3 Plays that changed the Cleveland Browns outcome in Week 4
By Greg Newland
The Cleveland Browns had plenty of chances to win the game on Sunday vs. the Atlanta Falcons. These 3 plays ultimately decided the game.
The Cleveland Browns come off another difficult loss on Sunday to a bottom-tier team, the Atlanta Falcons. In a game where Marcus Mariota only completed seven passes, it was a tough one to watch on both sides of the ball in the second half.
At 2-2, fans should just be happy they have some in the win column, but over the next seven games, there is a good chance that the Browns won’t be favorites in any of the matchups. The Browns had so many chances to win the game on Sunday, so the thought of 4-0 is real. But we will find out the identity of this team over the next seven weeks.
The good news is this loss was easier to handle than the Jets. The defense had a few bad series, and the offense couldn’t do much in the second half. But these three plays certainly changed the outcome on Sunday.
3 Plays that changed the outcome for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday
No. 3 – Fourth and Goal
The Cleveland Browns could not have started the game any better. They drove the ball right down the field utilizing both the pass and the run. Kevin Stefanski was not only able to get David Njoku and Nick Chubb involved, but he also got Donovan Peoples-Jones a touch who has not been productive the last two weeks.
On second and nine from the 10, Jacoby Brissett threw a dart to Harrison Bryant who lunged down to the two-yard line, and it all went downhill from there. The Browns sprinted to the line of scrimmage and rushed a snap for Chubb to lose two yards forcing a fourth and three from the Atlanta four-yard line.
The game-changing play wasn’t that Stefanski chose to go for it, but how bad the play ended up. Brissett dropped back and instantly had no one open, he scrambled to his right and then fired the ball five yards above anyone’s head.
First, I hated the hurry up to the line of scrimmage on second and one. Get in the huddle and get your goal-line personnel on the field. Second, give Brissett a play with a chance. Fake a handoff to Chubb to at least hold the linebackers for a second and run some routes that keep guys moving. Lastly, Brissett must give someone a chance. The worst case is that you throw a pick, and they get the ball at the 25, but you at least have a chance for an interference call.