was the difference in the game.

The Chargers drive that really highlighted the Browns troubles in the game was the one in the third quarter right after running back Nick Chubb rumbled for a 52-yard score. The Browns were now up 27-13 at the 12-minute mark of the third quarter, a lot of time left, but if Cleveland had played better defense in this drive I believe the game would have been out of reach for the Chargers

However, that didn’t happen and that drive reenergized L.A. In that series, the Chargers faced two fourth-down conversions and made both. No one else in the league is as aggressive as the Chargers with going for fourth downs and it certainly paid off in this game.

They made a fourth and two at the 10-minute mark. Later in the drive, they faced a fourth and seven at the Browns 22 yard line and they converted as well. They went on to score and then added salt to the wound as they also made the two-point attempt making the score 27-21 and within striking distance again. It was a 14 play and 85 yard six-minute drive by the Chargers. It wore, the already injury-depleted Browns defense gasping for air and gave the Bolts new life.

The secondary gave up two mammoth plays to the Chargers, both bombs to wide receiver Mike Williams of 42 and 72 yards where there was literally no one within half a football field defending him. The communication breakdowns on defense were awful yesterday. With veterans like safety John Johnson III and Ronnie Harrison in the field playing as the last line of defense it really is concerning that the collapses in defense were so obvious.