Is the heat turning up on the Browns after only two games?

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

Four downs on Browns (0-2) v. Green Bay Packers (2-0)

First down: When does the noise turn into heat?

It’s been 10 months since the Browns won a regular-season game. Three hundred five days. They’ve lost eight in a row by an average score of 28-13. They’re an incredible minus-19 in turnovers in those games – 23 giveaways vs. four takeaways. They’ve started four quarterbacks, but for the most part, roughly 11 of the projected 22 starters in Sunday’s game against Green Bay have suffered through the eight losses in a row. As a result, the noise is cranking up. How long does this go on before bigger changes are made? A quarterback change is inevitable. Then what? Does the noise turn into heat on the coaches?

Second down: Q factor.

The Browns are expected to give running back Quinshon Judkins a full load in his second game after missing all of training camp and preseason in a domestic and contract dispute. A full load means Judkins would be the center piece of a running attack and play-action passing game that has served to constipate the overall offense, instead of jumpstarting it. The Packers own the second-ranked run defense through two weeks, giving up an average of 48.5 yards a game and 2.4 a rush. But the Packers nullified Detroit’s run game with a 10-0 lead and Washington’s with a 14-0 lead before extending both to 17-3 into the third quarter. “I think they have a good [defensive] front, and they have dissuaded people maybe from running the ball early because of that front,” said offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. “They’re a team that creates differences in how they build it, how they try to attack you up front. So obviously, when you get a lead of 14 points early, you’re discouraged from running the football, similar to how Baltimore ranked really high against the run, they’re usually playing with the lead, so sometimes those things can play hand in hand. But I definitely think it’s a combination of a really good front and then situational football dictates how those games are.”

Third down: Mutual admiration society.

Sack masters Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons are mutual admirers. They work out together in the offseason, share strategies on how to beat double-team blockers, and compare notes on wrangling record-setting contracts from billionaire team owners. Garrett set the record for a non-quarterback when he signed for $40 million a year over four years ($123 million guaranteed) in March after his efforts to get traded fell on deaf ears. Parsons didn’t want to be traded by the Cowboys, but owner Jerry Jones didn’t want to pay him. So Parsons was dealt to the Packers in August. Parsons then got a $48 million a year bag from the Packers ($188 million over four years with $120 million fully guaranteed). “I think him and I went in two very different ways,” Garrett was quoted saying in The Athletic. “This wasn’t a relationship I wanted to ruin. There was always a potential of me being back in the same spot, which I am now. And now I don’t think that’s what he wanted after discussions with Jerry and some of the other people, especially without his agent being present. I feel like that seemed like a show of disrespect, the way they were handling the situation, and I think the way ours was handled was a bit more respectfully all around.” Anyways, the mutual admirers are two of the best pass rushers in the sport today. Just ask them. “I think we’re two of the very best in this generation,” Garrett said.

Fourth down: Say something nice.

In a hokey effort to create awareness that they need to play complementary football, Kevin Stefanski encouraged players and coaches to pay each other compliments in team meetings. “Not exactly the same word, but for the sake of the argument, just feel like it’s important for our team to understand that this is a team game and we need to do things that set our teammates up,” Stefanski said. “And we need our defense to set up our offense, just like we need our offense to set up our defense, and special teams is so big when you’re talking about field position. So, just make it a point about how we need each other in this team sport and how this, it works on Sundays when you can feed off of each other.” In two games, the offense has committed four turnovers and scored 16 and 17 points. The special teams have missed two costly kicks, allowed two 23-yard punt returns and were gashed for a blocked punt. So here’s what I would say to the offense and special teams if I played on defense: “Pick your damn game up, already!”

The pick: Packers 24, Browns 20.

My record: 0-2.