Browns lose in most Browns way possible, giving Chargers second try

Even for the Cleveland Browns, this was bad.

Josh McCown had a terrific game in Week 4. Rookie Duke Johnson was great. The special teams were excellent ... that is, until the penultimate snap.

The Browns rallied from eight points down to tie the game with just over two minutes left and appeared to be heading to overtime against the San Diego Chargers when kicker Josh Lambo missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt.

But ... Browns. Tramon Williams was offsides on the attempt, giving the Chargers a second chance. Do you even have to ask if Lambo made it? Of course he did, from 34 yards out and with zero seconds on the untimed kick, and the Chargers won in the most Browns way imaginable.

It was another heartbreaking loss for a franchise that has made a lifetime of them, and it undercut the  performance from McCown, who proved some doubters wrong in this one. He hit Gary Barnidge on the final touchdown, and the McCown-to-Taylor Gabriel two-point conversion tied it up.

But the defense couldn't hold it. The Browns burned their three timeouts after Philip Rivers drove the Chargers down the field and put them in position to win. The Browns' luck — the missed kick — then was Charlie Browned right from under them.

Unreal.

Naturally, Cleveland fans reacted with measured, poised perspective.

Can you blame?

- - - - - - -

Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm