The Cleveland Browns dropped a Week 5 game to the New York Jets on Sunday and fell to 3-2. The final score wasn’t the only loss for Cleveland. Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion went down with a concussion in the first quarter against the Jets and was unable to return.

Concepcion’s exit kicked off a terrible day for the Browns offense. Cleveland managed just 198 total yards against New York and gave up eight sacks. Quarterback Deshaun Watson went 15-of-33 for 155 yards and a touchdown pass while taking all eight of those sacks.

Todd Monken confirms KC Concepcion is in the concussion protocol

Browns coach Todd Monken confirmed after the game that Concepcion is in the concussion protocol. That figured to be the case given how quickly the Browns ruled him out. The decision came almost instantly following a hit from Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Plenty of Browns fans viewed the play as a dirty hit. Monken took a different stance after the game.

“That’s just a bang-bang play,” Monken said. “Minkah has been in this league for a long time. He’s not a dirty player. I’ve never seen that out of him. I mean, it’s a bang-bang play, you know, and unfortunately it happened to our guy. That’s part of the league.”

Monken took the public coaching approach most head coaches take in that situation. He defended a veteran opponent and moved on. Still, it’s tough to believe everyone inside the Cleveland locker room shares that same opinion about the hit on one of its top young pass catchers.

Concepcion’s absence would hurt the Browns’ passing game

Concepcion had just one catch for five yards against the Jets before his first-quarter exit. Through five games, he has 18 catches for 149 yards. He has been part of an exciting young receiver duo in Cleveland alongside Denzel Boston.

Boston leads the Browns with 330 receiving yards. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. sits second on the team with 157 receiving yards, and Concepcion ranks second among the team’s wide receivers. With the offense already struggling to move the ball, losing one of its top three targets would make life even harder for Watson.

The protection issues only add to the problem. An offensive line that gives up eight sacks puts pressure on the receivers to win quickly. Concepcion’s ability to get open is a big part of what Cleveland wants to do through the air.

Browns face the Ravens in a big Week 6 AFC North matchup

It’s unclear whether Concepcion will be able to play in Week 6. Cleveland hosts the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in a key AFC North battle. Concepcion will have to clear the concussion protocol this week before he can suit up against Baltimore.

The Ravens are always a physical matchup for the Browns. Cleveland can’t afford another offensive showing like the one it had against the Jets, especially in a division game at home. Getting Concepcion back would give Watson another reliable option, while missing him would put even more on Boston and Fannin.

The Browns are still in a solid spot at 3-2, and a win over Baltimore would go a long way toward erasing the sting of Sunday’s loss. Monken’s staff will need to find answers up front, regardless of who is available at receiver.

Concepcion’s progress through the protocol will be the storyline to watch this week.