Winners and Losers (Brownies and Frownies) from Browns loss to Bengals in Week 16

The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals every had totally different aspirations earlier than the season started. Going into their AFC North conflict, satisfaction and a job subsequent season is what every participant on each rosters was taking part in for.

The Bengals received their first encounter 21-14 earlier this 12 months, however the Browns had their probabilities to tug out a win and didn’t.

Coming into this sport, Cincinnati was 6-8-0 whereas Cleveland was 3-11-0. The Browns have been one of many lowest-scoring groups within the league with simply 239 factors scored in comparison with the Bengals’ 399 factors.

On the ultimate gun, the Browns have been as soon as once more turnover-prone and have been defeated 24-6.

So who performed properly for the Browns? Who didn’t?

BROWNIES

Photograph by Jason Mowry/Getty Photos

RB Jerome Ford – The gifted working again bought Cleveland off to an ideal begin with an thrilling 66-yard sprint off proper deal with on the primary play from scrimmage. His landing run within the third quarter was all meat and potatoes as he plowed into the tip zone because the play was designed to go inside and as an alternative, he bounced it out to the proper between the blocks of Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin. With 38 seconds left on this interval, he reeled off a seven-yard run to the 15-yard line. With simply over 11 minutes to play within the sport, he caught a swing move in the proper flats for 11 yards to maintain one other drive going.

Enjoying younger guys – A number of snaps for youthful gamers on this sport so as to give some reside motion. Athletes who bought greater than their regular snaps included DT Mike Corridor, DT Jowon Briggs, WR Jamari Thrash, LB Winston Reid, DE Isaiah McGuire, and QB DTR. The season is over so why not get these youngbloods some expertise and the Browns did simply that.

LB Jordan Hicks – Each week, Jordan is likely one of the prime tacklers and the Bengals sport was no exception as he led all defenders with 9 whole tackles. He now has 71 for the 12 months. Within the first quarter, RB Chase Browns hit the outlet as Hicks ran all the way in which throughout the sector for the deal with.

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DE Myles Garrett – Had a vanilla first half however was a drive within the ultimate two quarters. His sack of QB Joe Burrow with 1:31 remaining within the first half was a factor of magnificence. Cincinnati had been utilizing a secondary participant to chip Garrett earlier than releasing him to the offensive deal with. Garrett was lined up on the defensive proper facet on this play. On the snap, WR Andrei Iosivas hit Garrett after which slid off into his route. LT Cody Ford was within the sport for the injured Orlando Brown, Jr., and took Garrett on. Garrett’s pace bought him round Ford virtually immediately as he buried Burrow. It was Garrett’s 100.5 profession sack. He additionally had three tackles, two of which have been for loss, one QB hit, and a number of other pressures.

Fourth downs – Okay, Cleveland missed on that fourth-and-27, however the conversion of fourth-and-four within the third quarter resulted in a landing that saved an 11-play drive going. Later, increase your hand in case you have been surprised they transformed on that fourth-and-eight prayer that TE David Njoku made one more sensational catch.

FROWNIES

Lack of receiver play – The Browns have all these high-dollar receivers and but none have been utilized on this sport. The franchise stud move catcher Jerry Jeudy had simply two catches all sport on a mere three targets. What? He had 11 receptions for 108 yards and 14 targets only one week earlier than and gained 142 and 235 yards in current video games. Elijah Moore is making financial institution, however simply two balls? Michael Woods and Jamari Thrash didn’t register any catches. Why? 4 receivers, 4 receptions for 41 yards. How is that this potential?

RB D’Onta Foreman – The dude has not performed since earlier than Halloween, and on his second carry again within the lineup on the one-yard line the plan was for him to enter the middle of the Bengals’ protection? Ford had the recent hand on this drive, and Foreman is now the bell-cow? His fumble took away an enormous alternative and wasted Ford’s long term. From that time on, the Browns performed defeated.

Third down effectivity – This needs to be a duplicate/paste as every week this class is an eyesore. In the course of the third quarter, the Browns transformed their first third down as they went 0-5 within the first half and completed 3-12 within the sport.

Okay Dustin Hopkins – Rating factors, that and kickoffs are all a kicker has to do. Apparently, one more kicker can be drafted this 12 months.

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QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson – Sure, DTR is aware of learn how to throw interceptions and changed a man who’s the King of Picks, however a minimum of QB Jameis Winston’s offense moved the ball and was thrilling to look at. DTR’s sport is to take a look at one receiver after which take off working. And agreed, he is an effective runner and gained the second-most yards dashing. However his utilization of each the receiver group and tight ends was horrible. 20-34 for 157 yards with two picks, zero touchdowns, sacked 5 instances, and a forty five.8 QB ranking. Can this experiment be over?

Milk Bones – Christmas: the one time of 12 months you may sit in entrance of a useless tree consuming sweet out of socks

DT Jowon Briggs – The reasonably giant rookie had some vibrant spots. Within the first quarter, he cut up OG Cordell Volson and LT Ford’s block and nailed RB Chase Browns for a two-yard loss. Then within the fourth quarter, he got here up with a fumble restoration and extra importantly, he didn’t try to play the hero and run with it however as an alternative fell on the unfastened ball. Had two tackles.

DE Isaiah McGuire – The younger man is getting much more snaps now that ZDS is gone and performed properly in spurts. Was capable of knock the ball out of Burrow’s hand within the fourth quarter which grew to become Cleveland’s ball. McGuire is an effective run defender however must be within the offensive backfield extra.

CB M.J. Emerson – He was tasked with masking Ja’Marr Chase, which is normally performed by Denzel Ward as an alternative. Chase had simply six catches, with half of these within the first quarter. Emerson was capable of maintain Chase in test, relative to Chase’s ability, for the rest of the sport regardless of gaining 97 yards. Emerson did have an inadvertent face masks penalty late within the sport however launched it as quickly as he realized the place his hand was. The one play that he didn’t cowl Chase, CB Cam Mitchell misplaced sight and the gifted receiver scored.

Ballot
Do you suppose the Browns ought to draft one other kicker within the 2025 NFL draft?