Browns vs. Dolphins: Full Report Card Grades for Cleveland
The 2016 Cleveland Browns certainly aren't tanking.
Watch the last eight quarters and the single overtime session if you still have any doubts about that. Cleveland was forced to start a third-string quarterback against the Miami Dolphins, and the Browns were without their best two wide receivers and multiple impact players on defense. Cleveland not only took Miami to an extra period on Sunday, the Browns probably should've defeated the Dolphins in Miami.
The NFL is not a "could've, should've, would've" league. These young Browns are learning that the hard way.
Mistakes made by the visitors loomed large in Cleveland's 30-24 defeat to Miami. No one play or missed opportunity stands out over any other. The Dolphins gifted the Browns multiple opportunities to earn an upset on the road, and yet every one of those chances slipped through Cleveland's hands until the Dolphins put the matter to rest with a touchdown in overtime.
These Browns are scrappy and entertaining. They're also still a bad football team, and they're now a team that is 0-3.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler wasn't supposed to play this early into the 2016 campaign. Both Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown were, in an ideal situation, meant to keep Kessler sidelined as a backup as long as possible.
Remember that when critiquing Kessler's play.
Kessler did some good things against the Dolphins. He extended plays with his legs. He didn't throw an interception. He completed 21 of 33 attempts for 244 yards.
He also looked like a project not ready to routinely start for any NFL offense against quality opponents.
Kessler held onto the football way too long far too often. He did nothing to silence any criticisms about his arm strength. While Kessler did well to ease into the game following an awful first quarter, there was never a time when even an optimistic fan could have believed Kessler is, today, the real deal.
The 23-year-old wasn't a complete disaster, and he found some success against Miami. He likely would have notched the first victory of his pro career had placekicker Patrick Murray not suffered an injury late last week. Still, it would behoove everybody involved, Kessler included, if the rookie returned to the bench next week. He's not ready for this gig on a full-time basis.
Grade: C
Running Back
2 of 10
Cleveland wide receiver Terrelle Pryor stole the show and made headlines with his play against Miami. Just as impressive as Pryor's production was the team's rushing attack.
Isaiah Crowell rushed for 79 yards on 15 carries. Duke Johnson, an invisible man during the first two games of the campaign, carried the ball for 69 yards on 10 carries. Pryor added 21 yards on the ground.
Truth be told, head coach Hue Jackson abandoning the run when doing so wasn't necessary is the only reason the Browns didn't come closer to gaining over 200 rushing yards against the Dolphins.
Crowell and Johnson averaged 6.1 yards per carry on 25 runs. Unlike last week's contest, there was no 85-yard carry from Crowell to bolster those numbers. Cleveland running backs dominated the action throughout the contest, and Miami couldn't stop Crowell or Johnson in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.
Grade: A
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Pryor posted eight catches and 144 receiving yards against the Dolphins. He added 21 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown and 35 passing yards. Perhaps Pryor should have attempted the potential game-winning field goal in the closing seconds of regulation.
The fourth-year did everything else on Sunday afternoon. Why not give him a chance to clinch a victory with his foot?
Pryor's numbers are praiseworthy on any given Sunday. They're downright astonishing when you remember the Browns were without Josh Gordon (suspended) and rookie Corey Coleman (injured). No other wide receiver provided Kessler with all that much help, but the rookie found a safety blanket in the former QB who is still learning how to play WR in the NFL on the job.
Tight end Gary Barnidge finished the day with five catches and 66 receiving yards. Duke Johnson also caught five passes on the day.
Grades: A, all thanks to Pryor
Offensive Line
4 of 10
Once again, the Cleveland offensive line earned a bad grade largely because of one person.
Right tackle Austin Pasztor was flagged for five infractions against the Dolphins. His last penalty, an offensive holding foul, occurred during Cleveland's only offensive possession in overtime. That penalty pushed Cleveland back to a 2nd-and-27 situation deep in Miami territory.
When Pasztor wasn't committing fouls, he was getting dominated while attempting to protect on pass plays.
What's frustrating about this is that the rest of the Cleveland offensive line played well throughout the contest. Blockers routinely opened holes for running backs. Kessler enjoyed decent protection minus a handful of occasions when players in the backfield failed to pick up blitzes.
The biggest takeaway regarding the Cleveland offensive line is that the unit looked much better with center Cam Erving unavailable because of injury. The coaching staff has a decision to make when Erving is healthy.
Grade: C-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Imagine what could have been for the Browns if defensive end Carl Nassib, sidelined because of an injured hand, could have taken the field against Miami.
Danny Shelton played well in the first half of Sunday's game. He made three consecutive tackles during a series, and he was solid against the run more often than not. Rookie Emmanuel Ogbah blew up a screen before it got started. Ogbah also deflected a pass at the line and registered a tackle for a loss.
The biggest complaint one could have about this unit is that it didn't do enough to pressure Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Cleveland accumulated a total of four QB hits in the loss to the Dolphins. That's good for an average of one per quarter. No Cleveland defensive lineman sacked Tannehill on Sunday.
Miami blockers removed the right side of the Cleveland defensive line from the play on the game-winning touchdown. That occurred after over 60 minutes of action and after the Dolphins entered the red zone in overtime. You can't criticize the defensive line for that moment.
Grade: B-
Linebacker
6 of 10
The Browns continue to lack a star at the linebacker position. There's nothing the team can do about that in the final week of September.
Christian Kirksey made his presence known early in the contest. By late in the fourth quarter, however, anyone watching the game was left wondering if Kirksey or any other Cleveland linebacker did anything of note during the second half. That all changed, however, when Corey Lemonier stripped Tannehill of the ball and then recovered it in the final minute of play. That would have been a moment to remember for Lemonier and the Browns had Cleveland won the game at the end of regulation.
That Lemonier hit was Cleveland's only sack of the afternoon.
The Cleveland defense as a whole limited the Miami rushing attack to 115 yards on 25 carries. Nobody on the Dolphins ran for a total of 40 yards on Sunday.
Grade: C
Secondary
7 of 10
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for members of the Cleveland secondary.
Things started out well for Jamar Taylor as he intercepted Tannehill on the opening drive. Taylor was also torched for 32 yards in overtime when Miami wide receiver Jarvis Landry beat him with a double move before catching a pass delivered by Tannehill. Miami won on the very next play.
Briean Boddy-Calhoun committed a holding penalty and was beaten for a touchdown on the same play in the first quarter. Boddy-Calhoun redeemed himself in the second quarter, however, when he intercepted Tannehill and then returned the ball 27 yards for a touchdown. Per Dan Murphy of the Browns, Boddy-Calhoun became the first player in franchise history to record a pick-six in his first NFL game.
Tramon Williams' noteworthy moment of the game occurred when he surrendered a touchdown while attempting to cover Miami RB Damien Williams inside the 10-yard line during the third quarter. The Browns need bodies in the secondary, but one can't help but wonder at this point if there isn't a better option than Williams out there somewhere.
Joe Haden couldn't play against the Dolphins because of a groin injury. The Browns missed him.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
The Browns signed kicker Cody Parkey last Friday. It turns out there are reasons he was available.
Parkey missed three field goals during the loss to Miami. The worst miss occurred after Lemonier forced and recovered a fumble with under 30 seconds left in the game. Kessler took a knee, ensuring Parkey's attempt would be the final play of regulation. Parkey failed to become a Cleveland hero, as he hooked the 46-yard attempt wide left.
It wouldn't be a surprise if that's the last kick of his stint with the Browns.
After the game, Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland explained Cleveland coaches wanted to sign former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould. The front office, meanwhile, wanted to save money and sign a cheaper option.
Perhaps Gould will be in Cleveland by Monday night.
Grade: F
Coaching
9 of 10
Hue Jackson can't work miracles. He isn't coaching a squad of players capable of winning a championship. He can't kick field goals, nor can he make clutch tackles.
Jackson had his players ready to compete in each of the last two games. The Browns nearly won both contests. Jackson would be an early candidate for NFL Coach of the Year honors if the Browns were 2-1 rather than 0-3.
Jackson is not, however, immune from criticism.
For reasons that make no sense, Jackson and his staff decided to begin Kessler's first ever pro offensive play by having several players shift at the line. That resulted in a delay of game penalty. Later that series, Kessler fumbled the ball on back-to-back plays. Miami recovered the second fumble, and the Dolphins scored a touchdown on the subsequent drive.
The Browns won the coin toss to begin overtime, and Jackson took a chance and elected to defer. That decision came back to haunt Jackson, as the Browns lost the battle for field position and also the game.
It was a bold move by Jackson, and the Browns came up short.
Grade: D
Overall
10 of 10
Just when you think you've seen it all with the Browns, the franchise finds a new and interesting way to turn a possible win into a gut-punch loss.
These Browns are not going 0-16. That's the one positive Cleveland fans can take from Sunday's game. The Browns have just enough talent coupled with an extraordinary amount of heart needed to trip, fall and luck into at least one win between now and the final whistle of the campaign.
Losing to Miami could be a turning point for the Browns in multiple ways. The defense made enough necessary plays to win. Pryor played like a top-tier receiver. Kessler may have earned himself additional snaps if Jackson and others within the Browns organization decide Charlie Whitehurst should remain a backup.
Jackson must think past next Sunday before he names a starting QB for the game against the Washington Redskins.
Kessler was not meant to be the answer for the 2016 Browns. He may not be the team's franchise QB of the future. Jackson could evaluate Kessler further by keeping the rookie in the lineup, but doing so could negatively affect Kessler beyond a game or two if things go terribly wrong.
Jackson faces a big test between now and October 2. We'll know if he passed or failed that exam by next Sunday evening.
Overall grade against Miami: C-
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