When it comes to the Browns, the term "rock bottom" gets brought up quite often, as it always seems they find ways to plunge to new depths of despair.
Overall, Sunday's game isn't even in the same ballpark as 1-31. But when it comes to this particular squad, and the expectations that have been placed upon them, it's hard to imagine a more catastrophic result.
In their first trip to Las Vegas, the Browns fell to 1-3 on the season with a 20-16 loss to the Raiders. The Silver and Black were without All-Pros Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby, and trailed 10-0 out of the gate, but ended up humiliating a Cleveland team that is now in danger of seeing its season collapse after only four weeks of play.
The Browns had a chance to win it with less than a minute to go, but Deshaun Watson failed to get a pass off on fourth-and-3 from the Vegas 9-yard line. It was a microcosm of yet another game filled with mistakes, miscommunications, and spiritless play.
Cleveland got the game going with a nearly 10-minute drive that ended with a Watson touchdown pass to Blake Whiteheart. From there, however, the offense went flat, failing to capitalize against a Raiders defense that came in ranked as one of the NFL's worst even with Crosby in the lineup.
Watson was sacked three times and hit 11 times, and at one point got into it with right tackle Dawand Jones following a missed block that helped prevent a big play. The impotent offensive line lost yet another starter — center Ethan Pocic — to injury, meaning the unit is now without all but one of its regular starters.
Watson completed 75% of his passes, but for only 176 yards, his fourth straight start under 200 yards this season. Once again, his receivers added to the misery, especially when Amari Cooper dropped a perfect throw and watch it get intercepted by Tre'von Moehring off the deflection.
On the other side of the ball, Cleveland's defense was eaten alive by the Las Vegas rushing attack, which came in as by far the worst in the league. The Raiders scampered for 152 yards (almost equaling their season output to this point) and two scores, including an 18-yard end-around by DJ Turner off the Cooper drop that made it a 20-10 ballgame.
The Browns did manage to fight back, with a Rodney McLeod II fumble recovery going 25 yards for a TD. Unfortunately, Dustin Hopkins' extra point try was no good, a result that would loom large as the clock wound down.
Even with all the screw-ups, Cleveland had their chances, and the biggest off all came with just over 10 minutes to play. With a defender running towards him, Watson threw deep and found a wide-open Cooper, who redeemed his earlier miscue with an 82-yard touchdown catch that looked to put the Browns ahead.
But alas, the play was nullified by a questionable holding call on backup center Nick Harris, just the most recent time this year that a flag has neutered the Browns' momentum. Back-and-forth punts followed before Cleveland got another shot, and they managed to get just 16 yards from the end zone after a long run by Jerome Ford.
Due to Hopkins' missed PAT, a field goal attempt to tie was not on the table. A touchdown was the only option.
First down? A botched snap from Harris deflects of Watson for a six-yard loss. Second down? Incomplete. Third down? Some progress on a 13-yard pass from Watson to Cooper.
On fourth down, Watson looked to his left but failed to find anyone (photos later showed Jerry Jeudy may have been open over the middle). As the pocket collapsed, he attempted to at least get the ball out, but was instead sacked by Charles Snowden.
Game over, Raiders win, and the Browns are off to their worst start since 2017. Since the 1970 merger, only 43 NFL teams have gone on to make the playoffs after going 1-3 to begin a season.
Cleveland finished the afternoon 3 of 10 on third downs, including 0 of 7 after the opening drive. The offense as a whole was held to only 241 yards (171 after the first drive) against a Raider group that had been giving up more than 370 per game.
Myles Garrett was limited as he continued to battle multiple leg injuries, but still managed a pair of sacks. Snowden hit Watson three times, and punter AJ Cole proved invaluable by averaging 58 yards per kick and keeping Cleveland perpetually backed up against its own goal line.
With the 2024 season hanging in the balance, the Browns will travel to Landover, Maryland, next Sunday for a showdown with the surprising 3-1 Washington Commanders.
