3 Takeaways from Browns' Week Loss vs. Falcons
The Cleveland Browns lost their second game of the season on Sunday, dropping a 23-20 contest to the Atlanta Falcons. The Browns (2-2) remain tied for first place in the AFC North, but Sunday's loss suggests that Cleveland probably isn't a legitimate contender this year.
Cleveland awaits the eventual debut of Deshaun Watson—who was suspended for 11 games after 24 lawsuits were filed against him by women accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct—and they're looking to lean on their defense and ground game in the interim. However, that strategy requires nearly flawless football, and the Browns didn't get that on Sunday.
Miscues, like a David Njoku fumble that led to a Falcons touchdown, cost the Browns in a game where they dominated on the ground and in time of possession (35:44). This is a game that Cleveland probably should have won, much like their Week 2 outing against the New York Jets.
But the Browns are what we largely expected without Watson, a .500 football team. Here are our three biggest takeaways from Cleveland's loss to Atlanta.
Leaning on the Run Has to Be a Priority
The Browns did a great job on the ground against Atlanta, averaging 5.1 yards per carry and racking up 177 total yards. Nick Chubb led the charge with 118 yards on 19 carries, while Kareem Hunt chipped in 49 yards on 10 carries.
What's surprising is that Cleveland didn't lean on the run even more. The Browns had an exact 50-50 split between runs (35) and passes on Sunday.
This was not the right game plan against an Atlanta team that also wants to run the ball. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett played nearly perfect ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, finishing with 220 passing yards and two touchdowns. However, he isn't capable of playing at a high level consistently.
Against the Falcons, Brissett was 21-of-25 for 234 yards and his second game-ending interception of the season.
It was Atlanta that leaned on the run late, rising Cordarelle Patterson and rookie Tyler Allgeier to notch a fourth-quarter touchdown and two field goals while limiting Cleveland's opportunities.
The Browns need to focus on what they do best moving forward, and that's running the football.
The Defense Needs Another Pass-Rusher
The Browns might have still been able to win despite their unfavorable offensive game plan had they done a better job defensively. Cleveland only allowed Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota to complete seven passes, but it also allowed him to extend plays with his legs.
Mariota converted a 3rd-and-12 on Atlanta's opening field goal drive and delivered a 22-yard strike on the touchdown drive following Njoku's fumble. Had the Browns done a better job of containing the dual-threat signal-caller, they might have taken control of the game early.
However, Mariota proved to be too slippery and was only sacked once on the day. This wasn't a huge surprise, of course, as Cleveland was without top pass-rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Myles Garrett.
Clowney has been out since suffering an ankle injury in Week 2, while Garrett was out following a car crash early last week. Garrett was involved in a one-car accident and suffered only mild injuries, but the Browns decided to keep him out.
With Clowney and Garrett sidelined, the Browns struggled to pressure or contain Mariota. If Cleveland hopes to field a playoff-caliber defense this season, it needs to add a third quality pass-rusher to the rotation.
One or two more sacks on Sunday might have led to victory. This is something Cleveland must keep in mind heading toward the November 1 trade deadline.
Kevin Stefanski Needs to Alter His Coaching Strategy
While neither the offense nor the defense did enough to win on Sunday, part of the blame has to go on head coach Kevin Stefanski—something he readily admitted after the game.
"Frustrated that I didn’t put our guys in position to succeed," Stefanski said, per ESPN's Jake Trotter.
Stefanski is right and he's a big reason why Cleveland isn't 4-0. He failed to emphasize running out the clock late against the Jets, and Chubb's late touchdown in that game gave New York an opportunity. Had he stopped short of the goal line, Cleveland could have then knelt on the ball and ended the game instead.
On Sunday' Stefanski's decision to eschew an easy first-quarter field goal came back to bite the Browns. His decision to lean so heavily on Brissett and the pass was also baffling. We've seen blown coverages on defense and questionable approaches on offense all season.
It's time for Stefanski to consider giving up offensive play-calling duties in order to do a better job of being the head coach. At a minimum, he should consider hiring a game-management assistant, as Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett recently did.
With a brutal stretch of games upcoming—beginning with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 5—Cleveland has no chance of staying in the playoff hunt if it continues to make questionable coaching decisions regularly.