QB Jameis Winston looks to build on second start as Browns host Chargers and NFL’s stingiest defense | News, Sports, Vacancies

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) celebrates after defeating the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) – Cleveland (2-6)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 2.

Against the spread: Chargers 4-3; The Browns are 3-5.

Series record: Chargers lead 19-9-1.

Last meeting: Chargers beat Browns 30-28 on Oct. 9, 2022 in Cleveland.

Last week: Chargers beat Saints 26-8; The Browns beat the Ravens 29-24.

Chargers offense: total (23), rushing (20), passing (24), scoring (24).

Chargers defense: total (8), rushing (11), passing (9), scoring (1).

Browns offense: total (21), rushing (27), passing (29), scoring (27).

Browns defense: total (14), rushing (18), passing (12), scoring (18).

Speed ​​differential: Chargers plus-6; Browns minus-4.

Chargers player to watch

Rookie WR Ladd McConkey leads the team in receptions (30) and receiving yards (376). Last week against the Saints, he became the first Chargers rookie since 2010 to have a game with 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He is fourth among league rookies in catches and third with four touchdowns.

Browns player to watch

QB Jameis Winston hasn’t looked like it’s been two years since his last start, when he passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns last week. Winston’s performance brought a huge emotional boost to the Browns – and some hope that this season can be salvaged – just days after Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles tendon. To be fair, Winston threw some passes that should have been intercepted.

Key match

Chargers RT Joe Alt vs. Browns DE Myles Garrett. Before the draft, Alt said the player he would most like to face was Garrett. He’ll get his chance on Sunday. Alt didn’t allow a quarterback pressure last week against the Saints, the first time a rookie offensive lineman has done so in three years, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Garrett leads the league with 21 quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds) and has the third-highest pressure rate among all pass rushers (20.7%).

Key injuries

Chargers: Edge rusher Joey Bosa (hip) was on the count last week. He has been limited in practice but is expected to play. He missed three games earlier this season. … WR DJ Chark (fashionable) will likely make his season debut. … CB Christian Fulton (hamstring) missed some practice and will likely be questionable. … Browns: L.B. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah remains on the sidelines after suffering a neck injury last week which left him hospitalized overnight. He is the best tackler in Cleveland. … Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward missed practice this week while in protocol for his sixth known concussion since 2018. … Six-time Pro Bowl LG Joel Bitonio (foot) was limited this week. He made 152 starts.

Episode notes

The Chargers have won four straight and 14 of 18. … Los Angeles is 14-0 when scoring at least 25 points against the Browns.

Statistics and more

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is 1-0 in his career against the Browns and 3-3 in his career against the AFC North, including Super Bowl 47 against Baltimore. … QB Justin Herbert won both of his starts against the Browns with six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) and no interceptions. He hasn’t thrown a pick since the first quarter of Week 2 in Carolina. … RB J.C. Dobbins has been excellent in two of the three games he’s faced Cleveland. He rushed for 125 yards for Baltimore against the Browns in 2022… WR Joshua Palmer had a season-high 72 receiving yards last week. … IE Will Dissly has 13 of 26 receptions in the last two games. …Los Angeles’ defense allows 13 points per game, the lowest in the league, and allows three-and-out turnovers on 21 of its 77 possessions. The figure of 27.3% is the sixth highest in the league. … LB Khalil Mack has two sacks in two of his last three games against Cleveland. … Bose is just one sack away from reaching age 70 in his career. … Winston won AFC Offensive Player of the Week, Cleveland’s first QB since 2019. … Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Winston plans to start the rest of the season, although plans tend to change in Cleveland. Sophomore QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is now Winston’s backup. … Winston became the 39th QB to start for Cleveland since 1999. … Stefanski turned over the responsibilities of first-year coordinator to Ken Dorsey last week, and the Browns played their best offensive game of 2020, finishing first twice, scoring 20 points and topping 400 points. yards. … Sophomore WR Cedric Tillman broke out last week with seven catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Tillman’s role expanded after Amari Cooper was traded to Buffalo. … RB Nick Chubb averaged 7.9 yards per carry (41 for 320 yards) and three touchdowns in three games against the Chargers. This will be Chubb’s third game back from reconstructive knee surgery. … Dawand Jones, who played right tackle as a rookie, started at left tackle last week and held his own. He replaced the injured Jedrick Wills Jr., who could return this week. … The Browns are playing their third straight home game.

Fantasy advice

One of the most consistent tight ends in the NFL, Cleveland’s David Njoku has been scoring over the last two weeks. Njoku, who was slowed by an ankle injury earlier this season, could thrive alongside Winston. Njoku had a big game against the Chargers in 2013, making seven catches for 149 yards and a score.

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