The Cleveland Browns are bad again. Here's what's wrong this time

It seems that the Cleveland Browns are bad – again.

When the Browns broke their record at 2-2-1 after a tough overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens, it seemed like they could finally to be turning the corner. After so many years of incompetence, they seemed to be competing with some of the best teams in the league.

Two weeks later, this feeling has almost disappeared. The Chargers dusted the 38-14 Browns, and the Buccaneers beat the Browns 26-23 in overtime after the Browns had to recover from a 23-9 deficit.

Although Cleveland has had some positives this season, the team still has a lot of work to do to be a serious playoff contender. The defense has generally been good this year, but the offense has not improved since Baker Mayfield succeeded Tyrod Taylor in the third week against the New York Jets to lead the Browns to their first victory in 600 days .

The offensive is struggling to move the ball, to create big games and to convert the third tries of the long that they gave themselves.

The attack on the Browns is frustrating is that they seem to have found a little life after the insertion of Mayfield into the formation. They scored 21 points in the second half against the Jets and 42 points the following week against the Raiders. Since then, they have scored only 49 points, an average of 16.3 points per game.

So what happened to them?

Their receivers can not catch the ball

Even with the change of Mayfield, the Browns have not seen any notable jump in their passing game. In particular, their effectiveness is absolutely atrocious.

According to Bill Connelly's figures, the Browns rank 30th for marginal efficiency and 32nd for marginal efficiency.

Cleveland's loss to the Chargers highlighted some of the biggest problems the Browns have with their passing offense: they really, really have trouble catching the ball.

This fall of rookie Antonio Callaway is an excellent example. Callaway beats the double cover at the back of the court in the end zone and then … drops it.

Here is another new player, Damion Ratley, receiver of the third string, later in the same game.

The receivers of the Browns have had the opportunity to play games in the passing game and so far they are not ready to sniff (maybe someone like Josh Gordon could help us out) far). According to ESPN's NFL Matchup, the Browns deposit passes at the highest rate in the league.

Mayfield also had the highest number of falls in third place this year.

Moving Gordon for a fifth-round pick should be depressing for the Browns fans, especially as he begins to find his pace with the Patriots. Last week against the Bears, Gordon played his first 100-yard game with the Patriots on just four catches.

The Browns already have at least one option on their list with Duke Johnson running back as a dangerous weapon in the backfield. The problem with Johnson does not revolve around his ability to play. The coaches simply do not involve him much, even after the Browns granted Johnson a three-year extension just months before the start of the season.

Johnson played 43.9% of snaps this year, but only touched 38. Johnson averages 5.4 yards per run and 10.4 yards per jack – so you might want a little more than this guy.

Even with the recoil of the receiver and the absence of Johnson's touches, the Browns need a better game at the quarterback position.

Baker Mayfield also has a lot of progress to make

It's not all about Browns receivers. Mayfield has been inconsistent in recent weeks. Mayfield has an aggressive mentality, which is generally positive, but it can lead to frantic games. This is what you expect from a rookie who has not had many first team representatives before ending up in the starting lineup.

Take this piece against the chargers. Mayfield avoids the pressure here and tries to play an important role in the peloton first. His receiver was open for a moment, but the bullet was late and sailed on him – directly in the hands of Desmond King.

Mayfield's second interception at King was not much better. It was a short route intended for David Njoku, and Mayfield did not see King read his eyes. Mayfield threw it where Njoku and King was located easily in front of the pass.

It can be said that Mayfield's biggest rookie error this season came just before the half-time match against the Buccaneers. Cleveland did not move the ball throughout the first half, but the attack was able to reap a few yards and score. Then Hue Jackson rolled the dice on a fourth and one.

Baker scrambled, it looked like he had the first, then the curse of the Browns knocked. Lavonte David slapped the ball and he bounced just far enough for the ball to miss the first scorer.

They ended up going at halftime 16-2 in a match that they lost in overtime.

When you combine Mayfield's rookie errors and the irregular play of their receivers, it's easy to understand why they do not score as many points on the board at the moment.

Yet their biggest problem in attack may well be their blocking pass.

Replacing Joe Thomas with an unprepared rookie was a bad idea

Desmond Harrison did not ask to replace the best left tackle of the 21st century, but that's where he ended up. Harrison has played every time for the Browns offense this year. Everything was not bad for Harrison, but he definitely suffered from growing pains.

Harrison is an excellent athlete (he ran an unofficial 4.75 at the NFL Combine), but some of the technique involved in the offensive team's game has not yet achieved its goal. The Browns rank 30th as a percentage of the bags, being transferred to 10.3% of their losses. Only 49ers (10.5%) and bills (11.5%) have higher percentages.

Chris Hubbard, right tackle Cleveland, has signed a $ 36 million five-year contract for this off season and has also struggled. He gave T.J. Watt three bags in the first game of the season and was beaten several times by former Brown Carl Nassib against Tampa Bay.

At this point in the season, the Browns game improvement will have to come from within. There is no quick fix outside a blockbuster. Cleveland can still win a few more games this season, but this team is not yet ready for the playoffs – even a .500 record is a long shot. We'll have to take the 2019 season – and maybe finally move on from Jackson – to put this thing back on track.

The Browns have a legitimate expectation at the quarterback position for the first time since returning to Cleveland. But for now, it's still the Browns.