Cleveland Browns Still Can't Manage to Get out of Their Own Way

For a while on Sunday, it looked like the Cleveland Browns would earn their first win over the Denver Broncos in 11 meetings. But it was not meant to be: The Browns ultimately fell to Denver, 26-23, in overtime.

It didn't have to be that way. The Browns made numerous big, key game-winning style plays throughout the contest. But ultimately, the Browns could not get out of their own way, and they effectively handed the game to the still-undefeated Broncos. Again, as head coach Mike Pettine noted after the game to the media, the Browns could not finish.

The Browns did everything one would generally expect would lead to a win. The defense picked off Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning three times, two of those belonging to linebacker Karlos Dansby, one of which was a pick-six in the fourth quarter that gave the Browns a 20-16 lead.

Browns quarterback Josh McCown threw two touchdown passes, and kicker Travis Coons remained perfect on the year, kicking a 26-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. Manning threw just one touchdown pass, and Denver's offense was 0-of-3 in the red zone on the day.

But the mistakes the Browns made were ones they could not overcome. They included McCown throwing two interceptions of his own—one returned for a touchdown by Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib and the second coming on what was a promising drive near the end of regulation. He was also sacked by Denver defender Shaq Barrett in the third quarter and fumbled the ball away.

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McCown also took four sacks, including two back-to-back in overtime that put the Browns out of range to kick a field goal that would have won them the game. It wasn't a pretty week for the quarterback, who was coming off a strong Week 5 performance in the Browns' 33-30 defeat of the Baltimore Ravens, a game that also went to overtime.

McCown wasn't the Browns' only problem on Sunday, though. There was also the defense to consider. While it did generate three turnovers, it didn't manage to sack Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning a single time despite chaos on his offensive line. The run defense continued to struggle, allowing 152 rushing yards on 33 Broncos attempts, with running back Ronnie Hillman leading the way with 20 rushes for 111 yards.

Even the Browns coaches made a key mistake on Sunday—going for the two-point conversion after Dansby's pick-six rather than the extra point. While the 33-yard extra point is something that hasn't been automatic around the NFL this year, it has not been a problem for Browns kicker Travis Coons. 

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Had the Browns done so, the ensuing field goal would have seen the Browns up, 24-23, rather than tied and forced into an overtime period against Denver. It's as though the Browns made a key mistake for every big, positive play they made on Sunday. And that's how a winnable game can get away from a team.

There are many encouraging signs for the Browns. Last week's win is one example. The two touchdowns caught by tight end Gary Barnidge on Sunday is another. Hanging with a team like Denver, which boasts not just the intelligence and experience of Manning but also one of the league's best defenses, is something to be commended. 

But all of those encouraging signs are for naught if wins don't accompany them. Winning ugly is far preferable to the way the Browns lost with finesse on Sunday. Following the game, Browns linebacker Paul Kruger told the media the Browns beat themselves, and he's not wrong. This team had every reason to win and instead found reasons to lose.