Week 5 instant reactions: Browns blow chance at win twice in two minutes
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns got off to a 14-0 lead but the Los Angeles Chargers fought back to secure the win. Here are the instant reactions to the Week 5 loss.
It was another roller coaster of events for the Cleveland Browns as they fell to 2-3 on the season. Once again, it was a close game as they dropped a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Chargers 30-28. For the Browns, they were up two touchdowns early, gave up the lead, and then found a way to let two opportunities to take the game back fall through their fingers.
First, it was a pick from Jacoby Brissett — who never saw Alohmi Gilman — throwing a late pick in the end zone. Had Brissett found Amari Cooper, they would have taken a lead, but they also could have gone up 31-30 with a field goal had he simply thrown it away.
Los Angeles then gifted them another shot when they went for it on fourth down and failed to convert. With roughly a minute to go, the Browns moved it 10 yards but Cade York missed on a 53-yard field goal and the Chargers had the win.
Browns run game unfair
Cleveland jumped out to a 14-0 lead and that was thanks to the issues their ground game causes. Chubb scored on a 71-yard run early in the game and then Kareem Hunt took over on the second, running for 26 yards while also catching a six-yard pass.
Amari Cooper capped the drive off with an 11-yard touchdown but the running backs were the ones who got things rolling on each of those drives. And they continued to pick up chunks of yardage from there.
The problem is, even this running game doesn’t matter when the defense knows a pass is coming. That’s what led to the late pick, as the second-and-13 they were placed in following a three-yard loss from Chubb meant they were in obvious passing situations and the Bolts were able to stop it.
Defense can’t buy a tackle
As good as the Browns are on the ground, they’re even worse trying to defend it. The Chargers entered this game as the worst running team in the NFL and put up 238-yards on the ground. Austin Ekeler had 173 of those yards as he somehow destroyed this defense all day long.
Up next
Cleveland will stay at home for Week 6 and welcome the New England Patriots to town. The Pats are off a shutout against Detroit, which is impressive since the Lions entered the weekend as the top-scoring team in the NFL.
