The Cleveland Browns will continue their playoff quest on Sunday when they head to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks.
The game will mark the second start of the season for quarterback P.J. Walker, who came on in relief of injured quarterback Deshaun Watson and did what he could to help the Browns to a last-second victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
It may be Walker’s team for a while now given that no one knows when Watson’s shoulder injury will have him feeling well enough to return. It could also be Walker’s last shot at the starting spot because if he plays poorly that could be the final push that general manager Andrew Berry is looking for to make a trade before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
But there is a game to be played before it comes to all that, so here is everything you need to know as the Browns take on the Seahawks.
Game Info
Records: Cleveland is 4-2. Seattle is 4-2.
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m.
Stadium: Lumen Field, Seattle, Wash.
TV: FOX
Announcers: Adam Admin, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver (sideline reporter)
Radio: ESPN 850, 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX, 89.1 FM La Mega (Spanish)
Announcers: Andrew Siciliano, Nathan Zegura and Jerod Cherry (sidelines)
First meeting: The Seahawks won the first meeting, 20-19, on December 18, 1977.
Last meeting: The Seahawks won the last meeting, 32-28, in Week 6 of the 2019 season.
All-time series: The Seahawks lead regular-season series is tied 13-6. The Browns have lost on their last three trips to Seattle.
Weather: 50 degrees and sunny with no chance of rain. Wind from the north at 5 mph (weather.com)
Uniform: The Browns will wear their white jersey and, unfortunately, their brown pants.
Injury report: Browns - Out: Quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder). Questionable: Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (back), linebacker Sione Takitaki (hamstring) running back Jerome Ford (ankle) and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (foot/ankle). Seahawks - Out: Running back Kenny McIntosh (knee) and nose tackle Austin Faoliu (knee). Doubtful: offensive guard Phil Haynes (calf). Questionable: Wide receiver Tyler Lockett (hamstring) and safety Jamal Adams (knee).
The line: Browns +3.5 (DraftKings)
Some Notes to Remember
- The Browns have been able to get the running game going the past two weeks with 150 yards against the Colts and 160 yards against the San Francisco 49ers. Cleveland might without leading rusher Jerome Ford, or if he plays Ford could be limited, and face a Seattle defense that is allowing just 3.5 yards per carry on the season.
- While the Browns have won the past two games with P.J. Walker at quarterback, his numbers have been rough. In 25 offensive drives, the Browns have scored only three touchdowns - all on the ground - while Walker has completed 50 percent of his passes, thrown three interceptions and posted a quarterback rating of 48.2.
- Seattle has the league’s best play-action passing offense as quarterback Geno Smith is completing 80 percent of his play-action passes, while Cleveland’s defense is the best against play-action as it is allowing just a 53.8 percent completion rate, according to ESPN.
- The Seahawks are getting in on the throwback fun with uniforms based on the ones the franchise wore from 1976 to 2001.
- Seattle quarterback Geno Smith has thrown an interception in the red zone in each of his past two games, while Cleveland’s defense is allowing touchdowns on almost 70 of drives into the red zone. Keeping Smith’s turnover streak in the red zone going on Sunday would be a big boost to Cleveland’s efforts to pull out a win.
- Left guard Joel Bitonio returned against the Colts after missing one game with an injury and continued to play at his high level as he has yet to allow a sack on the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
- Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. might be the latest offensive lineman to be out as he is questionable with a foot and ankle injury. If Wills can’t go, the Browns will turn to James Hudson III to protect Walker’s blindside against a Seattle defense that has 23 sacks and just added defensive end Frank Clark to the mix.
- This week’s game poster incorporates a guitar:
- Even with some issues last week against the Colts, Cleveland’s defense still leads the league in total defense (243 yards per game), passing defense (149.2 yards per game) and third-down percentage (27.5).
- Seattle’s defense held opposing offenses to less than 250 yards offense in each of the past three games.
In Case You Missed It
NFL trade deadline: Deshaun Watsons injury impact Browns decisions
Scouting how Cleveland can take advantage of Seattle’s offensive line in our Q&A with Field Gulls
Browns vs Seahawks: 4 key players for Seattle in this pivotal matchup
88% of Browns fans think Cleveland should go out and trade for Jacoby Brissett
Deshaun Watson pushes back on narratives around injury, not playing
Browns Schedule Week 8: Scouting the Seattle Seahawks
Browns Week 8 rooting guide: Best results for playoff seeding
Browns schedule: 3 of next 4 against teams with winning records
A Final Quote
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz on the defense struggling in the red zone (quote via a team-provided transcript):
“We were poor in the red zone, which continues really to be a thing. I’m really disappointed in our red zone. I thought we’d be further along in our package, and I know it’s new, and we didn’t get a lot of time on task early in the season, but we need to have urgency to better in the red zone.”
What are you looking for from the Browns in Sunday’s game against the Seahawks?