Saturday Dawg Chow: Browns news (9/16/23)

Dawgs By Nature:

• Browns injuries: Good news at practice Friday (Jared Mueller) - We will get the Cleveland Browns official injury report later this afternoon but there was positive news from their Friday practice. The Pittsburgh Steelers, on the other hand, didn’t get much improvement at all on Friday and had another player miss practice due to injury.
• Browns fans 95% confident in the direction of the team, and chalk up Watson’s struggles to the rain (Chris Pokorny) - See who took home Week 1 MVP honors for the Browns too.
• Browns working out veteran safety (Jared Mueller) - Erik Harris has a lot of experience but the timing of the workout is worrisome.
• Scouting the Pittsburgh Steelers with our Q&A with Behind the Steel Curtain (Chris Pokorny) - This Monday, the Cleveland Browns take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. To help preview a few topics from the Bengals’ perspective, we reached out to Jarrett Bailey from Behind the Steel Curtain and exchanged five questions with him.
• Steelers History: Franchise has been called eight different team names (Barry Shuck) - Did you know the Pittsburgh Steelers have had eight team names? Intertwined with these eight names, they have been named the Steelers three different times.
• Way too early 2024 Cleveland Browns mock draft 2.0 (Jackson McCurry) - As we enter another weekend of College Football action, last week we got to see another round of great action and see the future of NFL prospects on full display whether it was the big-time quarterbacks at the top of the 2024 draft class or the deep position groups such as wide receiver and defensive line. Last week’s mock draft had the Cleveland Browns making a trade and adding an offensive lineman. Let’s look at some of the potential options who will be out on the field this coming weekend.
• AFC North power rankings after Week 1 (Anthony Joki) - Power rankings are a bit different than the standings. An opinion about where the team sits currently along with some projection of how good they can be going forward. Last week, the Cleveland Browns were ranked at the bottom with a need to prove themselves. After a huge victory, what do the rankings look like now?

Cleveland Browns:

• How two misses between Deshaun Watson and Marquise Goodwin are positive signs for the Browns offense (cleveland.com) - Can two missed plays be a sign of good things to come for the Browns offense? Could two throws down the field be just close enough to hitting that they aren’t missed plays, they’re signs of things to come?
• ‘It starts with Mr. Chubb’ if Cleveland Browns hope to defeat Pittsburgh Steelers (Beacon Journal) - Nick Chubb’s presence looms so large it even has the Cleveland Browns’ opponents making sure they’re putting the proper amount of respect on his name.
• I think they can, I think they can ... Maybe ... What I think as Browns go to Pittsburgh (Terry Pluto) - Suppose you were told there were two shocking scores from the first week of games involving Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Suppose you heard one team dominated at home (24-3) and the other was crushed at home (30-7). OK, Browns fans … what would your guess be about your team?
• NFL analyst Brian Baldinger offers high praise for rookie T Dawand Jones (Browns Zone) - Brian Baldinger was early to board the Dawand Jones bandwagon. Baldinger, an NFL Network analyst and former NFL offensive lineman, posted a glowing review after the Hall of Fame Game in August, Jones’ first preseason game. The film breakdowns of the Browns’ rookie right tackle haven’t stopped and are more timely than ever as Jones prepares to start Monday night vs. the Steelers.
• Jim Schwartz, defensive backs ready for the challenge heading to Pittsburgh (clevelandbrowns.com) - The Browns defensive backs displayed an impressive performance during their Week 1 matchup against the Bengals, allowing no big plays and only 14 catches. Their success caught the attention of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin – who the Browns will see in Week 2 for Monday Night Football at Acrisure Stadium.

NFL:

• Steelers match up poorly with Browns, intimidate no one (triblive.com) - It doesn’t look good for the Steelers this coming Monday night at Acrisure Stadium against Cleveland.
• Source: Eagles CB Avonte Maddox feared to have torn pectoral (ESPN) - Philadelphia Eagles slot cornerback Avonte Maddox is feared to have torn a pectoral during Thursday night’s win over the Minnesota Vikings, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He is expected to get a second opinion. If it is confirmed, he would be out for the season.
• Chiefs looking to avoid becoming fifth defending Super Bowl champs to start 0-2 Sunday vs. Jags (NFL.com) - The Kansas City Chiefs lost in Week 1 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. Now K.C. is trying to avoid becoming just the fifth defending Super Bowl champion to start 0-2 Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Do you think the Browns are ready to take the next step and win a regular-season game in Pittsburgh?