3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 8 Loss

NFL games last for 60 minutes, but contests are often decided by a handful of key moments. That was the case for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, as they narrowly lost a 15-10 slugfest against AFC North rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers.

When Pittsburgh needed to convert on a fourth-quarter 4th-and-goal attempt, they did. When the Browns were approaching the red zone on a pair of fourth-quarter drives, they failed on both.

In a game wherein the Browns played well enough to win on both sides of the ball, they didn't. It's been the story of Cleveland's 2021 campaign, and it's impossible to chalk it up to bad luck, missed opportunities or any sort of "Cleveland curse."

Yes, the Browns have injury issues. So do most teams nearing the midpoint of the season. Cleveland simply hasn't executed against quality opponents, and it's in danger of missing the postseason after being a popular preseason Super Bowl pick.

On Sunday, the Steelers were the better-prepared team. They fought harder and made the plays they needed to make. They move above .500, while Cleveland sits at 4-4 and in the AFC North basement. 

Here are three things we learned during Cleveland's latest loss.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield deserves a ton of credit for fighting through Sunday's game. Dealing with a torn labrum and a fracture in his non-throwing shoulder, he wouldn't have received much criticism for sitting out this one.

Mayfield battled both the injury and an aggressive Steelers defense Sunday. He was under constant pressure and was sacked four times, but he repeatedly picked himself off the ground and gave Cleveland a chance.

However, gritty determination wasn't enough for Mayfield to deliver the win. He wasn't helped by a poor showing from his receiving corps, but Mayfield also made his fair share of mistakes. Multiple passes sailed high, which has been a constant issue since Mayfield suffered the injury in Week 2.

Mayfield also continues to ignore wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who was targeted only once Sunday.

The reality is that while Mayfield is a tremendous leader and one tough competitor—and the best quarterback the Browns have had in the expansion-team era—he can't carry teams the way that elite quarterbacks usually do.

This is a problem, both as it relates to Cleveland's 2021 playoff hopes and its future. The Browns have already exercised Mayfield's fifth-year option, but a decision on whether to extend the 2018 first overall pick is looming.

The Browns still don't know when or whether Mayfield can take the next step as a quarterback and approach the ranks of the elite. They're not likely to find that out unless they get him a legitimate No. 1 target.

The best young quarterbacks have reliable No. 1 options. Patrick Mahomes has Tyreek Hill. Joe Burrow has Ja'Marr Chase. Lamar Jackson has Mark Andrews. Mayfield has no one he can rely on in critical situations.

Beckham was supposed to be that guy, but he's become an afterthought in the offense. The usually trustworthy Jarvis Landry is a high-end No. 2 receiver at best and wasn't even that Sunday. He had multiple drops and a backbreaking fumble on the edge of the red zone in the fourth quarter.

"We had opportunities to make plays, extend drives, myself included, being part of two reasons why we didn't," Landry said, per Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com.

The big-pass play has disappeared from Cleveland's offense, and the Browns have turned into a team that will lose more often than not when they cannot dominate on the ground. Mayfield made mistakes, but he wasn't the reason why Cleveland lost to Pittsburgh.

If the Browns are going to become a legitimate contender and if Mayfield is going to be a top-tier quarterback, the team needs to add an elite pass-catcher to the offense. Don't be surprised if that's Cleveland's priority heading into free agency and the draft.

For Browns fans, the 2021 season is going to be a different sort of painful experience. The Cleveland faithful have already suffered through a winless season and a playoff drought of nearly two decades. However, things were supposed to be different this year.

The Browns won a playoff game for the first time since the 1994 season, put together a talented defense in the offseason and raced to a 3-1 start to the season. However, sloppy play, injuries—right tackle Jack Conklin suffered a dislocated elbow Sunday—and a one-dimensional offense have the Browns again looking like an also-ran.

There's time to turn around the season, of course, but Cleveland faces a brutal matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 and could be staring down a 4-5 midseason record. Even if Cleveland gets healthy and starts stringing together victory, winning the division is unlikely.

Winning the Super Bowl? That's simply not going to happen. Championship-caliber teams find ways to win hard-fought games like Sunday's. They don't fumble late-game chances or give up 50-yard pass plays when they need one last defensive stop.

The Browns have a lot of key pieces in place, but this team isn't efficient enough, healthy enough or just plain good enough to win it all in 2021.