No sweat for Browns backups in preseason win in muggy Jacksonville
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.Case Keenum photo taken by Matt Starkey //
Cleveland Browns
JACKSONVILLE, FLInstant takeaways from Browns’ 23-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars …
1. No starters, no problem: The Browns’ second-teamers had no problem with college coaching legend Urban Meyer’s first NFL incarnation. Case Keenum looked like a nine-year veteran quarterback playing against a 1-15 team. He moved the ball fairly effortlessly for two field goals in three series before Kevin Stefanski brought in the third-teamers in the second quarter. The duelling kickers were 3-for-3 on field goals and No. 3 QB Kyle Lauletta added two touchdown throws in the second half to finish off a 23-13 win in Stefanski’s first official NFL preseason coaching victory. Jacksonville scored a touchdown on a C.J. Beathard pass from 5 yards to Tavon Austin over ninth cornerback Kiondre Thomas to begin the fourth quarter. Thomas had something to do with Austin dropping Beathard's subsequent 2-point pass try. Jake Luton threw a garbage TD to close the scoring with :26 left. Keenum’s scoring drives were stopped on a backpedaled-throwaway under pressure from the Jaguars’ 19, and a third-down incompletion for rookie Demetric Felton. Keenum was 12 of 17 for 115 yards. Meanwhile, the Browns’ mostly-backup defense treated No. 1 overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence rudely. Lawrence was sacked twice and produced 73 total yards, just three first downs and no points in his NFL preseason debut. Rookie safety Richard LeCounte got a gift interception when a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the first half came out of Gardner Minshew’s hand like a wet bar of soap.
2. Whew, Parkey: Cody Parkey’s affinity for doinking the goalpost didn’t hurt him last night. Parkey’s 48-yard field goal grazed the left post and caromed through to keep the kicking duel tight. Parkey also made a 34-yard field goal after a Rashard Higgins 12-yard catch for a first down erased what could have been a 55-yard attempt for Parkey. Challenger Chase McLaughlin, whose right leg has been strong in practice, made a 37-yard field goal and the Browns’ two PATs.
3. Corner battle: Give a slight edge to rookie Greg Newsome in the starting cornerback battle with Greedy Williams. With Denzel Ward out, Williams and Newsome were on the field together for two series. Here’s how they did: Williams played off Marvin Jones and gave up a 10-yard catch for the Jaguars’ first third-down conversion. The good news was Williams delivered a little jolt, his first contact after that shoulder injury, and Jones almost lost control of the ball. Newsome had more opportunities. He was victimized by Jones for a 35-yard reception when Lawrence had all day to throw and Newsome let Jones slip behind him and then didn’t look for the ball. Newsome bounced back with tight man coverage of a high incompletion for Jones, and then made a stop of Jones two feet short of a first down after a 7-yard catch.
4. Nice debut, Part 1: Rookie Demetric Felton came in as a slot receiver on the third play and caught a pass for six yards on the next play. Felton also came down with a contested catch for 31 yards on a throw-it-up ball by Lauletta in the second quarter. But on fourth-and-goal from the Jags’ 6-yard line, Lauletta couldn’t squeeze in a pass to Felton in the middle of the end zone. Rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell was all over Felton, who finished with four catches for 44 yards. Campbell, who was the top draft pick of the second round this year, later gave up a 27-yard touchdown to Davion Davis – the last Browns receiver on their depth chart. Davis outleaped Campbell in the right corner on a throw from Lauletta with 13 seconds left in the first half. Ryan Switzer caught Lauletta's other touchdown from 5 yards.
5. Nice debut, Part 2: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah didn’t waste time producing. On his first play at WILL linebacker, JOK made a run-stop after a 1-yard gain. Two plays later, the rookie was credited with a sack of Minshew when end Joe Jackson slowed down the quarterback with a yank of his shoulder, allowing JOK to tackle Minshew. 6. Posterity: Be it recorded that the first play for Lawrence in his first NFL preseason was a sack administered by backup tackle Sheldon Day. Porter Gustin notched a second sack of Lawrence on the defense’s second series. Lawrence departed after two series. He was 6 of 9 for 71 yards. Lawrence produced three first downs, 73 yards offense and zero points.
7. Keenum’s protection: With the starting O-line all sitting out, Keenum began the game with the following offensive line, from left to right: James Hudson, Michael Dunn, Nick Harris, Blake Hance and Chris Hubbard. Receivers were Donovan Peoples-Jones, who gained 15 yards with a catch on the first play, and Rashard Higgins. D’Ernest Johnson was the running back and Harrison Bryant the tight end. The starting 11 stayed the same for the second series.8. No day off, Part 1: The regular starters held out of the game didn’t get the whole night off. Those who were not nursing injuries came out on the field about three hours before kickoff to loosen up under the auspices of trainers. Baker Mayfield also got in some throwing to Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Austin Hooper, and David Njoku.
9. No day off, Part 2: The only projected – or potential – starters who played were defensive tackle Andrew Billings; linebackers Sione Takitaki, Mack Wilson and Jacob Phillips; cornerbacks Greg Newsome and Greedy Williams; receivers Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins; and fullback Andy Janovich.
