INDIANAPOLIS -- Every loss is bad, but this Cleveland Browns defeat pushes the machine toward tilt.

The Browns came to Indianapolis feeling like they could and would earn their first win of the season. Instead they were steamrollered in the first half en route to a 31-28 loss to the Colts that was far more one-sided than the final score would indicate.

The Colts were playing with a starting quarterback who joined the team after the preseason and was making the second start of his career. By halftime they led 28-7, and the second half was a frantic effort by the Browns to get back in the game.

The Browns may talk about being encouraged by the fight -- and it's valid -- but the big picture says this has to rank among the lows of the era of coach Hue Jackson, who badly needs a win to validate his belief, his talk and decisions made on behalf of his team. If the Browns are going to show they are improved, they need to go out and do it and stop talking about it.

Cleveland's receivers have yet to show they can make key plays consistently on offense. In a passing era, it’s tough to win without dependable receivers.

What it means: This loss is a whole new level of ugly for a Browns team that has gone 1-18 since Jackson was hired. The Browns and Colts both started the game winless, but in the first half the Browns made the Colts look like they were undefeated. For one thing, this game shows the minimal value of preseason play. The Browns talked big about their defense after four practice games, but that unit was burned for 260 yards and 28 points in the first half. As for the offense, the receivers aren’t reliable in catching the ball. Over and over, the receivers either dropped or failed to come up with key catches. The unofficial total had seven dropped passes for Browns receivers.

What I liked: DeShone Kizer rebounded from last week, when he was dealing with migraines, and he would have had a better game if he'd had more help from his receivers. Kizer (242 yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 interceptions) stood in the pocket and made enough throws to keep his team in the game. He also guided the Browns to two late scores to make the score respectable. His receivers had four drops in the first half alone. Arguably, the difference between Kizer and Jacoby Brissett was Brissett had T.Y. Hilton and Kizer did not.

What I didn’t like: Tough call on this one between the secondary and the receivers. Both groups were major contributors to the third loss in three games. Jamar Taylor struggled all day in coverage, and on some key plays Jabrill Peppers was late in arriving or simply missed tackles. On offense, the receivers let Kizer down several times. To top it off, two big throws Kizer made to Seth DeValve were wiped out by offensive pass interference penalties -- one on DeValve and one on Rashard Higgins, who added another later in the game. The Browns were penalized four times for offensive pass interference.

Fantasy fallout: Tight end David Njoku had his second touchdown reception in two games, this one off play-action inside the 5. Njoku clearly is the tight end the Browns want to look to in scoring situations, as his height and athletic ability make him a tough mismatch.

Players who stepped up and players who didn’t: Kizer’s numbers were hurt by the poor day of his receivers, though there were other moments when he threw some shaky passes. On the list of reasons the Browns lost, Kizer’s play does not rank high. ... Running back Duke Johnson had a nice touchdown run and 81 yards receiving. ... JC Tretter got into it with Colts safety Darius Butler after Butler was flagged for a late hit on a Kizer run. A couple of other linemen joined in the scrum of shouting. It was good to see a Browns player standing up for the team’s quarterback. ... Taylor especially was not up to the challenge of covering Hilton. ... Peppers had a tough day in deep coverage. ... Britt had a 38-yard reception in the first half but dropped two other passes and had a pass behind him tip off his hands that turned into an interception.

What’s next: The Browns return home to play the Bengals after being on the road for two weeks. A week ago, the Bengals game looked winnable. After this performance against the Colts, it’s tough to say any game is winnable.