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Browns 'just need to get some sun on' problems after disastrous loss in Denver | Takeaways
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- Browns 'just need to get some sun on' problems after disastrous loss in Denver | Takeaways
DENVER — The Browns may have woken up in Denver and lived a Mile High Nightmare against the Broncos on Sunday. By the time they put their heads on the pillow to go to sleep, though, they were in a completely different place.
They were in a swanky hotel in Los Angeles, which was a fitting way for the Browns to try to turn the page on the disastrous 29-12 loss they suffered in Denver earlier in the day.
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"I mean, what's most important is just to just stay with what we've been doing," cornerback Greg Newsome II said. "Keep practicing hard, keep being resilient, and it's one loss. Obviously we need to fix a lot of stuff out there, but just stay resilient and just continue to be us."
Just how many of "us" will be available for the Browns (7-4) when they play at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday is up in the air.
Their starting quarterback — rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson , who entered Sunday afternoon healthy, and not Deshaun Watson , the $230 million man who's rehabbing from season-ending shoulder surgery in Los Angeles — is battling an injury that may or may not lead to another change at that position. Their best player, Myles Garrett , who's arguably the league's best defensive player, wore a sling on his left arm after a shoulder injury that may or may not cost him some games depending on what an MRI reveals.
Browns quarterback PJ Walker is sacked in the end zone for a safety by the Broncos on Sunday in Denver.
Then again, as Garrett joked while he was helped into his jacket after the game, "just need to get some sun on it." And that is exactly what the entire team is going to do for the next week.
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The Browns have found a way to "get a little sun" on a lot of their problems through the first 11 games of the season. Their season-ending injured reserve list includes a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback (Watson), a multi-time Pro Bowl running back (Nick Chubb), a two-time All-Pro right tackle (Jack Conklin) and a Super Bowl-winning safety ( Rodney McLeod ).
Despite that list, they've won multiple games with the first three out of the lineup, and they won the game in which the fourth was injured. It's why sunny isn't just the weather they're expecting in Southern California, but also their disposition despite the ever-growing injury list.
"I think resiliency is just the common theme around here," defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo said. "We've been through a lot of adversity and we continue to just keep on getting better, and that's hard for a lot of teams, and I feel like we've done a good job. We have the maturity in this locker room. We have the leadership, and then we have the great coaches that just keep the ship afloat."
Cedric Tillman finds connection with former Bishop Gorman teammate
Had Thompson-Robinson not been knocked out of the game on Baron Browning 's hit on the next-to-last play of the third quarter, things were setting up potentially for him and his former Bishop Gorman teammate, Cedric Tillman, to make quite the story. Instead, the quarterback was knocked out of the game and the third-round receiver didn't add to a career-best first half.
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"I'm just being patient, trusting the process," Tillman said. "Today the ball kind of came to me more so, like I said, I'm just doing my job, man. The ball come to me, I'm going to catch it. If not, I'm going to try to block my ass off."
Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman runs after a second-quarter catch against the Broncos on Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver.
Tillman had four catches on four targets for 55 yards in the first two quarters on Sunday. Coming into the game, the Browns' top pick, No. 74 overall, in April's draft had just three catches for 10 yards combined in seven games played.
A couple of Tillman's catches, in particular, were tough, contested grabs in traffic. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound University of Tennessee product is proud of those the most.
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"That's why they brought me here," Tillman said. "Making contested catches when guy's on your back or whatever. The ball has to be caught."
Kareem Hunt with yet another impressive run for naught
Kareem Hunt may not be the same back he was as a rookie in 2017, when he led the NFL in rushing with the Kansas City Chiefs . However, the veteran shows flashes of that version of himself at least once a game.
The previous Sunday, it was Hunt hurdling a Pittsburgh Steelers defender on his way to a 17-yard gain. That run, though, was lost to the fact the drive ended in no points.
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On Sunday in Denver, Hunt did it again, this time on fourth-and-1 from the Broncos 46. Among those he hurdled was All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio , who is no small man himself.
Browns running back Kareem Hunt is upended over Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell (47) as guard Michael Dunn (68) and center Nick Harris (53) block in the second quarter, Nov. 26, 2023, in Denver.
"I didn't know," Bitonio said. "The guy I was blocking was, like, I think he jumped over both of us and I was, like, until I saw the replay, I didn't notice. So that was just one of our short yardage plays. And on those plays, it turns into just a rugby scrum, so you don't really know what's happening. But Kareem, he's shown in his career that he'll do anything."
Hunt picked up 3 yards to keep the drive alive. The Browns ended up kicking a field goal at the end of the drive to pull within 14-6 of Denver at the half.
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"It was the must-get-it," Hunt said. "So whatever it takes, man, whatever it takes, don't matter."
Hunt finished with 22 rushing yards on seven carries against the Broncos.
David Njoku continues to have some issues with catching footballs
David Njoku was the Browns' leading receiver Sunday with six catches for 59 yards. The tight end knows he could've probably had a couple of more.
There was a near-catch in the back end zone where Njoku had the ball in his hands with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter. The only problem was Denver's Alex Singleton knocked the ball out as Njoku was coming down with it.
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"Great play by him," Njoku said. "I caught it, tried to move it away and he punched it out. So, like I said, hats off to them."
There was also a play with 1:25 left in the third quarter and the Browns down 17-12. Thompson-Robinson fired a strike to Njoku that hit him in his hands while he was in stride.
If Njoku had held on, there was a decent chance he might have scored. There was at least a great chance of a big gain.
"I didn't see it too well," Njoku said. "I was down the field. Gonna watch the film and check it out."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns look to California sun to help after loss to Broncos: Takeaways
