Browns vs. Cowboys: Full Report Card Grades for Cleveland
The Dallas Cowboys are the best team in the NFC, while the Cleveland Browns remain the worst side in the National Football League. There is little doubt about both of those statements following Dallas' 35-10 victory at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday.
Sometimes in sports, a game really is as easy as one team being just that much better than an opponent. That was the case in Cleveland, as the Cowboys dominated the action throughout the afternoon. The Dallas offense manhandled the Cleveland defense, and the offense of the Browns accomplished little of note minus an impressive two-minute drive before halftime.
The Browns are now 0-9 as they head nto a Thursday night showdown with divisional rivals the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson and his staff may need to consider that game a must-win contest regardless of the short week if the club is to avoid going winless this season.
Cleveland finishing the campaign at 0-16 looks more realistic than it did even seven days ago.
Quarterback
1 of 10
The stats suggest rookie quarterback Cody Kessler did all he could to keep the Browns in the game against the Cowboys. Kessler completed 19 of 27 attempts for 203 yards and a score, he made smart decisions with the football, and he didn't throw an interception. The first-year pro looked like a veteran when executing a two-minute drive before halftime, although he was aided by the Dallas defense playing soft coverages while at the same time seemingly looking toward the break in play.
That drive, unfortunately, was the only time the Cleveland offense found the end zone all day. Even worse, the Browns managed to gain only 55 offensive yards in the second half when Kessler should've been able to compile stats in garbage time.
Kessler was sacked four times, and he was on the receiving end of several crushing hits. According to ESPN.com's Tony Grossi, Kessler entered the X-ray room immediately following the contest, meaning the Browns may have to consider inserting Josh McCown back into the starting lineup if Kessler isn't fully healthy on November 10.
Grade: B
Running Back
2 of 10
If you're anything like me, you're struggling to remember anything Cleveland running backs did against the Cowboys. There are good reasons one's memory may be failing him upon getting to this portion of the post.
Cleveland ran the football a total of 13 times on Sunday. Two of those carries belonged to Cody Kessler, who picked up 11 yards on the ground. Isaiah Crowell finished his afternoon with four yards on six carries, while Duke Johnson gained 30 yards on his five carries.
An observer could suggest Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson gave up on the run game too early, and there may be some validity to that. In fairness to Jackson, Dallas led 21-10 at halftime and 35-10 after the third quarter. Running the ball would've accomplished only so much.
Grade: D
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Former quarterback Terrelle Pryor continues to look more like a top-tier wide receiver with each game. Pryor caught only five passes against the Cowboys, but he scored Cleveland's only touchdown on the afternoon when he got past rookie defensive back Anthony Brown and then secured the ball in the corner of the end zone.
Brown troubled fellow rookie Corey Coleman on multiple occasions. He successfully jammed Coleman on a play that otherwise could've resulted in a deep touchdown pass, and Coleman accumulated only three receptions in the losing effort.
Tight end Gary Barnidge went missing in action for yet another afternoon. Bardnige caught all three passes thrown his way, but he was mostly an afterthought in the blowout loss. He still doesn't have a single touchdown grab this season.
Grade: C
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The Cleveland coaching staff must consider taking Cameron Erving out of the lineup for at least a half following his actions on Sunday.
Erving found himself involved in an altercation with Dallas defensive lineman David Irving in the first quarter, and the second-year pro starting at center for the Browns threw a helmet at Irving. Both Erving and Irving were ejected from the game for their actions, and Erving's departure created an additional hole in what was already a patchwork offensive line.
Erving may not be the answer at center. He may not be a starting NFL offensive lineman at all this time next year. The Browns needed him available for more than a quarter against Dallas, and he cost his teammates all because of a silly, emotional mistake.
Alvin Bailey hung Kessler out to dry a few times after making the switch to right guard. Both Spencer Drango and Joe Thomas had solid afternoons, but the Cleveland offensive line, as a whole, had a rough afternoon.
Grade: D
Defensive Line
5 of 10
To be fair when grading this unit, the Cleveland defensive line was tasked with facing the best offensive line in football on Sunday.
It was a mismatch from the very beginning, but that doesn't forgive the Cleveland defensive line making silly and avoidable mistakes. The Browns lined up in the neutral zone four different times against the Cowboys, good for an average of once per quarter. That's the type of fundamental miscue that should cost players snaps.
Rookie Carl Nassib played poorly when he was on the field. Nassib was dominated and pushed down to the ground multiple times, and his name doesn't even appear in the game's box score. Worst of all, Nassib left the game early with an eye injury.
Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott averaged 5.1 yards per carry largely because the Dallas offensive line blasted through Cleveland defensive linemen as if they weren't on the field. Cleveland's defensive line versus the Dallas offensive line was somewhat similar to those old Mike Tyson boxing matches.
Grade: F
Linebacker
6 of 10
New acquisition Jamie Collins received quite a memorable welcome to the worst team in the NFL.
Collins believed he had safety help when covering Dallas tight end Jason Witten with under seven minutes to play in the first quarter, but no teammate was behind the former New England Patriots linebacker. Witten, thus, caught a pass while wide open, and the veteran then completed his journey into the end zone for one of the easiest touchdowns of his long NFL career.
In fairness to Collins, no other Cleveland linebacker or safety could cover Witten on Sunday. The 34-year-old finished the afternoon with eight catches, 134 yards and a score.
Not a single Cleveland linebacker had a good game. The Browns generated so little a pass rush that the team was credited with a single QB hit that didn't result in a sack. Demario Davis seemed to be enjoying himself as he talked trash after he made a routine tackle when the Browns were trailing by 18 points, so we'll give him credit for keeping his spirits high even though the Browns are 0-9.
Grade: F
Secondary
7 of 10
Rookie Tracy Howard made a nice stop early into the game, but that tackle was erased from memories after Howard was repeatedly beaten in pass defense and after he was run over by Ezekiel Elliott on a touchdown carry.
Yes, Cleveland's secondary remains the worst in the NFL.
Dallas had the ball at the Cleveland 6-yard line following the game's first two-minute warning when wide receivers Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley lined up left of center. Veteran cornerbacks Joe Haden and Tramon Williams prepared to defend the targets, but both players trailed Bryant after rookie quarterback Dak Prescott snapped the ball. This, obviously, left Beasley uncovered in the end zone for a pitch-and-catch touchdown.
Briean Boddy-Calhoun took a poor angle and then failed to grab even one of Elliott's legs during a one-on-one opportunity that ended with Elliott scoring his second touchdown of the day early in the third quarter. Joe Haden had a quiet day minus a pass breakup when he should've been flagged for pass interference. Nobody in the secondary could cover Jason Witten.
The entire unit needs an overhaul after January.
Grade: F
Special Teams
8 of 10
Cleveland placekicker Cody Parkey came back down to earth in the second quarter of Sunday's game, as he missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt after going perfect in his last five outings. No wind gust or bad snap affected the attempt, which should've been a chip shot for an NFL kicker considering the decent conditions in Cleveland.
Duke Johnson resumed his role as punt returner, and he nearly committed what would've been Cleveland's worst turnover of the season in the first quarter. The punt bounced into Cleveland territory, and Johnson then decided to make a diving catch when doing so made zero sense. Johnson also appeared to knock the wind out of himself while taking this ridiculous risk.
The Browns managed to down a Dallas punt at the 1-yard line. That, sadly, was one of Cleveland's better plays.
Grade: C
Coaching
9 of 10
Defensive coordinator Ray Horton may find himself looking for work if the Cleveland defense is a sieve against the Baltimore offense on November 10. Yes, the Browns lack talent on both sides of the football, but you don't have to be a student of the game who watches All-22 film to see Horton's schemes aren't working.
Players lack communication during games, they fail to line up properly before snaps and they miss too many tackles. What, exactly, does Horton work on during midweeks? Why should any fan believe the Cleveland defense, as it exists today, is only a few players away from being decent?
Hue Jackson deserves little criticism despite the Browns losing by 25 points. These two teams are at opposite ends of the overall NFL standings for reasons that go beyond coaching.
Grade: D
Final Grade
10 of 10
You have to feel for Cleveland fans who made the trek to FirstEnergy to watch the Browns get dismantled by the Cowboys. They spent money to watch a bad product, and they were outnumbered by Dallas fans in the closing minutes of the contest. The home of the reigning NBA champions and American League champs deserves better from its NFL franchise.
The Cowboys possess the NFL's best offensive line, a young man who is currently the top RB in the league and a rookie QB who is a better thrower of the ball than Mr. Kessler. Dallas did well to make easy work of a bad team, but that doesn't mean all is lost for the Browns.
The Browns won't play a better team than the Cowboys over the next two months, and the young Cleveland squad knows it can compete against opponents such as the Ravens and San Diego Chargers. A win against Baltimore four nights from now would do wonders for a locker room that has to be down after a blowout loss.
Things probably won't get worse for the 2016 Browns than what occurred today. There's your silver lining, Cleveland fans.
Grade: F
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