The Commanders are expected to put their playoff hopes in the hands of Carson Wentz, who may make his first start at quarterback since breaking a finger in Game 6. (Getty Images)
Cleveland Browns scouting report: Washington Commanders
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Washington Commanders
Sunday, 1 p.m., in FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Record: 7-7-1.
Last game: Lost to San Francisco 49ers, 37-20, Dec. 24, in Santa Clara, CA.
Coach: Ron Rivera, 21-24-1, third year; 97-87-2 overall.
Series record: Browns lead, 34-12-1.
Last meeting: Browns won, 34-20, Sept. 27, 2020.
League rankings: Offense is 19th overall (13th rushing, 19th passing), defense is fourth overall (13th rushing, seventh passing) and turnover differential is minus-3.
Things to watch
1. The Commanders currently sit as the final NFC playoff seed and can control their destiny by winning against the Browns and Cowboys. A win over the Browns doesn’t clinch their post-season berth unless Detroit and Seattle also lose, and Green Bay loses or ties. But Washington’s 17th game at home against Dallas could be meaningless for the Cowboys, so the Browns may pose as the final barrier to clear to the playoffs.
2. Ron Rivera is expected to put his team’s playoff hopes in the hands of Carson Wentz, who hasn’t made a start since breaking his right ring finger in Game 6 against Chicago. Wentz made his first appearance since that game Sunday in relief of Taylor Heinicke. Wentz came in with 9:11 to play in the fourth quarter and finished 12 of 16 for 123 yards and one TD. During Wentz’s injury, Heinicke went 5-3-1 and was a popular figure in the locker room. But after going 0-2-1 in his last three starts, Rivera believes Heinicke’s Cinderella story has hit midnight. Wentz cost the Commanders two third-round picks and took up $28 million in cap space and they believe there is still a return on that investment to be paid. There are no guarantees beyond this year, so Wentz is playing for his future.
3. The Commanders have a nice trio of pass targets in Terry McLaurin (72 catches, 1,092 yards, 4 touchdowns), rookie Jahan Dotson (29, 414, 7) and Curtis Samuel (62, 652, 4). One of the differences in the offense since Wentz last started is the emergence of Brian Robinson as the lead running back. The Commanders favor an inside zone run attack that powers Robinson, 6-1 and 225 pounds, between the tackles – exactly the kind of run scheme that gashes the Browns.
4. The strength of Washington’s whole team is the defensive front with a pair of destructive ends in Montez Sweat (7 sacks) and Chase Young and an even better pair of tackles in Jonathan Allen (9.5) and Daron Payne (7.5). Young, the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, had 7.5 sacks as a rookie, and then suffered an ACL tear and ruptured patellar tendon in November of 2021. He made first appearance in 13 months last week and played 30 snaps (58 percent). Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is not shy about using five defensive linemen to commit to run defense.
Did you know … ?
1. The Commanders are expected to fetch a price in excess of $7 billion when sold – probably before the start of the 2023 season. Not only is owner Dan Snyder buried in multiple scandals – investigations are pending on organizational sexual harassment and financial irregularities -- he is mired in debt as a result of buying out minority partners who wanted to separate from him. The feeling is that if Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (estimated worth: $108.5 billion) wants to purchase the team, nobody is going to outbid him for it.
2. Wentz, of course, was the quarterback the Browns bypassed when they traded the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2016 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta famously said in an interview with ESPN Cleveland at the time that the Browns wouldn’t draft a quarterback they didn’t feel was among “the top 20” in the league. Wentz proceeded to kill the Browns in his NFL debut, 29-10, passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Wentz was 18-11 his first two years with the Eagles until he suffered a torn ACL in his 13th start of his second season. The Eagles proceeded to win the Super Bowl without him. Since that knee injury, Wentz has gone 28-33-1 with Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Washington. Over the same period, DePodesta’s Browns have burned through three quarterbacks and have compiled a record of 38-41-1.
3. The Browns are 16-5-1 all-time on the road against Washington.
4. The Commanders are first in the NFL with an average time of possession of 32:47. The Browns are second at 32:00.
Small world: Club president Jason Wright played running back for the Browns from 2005-08 … Director of player personnel Eric Stokes was selected by the Browns in the 1999 expansion draft … Offensive coordinator Scott Turner was Browns receivers coach in 2013 … Quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese had the same role with the Browns in 2018 … Offensive line coach Ken Matsko is a native of Cleveland and played fullback at Kent State from 1970-72.
