Daily Dawg Chow: Browns news (12/27/18)

Cleveland Browns:

• “Gregg Williams: Focus from players led Browns to greatest turnaround in franchise history” (WKYC) - “Cleveland Browns looked to be anything but the team capable of the greatest year-to-year turnaround in franchise history. But a 5-2 record...”
• “Joel Bitonio wins the ‘Good Guy Award’” (247Sports) - “Bitonio has received the team’s ‘Good Guy’ award. Bitonio will be honored at the 39th annual Akron Browns Backers banquet in May at the Tangier Restaurant.”
• “Baker Mayfield named AFC Offensive Player of the Week” (News 5) - “Baker Mayfield has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, the National Football League announced Wednesday.”
• “Lamar Jackson is a star and a threat to the Cleveland Browns” (DPD) - “The last time we saw Baltimore, they were led by aging veteran Joe Flacco, whose skills have been eroding for a few years now. The Browns were able to get past the Ravens...”

NFL:

• “Injuries: Panthers place QB Taylor Heinicke on IR” (NFL.com) - “Quarterback Taylor Heinicke was thrust into the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback slot ahead of Week 16 when Cam Newton was shut down with a shoulder injury.”
• “Mike Tomlin doesn’t want to add pass interference to the list of replay-reviewable plays” (CBS) - “The Pittsburgh Steelers saw a controversial pass interference call go against them late in their Week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints.”
• “Tom Brady reaffirms plan to play beyond 2019” (ESPN) - “Reflecting on what football has meant in his life, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady repeated his intention to continue playing in 2019 and beyond.”
• “Playoffs will feature at least five teams that didn’t qualify in 2017” (PFT) - “For 29 consecutive seasons (1990-2018), the NFL has turned over at least 25 percent of the playoff field from one year to the next.”