What if I told you the Browns had a two touchdown lead heading into the fourth quarter but blew it and lost in overtime?
Since it’s the Browns, it’d be believable.
It happened today.
The Green Bay Packers (7-6) stormed back in the fourth quarter and overtime scoring 20 unanswered to beat the Cleveland Browns (0-13) by a final of 27-21.
Brett Hundley threw touchdowns to Davante Adams in the fourth quarter/overtime to keep the Packers playoff hopes alive.
The third year quarterback from UCLA is now 3-4 since taking over as the starter when Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone and he has progressed with each start. He finished the game 35 of 46 for 265 yards and three touchdown passes.
Adams, who Browns fans were watching as a potential free agent target this upcoming offseason got into Jason McCourty’s head all day long with 10 catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
Jamaal Williams who is coming on in his rookie season had his third game with 100 yards from scrimmage this season. He ran the ball 15 times for 49 yards and a touchdown and also had 7 catches for 69 yards including a 30 yard touchdown catch that he was wide open on when the coverage broke down for the Browns defense.
The Browns offense was dominant from the get go and was looking like it was heading towards a career game for DeShone Kizer. He connected with Josh Gordon and Duke Johnson for touchdown passes in the first half before rain bowing a ball to Corey Coleman at the end of the first half that resulted in an interception.
Kizer settled back down and found Corey Coleman for his third touchdown pass of the game which tied a rookie record for a Browns quarterback.
Then Kizer made a big time rookie mistake in the opening possession of overtime.
It wouldn’t have happened had the special teams not allowed a 65 yard punt return at the end of the 4th quarter that set up the game tying touchdown for Green Bay.
It was a horrible ending to what could’ve been a great game for Kizer but he took steps back again in a moment that he could’ve broke through in. Kizer finished the game 20 of 28 for 214 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
The running game was good today but once again Hue Jackson didn’t lean on it when it was needed the most. Granted Crowell didn’t get the first down that could’ve extended the drive but he was having his best performance with 19 carries for 121 yards but you need to the run the ball in situations to A) Keep Kizer Comfortable and B) Open things up in the passing game.
Josh Gordon came out of the gate like a house on fire with 3 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown, his first in almost four years but was non-existent in the second half.
Corey Coleman bounced back after a rough game against the Chargers with 5 catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Duke Johnson didn’t run the ball well but was a target in the passing game with 4 catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
One thing I takeaway from this game was the bad penalties.
Undrafted rookie Kai Nacua made his first career start and made maybe his first and last mistake with the Browns after he butt heads with Davante Adams which cost the Browns who forced the Packers into a 3 & Out but ended up with a penalty and automatic first down.
Mike Jordan and Jason McCourty both made big time illegal contact penalties which extended drives for Green Bay instead of getting the defense off the field so they get some rest when the offense was moving the ball.
If this was an audition for new general manager John Dorsey, it wasn’t good for players as well as the coaches.
Hue Jackson, Gregg Williams, Chris Tabor can’t play it safe now because Jimmy Haslam said they’re coming back for the 2018 season.
And the players still need to give a maximum effort on the field just because everyone is allegedly coming back. Dorsey is watching these players to decide who’s going to be apart of the Browns going forward.
0-16 is staring you right in the face and you can’t play it safe, you still need to find a way to win games regardless of potential draft position.
The Browns have now lost 14 in a row, 1-28 since the start of last season. and 4-46 since Thanksgiving 2014.
They play Baltimore (7-5) next week who beat Cleveland 24-10 in Week 2 earlier this season.