There was nothing — absolutely, positively nothing — surprising about the Browns’ 33-17 dismantling by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field in the regular-season opener.

The Browns offense, which struggled throughout the preseason and had a ton of injuries to the line heading into the game, did nothing aside from a 75-yard yard drive to get the first of its two touchdowns. Other than that, it looked like boys against men. It looked like the junior varsity, or even the freshman team, against the varsity, it looked pathetic.

But again, you knew it was going to happen because this offense is, in every way, shape and form, a work in progress.

If there was something especially disappointing, then it was that the defense didn’t take charge and be the leader that it needed to be for this game, knowing full well the offense was in the state that it was in.

Don’t get dissuaded too much, though, by the defeat, especially in that it was expected. It’s a long season, but if the Browns don’t start to make some improvement soon, then it will turn into a short season in terms of interest by the fans.

Steve King