Browns done in by missed opportunities in loss to Raiders

The Cleveland Browns are supposed to win games like the one they played Sunday against the Raiders.

Equipped with the NFL’s No. 3 rushing offense and armed with a defense responsible for the league’s most takeaways, the Browns are built for Sunday’s inclement conditions that the Raiders had yet to face this season

But Cleveland’s strengths were negated by its mistakes during the 16-6 loss.

“We got beat. They came in here and beat us,” Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We didn’t do enough of the things that you’ve got to do in those conditions to go win. Credit to them.”

The Browns had their fair share of opportunities. To extend drives. To get stops. To score points, knowing full well they’d be at a premium in the wet, windy conditions.

But like the Raiders earlier this year, they failed to execute at crucial junctures — ultimately losing a game they were constructed to win.

Tight end Harrison Bryant caught two touchdown passes last week during a thrilling 37-34 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. But he fumbled the football away on Cleveland’s second possession, forfeiting valuable field possession in the process.

Sure-handed wide receiver Jarvis Landry couldn’t quite control a would-be touchdown reception in the third quarter, bobbling the kind of challenging catch he’s often completed during his seven-year career.

Tight end David Njoku dropped a perfectly thrown pass on a crucial third down early in the fourth quarter, after which the Raiders covered 74 yards in 8:47 en route to a critical field goal.

“We’ll look back at a few key plays that we offensively could have made,” said Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, who completed only 12 of 25 passes for 125 yards. “They did everything right today.”

That wasn’t all though.

On the ensuing possession after the Raiders went ahead 16-6 on Daniel Carlson’s 24-yard field goal, Landry was thrown a possible TD up the seam on third down, but he couldn’t complete the catch amid clean contact from Raiders defensive back LaMarcus Joyner.

Cody Parkey missed a field goal on following play, all but squashing a chance at a comeback.

For the game, the Browns were limited to six possessions, totaling a season-low 22:17 time of possession. They rushed 22 times for 101 yards, 56 fewer than their average before Sunday and their third fewest in a game this season.

Cleveland’s defense had accounted for a league-high 14 turnovers through its first seven games, providing Mayfield and company with favorable field possession from which to unleash its vaunted rushing offense. The did not force a turnover Sunday for the second time in eight games, instead allowing four consecutive drives of 12 plays or more.

The Raiders beat the Browns at their own game.

“I wish we were able to put some drives together there. Extended drives. But if you don’t possess the ball and you leave the defense on the field … it’s hard to win,” Stefanski said. “The bottom line is we just didn’t make enough plays on offense and defense.”

No, they didn’t. Far too many miscues instead.

“There’s no what-ifs because we have to move on and learn from those plays,” Mayfield said. “That’s why you take every play and you play at 100 percent, because you never know which play you’re going to look back on and say ‘That was the one that made a difference.’”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.