The Cleveland Browns have won four of their last five games to reach first place in the AFC North Division.
This is rarefied air for the Browns, as they have not been in first place this late in a season since the 2014 season.
That was so long ago that rookie left tackle Spencer Fano, the youngest player on the current, was just 9 years old at the time.
Cleveland has done it with an offense that has been good enough when the situation called for it, and a defense that has exerted its will on opposing
offenses. (At least once the game’s first series is in the books.)
There are a lot of numbers that stand out when it comes to the defense, but there is one area in particular that we want to highlight.
The Carolina Panthers have scored more than 30 points three times this season, and put up 25 on Sunday against Philadelphia. But against the Browns? Just 18 points.
The Baltimore Ravens had put up 30, 41, and 30 points in the three games that quarterback Tyler Huntley started before Sunday’s game. But against the Browns? Just 10 points, and none after the third quarter.
At some point, the offense will have to carry the water for more than just the fourth quarter. But, for now, the defense deserves every bit of credit it can claim for helping a team with a -16 point differential find its way into first place.
Offense may fill the highlights, but defense is still pretty cool.
Let’s get rolling with today’s edition of the Daily Dawg Chow.
Dawgs By Nature
Browns vs. Titans odds: Opening lines for Week 7 matchup (Chris Pokorny): Surely the Browns have to be favored against a one-win Tennessee team?
NFL trade deadline: Browns might have some big-game options if they go hunting (Jared Mueller): Win these next few weeks and you never know what might happen at the trade deadline.
Rank them: Browns among top AFC teams, but how high? (Abby Mueller): The Browns are in first place, but is that enough to curry favor in the polls?
Browns 2027 NFL draft order: Rams close to Top 5 pick; CLE near bottom of 1st round (Jared Mueller): Raise your hand if you had the Rams’ draft pick being higher than Cleveland’s after six weeks. (Put your hand down, you never thought that!)
AFC playoff race, division standings: Browns among the top teams after Week 6 (Jared Mueller): There is still a long way to go, but the Browns are currently heading toward a home playoff game.
Browns Week 6 win in review: 4 downs lead us to shifting narratives (Curtiss Brown): As head coach Todd Monken likes to point out, the NFL is a week-to-week battle and always changing.
The Feed
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Cleveland Browns
Where can Browns find offensive growth as they head to Tennessee? (Beacon Journal): That is a key question, and one the Browns have been trying to answer for the past six weeks.
How WR Jerry Jeudy embodies the spirit of what Todd Monken is trying to build with the Browns (cleveland.com): Winning makes everything that much easier. Even if you are not getting the targets you expect.
Deshaun Watson, Browns offense searching for better balance of avoiding INTs and ‘letting it rip’ earlier in games (Browns Zone): If you are only going to be good for one quarter a game, avoiding turnovers is pretty key.
Inside Audric Estimé’s 1st week with the Browns ahead of game-tying touchdown in Week 6 (clevelandbrowns.com): From learning the playbook on Tuesday to scoring a touchdown on Sunday. Life comes at you fast in the NFL.
NFL
The Colts waited a decade for Chris Ballard to fulfill his early promise. He never did (The Athletic): Change came for Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard.
Davante Adams to miss 6-10 weeks with hamstring injury (Turf Show Times): The Los Angeles Rams are turning into the Blues Mobile at the end of The Blues Brothers.
Jalen Hurts expected to miss season after blood clots discovered in QB’s lungs (ESPN): The news keeps going from bad to worse in Philadelphia.
