Cincinnati Bengals

Browns vs. Bengals: 3 takeaways from the demoralizing loss

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:58 p.m. ET

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The Cleveland Browns continued the march to 0-16 with a 23-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a game that was never close.

Well, that was miserable.

The Cleveland Browns did the predictable and lost yet another game, this time to the Cincinnati Bengals in front of a brave crowd.

The weather was awful and so was the football, at least for the Browns. The Bengals were up 20-0 heading into halftime, causing some to accept the final result and head home early.

Those who stayed saw some semblance of a comeback in the second half. The Browns were down 20-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but there was simply not enough time or talent left to mount an actual comeback.

The game saw the return of Robert Griffin III, who did well to squash any excitement about his potential to lead this team beyond 2016. He missed throws all game and made several horrible decisions, continuing the trend seen all season.

It is hard to believe the Browns can win a game this season, as the second half of the season has seen the team on a steady decline. There still seems to be effort on both sides of the ball, but the talent is simply not there.

Let’s now take a look at some glaring takeaways from the 13th loss of the season.

Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Any hype surrounding the possibility of Robert Griffin III leading the Browns to a victory this season was destroyed early in Sunday’s loss.

The most memorable play from the game came when Hue Jackson dialed up a flea flicker from the Browns’ own 2-yard line, which resulted in Griffin throwing into triple coverage for an interception. The play call was questionable, but the execution was downright embarrassing.

Like Josh McCown, Griffin tries to make big plays out of nothing, ruining any hope of actually winning a game. He finished with 104 passing yards on the day, and rushed for 31 and a touchdown.

The total yards from Griffin is not main problem, as the weather was tough to play in, but he just didn’t look good at all. Weather aside, he missed several easy throws, throwing some short passes at the feet of receivers who looked confused as to what happened on such an easy throw.

Hue Jackson now has to decide if he will stick with Griffin moving forward, as he is still committed to trying to find the right man to pick up a single victory this year.

But no matter if Griffin plays or not, it doesn’t look like he will have a legitimate shot to be the starter next season.

Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

While the defense played well two weeks ago against the New York Giants, there was seemingly a lapse in preparation for Sunday’s game.

The defense allowed touchdowns on the first two drives, putting the Browns down 13-0 with just over six minutes left in the first quarter. And for an offense this bad, that early deficit essentially sealed the Browns’ fate.

Jeremy Hill led the way for the Bengals with 111 rushing yards, while the team ran for a total of 213 yards.

Andy Dalton added 180 yards through the air, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The Browns did sack him four times, but it did not make much of a difference. The 20-0 deficit at halftime offset any benefit of a sack or two in the second half.

The 23 points scored by the Bengals was the fewest scored by a Browns opponent all season, although the total easily could have been 24 or 27 if not for some missed kicks. Regardless, not being able to hold a team under 23 points is a horrible problem to have, and something that must be addressed with defensive selections in the 2017 Draft.

Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson yells to the officials during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

There was some optimism that the Browns would benefit from the late-season bye week and actually beat the Bengals, but that mindset just seems foolish now.

Anything other than an 0-16 record would be surprising now, as the remaining schedule includes the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Chargers game look to be the best remaining shot to pick up a win, but that doesn’t mean it will happen.

Some have resigned themselves to this reality long ago, but it is still a tough realization to grasp. Being a fan of a professional sports team is supposed to be fun, and even when a team is terrible, there are usually at least a few bright spots to celebrate. But not this year.

The only hope for the Browns is that they play in a blizzard and win a 2-0 game sometime in the next three weeks, because the group on the field Sunday is not capable of beating any of the remaining opponents without some help.

The best thing to do now is enjoy the holiday season and not let the Browns’ misfortunes ruin what is supposed to be a fun time of year. That game on Christmas Eve against the Chargers could even end with a Browns victory. That would be a true Christmas miracle.