Preseason Week 3 Instant reactions: Browns don’t look ready for the regular season

The Cleveland Browns finished up the preseason schedule with a loss at home against the Chicago Bears. This was the last chance to make a good first impression.

The Cleveland Browns starters got a chance to put the final touches on their preparation on Saturday against the Chicago Bears.

For the first time this preseason, quarterback Jacoby Brissett was playing under center. He will be the starter so it was good for him to get some game reps.

The fast start that head coach Kevin Stefanski was hoping for did not materialize. Instead, the exact opposite occurred. The offense started slow failing to get a third down until the third drive of the game. The defense started slow allowing Bears quarterback Justin Fields to torch them downfield for big gains.

One play, in particular, exemplified the Browns start. Running back Demetric Felton, a player who needed to stand out in the finale, took the ball on a jet sweep and looked to make good yardage. There was open field once Felton cleared the blocks of the wide receivers. Instead, Felton was out of control and could not stop himself from running into the wide receiver’s block. All the good setup just failed to come together.

One bright spot on offense was rookie David Bell. He plays like he understands route trees and knows how to get open. He found soft spots in the zone tonight that led to points. Fans will find he will quickly become a go-to receiver for whoever is at quarterback.

The defense didn’t help themselves either. Cleveland sat both starting defensive ends. They also sat their starting cornerbacks. But those who did play did not look like they were ready to be on the field. The defense got thrown all over while generating very little pressure.

The kicking game looked as expected. Punter Corey Bojorquez over-kicked his coverage on every punt. It looks cool now, but it should concern Browns fans. But it was rookie kicker Cade York who provided the excitement by kicking long field goals. He kicked a 70-yard field goal in warm-ups.

If Week 3 preseason games are about building confidence heading into the first week of the stadium, then the Browns failed miserably.