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Monken says Browns' offense could be 'smoother,' but his 4-2 team has come through late in games
Todd Monken said Cleveland has won close games despite a league-high 44 first-quarter points allowed and uneven play early in games.
The Cleveland Browns are 4-2 and lead the AFC North following Sunday's 13-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, though head coach Todd Monken acknowledged the offense faces 'growing pains' in his first season.
Despite the winning record, the Browns average a league-low 42 yards of offense in the first quarter, yet Monken stated Monday, 'I'm not frustrated,' noting the team excels in the final 15 minutes.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 11 of 26 passes for 148 yards, achieving a 57.7% success rate on in-breaking routes, while receiver Jerry Jeudy recorded four receptions for 69 yards in his best outing of the season.
The defense limited the Ravens to 124 yards after the first quarter, with linebacker Carson Schwesinger recording a critical strip-sack, while rookie safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren played 54 of 57 snaps after Grant Delpit suffered a concussion.
Cleveland travels to Tennessee next Sunday, followed by road games against Pittsburgh on November 1 and New Orleans on November 8, as the Browns aim to build on their 3-0 record in contests decided by three points or fewer.