Let’s cut to the chase. The Cleveland Browns could have been 4-0 this season. Their 1-2-1 record for the first four weeks of the 2018 season is monumentally better than the same time period in the last two years.
The Cleveland Browns Could Be 4-0 to Start Their 2018 Campaign
But — laugh all you want — if you look at their Week 1, 3 and 4 games, Cleveland could easily have been 4-0. Look at the situations outlined by The Comeback’s David Lauterbach, and it’s not outlandish.
Week One vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-21 Overtime
While it was a relief for Browns fans not to lose a game in almost two years, it hurts to think that this should’ve been an outright win.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Cleveland came back from a 21-7 fourth quarter deficit to force overtime. But in the extra period, luck wasn’t on their side.
During overtime, the Steelers missed a 42-yard field goal with only 1:44 left. The Browns had a field goal opportunity with nine seconds left in overtime. It looked like Cleveland was going to win on a 43-yard field goal. But Zane Gonzalez’s kick was blocked and the game resulted in a tie.
Week Two vs. New Orleans Saints, 21-18
Once upon a time, Cleveland would’ve lost a game by a much bigger margin. However, close losses tend to hurt even more. The Browns once again held a big lead at the start of the fourth quarter, 12-3. As much as the entire team struggled, Gonzalez’s missed kicks loomed large once more.
After a 47-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Callaway on fourth down, Gonzalez missed an extra point that would’ve really shaken the Saints. The score remained 18-18.
New Orleans moved the ball swiftly down the field and kicked a field goal to take the lead, 21-18. When it was Gonzalez turn again, he missed it. What’s worse is that if he hadn’t missed earlier extra points, this would’ve secured a win for the Browns. Instead, the Saints walked away with the victory.
Week Four vs. Oakland Raiders, 45-42 Overtime
Still humming from their first win in two years against the New York Jets, the Browns were brimming with confidence. They led the Raiders almost the entire game and a win was almost certain. But when they were at 42-34 with just over one minute left in the fourth quarter, Oakland clawed their way back.
Very few would admit that rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield was in small part a reason for the team’s loss. He gave the ball away four times. But even the 2018’s most talked-about rookie has his bad days and can be forgiven.
The main reason for the loss? With 1:41 remaining, Carlos Hyde rushed for a first down, and the Browns would’ve ideally run the clock out. But after a replay review, it was decided Hyde was short of the first down.
The Browns punted, and that led to Oakland’s game-tying drive and overtime. The Raiders missed a field goal on their first possession but not their second, and alas, Cleveland yet again came away with a loss.
Since the start of the season, Cleveland has only been outscored by a total of two points, and their games have been decided by one score. However, coming into 2018, the team had only won four games in the past three seasons. We’re definitely looking at a very different team and one that is capable of winning. Now, we shall wait for their next win.
