Cleveland has the home field advantage today.
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The Browns hadn’t played consecutive overtime games since weeks three and four in 2002, when they won at Tennessee, 31-28, and lost at Pittsburgh, 16-13.
Especially when the team playing the orange helmets is the Broncos. Denver defeated Cleveland 26-23.
Talib’s pick and touchdown return came on the second play of the second quarter as he stepped in front of a McCown pass intended for Browns receiver Travis Benjamin. “Looking at players’ faces, you just see disappointment”. The defense played lights out. We know we need to… get everybody going. We didn’t hold up our end. Much to the chagrin of Browns fans, the Broncos, on the legs of Hillman and C.J.
“I got benched”, he said, cracking a smile.
However, they still have enough weapons for Manning to be better on offense.
Pettine said tight end Rob Housler (hamstring), linebacker Tank Carder (shoulder) and running back Duke Johnson (shoulder) came out of the game with physical issues that will be revisited October. 19. He’s also doing everything for us, at times, to win football games. If they catch one ball, great…. Hillman had 59 yards rushing on 10 carries.
But McCown was sacked, not once, but twice.
It’s why the videotape in his mind will keep reeling over and over, making him wonder what he could have done differently.
STILL THE MANNING: Browns linebacker Paul Kruger isn’t buying the talk that Manning is washed up.
The defense was quick to rebound after their initial second half effort and quickly forced the Browns into a three-and-out, and their overtime effort was particularly powerful.
Shaquil Barrett is set to make his first NFL start on the league’s top-ranked defense because star pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware is expected to miss Denver’s game at Cleveland on Sunday with a bad back.
“This will be my last game in Cleveland”, Manning said, assuring the locals. The 36-year-old completed 36 of 51 passes, didn’t throw an interception and scored on a 10-yard run.
Among the topics we covered in our NFL Weekly Preview podcast was Denver’s offensive start while getting off to a 5-0 start, and how rare it is.
How about forcing a punt?
But the defense, overall, did enough to put the Browns in position to win the game, which leads us to our next point. Both of the losses were against AFC North rivals.
“You can’t make mistakes against that (Denver) D”, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said. The burden of losing had a fist-like grip on his football soul. “We were not able to finish it”.
The Browns can’t afford to lose McCown now, not with the Broncos lying ahead and not with him playing the way he did in 2013 for Chicago. But in the end, Denver did it right when it meant most. Dansby had returned an interception for a touchdown.
It would haunt the Browns for the rest of the game. That does count for a lot on any given NFL Sunday. The real problem is that they will be facing off against a defense that is sitting at fourth in the league in quarterback hurries and is leading the league in sacks with 22. PROBABLE: WR Brian Hartline (thigh), QB Johnny Manziel (right elbow), QB Josh McCown (ankle), T Mitchell Schwartz (thumb).
The Browns players trust McCown.
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Every game is unique and every play within it is its own entity.
