Gameday Thread: Cleveland Browns vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Cleveland Browns host the Seattle Seahawks in the last game before the team's bye week. Seattle's coming off of a longer week to prepare, playing on Thursday Night Football last week while the Browns are coming off of a shorter week, having played on Monday Night Football.
The Browns are looking for their first win at home this season while the Seahawks only loss came in Seattle at the hands of the New Orleans Saints.
A win and the Browns head into the bye week 3-3 with a lot of reasons to be optimistic. They are getting players back from injury and prepare for a much easier slate of games, where they could make a big move in the AFC playoff picture as well as for the division title.
A loss doesn't mean the Browns will be unable to do any of those things, but it will be two weeks of questions ranging from the head coach to trades to individual players.
The Browns find themselves without both Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams again as they will continue to rest their hamstrings with the hope of having them healthy after the bye week when the team travels to play the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Genard Avery's misuse continues as he is once again inactive.
The Browns do get back Rashard Higgins and he, Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Antonio Callaway are all active today, which is hopefully good news for the Browns. As a result, Damion Ratley has been put on the inactive list.
The Seahawks will be missing their best offensive linemen in Duane Brown as well as a starting guard in D.J. Fluker. This hopefully enables the Browns defensive line, coming off a humilating performance against the San Francisco 49ers, will be able to put pressure on Russell Wilson the entire game. Wilson is the best quarterback going, but at least preventing him from playing on schedule would be huge, especially in light of their missing corners.
The Seahawks will also be without Rashaad Penny, which likely means more Chris Carson and the possibility of seeing C.J. Prosise and Travis Homer in the backfield.
If the Browns are able to control the line of scrimmage on defense and make the Seahawks one-dimensional, it will give them their best chance to cause Wilson to turnover the ball for the first time this season and give their offense as many chances as possible to find their footing and success.
First Quarter
Seattle won the toss and deferred, so the Browns will start with the ball
The Browns finally get a nice return on a kickoff and had it not been for a stumble on an attempted cut, Dontrell Hilliard might have scored. The Browns still start on the Seahawks 23 yard line
Browns go with a couple of quick hitches flanking a run by Chubb gets the Browns inside the 10. Mayfield getting the ball out quickly early on, which is a good sign.
Nick Chubb runs off tackle, makes a cut to the corner and scores. Ideal start for the Browns, who are finding some early success pulling their linemen to create space for Chubb. Browns score first. 7-0.
Seahawks start on their own 25 off of a touchback, come out with a playaction off of a stretch play and a dump off to the fullback to get to the Browns 50.
Russell Wilson completes a quick slant to D.K. Metcalf on 3rd-and-2, who breaks a tackle and drags a defender all the way down to the Browns 12 yard. Browns showing little resistance to this point to the Seahawks passing game
Browns defense doesn't account for Russell Wilson at all and he scrambles up the middle and into the end zone easily. Seahawks miss the extra point. Browns lead 7-6, but the defense has to do better against the passing game if they have any intention of winning this game.
Dontrell Hilliard returns the kickoff to the 32-yard line. Browns opting to spread the Seahawks defense out, handing the ball to Chubb with fewer in the box for 5. They follow that up with a slant to Antonio Callaway that gets them near midfield. Browns going quick tempo.
After a check down to Nick Chubb, Mayfield goes with a hitch to Odell Beckham for his first official catch. The previous one was negated by accepting an offsides penalty. Mayfield then goes to Jarvis Landry on an arrow for 3.
After being unable to complete a quick fade to Callaway, Mayfield throws a ball slightly behind Odell Beckham, who drops it on the right side of the field.
Browns go for it on 4th-and-7 and complete a deep out to Landry that keeps the drive alive, gets it down to the 12. 27 yard gain on the connection. Huge play. Browns were in no man's land, didn't hesitate to go for it. And it paid off for Freddie Kitchens. Browns offense looks confident.
Mayfield scrambles up the middle for his own touchdown from 10 yards out. Like with Wilson, no one accounted for Mayfield. Easy score. Big drive for a team trying to develop an identity and figure out who they are. Browns lead 14-6.
Russell comes right back out firing the ball, getting a first down on a pass to Chris Carson. On the plus side, he has thrown a pass that hit the ground, so he is fallible.
The Browns finally get to Russell Wilson with pressure. Myles Garrett gets his eighth sack of the season. Usually, he has to win immediately and get the quarterback quickly. This was more of a coverage sack. That forces 3rd-and-9 and the Browns force a pass short of the sticks, which is dropped. The Seahawks opt to punt.
The Seahawks punted from their own 39, which is painful for any team. They don't trust their kicker and the Browns take over at their own 8.
Mayfield completes a pivot route of sorts to Beckham creating space for the offense, moving the ball nine yards.
Nick Chubb runs through the right guard off an inside zone and explodes for a 52-yard run to end the first quarter. The Browns offense is rolling with a balanced attack as they take a 14-6 lead to the second quarter with great position to extend their lead.
Browns had 148 yards of total offense in the first quarter, which does not include the kickoff return by Hilliard.
Second Quarter
Browns up the second quarter with a playaction that has Mayfield find Ricky Seals-Jones wide open in the right quarter who goes in for the easy touchdown. The 31-yard strike gives the Browns a 20-6 lead. Seibert misses the extra point.
The drive was 92-yards in all and it all started with the Seahawks being forced to punt at the Browns 39. That could be massive in determining the game's outcome.
After initially looking like they might get Carson down in the backfield, Browns draw a holding call on Eric Murray, which moves the Seahawks back to 1st-and-19. They follow that up with a pre-snap penalty making it 1st-and-24.
Seahawks then run an almost give up draw play. 2nd-and-22. Wilson then responds with a pass to Tyler Lockett, which gets almost a first down, but a personal foul on Larry Ogunjobi for roughing the passer gives them the first down and then some. Wilson took advantage of Myles Garrett rushing inside, allowing him to roll out, extend the play and complete the pass.
Chris Carson runs the ball, breaks Morgan Burnett's ankles and moves the ball 23 yards. C The play put Burnett on an island, he stopped and froze up.
Damarious Randall gets his second sack of the season on a blitz that sets up a key third down. Pressure causes Wilson to get rid of the ball earlier than he wanted before Will Dissly got out of his break and the ball lands incomplete. Dissly still down after the play. It will be 4th-and-9, likely leading to a Seahawk field goal attempt. Dissly had to be helped off the field.
The Seahawks connect on a 38-yard field goal from Jason Myers, which brings the score to 20-9.
So far, Mayfield has completed 8 passes to 6 different receivers. Beckham and Landry have caught 2 each. He has 102 yards passing to this point.
On 3rd-and-9, Mayfield for the second time is unable to connect with Beckham on an out route. The ball was slightly behind, again. It was on Beckham right out of his break.
Seahawks block the Browns punt and take over the ball on the Browns 20, completely changing the complexion of the game.
Will Dissly has been announced out with an Achilles injury. Devastating loss for the Seahawks.
On 2nd-and-17, Wilson connects with Metcalf on a drag route and he gets all the way to the Browns 8, giving them first and goal.
Browns manage to hold on their two-yard line, forcing the Seahawks to make a decision on 4th-and-2.
They opt for a 20-yard field goal attempt, which Myers makes. The punt block could've been devastating, but the Seahawks only get the 3 points, making it 20-12. It's only a one score game, but it's not as bad as it could've been.
So much of this game hinges on key decisions by the Seahawks. Punting on their own 39, which the Browns turned into a 92-yard touchdown drive. Settling for a field goal on 4th down at the Browns 2 yard line. Those could be decisions that haunt the Seahawks if the Browns can come out with a victory.
Browns come out and complete a pass to first down to Ricky Seals-Jones, putting the Browns on their own 36. They follow up with another completion, this time to Odell Beckham for another first down, getting the ball to the Seahawks 46.
Mayfield is intercepted on an attempted slant where Beckham was jammed off the line and couldn't get to his spot. The Browns are sending a lot of passes at Beckham and the results have been mixed to say the least. The Seahawks have another opportunity to punish the Browns for a big mistake.
Browns defense holds the Seahawks to their first 3 and out of the game. The Seahawks punt into the end zone for the touchback. Mayfield's interception goes unpunished as the Browns take over at their own 20.
Browns go playaction again and Mayfield sees Beckham late and doesn't get off the greatest pass in the world from a velocity standpoint. Nevertheless, Beckham goes up and gets the ball with a defender coming underneath. It's being challenged, but this looks like a Hail Mary challenge that's not likely to win, but lets the defense get organized to defend this drive.
The play is upheld. It's a 41-yard reception.
After a substantial drought, Chubb finally gets his seventh carry of the game. He has 71 yards to this point. He then powers his way down near the first down marker on the eighth.
Mayfield goes for the quick sneak and converts the first down at the 28.
Mychal Kendricks barely tips a pass away from Ricky Seals-Jones, which would've gone for a touchdown.
Mayfield does a terrific job in the pocket on 3rd-and-4, maneuvers around and finds Callaway for the first down as the 2 minute warning hits.
Mayfield throws his second interception. It's a horrible throw by Mayfield, who was off balance and rushed his mechanics. The ball was behind Landry, tipped up and intercepted by Tedric Thompson. The Browns had a massive opportunity to take a bigger lead. Those are the plays that lose games.
Mayfield has been so good for much of this game, but a pair of costly mistakes threaten to nullify much of it.
Russell Wilson showing why he's the best quarterback in the NFL as he easily drives the Seahawks down the field.
Myles Garrett gets to Wilson again, but it's called offsides.
Wilson gets absolutely drilled but makes a beautiful pass to the corner of the end zone for a touchdown to Jaron Brown. The pressure forced Wilson to throw to a spot and hope his receiver could get to it, which he did.
The Seahawks decide to go for 2. They went for a cut back run with C.J. Prosise, who is stopped short. 20-18.
The Browns mount a late drive and get an opportunity for a Hail Mary, but it falls incomplete. The Browns take a 20-18 to the half, which feels fortunate considering the events of the second quarter.
Halftime
The story of the game has been the lack of aggression by the Seahawks against the Browns turnovers. Pete Carroll has been conservative with a decision to kick a field goal on 4th-and-goal from the 2 and punted from the Browns 39 yard line. The Browns took the ensuing drive 92 yards for a touchdown.
The Browns meanwhile have had a punt blocked and Mayfield has thrown a pair of interceptions. That blocked punt resulted in a Seahawks field goal, which is a relatively light punishment. The second interception was in the opposing end zone for the second week in a row, which was then turned into a Seahawks touchdown. A massive swing of points. If they just get a field goal there, they have a 23-12 lead with the Seahawks getting a drive before the half. As it is, the game is now 20-18.
So much of the Browns success is dictated by their ability to stay out of negative plays. When they've done it, they've moved the ball at will and scored a lot of points. The mistakes have been costly and rather than a commanding lead, they find themselves in a dog fight where everything has been going the Seahawks since the Browns got to 20.
Coming out of the half, the hope is the Browns get back to mixing up the run and the pas with how good Nick Chubb has been and that Mayfield can be aggressive without being reckless.
The problem is the Browns have allowed the Seahawks to hang around and now they receive the ball coming out of the half.
Mayfield has 211 yards passing. Chubb has 79 yard rushing on 9 carries. That's going to be difficult to sustain. They must stop turning the ball over if they are going to win this game The Seahawks have 279 total yards and haven't turned the ball over, save for maybe the punt on the Browns 39.
Third Quarter
Seahawks open up the second half with a reverse to Metcalf. He is a load with the ball in his hands, but it only goes for 4.
A holding penalty backs the Seahawks up to 2nd-and-16. Myles Garrett is then able to get his second sack of the game; another coverage sack as Wilson tries to escape up the middle.
That now gives Garrett a tie for the league lead at 9. And yet, no matter how good he is, there are fans who will always complain he's not good enough.
After a Seahawks punt, the Browns open up with a run to Nick Chubb, but a defender gets penetration and stops him for a loss of 2. After another run by Chubb for six, Mayfield drops back to pass, sees nothing but space in front of him and scrambles for the first down, now at the Seahawks 48.
Browns go with a favorite RPO with Mayfield pulling the ball and throwing a slant to Odell Beckham for another first down.
It's been an incredibly bumpy ride to get there, but Beckham has eclipsed 100 yards on 7 receptions.
Baker Mayfield appears to be playing hurt. Chris Hubbard is called for a holding penalty that puts the Browns back at 2nd-and-20.
The Browns go to a screen to Nick Chubb, which the Seahawks read well and Ziggy Ansah is able to come from behind, chop down on the ball, knock it out and recover. Another turnover when the Browns are deep in Seahawks territory.
Mayfield now headed to the locker room to be evaluated. Unclear what for. He was grabbing at something between plays.
Russell Wilson leads the Seahawks right down the field. Myles Garrett got another big pressure on Wilson that led to an incomplete pass, but Wilson responded by throwing a touchdown pass. Despite an ugly kick, the extra point was good. It's 25-20 Seahawks.
Baker Mayfield is going to play, despite obvious hip discomfort.
After a run by Chubb, Mayfield finds Beckham on a slant that goes for a big gain, but is called back due to an ineligible man down field by Hubbard.
Browns follow that up by a quick pass to Chubb, but Jarvis Landry is called for an illegal blindside block, which is absolutely horrendous. Landry's block was in the opponent's chest. A bad rule, it's bit the Browns twice this season and both were wrong.
A debacle of officiating, the Browns were pushed back to 3rd-and-22 instead of being 3rd-and-short. Mayfield scrambles and gets 15 yards, probably should've gone out of bounds quicker or slid, but he fought for more yardage.
The Browns get a great punt that flips the field. They are now battling the Seahawks, poor officiating and pain in a one score game at this point.
If Mayfield is suffering from a hip pointer, it would explain the pain and why he's able to continue playing. Incredibly painful, it would not be something he can really make worse. And it would take a few weeks to recover from as the Browns have their bye after this week.
Browns finally force their first turnover as on 3rd-and-1, they stop C.J. Prosise in the backfield, causing the fumble and recovering. Olivier Vernon knocked the ball out and Devaroe Lawrence recovered it.
Browns go back to the RPO look, Mayfield tried to throw the slant, which went high, but an unblocked Jadeveon Clowney led with the crown of his helmet, which necessitated a roughing the passer call.
Chubb gets the handoff going outside to the left and gets down to the Seahawks 22. Eric Kush is down being looked at after the play with an injury.
Wyatt Teller comes in to replace him at right guard. They run to the left on 2nd-and-2, getting nowhere, but that ends the third quarter. Browns still down 25-20, but in position to potentially take the lead.
Fourth Quarter
Eric Kush has come back into the game at right guard.
The Browns run a clunky looking run to Chubb on a fake jet sweep. It looked like giving the jet would've been great in hindsight. Browns now face 4th-and-3. They look to be going for it, but a timeout has been called.
A field goal gets them little if anything here, so going for it is the right choice.
Browns go with a pass out of the backfield to Dontrell Hilliard, but it looked like he was tackled short. It'll be close, but it's probably going to be the Seahawks ball. It was still the right call to go for it, whether they got this or not.
The Browns are given the first down. Huge call. Browns rewarded for being aggressive again. Two fourth down conversions so far this gave extended drives. The first led to a touchdown. The Browns need that here as well.
Chubb runs to the 13 yard line, gaining 7 yards on first down. They go to another screen to Chubb to the right. The Seahawks, once gain, read it well and it nets the Browns just a yard, setting up a key 3rd-and-2. They likely approach this with the attitude they have two attempts here.
The Seahawks Kyle Woods jumps offside, giving the Browns a free first down.
Another outside run to Chubb. These have been extremely hit and miss and this one got them almost nothing.
A quick arrow to the Landry with a couple blockers in front of him gets them down by the goal line. Again, two plays to get into the end zone.
A terrible third down play call, the Browns go with a quick fade to Beckham that never had a chance. Abysmal. Wasted play. Now it's 4th-and-goal.
Mayfield snaps the ball quickly while the Seahawks are running a man off the field, appearing to get the call there, taking a free play, but the play was a quick pass that was a mess and a flag came down in the end zone.
The quick pass was to Landry, who reached the ball out and had it knocked out. Kitchens thought he broke the plane before the ball was knocked out.
They call 12 men on defense, which moves them half the distance and replaying the down. It's on the one if it's even that far away. Kitchens calls timeout as he's furious with the officials about the play clock.
The Browns weren't forced to take a timeout after all. They line up for 4th down and as the play is going off, which looks like it would've easily scored on an off tackle play to Chubb, Kitchens challenges the result of the quick pass, believing Landry did score, which appeared to be replaying on the scoreboard with the crowd reacting like it was a touchdown.
The call is upheld. The Browns lose the challenge.
If in fact the Browns score a touchdown, they need to go for 2. 26-25 or 27-25 are of little consequence. 28-25 would at least make it so a field goal would only be for the tie.
The fourth down play call is a run that goes sideways initially as the play was bubbled back and Chubb has nowhere to go. Actually lost a yard. Seahawks take over at their own 2.
On 1st down, Olivier Vernon is able to get a tackle for loss on Chris Carson, pushing them back to the 1.
Wilson then tries to go with a fade over the top that doesn't connect. On third, they go for Metcalf down the sideline. The route wasn't run very well, the pass was short and dropped.
Punting from their own 1, the Seahawks shank the punt and the ball comes off Michael Dickson's foot. The Browns take over at the 24.
On the first play, Chubb goes left on a counter, breaks a tackle and gets down inside the 5-yard line. They reward Chubb by giving the ball back to him and this time, he finds the end zone, making a cut inside and reaching the ball across the goal line.
The Browns must go for 2.
The 2-point conversion, the Browns go for a pass out of a right trips formatin. Mayfield holds onto the ball looking to his right, comes back to the left and finds Demetrus Harris in the back of the end zone. There was a flag on the play, but it was defensive holding. The try is good. The Browns now lead 28-25 with 9:02 left in the fourth quarter.
Chubb now at 20 carries for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The game remains to be determined, but one of the key factors continues to be fourth down decisions. The Browns have been far more aggressive and right now, it's a big reason they have the lead.
For the second time today, Morgan Burnett has been right by Carson running the ball, stopped, didn't pull the trigger on a tackle attempt and watched him run by, this time for 5 yards.
The following play, Wilson extends play, rolls right and finds Metcalf on the sideline for a spectacular toe tap catch.
Burnett blitzes and gets pressure on Wilson, but he's called for a horse collar as he grabs on the nameplate of Wilson's jersey, which is the way the rule is written now.
Carson embarrasses the Browns as he watches multiple tackling efforts go for nought. The most egregious for Jermaine Whitehead, but Mack Wilson and Damarious Randall got to whiff as well.
Wilson drops back, recognizes man coverage immediately and a hole, immediately scrambles down to the Browns 20. Now 3rd-and-5.
Mayfield makes a great throw on an arrow route to Lockett to get the first down. Terrific execution.
Wilson follows that up by scrambling to his right, finding Lockett in the middle of the field, who's able to find a hole in the defense on the secondary effort, getting into the end zone. The Browns had it covered until the second effort.
After review, they call it short, putting them on the goal line, so Carson runs into the end zone the very next play. Myers connects on the extra point, making it a 32-28 game, so the Browns must get in the end zone.
Mayfield and the Browns will take the ball at the 25 with 3:30 left to play and two timeouts. The clock shouldn't be an issue for the Browns.
Browns open up trips right running Chubb to the left, but Greg Robinson gets a holding call moving them back 10 right off the bat.
Mayfield then connects with Seals-Jones for five yards.
Mayfield throws a ball behind Dontrell Hilliard, which is tipped up and intercepted. This effectively ends the game. Not a great pass, but one Hilliard should've caught.
This game is all about unforced errors. The Browns had a punt blocked, which has a win rate of around 90 percent associated with it and then turned the ball over four times in the game. The Seahawks largely won this game by not making unforced errors and hanging around. The Browns were up 20-6 early in the second quarter, then were outscored 26-8 from that point forward.
In the end, Russell Wilson showed why he's the best quarterback in the NFL and Baker Mayfield, while incredibly gifted, is going through growing pains in year two, including whatever is wrong with his hip heading into the bye week.
Seahawks 32 Browns 28. Final.
