Hapless Browns Welcome Surging Cowboys Into Cleveland
By Shawn S. Lealos
The Dallas Cowboys just faced their toughest challenge of the 2016 NFL season. Down by one touchdown at the end of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dak Prescott led his team down to tie the game with a touchdown pass and then led the game-winning drive in overtime. Now, the Cowboys take their NFC-best record into Cleveland to face the Cleveland Browns, the owners of the worst record in the NFL. Here is a look at the Cleveland Browns as they prepare to face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9 of the NFL season.
Cleveland Browns Season Record
The Cleveland Browns led the New York Jets this week before collapsing in the second half. As a result, the Browns dropped to 0-8 on the season, the worst record in the NFL. Cleveland has an offense that can't seem to stay healthy and the worst defense in the NFL.
Cleveland Browns On Offense
The Browns biggest problem this year on offense is that they can't keep a quarterback healthy. The Browns started the season with newcomer Robert Griffin III under center but lost him almost immediately to injury. They then went on a record pace and lost Josh McCown, Cody Kessler and Charlie Whitehurst to injury. Wide receiver and college quarterback Terrelle Pryor has done more at quarterback than almost any quarterback on the team. However, Josh McCown returned this past week and the Browns hope for some stability.
Putting Pryor back at full-time receiver should help them as well. Despite playing quarterback when needed, Pryor also leads the team in receptions with 41 for 532 yards and three touchdowns. The only other real offensive weapon is Isaiah Crowell at running back, with 525 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the season.
Cleveland Browns On Defense
The Cleveland Browns can look explosive on offense at times, but their defense is why they have not won a game yet this season. Every opponent has scored 25 points or more a game, and five of their last six opponents broke 30 points against this defense. No team in the NFL has given up more points this season than the Cleveland Browns.
Help might be on the way, though. The New England Patriots gave up on superstar linebacker Jamie Collins and traded the star player to the Browns this week for a third round 2017 Draft pick. Collins wanted too much money and the Patriots weren't going to pay him. The Browns get him this year and hope he can help them compete. Their best player is still Joe Haden, who has spent his entire All-Pro career on a losing team. This season, he has 17 tackles and one interception.
Cleveland Browns Players To Watch
Josh McCown – The Cleveland Browns can't seem to win this season and one of the biggest things they need on offense is a quarterback who can play for more than one game. They might have that If McCown can stay healthy. McCown started for the Browns last season and lost his job when Cleveland signed Robert Griffin III. In his first game back, McCown threw for more yards in one half than any Browns quarterback in the last 30 years.
Terrelle Pryor – The biggest weapon on offense is wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. He had over 100 yards receiving in the first half of this past week's game and leads the team with 41 catches for 532 yards and three touchdowns this season. He will test the Cowboys secondary this week.
Jamie Collins – The Browns have the worst defense in the NFL by far. Joe Haden can't do it all by himself and now he has help. The Browns traded for New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins and he might play immediately for the Browns. Collins has 43 tackles so far this season and is a superstar athlete.
Outlook
The Dallas Cowboys ran all over the Green Bay Packers and then beat their division rival Philadelphia Eagles in overtime. They will have little problems against an overmatched Cleveland Browns. This game has all the signs of a complete blowout win for the Dallas Cowboys.