Browns schedule could be less daunting due to recent injury
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns might not have to face Josh Allen due to an elbow injury and it could be Case Keenum who was with this roster for two seasons in Week 11 under center for Buffalo
Injuries are a part of life in the NFL and no team understands this as much as the Cleveland Browns. For the past couple of years, they have had more than their fair share of injuries — including a shoulder problem that affected Baker Mayfield in 2021 and a torn ACL that sidelined Odell Beckham the year prior.
This season, they’ve seen players such as Anthony Walker go down for the year while also having Denzel Ward and Jadeveon Clowney battle through some issues of their own. Having said all of that, they could end up having a better chance of securing a win in an upcoming game due to a recent injury to a star player on an opposing team.
Josh Allen, who is playing at an MVP level for the Buffalo Bills suffered an elbow injury in their loss against the New York Jets this past weekend. According to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, Allen is “dealing with a right elbow injury to the ulnar collateral ligament and related nerves” and his status for their game against Minnesota is uncertain.
Should he miss that one, the Bills will start Case Keenum, who was with the Browns in 2020 and 2021. He appeared in two games throwing just 10 passes in his first season with Cleveland and then made two starts last year while Mayfield dealt with his shoulder.
Keenum was 2-0 in those starts and threw for 462 yards with three touchdowns and one pick. While those numbers are fine, he’s still a game manager that can’t do the things Allen can.
Buffalo does believe the injury is minor and that Allen won’t miss more than one game if any, but it’s worth monitoring the situation since the Browns were set to play three tough opponents in a row, all with elite quarterbacks. First was Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in Week 10, followed by the Buffalo game, and finishing with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
There will still be two quarterbacks playing at a high level over the next three weeks, but there’s a chance it will only be two. And that could have a huge impact on Cleveland’s pursuit of the AFC North — or a Wild Card spot.
