The Cleveland Browns had every chance to open their season with a win, but Sunday’s 17-16 loss to the Bengals left them searching for answers. Two missed kicks, dropped passes that turned into interceptions, and a non-existent run game spoiled an otherwise strong defensive effort. Now the focus quickly shifts to Week 2 in Baltimore, where the challenges will only grow tougher.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski did his best to strike a measured tone on Monday. He backed first-year kicker Andre Szmyt despite his costly misses and stressed that the Browns have plenty to build on. At the same time, the reality is simple. If Cleveland repeats the same mistakes against the Ravens, they risk falling into an early season hole.
Kicker controversy adds early pressure
Szmyt’s debut was supposed to end in celebration. Instead, it became the defining story of Week 1. He made his first NFL extra point and a 45-yard field goal late in the first half, but he also missed an extra point and a 36-yard potential game-winner with just over two minutes left. Both attempts went wide right.
The Browns parted ways with veteran Dustin Hopkins to give Szmyt the job. Stefanski emphasized on Monday that the team still trusts him, but the margin for error in the NFL is small. The Browns are likely to bring in kickers for workouts this week, keeping a backup plan ready. Fans will not be forgiving if another game slips away on missed kicks.
Offensive struggles raise bigger concerns
While the missed field goals grabbed headlines, Cleveland’s offense did not do enough to finish drives. Joe Flacco threw for 290 yards and moved the ball well at times, but he attempted 45 passes because the ground game disappeared. The Browns rushed for just 49 yards on 24 carries, a meager 2.0 yards per attempt. Jerome Ford averaged only 1.3 yards on six attempts and rookie Dylan Sampson managed 2.4 yards on twelve carries.
Help could be on the way. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins may return soon, depending on the outcome of the NFL’s review of his offseason legal situation. His physical style can give the Browns the balance they lacked on Sunday. Until then, the offense may continue to lean heavily on Flacco and the short passing game, a formula that limits explosive plays and demands near perfect execution.
The offensive line also showed mixed results. Tackle Dawand Jones faced Trey Hendrickson most of the afternoon and gave up one sack and three hits on the quarterback. Switching Jones to left tackle was expected to come with a learning curve, but the Browns will need faster progress if they want to compete with Baltimore’s front.
Defense provides reason for optimism
If there was a bright spot, it came on the defensive side. After giving up a touchdown on the opening drive, Jim Schwartz’s unit allowed just 74 net yards the rest of the way and held Cincinnati to seven total yards in the second half. Edge rusher Myles Garrett delivered two sacks in a dominant fourth-quarter series, while rookie Isaiah McGuire added another.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II returned to the starting lineup and locked down Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase, who was targeted twice against him and came away with no catches. Newsome also broke up one pass as Garrett drilled Joe Burrow at the line. The group looked fast, physical, and relentless, even without generating takeaways.
The next step is turning pressure into turnovers. The Browns have now gone ten games with only one win, a trend that will not change without short fields and momentum-shifting plays.
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Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
What comes next
The Browns do not have time to dwell on what might have been. They travel to Baltimore in Week 2 to face a Ravens team that blew a late lead in a 41-40 loss to Buffalo but remains one of the AFC’s most complete squads. The matchup sets up as a physical divisional battle, the type of game where small mistakes can swing the outcome.
Stefanski believes his team will improve as younger players settle into bigger roles and chemistry builds on offense. That growth must happen quickly. The Ravens, Packers, and Lions are waiting on the schedule, three defenses stronger than the one the Browns just faced.
Sunday’s narrow loss showed that Cleveland can compete, but it also reinforced how thin their margin is. To avoid another September slide, the Browns need Szmyt to regain his confidence, the offensive line to open running lanes, and the defense to keep dictating the game. If those changes arrive, hope can return. If not, a season that began with optimism could unravel before it truly begins.
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Ellis Williams is a veteran NFL beat reporter with experience covering the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, and Minnesota Vikings. ... More about Ellis Williams