For the past month, this city has been lying to itself hoping it doesn’t waste Sundays.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson simply needed more time to get used to the receivers after spending the offseason practicing without his full armor. Or time to throw behind an injured offensive line. Or, or, or… maybe three years (17 games) is enough to decide that the player Cleveland traded for isn’t coming back.

The final proof: 15-for-28, 125 yards (4.5 yards per pass attempt), one touchdown. Bad, bad, bad. Against the league’s 28th-ranked pass defense.

Cleveland’s run game? I just needed more confidence from coach Kevin Stefanski and/or a healthier offensive line for running backs Jerome Ford and D’Onta Foreman. All Ford and Foreman had to do was hold down the fort until star rusher Nick Chubb returned.

Counterpoint: 4.3 yards per carry this season (18th coming in on Sunday). 94.8 rushing yards per game (26th). Two rushing touchdowns through five weeks. Bad, bad, bad. Take your time coming back from injury, Batman. This season cannot be saved anymore.

But Cleveland’s defense played so well last season. It just needs to get that swagger back, approach it with the same discipline. If cornerback Greg Newsome doesn’t commit a roughing-the-passer penalty to nullify a Giants interception, or if Alex Wright avoids the same foul against the Raiders, then –

Stop. This is how bad teams talk.

After Sunday’s loss, Cleveland’s language makes sense. Losing teams make excuses. They make rookie quarterbacks look unstoppable. And they make their fans tell lies in the mirror.

The Browns just need a break. They just need to win one more time. Cleveland just needs a bad team to play well.

Unfortunately, the bad team played poorly against the Commanders, because that’s what bad teams do.

I know it stings to hear that the season is only five weeks old, but this year’s Dawg Pound is already eager for next year. Forget Super Bowl dreams and other postseason aspirations. They died Sunday against Washington, if not earlier this season. I don’t know how many 1-4 teams have made the playoffs in NFL history, but I’m confident this team won’t be one of them.

Sure, Cleveland still has 12 games left. And yes, every team has a bad week. But to call Sunday’s loss a fluke is to ignore your eyes and lie in the mirror.

Do you want the truth?

The Browns are a mess, and the rest of this season will be spent sifting through the wreckage to determine who is to blame. Coach? Quarterback? Front office and ownership?

Don’t get ahead of yourself, Browns fans. You still have 12 matches to decide who should pay for the barking, biting, bad dog. Because it only took Cleveland five weeks to show its fans what kind of team they’ve been watching this season.