Browns Game Recap: Ugly win still a win in this week’s 3 Good and 3 Bad

Conclusion

The Browns got lucky. That’s the best way to put it, they got lucky. Baker Mayfield had the same type of game Case Keenum had against Denver, where the running game bailed him out. Now, Keenum played in pristine conditions and was healthy, Mayfield didn’t. So they’re not identical to one another but the games aren’t too far off from one another. One of the big issues that the Browns and Mayfield had to deal with all day is the terrible weather.

That caused a lot of issues on the offense, but maybe nothing affected them more so than their offensive line play. Winning matchups isn’t enough when you’re committing costly penalties that don’t just erase huge gains but also set you back significantly as well.

There’s no easy fix for the Browns’ offensive line woes, as it’s about discipline. The team, as a whole, lacks it. They had another 10 penalties on the day, and that just can’t keep happening.

Defensively, the Lions still exploited the Browns, and nearly mounted a comeback. The Lions were without Jared Goff and had no real playmakers besides D’Andre Swift, and the Browns still had a tough time trying to stop him. Worst yet, Swift hasn’t been playing great this year, and to see what he did to the Browns defensively is even worse.

The Browns did get the win, even if it was an ugly win, and moved to 6-5 on the season. The Browns have a huge game against the Ravens next week, and then they finally get their bye week, which couldn’t come soon enough.

The issues the Browns have were magnified and enhanced against the Lions and the coaches have to find a way to shore up the penalties. They’re the biggest issue with the Browns offense. Mayfield had a rhythm going in the second quarter, which was also the quarter the Browns offense played their most mistake-free football.