QB Jameis Winston looks to build on second start as Browns host Chargers and NFL's stingiest defense

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, 5, celebrates after a win against the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/David Richard)

LA Chargers (4-3) at Cleveland (2-6)

Sunday, 1pm, EST, CBS

BettingMGM NFL Odds: Chargers at 2.

Against the spread: Chargers 4-3; Brown 3-5.

Series record: Chargers lead 19-9-1.

Last meeting: Chargers defeated Browns 30-28 on Oct. 9, 2022 in Cleveland.

Last week: Chargers defeated Saints 26-8; Browns defeated Ravens 29-24.

Chargers Offense: Overall (23), Rush (20), Pass (24), Score (24).

Chargers defense: overall (8), rush (11), pass (9), score (1).

Browns offense: overall (21), rush (27), pass (29), score (27).

Browns defense: overall (14), rush (18), pass (12), score (18).

Turnover difference: Chargers plus-6; Browns minus-4.

Chargers player to watch

Rookie WR Ladd McConkey leads the team in receptions (30) and receiving yards (376). Last week against the Saints, he became the first Chargers rookie since 2010 to have a game with 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He ranks fourth among rookies in the league in catches and third with four touchdowns.

Browns player to watch

QB Jameis Winston didn’t look like it had been two years since his previous start as he passed for 334 yards and threw three touchdown passes last week. Winston’s performance gave the Browns a huge emotional boost — and some hope this season can still be salvaged — just days after Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles tendon. To be fair, Winston threw several passes that should have been intercepted.

Key match

Chargers RT Joe Alt vs. Browns DE Myles Garrett. Before the draft, Alt said Garrett was the player he was most looking forward to seeing. He gets his chance on Sunday. Alt didn’t allow any quarterback pressure against the Saints last week according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the first time a rookie offensive tackle has done so in three years. Garrett leads the league with 21 quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds) and has the third-highest pressure rate among pass rushers (20.7%).

Main injuries

Chargers: Edge rusher Joey Bosa (hip) was on the count last week. He was limited in practice but is expected to play. He missed three games earlier this season. … WR DJ Chark (hip) will likely make his season debut. … CB Kristian Fulton (hamstring) missed some practice and will likely be questionable. … Browns: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah remains sidelined after suffering a neck injury last week that left him hospitalized overnight. He is Cleveland’s leading tackler. … Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward missed practice time this week while in protocol with his sixth known concussion since 2018. … Six-time Pro Bowl LG Joel Bitonio (foot) was limited this week. He made 152 starts.

Series notes

Chargers have won four straight and 14 of 18. … Los Angeles is 14-0 when they score at least 25 points against the Browns.

Statistics and all that

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is 1-0 against the Browns and 3-3 in his career against the AFC North, including Super Bowl 47 against Baltimore. … QB Justin Herbert has won both of his starts against the Browns with six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) and no interceptions. He hasn’t made a pick since the first quarter of Week 2 in Carolina. … RB JK Dobbins has a rushing score in two of the three plays against Cleveland. He rushed for 125 yards with Baltimore against the Browns in 2022. … WR Joshua Palmer had a season-high 72 receiving yards last week. … TE Will Dissly has 13 of his 26 receptions over the past two games. … LA’s defense is allowing a league-low 13 points per game and has forced three-and-out drives on 21 of 77 possessions. The rate of 27.3% is sixth best in the league. … LB Khalil Mack has two sacks in two of his past three games against Cleveland. … Bosa is one sack away from reaching 70 in his career. … Winston was the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, the first for a Cleveland QB since 2019. … Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the plan is for Winston to start the rest of the season, though plans in Cleveland often change. Sophomore QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is now Winston’s backup. … Winston was the 39th QB to start for Cleveland since 1999. … Stefanski handed over play-calling duties to first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey last week and the Browns had their best offensive game of 2020 with two firsts – scoring 20 points and eclipsing 400 yards . … Sophomore WR Cedric Tillman had a breakout performance last week with seven catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Tillman’s role has expanded since the trade of Amari Cooper to Buffalo. … RB Nick Chubb is averaging 7.9 yards per carry (41 for 320 yards) and three touchdowns in three games against the Chargers. This will be Chubb’s third game after reconstructive knee surgery. … Dawand Jones, who played right tackle as a rookie, started at left tackle last week and held his ground. He filled in for the injured Jedrick Wills Jr., who could be back this week. … The Browns are playing their third straight home game.

Fantasy tip

David Njoku, one of the NFL’s most consistent tight ends, has scored a TD in his last two weeks. Njoku, who battled an ankle injury earlier this season, could flourish with Winston. Njoku had a big game against the Chargers in 2013 with seven catches for 149 yards and a score.

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