The Cleveland Browns hung on to win their football game on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars 18-13, but the game went from being in hand to being in limbo quickly in the fourth quarter.
That’s mostly due to the team’s two biggest weaknesses reappearing late in the second half against Jacksonville this weekend.
Analyst Noah Weiskopf shared his thoughts on X – the platform formerly known as Twitter – about the two biggest weaknesses that could potentially keep the Browns from winning future contests.
“Cleveland committed 13 penalties today, adding to its 24 total [in] the first two games,” Weiskopf wrote, adding, “Browns also a combined 6-of-28 on third down through their first couple of contests.”
#Browns (1-1) escape with an 18-13 win in Jacksonville (0-2) despite offensive inconsistencies. Cleveland committed 13 penalties today, adding to its 24 total from the first two games. Browns also a combined 6-of-28 on third down through their first couple of contests. Cleveland…
— Noah Weiskopf (@BrownsWithNoah) September 15, 2024
Penalties have been a big thorn in the Browns’ side through the first two games.
Against Dallas in Week 1, the Browns committed 11 penalties for 85 yards.
On Sunday, Cleveland again committed double-figure penalties, finishing with 13 penalties for 100 yards.
The team’s second-to-last drive stalled thanks to penalties.
After earning a first down on the Jaguars’ 24-yard line, Cleveland committed three penalties that backed the Browns up to midfield in three consecutive plays.
Those penalties created a third down and 36 yards-to-go situation, part of why Cleveland is a miserable 6-of-28 on third-down conversions thus far this season.
The Browns were a putrid 2-of-14 in Week 2 on third downs, somehow managing to regress in Jacksonville in this situation.
Against Dallas last week, Cleveland was 4-of-14 on converting third downs.
The Browns will need to address these issues quickly to keep penalties and third-down efficiency from hurting the team in upcoming contests.
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