The Cleveland Fan on Facebook

The Cleveland Fan on Twitter
Browns Browns Archive Brownie Bits: Week 3
Written by Jonathan Knight

Jonathan Knight

brownie elfUseless nuggets of information from Sunday’s Browns game that you can certainly live without…

THE SKID CONTINUES: The Browns have now lost nine straight games and 12 of their last 13. The losing streak is their longest since dropping 10 in a row in 2008/2009.

AWFUL O-LINE: The Browns’ primary weakness on offense on Sunday was its offensive line, which permitted four sacks and only allowed Cleveland to tally 33 rushing yards, 2.5 yards per carry. Tack on three holding penalties by the line (one of which was declined) and it goes down as one of its worst performances in recent memory.

AGAIN WITH THE HOME WHITES: This was the 10th straight home game in which the Browns wore their white jerseys. This is their longest home/white string since going with the whites for 36 straight home games between 1985 and 1989.

DISPARITY: The Browns’ defense is permitting an average of 392 total yards per game. Meanwhile, the offense is averaging nearly 100 less yards per contest at 296.

OUTSCORED BY THE TRIBE: Sunday marked the first time the Indians outscored the Browns in the same day since Sept. 27, 2009, when the Tribe trounced Orioles 9-0 while the Browns were throttled by the Ravens, 34-3. 

NO DAWSON: This was only the third game in Pat Shurmur’s tenure as Browns’ head coach in which the Browns did not kick a field goal.

OH-AND-THREE REDUX: This marks the fifth time in the last seven years the Browns have started 0-3, the eighth time overall. The best record they’ve finished with after starting 0-3 is 5-11 (1984, 2009, 2010), and - since this topic is obviously on fans’ minds - their head coach was replaced either during or immediately after three of those eight seasons.

POINTS AT A PREMIUM: The Browns have been held to 17 points or less in seven of their last eight games. They’ve also failed to score more than 17 points in their last 12 home games.

WELL-PLACED: Reggie Hodges and the Browns’ punting team only averaged 35.8 net yards on eight punts, but placed three of them inside the Buffalo 20.

WINNING TRIP ALONG THE LAKE: The Bills hadn’t won in Cleveland since 1995, though this was only the second time they’ve played here since the Browns’ return. The previous three meetings had all been in Buffalo (2008, 2009, and 2010).

OFFENSIVE MISTAKES: The Browns’ offense was penalized for false starts twice on Sunday, making it four times in their last two games. They were also flagged for holding twice against the Bills (a third was declined) - pushing their total to five in the last two weeks.

WEEDEN WATCH: After his infamous 5.1 in Week 1, Brandon Weeden has pushed his season passer rating up to 60.7.

TOOTHLESS: The Browns' defense managed only one sack, one tackle for a loss, and one quarterback hit. Both the tackle for loss and quarterback hit were delivered by Jabaal Sheard.

ANOTHER OMINOUS STREAK CONTINUES: This was the 25th straight home game in which the Browns failed to draw 70,000 fans. It's their longest string since going 29 straight home games from 1953 to 1958.

CASHING IN: The Browns’ initial touchdown on Sunday marked the first time this season they’d scored a touchdown after penetrating their opponents’ 20-yard-line. They’d crossed the 20 three times in their first two games without reaching the end zone. 

SEPTEMBER SLUMP: Over the past five years, the Browns have lost 13 of their 16 September games.

NOWHERE FAST: The Browns' offense sputtered to four three-and-outs on Sunday, bringing their season total to 11. Combined with their seven turnovers, more than a third of their possessions have ended either in a turnover or a three-and-out.

TRENT’S TOUCHES: Trent Richardson had 18 touches in Sunday’s game, down from his 20 and 23 in the first two games, respectively. His 2.2 yards per carry average was essentially identical to his clip in the opener against the Eagles.

BUFFALO BLOCKADE, PART 1: Before Trent Richardson’s touchdown scamper just before the half, the Browns hadn’t scored a touchdown in their previous nine quarters against the Bills. In their last eight meetings with Buffalo, the Browns have scored only six touchdowns while kicking 15 field goals.

IMPROVEMENT: After his miserable debut in which he threw an interception every nine attempts, Brandon Weeden tossed 70 consecutive passes without an interception until throwing two in the final five minutes of Sunday’s game. (A Buffalo pick in the second quarter was wiped out on a penalty.)

SEPTEMBER SURPRISE: This marked the first time in their 40-year rivalry that the Browns and Bills had ever played in the month of September.

BALL CONTROL WHEN IT COUNTS: The Browns' opponents have held the football for more than 31 minutes in the fourth quarter of their three games. The Browns have controlled the ball for not quite 14 minutes in the fourth quarter.

PAR FOR THE COURSE AT THE FACTORY OF SADNESS: The Browns have now lost nine of their last 12 home games.

BUFFALO BLOCKADE, PART 2: The Browns had been held under 10 points in four of their previous five games with the Bills. And the Cleveland offense had failed to score a touchdown in five of the previous seven meetings.

ALL-TIME: The Browns still lead all-time series with the Bills, 11-7.

DON’T SEE IT THIS YEAR, EITHER: The Browns have never posted a winning record in a season in which they lost to the Bills. Conversely, in all three of the previous seasons in which the Bills won a game in Cleveland, they made the playoffs.

You can also get more nuggets of Cleveland sports whimsy/history/misery and book information/updates by following JKnightWriter on Facebook.

The TCF Forums