The New England Patriots are on to Seattle.
That was the feeling after the team was stomped out on the road in Thursday's preseason finale by an 0-2 Cleveland Browns team. Granted, the team rested its starters for a third straight week, but that still isn't enough to excuse the bad football that was played.
The run defense couldn't stop running water, and the pass defense got burned like marshmallows at a campfire. Oh and let's not even get started on the non-existent pass rush.
Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who is buried behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, looked like the second coming of Patrick Mahomes against the Patriots' defense. He went 12-of-15 passing for 186 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a 157.9 quarterback rating.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel stood on the sidelines looking like he'd rather be anywhere else than Huntington Bank Field on a Thursday night.
One of the few positives was Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito connecting with second-year wide receiver Kyle Williams on a 45-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Andy Borregales booted a couple of routine field goals through the uprights.
And that was it.
Rookie quarterback Behren Morton, who led the Patriots on a game-winning drive against the Eagles last week, was off target throughout the night, and his poor decision-making was concerning. He went 15-of-24 for 89 yards and two interceptions.
There were no guarantees that he would make the final roster before the game, and he certainly didn't do himself any favors on Thursday night.
The good news is the Patriots can quickly put this nightmare performance behind them and shift their focus to the regular season opener against the Seahawks, which is less than two weeks away on September 9 at Lumen Field.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Instant analysis of Patriots blowout loss to Browns in preseason final
