In the same way that the Cleveland Browns’ 2020 playoff run ended in disappointment, so too did this season’s run.
The only difference is that they made it out of the first round in 2020, whereas this time around, they let Browns fans down early with a first-round loss to the Houston Texans.
While Cleveland could have played better in every facet of the game, their league-leading defense was a big reason for their struggles.
They ended the game having given up 356 yards of total offense, which is nearly double their season average.
They also surrendered 280 passing yards to go along with three passing touchdowns, all of which were in the first half.
It was a painful loss for players and fans alike, and after the game, Browns superstar Myles Garrett summed it up perfectly (via Camryn Justice on Twitter).
#Browns Myles Garrett: "This is the most painful loss I've had in my career."
Why?
"We've been through so much to get here and we had a bad day on the worst time to have a bad day."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) January 14, 2024
It was a bad day indeed for a defense that was playing as well as any defense in the league.
While it’s tough to point fingers at any one player in particular, Garrett certainly didn’t help his case for Defensive Player of the Year.
He finished the game with three tackles but was unable to put pressure on rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud at any point.
He and the rest of the defense finished the game without a single sack, and the entire team totaled just one hit on the quarterback.
Additionally, aside from Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s four tackles for loss, the rest of the team combined for just one.
Cleveland did indeed pick the wrong day to have their worst game of the year.
NEXT: Top Browns Defender Sends Message To Fans After Playoff Elimination
