One of several off-the-street reserves called on by the Browns this week is a familiar name -- defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. Can he help contain the No. 2-ranked Bears running game? (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
CHICAGO, IL
Four downs on Browns (3-10) v. Chicago Bears (9-4)
First down: Baby, it’s cold outside.
Weather forecasts for Chicago change by the hour, just like in Cleveland. The latest for game day at time of this posting: Mostly sunny, high temperature of 11 degrees, winds up to 22 mph, equating to a wind chill temp of 1 degree. That could change, of course, but it figures to be one of the coldest Browns game days of this season and probably THE coldest game day so far for a few prominent rookies. “No, I haven’t [played in this cold],” affirmed linebacker Carson Schwesinger, a native southern Californian. UCLA’s first season in the Big Ten was Schwesinger’s last. When the Bruins visited Columbus on November 15 last year – their latest road trip East -- game-time temp was 55 degrees. “On the field, they have the heated benches and once I’m on the field I’m not really thinking about it,” Schwesinger shrugged. “My mom always gets mad at me. She’s like, ‘Why aren’t you wearing sleeves?’ I feel bad for my parents. They have to sit through it all game.” In two seasons at Colorado, quarterback Shedeur Sanders never played in near sub-zero wind chill. “Honestly, I’m focused on these plays right now,” Sanders said mid-week. “Whenever that happens, that happens. One thing you don’t want to be is mentally defeated before you get there. You know, however it feels out there just comes with it. We could prepare the best we can and do everything we can to bundle up. I know you see the two sleeves I’m wearing now, so we definitely had to change the style a little bit to make sure I stay warm.”
Second down: Line of scrimmage decimation.
The Browns stayed relatively healthy most of the season, but they are suddenly losing the war of attrition. On the offensive line, center Ethan Pocic (Achilles) is out and will be replaced by Luke Wypler, right guard Wyatt Teller (calf) is out and will be replaced by Teven Jenkins, and right tackle Jack Conklin (concussion) is out and will be replaced by KT Leveston. Right guard Joel Bitonio (knee, back) is questionable. The guard situation is scary thin because Zak Zinter (back) was downgraded to out. So the Browns had to sign a player off the street, guard Garrett Dellinger, a rookie who was waived in August by the Ravens, to join rookie Jeremiah Byers, signed off the Cardinals practice squad this week, to serve as backups. This injury situation will also affect the Browns’ short-yardage jumbo packages. On the defensive line, tackle Maliek Collins (knee) was placed on injured reserve, tackle Adin Huntington (quad) is out, and tackle Mason Graham (rib) is questionable and practiced only on Friday on a limited basis. It’s possible the starting tackles could be Shelby Harris and Michael Hall, with newly-resigned Maurice Hurst as the only backup. Other starters declared out are cornerback Denzel Ward (calf) and tight end David Njoku (knee). RB2 Dylan Sampson (calf, hand) is also out.
Third down: Fix that run defense.
After allowing a career-high 161 rushing yards to Tennessee back Tony Pollard, and matching a season-high 184 rushing yards overall to the lowly Titans, the Browns’ patched-up defensive front now must deal with the league’s No. 2 rushing team. The Bears have rolled up more than 200 rushing yards on four opponents this year and average 153 yards on the ground per game. Coach Ben Johnson never gives up on his rushing game; the Bears’ 406 rushing attempts lead the NFL. Those include 65 runs and three TDs by quarterback Caleb Williams. Johnson has created a rushing duo similar to the Jahmyr Gibbs-David Montgomery one-two punch he left behind in Detroit with D’Andre Swift (outside) and rookie Kyle Monangai (inside). “I’ll tell you what, I got a lot of respect for that kid,” Schwartz said of the 5-8, 207-pound Monangai. “He is a hard runner. He was a late-round draft pick, not the biggest guy in the round, but there’s nothing to hit on him. He’s shaped a lot like [Ashton] Jeanty, and that gives them that good one-two punch. They’re a heavy run, play-action team. All their wide receivers will block the same way that Detroit’s will, and all their guys are good run after the catch guys. So yeah, there’s more similarities than just scheme. They’re trying to place personnel the same way.”
Fourth down: Three more Myles to go.
Stymied with only one sack against Tennessee, 20-sack man Myles Garrett remains three shy of breaking the “official” sack record of 22.5, 3.5 shy of Al (Bubba} Baker's real record of 23, and five short of Garrett’s personal goal of 25. The Bears are pretty good in not allowing sacks. Williams’ 20 sacks taken are fifth-fewest in the NFL. This week Williams vowed not to be the victim of Garrett’s inevitable record-breaking sack. “First, we got to stop the run and earn those opportunities to rush the passer and make them even want to [throw the ball],” Garrett said. “He can maneuver pretty well, and you know they have a great rushing game, and they have a great play-action game, moving in the pocket and letting him use his legs. So, we’ve got to get him out of that, if we even want to have a chance to see him drop back. But I have a lot of respect for how elusive he is and what he can do when he has the ball in his hand.”
The pick: Bears 21, Browns 10.
My record: 7-6.