Despite coming away with their third straight win of the season, it goes without saying that the Cleveland Browns had their offensive struggles on Sunday. Even though Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and Rashard Higgins all played well, Baker Mayfield was definitely having an off day after playing lights out for the Browns the past couple of games. He had a few blown opportunities to Odell Beckham Jr. and Austin Hooper who were both wide open and would've kept the chains moving for the Browns.
On the flip side, their defense had another big game and disrupted the flow of the offense of the Minnesota Vikings all game long. With their third win of the season and a ton of football still left to play, there's no denying that the Browns have a lot of work to do ahead of next weekend's matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Let's now take a look at the two biggest takeaways from the Browns' hard-fought win over the Vikings in Week 4.
Needs more production from highly talented offense
After seeing Mayfield go 15-for-33 on just 155 yards passing and no touchdowns, it would be an understatement to say that he had a subpar game, considering he has led the NFL in completion percentage through the first three weeks of the season. Not to mention Beckham, Hooper, David Njoku, Demetric Felton, and Anthony Schwartz all underperformed for the Browns on Sunday.
They were missing Jarvis Landry but outside of him, they still of a ton of depth and talent on offense that they need to better utilize and take advantage of. Heading into their Week 5 game against the up-and-coming Chargers, the Browns will have to step up offensively if they want to come away with another win and claim the top spot in the AFC North.
The defense has been stellar all season
In their close win against the Vikings, the Browns had a balanced attack on defense with Malcolm Smith, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Myles Garrett, and Andraez Williams all pitching in to make some big stops. Williams also came up with a huge interception that helped turn things around for the Browns on Sunday.
The offense may seem a bit inconsistent at times, but their defense has been a mainstay and has brought the heat every weekend. Even during their Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Browns defense brought it all game long. Hoping to win the AFC North title and make another deep postseason run this season, their defense will be really crucial.
In their quest to make their first Super Bowl appearance since 1964, the Browns will look to build on their early season success and make a big splash next weekend. Looking to nab their fourth straight win of the season, watch out for the Browns to make a statement in their Week 5 faceoff with the explosive Chargers.
Follow Us
Subscribe