The Cleveland Browns suffered a crushing 41-17 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, raising serious questions about their offensive struggles and quarterback situation.
Joe Flacco never established rhythm against his former team, while head coach Kevin Stefanski remains committed to the veteran despite mounting concerns about Cleveland’s direction.
The loss highlighted multiple breakdowns across all three phases.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin delivered a harsh assessment of Cleveland’s performance in his postgame analysis.
Grade: D-
“Joe Flacco is supposed to be the savvy option in the Browns’ quarterback room, but he struggled to find any real rhythm against his old friends in Baltimore, tossing a head-scratching pick to Nate Wiggins. Rookie Dillon Gabriel was under center by the time the clock hit zero, but coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters afterward he won’t consider an immediate change to starting duties. It might still be a matter of time,” Benjamin wrote.
Flacco had 199 yards and one touchdown, but had two costly turnovers.
Cleveland’s ground game provided no relief, and receivers failed to create separation against the Ravens’ aggressive secondary coverage.
Despite the offensive struggles, Cleveland’s defense showed encouraging signs by limiting Lamar Jackson and Baltimore to just 242 total yards.
However, the unit couldn’t overcome offensive turnovers and special teams breakdowns that gifted Baltimore additional scoring opportunities, including a blocked punt.
Myles Garrett didn’t hold back afterward, calling the team’s performance “embarrassing.”
Stefanski acknowledged that turnovers and special teams mistakes handed Baltimore easy points while emphasizing that cleaner execution across all phases remains essential for surviving the competitive AFC North division.
With a challenging schedule approaching, Cleveland faces mounting pressure to address these fundamental issues and find offensive consistency.
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