Browns-Bears Final Score: Christmas Eve isn’t kind to Cleveland in 2017, lose 20-3

Today was depressing. It’s Christmas Eve, and I got myself a little worked up thinking that the Browns could avoid going winless. In snowy conditions, the game should’ve been up for grabs. Instead, we had a laughably bad game by QB DeShone Kizer again, DE Carl Nassib jumping offsides every other snap, and receivers fumbling the ball into the end zone the one time we do have a chance to score.

Cleveland lost to Chicago by a final score of 20-3, dropping to 0-15 on the year. 0-16 next week is pretty much inevitable at this point.

The Browns showed a running mentality on their first drive, but on a third down, QB DeShone Kizer’s first pass of the game was wobbly and short to WR Josh Gordon. Cleveland’s defense forced a quick three-and-out after S Justin Currie registered a sack on QB Mitch Trubisky.

After one first down on their next series, Cleveland had to punt. WR Ricardo Louis didn’t realize that RB Tarik Cohen had now called a fair catch, so he let Cohen run right by him for a 28-yard return. Chicago capitalized with Trubisky's mobility on their second drive, along with an unsportsmanlike penalty on Carl Nassib. On 3rd-and-goal from the 2 yard line, RB Jordan Howard walked in for the touchdown.

The extra point was blocked by DL Carl Nassib, keeping it a 6-0 game at the end of the first quarter. Kizer’s struggles extended to the second quarter, but Cleveland’s defense was able to stop a Bears drive with a third down sack by DE Myles Garrett.

The Browns proceeded to put together a lengthy drive leading into the two-minute warning. On 2nd-and-4 from the 28 yard line, though, Kizer threw deep to the right corner of the end zone. CB Kyle Fuller caught the pass in stride for an interception, with Gordon trailing several yards behind him.

A few seconds before the end of the half, Kizer hit WR Ricardo Louis for a 35-yard gain. With only six seconds left, K Zane Gonzalez came out to try a 49-yard field goal in the snow...and he drilled it!

A fantastic play to begin the third quarter was wiped away because DL Carl Nassib, insignificant to the play, lined up offsides. A defensive lineman tipped a pass by Trubisky, and Garrett snagged it and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown.

It would’ve given them the lead, but instead, Chicago then marched downfield with the assistance of a 40-yard screen pass on third down. A few plays later, Howard took it in from 16 yards out, giving Chicago a 13-3 lead. The Browns responded with a three-and-out on offense, and Chicago responded to that with another touchdown drive to go up 20-3. This time, it was Trubisky taking it himself for 4 yards on an obvious quarterback draw that Cleveland can never see coming.

The comedy of errors continued on the next drive for Cleveland. After a couple of nice catch-and-runs by RB Duke Johnson, Cleveland fumbled into the end zone when WR Rashard Higgins was stripped trying to extend a play.

There was more bad play after that, including a fourth down pick by Kizer, but the final score remained the same. At least this result, pending the outcome of the Texans vs. Steelers game on Christmas Day, helps keep that Houston pick higher for Cleveland.

Quick Hitters

• QB DeShone Kizer: 18-of-36 for 182 yards, 2 INT. 3 rushes, 8 yards.
• RB Isaiah Crowell: 12 carries, 44 yards (3.7 YPC). 1 catch, -1 yards (4 targets).
• RB Duke Johnson: 4 carries, 20 yards (5.0 YPC). 7 catches, 81 yards (7 targets). He is now the Browns’ all-time leader in receptions for a season at the running back position.
• WR Josh Gordon: 2 catches, 19 yards (8 targets).
• WR Corey Coleman: 1 catch, 3 yards (6 targets).
• Sacks: 1 each for DE Myles Garrett, DL Larry Ogunjobi, OLB James Burgess, and S Justin Currie. 0.5 sacks for MLB Joe Schobert, CB Jamar Taylor.
• Cleveland has officially clinched the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.