Another Week, Same Problems For Browns Offense In 34-13 Loss To Commanders

The Cleveland Browns amassed just 212 yards of total offense, converted one third down in embarrassing loss to the Washington Commanders

Oct 6, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is hit by Washington Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) while throwing the ball during the second quarter at NorthWest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Sound the alarms. Put the town on alert. Hit the panic button.

The Cleveland Browns season has officially reached critical mass following a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders. And of all four of the team's ugly, sloppy and down right embarrassing losses this season, Sunday's was the worst.

Forget the fact that it took until the 7:00 minute mark of the fourth quarter for the Browns to find the end zone. Or the fact that they scored just six points over more 50 minutes of fame action and just 13 points in total – down from their 16 points per game average they entered Sunday with.

It's the fact that the offense was outgained more than two-to-one for the game at a margin of 434-212. That they were 1-of-13 on third down attempts, and didn't produce a single third down conversion until the fourth quarter.

Questions about what the Browns offensive identity would be began after Week 1. But back then it was easy to brush it off as first game rust or the unit not getting many reps together in the preseason. This is Week 5, after a portion of the schedule that was supposed to allow the Browns some latitude to figure itself out during less daunting matchups against the Giants, the Raiders and the Commanders.

Instead, all three of those matchups ended with notches in the loss column for Cleveland. And questions about its offensive identity persist.

The pre-snap penalties remain a problem. Cleveland had four false start penalties today, and what would have been a too many men in the huddle penalty early on in the third quarter with the Browns on the goal line cost the team points. That one was only averted because Deshaun Watson conceded to taking a delay of game penalty instead as to avoid calling a second timeout.

Speaking of Watson, he was sacked seven more times today. Marking the third time this season he's been sacked six or more times in a game. Ever since that Week 3 loss to the Giants, teams know the Browns offensive line struggles at picking up different blitzes and stunts. Washington threw a ton of different looks at them for similar results as their NFC East counterparts.

And even when Watson did have time, he was missing guys running open and slow to see the play developing at times – the same issues that have plagued him throughout his three years in Cleveland.

The league's team leader in dropped passes added a few more on Sunday as well.

The offensive is a mess. The defense is a mess. the Browns are a mess. Until further notice the Cleveland Browns are a bad football team. And at 1-4, their season may just be over before it even really started.