The Cleveland Browns can hardly fulfil the high expectations at the moment. The reasons for this are manifold, the prospect of improvement hardly existent. Yet the playoff train is already slowly rolling away.

Cleveland/Munich – And so he sat there. Head down, expression frozen. You could see the frustration on Kareem Hunt’s face.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Cleveland Browns running back had to be carted off the field. His calf was giving him trouble. Big problems. He could not put any weight on his right leg.

It is now clear: Hunt will be out for around four to six weeks, thus tearing another hole in the Browns’ injury-plagued offence. 

Kareem Hunt is being carted off the field. pic.twitter.com/PKt3COkxzX

– FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 17, 2021

Long list of staff absences

Nick Chubb, also with calf problems, is currently doomed to watch, the same goes for starting O-linemen Jedrick Willis Jr. and Jack Conklin. Star receiver Jarvis Landry is missing anyway with a knee injury.

Without question: The injury problems are one reason why the team around Head Coach Kevin Stefanski is currently playing below expectations. But they are by no means the only reason and by no means the decisive one. The bitter 14:37 home defeat against the Arizona Cardinals, in which not even a spectacular Hail Mary was enough, revealed this on several levels.

When it comes to supposedly top teams, Cleveland is weak. Offensively, but especially defensively. Wins against the Texans, Bears and Vikings are offset by losses to the Chiefs, Chargers and Cardinals. With a record of 3-3, the Baltimore Ravens (5-1) are already threatening to slip away in the AFC North, while the Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) are also making the better impression at the moment.

Browns don’t bring their potential on the field

“We’re playing like a 3-3 team,” Stefanski said after the loss to Arizona: “We’re average, that’s it.” Former NFL player and “ESPN” pundit Dan Orlovsky calls the franchise “the biggest disappointment in the entire league” and says, “They have a roster that could be 6-0. Instead, they’re 3-3.”

But what are the problems?

In the three losses, the Browns defence allowed 117 (!) points. 33 against the Chiefs, 47 against the Chargers and now 37 against the Cardinals. While the defence against the run remained stable for the most part, there was a hail of big plays through the air.

Stefanski: “The solution to all the problems is certainly not just this one thing, but we know we have to get better there.”

Much money for the defence – where is the return?

In total, Cleveland has already allowed 14 passing touchdowns that way, with only the Indianapolis Colts and Washington football team having worse records.

The Browns invested a lot of draft capital and money in the defence over the past few years. Cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II – both first-round draft picks.

Star defender Myles Garrett assesses, “It’s tough right now. Everyone is playing their role, in practice and throughout the year. We’ve shown we can make big plays on defence as well, but right now we need to find ourselves. We’re not defending like we should.”

But there are also hiccups on the other side of the ball. In the top game against the Cardinals, Mayfield allowed himself two early fumbles and also threw an interception. Overall, the 26-year-old has just six touchdown passes in six games.

Too much risk on fourth down attempts

On a hit by J.J. Watt, the already banged-up quarterback also injured his shoulder, entered the ensuing press conference with an arm sling.

The running game has been above average lately, but with Chubb and Hunt out, D’Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton, two largely inexperienced backs, have to step into the breach.

What’s more, the Browns have already taken a risk on several occasions this year, playing for a fourth try. 15th time – more than any other team in the league.

But this has rarely paid off. Just six tries were scored – against the Cardinals the record was one out of four. Cleveland missed a sure field goal in the first quarter and then failed on 4th & 3.

“There are a number of things we need to improve on. That’s what we’re going to address. That’s my responsibility,” Stefanski explained.

There is not much time for that. Already on Friday night, the Browns travel to the Denver Broncos. The short regeneration time might not help the injured list either.