It was a great Sunday for the Cleveland Browns and their fans as the team dominated the Tennessee Titans with a big 27-3 victory. While the talk of the town is the team’s defense, which has been spectacular so far this season, numerous players on the offense and special teams have helped this squad out and gotten the team to an early 2-1 record.
Amari Cooper, WR
(Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
It’s helpful that the Browns now have a No. 1 wide receiver in Amari Cooper on the team. He had a tremendous first season with the team a year ago after he was traded from the Dallas Cowboys. He finished with 1,160 yards receiving including a career high nine touchdowns. He’s carried that momentum into this season. He helped secure the big win on Sunday against the Titans with seven receptions for 116 yards that included a 43-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that gave the team the big lead at 27-3.
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Cooper was literally robbed of another 40-yard touchdown score earlier in the first half. On that play, he caught a pass from Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and proceeded to run the ball to the end zone. The only problem was that the referee on the play blew the play dead after the reception, believing that Cooper had stepped out of bounds. The worst part was that Cooper wasn’t even a foot near the sideline.
The Browns need a few players to really step up now that running back Nick Chubb has been sidelined for the season with a knee injury. After three games, Cooper is off to a good start at being one of those players. He currently has 17 receptions and 243 yards with a solid 14.3 yards a catch average.
Jerome Ford, RB
(Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
The second-year player Jerome Ford has a lot of eyes on him now that his teammate Chubb went down with his injury. He hasn’t been running the ball with the same efficiency, but he’s been doing enough, especially in the passing game that has brought a lot of positive vibes from the team and its fans.
So far, he’s collected 160 yards on the ground on 41 carries, a 3.9 yards a carry average. He almost had a 70-yard touchdown run a week ago on Monday Night Football but was stopped short of the goal line by a yard.
In the big win against Tennessee, he was outstanding as he scored two touchdowns. His running touchdown was a three-yard scamper to the left pylon of the endzone. The passing score was a 19-yard touchdown catch where he sold a move to the inside to only pop out to the outside to the endzone where he was wide open.
It looks to be a good sign moving forward for Ford and the Browns as his flexibility in the offense could pay off a lot this season.
Dustin Hopkins, K
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Cade York being the place kicker for the Browns seems like ages ago after new kicker Dustin Hopkins has come in and done his job. The Browns released York right before the season started and the team brought in Hopkins, who’s been in the league for a while.
Being a reliable kicker in the NFL can keep you in the league for a long time. Hopkins field goal percentages on makes has been hovering around 85-90 % for the last few seasons.
At the moment, he has converted all four extra points and gone seven for eight on field goals. He made a long of 55 yards in the Monday Night Game a week ago.
In yesterday’s game he started the scoring by connecting on a 52-yard field goal. His kicks have been pretty much right down the middle. For Browns fans not to have to worry about the next kick being made is a huge relief.
Having these offensive players stepping up so far is a big deal moving forward. We might have been able to count on a player like Cooper this season, but getting Ford to step up and helping this team score touchdowns is an added bonus.
Then, to not have to cross our fingers and toes every time Hopkins sends a kick through the uprights is just like stealing cookies out of cookie jar. It’s almost too good to be true but we’ll take it as Browns fans who are dreaming of one Super Bowl appearance in their lifetime.
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