The 14 hours or so hadn't done much for Mike Pettine. The "frustration" and "disappointment" from Monday night's stunning loss to the Ravens was still "very much with" the Browns as they looked to regroup and prepare for the AFC North-leading Bengals on a short week.
A full review of the film only added to it. The little details that could have been better on every play before Will Hill's 64-yard return for a touchdown off a field block stuck with Pettine.
"Absolutely would have made the difference," Pettine said. "That's why these types of games stick with you for a long time, a lot of 'what if's.'"
Pettine revealed Tuesday the Browns briefly considered going for a two-point conversion after Austin Davis connected with Travis Benjamin on a 42-yard touchdown pass with 1:47 to play. Davis initially lingered on the field before Travis Coons and the field goal team entered and ultimately tied the game, 27-27.
The Browns had two, two-point conversion plays they felt good about, Pettine said, but the timing didn't work out. Had there been 30 seconds or fewer remaining on the clock, the Browns would have gone for the win because there would have been no shot to get the ball back on offense one more time.
Pettine expressed his regrets about the clock management on Cleveland's final drive leading up to the field goal, saying the Browns "needed to be much more efficient there." Cleveland ran three plays after Tramon Williams' interception -- an 8-yard pass to Brian Hartline, a 7-yard Davis scramble and a Duke Johnson run up the middle that gained no yards.
"We could have gotten another play or two and advanced the ball closer and the kick wouldn't have been as low," Pettine said. "It was a series that just led to the consequence of the field goal being blocked."
The loss was the Browns' second that came with a field goal serving as the game's final play. Pettine said it was "safe to say" Monday's loss was one of the toughest he's had to stomach during his coaching career.
Time can only do so much. The ultimate solution to feeling the opposite of the way the Browns did Tuesday lies with what occurs Sunday against the Bengals.
"Nothing is going to make you feel good about it until to you come out with more points than your opponent, and we haven't been able to do that for a while," Pettine said. "We have put a lot of work in and haven't had a chance to enjoy a pay day and that is an obvious source of frustration."
2. Justin Gilbert, Browns secondary update
Defensive back Justin Gilbert entered the league's concussion protocol Tuesday, making him one of four Browns currently sidelined with a head injury. Defensive back Joe Haden and wide receivers Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel are the others.
Gilbert, one week after he was a healthy scratch, started in Haden's place and logged 19 snaps at cornerback before he exited with the injury. Nickel back K'Waun Williams assumed some responsibilities at the traditional corner spot and rookie Charles Gaines played eight snaps. Pierre Desir, who has started a handful of games this season, was inactive.
"We felt good about our corner depth and kind of running through it with special teams where we were," Pettine said. "It was a situation where that was the decision we made."
3. Snap counts of note
Some snap counts of note from Monday's loss to the Ravens:
- K'Waun Williams played a higher percentage of snaps than usual and filled in at the traditional cornerback spot after Gilbert went out with a concussion. Williams, who is typically a nickel back, played 47 of 59 snaps.
- Hartline missed just four snaps and Benjamin was on the sidelines for just nine. Marlon Moore recorded a whopping 42 of 69 snaps, easily the most for him this season. Gary Barnidge was on the sidelines for just three.
- Danny Shelton played 66 percent (39) of the defense's snaps. The only defensive lineman with a higher percentage was Desmond Bryant (69 percent).
- The outside linebacker snaps broke down as follows: Paul Kruger (39), Armonty Bryant (34), Nate Orchard (25) and Barkevious Mingo (19).
4. Stat to note
The Browns are on pace to have two, 1,000-yard receivers for the first time since 2007 and just the second time since the franchise returned in 1999. Travis Benjamin is at 826 yards after racking up 90 yards Monday and tight end Gary Barnidge is at 758 after leading the Browns with 91 yards against the Ravens. In 2007, it was a tight end and receiver accomplishing the feat, too, as Braylon Edwards had 1,289 yards and Kellen Winslow had 1,106. Kevin Johnson, Antonio Bryant and Josh Gordon are the only other Browns to go over 1,000 receiving yards since 1999.
