Jim Donovan: “Worst Loss I’ve Ever Seen From Browns”

Jim Donovan, the voice of the Cleveland Browns, has been telling it like it is ever since the Browns dropped the game to the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon.

Donovan is possibly one of the team’s biggest cheerleaders, but he has been calling them to task about this performance.

He went so far as to say this is the “worst loss” he has seen from the Browns.

Donovan has been around for a while and saw a lot of losses.

.@3JimDonovan says that yesterday's game was the "worst loss he's ever seen" from the Browns. pic.twitter.com/M5a0810Y65

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) September 20, 2022

Here is why Donovan classifies this as the worst one.

1. The Browns Were At Home

The home team usually has the advantage of the fan noise disrupting the opposing team’s rhythm.

Could the crowd noise have contributed to the defensive “miscommunication” that resulted in Corey Davis‘s touchdown?

#Browns Denzel Ward on the long TD:

Not everyone got the same call

— Matt Fontana (@MattFontana83) September 19, 2022

It is not clear how and where the miscommunication originated; it is less clear after listening to members of the Browns’ secondary speak to the media on Monday afternoon.

Lotta fingers pointing in different directions on the Browns defense. Gotta figure it out and quick. #Browns

— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) September 19, 2022

2. The Browns Had A 13-Point Lead With 1:55 Left

Then, there is the fact that the probability of victory was 99.9% when the Browns had a 30-17 lead with 1:55 left in the game.

The Browns had a 99.9% win probability with 1:55 to go.

This is one of the worst losses in NFL history when you add it all up.

This is absolutely unreal. pic.twitter.com/yT4aUnqzyZ

— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) September 18, 2022

Donovan astutely mentions the other contributing fact.

The Jets had no time-outs left and needed two scores before the end of regulation.

The surreal course of events that happened with 1:55 left in the game is why Donovan calls this a “debacle” that is “inexcusable”.

In the final 1:55, the Browns:

– Missed an extra point
– Allowed a wide open 66 yard TD pass on a blown coverage
– Surrendered an onside kick
– Let Joe Flacco walk his team 53 yards for a winning score
– Threw an interception

Good teams don’t do this. Coaches get fired for it

— Aaron Goldhammer (@HammerNation19) September 18, 2022

3. Donovan Says Jets Are Not A Good Team

Essentially the Jets stole a win from a more talented team.

The Jets do not appear to be a team that will be in playoff discussions in December.

Sir Yacht, a Twitter personality, and an avid Browns fan pointed out in his postgame rant that the Jets are not even the best team in New Jersey.

Good teams like the Browns are supposed to win these games against less talented opponents.

4. Donovan Worries This Will Haunt The Browns Later

Donovan looks ahead and fears that when the Browns are competing to stay in the playoff hunt in December, they will need the combination of a Browns win and losses by their AFC North rivals.

Then, everyone will recall this game.

The missed opportunity that it was because every AFC North team lost in Week 2, and the Browns should have won.

Conclusion

Nobody knows if this loss will have negative ramifications.

It is Week 2, and the Browns remain a talented team.

They need to fix the issues immediately.

Perhaps this loss will be defining in a different way.

Maybe it will be the impetus for a lights-out dominant and winning performance against the Steelers on Thursday night.

NEXT UP: @steelers vs. @Browns on TNF!#PITvsCLE — Thursday 8:15pm ET on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/fK7vaWiHIa pic.twitter.com/6tSIJzaLPT

— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2022

If the team cleans up the mistakes and becomes better for the Week 2 loss, then things will not feel as bad as they do right now.