CLEVELAND — Everyone knew the Browns didn't really need to do a whole lot to beat the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
No one would confuse it with their best performance, and yet it was still more than enough to get a resounding victory.
Cleveland controlled things basically from start to finish in a 27-0 win over the Cardinals. Jim Schwartz's stout defense was overwhelming once again, and while quarterback Deshaun Watson wasn't flashy in his return to the starting lineup, he showed flashes and looked solid overall as the Orange and Brown improved to 5-3 on the season.
With normal QB Kyler Murray still recovering from last year's torn ACL, rookie Clayton Tune made his first career start for the Cards. It did not go well, as he completed just 11 of 20 passes for 58 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble, with those turnovers leading to 14 Cleveland points.
The Cleveland defense was stifling, holding Arizona to just 58 yards of total offense. The front seven also sacked Tune seven times, with Dalvin Tomlinson getting 2 1/2 of those and Shelby Harris stripping the ball to set up a touchdown.
Whether it was by design or because of Watson's lingering shoulder issues, Kevin Stefanski's play-calling mostly focused on short passes and the run game, and the strategy was effective. A notable expectation to this game plan was receiver Amari Cooper, who caught five passes for 139 yards including two deep passes that sparked Cleveland scores. He also hauled in the Browns' first TD of the afternoon off a deflected ball in the second quarter to make it 10-0.
As for Watson, there were some missed throws and a noticeable lack of deep balls, but he still completed 19 of 30 passes for 219 yards and two scores. When he did dial it up, he showed flashes of his former Pro Bowl self, including a 49-yard strike to Cooper that led to the final score from Kareem Hunt in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals, led by Cleveland native head coach Jonathan Gannon, fall to 1-8 on the campaign. Their 58 yards of offense were their fewest since 1955, when the franchise still played in Chicago.
However, there was some bad news for the Browns on the injury front, as left tackle Jedrick Wills had to be carted off the field with a knee injury. Receiver Marquise Goodwin also left with a possible concussion.
Regardless, Cleveland is off to its best eight-game start since its 2020 playoff campaign, and also pitched its first shutout since the legendary "Snow Bowl" game against the Buffalo Bills 16 years ago. Up next? An AFC North showdown in Baltimore against the Ravens, who won 28-3 in the teams' first meeting in Week 4.