Browns sputter their way to another loss

Another quarterback is nothing new, and give the kicker a break

Where do we begin this week?

The Browns? You know what? Why not? I’m in the mood to deflate the undeserved balloon of Browns fans.

So read on, my friends, and see what’s on my brain this week.

1. Third time’s the charm?

On Sept. 18, the Browns entered the record books by becoming the first franchise to start two quarterbacks in the same season for 15 straight seasons. It’s the longest streak since the 1970 merger. In typical inept Browns fashion, they had to one-up themselves. With the start of Cody Kessler on Sept. 25, the Browns have used three starting quarterbacks in four straight seasons.

I don’t know what the record is, and, quite frankly, I don’t care enough about the Browns to see if they have set it.

The fact of the matter is, they have started three quarterbacks in four straight seasons, yet fans still wonder what’s wrong with this team.

Now, to be fair, the Browns are simply sticking with the

formula they have used since the team returned as an expansion team in 1999: using multiple quarterbacks.

Only once in 18 seasons have the Browns used one quarterback (2001, Tim Couch).

The Browns have used two starting quarterbacks in nine of the 18 seasons.

Three starting quarterbacks have been used seven times (38.9 percent).

And, for one magical season, the Browns found a way to squeeze four starting quarterbacks into one season.

That was the fantastic 2008 season when expectations were high coming off of Derek Anderson’s amazing 2007 season. Anderson started eight games, then Brady Quinn gave it a go for three before getting hurt and giving the reins to Anderson. Anderson started one game before getting hurt (and I still think he just didn’t want to be a Browns player anymore) giving way to Ken Dorsey for three starts, with Bruce Gradkowski generously taking the bullet to face the Steelers in the season finale.

So, really, why be shocked that the Browns used three quarterbacks in three weeks this year?

2. Speaking of 2008

I was actually at that season finale when Gradkowski started in 2008. If I recall correctly, the only thing lower than the temperature was Gradkowski’s passer rating.

3. Winless in the AFC

There are two winless teams in the AFC: the Browns and the Jaguars.

Personally, it’s funny to me that they are at the bottom. The last Browns game that I actually went to was in 2013 when the Browns lost to the Jaguars, 32-28, and Josh Gordon had 261 yards to become the first NFL receiver to post back-to-back 200-yard games. Since then, Gordon has played in a pedestrian nine regular season games.

4. Speaking of wide receivers

I get it. People love Terrelle Pryor. I don’t. When Browns fans are celebrating a player who had his first 100-yard receiving game after playing in the league for five years, there’s a massive issue.

Is Pryor a playmaker? Yes.

Does he bring a new wrinkle to offenses? Yes.

Is he going to be a No. 1 receiver (and arguably a No. 20) on any team but Cleveland? No.

I give him credit. He has done a fantastic job reinventing himself to extend his career. And he deserves to be praised for that.

But one good game does not a receiver make.

5. Kicking conundrum?

If I see one more Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/ Snapchat/InsertWhateverSocialMediaPlatformYouWant post about Cody Parkey being the worst kicker ever, I’m going to flip.

Did he miss the gamewinner? Yes.

Did he miss three field goals? Yes.

Was he a reason that the Browns even had a chance to win with a last-second field goal? You better believe it.

If you take away his three made field goals, the Browns score only 15 points.

Which brings me to my next point.

Why on Earth was Parkey asked to kick six field goals in the first place? Maybe place some blame on a completely inept offense for not moving the ball.

As it is, Parkey kicked the ball for 132 yards accurately. That’s only 37 yards less than the Browns rushed the ball throughout the course of the game.

Had Parkey made all six kicks, he would have kicked the ball 261 yards, which would have matched the passing yards for the Browns.

Did Parkey miss some kicks? Yeah.

But he was making the best of an absolutely atrocious situation that the offense was giving him.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Cody Kessler was the third Browns quarterback to start this season, but the Browns using more than one QB in a season is not unusual.

Jon Behm