The Cleveland Browns dropped a heartbreaker to the New York Jets in Week 2.
The final score was 31-30.
The Browns fall to 1-1 on the 2022 season with an eventful fourth quarter where both teams scored a combined 30 points.
The Browns had the lead and failed to hold on to get the win.
Here are how NFL fans reacted to the loss.
1. Browns Still Can’t Hold A Lead
It is a recurring theme held over from 2021, and to a lesser degree last week when they left the Panthers back into the game.
Fans took note.
Kasey Crabtree, though proclaiming not to be a football expert, asked some poignant questions that the Browns need to answer.
I'm NOT a sports or #football expert, but even I can see @Browns have a SERIOUS issue closing out games WHILE THEY HAVE THE LEAD!!! Is it #hubris? Lack of #conditioning? Poor #playcalling? I don't know, but #FigureItOut! It's your job! Not the kicker's fault. #Browns #CLEvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/wRajksVqP2
— Kasey Crabtree (@KaseyCrabtree) September 18, 2022
Why does this keep happening?
Is it a lack of conditioning or poor playcalling or something else?
We were up 13 at 1:55 left. No. Way. Unbelievable.
🏈 #Cleveland #browns #clevsnyj
— Hanford Dixon (@HanfordDixon29) September 18, 2022
https://twitter.com/TM429318/status/1571592034657394690
@Browns being the typical Cleveland Browns doing all they can to lose the 4th qtr 😂. #CLEvsNYJ #NFL #Browns
— Jared G (@trigger50cal) September 18, 2022
Well, the #Browns have once again found a new and interesting way to lose😒 https://t.co/VDgSnEsPjY
— Shel Sez Hello 🐬 (@TheCleve30) September 18, 2022
2. Fire The Coaches
Emotional fans are looking for this situation to be fixed ASAP.
One suggestion is to fire coaches.
Jim Carlton starts with Coach Stefanski and continues with defensive coordinator Joe Woods.
I have never seen a worse group of coaches. The only success this team has seen came from talent alone. Fire Stefanski. Fire Woods. People give Stefanski so much unearned credit. We won our first playoff game in decades while he watched from his basement.
— Jim Carlton (@JimCarlton2) September 18, 2022
Joe Woods defensive schemes remind me of the time I played chess with my ex and forgot about the left half of the board. #Browns #FireJoeWoods
— Potoooooooo (@PotoosRUs) September 18, 2022
The hashtag #FireJoeWoods is going viral.
#FireJoeWoods – This is a terribly coached defense. Absolutely massive collapse when the game should’ve been over. @JDubsIII #Browns
— Josh Carey (@JoshDCarey) September 18, 2022
Joe Woods is a terrible defensive coordinator. No more excuses, so much talent and week after week we can’t hold on to leads. #firejoewoods #Browns
— Long Beach Mike (@longbeachmike73) September 18, 2022
#FireJoeWoods I’m over it #browns
— Ryan Angelo (@RyanAngeloCLE) September 18, 2022
3. What Is Happening With The Defense?
Joe Flacco is the backup quarterback who managed to get the job done on Sunday.
The Browns’ defense is definitely falling under the microscope for poor fourth-quarter play.
We gave up 31 points to a back up QB with no receivers. The whole defense needs to be fired.
— xrzerps (@xrzerps) September 18, 2022
Woods does get a share of the blame, but this defensive group has largely remained unchanged since last season.
They are a talented group.
The thing that gets me still is how a defense that has been together for some time still has communication issues. Same ones as the start of last season. That screams coaching to me. #Browns
— Tim Bielik (@timbielik) September 18, 2022
But as Brian Spoon points out, they have given up 55 points in two games.
An astounding 34 of those points were in the fourth quarter.
The #Browns defense has given up 55 points through two games.
34 of these were surrendered in the 4th quarter. SIXTY-TWO percent.
— Brian Spoon (@BrianSpoon) September 18, 2022
In the second half, Joe Flacco had time and open receivers.
https://twitter.com/ShiftyG_45/status/1571594252701802496
Conclusion
This is a painful loss.
Jordan Stack points out why it hurts so much.
It is because the Browns had a 99.9% probability to win the game with 1:55 left and still managed to lose.
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
It is time to regroup especially since it is a short week.
The Browns have to get ready for Thursday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NEXT: Myles Garrett Has Message For Fans After Tough Loss
The Browns deserve zero respect from the fans from the head coach to the kicker and everyone between you all stink to high heaven .
The fans have a right to boo for this loss, this is two weeks in a row that this has happened Browns were lucky they didn’t lose last week but one thing i know is the fans are not giving up i’ve been a fan for over 50yrs and I’m not giving up but the way we’re losing is the reason for the booing, coaches blame inexperience but i watched Denzel ward play way off the the receiver and then let him run right by uncovered they played that way the whole game, what upsets me about this is the offense played awesome and the defensive secondary let them down again, something has to be done with regards to joe woods
All I got to say is “ONLY THE BROWNS”!!!!!
While the coaching is not good we are talking about NFL players that have been playing the game for a long time it’s not a junior high school line up. This team is going nowhere, we will not have a first topic for the next three years. Nice job front office.
Where was a deep safety. They weren’t going to run the ball no time for that. Short passes burns clock. So the only chance was to go long. And we’re in a scheme that shuts down the short pass. Both safety’s up no chance to jump that route. My point is that the defensive coordinator calls the play that puts the defense in the best scheme to be successful. For 2weeks 4th quarter collapses has got to get fixed soon. Go Browns beat those Steelers 🤬
This is the curse of Bill Belichick. Browns have not gone 2 and 0 since 1994 when Belichick was the coach. Belichick cursed the team when he was fired to never win a home opener as long as he was a coach in the NFL. The improbable string of low probability events that occurred Sunday is proof of something beyond mistakes and into the realm of the supernatural.