Mike Pettine didn't mince words with his players, coaches and reporters about the Browns' defensive performance Sunday.
Asked if he was concerned by the number of yards -- 469 on 314 passing and 155 rushing -- Cleveland surrendered in Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Raiders, Pettine said "very," as he detailed what he described as a "wasted opportunity" in front of a FirstEnergy Stadium crowd that was "begging for something to cheer about."
"In the NFL, you have to be consistent," Pettine said. "You can't have the highs and the lows. You have to play well throughout a game."
The Browns defense had its spurts of the kind of play that was common throughout last week's win over the Tennessee Titans.
The unit held tough near the goal line on an impressive, game-opening drive by Oakland and limited the Raiders to a field goal. It showed some resiliency in the fourth quarter after Travis Benjamin's fumbled punt return, giving the offense one last shot at a comeback with an essential three-and-out.
In between, though, there was just too much inconsistency for Pettine's liking, and Oakland's offense pounced with both its running and passing game. All of the Raiders' scoring drives spanned at least 70 yards.
"We have to tackle better," cornerback Joe Haden said. "We have to get off the field on third downs. Myself included, everybody, we just have to be way more consistent on defense. We have flashes where we do really good. Then, we have flashes when we don't play like ourselves. We just have to do it full force."
For a second time in three weeks, that inconsistency struck at the end of the first half.
Trailing 10-3 with less than 2 minutes to play, the Browns defense surrendered 70 yards on just five plays and saw Oakland take a two-touchdown lead after Derek Carr's touchdown pass to Seth Roberts.
"It's very frustrating," defensive lineman John Hughes III said. "It's something we've got to work on in practice and get corrected."

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown warms up before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel tosses a ball before an NFL football game

Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson stretches before the game

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown, left, and Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr talk before an NFL football game

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Brian Hartline tosses the ball before an NFL football game

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Taylor Gabriel warms up

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown, right, talks with owner Jimmy Haslam

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown, left, and Johnny Manziel

Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden (23) and Karlos Dansby (56) enter the field during introductions

Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) tries to get past Cleveland Browns defensive end Armonty Bryant (95)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) yells out a signal during the first quarter

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) looks to throw against the Oakland Raiders

Cleveland Browns fans cheer during the first half of an NFL

The Cleveland Browns and the Oakland Raiders play in the first half

Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson (29) runs the ball against the Oakland Raiders

Cleveland Browns linebacker Craig Robertson

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) cannot hold onto the ball under pressure from Cleveland Browns cornerback Pierre Desir (26)

Cleveland Browns DL Armonty Bryant makes a tackle behind the line of scrimmage

Cleveland Browns DB Joe Haden matched up

Cleveland Browns LB Barkevious Mingo makes a tackle

Cleveland Browns DL Danny Shelton makes a call at the line of scrimmage

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Brian Hartline (83) tries to get by Oakland Raiders defensive back Neiko Thorpe (31) after a reception

FirstEnergy Stadium

Special Teams Coach Chris Tabor talks with his special team unit

Cleveland Browns RB Isaiah Crowell runs in the backfield

Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) reaches or but cannot get to the end zone during the first half

Cleveland Browns kicker Travis Coons boots a field goal in the first half

Cleveland Browns kicker Travis Coons boots a field goal in the first half

Wide Receiver Travis Benjamin returns a punt

Cleveland Browns DL Armonty Bryant

Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge scores on a 28-yard reception

Cleveland Browns LB Karlos Dansby


Cleveland Browns WR Travis Benjamin reaches over the goal line to score a touchdown in the second half
After Cleveland drew within 10 following Gary Barnidge's touchdown catch near the end of the third quarter, the Raiders marched right back down the field -- aided largely by a 55-yard reception by fullback Marcel Reece that was littered with missed tackles -- to go back on top by 17 early in the fourth.
During the second half, the Browns offense had just one possession -- its last -- when it trailed by a single score.
"It was mental mistakes," rookie defensive lineman Danny Shelton said. "We didn't rally together. Those are just Day 1 things."
After Week 3, the Browns defense knows it can be better and knows it has to play that way as soon as next Sunday, when it travels to San Diego.
Efforts like Week 2's against the Titans, when Cleveland registered seven sacks and forced three turnovers, are fresh in the players' memories. The Browns didn't sack Carr on Sunday and forced one turnover, a fourth-quarter Amari Cooper fumble forced by Christian Kirksey and Haden.
The secondary, which Pettine considers to be the backbone of his defense, knows what it's capable of accomplishing after a 2014 season in which it finished first in a number of statistical categories. A game like Sunday's hurt for every member of Cleveland's defensive backfield.
Step 1 toward reigniting those positive feelings of Week 2 starts with learning from a performance like Sunday's.
"We just aren't playing good football," veteran defensive back Tramon Williams said. "We played well last week but we have to be more consistent. That's about it."