CLEVELAND — After suffering their second blowout defeat of the season, the Cleveland Browns won’t have to wait long to get back on the field.
Six days after their 31-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, the Browns will return to action when they host the Seattle Seahawks at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Sitting at 2-3 heading into the final game before their bye week — and with the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Cincinnati Bengals — the Browns will likely need a win on Sunday to prevent themselves from falling back two games in the AFC North. Doing that, however, will be easier said than done against a Seattle team that enters this weekend laying claim to a 4-1 record.
Can the Browns get back on track and add arguably their most impressive win of the season to their resume? Or will they lose a second straight game for the first time this year? We’ll find out on Sunday.
Until then, here’s everything you need to know about the Browns’ matchup against the Seahawks:
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) rushes the quarterback during an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Cleveland. The Browns won 21-17. (AP Photo/David Richard)
AP
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Game info, how to watch on TV, betting line:
Date: October 13, 2019
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
TV channel: FOX
Live Stream: FoxSports.com
Radio: ESPN 850, 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX
Betting line: Seattle -2
Over-under point total: 47
Key storylines
Offensive issues
Despite entering the 2019 season laying claim to one of the league’s most impressive collections of talent, it’d be tough to argue that to this point, Cleveland’s offense has lived up to the hype.
Through five weeks, the Browns offense ranks 23rd in yards per game, 25th and scoring and 28th in first downs. The advanced metrics tell an even uglier story, with Cleveland rankings 29th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric.
Facing the 49ers on Monday, it was quarterback Baker Mayfield who appeared to struggle most, as the former No. 1 pick completed 8 of his 22 pass attempts for 100 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. And Cleveland won’t be able to afford a similar performance against the Seahawks on Sunday if it’s going to walk away with a win.
“Every week presents a new set of challenges,” head coach Freddie Kitchens said on Wednesday. “Just like in every week, though, certain things have to remain constant. I will reiterate everybody around the quarterback needs to play better, everybody around the quarterback needs to coach better and the quarterback needs to play better.
“I do not know what is going on outside, but everybody in our building is taking ownership of what we put on the field the other night, and everybody is committed to getting better from that. That is everybody – every position, every coach, everybody that was on our plane is committed to getting better. That is where we are.”
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) passes as San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa applies pressure during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Oct. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
AP
Where art thou, OBJ?
Perhaps the biggest red flag about the Browns offense this season can be found in Odell Beckham Jr.’s recent stat lines.
Despite being considered one of the most dynamic players in all of football, the 3-time Pro Bowl selection has just caught two passes in each the past two weeks for totals of 20 and 27 yards.
But while Beckham’s ability as a decoy vs. the Ravens two weeks ago resulted in a win, his absence vs. the 49ers seemed symptomatic of the larger issues the offense has been experiencing this season. And while Kitchens said getting the ball to Beckham may not be as simple of a process as some people might think, he also knows that doing so would likely behoove the Browns.
“Odell is a very dynamic player, and anytime you can get the ball into a dynamic player’s hands any way you can, you do it because they have the ability to make plays that other guys sometimes can’t make,” Kitchens said. “Yes, of course, everything is on the table week to week. We are always trying to do the best that we think will put us in a good situation to win the football game.”
On the mend
After being banged up — especially in the secondary — for the better part of the past month, Cleveland could be as close full strength as it’s been since the start of the season on Sunday.
After safety Morgan Burnett rejoined the Browns lineup alongside Damarious Randall on Monday, both Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams spent practiced on Wednesday — an indication that Cleveland’s top two cornerbacks could return after missing the past three weeks with hamstring injuries.
“The guys who have come in have played exceptionally well,” Kitchens said. “They have played well. They have been doing a good job. We had some issues the other night that we are going to get corrected. Other than that, they have played well. They played good in spurts the other day, but they have played well up to this point.”
In addition to Ward and Williams, wide receiver Rashard Higgins could also make his return for the Browns on Sunday. Initially expected to be the Browns’ No. 3 receiver this season, Higgins hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury in the team’s season-opening loss to the Tennessee Titans.
What’s on the line?
Despite the negativity currently surrounding the Browns, it’s worth noting that they currently lay claim to a 2-3 record with the easiest portion of their schedule ahead. But before Cleveland can get to a slate that includes two games vs. the Bengals, two vs. the Steelers and matchups vs. the Broncos, Dolphins and Bills, the Browns must first face not only Seattle, but also the New England Patriots with a bye week sandwiched in between.
While a 2-5 start wouldn’t necessarily completely derail the Browns’ season, that big of a hole could leave them with little margin for error on the back end of their schedule. As a result, Cleveland likely needs to at least split its next two games, with this week’s matchup looking like the more likely win.
Prediction
The Browns play more competitively than they did a week ago and even manage to get Odell Beckham Jr. more involved. But it’s not enough to beat the better coached team that’s currently playing with a much stronger sense of cohesion.
Final score: Seahawks 28, Browns 23