No defending a Browns leaky defense

By STEVE KING

They entered this season knowing they needed a lot of help on defense.

And the Browns exit the season knowing they need a lot of help on defense.

A better defense might well have been the difference between the Browns beating the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the AFC divisional playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium, instead of losing to them 22-17.

That defense allowed a game-clinching first down in the last minute after having the Chiefs, having to rely on a little-used backup quarterback, in a third-and-14 situation.

That’s absolutely inexcusable.

And in the first half, the defense couldn’t stop the Chiefs at all, in any situation, allowing them to score on each of their possessions en route to building a 19-3 lead. That’s too big of a hole to dig yourselves when going against the defending Super Bowl champions and the club that went into the season, and then into the postseason, as the overwhelming favorite to win it all again.

I know, I know, the defense intercepted a pass with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter, and the offense, with the score 22-17, failed to take advantage of it by scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

Yes, yes, I know, this season, even with the loss, ended up a whole lot better than anyone thought it would.

And yes, yes, I know, this team is full of young, talented players, so this should be — should be — just the start of a great run for the Browns.

While all that is certainly true, nothing is guaranteed for the future because a team changes from year to year, some of it positive and some of it negative.

What we do know, however, is that in the here and now, Sunday’s game was winnable and the Browns, because of their shortcomings on defense, failing to win it.