The Cleveland Browns will be playing the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and while the snowy forecast will have us watching, there are several players to pay attention to as well
We’ve seen the news reports already this week that the Buffalo, New York region is expecting 6-feet of snow this weekend as the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills are going to try to play a football game. Watching this battle in snowy conditions could be a lot of fun for the fans. The Browns were just in sunny Miami, Florida a week ago when they played the Dolphins so the shift in weather conditions couldn’t be more different.
There will be an important game being played regardless of the weather and Cleveland will need to perform well to get the victory if they want to stay in the playoff conversation. The team stands at 3-6 and has Deshaun Watson returning as the starting quarterback in two weeks. The Browns will have to get good production from their players in this one if they want to walk away with the win. Let’s discuss a few players that will need to step up even more and are worth watching closely on Sunday.
3 Cleveland Browns players to watch in Week 11
No. 3: Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR
When you first look at DPJ stats you’ll see that over his three-year career his production has increased steadily, and this year there has been a noticeable increase. He’s collected more than 50 yards in receiving yardage in seven of the nine games this season. He’s already gained 516 yards on 35 catches. He doesn’t have a touchdown yet on the year but that hopefully will change soon.
In this past game, the Browns again played without tight end David Njoku and the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, Amari Cooper was struggling to get open because of good defense by the Dolphins. Thus, Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett targeted DPJ nine times in the game. He caught five of those passes and on the few, he didn’t pull in he was very close to catching them.
The team was looking to see if DPJ could be that legitimate second or third option for the pass-catching troops and he has not disappointed. He is on pace to get close to that 1000-yard mark this season and that’s a big jump from the past two. The former 6th-round pick from Michigan is really establishing himself as a reliable player and that should continue.
With the impending snowy weather forecast this weekend, DPJ could have a lesser factor in the game if Cleveland keeps the ball on the ground but he’s still worth the watch.
No. 2: Nick Chubb, RB
If the weather forecasts are accurate for Buffalo, it could be tough sledding for both teams. The ground game may be necessary a bit more than in a traditional game and for the Browns that will mean giving their running back and best offensive player Nick Chubb the ball. He carried the ball a measly 11 times a week ago for only 63 yards. It was Chubb’s lowest number on the year, and he certainly will be looking to help his team out more on Sunday.
He’s running up so many leaderboards as we speak. He currently has gained 904 yards and is ranked third in the NFL this season. His 5.7 yards per carry is the best among those players that have rushed for more than 800 yards and better than both Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, who are slightly ahead of him in the total yards category.
As for the best running backs in Cleveland history, Chubb has climbed to fourth all-time with 5,720 yards and has a shot at catching Mike Pruitt at No. 3 who had 6,540 yards in his career. If Chubb can maintain his health over the next few seasons, he should be able to reach the No. 2 ranking ahead of Browns legend Leroy Kelly. That would put the former Georgia Bulldog just behind the greatest of all-time Jim Brown.
Can you see Chubb breaking off a run or two on Sunday when there’s a snowy scene on the field? He’s collected 11 touchdowns this season, which is only one behind his career-best 12. It would be the frosting on the cake if he could score a couple more touchdowns in this one.
No. 1: Myles Garrett, DE
We discuss Myles Garrett almost every week because he is the face of the Browns defense and as he goes so does the defense. He’s been criticized on and off this season due to what some have deemed a lack of effort.
In this past game on Sunday against Miami, the Cleveland defense was bulldozed by them on the ground as the Dolphins ran the ball for 195 yards. After the game, Garrett seemed to take a shot at the coaching staff or maybe other teammates when he discussed the team’s struggles on defense.
#Browns Myles Garrett: "Doesn't matter if you're ready to run through a wall if it's in the wrong direction."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) November 13, 2022
Garrett comes across more and more as a very up-and-down type of player. He often will say things that are critical of things with his team. When Garrett was drafted as the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Browns, many critics of the defensive end out of Texas A&M questioned his motor and his ultimate desire to play football and that view of him continues quietly among skeptics.
While Garrett has played tough at times in his career and even more aggressive than necessary like when he got suspended by the NFL for his helmet throwing at Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Mason Rudolph back in 2019, he’s been a bit of a continuous mystery with his play and effort. While he has been gifted with some amazing talent, he hasn’t done enough to help his team win games.
Yes, he’s often getting double-teamed but even with that, there are plays he makes which show a player that isn’t always fully engaged and interested in the game in front of him.
If on Sunday, we see Garrett energized and showing that off then we might see an excellent defensive effort by him and his teammates, but if he loses interest in the battle early, it could be another long day for the team.
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