3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 16 Loss

Cleveland Browns fans have become accustomed to disappointment. They got more of it over the weekend, both on and off the field. On Saturday, a positive COVID-19 test and the ensuing contact tracing left the Browns down their top four receivers and two starting linebackers. With starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. also out, Cleveland was immensely short-handed against the New York Jets.

As many longtime Cleveland fans might have expected, the Browns couldn't overcome the massive obstacle and lost Sunday.

Now, Cleveland faces the real possibility of missing the playoffs as a 10-win team.

While Saturday's development put the Browns in a tough spot, it's not the only reason that they lost this game. Here's what we learned from Cleveland's 23-16 loss to the Jets.

Baker Mayfield Has a Turnover Problem...Again

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Quarterback Baker Mayfield has played some of the most efficient football of his career in recent weeks, and he's only thrown one interception in his last eight games. That's great because it shows that he's seeing the field better and doing a better job of not forcing throws.

However, fumbles can count as turnovers, and Mayfield has had seven of them (four lost) in his last six games.

Mayfield's two lost fumbles against the Jets cost the Browns this game. One led to a New York field goal, while the second ended a potential scoring drive on Cleveland's final possession.

"Plain and simple, I have to hold on to the damn ball," Mayfield said, per ESPN's Jake Trotter. "We had exactly what we needed to win this game. And I didn't do good enough. That's it."

Cleveland still has a chance to get into the postseason with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers next week, but if Mayfield cannot immediately fix his fumbling issue, that may not happen.

Improved ball security in the pocket and on the run must be the next piece of Mayfield's development that Kevin Stefanski and the coaching staff address moving forward. If it isn't, glimpses of improvement we've seen from the 2018 No. 1 pick in recent weeks will mean little.

Cleveland Needs to Address Its Defense in the Offseason

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One could argue that the Browns would have overcome Mayfield's fumbles if only they had had wideouts like Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins available. Mayfield faced a lot of pressure, as he had to carry the offense by primarily targeting tight ends and running backs.

The Jets, in turn, were able to clamp down on the running game and limit Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and the rushing attack.

However, the loss of Cleveland's top receivers didn't have an impact on the Browns' putrid defensive performance. The defense only surrendered 333 yards of offense, but it also allowed three receivers to get wide-open for touchdown receptions.

On the year, Cleveland ranks 20th in pass defense and 21st in points allowed. That's not going to cut it in a stacked AFC North, and the Browns need to make defensive improvements in the offseason.

They addressed their offensive issues this past spring, now it's time to turn to the other side of the ball. Right now, the Browns defense consists of Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and a handful of good-not-great contributors. If the Browns hope to contend with the AFC's powerhouses next season, this has to change.

The Browns Need a New Kicker

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While it ultimately wasn't the deciding factor in this game, kicker Cody Parkey missed an extra point. Again. He's now missed three in three games to go with a missed field goal against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14.

Parkey left four points on the board against Baltimore as opposed to one by Ravens counterpart Justin Tucker. Had he not missed against New York, the Browns' ill-fated final drive could have produced a go-ahead touchdown instead of a tying score.

The reality is that in the NFL, kickers win and lose games all on their own. While it's an underrated position, it's a vital one, and kickers are like quarterbacks in the sense that a team either has a good one or it doesn't.

The Browns don't have one, and continued struggles from Parkey—he's now missed seven kicks on the season—are going to impact what the Browns are able and willing to do offensively. While Cleveland desperately needs to upgrade its defense in the offseason, it also needs to go out and find a reliable placekicker.