Cleveland Browns 2021 Season: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Cleveland Browns: The Bad

There were two things that bothered me a lot this year. The inability for the Cleveland Browns to close games, and the inability for the Browns offense to get into a rhythm.

In 2020, even when the opposing team knew that Nick Chubb was coming right at them, it didn’t matter. Baker Mayfield would snap it, hand it off, and the offense was able to move the ball and just kill the clock. Multiple times the offense would get the ball with four minutes left in the game and never give the ball back.

That just didn’t happen this year. As I have mentioned, on three different occasions at the end of games, the Browns just needed one first down to end it and couldn’t do it. I will admit I think some of it was questionable play calling. Too many times the Browns lost yards on running plays because the thought of something different coming wasn’t even an option.

Kevin Stefanski never gave Mayfield a real chance to make a big throw at the end of the game or even called a different run than inside zone. I’m not saying Mayfield makes the throw or an end-around sweep works, but man, at least gives it a shot. Maybe they get one of those previously mentioned first-downs to ice a game.

The offense is easy to blame, but there were also plenty of times where the defense needed a timely stop or had a third and long and just couldn’t get off the field. I can’t even count how many times they gave up a third and goal from the 9-yard line touchdown. When the defense needed a hold, they usually couldn’t get it.

If you take out the 41 vs. the Bengals in Week 9, the Browns averaged 14.6 points per game their last nine games. I don’t care how good your defense is, it’s hard to win in today’s game scoring only 14.6 points.