3 Cleveland Browns to blame for Week 12 loss to Denver
The Cleveland Browns saw their winning streak end at three games with a loss to Denver and this is where the majority of the blame falls
2. David Njoku, Tight End
Last week, David Njoku had some big plays for the Browns as he’s continued to be a solid option in the passing game. That continued in Week 12 with him hauling in six receptions for 59 yards. He even made an impressive finger-tip grab on a pass that was slightly too high while also hauling one in that was a bit low — he even slid to the ground to make the play.
The problem is that he continues to drop passes and seems to be allergic to the end zone. For the second week in a row, Njoku had both hands on a pass that should have gone for a touchdown. In Week 11, the Browns had to settle for a field goal, costing his team four points. This time, they were still able to get a touchdown following his drop but they needed a fourth-down conversion for that to happen.
Not long after the end zone drop, Njoku had another. This time, he was wide open and had plenty of space to run after the catch. Instead of turning that into a huge gain, he let the ball slip through his hands and the Browns offense stalled.
As frustrating as that one was, it’s the dropped touchdowns that are problematic. Njoku has never been able to develop into a red-zone weapon. In his career, he’s never had more than four touchdowns in a season, hitting that number four times in his career. This year, he’s stuck on two and could have at least tied his personal record over the past two weeks.
For Njoku, it has to be infuriating as well. He didn’t hold back when he criticized himself for the drops last week and that was during a win. This week, he’s sure to do more of the same and will continue to focus on hauling the passes in.
