Two games. Just two more games, and the Browns can flush this wretched season for good. The story of the 24-6 loss to the Bengals on Dec. 22 in Cincinnati had already been written 11 times this season — turnovers by the offense, pre-snap penalties, another missed kick by Dustin Hopkins, pass protection breakdowns, touchdown-canceling holding penalties and missed tackles. It is never good when a team’s quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than touchdown passes 15 games into the season, but that is what Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson have done for the 3-12 Browns. They have thrown a combined 18 touchdown passes and 20 picks. Related Articles Sports | PHOTOS: Cleveland Monsters teddy bear toss, Dec. 22, 2024 Sports | Je’Shawn Stevenson scores 23 to lead Cleveland State over Midway University, 116-60 Sports | College Football Playoff looks for good matchups after snoozy first round of blowouts Sports | After beating Tennessee, Ohio State will finally get its rematch with Oregon Sports | Manzardo, Noel to get chance at first base after Guardians trade Josh Naylor The Bengals picked off DTR twice. He has now thrown one touchdown pass and nine interceptions in his time with the Browns. The Browns have given the ball away a league-most 30 times — 10 lost fumbles to go with the 20 interceptions. They are minus-19 in takeaway/giveaway. Kevn Stefanski in his post-game news conference in Cincinnati told reporters Thompson-Robinson will start against the Dolphins next week as long as DTR (sore calf) is healthy. The  Browns shouldn’t fool themselves into wondering whether DTR deserves a chance to compete for the starting job next year. The game with the Dolphins and the finale with the Ravens in Baltimore should be used to determine whether he is worth keeping as the backup in 2025 and beyond. The highlights of the day were Jerome Ford ripping off a run for 66 yards on the first play from scrimmage, Myles Garrett getting the 100th sack of his career when he dumped Joe Burrow for eight yards late in the second quarter and the effort of rookie defensive tackles Mike Hall and Jowon Briggs. Hall made five tackles and sacked Burrow once. Briggs made two tackles and recovered a fumble forced by Isaiah McGuire. But the negatives far outweighed the positives. DTR, speaking to reporters, called his second interception “a bonehead mistake on my part.” The pass intended for David Njoku in the end zone with 13:40 to play and the Browns trailing, 17-6, ended any chance of a rally. He completed three of six passes for 15 yards in the first half and finished 20-of-34 for 157 yards and the two picks. He was sacked five times. “I can’t cuss, but there’s a word I want to say,” DTR answered when asked to sum up the way he played. “It wasn’t a good day. I know we had good moments, but good moments don’t win football games. Good moments are not the definition of a quarterback. “A quarterback is there to play a compete full game and lead his team to victory. I did not do so today.” Perhaps Thompson-Robinson will play better in the final two games as he gains more experience. It is easy to focus on the uncertainty at quarterback going forward, but the problems run deeper than one position. Good teams jump back on and continue riding when they fall off their horse. The Browns don’t do that. The game began gloriously with Ford’s 66-yard run. The Browns had the ball first-and-goal on the 1, but D’Onta Foreman fumbled the ball and the Bengals recovered. It was a deflating way to start the game. Now, a defense that is truly great — not just one that spouts statistics to make it look great — would have held the Bengals to a three-and-out and forced a punt from the Cincinnati end zone so the offense could start the next drive with excellent field position. But that isn’t what happened. Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate jumped offside. The Bengals started the drive from their 6 instead of the 1. They moved 99 yards (including the penalty) in seven plays and finished the touchdown drive on a two-yard pass from Burrow to Tee Higgins. The interception DTR labeled “a bonehead mistake” never would have been thrown had an offensive holding penalty on Jordan Akins not wiped out an 11-yard touchdown run by TDR earlier on the same possession. Two plays after the holding call on Akins, rookie Jamari Thrash was called for holding, wiping out a 10-yard completion to Ford. Instead of third-and-5 and the Bengals’ 6, the Browns faced second-and-21 at the 22. DTR rushed for 11 yards and then threw the interception in the face of pressure from the Cincinnati pass rush. “It’s not a lack of effort,” Stefanski said. “That’s not the issue. It’s a lack of really protecting that ball.” Stefanski is correct. A lack of effort is not why the Browns are 3-12. Stefanski will have individual exit meetings with his players a day or two after the season finale in Baltimore. It is time to order them their participation trophies.