JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Cleveland Browns' 24-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Outplayed: The Browns spent all week admonishing the proverbial "trap game." Didn’t matter. The Browns acknowledged they got beat all over the field -- up the middle, on the edge, in the headset. “It is frustrating to see us go out and take a step back like we did,” coach Mike Pettine said. That the Browns couldn’t score an offensive touchdown despite not overlooking the Jags’ physical front is “unacceptable,” tight end Jordan Cameron said.
Not all on Hoyer: Brian Hoyer’s game -- 16-of-41 passing, 215 yards and an interception -- was a problem but not the whole problem. Coaches and players stressed the Browns must play balanced, cohesive offense to have a chance every week. Hoyer and his receiver looked off on timing all game. “Plays that he’s going to get blamed for aren’t his fault,” receiver Andrew Hawkins said. “We all need to play better.”
Fourth and what? The confusing fourth-and-5 call early in the fourth quarter that resulted in a 2-yard loss by Ben Tate got even more confusing when the Browns tried to explain it. Basically, the Browns offense came off the field, then the punt unit came off while the offense came back. The Browns were trying to draw Jacksonville offsides, but center John Greco snapped the ball. Hoyer was left to scramble right before pitching it to Tate. “We were thinking one thing, and Brian was telling us something else and just bad timing,” Greco said.
