Cleveland is 5-3 on the year, but lost two of three games heading into the bye week.
CLEVELAND — Football is back on the shores of Lake Erie, and the Browns are set to begin the second half of the 2020 season with a crucial showdown at home.
Cleveland welcomes the Houston Texans to FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday, looking to get back on track after limping into the bye week. The club is 5-3 on the year, but has lost two of its last three games, with the only victory coming in the final minute against a rebuilding Cincinnati Bengals squad.
The Browns had a bit of a health scare this past week when offensive lineman Chris Hubbard presumably tested positive for COVID-19, but thankfully no other players were affected. What’s more, several key contributors will return from the injured list, including Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb.
The Texans were seen by most as one of the top contenders in the AFC coming into the season, but stumbled to an 0-4 start that resulted in the firing of head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien. Despite solid play from quarterback DeShaun Watson, Houston is still just 2-6, but they are now being coached on an interim basis by a familiar face: Romeo Crennel, who led the Browns to a 24-40 record from 2005-08.
What follows is a drive-by-drive live blog of today’s action, with the most recent plays and updates towards the top. Stay tuned for analysis throughout the day on 3News and WKYC.com.
PREGAME
1:04 p.m. Lightening has been spotted in the area, and the teams are headed to the locker room while fans have been told to shelter in place. The game has been delayed at least 30 minutes.
12:58 p.m. Expect the weather to be a factor today. Much of Northeast Ohio is currently under a wind advisory or severe thunderstorm warning, with gusts of up to 70 miles per hour expected.