3 Takeaways from Browns’ Week 13 Loss vs. Rams
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The Cleveland Browns suffered a tough loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and there are some key things to learn from the game. The 36-19 defeat to the Rams dropped the Browns into a four-way tie at 7-5 in the AFC wild-card race, raising concerns about their playoff push.
One of the striking things to note is that Joe Flacco’s play was surprisingly not the biggest issue that plagued the Browns on Sunday afternoon. Flacco produced a decent performance in his first start in place of the injured Dorian Thompson-Robinson. However, the Browns need more support from a rushing attack that failed to have a player over 50 yards for the third time in five games. Cleveland’s late-game defense also needs some work, as the Rams pulled away to a 23-9 second-half advantage.
Joe Flacco Wasn’t Terrible
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Despite low expectations for his performance, due to the situation, Joe Flacco had an impressive showing in Week 13. He went 23-for-44 with 254 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
Flacco’s performance may give Browns fans hope that there is a reasonable path to the postseason.
Rushing Attack Needs to Be More Consistent
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Cleveland’s leading rusher finished under 50 yards for the third time in the last five games, making a more potent ground attack crucial for the final five games of the regular season.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski needs to find ways to make the ground attack more potent in the final five regular-season games.
If that happens and Flacco is consistent enough, the Browns could still have a successful playoff push.