INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Browns had played nothing near a perfect game, but was good enough to have a chance to escape from Los Angeles with a possible win.

Then, in the span of a couple of minutes, they made two big errors to essentially eliminate that opportunity in what turned into a 36-19 loss to the Rams. And, potentially, their long-term playoff hopes.

It started with a missed PAT that would’ve tied the score with 8:49 remaining. Then, after having played a solid game up to that point, Browns quarterback Joe Flacco uncorked a deep pass that former Browns safety John Johnson III intercepted and returned to allow the Rams to open up an 8-point cushion.

Flacco, who was signed to the Browns practice squad on Nov. 20, was effective in his first appearance in a game since the New York Jets’ regular-season finale in January. The 16-year pro completed 23 of 44 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns, a 75.4 passer rating and the one huge pick.

The 38-year-old, who is the Browns’ fourth starting quarterback — he was starting in place of rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was in concussion protocol — also was sacked for a safety to close the scoring. It’s the second consecutive game in which they’ve allowed a sack for a safety.

The pick was the first turnover of the game for the Browns, who have lost two in a row to fall to 7-5. They’ve only had one game this season, in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals, in which they have turned the ball over only once.

A brutal pick was only part of the late double gut-punch for the Browns. The other was the missed PAT by Hopkins, just his second of the season.

The other one came in the fourth quarter of the Browns’ Week 12 game at the Baltimore Ravens, which also left the Browns in a 1-point hole after the miss. The only difference was that Hopkins got a chance at redemption when he made a 40-yard field goal as time expired to win the game 33-31.

Matthew Stafford, who came into the league one season after Flaaco did, was 22-of-37 passing for 279 yards with three touchdowns and a 110.1 passer rating for the Rams. They improved to 6-6 and remain firmly in the mix for an NFC playoff spot.

Hopkins is 16 of 18 on PATs this season. He kicked two field goals on Sunday as well, one to tie the score at 10-10 and the other to tie it at 13-13.

Follow along here for updates and analysis as the Browns try to get right in Southern California.

John Johnson III’s revenge on the Cleveland Browns

The Browns managed to get the ball back after forcing, with the help of multiple holding calls on the Rams, a punt. They had the ball at their own 21 with 6:51 remaining, down one.

On the first play, Joe Flacco tried to throw it deep to Elijah Moore. But the pass was underthrown and safety John Johnson III intercepted it and returned it 42 yards to the Browns 24.

Johnson was cut by the Browns with a post-June 1 designation in the spring after being a major free-agent signing for Cleveland in 2021.

The Rams turned that pick into a 3-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp with 3:48 remaining to make it 27-19.

Cleveland Browns answer, except Dustin Hopkins misses the PAT

The Browns put together one of their best scoring drives of the season to answer after the Rams took the lead. They marched 75 yards in 13 plays, effectively mixing the run and the pass.

The drive paid off when Joe Flacco did a play-fake to the right to the running back, turned to his left and completed a pass in the left flat to tight end Harrison Bryant, who ran it 8 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.

Then, like he did in Week 12 at Baltimore, Dustin Hopkins missed the extra point to keep the Browns in a deficit at 20-19 with 8:49 remaining

End 3rd quarter: Los Angeles Rams 20, Cleveland Browns 13

The Browns trail the Rams 20-13 after three quarters. They face a third-and-4 at their own 31 to start the fourth.

The Rams have a 332-263 edge in total yards.

Demarcus Robinson burns Browns to give Rams lead late in 3rd

Demarcus Robinson made two big catches for the Rams to help them open up a 20-13 lead with 39 seconds remaining. The first was a 30-yard catch to put Los Angeles at the Browns 10.

The second was a 7-yard touchdown in which he managed to pull in Matthew Stafford’s pass right inside the front right corner of the end zone.

Overturned catch doesn’t prevent Browns from tying game on field goal

The Browns didn’t let the turn of events when David Njoku’s 26-yard catch was overturned throw them off schedule. Instead, they got right back on schedule with back-to-back 6-yard receptions by David Bell, a 9-yard pass to Njoku and a 4-yard run by Kareem Hunt to move to the Rams 26.

Even after a big catch by Elijah Moore was negated by a penalty, he came back to make a 22-yard catch to put the ball at the Rams 9. The Browns eventually settled for Dustin Hopkins’s 24-yard field goal to tie the score 13-13 with 4:58 remaining in the third quarter.

David Njoku’s big catch overturned by replay

David Njoku had a massive 26-yard catch-and-run that would’ve put the Browns at the Rams 25 with 9:34 remaining in the third quarter. It was an impressive catch and run, as well as an impressive throw by Joe Flacco.

The only problem was Njoku had part of his left foot on the sideline when he made the grab. That was immediately obvious to the Rams, who challenged the play.

The review confirmed Njoku was out of bounds.

Amari Cooper ruled out with head injury

The Browns officially announced before the second half began that receiver Amari Cooper will be out for the remainder of the game. He’s being evaluated for a head injury after he was sandwiched between two Rams defenders after dropping a pass.

It’s the second consecutive game Cooper has not been able to finish due to an injury. He left the loss to Denver with a rib injury.

Halftime: Los Angeles Rams 13, Cleveland Browns 10

The Rams managed to grab the momentum, and set themselves to potentially double-dip around halftime, when they took a 13-10 lead on Luca Havrisik’s 28-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter. Los Angeles marched 66 yards in 13 plays over the final 2:06 of the half.

Los Angeles gets the ball to start the second half. It holds a 217-178 edge in total yards.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is 14-of-26 passing for 184 yards with a touchdown and an 89.3 passer rating through one half. Joe Flacco, in his first Browns start, is 11-of-21 passing for 156 yards with a touchdown and a 92.6 passer rating so far.

Elijah Moore’s ‘butt cheek’ sets up Cleveland Browns tying field goal

The Browns offense was jump-started with under five minutes remaining in the first half thanks to Elijah Moore’s butt cheek.

Moore pulled in a 42-yard pass down the right sideline from Joe Flacco on the first play of the Browns drive, which started with 4:37 left in the half at their own 20. However, it appeared he may have landed with half of his body out of bounds, which is why Rams coach Sean McVay challenged the ruling.

When referee John Hussey emerged from the play, he said the call was confirmed because, before Moore landed out of bounds, his “butt cheek” landed in bounds. That got the Browns offense going on the drive, which ended with Dustin Hopkins’ game-tying 40-yard field goal with 2:09 left in the half making it a 10-10 game.

Rams rookie star wide receiver Puka Nacua injured after big catch

The Rams had their own big receiver injury when Puka Nacua was injured after making an impressive 21-yard grab in front of the Browns sideline. He remained down for several minutes before walking gingerly to the other sideline with the trainers.

Nacua has a rib injury, per the press box announcement.

Amari Cooper being evaluated for head injury after dropping 3rd down pass

Amari Cooper went to the medical tent after staying down for a moment after dropping a third-and-4 pass at midfield. After the ball bounced off the Browns receiver’s hands, he got sandwiched between the Rams’ Ahkello Witherspoon and Jordan Fuller.

Cooper, who suffered a rib injury last Sunday in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Denver Broncos, eventually went to the locker room with trainers.

The official announcement was that Cooper was being evaluated for a head injury.

Former Browns practice squad kicker Lucas Havrisik misses 43-yard field goal

The Browns caught a break from someone who used to be in their organization, Rams kicker Lucas Havrisik, missed a 43-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter to maintain a 10-7 Rams.

Havrisik was on the Browns practice squad earlier in the season.

End 1st quarter: Los Angeles Rams 10, Cleveland Browns 7

The Rams face a fourth-and-7 from the Browns 25 as the first quarter comes to an end. Los Angeles has a 117-101 edge in offensive yards.

Cleveland Browns penalties aid Rams drive

The Browns helped the Rams get down the field on Los Angeles’ third possession. That came with two big Browns penalties.

Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson jumped offsides on third-and-5 from the Rams 25, giving Los Angeles a first down. Then, with Tutu Atwell having gotten a step on him on a deep route, cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. tackled him for a 41-yard pass interference penalty to the Browns 28.

Matthew Stafford’s laser to Puka Nacua gives Rams the lead

It took two plays on the Rams’ second possession to put the Browns in a hole. Specifically, it took an absolute laser of a throw by Matthew Stafford to rookie Puka Nacua for a 70-yard touchdown with 3:59 remaining in the first quarter to give Los Angeles a 10-7 lead.

Stafford found Nacua running a post pattern between cornerback Kahlef Hailassie and linebacker Sione Takitaki, who had his back to Stafford while chasing down Nacua in coverage. Nacua caught it around midfield and outran everyone to the end zone.

Cleveland Browns defense holds the Los Angeles Rams to field goal

The Browns defense struggled early on with the Rams offense on its first possession. However, the Browns were able to bow up and limit the Rams to a 44-yard field goal by Lucas Havrisik, who started the season on the Browns’ practice squad.

The big plays on the drive started with a a 12-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua to midfield. The other was a late hit penalty by safety Juan Thornhill on Kyren Williams’ 5-yard run that put the ball at the Browns 29.