CLEVELAND — It was destined to end this way.
Christmas Eve. Sub-zero temperatures. A game of almost nothing. Give some hope. Collapse into the stretch. Put an end to your gambling hopes.
Ultimately, it should this That’s how Cleveland’s very slim playoff hopes (less than 1% going into Saturday’s game) were wiped out, with a 17-10 loss to New Orleans.
Browns Recommended Stories
The Browns have been inconsistent since the start of this season
On more than one occasion, I’ve written that it looks like Cleveland’s identity for a majority of 2022 is awaiting the return of Deshaun Watson, as he missed the first 11 games due to sexual misconduct allegations. and violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
But at the start of the season, it was the defense that was surprisingly where most of Cleveland’s problems were – there and the special teams, the units that were supposed to carry this team in Watson’s absence. At the start of the season, there were major communication breakdowns in the secondary. Then it became clear that the Browns were likely to get beaten to the ground up front. As a result, when Watson returned in Week 13 against the Texans, Cleveland handed him a 4-7 record.
As Watson made his comeback, however, needing to have the sea legs under him, it was clear he would need time to acclimate, to play like a top QB in that league the Browns thought he would. he was when they traded him.
But the problems ran deeper than the quarterback. He couldn’t be the band-aid that magically fixes the problems in other phases the Browns have had.
Against the Saints on Saturday, the Browns seemed poised for a win after taking a 10-0 second quarter lead. Watson looked good despite the freezing weather, and the Browns were eating time off the clock.
It looked like the Browns would be able to wear down New Orleans in the running game, but instead it was the other way around as the ghost of Christmas’s past came back to haunt Cleveland.
The Saints got on the board with a basket from Will Lutz just before halftime. Then the defense front was absolutely brutalized by Saints service man Taysom Hill to start the third quarter. He rushed for an 8-yard TD on New Orleans’ opener to tie the game at 9:40 of the quarter.
Alvin Kamara also came through the afternoon, finishing with 76 rushing yards on 20 carries, and ran for a 4-yard TD late in the third quarter that gave New Orleans a 17-10 lead. .
Watson and company did their best to be heroic.
With less than a minute remaining, Watson made back-to-back plays for 14 and 18 yards off David Bell and Amari Cooper, respectively, to get to the Saints 15-yard line. But then the quarterback threw three straight misses, including a ball that Donovan Peoples-Jones couldn’t correlate by getting pushed out of the corner of the end zone, and a ball that hit David Njoku at the chest. Watson was fired by New Orleans defensive end Carl Granderson to end practice and the game.
Given this year’s inconsistencies, it’s fitting that the Browns’ playoff hopes end early and that way.
For most of the year, it felt like the Browns were waiting for Watson, waiting for next year. Now they get their wish.
FanDuel Sports Betting
STATES: OHIO PRE-LAUNCH BONUS
GET A BONUS
$100
+ LAUNCH PROMOTION
With the arrival of FanDuel in Ohio, bettors in Ohio can start betting January 1st. 1. Other sports betting entering the state includes Sportsbook Bar Stool, Caesars and DraftKings.
If you or someone you know has questions and needs to speak to a gambling professional, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522. 4700.
0 Comments