The Browns are having one of the worst starts offensively through four games in their history.

They have not scored more than 18 points, including in Sunday’s 20-16 loss to the host Las Vegas Raiders. They are averaging 16.6 points per game.

Yes, that’s right, 16.6 points per game, or a little less than two touchdowns, two extra-point kicks and a field goal.

Ugh.

And on Sunday, one touchdown was scored by the defense.

In the NFL, in which every rule change for the past 46 years has been done to give something to the offense and take something away from the defense, so as to increase scoring and appease the fans’ hunger for that, when you can’t score into the 20s on a consistent basis, you have absolutely, positively no chance to be competitive.

That’s where the Browns are at right now.

We can talk about this that and other regarding all the other things wrong with the team, including a complete absence of discipline — and we will as the week progresses — but the biggest problem — by far; it isn’t even close — is a significant lack of points.

The Browns, who are now 1-3 and have lost back to back games to two of the worst teams in the league, are not just losing games, but they are also not fun to watch. That’s a bad combination. That is an incredibly bad combination. It’s hard to sell that.

If you are winning and the games are boring, then that is tolerable. If you’re playing exciting football, scoring points, but not winning as many games as you would like, that’s not a death knell, either.. But losing low-scoring games is just the worst.

And to think this season isn’t even 25 percent over yet. We have a long way to go. It’s got to get better, right? If only we had some assurance of that.

Steve King