Finally an International Series game that was at least competitive until halftime, where the 0-7 Browns managed to lead by the bizarre scoreline of 13-12. It didn't last, primarily because the Browns do Browns things and commit dumb mistakes, none more so than managing to miss the extra kick on their opening drive touch down. This took the momentum out of what looked like a promising offensive start under rookie quarterback Deshone Kizer, albeit with a short field after Schobert's interception.
You can't win football games if you make bad mistakes, the Browns continued to make plenty. Treggs immediately fumbled a punt that he should have let go rather than layout out for, giving the Vikings a short field. The Browns defense held up well and restricted the Vikings to a field goal. This Vikings team was there for the taking. Forced to use their third string quarterback, Case Keenum who has neither velocity or distance on his throws, it is unsurprising that they struggled to move the ball. Unless of course your playing a team that continue to commit egregious errors through multiple pass interference penalties, or play zone defence in the red zone and yet somehow fail to guard the one guy in the actual endzone. Add to that the drive killing dropped passes by the Cleveland offence, and you do not have a recipe for long term success.
The Vikings managed to miss an extra point themselves, which meant that despite the mistakes the Browns were still alive going into half time. A huge run back after the kickoff gave them hope but another missed 3pt kick meant they came up empty handed. By this stage the defense had been on the field for most of the game and holes started opening up everywhere, not helped by Deshone Kizer's woeful offensive play. It's still a mystery why the Browns have ended up with Kizer when they could have drafted any of Wentz, Goff, Trubisky, Mahomes or Deshaun Watson who is, for the Browns anyway, embarrassingly lighting the league up.
It ended 33-16 with the Browns predictably dropping to 0-8, the first team to do that in back to back seasons since the '93 Bengals. Nevertheless this was still the most entertaining of the London series games, which continue to be fantastic days out despite the lack of quality games on the field.
You can't win football games if you make bad mistakes, the Browns continued to make plenty. Treggs immediately fumbled a punt that he should have let go rather than layout out for, giving the Vikings a short field. The Browns defense held up well and restricted the Vikings to a field goal. This Vikings team was there for the taking. Forced to use their third string quarterback, Case Keenum who has neither velocity or distance on his throws, it is unsurprising that they struggled to move the ball. Unless of course your playing a team that continue to commit egregious errors through multiple pass interference penalties, or play zone defence in the red zone and yet somehow fail to guard the one guy in the actual endzone. Add to that the drive killing dropped passes by the Cleveland offence, and you do not have a recipe for long term success.
The Vikings managed to miss an extra point themselves, which meant that despite the mistakes the Browns were still alive going into half time. A huge run back after the kickoff gave them hope but another missed 3pt kick meant they came up empty handed. By this stage the defense had been on the field for most of the game and holes started opening up everywhere, not helped by Deshone Kizer's woeful offensive play. It's still a mystery why the Browns have ended up with Kizer when they could have drafted any of Wentz, Goff, Trubisky, Mahomes or Deshaun Watson who is, for the Browns anyway, embarrassingly lighting the league up.
It ended 33-16 with the Browns predictably dropping to 0-8, the first team to do that in back to back seasons since the '93 Bengals. Nevertheless this was still the most entertaining of the London series games, which continue to be fantastic days out despite the lack of quality games on the field.
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