LANDOVER, Md. -- The Cleveland Browns lost another winnable game Sunday, 31-20 to the Washington Redskins.
Winnable is relative, of course, for an 0-4 team.
But this season's Browns continue to push the rock up the hill, only to see it roll back and smack them in the face. In typical Browns fashion, though, there were some of those head-scratching moments that just won't seem to go away.
Among them:
• Duke Johnson Jr.'s fourth-quarter fumble that officials gave to Washington even though Johnson was standing on the field with the ball raised in the air, in his hand. The team thought the ball bounced right back to Johnson; the officials ruled otherwise.
• A fourth-quarter Washington touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Chris Thompson that was helped by the fact the Browns' defense was confused and not lined up properly.
After the previous play, officials sent cornerback Jamar Taylor to the sidelines because he was having trouble breathing after getting hit in the side. In the ensuing confusion over getting the right people on the field and lined up, the defense was not positioned to cover Thompson.
What was wrong with Taylor?
"Nothing major," he said. "They just told me I had to get off the field."
Getting him off the field helped the Redskins score. Coach Hue Jackson said the officials usually will let him know when something like that happens, but he didn't get the word on this play, which he said was "nobody's fault but mine."
"I didn't know," he said, "so obviously I have to make sure that I'm available to make sure they can get to me and get me that information."
• Austin Reiter's strong game in blocking for the run. Reiter was signed off the Washington practice squad when Cam Erving bruised his lung Sept. 18. Reiter started his first game after Alvin Bailey was arrested for OVI a week ago (Jackson said Bailey's benching was disciplinary). And Reiter played well.
But in the fourth quarter he got caught up pass blocking and wound up with a serious knee injury. He left with crutches, his knee wrapped.
"It doesn't look good at this point," Jackson said.
Reiter was the Browns' third center, and he must have been doing something right because Isaiah Crowell was running through some gaping holes in the middle of the line. Crowell averaged 7.5 yards on his 15 carries.
• The Browns are starting their third quarterback, and though Cody Kessler threw for 228 yards and a touchdown he also had a costly fourth-quarter interception. The Browns were using their third center. They had an inactive list that included nothing but starters. And they have a roster of young players and rookies.
But against Baltimore, Miami and Washington they had chances to win. Good chances.
Instead they suffered tough defeats.
"The wins are right around the corner," Jackson said.
Young teams make mistakes, though, like losing the ball three times in the final 16 minutes. They also struggle to "finish," a buzzword with this team. Fight takes a team only so far.
What awaits?
Certain Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, coming off his four-game suspension, and the New England Patriots, coming off a loss.
Brady is one of the best. Coming off a suspension he'll be motivated. Naturally the first team he faces is the Browns.
New England rarely loses two games in a row. In fact, the Patriots have lost two games a row only six times in the past 13 seasons.
They lost Sunday, by a shutout.
It's simply tough to script these tales that the Browns keep living.
