The latest Cleveland Browns news and notes from around the NFL in the Saturday Dawg Chow.
It was a mostly quiet week for the Cleveland Browns as they prepare to host the New York Giants on Sunday.
That is what happens when you open the week with a victory. Everyone calms down a bit, players and coaches refocus their efforts on the next opponent, and the normal pace of an NFL game week takes over.
There are still some reasons for concern heading into Week 3, however. It may still be a game-time decision at left tackle and Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills Jr. are both questionable for the game.
The offense is still working to find its rhythm, perhaps on one more than wide receiver Amari Cooper, who is off to an uncharacteristic start to the season.
There is also the situation with defensive end Myles Garrett’s aching feet and cornerback Denzel Ward’s sore shoulder. And did we mention that no one is sure what is going to happen at left tackle, the position tasked with protecting quarterback Deshaun Watson’s blind side?
We are still a day away from learning some of those answers, so let’s kick off what is expected to be an unseasonably warm September Saturday with the latest news about the Browns and the NFL in today’s edition of the Saturday Dawg Chow.
Dawgs By Nature:
- Browns ranked at the top of the NFL again for its analytics usage (Damon Wolfe) – Many power rankings across the league place the Cleveland Browns somewhere in the middle of the pack after the first two weeks of the season. The defense is once again the strength, as the offense has struggled to produce many points, leading to continued questions about the team’s quarterback situation. Cleveland just ranked at the top of the NFL in one category according to an anonymous survey once again.
- Browns, Giants final injury report: OTs questionable, New York adds big name (Jared Mueller) – The New York Giants added defensive end/linebacker Brian Burns to their injury report on Friday because of a hamstring issue. Getting hurt on the final day of practice means we will be monitoring Giants media for more information as the weekend goes on.
- Browns fans expecting a big win heading into Week 3 (Chris Pokorny) – After their victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, the Cleveland Browns’ confidence level increased to 55%, an improvement of 42 percentage points from the previous week.
- Browns vs. Giants: Week 3 Need to Know (Thomas Moore) – The Cleveland Browns are back home and looking for consecutive wins. Will the New York Giants stand in their way? Here is everything you need to know about the game.
- Browns defender is NFLPA’s Community MVP for Week 3 (Matt Wilson) – The Cleveland Browns have had multiple players nominated to be the NFLPA Community MVP in the past, and linebacker Jordan Hicks is the newest member to join the “club”.
- Cleveland Browns STARTER heavyweight jackets now for sale at HOMAGE (Chris Pokorny) – HOMAGE has partnered with STARTER again to bring out the vibe of the classic “BROWNS” satin jacket. Their new heavyweight satin jacket has an updated design featuring Brownie the Elf on the front, with the word “BROWNS” on the back. The satin-style fabric provides a softer and smoother exterior feel and the same quality/comfort.
Cleveland Browns:
- Myles Garrett reveals both feet are in pain, but says feels good enough to ‘make a difference’ vs. Giants (Browns Zone) – Myles Garrett corrected the reporter when asked about his injured foot. “Feet,” he said Friday. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive end again declined to disclose the exact diagnosis of the injury that caused him to miss a practice last week and two this week but revealed both feet are affected. He hopes they will continue to get better and not bother him as consistently throughout the season but acknowledged surgery could be necessary after the season.
- Super size me: How Browns’ jumbo packages are jumpstarting the offense (cleveland.com) – On the Browns’ first play from scrimmage in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns brought in reinforcements.
- D’Onta Foreman wants to put his versatility on film with continued opportunities (clevelandbrowns.com) – Running back D’Onta Foreman had it on his mind that he wanted to show both his teammates and coaches how he could help the Cleveland Browns in the run game. So, when he took the ball and sprinted up the field on the first play against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he held onto that mentality to show what he could with the ball in his hands.
- Next OBJ? Browns see parallels in latest LSU receiver phenom, Giants rookie Malik Nabers (Beacon Journal) – The comparison was right there for Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Even as he acknowledged the incredibly limited sample size, he couldn’t help but see a different wide receiver when he watched New York Giants rookie Malik Nabers.
NFL:
- Vikings’ Sam Darnold no longer letting mistakes snowball? (ESPN) – Is the snowball effect a real thing? Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said this week that it is, and its intensity in the NFL may be felt most by quarterbacks.
- The Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young experiment Is a lesson in impatience (The Ringer) – The Carolina Panthers recently announced that they are benching quarterback Bryce Young, a former no. 1 pick, in favor of Andy Dalton. But how did the team get to this place? And can it figure out a viable path forward?
- Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt on Commanders: ‘Nice college offense’ (NFL.com) – Cam Taylor-Britt isn’t one for bland clichés. Instead, the Cincinnati Bengals cornerback has decided this season to freely offer his personal assessment of opponents with little hold-back.
