‘Tis the season for what? Watching games that no longer count for anything? Geez… is this 2025 season still going on?
For Cleveland Browns fans, we’re waiting for Santa to bring us a playoff-caliber roster that we can love, hug, and laugh when it gets wet and show off to our friends.
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When your team loses games by double digits, it’s hard to watch. But when that happens over and over again, you have to question everything.
Do we really need this aggravation? Wouldn’t it be easier to say: I’m a Mike Vrabel fan, so my team this year is the New England Patriots?
We all want to plan how many playoff tickets to buy and where the best seats are. Instead, we ended up with the figgy pudding and a box of fruitcake. Turn it into a box of sticky, disgusting goodies that no one wants anyway.
And so, we buy subscriptions and keep them. I tried to sell them game by game, but few accepted. And every message that floats is such a low offer that it’s cheaper to just go to the game and whistle and boo.
At the last shot, the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills won 23-20 and Cleveland left points on the field.
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So who played well for the Browns? Who doesn’t?
BROWNIES
The Browns’ first series – Every play, every block, every catch and run, and every decision on this drive to start the game worked perfectly. RB Quinshon Judkins for three nice runs of 11 yards in a row to TE Harold Fannin. QB Shedeur Sanders then hit WR Malachi Corley, who lateraled to Isaiah Bond for 21 yards. Seven-yard completion to WR Jerry Jeudy, then Judkins for three yards. Sanders then found Fannin all alone on the right flats, who did the rest of the work to find the end zone and a 7-0 lead. Eight plays, 69 yards, 4:18 on the clock and a third down conversion. Thing of beauty.
RB Raheim Sanders – On the Browns’ official depth chart, Sanders is listed as the fourth running back. But after Quinshon Judkins suffered a leg injury, it was Sanders who was thrust into the starting job. And did he act? In the third quarter, it was the “Raheim Sanders Show,” as the backline was the primary driver in getting the Browns inside the five-yard line that would eventually give Cleveland its second touchdown. On a third-and-two with 8:23 left in the third, he broke three tackles to get into Buffalo territory. On third-and-one, he gutted three yards up the middle and then ran nine yards behind the blocks of TEs Blake Whiteheart and Brendan Bates to the four-yard line. On the next play, another three yards to set up Harold Fannin’s score. Then suddenly the offense stopped using him. He finished with 11 carries for 42 yards with one reception for four yards.
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Third attempt efficiency – The Browns actually had something positive converting third down plays, as they went 8-14 in the game. No, it is not a printing error. Coming into this game, Cleveland ranked 30th in third down conversion at 31.6%.
LB Carson Schwesinger – Isn’t the rookie in almost every play? It seems so. He had 13 total tackles plus a valuable sack that forced a punt. Two hits from the QB. With 9:50 left in the third quarter, he hit TE Dalton Kincaid to force an incomplete pass on a third-and-eight. He even had a tackle on a kickoff.
LB Devin Bush – Had a bad missed tackle early in the second quarter, but was a force in pass coverage. Saved a touchdown after WR Khalil Shakir gained 18 yards in the second quarter. He nailed RB James Cook for a gain of just two yards early in the third quarter. He finished with nine tackles.
FRUNIES
Ticket opening campaign – Buffalo started on its own 20 and then made runs of seven, eight and 15 yards before completing a six-yard pass. Cook then went belly-up when Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate missed the tackle near the line of scrimmage, and Cook took off for a 44-yard score that took just 2:55 off the game clock.
RT KT Leveston – A holding call brought back a very good run by Judkins, a false start and then allowed LDE Greg Rousseau to have an outstanding day with 2.5 sacks. Horrible attempt at pass blocking. He had a decent running game, but can’t prepare against the faster defensive end. When Sanders went down at the one-yard line, it was Leveston who completely missed Rousseau. With 9:26 left in the third quarter, Leveston missed the block of safety, former Brown Jordan Poyer, who sacked Sanders easily. Rousseau finished with three tackles, 2.5 sacks and seven QB hits.
Lack of run defense – Bills running back James Cook had his way with the Browns. He had 100 yards on nine carries in the first half alone and scored a pair of touchdowns. His greatest achievements reached the stomach. Total of 133 rushing yards in the first half. The defense made adjustments in the half and Buffalo only gained 29 yards in the final two quarters.
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Missed tackles – Bush, Rex Sunahara, James Harden (2), Schwesinger, Diabate, Tyson Campbell, Alex Wright.
Receiver’s lack of play – Was the game plan to just not throw anything to receivers? Why are they no longer part of the offensive? Of the three best receivers in the game, none are wide receivers. Jeudy had four targets, three receptions for 12 yards. Yes, 12 yards. Cedric Tillman? One grab for eight yards. Malachi Corley had two catches for 11 yards. In total, Browns receivers had nine targets, six receptions for 31 yards and zero touchdowns. Oh.
Red Zone – Cleveland left a lot of points on the field. After Sanders exited the game with an injured pinkie, QB Dillon Gabriel entered on a third-and-goal, but fell in a scramble and kicked a field goal instead. Williams was nailed with Cleveland having a third-and-three at the Buffalo 16-yard line that ended that drive with another three points. Punter Corey Bojorquez mishandled the snap on the final play before the half that could have been another three. Cleveland was 2-4 in Red Zone appearances.
long passes – Does the scouting report on Sanders say he has a weak arm? The Browns never throw deep. All this speed with Jeudy and Corley and yet no serious threat. Sad.
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Lieutenant Cam Robinson – Had a decent first half, but as the game went on, he just collapsed in pass protection. He is easily fooled by internal movements. He completely missed Poyer, who had charged on first and 10 as Cleveland moved with 2:36 left in the game. His man Matt Milano had nine tackles and two QB hits.
Milk bones – What list? Mischievous? Nice? Or “can I explain”?
RB Quinshon Judkins – Had several big gains in the first half and was used quite a bit in the passing department before getting injured. Eight runs for 22 yards, two of which became first downs. With 10:58 left before the half, he caught a short pass and converted it for nine yards on the second-and-eight play. He then gained 16 yards on another completion that took the ball to the Buffalo 20-yard line. He had five receptions for 29 yards.
First half Myles Garrett – Everyone knew Garrett needed one more sack to tie the record for most sacks in a season. But Buffalo did not want this record to be tied or held against them. They used a tight end on almost every play to attack him, then had the left guard help LT Dion Dawkins so Garrett wasn’t a factor. Which was him. Garrett had zero tackles in the first half and zero sacks, zero QB hits and just one pressure. The closest it came was when QB Josh Allen fell in the end zone and DT Mason Graham tagged him first, but then it was announced that Garrett had been credited with a half-sack. Buffalo’s strategy was to take the offense to the opposite side, which worked very well. He finished the game with a tackle, a QB hit, a pressure and a half sack.
RB Trayveon Williams – With the success of Sanders running the ball in the third quarter, starting the fourth quarter, Williams inserted himself and responded well. He had a 26-yard completion that set up the Browns, followed by an 11-yard run into Buffalo territory. Three carries for 17 yards, but he led all receivers with four receptions for 38 yards in basically a quarter of the work.
QB Shedeur Sanders – Had two interceptions that altered the game. He lofted a bullet behind Judkins that ricocheted for an easy take. The second interception, he threw directly to DE Joey Bosa, who was already in the air for an easy hit. Sanders can run and gain valuable real estate, and he struggled quite a bit to make good gains while leading all Browns running backs with 49 yards. The first possession pass to Fannin was a strike. But he controls the runner coming out of the backfield too much for minimal gains, and has trouble finding receivers beyond the sticks on longer throws, which then turns into a punt. Excellent fight in the second quarter, where he avoided Rousseau and then Sanders gained 13 yards.
Nice touch on the screen pass to Williams for 26 yards in the fourth quarter as DT Deone Walker was about to level it. I would love to see what he could do without a “B” team offensive line in front of him. He finished 20-29 for 157 yards, an average completion rate of 5.4 yards, one touchdown, two picks, two sacks and a QB rating of 64.9.
Who are the winners and losers for the Browns in Week 16 against the Bills?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.