Browns vs. Bengals: Full Report Card Grades for Cleveland
It took less than 10 minutes for the Cleveland Browns to lose to the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday.
Cincinnati scored on the team's opening offensive drive in under three minutes, and the Bengals found the end zone a second time with over six minutes remaining in the period. Those 13 points were enough to defeat the Browns this snowy afternoon, as the Bengals cruised to a 23-10 victory over a Browns side that is now 0-13.
Fans hoping quarterback Robert Griffin III would excel in his return to the lineup likely felt disappointed watching Griffin's performance. Truth be told, Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson may need to consider sitting Griffin when the Browns play the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.
The worst team in the franchise's history, statistically speaking 13 games into the campaign, is now a trio of losses away from matching the 2008 Detroit Lions and going 0-16. Jackson and the rest of the Browns have some soul-searching to do between now and December 18 if the club is to earn an upset victory over the Bills.
Quarterback
1 of 10
There's no point in dancing around the issue for even a sentence. Robert Griffin III played terribly against the Bengals for the most part.
Griffin completed 12 of 28 pass attempts, he finished the game with only 104 passing yards and he was intercepted when the Browns elected to attempt a flea-flicker out of their own end zone in the second quarter. Worst of all about Griffin's day is he was wildly inaccurate even though his offensive line offered stellar protection for much of the second half.
Rookie Cody Kessler suffered a pair of concussions over a period of five weeks earlier this fall, but the Browns haven't shut him down for the season. Kessler served as Griffin's backup against the Bengals, and he may earn a chance to return to the lineup as soon as next week.
Griffin's arm is stronger than Kessler, something he proved on several occasions in wintry conditions this afternoon. That attribute meant little to the Browns Sunday, as Griffin couldn't and didn't hit targets down the field.
Griffin didn't earn another start with his play. That does not, however, mean he won't be back in the lineup on December 18.
Grade: D-
Running Back
2 of 10
Running back Isaiah Crowell picked up 113 yards on 10 carries, meaning he averaged 11.3 yards per carry. As Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan pointed out, Crowell earned 86 of those yards during the second half.
Imagine what Crowell could've accomplished had he been given more than 10 carries.
The Browns being quick to abandon the rushing attack made things unnecessarily difficult for a quarterback who hadn't played since September 11 and an offense that couldn't obtain much momentum. Jackson and the rest of his staff must realize the Browns are going to play the remainder of their games in Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburgh; weather may affect each of those contests.
Feed the Crow, Cleveland, and take some pressure off whoever is playing club quarterback.
Duke Johnson continues to impress as a backfield pass-blocker, as he kept Griffin safe and off the turf more than once against a Cincinnati defense that routinely brought pressure. Maybe Johnson will eventually earn more carries for helping his QB.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Griffin's lackluster performance makes it difficult to grade Cleveland's wide receivers and tight ends. Nobody, among these players, made much of an impact on the game, but Griffin deserves the bulk of the blame for the team's passing woes against Cincinnati.
Terrelle Pryor's biggest contribution occurred when he got into an on-the-field argument with Griffin during the team's lone touchdown drive of the afternoon. Griffin targeted Pryor on three occasions, and the former quarterback finished the contest with a single catch.
Griffin concentrated his efforts on targeting rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman. Unfortunately for both, Coleman caught only three of the 11 passes thrown his way.
Cleveland's offensive players probably quietly wished Kessler and not Griffin had started Sunday.
Grade: D-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Center Cam Erving played terribly in the first half. As has been the case too often during the first two years of his career, Erving whiffed on blocks and failed to contain his assignments throughout the opening two quarters of play. One wouldn't have blamed Jackson for benching Erving after halftime.
A Christmas miracle occurred before our very eyes after the break, however, as Erving played maybe the best half of his Cleveland career. Erving opened holes for Crowell several times, and he was solid when tasked with protecting Griffin. The 24-year-old needs to build on his stellar half of football.
Cleveland's line, as a whole, outperformed the Cincinnati defensive line, so much so Jackson may regret not trusting his line and rushing attack to win the game.
Grade: A
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Cleveland's defensive line is quickly becoming a bright spot on a 0-13 team.
Rookie Emmanuel Ogbah introduced himself to Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton early and often. Ogbah accumulated only 1.5 sacks in the loss, but he kept Dalton uneasy throughout the afternoon. Ogbah also did well to chase ball-carriers down past the line of scrimmage.
Fellow rookie Carl Nassib showed proof of his athleticism several times, but he continues to be a work in progress as a pass-rusher. Tackle Danny Shelton quietly had himself a solid and workmanlike outing, earning seven total tackles and helping collapse protection schemes multiple times.
Myles Garrett could be a great addition to a line that continues to fight hard despite the team's record.
Grade: B
Linebacker
6 of 10
Cleveland linebacker Jamie Collins is a special talent when he is motivated and into a game. Collins possesses physical gifts beyond those of anybody else on Cleveland's defense, and he was all over the field en route to accumulating 15 total tackles and a sack versus the Bengals.
Maybe Collins really enjoys playing in Cleveland's scheme, or perhaps he is merely auditioning for other teams months before he enters free agency. Whatever the case, Collins looks worth the gamble the Browns took by trading for his services earlier this season.
We'll see if they pay Collins in 2017.
Demario Davis couldn't cover Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert in the first half, as Eifert beat him for a score on the game's opening drive. That's the type of matchup Cleveland coaches should look to avoid over the next three weeks.
Grade: B-
Secondary
7 of 10
Nobody in Cleveland's secondary stood out. A critic could go so far to say no Cleveland defensive back earned his pay during the first half.
Cornerback Joe Haden isn't his former self, and there's no reason to believe that will change between now and January 1. Haden couldn't keep up with Brandon LaFell throughout the afternoon, and the veteran should be thankful A.J. Green couldn't play because of a hamstring injury.
Haden isn't a No. 1 cornerback right now, and he may be a liability as a No. 2.
As Fox 19 Now's Joe Danneman pointed out, Dalton seemed headed for a perfect afternoon after he threw his second touchdown pass of the first half. Dalton probably would've posted even better numbers if not for the bad weather.
Grade: D
Special Teams
8 of 10
The Browns need to find a returner before next summer.
Ricardo Louis may end up being the guy, and thus the Browns need to see what Louis can do on punts. Haden's best moment of the game probably occurred when he recovered a punt he fumbled in the fourth quarter—a mistake erased because of a Cincinnati penalty. Neither Haden nor Duke Johnson should ever again return a punt for the Browns, yet another reason Cleveland should send Louis out there.
The Browns have little to lose experimenting on special teams at this point.
Kicker Cody Parkey and punter Britton Colquitt are reliable players, but neither man will flirt with earning an invitation to the 2017 Pro Bowl. Parkey made a field goal and an extra point, and Colquitt averaged 46 yards on his six punts.
Grade: C
Coaching
9 of 10
The Browns didn't look ready to take the field at the start of the game, and the Bengals put 13 points on the scoreboard before some fans found their seats at the stadium. We don't know what Jackson said to ready the troops before 1 p.m., but those words clearly didn't impact the Cleveland players.
The flea-flicker from inside Cleveland's own 2-yard line in the second quarter was a baffling call, and that decision became a disaster when Griffin threw the ball into triple coverage and was intercepted. Cincinnati turned that pick into a quick touchdown that put the Bengals up 20-0.
Jackson should've pulled Griffin after halftime. Griffin didn't have his best stuff Sunday, and fans at home and at FirstEnergy Stadium could see Griffin wouldn't lead the Browns on an epic comeback.
Cleveland fans booed Jackson's decision to kick a field goal when the Browns faced a 4th-and-8 at the Cincinnati 12-yard line in the fourth quarter. The Browns trailed the Bengals 20-7 at that point, meaning a field goal meant little to Cleveland's chances of winning the game.
Jackson's apparent lack of desire to stick with the rushing attack regardless of how Crowell and Johnson are playing is baffling 13 weeks into his tenure. It's one reason the Browns failed to put points on the scoreboard before halftime, and it cost the Browns a possession in the fourth quarter.
Jackson is no better a head coach now than he was back on September 11.
Grade: D
Final Grade
10 of 10
The Browns didn't just lose to an interstate rival at home inside a half-full stadium by 13 points. Cleveland lost to a Cincinnati team that isn't good. The Bengals began the day with a 4-7-1 record, and Cincinnati seemingly attempted to give the game away to the Browns throughout the second half.
You wouldn't have known the Bengals have a losing record after the first half of the game thanks to the Browns making Cincinnati look like a championship contender.
As Rob Perez of Fox Sports pointed out, Cincinnati cornerback Adam Jones offered some unflattering comments about the previously mentioned Pryor while speaking with reporters after the contest. It seems it wasn't enough the Bengals embarrassed the Browns in downtown Cleveland during the game.
Pryor and the rest of his teammates can say nothing in reply. The Browns are now 0-13 and three losses away from being known as the worst pro team in Cleveland history.
January 1 can't come soon enough for the franchise.
Grade: D
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