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2018 Cleveland Browns season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2018 Cleveland Browns season
OwnerJimmy Haslam
General managerJohn Dorsey
Head coachHue Jackson (fired Week 8, 2–5–1 record)
Gregg Williams (interim, 5–3 record)
Home fieldFirstEnergy Stadium
Results
Record7–8–1
Division place3rd AFC North
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersOG Joel Bitonio
DE Myles Garrett
WR Jarvis Landry
CB Denzel Ward
AP All-ProsOG Joel Bitonio (2nd team)
DE Myles Garrett (2nd team)

The 2018 season was the Cleveland Browns' 66th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 70th overall, their first full season under general manager John Dorsey, and their third and final season under head coach Hue Jackson. Unusually, the Browns started their campaign with a tie, although this result was enough to ensure they would improve upon the 2017 campaign in which they finished 0–16. Cleveland ultimately finished in 3rd place in the AFC North with a record of 7–8–1, their best record since the 2007 season. However, they missed the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season, having last made the playoffs in 2002.

On September 9, the Browns opened their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 21–21 tie. This was the Browns' first tie since 1989, and it ended a 17-game losing streak which dated back to the 2016 season. On September 20, the Browns defeated the New York Jets 21–17, ending a 19-game winless streak.

On October 29, Jackson was fired after posting a record of 2–5–1 through Week 8 and an overall record of 3–36–1 during his two and a half seasons in Cleveland. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who was in his first season with the Browns, was fired the same day. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was named interim head coach.[1] Under Williams, the Browns went 5–3 to finish out the season.

Rookie starting quarterback Baker Mayfield threw 27 touchdown passes, breaking the record for the most touchdown passes thrown by a rookie quarterback. The previous record of 26 was shared by Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson, and it was later broken in 2020 by Justin Herbert.

Offseason

[edit]

Front office changes

[edit]

On January 2, new general manager John Dorsey hired Green Bay Packers personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith as vice president of football operations.[2]

On January 10, the Browns announced several front office hirings: Eliot Wolf as assistant general manager, Jimmy Noel as assistant director of pro scouting, Matt Donahoe as a scout, and Dan Zegers as personnel coordinator. The Browns also announced that former vice president of player personnel Ken Kovash would switch to a role within the strategy department, and fired senior personnel executive Ryan Grigson.[3]

Coaching changes

[edit]

On January 10, the Browns released special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. He had been the longest-tenured coach on the Browns, with the team since 2011.[4]

On January 11, the Browns hired Adam Henry as wide receivers coach, a position he held with the New York Giants since 2016. Former wide receivers coach Al Saunders transitioned into a senior advisory role.[5]

On January 12, the Browns hired Ken Zampese as quarterbacks coach. They also fired running backs coach/run game coordinator Kirby Wilson, special teams assistant Shawn Mennenga, and special teams quality control coach Stan Watson.[6]

On January 24, the Browns hired Amos Jones as special teams coordinator, Todd Haley as offensive coordinator, and Freddie Kitchens as running backs/assistant head coach.[7]

On February 8, the Browns hired Sam Shade as assistant special teams coach.[8]

On March 9, the Browns hired former return specialist Josh Cribbs as special teams intern.[9]

Roster changes

[edit]

Re-signings

[edit]
Position Player Tag Date
ILB Tank Carder UFA March 27[10]
WR Josh Gordon ERFA March 14[11]
WR Matt Hazel ERFA March 14[11]
QB Kevin Hogan ERFA March 14[11]
TE Matt Lengel ERFA March 14[11]
DT Jamie Meder RFA March 14[11]
C Austin Reiter ERFA March 14[11]
FB Danny Vitale ERFA March 14[11]
UFA=Unrestricted free agent, RFA=Restricted free agent, ERFA=Exclusive rights free agent

Players added

[edit]
Position Player Tag 2017 team Date
CB T. J. Carrie UFA Oakland Raiders March 14[12]
TE Orson Charles UFA Kansas City Chiefs July 30[13]
TE Darren Fells UFA Detroit Lions March 14[14]
CB E. J. Gaines UFA Buffalo Bills March 23[15]
T Chris Hubbard UFA Pittsburgh Steelers March 14[16]
RB Carlos Hyde UFA San Francisco 49ers March 14[17]
WR Jarvis Landry Trade[trade 1] Miami Dolphins March 14[18]
DT Devaroe Lawrence Trade[trade 2] New Orleans Saints September 1[19]
CB Terrance Mitchell UFA Kansas City Chiefs March 14[20]
S Damarious Randall Trade[trade 3] Green Bay Packers March 14[18]
T Greg Robinson UFA Detroit Lions June 19[21]
LB Brady Sheldon Waiver Oakland Raiders June 13[22]
DE Chris Smith UFA Cincinnati Bengals March 14[23]
QB Drew Stanton UFA Arizona Cardinals March 25[24]
QB Tyrod Taylor Trade[trade 4] Buffalo Bills March 14[18]
G Earl Watford UFA Arizona Cardinals August 28[25]

Players lost

[edit]
Position Player Tag 2018 team Date
LB Dominique Alexander Release May 3[26]
LB B. J. Bello Release Arizona Cardinals September 1[19]
LB Max Bullough Release April 12[27]
DE Caleb Brantley Release Washington Redskins September 1[28][29]
LB Tank Carder Release June 5[30]
WR Corey Coleman Trade[trade 5] Buffalo Bills August 5[31]
T Shon Coleman Trade[trade 6] San Francisco 49ers August 31[32]
RB Isaiah Crowell UFA New York Jets March 14[33]
RB Matthew Dayes Release San Francisco 49ers September 1[19]
T Spencer Drango Release Los Angeles Chargers September 1[19][34]
TE Gavin Escobar Release Miami Dolphins April 12[27][35]
T Geoff Gray Release Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) August 28[25]
WR Matt Hazel Release Indianapolis Colts April 30[36][37]
QB Kevin Hogan Trade[trade 7] Washington Redskins April 6[38]
WR Bug Howard Release Carolina Panthers April 12[27][39]
RB Darius Jackson Release Dallas Cowboys May 3[26][40]
T Roderick Johnson Release Houston Texans June 19[21][41]
CB Mike Jordan Release New York Giants September 1[19][42]
QB Cody Kessler Trade[trade 8] Jacksonville Jaguars March 27[43]
OLB Josh Keyes UFA Houston Texans March 20[44]
QB DeShone Kizer Trade[trade 3] Green Bay Packers March 14[18]
TE Matt Lengel Release Houston Texans April 12[27][45]
G Marcus Martin UFA Dallas Cowboys March 26[46]
CB Jason McCourty Trade[trade 9] New England Patriots March 15[47]
S Kai Nacua Release Baltimore Ravens April 30[36][48]
DE Nate Orchard Release Buffalo Bills September 1[19][49]
WR Larry Pinkard Release April 12[27]
CB Reggie Porter Release April 20[50]
DT Danny Shelton Trade[trade 10] New England Patriots March 14[51]
CB C. J. Smith Release Denver Broncos April 12[27][52]
S Derron Smith Release San Antonio Commanders (AAF) August 31[28]
CB Jamar Taylor Trade[trade 11] Arizona Cardinals May 19[53]
RB Kelvin Taylor Release Orlando Apollos (AAF) April 12[27]
TE Randall Telfer Release Indianapolis Colts May 4[54][55]
T Joe Thomas Retired March 14[56]
CB Simeon Thomas Release Seattle Seahawks September 1[19][57]
CB Corey White Release April 20[50]
WR Kasen Williams Release Indianapolis Colts April 30[36][58]

Trade notes

  1. ^ The Browns acquired WR Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2018 fourth-round selection (No. 123) and a 2019 seventh-round selection
  2. ^ The Browns acquired DT Devaroe Lawrence from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2019 seventh-round draft pick
  3. ^ a b The Browns acquired S Damarious Randall, a 2018 fourth-round selection (No. 114), and a 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 150) from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for QB Deshone Kizer, a 2018 fourth-round selection (No. 101), and a 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 138)
  4. ^ The Browns acquired QB Tyrod Taylor from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a 2018 third-round selection (No. 65)
  5. ^ The Browns acquired a 2020 seventh-round selection from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for WR Corey Coleman
  6. ^ The Browns acquired a 2019 seventh-round selection from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for T Shon Coleman
  7. ^ The Browns acquired a 2018 sixth-round selection (No. 188) from the Washington Redskins in exchange for QB Kevin Hogan and a 2018 sixth-round selection (No. 205)
  8. ^ The Browns acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round selection from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for QB Cody Kessler
  9. ^ The Browns acquired a 2018 sixth-round selection (No. 205) rom the New England Patriots in exchange for CB Jason McCourty and a 2018 seventh-round draft selection (No. 219)
  10. ^ The Browns acquired a 2019 third-round selection from the New England Patriots in exchange for DT Danny Shelton and a 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 159)
  11. ^ The Browns acquired a 2020 sixth-round selection from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for CB Jamar Taylor

Players added and lost

[edit]

The Browns added and released the following players during the 2018 off-season:

2018 draft class

[edit]
2018 Cleveland Browns draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 1 Baker Mayfield  QB Oklahoma
1 4 Denzel Ward *  CB Ohio St Pick from HOU
2 33 Austin Corbett  OT Nevada
2 35 Nick Chubb *  RB Georgia Pick from HOU
3 67 Chad Thomas  DE Miami (FL) Pick from IND
4 105 Antonio Callaway  WR Florida Pick from CHI
5 150 Genard Avery  LB Memphis Pick from GB
6 175 Damion Ratley  WR Texas A&M
6 188 Simeon Thomas  CB Louisiana Pick from WAS
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

[edit]
2018 Cleveland Browns UDFA
Player Position College Signed Cut
Drew Bailey DT Louisville May 1[69] August 28[25]
Stephen Baggett TE East Carolina August 18[70] August 31[28]
Evan Berry WR Tennessee May 1[69] August 28[25]
Christian Boutte CB Nicholls July 30[13] August 31[28]
D.J. Calhoun LB Arizona State May 1[69] August 27[71]
Elijah Campbell S Northern Iowa May 1[69] August 31[28]
Christian DiLauro T Illinois May 1[69] September 1[19]
Daniel Ekuale DT Washington State May 1[69] September 1[19]
Marcell Frazier * DE Missouri May 18[72] August 28[25]
DeMarquis Gates LB Ole Miss May 22[73] June 14[65]
Micah Hannemann S BYU May 1[69] August 18[74]
Desmond Harrison T West Georgia May 1[69]
Zaycoven Henderson DT Texas A&M May 1[69] September 1[19]
Blake Jackson WR Mary Hardin–Baylor July 28[75] August 31[28]
Montrel Meander S Grambling State May 1[69] September 1[19]
Brogan Roback QB Eastern Michigan May 14[76] August 28[25]
Da'Mari Scott WR Fresno State May 1[69] September 1[19]
Trenton Thompson DT Georgia May 1[69] July 30[13]
Derrick Willies WR Texas Tech May 1[69]
Blaine Woodson * DT Delaware August 15[77] August 31[28]
Erick Wren C Oklahoma May 1[69] July 28[78]
A green background indicates the player made the Browns' Week 1 53-man roster

* Browns claimed player off waivers after he signed as an undrafted free agent with another team and was waived.

Staff

[edit]
2018 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning


Final roster

[edit]
2018 Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 12 reserve, 10 practice squad

Preseason

[edit]

The Browns opened training camp on July 26. The Browns' training camp and preseason was featured on the HBO series Hard Knocks.

Schedule

[edit]
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue NFL.com
recap
1 August 9 at New York Giants W 20–10 1–0 MetLife Stadium Recap
2 August 17 Buffalo Bills L 17–19 1–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
3 August 23 Philadelphia Eagles W 5–0 2–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
4 August 30 at Detroit Lions W 35–17 3–1 Ford Field Recap

Notes

[edit]
  • WR Josh Gordon did not report to the beginning of training camp as part of his "overall health and treatment plan."[79] He returned to the team on August 18.[80]
  • On August 29, federal charges were brought against LB Mychal Kendricks for insider trading, in which he allegedly made $1.2 million in profits on illegal trades made between 2014 and 2017. The team released Kendricks on August 30.[64]

Roster cuts

[edit]

The Browns waived the following players between August 28 and September 1 to get their roster down to the 53-player maximum.[25][28][19]

The Browns also traded T Shon Coleman[32] and acquired DT Devaroe Lawrence in a separate trade.[19]

On September 2, the Browns added DT Carl Davis, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, C Aaron Neary, LB Tanner Vallejo, and Tavierre Thomas, who were all waived by their former teams. To make room on the roster, the Browns waived LB Jermaine Grace, CB Jeremiah McKinnon, DT Jamie Meder, DE Carl Nassib, and C Austin Reiter.[61]

On September 3, the Browns signed Ekuale, Henderson, Hilliard, G Kyle Kalis, TE Pharoah McKever, McKinnon, Meander, Scott, T Brad Seaton, and Shelton to their practice squad. Sankoh, who is part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program, was also added to the practice squad and does not count toward its 10-player limit.[81]

Regular season

[edit]

Schedule

[edit]

The Browns' 2018 schedule was announced on April 19.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue NFL.com
recap
1 September 9 Pittsburgh Steelers T 21–21 (OT) 0–0–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
2 September 16 at New Orleans Saints L 18–21 0–1–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
3 September 20 New York Jets W 21–17 1–1–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
4 September 30 at Oakland Raiders L 42–45 (OT) 1–2–1 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap
5 October 7 Baltimore Ravens W 12–9 (OT) 2–2–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
6 October 14 Los Angeles Chargers L 14–38 2–3–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
7 October 21 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 23–26 (OT) 2–4–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
8 October 28 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 18–33 2–5–1 Heinz Field Recap
9 November 4 Kansas City Chiefs L 21–37 2–6–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
10 November 11 Atlanta Falcons W 28–16 3–6–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
11 Bye
12 November 25 at Cincinnati Bengals W 35–20 4–6–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
13 December 2 at Houston Texans L 13–29 4–7–1 NRG Stadium Recap
14 December 9 Carolina Panthers W 26–20 5–7–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
15 December 15 at Denver Broncos W 17–16 6–7–1 Broncos Stadium at Mile High Recap
16 December 23 Cincinnati Bengals W 26–18 7–7–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
17 December 30 at Baltimore Ravens L 24–26 7–8–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

[edit]

Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

[edit]
Week One: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Steelers 0 7 140021
Browns 0 0 714021

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns' defense intercepted Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger three times and recovered three fumbles. Rookie CB Denzel Ward had two of the interceptions for the Browns. Cleveland only had one turnover, with Tyrod Taylor throwing an interception in the 4th quarter. Both teams had a chance to win late in the overtime period, but came up short. Chris Boswell missed a 42-yard field goal for the Steelers, while Browns kicker Zane Gonzalez had his 43-yard attempt blocked with 0:09 left in overtime.

With their first tie since 1989, the Browns started the season at 0–0–1. This tie ended a 17-game losing streak that dated back to the final game of the 2016 season. It also ended streaks of 17 straight losses within the AFC North, 13 straight season-opening losses, and six straight losses to the Steelers. Ward was named the NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 1.[82]

Week 2: at New Orleans Saints

[edit]
Week Two: Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 3 3 6618
Saints 3 0 01821

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The teams exchanged field goals in the first quarter, then Browns K Zane Gonzalez kicked his second field goal late in the second quarter to give the Browns a 6–3 halftime lead. Carlos Hyde scored a touchdown on a short run to give the Browns a 12–3 lead, but the Saints scored 15 straight points in the fourth quarter to take an 18–12 lead. The Browns answered with a tying touchdown on a 47-yard Tyrod Taylor Hail Mary pass to Antonio Callaway with 1:16 remaining. However, Gonzalez missed the extra point attempt, his second miss of the day, which would have given the Browns the lead. Saints K Wil Lutz nailed a 44-yard game-winner with 0:21 remaining. The Browns drove to give Gonzalez an attempt at a 52-yard field goal to tie the game in the final seconds, but it sailed wide right.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–1–1. Their winless streak extended to 19 games.

The next day, the Browns released Gonzalez and signed rookie K Greg Joseph.[83] Joseph played college football at Florida Atlantic and was on the Miami Dolphins' training camp roster. The Browns also traded WR Josh Gordon and a 2019 seventh-round selection to the New England Patriots for a 2019 fifth-round selection.[84]

Week 3: vs. New York Jets

[edit]
Week Three: New York Jets at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jets 0 14 0317
Browns 0 3 11721

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield entered the game in the 2nd quarter after starter Tyrod Taylor left the game with a concussion.[85] Taylor finished the game 4/14 for 19 yards. Mayfield threw for 201 yards and a caught a pass from receiver Jarvis Landry for a two-point conversion (a Philly Special that had been flipped to account for Landry being left-handed). Carlos Hyde added two touchdown runs including the go-ahead score with just over two minutes remaining. The Jets offense could not respond as QB Sam Darnold threw a pair of interceptions in the Jets' final two drives to preserve the 21–17 win.

With the win, the Browns improved to 1–1–1. This win marked the end of the team's 19-game winless streak and the team's first win in 635 days (their last win was on December 24, 2016).[86] Mayfield was named the NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 3.[87]

On September 24, Mayfield was named the team's starting quarterback moving forward.

Week 4: at Oakland Raiders

[edit]
Week Four: Cleveland Browns at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Browns 3 14 1114042
Raiders 7 7 721345

at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

Game information

The Browns took a 17–7 lead into halftime on the strength of Nick Chubb's first career touchdown run and Baker Mayfield's first career touchdown pass, although Mayfield also threw an interception that was returned for a Raiders touchdown. The Browns built up a 28–14 lead in the third quarter, but the Raiders then scored 20 straight points aided by two Mayfield fumbles and a 51-yard punt return which gave the Raiders short fields to work with. The Browns finally answered with touchdown runs by Carlos Hyde and Chubb to take a 42–34 lead in the fourth quarter. The Browns were unable to run the clock out and punted to the Raiders, giving them one last opportunity to tie the game. The Raiders scored a touchdown and game-tying two-point conversion with 0:30 left, to send the game into overtime. The Raiders won the game, 45–42 on a Matt McCrane field goal in the overtime period. This was the first time the Browns scored 30 or more points since 2015, and the first time the team scored 40 or more points since 2009.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–2–1. Chubb was named NFL Rookie of the Week after his 105-yard, two-touchdown performance.[88]

Week 5: vs. Baltimore Ravens

[edit]
Week Five: Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Ravens 3 0 3309
Browns 0 6 30312

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

Both offenses struggled to gain any rhythm during the game. The Ravens could only score nine points on three Justin Tucker field goals, while the Browns scored nine points on a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins and a Greg Joseph field goal. Joseph, who missed an extra point, had an opportunity to win the game at the end of regulation, but missed a 55-yard field goal attempt. In overtime, both teams were held scoreless during their first two possessions. However, with 0:02 remaining, Joseph hit a 37-yard field goal to win the game.

With the win, the Browns improved to 2–2–1. The Browns ended an 18-game winless streak within the AFC North that dated back to the 2015 season. CB Denzel Ward, who recorded an interception and a blocked field goal, was named NFL Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.[89] It also marked the fourth time in five weeks a Browns player won the award. Ward was also named the AFC special teams player of the week.[90] Jarvis Landry recorded his 427th career reception, passing Larry Fitzgerald for the most receptions in his first five NFL seasons.[91]

Week 6: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

[edit]
Week Six: Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 7 14 14338
Browns 0 6 0814

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Chargers dominated the game. Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers passed for 207 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception and running back Melvin Gordon added 132 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Los Angeles defense sacked Browns' quarterback Baker Mayfield five times and had two interceptions. The Chargers defeated the Browns 38–14.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–3–1.

On October 19, the Browns traded RB Carlos Hyde to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round selection.[92]

Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

[edit]
Week Seven: Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Browns 2 0 714023
Buccaneers 3 13 70326

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

The Buccaneers opened a 16–2 lead in the second quarter on the a Jameis Winston touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson and a Winston touchdown run. The Browns answered early in the third quarter with a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to David Njoku, but Tampa Bay answered on a Ronald Jones run near the end of the quarter. The Browns scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a Nick Chubb run and a Mayfield pass to Jarvis Landry to force overtime. In overtime, Buccaneers kicker Chandler Catanzaro, who had earlier missed an extra point and a 40-yard field goal attempt, hit a 59-yard field goal to win the game.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–4–1. Mayfield was named NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 7, marking his second such honor and the fifth time a Browns player was named Rookie of the Week this season.[93]

Week 8: at Pittsburgh Steelers

[edit]
Week Eight: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 6 0 6618
Steelers 0 14 91033

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

The Browns traveled to Pittsburgh for a Week 8 battle with their AFC North rival Steelers. The Browns opened the scoring with a pair of Greg Joseph field goals, but the Steelers answered with two Ben Roethlisberger touchdown passes to Antonio Brown to take a 14–6 lead into halftime. The Browns gave up a safety on a holding penalty early in the third quarter to extend the Steelers' lead to 10, but Pittsburgh failed to secure the ensuing free kick, giving the Browns possession in Pittsburgh territory. The Browns capitalized on a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Antonio Callaway, cutting the lead to 16–12. The Steelers then pulled away with 17 straight points and come away with a 33–18 win.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–5–1. This marked the Browns' 15th consecutive loss in Pittsburgh.

On October 29, head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley were fired. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[1] Freddie Kitchens was the interim offensive coordinator.

Week 9: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

[edit]
Week Nine: Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 7 14 13337
Browns 3 12 0621

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–6–1. Mayfield was named NFL Rookie of the Week for the third time this season.[93] The Browns have reached a low point where they have now lost 56 of their last 64 games from Week 11 of 2014 up to this point, but the loss provided a spark of a turnaround, as the team would win 5 of 7 to finish the season.

Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

[edit]
Week Ten: Atlanta Falcons at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Falcons 0 10 0616
Browns 7 7 14028

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns opened the scoring with a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins – the team's first touchdown scored in the first quarter of any game this season. However, the Falcons scored the next 10 points before the Browns scored a touchdown on a Mayfield pass to Nick Chubb to take a 14–10 led into halftime. The Browns opened up their lead to 28–10 in the third quarter on a Mayfield pass to Duke Johnson and a Chubb run of 92 yards – the longest run in Browns' franchise history. Atlanta added a late fourth-quarter touchdown to make the final score 28–16.

With the win, the Browns went into their bye week at 3–6–1. Chubb was named the FedEx Ground Player of the Week and the NFL Rookie of the Week. This marked Chubb's second Rookie of the Week award and the team's seventh in 2018.

Week 12: at Cincinnati Bengals

[edit]
Week Twelve: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 14 14 7035
Bengals 0 7 7620

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Game information

The Browns raced to a 28–0 lead late in the second quarter. They scored touchdowns on their first four drives with a Nick Chubb run and Baker Mayfield passes to Antonio Callaway, David Njoku, and Chubb. The Bengals responded with an Andy Dalton touchdown pass to John Ross to close the Browns' lead to 28–7 at halftime. Mayfield threw a fourth touchdown pass, this one to Darren Fells, to extend the Browns' lead to 35–7. The Bengals closed the gap to 35–20 with a touchdown pass and run by backup quarterback Jeff Driskel, who filled in for an injured Dalton, but the Browns held on for the win.

With the win, the Browns improved to 4–6–1. The Browns won consecutive games for the first time since 2014, snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bengals, and ended their 25-game losing streak in away games, one short of tying the 2007–10 Detroit Lions record of 26 straight away losses. Mayfield was named the NFL Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season.[94] Mayfield was also named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for November.[94]

Week 13: at Houston Texans

[edit]
Week Thirteen: Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 0 7613
Texans 10 13 3329

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

The Texans built a 23–0 lead in the first half, on the strength of a Deshaun Watson touchdown pass, a Zach Cunningham interception return for a touchdown, and three field goals. The Browns got onto the scoreboard in the third quarter with a Nick Chubb touchdown run and added a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins, but the Texans prevailed 29–13. Mayfield set a Browns rookie record with 398 passing yards, but was hurt by three interceptions.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 4–7–1.

Week 14: vs. Carolina Panthers

[edit]
Week Fourteen: Carolina Panthers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Panthers 7 10 3020
Browns 7 10 0926

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The game went back and forth between the two teams. The Panthers scored two first-half touchdowns on Christian McCaffrey runs, while the Browns had two first half touchdowns on a Jarvis Landry run and a Landry catch. The teams exchanged field goals late in the second quarter to make the score 17–17 at halftime. After a Panthers field goal, Nick Chubb added a touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to take the lead for good, as the Browns won 26–20.

With the win, the Browns improved to 5–7–1 and secured their first winning record at home since the 2007 season. QB Baker Mayfield received his fifth NFL Rookie of the Week honor this season.

Week 15: at Denver Broncos

[edit]
Week Fifteen: Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 7 3 0717
Broncos 7 3 3316

at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Game information

The Browns traveled to Denver for a Saturday night game against the Broncos. Assistant defensive coordinator Blake Williams, son of interim head coach Gregg Williams, got his first play-calling duties in this game.

With the win, the Browns improved to 6–7–1. The win ended an 11-game losing streak to the Broncos that dated back to 1990. However, the following day, the Steelers defeated the Patriots to improve to 8–5–1 and mathematically eliminated the Browns from AFC North title contention. This will be the Browns' 26th consecutive season without a division title, the longest active streak in the NFL. A Tennessee Titans win over the Washington Redskins mathematically eliminated the Browns from playoff contention.

Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

[edit]
Week Sixteen: Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bengals 0 0 01818
Browns 0 16 7326

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: December 23
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 37 °F (3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 67,431
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

On December 22, the day before the Browns' Week 16 contest, the Tennessee Titans won their Week 16 game to improve to 9–6 and mathematically eliminate the Browns from postseason contention for the 16th consecutive season. Despite being eliminated, the Browns looked to finish their season on a high note with two division wins to end the season.

The Browns hosted the Bengals and former head coach Hue Jackson, who was hired as an assistant with the Bengals. Baker Mayfield threw three touchdown passes and Nick Chubb added 112 rushing yards to give the Browns a 26–3 lead early in the fourth quarter. Cincinnati scored a pair of late touchdowns to make it a one-possession game, but the Browns held on for the 26–18 win.

With the win, the Browns improved to 7–7–1 and finished with a 5–2–1 record at home, their best home record since 2007, when they went 7–1 at home. It was their first three-game winning streak since 2014 and their first season sweep of the Bengals since 2002. They also secured a winning record within the AFC North for the first time since the division was formed in 2002.

Week 17: at Baltimore Ravens

[edit]
Week Seventeen: Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 7 0 71024
Ravens 10 10 3326

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Browns entered the final game of the season attempting to play the role of spoiler, as the Ravens needed a win – or a Steelers loss – to clinch the AFC North title.

The Ravens built a 20–7 halftime lead on the strength of two touchdown runs by fellow rookie QB Lamar Jackson. The Browns' score was on a Baker Mayfield 28-yard pass to former Raven Breshad Perriman. While the Ravens maintained their lead throughout the game, Mayfield added two touchdown passes in the second half, including a strike to Antonio Callaway to cut the Ravens' lead to 26–24 with 3:24 remaining. The Browns had one more chance, but Mayfield threw an interception to C.J. Mosley to seal the game.

With the loss, the Browns finished the season 7–8–1, marking their 11th consecutive losing season, which is a franchise record and the longest active streak in the NFL. The Browns finished 2–6 in away games. Mayfield won his seventh Rookie of the Week award.

Standings

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Division

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AFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) Baltimore Ravens 10 6 0 .625 3–3 8–4 389 287 W3
Pittsburgh Steelers 9 6 1 .594 4–1–1 6–5–1 428 360 W1
Cleveland Browns 7 8 1 .469 3–2–1 5–6–1 359 392 L1
Cincinnati Bengals 6 10 0 .375 1–5 4–8 368 455 L2

Conference

[edit]
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1[a] Kansas City Chiefs West 12 4 0 .750 5–1 10–2 .480 .401 W1
2[b] New England Patriots East 11 5 0 .688 5–1 8–4 .482 .494 W2
3[b] Houston Texans South 11 5 0 .688 4–2 9–3 .471 .435 W1
4 Baltimore Ravens North 10 6 0 .625 3–3 8–4 .496 .450 W3
Wild Cards
5[a] Los Angeles Chargers West 12 4 0 .750 4–2 9–3 .477 .422 W1
6 Indianapolis Colts South 10 6 0 .625 4–2 7–5 .465 .456 W4
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North 9 6 1 .594 4–1–1 6–5–1 .504 .448 W1
8 Tennessee Titans South 9 7 0 .563 3–3 5–7 .520 .465 L1
9 Cleveland Browns North 7 8 1 .469 3–2–1 5–6–1 .516 .411 L1
10 Miami Dolphins East 7 9 0 .438 4–2 6–6 .469 .446 L3
11[c] Denver Broncos West 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .523 .464 L4
12[c] Cincinnati Bengals North 6 10 0 .375 1–5 4–8 .535 .448 L2
13[c] Buffalo Bills East 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .523 .411 W1
14 Jacksonville Jaguars South 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 .549 .463 L1
15[d] New York Jets East 4 12 0 .250 1–5 3–9 .506 .438 L3
16[d] Oakland Raiders West 4 12 0 .250 1–5 3–9 .547 .406 L1
Tiebreakers[e]
  1. ^ a b Kansas City finished ahead of LA Chargers based on division record.
  2. ^ a b New England finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory.
  3. ^ a b c Denver finished ahead of Cincinnati and Buffalo based on strength of victory. Cincinnati finished ahead of Buffalo based on record vs. common opponents. Cincinnati's cumulative record against Baltimore, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami was 3–2, compared to Buffalo's 1–4 cumulative record against the same four teams.
  4. ^ a b NY Jets finished ahead of Oakland based on strength of victory.
  5. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Team leaders

[edit]
Category Player(s) Value
Passing yards Baker Mayfield 3,725
Passing touchdowns Baker Mayfield 27
Rushing yards Nick Chubb 996
Rushing touchdowns Nick Chubb 8
Receptions Jarvis Landry 81
Receiving yards Jarvis Landry 976
Receiving touchdowns Antonio Callaway 5
Points Greg Joseph 76
Kickoff return yards Jabrill Peppers 408
Punt return yards Jabrill Peppers 219
Tackles Jamie Collins Sr. 104
Sacks Myles Garrett 13.5
Forced fumbles Myles Garrett 3
Interceptions Damarious Randall 4
Pass deflections Denzel Ward 11

Individual honors

[edit]

Four Browns players, G Joel Bitonio,[95] DE Myles Garrett,[96] WR Jarvis Landry,[97] and CB Denzel Ward,[96] were named to the AFC Roster for the 2019 Pro Bowl. Garrett was voted as a starter and Ward as a reserve. Bitonio and Landry were named as alternates and later named to the AFC roster to replace injured players. This marked Landry's fourth consecutive and fourth overall Pro Bowl appearance, and the first appearance for the three other players.

In addition, RB Nick Chubb and P Britton Colquitt were named second alternates and QB Baker Mayfield and G Kevin Zeitler were named fourth alternates at their respective positions.[96]

Bitonio and Garrett were also named to the All-Pro second team[98]

Chubb and Mayfield were nominated for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, however both fell short to the eventual winner, New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley.

References

[edit]
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