Browns vs. Patriots: Quick Hits
What went right: Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler continued to show progress before he was injured late in the first quarter. Immediately after quarterback Tom Brady led the Patriots to a touchdown on their first possession, Kessler responded by orchestrating a nine-play, 75-yard march and finished it by throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andrew Hawkins in the back left corner of the end zone with 6:09 left in the opening quarter.
What went wrong: Aside from injuries to Kessler (chest, ribs) and backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (left knee), the performance of the running game is the sorest subject. The Browns entered the game with the NFL’s No. 1 rushing offense (149.3 yards per game) but gained just 27 yards on 22 carries (1.2 average). The Patriots robbed them of their identity. Pathetic.
The bottom line: Brady belongs on the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks. The Browns are close to having enough starting quarterbacks since 1999 to fill seven sorry versions of Mount Rushmore.
— Nate Ulrich