Joel Bitonio Considered "Day-to-Day" For Browns Following Win Over Bears

After exiting on the first series of Cleveland's win over the Bears, All-Pro Guard Joel Bitonio is considered day-to-day entering Week 16 with a lower back injury

It's been rare this season that the Browns walk away from a game without some serious injury news. Following a 20-17 win over the Bears, it appears the stars may have aligned in their favor for once.

After watching All-Pro guard, Joel Bitonio exit the game on the Browns third possession with a back injury,head coach Kevin Stefanski shared that Bitonio and the other injured Browns from Sunday are considered "day-to-day." That includes cornerback, Mike Ford Jr. who also left in the first quarter, and center Nick Harris, who limped off the field with trainers early in the fourth but did return to action.

In a Browns season marred by injuries – particularly along the offensive line – Bitonio's departure on Sunday seemed to open up the floodgates as the makeshift group tried to protect Joe Flacco under center. For three quarters Flacco took a beating as he constantly felt pressure from all across the line of scrimmage, was sacked twice and threw three interceptions.

By the fourth quarter the savvy veteran had found a way to navigate the pocket, along with some strategic play-calling from Stefanski to start buying himself some more time, rallying the Browns from 10 points down to win.

At this point, Cleveland is without its starting tackles in Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills for the remainder of the season, as well as their top backup tackle in rookie Dawand Jones, who was just added to the IR last week. In the team's win over Jaguars, center Ethan Pocic suffered a stinger that also left him unavailable for Week 15, and an unknown for the weeks ahead.

With three games to go in the regular season, the Browns are miraculously 9-5 and holding the five seed in the AFC despite losing 13 players to season ending injuries, plus another in safety Grant Delpit who was placed on the IR last week with the hope he can return for a potential playoff run.

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The team is also waiting for confirmation on the severity of a pectoral injury to defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo that is reportedly a season-ender as well. Stefanski usually provides updates on injured players when the team returns to practice on Wednesday.

Up next for the Browns is a road trip to Houston on Christmas Eve.