Hi Browns fans welcome back to week 11 of the season. Sunday the 2-7 Browns travel to the New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome to take on the 3-7 New Orleans Saints. Game time is 12:00 noon CST and as usual the ChicagoLand Browns Backers/Northside Dawg Pound will be gathering at Burke’s Public House 5401 N. Broadway to cheer the Browns on to victory. The Browns under HC Kevin Stefanski are 3-1 in games following a bye week. The Browns, despite missing injured LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and DT Mike Hall, come into the game about as healthy as they’ve been all season with their starting offensive line-up fully intact and starting LB Jordan Hicks returning to the defense. Sunday’s game will mark the return of QB Jameis Winston to New Orleans where he played 4 seasons before joining the Browns this season. Winston, who’s completing 59.6% of his passes for 6.6 yards per pass with 5 TD’s and 3 interceptions for a 83.4 QB rating will have to avoid bad throwing decisions against a Saints defense that’s has the 4th most interceptions in the NFL. With The Browns starting offensive line finally healthy along with Nick Chubb back starting at RB the Browns have an opportunity to reestablish their running game against a Saints defense that’s ranked 31st giving up 5.1 yards per carry. Last week New Orleans snapped a 7-game losing streak, beating the Atlanta Falcons 20-17 as starting QB Derek Carr completed 16 of 25 passes for 269 yards and 2 TD’s. In his 7 games this season Carr has completed 67.4% of his passes averaging 8.1 yards per pass with 11 TD’s and only 4 interceptions for a QB rating of 102.9 good for 6th in the league. The Saints have 2 of the most versatile offensive players in the league in RB Alvin Kamara who’s 715 rushing yards, 421 receiving yards and 7 TD’s lead the team and all-purpose back Taysom Hill who’s played TE, RB and short yardage QB with 3 TD’s. Three weeks ago, the Saints picked up WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling to replace injured wide out Chris Olave and in his 2 games as a Saint Valdes-Scantling has 2 TD’s while averaging 28.5 yards per catch. The Browns defense will need to stay focused in defending against Kamara who has 17 rushes of 10 or more yards while averaging 8.3 yards per reception. Browns Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone will need to keep his punt coverage unit on high alert as 2 weeks ago New Orleans used a fake punt to gain a first down in a loss to the Carolina Panthers. Overall, the Saints average 22.7 points per game and they are 16th averaging 334.8 yards per game and 5.4 yards per play. They are 9th in red zone efficiency, scoring TD’s on 61.3% of the red zone possessions. The Saints defense gives up 24.6 points per game along with a league worse 6 yards per play. They have been good in red zone defense allowing opponents to score TD’s on only 48.5% of red zone possessions. The Saints have 2 very good DE’s in Chase Young, 4 sacks, 37 QB pressures and 5 tackles for loss (TFL) and Carl Granderson, 5 sacks, 33 QB pressure and 5 TFL. New Orleans has an excellent kicker in Blake Grupe who’s converted 18 of 19 field goal attempts with a long of 57 yards.
SEE YOU SUNDAY GO BROWNS…..GO CAVS