CLEVELAND — The Browns' first-ever Christmas Day game was supposed to be a fun occasion. Instead, fans have been sapped of their holiday cheer and are once again left wondering "Why?"
Cleveland's 24-22 loss to the Green Bay Packers Saturday may not have ended its season; there are still plenty of realistic scenarios for the team to win the AFC North. But for a group that was supposed to contend for a Super Bowl to be only 7-8 with two games left is not just disappointing. For many, it's infuriating.
'THERE'S JUST SOMETHING MISSING': 3News' Jay Crawford on the Browns' loss to the Packers
All of the problems with this year's Browns team seemed to rear their ugly head on this holiday: Baker Mayfield threw four interceptions, Kevin Stefanski's play-calling didn't always make sense, the kicking game left valuable points on the field, even the officials played an unwanted role in pivotal moments. Other than the efforts of Nick Chubb and a solid defensive performance, it seemed everything that could've gone wrong did, which makes the fact that Cleveland only lost by two points all the more frustrating.
As is normally the case following touch losses in the NFL, scores of fingers were pointed at the quarterback, and that criticism is not unwarranted after what was arguably the worst game of Baker Mayfield's professional career. 3News sports anchor Nick Camino believes the organization has reached a crossroads when it comes to its young signal-caller.
"Is he truly this franchise's quarterback in the long-term?" Camino asked (you can watch his full take on the game in the player above). "Is this the guy you're going to pay serious money to?"
Baker, Stefanski, the refs, and others were all in the crosshairs of fans once the final whistle blew. It's not exactly the vibe of a team that can still very well win the division, provided they win their final two games and get a little bit of help around them. Indeed, lots of Orange and Browns supporters seem to have already given up.
Here are some of the top reactions we found on social media from fans and analysts alike regarding the Browns' second straight heartbreaking loss: