CLEVELAND, Ohio — The ball hit the numbers on his jersey. And then it hit the ground.
That was the de facto ending in the Browns’ 21-15 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon, as Browns’ second-year receiver Cedric Tillman failed to corral the biggest pass of the afternoon from Deshaun Watson.
The Browns (1-2) were facing fourth-and-4 with just 2:23 remaining in a one-score game from their own 44, looking to capitalize after a Giants missed field goal attempt.
“Just didn’t make the play,” Tillman said. “I let the team down. I make that play most of the time. Unfortunately, didn’t make it today.”
The Browns started that fateful drive in good shape with a 6-yard completion from Watson to Amari Cooper to get to their own 44.
Two straight incompletions to Cooper followed, however, setting up the fourth-and-4 look.
From his spot lined up on the outside to the right, Tillman ran directly at Giants cornerback Deonte Banks, got his hands on him, then cut inside for a slant route with Banks pinned behind him.
It was a strong route, and Watson was throwing Tillman open on the play. But the ball hit the center of the latter’s jersey, before going through his arms completely and onto the grass.
The Browns turned the ball over on downs, and all the Giants needed was one play, a 43-yard run from Devin Singletary, who opted to slide down at the 1 rather than score so that the Giants could ice the game by taking three knees.
Cleveland Browns wide receivers Amari Cooper and Cedric Tillman walk off the field after a loss to the New York Giants at Huntington Bank Field. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Tillman walked back to the sideline, sat on the bench and was visibly upset — his head was in his hands, he was tugging at the neckline of his jersey, and teammates made their way over to encourage him.
Cooper was one of them.
“As a vet, I’ve been in that situation obviously,” he said. “I just told him, never let them see you sweat. Those things happen. It’s football. At the end of the day, those guys on the other side of the ball get paid, too. Anytime you’re in a situation like that, you just want to be able to learn from it the best way that you could. So that’s what I told him.”
For a second-year player, it may be easier said than done.
Postgame, it was a similar scene as Tillman sat at his locker, talking to reporters, looking down at the ground lost in thought.
1/111
It’s been a tough few weeks for Tillman, who was one of the breakout stars throughout the Browns offseason program and training camp. While he seemed more confident throughout the spring and summer, and especially more sure of where he is going on routes, it hasn’t translated into games yet.
He has just one catch in each of Cleveland’s three games, and has caught three of five total targets for performances of 3 yards, 2 yards and 4 yards.
His first look on Sunday against the Giants came at the 12:19 mark in the first quarter, a 4-yard grab at the Cleveland 29 on second-and-6. But he didn’t get another target until that fourth-quarter drop.
So did he get too out of the flow of the game? It’s something he wasn’t willing to use as an excuse.
“I just got to make the play,” he said.
The angst is ramped up perhaps because Tillman knew specifically the ball was coming to him — Watson told him in the huddle that he would be the quarterback’s first look.
“I gave him that opportunity,” Watson said. “I’m gonna give him a chance to make a shot. You know, sometimes it happens like that and the ball just didn’t bounce our way and we didn’t get to capitalize it.”
It was also important after the game for the quarterback to go back to him, and assure him looks would still come his way in the future.
“I motivated him, (saying), ‘Hey, I’m gonna keep coming back to you’. All my guys. It’s a long season, it’s only game three. And we gotta, of course, fix things ASAP, very, very fast. But at the same time, we can’t get down on each other because we gotta make sure we keep this team locked in on the task at hand and we gotta keep pushing forward and keep working.”
