Browns 27, Patriots 10 (2nd): Defense continues to struggle

It looks as though Behren Morton is picked off again, but it’s wiped out due to pass interference. Don’t think that’s really pass interference, but the Patriots will take it.

In other news, James Hudson is back in the game after getting his arm looked at.

Dillon Gabriel continues to torment the Patriots — with the Browns QB running an 8-play, 63-yard drive that results in his third TD pass of the evening.

More of the same from the Patriots D tonight — poor tackling, bad positioning, and it sure seems like every backup corner or safety has had a play or two to forget. Charles Woods and Karon Prunty both with some major whiffs on that drive.

It’s 27-10 Browns with 2:32 to go in the half.

New England’s offense has a methodical, run-heavy drive that ends with a 26-yard field goal from Andy Borregales.

It’s still a 20-10 Cleveland lead.

Good drive from veteran running back Hassan Haskins — who turned a potential tackle for loss into a gain and also converted on a 4th-and-inches run. Haskins isn’t flashy, but he can be a punishing back if called upon to spell a player like Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Patriots’ backup O-line continues to get battered.

James Hudson exits New England’s drive while holding his arm, prompting Dametrious Crownover to slot in at left tackle. Looks like Jack Conley is now in the game at right tackle — with Caleb Lomu’s night seemingly over.

Hudson’s had a rough camp, but New England’s depth across the O-line has been decimated so far during preseason action.

The good news? New England’s defense once again kept the Browns out of the end zone for the second straight drive.

The bad news? Cleveland still gets another field goal — as Andre Szmyt just sneaks it past the left upright.

It’s 20-7 Cleveland with 13:28 to go in the half.

Well, I — for one — am ready for Week 1.

Behren Morton enters the game and his first throw of the game is picked off. Pretty impressive tip drill, with the ball bouncing off CJ Dippre and getting snagged out of the air by Easton Mascarenas-Arnold.

End First: Browns lead the Patriots, 17-7.

Mike Vrabel might need to call a timeout here, because this Patriots defense is getting shredded.

Browns generated a 52-yard play off a scramble drill from Gabriel to Ben Patterson. Really poor coverage and positioning from both Vildor and John Saunders — two guys who looked like they were shoring up roster spots over the last week.

New England’s defense does eventually hold in the red zone, but the Browns convert on a 35-yard field goal to make it a 17-7 game with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.

DeVito and the Patriots can’t counter — with Matt Haack forced to punt.

Not a good drive from Lan Larison — who is in the running for the RB3 spot. He drops two checkdown passes that stalls out the offense.

New England’s laboring defense is back out on the field.

Another drive for Cleveland — another touchdown.

Once again, New England’s run defense and corners had a drive to forget against Gabriel and the Browns — with Luke Floriea reeling in his second TD of the evening to give Cleveland a 14-7 lead.

A whole lot of ugly for New England there, with Marcellas Dial beat in coverage on that TD and Gabe Jacas biting on a 3rd-down play to that was converted for a first down.

I don’t think Mike Vrabel is going to be too thrilled with that showing.

Kyle Williams, again.

The Patriots’ second-year WR continues his promising preseason slate with his third touchdown in as many preseason games.

A great throw from DeVito — and Williams showcases that trademark speed to break free on a 45-yard touchdown.

With Kayshon Boutte now in Houston, Kyle Williams will have a prime opportunity to earn more reps — especially as Maye’s go-to deep threat.

It’s Tommy DeVito to start things off for New England on offense tonight.

His starting O-line tonight:

LT – James HudsonLG – Mekhi ButlerC – Jacob RizyRG – Joe MichalskiRT – Caleb Lomu

Kyle Williams makes a nice catch on 3rd down to move the chains — and then DeVito follows that up with a 12-yard scramble.

Well, any concerns over New England’s backup defense isn’t quieting after that opening drive. Way too easy for Cleveland, with the Patriots struggling with corralling the run and tackling in open space.

Browns QB Dillon Gabriel hits Luke Floriea to give Cleveland a very early 7-0 lead, with Vildor in coverage there once again.

Patriots veteran corner Kindle Vildor has had a very strong two-week stretch, but he gets whistled for DPI there on third down — for a gain of 28 yards for Cleveland.

The Patriots call tails, its heads. Cleveland elects to receive. New England’s defense is up first.

With numerous starters sitting out of Thursday’s game, here are the top storylines I’m following tonight:

• How does the rookie class (namely Lomu + Jacas) fare?
• Who will seize a spot at RB3?
• Can players on the roster bubble at linebacker and defensive line seperate themselves from the pack?

Can’t remember a time where the Patriots have rested all of their starters throughout an entire preseason. Even during the Brady years, you’d see the top starts log at least a series or two, but that’s not the case for New England under Mike Vrabel.

Is it the risk of injury for a roster that Vrabel already deemed as not very deep? Or perhaps resting top stars after a very short offseason?

Whatever the case may be, we won’t see Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, and others take the field in a true game setting until Week 1 in Seattle.

Sure enough, multiple Patriots won’t take the field for tonight’s game in Cleveland:

As expected, it doesn’t seem like any starters are playing for New England tonight.

Expect a whole lot of depth options to get significant snaps tonight in Cleveland.

The Patriots have arrived at Huntington Bank Field — with stars Drake Maye and A.J. Brown not expected to play tonight. Both Maye and Brown are repping new Pro Football Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri with their pregame attire.

You could see a lot of QB Behren Morton tonight, especially with the QB impressing down the stretch against the Eagles.

Some good news from Chris Price of The Boston Globe, as it looks like TreVeyon Henderson has dodged a bullet and won’t miss any major time this season. He appeared to suffer an ankle/foot injury earlier this week after slipping on the practice fields next to the New Balance Athletics Center.

Nothing official from New England yet, but Browns head coach Todd Monken revealed earlier this week that both the Patriots and Browns aren’t going to be playing their starters on Thursday.

“I talked to Coach (Mike) Vrabel, we had talked about initially wanting to play our starters and get them a series or two,” Monken said on Aug. 24. “They really hadn’t played their guys. But we both felt like we were thin, especially up front on both sides of the ball, and we just felt like we’d be better off not playing our starters in the game Thursday night.”

Drake Maye and the Patriots’ starters haven’t played in any of New England’s three preseason games so far this summer.