CLEVELAND — After more than a week of talking about and reliving the brawl tipped off by an altercation between defensive end Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, the Cleveland Browns are getting back to football.
The Browns (4-6) play their third straight home game Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins (2-8) at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland and are looking to continue their pursuit of a postseason berth, which would break the NFL’s longest-standing streak at 16 years.
“I think what you try to do from an early standpoint is you try to form a culture where they care about each other as people,” Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said after Friday’s practice on the team’s level of focus. “When you do that and something happens, it kind of galvanizes you from the standpoint of you realize, at that point, you are in it together and you are all that each other have. That is where we come up with the term that you run toward each other in times of adversity rather than run away.”
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Here are three things to watch for when the Browns take on the Dolphins.
Jarvis Landry’s motivation
Landry’s tenure with the Dolphins ended unceremoniously when he was traded to the Browns for a pair of picks in the NFL Draft, but after arriving in Northeast Ohio in March of 2018, the talented wide receiver signed a lucrative contract extension and has become one of the offense’s leaders.
Sunday’s game will be Landry’s first against his former team, and his new teammates believe he will not lack for motivation on the field.
“Jarvis is an unbelievable teammate and an even better guy to have in your locker room, just the person he is, who he is a person, what he stands for, his values,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “The family aspect that he brings. He’s a guy that plays with so much passion.”
Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. added, “I’ve been a part of his journey since we were 16, 17 years old. I know every bit and piece, every story and everything that’s going on. Just to watch him, I’m going to be excited. He always gets me fired up, whether we’re playing the Dolphins or whoever. He always gets me fired up just the way he plays, and I know he’s going to be intense this week.”
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Possession protection
Mayfield went the first half of the 2019 regular season without throwing for multiple touchdowns in any game, and in seven of those contests, he committed at least one turnover.
But as the Browns have gotten back to winning games, Mayfield has maintained possession of the ball, not throwing any interceptions or losing any fumbles over the last three weeks, including multiple touchdown performances in wins over the Buffalo Bills and Steelers.
“Obviously, it starts with not turning the ball over -- knock on wood with that,” Mayfield said. “Just taking care of the ball. Putting our guys in the best position to win. Getting the ball out quicker. Extending plays when we have to, but ultimately, just doing my job of being a distributor, getting the ball in their hands and letting them make the plays.
“We are all doing our job better because we are more focused on doing the little details right. It starts with me. We need to continue to improve each week.”
Run distribution
Since Kareem Hunt returned from suspension three weeks ago, the Browns have had no shortage of options when it comes to running the ball out of the backfield, as he was combining his talents with a high level of production from Nick Chubb.
While Chubb has remained the “bell cow” running back through the first 10 games, he is willing to split carries with another running back who has Pro Bowl potential, Hunt, over the final six weeks of the regular season in an effort to stack victories and get the Browns back into the playoff discussion.
“We’re just getting started,” Chubb said. “The sky’s the limit with what we can do with us in the backfield and on the field at the same time. I just look forward to each week, going out there and playing with another great player.”