Cleveland Browns Lose to the Baltimore Ravens on a Blocked Field Goal

The Cleveland Browns took on the Baltimore Ravens during Monday Night Football—not the most attractive matchup on paper. The Ravens are perhaps the most injury-plagued team in the league, and the Browns are, well, the Browns. But last night turned out to be quite entertaining, and the Browns found themselves surprisingly in a position to win: lining up for a go-ahead field goal with only seconds remaining, the score tied at 27. However, the Ravens blocked the attempt and returned it for a game-winning touchdown.

The sequence, and the subsequent plays before it, sadly epitomizes what the Browns have been since reentering the league back in 1999—a period of time that has seen them compile the worst record in the league. However, this year alone has been particularly Browns-like. After last nights loss they're now an abysmal 2-9, and Johnny Manziel, their 2014 first-round pick is now a third stringer. 

Mike Pettine, coach of the Browns, had this to say when asked about the game, via cleveland.com:

"A tough one to wrap your brain around. Frustrating. Our guys battled back, came back from some deficits, didn't finish it ... Anytime you give up 14 points when your defense isn't on the field, you're not going to win a lot of football games ... You see the look on their faces of being that close and coming up short ... the competitiveness, the pride ... that's a tough one to deal with."

When asked specifically about the blocked field goal, Pettine said this:

"I don't think the block came from the edge. I'll have to see the replay."

Not a direct answer, but it does suggest the guys protecting the edge might be kind of safe from a good lecture. It also suggests the coach is experiencing pain comparable to a good kick in the shin. So yeah, it's a tough time to be a Browns fan. But then again, it usually is.