3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 7 Loss vs. Ravens
The good news for Cleveland Browns fans is that the wheels haven't fallen off of the 2022 season just yet. The bad news is that the team's 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens has dropped it to 2-5 on the season, putting its campaign on the brink.
This was another heartbreaker for Browns fans.
Cleveland fought hard and avoided the frequent miscues that punctuated the Week 6 blowout loss to the New England Patriots, but the Browns made enough mistakes—including a questionable false start on a potential game-tying field goal—to make outlasting the division-leading Ravens impossible.
The loss sets up a must-win in Week 8 against the in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals. If the Browns hope to stay in the playoff mix at all, they'll have to figure out how to finish—something they didn't do in Baltimore.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from Cleveland's Week 7 loss to the Ravens.
Defense Takes Positive Strides, but It Isn't Enough
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It's not hyperbole to say Cleveland's defense was one of the NFL's most disappointing coming into this game. Littered with standouts such as Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Denzel Ward (out with a concussion), it has failed to operate as a unit too often this season.
Cleveland came in ranked 23rd in yards allowed and 29th in scoring defense.
"I thought we'd be further along obviously," defensive coordinator Joe Woods said last week, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "There are a lot of things we are trying to clean up, and we just have to clean them up in a hurry."
Woods' group did clean a few things up against Baltimore. There wasn't a ton of obvious miscommunication or repeated busted coverages, and the Ravens were held to just 255 yards of offense. While there wasn't a flood of bad defense, numerous leaks cost the Browns in a close game.
The Ravens ran a whopping 63 plays on Sunday. While they averaged just 4.0 yards per play, they executed consistently enough to extend drives, control the clock and dictate the tempo. Baltimore converted nine of 17 third or fourth downs (twice on 4th) and held the ball for 34:04 of game clock.
Reducing the number of big plays is a good step, but the Browns aren't going to beat the Bengals next Monday night if they can't get off the field on money downs.
Browns Need More Kareem Hunt in the Passing Game
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While the defense was far from perfect, it played well enough to give Cleveland a chance. The offense couldn't deliver when it needed to, though.
The Browns amassed 336 yards and averaged 6.0 yards per play. Nick Chubb found a groove in the second half—finishing with 91 rushing yards and a touchdown—and Jacoby Brissett played a mostly efficient game.
The quarterback did lose a fumble, but he finished with 22-of-27 for 258 yards.
Cleveland toiled in two key areas, though. It struggled to counter the pressure that Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald frequently dialed up after the Browns scored on their first two possessions, and it repeatedly failed on third downs (3-of-11).
Curiously, backup running back and noted dual-threat Kareem Hunt finished with just one reception for four yards. The Browns should have utilized screens and swing passes to attack Baltimore's blitzes, and the 27-year-old is perfectly suited for that game plan.
Cleveland also should have turned to Hunt when tight ends David Njoku and Pharaoh Brown were sidelined late in the game. Instead, he was barely utilized in the passing game.
This isn't a new problem for the Browns, either. Hunt was targeted just 17 times in the first six weeks, 27 times in eight games last season and 51 times in 2020.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski seems to have gotten away from using the Toledo product as a receiver, an issue he desperately needs to correct moving forward.
Time for the Browns to Trade a Running Back
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The Browns are content to ride Chubb, which isn't a surprise. The 26-year-old is averaging well over five yards per carry this season and has already rushed for eight touchdowns.
With Hunt leading the charge, Cleveland needs to seriously consider trading one of its other backs before the November 1 deadline.
The Browns could consider moving the 2017 Pro Bowler, who did have a touchdown run on Sunday but finished with only one catch and eight scrimmage yards. He is in the final year of his contract and may depart in the offseason anyway.
If the Browns aren't willing to move Hunt, they should consider moving D'Ernest Johnson, who was again absent on offense. He played just 10 offensive snaps through the first six weeks and finished without a touch against Baltimore.
Last season, though, the 26-year-old rushed for 534 yards and 5.3 yards per carry. He could play a significant role with another team, perhaps the Los Angeles Rams. They have struggled to run consistently and may be looking to move former starter Cam Akers.
"Sources say Akers, who is out today due to what was described as personal reasons, has philosophical and football-related differences with head coach Sean McVay," NFL Media's Ian Rapoport wrote last week. "The coach has left Akers' future open, and sources say the third-year pro could be on the way out."
If the Browns can't use Johnson in a close, physical divisional game, it's time to use him as trade bait.
*Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.
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