Cleveland Browns vs Indianapolis Colts: What did we learn?

The Cleveland Browns lost once again and not surprisingly, this is their most frustrating lost so far in 2017.

It would have been nice to have seen the Cleveland Browns head into Week 3 with a 1-1 record. However, that did not become reality. Expecting them to do that would have been unfair given the talented teams they faced and how they are.

That said, Week 3 versus the Indianapolis Colts was the week that most fans expected Cleveland to win. They had their chances, but numerous mistakes were made throughout resulting in yet another loss for the franchise.

So, what did we learn from this week’s game?

The need for an OC was the most obvious to this point.

Head coach Hue Jackson has a lot on his plate. He is a very good QB coach and offensive coordinator, but as the lead man in charge of a developing and very youthful team doesn’t help his chances of success.

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If he had a coordinator to call plays, Jackson’s influence through coaching both individuals and specific units at a time would be beneficial.

Quarterback DeShone Kizer threw 47 times on Sunday while running backs Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell combined for just 14 carries! That is not going to cut it. Of course there goes into it more, thus the next lesson.

Defense cannot display such poor tackling, while also giving up the stats they did to bad teams.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has a lot of work to do. As confident as he may be in his defense, how does he allow his guys to give up plays Colts players didn’t have any business of making?

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett tore apart Cleveland’s defense like a surgeon. For a team that really just has wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, Brissett looked like he was a top quarterback on Sunday. There was no pass rush, which forced more pressure on the secondary to make plays, which did not happen.

Adding defensive end Myles Garrett will help the pass rush but the defense as a whole is in a position where not just one player can turn around a side of the ball. Cleveland’s defensive play put Kizer and company in a position that they had no other option to throw it.

Without consistency on at least one side of the ball, how can you expect to win?

The Browns were like a see-saw. When Cleveland did make a play on one side of the ball, the other failed in keeping up with the momentum. Kizer still needs to work on getting the ball out early but at the same time, he must reduce the turnovers.

If Kizer could trust his legs more when needed, the third and longs won’t occur as much. Then again, reliable targets in the passing game and a consistent running game are musts. Neither have happened yet and that has to change to help the rookie.

Changes at the WR position cannot be postponed any longer.

Wide receiver Kenny Britt surprisingly scored a touchdown. What is even more of a shocker though is that he caught the ball. Yet, he still had his share of drops and poor ran routes. Although Sammy Coates did not play, he is another player that has not helped the passing game.

Rashard Higgins and Ricardo Louis combined for only 20 yards. 20! Jordan Leslie made a nice catch (his first professional catch), but he wasn’t a factor at all.

With such limited options, the Browns should stop playing Britt and Coates as much as they can, while also limiting Coates and Louis’ snaps. No trade for an impactful player is going to happen any time soon so they have to shake the position up quite a bit.

Next: Too many mistakes in W3

Make Johnson, Leslie, Kasen Williams, and Seth DeValve as the main options for Kizer.

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