Quick reaction: Browns take bite out of Dolphins at the ‘dawg pound’

Some quick analysis and reaction from the Dolphins 41-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns:

--This is the third most points the Dolphins allowed this season and the most since the second week of the season. The Miami defense, short of talent when everyone was healthy, is simply not NFL caliber in the the back end right now.

And there’s simply not enough players stepping up on the defensive front or linebacker corps to mask the deficiencies. This speaks to needing to address this stuff in the drafts coming up -- and yes, that means at cornerback and safety despite Xavien Howard, Bobby McCain, and Reshad Jones being on injured reserve.

We don’t know if Jones, 31 next year, will be back next year.

--DeVante Parker continues to offer a feel-good story in a rough season. The Dolphins’ best receiver caught four passes for 68 yards while the rest of the offense generally struggled against the Browns.

--Running back Kalen Ballage continues to be the answer only if the question is which Miami ball carrier consistently averages less than 2 yards per carry. Ballage had seven rushes for 13 yards. I really don’t understand the fascination this Dolphins coaching staff has with Ballage.

There are other running backs on the roster. There are running backs on the street. Ballage needs a spark because his confidence doesn’t seem to be intact.

The Dolphins might have been looking for that spark in putting him in the Wildcat trigger spot a couple of times. He ran once for three yards and tried to pass another time before pulling the ball down for a short gain. Patrick Laird rushed three times for 20 yards.

--Tight end Mike Gesicki caught his first career touchdown pass. He’s been better late this season than the first year and a half. He had three catches for 28 yards. The Dolphins need much more.

--The pass protection continue to be poor. The Browns were without Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Olivier Vernon and the Cleveland front was still too often in the Dolphins pass pocket. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, sacked seven times a week ago, was sacked four times on Sunday.

--The Dolphins defensive backfield was simply outclassed. It was expected. Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. were simply too much for the likes of Nike Needham, Ryan Lewis, Jomal Wiltz, Chris Lammons and the other guys trying to man the back end.

Landry caught 10 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns and Beckham Jr. caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Nothing to see here. Dog bites man.

--The injuries continue to mount for the Dolphins. Jakeem Grant and Albert Wilson both left the game. And this suggests something in that the Dolphins need to concentrate on adding larger, longer, more physical receivers in the next couple of years.

It’s the trend in the NFL.

This coming draft is full of big, outstanding receivers.

And the bigger guys generally get injured less than the smaller guys playing this game.