NEW ORLEANS — The Browns want kicker Zane Gonzalez to hold his head up after a no good, very bad day against the Saints.
Gonzalez struggled in Sunday's 21-18 loss to the Saints, missing 2-of-4 field goals and both extra point attempts, including one that would've given Cleveland a 19-18 lead with 1:16 to play. He then couldn't connect on a 52-yarder to tie the game in the waning seconds.
"I had more than enough opportunities," Gonzalez told reporters postgame. "I let the team down, I let the city down. It's on me."
Coach Hue Jackson, however, made clear the loss — a defeat in which the Browns were outscored 17-7 in the fourth quarter — was a team effort.
"I told them to put his head up. He's still one of the guys in this room," Jackson said. "He missed them, he has work to do. He's got to get better."
Gonzalez's teammates, too, were supportive. "They're helping me out as much as they can. They're being good teammates about it," he said. "At the end of the day, I know I let the team down. That's on me."
The shaky performance comes a week after Gonzalez had a potential game-winning, 44-yard field goal blocked in what ended as a 21-21 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Now, with a bout against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football fast approaching, the second-year kicker knows he'll need to refocus quickly.
"I'll move on. We've got another big game Thursday," he said, "so I've just got to get my mind right for it."
