CLEVELAND -- A confusing afternoon from Hue Jackson led to another tough-to-swallow loss for the Cleveland Browns, their fifth in five games.
In a 17-14 loss to the New York Jets -- a game in which the Browns outgained their opponent 419-212 -- Cleveland botched four first-half scoring opportunities, then Jackson A) changed quarterbacks at halftime, and B) bypassed a game-tying field goal early in the fourth quarter to go for a first down on fourth-and-2 from the Jets’ 4 and did not convert.
The Jets naturally turned that stop into a 97-yard touchdown drive against a Browns defense that had been playing well before that possession.
The bottom line: The Browns fell to 1-20 under Jackson, and the discontent about the team’s poor performances and losses is growing.
Jackson and the team have put owner Jimmy Haslam in a difficult spot. Haslam has vowed he will not knee-jerk another situation and will stress continuity, but as the losses mount and the dissatisfaction grows, Haslam has a challenge selling hope for a losing team.
Worse, a quarterback situation that seemed to be gaining clarity when the Browns went to DeShone Kizer to start the season has again become mysterious. Kizer played one half, threw one interception and went scoreless for the second game in a row.
Jackson went to Kevin Hogan in the second half and he produced a touchdown and another drive that had the ball inside the 5. That ended with the turnover on downs, which may have been deflating to a defense that watched the offense get into the red zone three times and three times fail to score. (The final TD came in desperation time and required the Browns to recover an onside kick to have a chance, which they didn't.)
The Browns started the season feeling good that they would take positive steps toward setting a foundation for future success.
The only steps they’ve taken have been into uncertain murkiness -- about many facets of the team.
What it means: The quarterback situation has again become messy. Jackson promised to stick with Kizer through all ups and downs and praised Kizer’s play against the Bengals as “lights out.” He lasted one half against the Jets. This leads to a lot of questions. Who starts the next game? Does this move rattle Kizer’s belief in his coach? What did Kizer suddenly start doing wrong after being praised so profusely in the previous two losses? What does the rest of the team think as this quarterback situation suddenly becomes muddled? Most importantly, will Hogan be No. 28 on the list of Browns starting quarterbacks since 1999?
What I liked: Hogan definitely seems more comfortable about where to go with the ball. He makes quicker reads and gets rid of the ball faster. He’s clearly a smart player and he has benefited from his one season in the league. Whether he can succeed in the long term remains to be seen, but he brings those abilities to the field.
What I didn’t like: The offense’s red zone struggles grew comically inept in the first half when the Browns botched four scoring chances. Zane Gonzalez missed two field goals, the second from 39 yards. In the red zone, Kizer and Isaiah Crowell did not hook up on an option snap on third-and-goal from the 3, and safety Marcus Maye stepped in front of a Kizer pass to Seth DeValve at the goal line for another turnover. All the turnovers and the offensive struggles led to Kizer being benched.
Fantasy fallout: David Njoku caught his third touchdown pass of the season. Njoku finished with three catches for 48 yards and looked more comfortable than he has all season. His size and strength will make him a dangerous end zone target all season.
Players who stepped up, players who didn’t: Myles Garrett started his NFL career with a sack up the middle on his first snap. Garrett played in passing situations and got his second sack with 1:49 left in the first half. But in the second half, Garrett did not see the field until Carl Nassib was injured. Garrett was not moving well the final two quarters. ... Gonzalez’s young career hangs in the balance. Gonzalez missed two field goals in the first half, from 52 and 39 yards, giving him three misses for the season. Teams typically aren’t patient with kickers, and a kicker’s confidence level can be fragile.
What’s next: The Browns travel to Houston and face Deshaun Watson, the quarterback they could have drafted with the 12th pick but didn't when they traded down for Houston's first-round pick in 2018.