The latest Cleveland Browns news and notes from around the NFL in the Sunday Dawg Chow.
The Cleveland Browns worked themselves back into the fans’ good graces with last week’s win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The victory also keeps Cleveland’s playoff hopes from being completely extinguished, which is nice, seeing as the Browns are only halfway through the season.
Today provides an opportunity to show that last week’s win was more about a re-energized offense and less about a Baltimore secondary that bumbled its way through the afternoon.
The Chargers are clearly beatable — their four wins have come against teams that enter the weekend a combined 10-22 — but to rack up their second consecutive Victory on Monday, the Browns will need to reduce the stupid throws on offense.
Today marks Cleveland’s last game before the bye week, and spending the next two weeks pouring over playoff scenarios is preferable to looking at mock drafts and planning for next season.
The playoffs are still a long shot for the Browns as their margin for error is extremely slim. But if last week’s effort signaled the beginning of a true turnaround, they may just be able to keep the momentum going today against the Chargers.
Dawgs By Nature:
- Tap the brakes on Jameis Winston, the roller coaster ride is always possible (Barry Shuck) – As a Cleveland Brown, quarterback Jameis Winston has played 64 minutes of football and has four dropped interceptions. Is anyone making a note of this?
- Browns injuries: JOK, Denzel Ward updates; elevate defender from practice squad (Jard Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns announced that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was heading to injured reserve but that Denzel Ward had cleared concussion protocol and would not have an injury designation heading into the game with Los Angeles.
- Browns rooting guide: Playoffs and NFL Draft both important watches in Week 9 (Jared Mueller) – The direction of the Cleveland Browns 2024 NFL season might already be set after the 1-6 start to the season but the team will decide in Week 9 whether that holds true. After knocking off the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, the Browns are just two games out of the last playoff spot held by the Los Angeles Chargers, their Week 9 opponent.
- Browns fans think Cleveland will take down the Chargers, but mixed on playoff chances (Chris Pokorny) – Each week during season, Cleveland Browns fans vote in SB Nation Reacts to express their confidence level in the team or their thoughts on other topics.
- Elijah Moore’s Week 8 success came from great separation on routes (Jared Mueller) – The resurgence of the Cleveland Browns offense with QB Jameis Winston taking over for Deshaun Watson was more than noticeable. It might have unveiled WR Cedric Tillman as a huge part of the Browns future on offense and, perhaps, saved WR Elijah Moore’s season and future.
- Final Browns, Chargers injury report: 2 starters out for CLE, big list for LA includes Joey Bosa (Jared Mueller) – The final injury report for today’s game between the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers has a couple of players out for each team, with Joey Bosa among the interesting defenders who could miss the game.
- Former Jets GM confirms Braylon Edwards trade due to ‘LeBron James’ friends’ (Jared Mueller) – For years it had been rumored that WR Braylon Edwards, Cleveland’s top pick in 2005, was traded to the New York Jets due to a confrontation with LeBron James and/or his friends. The Jets GM at the time, Mike Tannenbaum, confirmed that Edwards’ confrontation with James’ friends led to the trade happening quickly.
Cleveland Browns:
- Myles Garrett frustrated by lack of sacks lately but committed to making impact (Browns Zone) – Myles Garrett went 0-for-October. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the franchise’s all-time sacks leader has gone four straight games without one. The only longer sackless stretch of his eight-year career was five games last season in Weeks 11-15. He acknowledged the drought is frustrating and is looking to get back in business starting Sunday vs. the Chargers at Huntington Bank Field.
- ‘Night and day difference’: 2nd-year Browns Mohamoud Diabate, Cedric Tillman find success (Beacon Journal) – Their Cleveland Browns journey began as part of the same rookie class, although it wasn’t quite the same entry point for both. A year-and-a-half later, their paths have taken them to the same place as important players on a team that’s trying to climb out of an early deficit.
- What I’m hearing about Browns trades, Jameis Winston & Myles Garrett (Terry Pluto) – The Cleveland Browns have no plans to deal any of their top players, a top NFL source told me. It would only happen “if something comes out of nowhere” that the team couldn’t pass up.
NFL:
- The art of the NFL check down (The Ringer) – With the rise of two-high coverages across the league, underneath throws are more important than ever before. But there’s a thin and blurred line between a good check down and a bad one—and the NFL’s best quarterbacks are walking it.
- Inside Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ most improbable TD passes (ESPN) – Every Friday, Washington Commanders quarterbacks and those who coach them gather for a competition. They set up a yellow garbage can in the corner of the end zone and attempt to throw a ball in the bucket from about 20 to 30 yards away. It’s a chance to show off their arms and accuracy during a friendly competition. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has not yet dropped one in the bucket. Others, including some of the coaches, have done so. But Daniels is not bothered by losing this sort of competition.
- Ezekiel Elliott not travelling with Cowboys due to disciplinary reasons; RB to be inactive vs. Falcons (NFL.com) – Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is not travelling with the team to Atlanta due to disciplinary reasons and will be inactive for Sunday’s game versus the Falcons, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday.