3 burning questions for Cleveland Browns to answer against Washington Commanders

BEREA — The Browns are 1-3 . Obviously, that is not the kind of start they were expecting .

There remains a path out of the hole the Browns have created for themselves . However, it has to start soon, as in Sunday when they travel to suburban Maryland to play the Washington Commanders.

The Commanders have had the kind of start the Browns hoped for, having won three in a row to open 3-1. Not only that, it appears they've found their franchise quarterback in rookie Jayden Daniels .

So, against that backdrop, Cleveland looks to not start pounding the nails into the proverbial coffin by trying to get its second win of the season against Washington. Let's take a look at three important questions for the Browns to answer against the Commanders.

How are the Cleveland Browns going to slow down Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels?

This is the single most important game-specific question facing the Browns this week. The other questions continue to involve fundamental issues plaguing the team in general, particularly one side of the football.

However, when it comes to this game, there's nothing Cleveland has to concern itself with more than the No. 2 overall pick in April's draft and former Heisman winner from LSU. Full stop.

Daniels has been an absolute sensation through the first quarter of the season in a way few rookie quarterbacks have been in recent years. He's been accurate — a league-best 82.1% — and efficient as a passer, while also being incredibly dangerous running the football.

Washington's offense has become a machine because of Daniels' play. They've scored 80 points in the last two games combined, while converting a league-high 68% of their drives into scores, including stretch between the fourth quarter of Week 1 until the second quarter of last week's game during which they scored on 16 in a row.

If the Commanders keep up that scoring output this week, it's going to spell bad things for the Browns. Why is that? Well, keep reading.

Can the Cleveland Browns ever get their offense to finally come alive?

That stat about the Commanders having scored 80 points combined in just the last two games stands in stark contrast to what the Browns have done. Cleveland has scored a mere 66 points in four games.

Six of those points, by the way, came on safety Rodney McLeod's fumble return last Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. Another 24 have been scored on the opening possessions of the Browns' four games.

That leaves just 36 points for the Cleveland offense to claim over the rest of the season to date. So it's no surprise the Browns have yet to score more than 18 points in any game, nor is it really a surprise they're 1-3, either.

Is this the week the offense finally shows life beyond either the opening possession, or some desperation drive late in a game in which they're trying to rally? Washington's defense would seem to offer an opportunity — 27th in total yards, 23rd in rushing, 22nd in passing, 25th in points — but the same things were said about bottom-third defenses of the New York Giants and Raiders.

So what will it be? If it's more of the same, then it'll be more of the same in the final results as well.

Can the Cleveland Browns stop with the self-inflicted problems?

The Browns' biggest opponent through the first four games has been easy to identify. It's the living version of the guy in the hot dog costume meme trying to find out who the culprit is, because it's been them all along.

After two games with double-digit penalties, Cleveland has only drawn five flags in each of the last two games. It's not been the quantity, though, as much as the timing of those penalties that has been crippling.

Two weeks ago, there was a roughing the passer flag on cornerback Greg Newsome II that negated an interception that could've set the Browns up to potentially grab control early against the Giants. Last week, it was center Nick Harris' holding call that negated an 82-yard Amari Cooper touchdown catch that would've provided a fourth-quarter lead.

The Browns have given their opponents five first downs by penalty, three of those coming in the last two weeks. That doesn't include the five possessions they've given teams through turnovers, three of which have come in the last two games that have resulted in 14 combined points.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 3 burning questions for Cleveland Browns to answer against Washington Commanders