Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz mentioned Thursday that he “nearly threw up” watching the sport movie of the crew’s Week 14 contest towards the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It wasn’t as a result of the Browns protection practically blew a 28-14 fourth-quarter lead within the 31-27 ultimate, however it needed to do with defensive finish Ogbonnia Okoronkwo taking part in via a very brutal damage.
It was reported Wednesday that Okoronkwo’s torn pectoral might be a season-ending problem. The 28-year-old’s ailment is without doubt one of the newest in a protracted, rising listing of accidents for Cleveland, because the Browns struggle to remain within the AFC playoff image at 8-5.
Regardless of how lengthy Okoronkwo is out for, it is an enormous loss.
Whereas the Oklahoma product hasn’t began any video games this 12 months, he is appeared in all 13 and performed a career-high 56% of his crew’s defensive snaps. Okoronkwo was simply on tempo to surpass final season’s profession excessive of 518 defensive snaps performed as properly.
The Tremendous Bowl LVI champion with the Los Angeles Rams signed with the Browns in March and is second on the crew in sacks (4.5), third in tackles for loss (career-high 12) and fourth in quarterback hits (eight). Okoronkwo had a sack and recorded two quarterback hits in a sport for the fifth time in his profession in the course of the victory towards the Jaguars on Sunday.
Luckily for Cleveland, its remaining slate of video games options a wide range of weak offenses on paper with both inexperienced, injured or struggling quarterbacks.
The Browns host Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears in Week 15 on Sunday earlier than touring to play the Houston Texans in Week 16 on Christmas Eve. The Texans offense has been sturdy via a lot of the 12 months however lately misplaced large receiver Tank Dell for the season attributable to damage, whereas breakout wideout Nico Collins (calf) and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) are battling points as properly.
The Browns host Zach Wilson (barring a return by Aaron Rodgers) and the New York Jets in Week 17 and shut the marketing campaign with a doubtlessly large street sport towards the Jake Browning-led Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18.
