For much of this Browns season, the defense has been praised and has been excused of any wrongdoing in the weekly nightmarish performances overall by the team.
Not this time, though.
The defense is almost — not quite, but nearly — as culpable as the offense and the special teams for Sunday’s 27–20 road loss to the dreadful, inept, clueless, directionless New York Jets.
There was a 0.0% chance the Jets were going to run a play here, and the Browns jumped offsides to end the game.
— Ohio’s Tate (@BarstoolTate) November 9, 2025
It’s honestly impressive that the most embarrassing franchise in sports continuously finds new ways to lose. pic.twitter.com/4uMEnlVVaQ
Yes, it is true that the Cleveland special teams, which have not been good all year, gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown and a punt return for a score in a span of only 36 seconds in the first half. If that’s not the worst special teams effort in Browns history — or possibly even pro football history as well — then it’s on the short list thereof.
What in the world is special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone doing? If there’s a word that means more than “humiliating,” then this was it.
Yikes!
And the offense? It was pathetic once again, just like we said in this space last week that it would be, despite a change in the playcaller to Tommy Rees. Different day, same junk.
But down the stretch in the fourth quarter, it was the defense that fell apart and became a sieve in the running game en route to surrendering a touchdown and then made two silly third-down penalties to allow New York to prolong drives when the Browns desperately needed to get the ball back.
The defense goes into each game fully aware it needs to carry the load for the team. It certainly did not do so Sunday.
Call it a dereliction of duty.
Complimentary football? The now 2-7 Browns just don’t play it, ever.
The worst part of all this, though, for the Browns is that head coach Kevin Stefanski will still be the head coach going forward.
The fans need to slam their TV remotes to the ground in disgust.
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