CLEVELAND — 1:12 p.m./ET-Landry puts Browns in front of Dolphins
It is fair to say that Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry had a little extra motivation heading into Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins because he felt by trading him in the 2018 offseason, they disrespected the Pro Bowl pass catcher.
Well, Landry exacted a measure of revenge against his former team on the first drive of the game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
After catching an 18-yard pass for a first down and drawing a pass interference penalty earlier in the drive, Landry was on the receiving of a throw from quarterback Baker Mayfield near the goal line. Not to be denied of the seven-yard touchdown against the Dolphins, Landry muscled his way through a tackle attempt and extended the ball across the goal line for the score.
The extra point gave the Browns a 7-0 lead over the Dolphins with 9:59 to play in the first quarter.
The Browns covered 75 yards in eight plays and took five minutes off the first-quarter clock on the scoring drive.
11:30 a.m./ET-Browns to face Dolphins without Vernon, Murray
The Cleveland Browns’ defensive line was already decimated by suspensions to tackle Larry Ogunjobi and pass-rushing end Myles Garrett for their roles in a brawl with the Pittsburgh Steelers last Thursday night, and they did not get any good news on the injury front following Friday’s practice.
Veteran defensive end Olivier Vernon was ruled out for today’s game against the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland and will miss his third straight week after suffering a knee injury in a loss at the Denver Broncos on November 2.
And the back end of the defense is not looking much healthy than the front.
In addition to ruling out Vernon for today’s game, the Browns declared that safety Eric Murray will miss his fourth consecutive game while working his way back from mid-season knee surgery.
Although questionable with a groin injury Friday, linebacker Joe Schobert is active and is expected to be in the starting lineup against the Dolphins.
The Browns deactivated wide receiver Taywan Taylor, defensive back Robert Jackson, offensive linemen Kendall Lamm and Drew Forbes and tight end Pharaoh Brown for today’s game.
Chad Thomas is expected to get his third straight start in place of Vernon.
11:15 a.m./ET-Browns looking for third straight win
After more than a week of talking about and reliving the brawl tipped off by an altercation between defensive end Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, the Cleveland Browns are getting back to football.
The Browns (4-6) play their third straight home game Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins (2-8) at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland and are looking to continue their pursuit of a postseason berth, which would break the NFL’s longest-standing streak at 16 years.
“I think what you try to do from an early standpoint is you try to form a culture where they care about each other as people,” Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said after Friday’s practice on the team’s level of focus. “When you do that and something happens, it kind of galvanizes you from the standpoint of you realize, at that point, you are in it together and you are all that each other have. That is where we come up with the term that you run toward each other in times of adversity rather than run away.”
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, center, celebrates with wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) after connecting on a touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, California on Sunday, September 30, 2018.
Ben Margot/AP
In addition to emotions being high after Garrett’s indefinite ban was upheld earlier this week, Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry is looking to prove something to his former team.
Landry’s tenure with the Dolphins ended unceremoniously when he was traded to the Browns for a pair of picks in the NFL Draft, but after arriving in Northeast Ohio in March of 2018, the talented wide receiver signed a lucrative contract extension and has become one of the offense’s leaders.
Sunday’s game will be Landry’s first against his former team, and his new teammates believe he will not lack for motivation on the field.
“Jarvis is an unbelievable teammate and an even better guy to have in your locker room, just the person he is, who he is a person, what he stands for, his values,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “The family aspect that he brings. He’s a guy that plays with so much passion.”
Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. added, “I’ve been a part of his journey since we were 16, 17 years old. I know every bit and piece, every story and everything that’s going on. Just to watch him, I’m going to be excited. He always gets me fired up, whether we’re playing the Dolphins or whoever. He always gets me fired up just the way he plays, and I know he’s going to be intense this week.”