CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Despite outgaining the Bengals at home by more than double, the Browns lost their 2025 season opener on Sunday, 17-16.
Rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point early in the third quarter and missed a potential game-winning 36-yard field goal in the final minutes of regulation.
Joe Flacco threw for 290 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions, both of which came in the second half. Both picks came off dropped passed by Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman.
Joe Burrow threw for just 113 yards and a touchdown, and the Bengals gained only 141 yards of total offense.
The Browns head on the road in Week 2 to face the Ravens.
Here is how social media reacted to the loss.
"Cleveland fans... I honestly don't know how you do it," NFL media personality Trey Wingo posted.
"I mean like.... It's just cruel at this point," Mike Lucas of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show posted.
"Well, Szmyt," Aaron Portzline, who covers the Columbus Blue Jackets for The Athletic, posted.
"This is up there with the 2023 Seahawks game for most dominant loss I've ever seen in my 25 years watching the Browns," Cory Kinnan of the Daft on Draft podcast posted.
"Stefanski is a good but not great coach. He had a bad day today. The focus will be on kicker as it should be, but he stuck with run too long. Didn't take full advantage of lack of Bengals 4 man rush & soft zone, & how does he not try to block last punt. Not going 90 with no TO's," former Browns CEO Joe Banner posted.
"Every freaking year...." Garrett Bush of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show posted.
"In some parallel universe, Andre Szmyt made that kick and I'm going full Pete Weber on social media for guaranteeing a Browns win. Wherever that alternate Spencer is, cheers to him," Spencer German of 92.3 The Fan posted.
"Zac Taylor might need to send a thank you card to Browns kicker Andre Szmyt," Harrison Sanford of MSG Networks in New York City posted.
"We have seen a lot of Browns losses(.) Today was literally the perfect example," BIGPLAY host Matt Fontana posted.
"Flacco's 2 INTs are yet another example of why we need earned/unearned INTs," Nick Shook of NFL.com posted.
"#Browns receivers have tipped two balls that resulted into two Joe Flacco interceptions. SMH," John Sabol of Fox 8 posted.
"The Browns out gained them 327 to 141. They had twice as many first downs. But if you can't kick it and you can't catch it, you can't win..." ESPN Cleveland's Aaron Goldhammer posted.
"if we're going by how Fannin Jr., Schwesinger and Sampson performed, the Browns are 1-0 in my mind," Jordan Zirm of The Sporting News posted.