3 big storylines as Cleveland Browns look to bounce back in Week 13
By Randy Gurzi
A three-game losing streak came to an end in Week 12 as the Cleveland Browns lost to the Denver Broncos on the road. Now, they prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams this weekend and have been getting some work in at the UCLA campus. Following this one, the Browns will return home to host the Jacksonville Jaguars and then the Chicago Bears.
The extra time on the West Coast might serve as a nice break for a team that continues to have a lot of unfortunate news surrounding them. Injuries have been piling up throughout the season and they became more of a problem in the loss to Denver. That's why injuries dominate the biggest stories surrounding Cleveland heading into Week 13.
3. Can Cedric Tillman continue to shine?
As frustrating as any loss can be, there were some good things to take away from the Denver game. One of those was the play of rookie wide receiver Cedric Tillman. Selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Tillman had just three receptions for 10 yards entering this game and blew those numbers away against the Broncos.
Tillman finished with 55 yards on four receptions, doing all of his damage in the first half. Much of that was done on an 18-yard reception late in the second quarter. That helped start a drive that resulted in a field goal, cutting the lead to 14-6.
.@BishopGormanFB connection is picking up!@Ctillman04: 3 tgt, 3 rec, 31 yds pic.twitter.com/FMOkVix5w4
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 26, 2023
Cleveland's entire offense struggled in the second half and when Dorian Thompson-Robinson went out with a concussion, hardly anyone was making any plays. That put a damper on Tillman's breakout game but there's now hope that he can have a great finish to his first season in the league.
The Browns invested heavily in the wide receiver position this offseason and Tillman was expected to be a regular fixture in their offense. While things started out slow, he's seen the field more since Donovan Peoples-Jones was traded at the deadline. This is the first game that truly showed what he's capable of and now we'll all be watching to see if he can continue to roll against the Rams.