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NFL Grades: Report card for each team after first quarter of 2018

By Randy Gurzi

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Running back Todd Gurley #30 and quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams enter the stadium through the tunnel area of their game against the Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Running back Todd Gurley #30 and quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams enter the stadium through the tunnel area of their game against the Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns stands on the sideline before their game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns stands on the sideline before their game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Browns (1-2-1): D-

The season of hype for the Cleveland Browns has become a season of ups and downs. They were featured in the HBO series Hard Knocks and they received even more attention before that since they had the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks in the 2018 NFL Draft.

They also were making moves like acquiring wide receiver Jarvis Landry and free safety Damarious Randall in the offseason as new general manager John Dorsey was putting his stamp on this roster. All the turnover has them looking more competitive, but they’re still the same Browns team we all know.

The first instinct is to say they’ve got a win and tie and that’s good after going 0-16 last season, but that’s not looking at how they’ve played. In Week 1 and Week 2, they should have won, but head coach Hue Jackson stubbornly stuck with an ineffective Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. Sure, he hit a fourth-down miracle pass to Antonio Callaway to tie the Saints in Week 2, but he needed that pass after he threw the game away earlier with a terrible pick.

Everyone blamed the kicker in those first two weeks, but Taylor was the one who left points on the board and made them rely on the kicker. Just like they left plays on the field in Week 4 and left it up to the refs to blow the game.

Lack of discipline, poor execution, and excuses for losses. That all falls on Hue, who is now 2-33-1 in his career with the Browns. They can’t change the losing culture because they kept their biggest loser. As long as Jackson is there, they will never be a winning team and an injury to Taylor in Week 3 is the only thing saving them from a winless season and an “F” NFL Grade after Week 4.

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