Battered Browns Left Licking Their Wounds After Broncos' Stampede
How much adversity can one team handle?
No, seriously.
What the Cleveland Browns have been through in 2023 is bordering on insane - and the fact they are in the thick of a playoff race is a remarkable testament to their perseverance.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Amari Cooper and Myles Garrett are the latest victims to a slew of injuries in Sunday's 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Thompson-Robinson took a vicious hit that left him concussed, leaving the Browns with only one healthy/active quarterback on the roster Sunday.
Frankly, I liked a lot of what I saw from the Browns fifth round pick running the offense today. DTR clearly needs time to develop into an every-day, reliable NFL quarterback. But in three straight starts, I think he's looked pretty good. His stats don't really tell the story (again) on Sunday, with four more dropped passes. But I like the overall potential, especially with his toughness and his agility.
He certainly doesn't lack confidence.
Myles Garrett is a warrior. He is one of the favorites to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year this year, sure. But while he is physically as talented as anyone in the game, his willingness to keep fighting through obvious pain is easily as admirable. At times it looked like Garrett was playing Sunday afternoon without a left arm. His arm hung immobile from his shoulder several times when the camera cut to him going back to the sideline and he wasn't quite his normal self when trying to rush Russel Wilson.
Garrett said postgame he felt something pop in his left shoulder and he was in a sling leaving the stadium. Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot tweeted that he couldn't seem to lift his shoulder and that he needed help getting his shirt over his left arm and shoulder.
Hopefully Amari Cooper still has a ribcage.
Nov 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) reacts after being hit in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Obviously I say that somewhat jokingly, but he took a brutal shot to the ribs on a bad high throw from P.J. Walker. Thankfully the X-Rays on his ribs were negative. Cooper has been Cleveland's far-and-away most productive target in the passing game this year and losing him would be a terrible blow.
In the meantime, this team is already without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, starting tailback Nick Chubb, starting offensive tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills, starting linebacker Anthony Walker, starting All-Pro cornerback Denzel Ward and starting safety defensive back Rodney McLeod.
Kevin Stefanski never makes an excuse and routinely says injuries are part of the game. They have to find a way to win without some of these guys - other teams are banged up too.
But admittedly, a franchise that has been long overdo for some good fortune must feel like its opportunity at chasing a Super Bowl championship is getting slimmer while the Injured List turns into a full-page document.
