Sunday Dawg Chow: Browns news (9/17/23)

Dawgs By Nature:

• Browns looking to party like it’s 1989 (Thomas Moore) - Cleveland heads to Pittsburgh as a favorite for the first time in 34 years. Here’s what was in the news the last time it happened.
• Browns vs Steelers: 3 things to watch for in the AFC North tilt on MNF (Curtiss Brown) - Another week, another divisional tilt for the Cleveland Browns facing off with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s Week 2 but it feels like a must-win game for both sides. Monday night in Pittsburgh provides another test for this Browns squad who are looking to build off their impressive win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.
• Browns, Steelers injury report: Major injury pops up for CLE, Diontae Johnson out (Jared Mueller) - As fans of the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers look to take their weekend off, the two teams took the field for their final practice on Saturday. Unfortunately for Cleveland, after good news on Friday, the news was not as good this weekend.
• Browns workout six players (Barry Shuck) - Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry brought in six players this week for a workout. The idea is to see if there is another capable body that can help with depth. If nothing else, the tryouts and personal contact will update Berry’s database of available athletes at various positions just in case.

Cleveland Browns:

• Bubba Ventrone is uniquely prepared for the Browns experience, including rival Steelers (Beacon Journal) - Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone explained Friday afternoon he hadn’t gone into detail with his players about “how personal” facing the Pittsburgh Steelers is for him, but he planned to do so over the weekend.
• Browns WR Amari Cooper injures groin, questionable vs. Steelers (ESPN) - Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper “aggravated” his groin in Saturday’s practice and is now listed as questionable for “Monday Night Football” against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Grant Delpit on facing the Steelers: ‘Are we the team we think we are? Prime time, show the world’ (cleveland.com) - The Browns’ defense is sitting in the catbird seat, looking down upon the rest of the league from its No. 1 spot in the rankings. But they know how easy it is to fall off that perch, and aren’t going to fall into that trap as they head into Monday night’s game against the 0-1 Steelers, who got embarrassed by the 49ers, 30-7.
• Dawand Jones ‘can’t wait,’ teammates confident as he approaches ultimate test from T.J. Watt in first start (Browns Zone) - Luke Wypler remembers exactly when he witnessed Dawand Jones’ freakish athleticism for the first time. It was the day they met while Wypler was on a recruiting visit to Ohio State.

NFL:

• Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield details ‘angry run’ in Week 1 win: ‘When you gotta do it, you gotta do it’ (NFL.com) - With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings tied at 17 halfway through the fourth quarter of their Week 1 matchup, it was up to Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield to lead his offense down the field for a score to put his team ahead.
• Panthers’ linebacker Brian Burns says contract talks ‘on hold’ (ESPN) - As far outside linebacker Brian Burns is concerned talks between his representatives and the Carolina Panthers about a contract extension are “on hold.’’
• Anthony Richardson’s development plan is ahead of schedule (The Ringer) - The Indianapolis Colts’ rookie passer looked far better than the raw project some billed him as in the draft. That’s exactly what the team expected.
• A.J. Green officially retires a Cincinnati Bengal (cincinnati.com) - The Cincinnati Bengals and former wide receiver A.J. Green have agreed to a one-day contract that allows the former No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft to officially retire a Bengal.

Do you think the Browns are the team they think they are?