For NFL fans, special teams plays are sometimes used as opportunities to hit the bathroom, or buy another beer. For the players on the field, those plays can't be so easily overlooked. 

The Cleveland Browns learned that the hard way during Sunday's Week 10 matchup with the New York Jets, where not one, but two, soul-crushing special teams mishaps in the first quarter, paved way for a frustrating 27-20 loss. 

The first one came at the 6:21 mark of the quarter. Cleveland had just finished off an impressive nine-play, 95-yard touchdown drive to take a 7-0 lead and seize some early momentum. It was all lost in a matter of seconds, as some poor coverage on the ensuing kickoff allowed Kene Nwangwu to find a crease up the middle, before bursting out to the right sideline for a 99-yard kickoff return. Just like that it was a 7-7 game. 

NFL (@NFL) on X KENE NWANGWU RETURNS THE KICK FOR A JETS TD CLEvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+ https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt

Less than a minute later, things were made worse after the Browns offense went three-and-out and prepared to punt the ball back to New York from their own 29-yard line. Corey Bojorquez's punt pushed Jets returner Isaiah Williams back to his own 25, near the sideline. With room to run, he fielded the kick took a hard step inside, then back out and exploded through a hole down the numbers on that side of the field.

After some weaving around blockers, Williams found the end zone for a 74-yard punt return. Just like that it was 14-7 Jets, in a first quarter that their offense ran just six plays and was outgained 87-13. 

NFL (@NFL) on X ISAIAH WILLIAMS PUNT RETURN TD THE JETS HAVE TWO SPECIAL TEAMS TDS IN THE FIRST QUARTER CLEvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+ https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt

Key Browns special teams players tried to search for answers after the game. 

"I haven’t looked at the plays yet," safety Grant Delpit said when asked what happened. "Obviously, nothing good." 

It didn't much matter what happened. To Delpit, both plays were inexcusable. 

"It’s unacceptable really," he added. "I don’t know. I was out there for both of those plays so it’s not like there wasn’t anyone on defense out there." 

Fellow safety Rayshawn Jenkins, a key member of the Browns special teams units, also wants to watch the tape, but shined some light on where problems arose on both plays.

"We gotta watch the film, but looks like it hit on that left sideline if we are looking at it," he explained. "So there's obviously gonna be some leverage issues on that side. So we just gotta go watch the film and see what was the issue."

Special teams miscues plagued Cleveland particularly early in the season, where missed field goals and big returns cost them multiple games. By the latter half of those first eight games, though, many of the special teams shortcomings had been cleaned up. It was a step in the right direction as special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone even suggested on Thursday this week. 

Instant Reaction: The Browns Fall to the New York Jets 27-20 on Sunday - Fall to 2-7 on the Year The Cleveland Browns fell in disappointing fashion on Sunday against the New York Jets. Cleveland gave up two kick returns for touchdowns that cost them 14 p...

The early season woes returned, however, and in a game where the Browns outgained New York 278-169, nearly doubled its first downs, won the turnover battle and limited its offense to 13 points, those plays, quite literally, decided the game. 

"Anytime something like that happens, we have to do a better job in all facets," head coach Kevin Stefanski said afterward. "We've got to put the guys in position, then they've got to go make a play in those, but special teams are so much of just 11 guys doing their job, and we just didn't do our job."

It all adds up to another loss for the Browns, who dropped to 2-7 on the season, where the self-inflicted wounds proved most costly. With eight games to go, the team is trying to project a unified front. 

"I've been in this league for a fairly long time. So I've had my older guys just be there and able to guide me through stuff like this," Jenkins said. "I was on a team before where we went 3-13 or whatever. But we were able to turn it around. Just knowing that hey, everyone came out healthy. We get an opportunity to go in and fix what we need to do as a team, and we get an opportunity to come out here next week. I think that kind of puts the mind at ease."