Injuries begin to mount
It didn’t take long, but the injury bug has made its way to Browns facility as Cleveland is set for the final audition in Seattle against the Seahawks late Saturday night. Stefanski said the starters are expected to play, however I would be skeptical of a few players making an appearance. Denzel Ward quickly was diagnosed with a concussion and remains in the protocol; Chubb is still on the PUP list and Pierre Strong left camp with a rib injury. It is probable that we won’t see any of the three on Saturday, and now we may not even see Watson who quit throwing Wednesday due to a sore arm.
Keys to the game, what needs to improve?
This goes for all sides of the ball STAY HEALTHY.
On offense the Browns must:
- Establish a run game. For the second week in a row, the Browns managed just 56 yards on the ground. It is clear without Chubb and the starting Oline, that the run game has suffered thus far and has ultimately been a disappointment for a group that was considered “Deep.”
- For the Starters, Get in Rhythm. The Browns start the season against the Cowboys and haven’t seen the playing field together this preseason. Finding a rhythm is important, especially with Watson and newcomer Jerry Jeudy. I would look for them to solidify the small things, such as protection calls and player rotations, as we know nothing can simulate an in-game experience.
- Continuing the development of DTR and continuity with Jameis Winston. Winston will continue to grow more familiar with the offense, and getting game reps with the starting receivers will help in the event that Watson isn’t ready at some point this season. DTR has looked good this preseason and I expect his development to continue.
On defense the Browns must:
- Start Fast. The first two games of the preseason the games started fast for the opposing team offensively and immediately started playing from behind. I would like to see the starters pick up where they left off last year and pitch a shutout for their stint.
- Stop the Run. There hasn’t been much of a run defense so far this preseason from the backups, giving up over 100 yards each game. I would expect the starters to step up and stop the run, but depth pieces need to stiffen up.
- Get Turnovers. We are -4 in the turnover battle so far, with the defense getting no turnovers. I would love to see the young guys be physical at the line, put pressure on the quarterback and force some interceptions.
Another interesting note is the kicker situation. After trading Cade York, The Browns signed Ex-Ram kicker Lukas Havrisik. This all comes a month after extending Dustin Hopkins to a three-year deal that was worth over 15 million. What does the signing mean? It might seem confusing, but it’s not unusual to have a kicker come alongside a vet in camp. I think it’s more of a practice squad / give Hopkins a rest in practice type signing, but we will see who gets action on Saturday and how much.
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