The Browns are sitting at 5-3, but the number that keeps jumping off the page is the one that explains why their latest loss looked so ugly: they keep digging themselves into a hole before the game even settles in.
Cleveland’s 27-6 loss to the Steelers laid the whole problem bare. The Browns couldn’t run the ball, couldn’t stop the run, and once Pittsburgh grabbed an early lead, everything got harder fast. By one minute into the second quarter, the Steelers were already ahead 10-0, and Cleveland was scrambling to keep up.
Todd Monken didn’t try to dress it up on Monday. He said falling behind early made it tougher for the Browns to protect the quarterback, run the ball and rush the passer. That showed up in the numbers in a big way: Cleveland allowed eight sacks, managed only 34 rushing yards and finished with just one sack of its own.
Monken mentioned getting behind seven times during his press conference, and that kind of line can sound like an excuse if you want to hear it that way. But it also points to something more basic: the Browns are making life harder on themselves from the start, and that magnifies the flaws they already carry.
That could matter even more this week if Shedeur Sanders ends up making his first start of the season with Deshaun Watson in concussion protocol.
The first quarter has been brutal for Cleveland all season. Through eight games, the Browns have been outscored 65-13 in the opening frame. The defense, which is generally a solid group, has given up 38% of its points allowed in the first quarter, and by the time it settles in, the Browns are often already chasing.
The offense hasn’t helped. Cleveland is averaging just 17.4 points per game, and the problems have shown up in every phase of the game except, at times, the fourth quarter. That late push has helped keep the Browns above .500, but it also leaves a simple question hanging over everything they’re doing: how long can they keep surviving this way?
The answer, ideally, is that they stop putting themselves in that position. The Browns need to get the run game moving and tighten up against the run on defense, because right now their slow starts are making every other weakness look even bigger.
In Other News...
Browns Deadline Debate Now Centers On Two Starters They Could Move
As the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaches, the Browns are still weighing whether to act like buyers or sellers, and the conversation inside the building has centered on two very different needs. Quarterback help remains on the radar, along with possible upgrades on the offensive line, but any move will have to fit a roster that is still trying to sort out which pieces are part of the long-term plan.
Jerry Jeudy has emerged as a logical name to watch because of the inconsistency in his production and the salary attached to him, while slot cornerback Harden has stayed in the starting lineup even as his play has lagged behind. He has also been targeted enough to post an ugly passer rating against, which only adds to the sense that Cleveland could be forced to make some uncomfortable decisions if it wants to reshape the roster before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Have A Shedeur Sanders Decision Fans Need To Watch
Deshaun Watson is still the Browns starting quarterback despite the concussion that has put his availability in question, and that leaves Cleveland in a familiar spot with its quarterback room suddenly under a brighter spotlight. Shedeur Sanders is expected to start in Week 9, giving the Browns another look at a young passer who arrived with plenty of attention and has been viewed as a backup with potential.
The situation has also stirred the usual trade chatter around Clevelands crowded quarterback group, but the Browns are not currently looking to move any of their young passers. Sanders, who was once considered by the Ravens, now has a chance to show he belongs in the conversation for more than just depth, and the next stretch of games should tell the team plenty about how it wants to handle that decision. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Verse Is Forcing A Browns Decision Sooner Than Expected
Jared Verses first eight games with the Browns have not produced the kind of pass-rush impact the team expected when it added him, and the numbers have only sharpened the conversation around his role. He still has not recorded a sack, and both his pressure rate and pass-rush win rate sit near the bottom among qualifying players, even as Verse has pointed to limited chances in obvious passing situations as part of the explanation.
The timing matters because Cleveland is already staring at bigger roster questions, including whether to pursue another pass rusher before the trade deadline and how to handle Verses contract extension. Daniel Oyefusi noted that the Browns have also been dealing with opponents facing a high average conversion distance, which adds another layer to the evaluation, while Verses recent comments on and off the field have drawn mixed reactions as the organization weighs what comes next. [Read more 🡒]