CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns might be one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams at 1-3 considering what was expected of them, at least locally.
Back-to-back losses to the Giants and Raiders don’t have many brimming with confidence a big turnaround is forthcoming, but they believe they have time to get the season back on track.
Here’s the top Brownie Bites from Monday’s Zoom video conferences.
Red flags – The Browns ran it back with virtually the same roster and added receiver Jerry Jeudy believing they could not only repeat but surpass the 2023 season. This team isn’t as nearly as connected as last year. The offensive line doesn’t block – injuries or not, the defense doesn’t tackle, there are inopportune penalties galore, every little mistake turns into a game wrecker and every week we hear how much they need to get on the same page. “We don't need anybody to press and do something outside of who they are,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We just need guys to focus on their job and do their job playing and play out specifically to being on the same page. I think that just comes with these guys working very hard together throughout the week, walkthrough, practice, those types of things.”
Still early – At 1-3 the Browns have dug themselves a bit of a hole out of the gate while failing to take advantage of inferior competition. “We hate having a losing record, but we know the season's still early,” receiver Jerry Jeudy said. “We are still working towards being a better team and the best version ourself, so we understand the record is the record, 1-3. That's not good. But we also is not panicking and we just going to keep grinding and put our head down and keep working. That's all we could do for real.”
Hot start, flat finish – The Browns have scored on each of their opening possessions this season with three touchdowns and a field goal. Then comes the rest of the game. “I really think the biggest thing is penalties,” Jeudy said. “I feel like we got a lot of penalties that we need to do better on that really hurting us. So we can't be backed up on first and 15 and second and 15, third 15. That's not an area that we want to be in to call plays. And so I feel like once we eliminate those self-inflicted wounds, we'll be way better than what we are.” The last two weeks the Browns offense has been given five possessions late in the fourth quarter to take the lead and come up empty. “It's something we need to get better at,” Stefanski said. “Obviously the Raiders, give them credit, but it's not like something changed from drive one to drive two or drive three. It really is about us and making sure that we're on top of what we're doing the game, the scripted portion of that. I mean really your scripted plays typically take you into the second quarter, so it's something that we just have to take a long hard look of finding a way to score points, whether it's, I don't care when it is in the drive, it's just we got to go find a way to score more points.” The Browns are averaging the eighth fewest points per game in the league through four games.
Jones-ing for improvement – Deshaun Watson lit up right tackle Dawand Jones after Jones blew a blocking assignment that threw Watson’s timing off on a deep ball to Amari Cooper that should have gone for a touchdown in Las Vegas. “He could play better. We expect him to play better,” Stefanski said. “Obviously health is a big portion of all this for all of our guys, so I'm not going to tell you he's 100%, but he can certainly play better.” Jones also returned from knee surgery after an MCL injury ended his rookie campaign that saw him play like a dominant All-Pro in the making after he took over for Jack Conklin in Week 2.
Chubb on the way – Running back Nick Chubb will begin practicing on Wednesday for the first time since suffering that gruesome injury to his right knee last September in Week 2 at Pittsburgh. “Like I've told you guys all year and last year some he's working very hard,” Stefanski said. “Natural progression is for him to start practicing. He's ready to do that and then we, we'll see how he goes from there, but really not focused much farther past Wednesday.” Running back Nyheim Hines is also expected to practice “soon” according Stefanski and possibly this week.
Wait and see – Tight end David Njoku along with offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin are expected to practice this week and their status for Sunday’s game at Washington will be determined at the end of the week according to Stefanski.
Injury report – Center Ethan Pocic (ankle) and linebacker Jordan Hicks (elbow) are both day-to-day. Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. was cleared from concussion protocol after being checked for a head injury Sunday.