3 areas where Cleveland Browns must improve before Thursday

No. 2: All of Special Teams

It’s really easy to blame Cade York for Sunday. After saving the Browns with a game-winner the prior week, he missed a crucial extra point that could have at least forced overtime. Truthfully, I’m not sure I would have wanted to watch any more of that game so he may have done us a favor.

But if you look at the tape, there was a ton of pressure off the left side on that point after attempt (PAT). You could argue if he wouldn’t have pushed it right, it would have been blocked. Either way, the pressure certainly caused him to rush. It was a great learning experience and hopefully, it will only make him better.

But I have a bone to pick with all special teams. First, Cleveland seemed to give up more return yards on punts and kickoffs than any team in the NFL. At this point, I want them to kick it through the endzone at any chance possible just to avoid a return.

Additionally, our return game has been dreadful. Jerome Ford showed a little promise on kickoffs, but if I never saw Demetric Felton in a Browns uniform again, that would be just fine. Catching punts isn’t easy, but there has to be someone better on this roster. Just tell them to fair catch everything and make sure they catch it, that would be one step better than what they are getting from Felton now.

Last but not least, catch the stinking onside kick. You almost never see a team successful with all the new rules, yet it seems to happen to the Browns every single year. Amari Cooper has to be more aggressive to get to the ball, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah can’t just run away from it and try to hit someone.

It’s going to take a team effort to beat the Steelers, and the special teams play is going to have to be much better.