Browns vs. Jets: Full Report Card Grades for Cleveland
The 2016 Cleveland Browns may go 0-16.
You couldn't blame any Cleveland fan for feeling that way following the team's 31-28 loss to the New York Jets on October 30.
It's not just that it seemed, before kickoff, the Browns could hang with and defeat a New York side that entered the day at 2-5. The Browns thoroughly outplayed Gang Green throughout the opening half, to the point it appeared the Jets lacked life and much desire to perform after 30 minutes of action.
Cleveland then surrendered 24 unanswered points en route to squandering the lead and the team's best chance, to date, to win a game this year.
This was a demoralizing loss for a young roster that has to realize the season is essentially over for the club before November 1. We will now wait to see if the Browns deal one or more veterans before Tuesday's trade deadline.
Quarterback
1 of 10
We all knew what Cleveland quarterback Josh McCown was before the start of the game. McCown, all things considered, is the best QB currently on the team's roster, and he's an intelligent leader who can be a calming influence in the huddle and who can stretch the field with his arm. The 37-year-old reminded us of these good traits as he picked apart the New York secondary in the first half.
McCown then reminded us in the second half why he's a journeyman who failed to find a long-term home as a starter.
McCown's inability to locate momentum and consistency following the halftime break doomed drives, and he then made multiple mistakes that cost the Browns points and possession of the ball. He overthrew an open Terrelle Pryor down the right sideline on what should've been a touchdown pass in the third quarter, and he was twice intercepted after making poor and avoidable throws.
McCown has a better arm than rookie Cody Kessler, and McCown probably gives the Browns the best chance to win a game before January 2 rolls around. 2016 is no longer about winning for the Browns, though, and McCown didn't do enough against the Jets to reclaim his spot atop the depth chart.
Grade: C
Running Back
2 of 10
The Jets began the afternoon responsible for the best overall run defense in the AFC, and thus one can only have so many hot takes about Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson failing to make impacts out of the backfield. New York, as expected, shut Crowell and Johnson down, as the duo earned a total of 58 yards on 15 carries.
One cannot help but wonder what may have been, though, had Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson fed Johnson more after halftime. Johnson picked up 16 of 29 of his rushing yards on one carry, and he caught six passes during the contest. He nevertheless finished the game with only four rushes.
You'd like to see such a weapon receive more touches as a game progresses. Jackson's lack of faith in his running backs is undeniable at this point of the season.
Grade: C
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
It was a tale of two halves for the Cleveland offense.
Wide receiver Pryor torched veteran cornerback Darrelle Revis time and time again in the first half. Revis, simply put, could not keep up with Pryor, and the former quarterback who has made the transition to wide receiver seemed well on his way to posting a career day.
Pryor then disappeared after halftime. The biggest moments involving Pryor in the second half included failing to run under a deep pass thrown by McCown and the wideout stopping his route early on a pass that was intercepted.
Pryor's six catches and 101 receiving yards lose their luster because of the futility of the Cleveland offense in the second half.
McCown connected with tight end Gary Barnidge for a gain of 32 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Barnidge accumulated only two additional catches the rest of the afternoon, and he was largely a non-factor in the second half.
Andrew Hawkins is one man likely happy McCown was back under center for the Browns, as Hawkins finished the day with five receptions and a pair of scores.
Grade: B
Offensive Line
4 of 10
Second-year pro Cameron Erving executed some tremendous blocks during the second quarter, possibly leading some fans of the Browns to maybe believe the former first-round pick isn't going to be a complete bust. Those same fans could, then, do nothing but watch as Erving (again) whiffed on multiple blocks. If that weren't bad enough, Erving was once pushed so deep into the backfield he was responsible for Johnson losing yards on a carry.
With that said, the Cleveland offensive line played well, overall, versus the Jets. New York only registered five quarterback hits and a single sack, and nothing about the offensive line, not even Erving, cost the Browns a win on Sunday.
It's time for the Browns to trade left tackle Joe Thomas. Thomas has given all he can to the club, and the Browns are not building a championship team around the future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame while he is still an elite lineman.
Grade: B
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Those looking for reasons to be optimistic about the Browns can focus on the team's defensive line, as there are several gems doing the dirty work for Cleveland week in and week out.
It's easy to forget rookie Carl Nassib missed out on action and reps earlier this year because of a broken hand. Nassib knocked down three Ryan Fitzpatrick passes in the first half, and the likes of Nassib, Danny Shelton and Tyrone Holmes were all responsible for Fitzpatrick's struggles throughout the first two quarters of the contest.
The Cleveland defense, as a whole, failed to do its job following halftime, and the defensive line of the Browns failed to impress during the second half. This unit disappearing for quarters at a time is a trend that must end if the Browns are to notch a victory this year.
Grade: B-
Linebacker
6 of 10
Christian Kirksey is quietly making a bid to earn a spot on the Pro Bowl roster, even though casual fans who don't follow the Browns likely haven't heard much about the third-year pro this season. Kirksey was again Cleveland's best defensive player and top tackler, and he was a menace against the run and in pass defense.
Rookie Emmanuel Ogbah is quickly earning a reputation for getting to quarterbacks. Per Dan Murphy of Browns PR, Ogbah now has a total of 3.5 sacks in his past three contests. Fellow linebacker Demario Davis had six tackles against his former employer.
Just as with the defensive line, though, Cleveland linebackers failed to adequately perform duties in the second half of the game. Try to think of one Cleveland defensive player who truly earned a paycheck with his play during the final 30 minutes of action.
On second thought, don't waste your time. Life's short as it is.
Grade: B-
Secondary
7 of 10
Cornerback Jamar Taylor had three pass breakups in the first half, but those plays quickly faded from memories after he became one of multiple Cleveland defensive backs to get torched during the second half.
In short, those who believed at the start of the game Cleveland's secondary is the worst in the NFL likely didn't change those opinions after watching the Browns lose to the Jets.
The only reason the Browns should keep Joe Haden through the midweek is if the club cannot find somebody willing to trade for him. Outside of one game that occurred earlier this season, Haden has not remotely resembled an All-Pro since 2014, and he made only one memorable play against the Jets. He doesn't even deserve all that much credit for that particular pass breakup, though, as Fitzpatrick came up a bit short on a throw to Brandon Marshall in that instance.
Cleveland's safeties continued to be liabilities against the run and against the pass versus the Jets. Somebody, anybody, has to teach second-year pro Ibraheim Campbell how to take a proper angle when pursuing a ball-carrier if he is to remain in the lineup for another week. Campbell failing to track down and tackle individuals who ultimately score on those plays is becoming an alarming trend.
Grade: F
Special Teams
8 of 10
Cleveland keeping faith in kicker Cody Parkey after Parkey missed three field goals in a game against the Miami Dolphins this past September continues to look like a great move. Parkey converted both of his field-goal attempts against the Jets, and he hasn't missed a kick in the past five contests.
The biggest complaint one could have about Cleveland punter Britton Colquitt is that he was on the field too much. Colquitt averaged 41.4 yards on his five kicks, and he put three of those punts inside of the New York 20-yard line.
Cleveland continues to lack a dynamic returner, but that's largely due to the nature of the league and also the team's injury woes. Maybe Haden could return kicks for the Browns if he's still on the roster next weekend.
Why not?
Grade: B
Coaching
9 of 10
Coach Jackson is not what's wrong with the Browns right now, but that doesn't necessarily mean he is part of the solution.
The Browns lack talent on both ends of the football. There's no ignoring that. Jackson cannot complete passes to open targets, nor can he make tackles in the secondary. Any coach can only do so much.
Where is this team's killer instinct as it pertains to finishing a game? Sunday was not the first time the Browns turned a possible win into a certain loss during the second half of a contest. The Jets clearly noticed weaknesses and made adjustments after the first half.
What did Jackson tell his players during the break?
Cleveland's horrendous clock management during the team's final offensive drive of the contest had Thomas visibly annoyed and seemingly wondering why the Browns weren't playing with more urgency when trailing by 11 points with time ticking away. The Browns probably wouldn't have won had they found the end zone with more than 12 seconds left on the clock, but Jackson and company did little to help their odds of winning in the fourth quarter.
Grade: C
Final Grade
10 of 10
Fans of the Browns and those who have observed the team over the past decade know losing is often contagious. That's the biggest worry about the Browns moving forward. This club was never winning the Super Bowl in February 2017, and those who believed in August the Browns were going to flirt with posting a winning record this season were lying to themselves.
Losing breeds losing. Losing as the Browns lost to the Jets deflates athletes and coaches, and it helps create a culture of losing.
Jackson may be the right man to lead the Browns to glory. Jackson may become another failed Cleveland head coach a few years from now. All the Browns have done under Jackson is find different ways to lose games, and there's no reason to believe that's going to change in November.
Yes, the Browns really may go 0-16. The team is that bad.
Final Grade: D
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