Creeping closer

If the injury reports of the two teams meeting down by the lakefront Sunday afternoon are used as a portent of what lies ahead for the outcome of that game, the Browns are in a hit of trouble against the Chicago Bears. 

As of Saturday, there are 14 names on that list for the banged-up but still very much in the postseason picture 8-5 Browns. The 5-8 Bears, already thinking of next season, list five. 

The Browns enter the game with only two healthy starters on the offensive line that began the season in guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller. Two new tackles and a new center will attempt to keep new quarterback Joe Flacco vertical.

Defensively, two backups (one a rookie) will man the safeties; the pass rush will rely on a badly bruised Myles Garrett, who is sackless in three straight games with no one coming even close to stepping up to help; and a head coach/playcaller who seems to have forgotten he's got a good ground game.

Pretty grim thus far. How about a dose of optimism? Like kicker Dustin Hopkins, who is primarily  responsible for the current record with clutch kick after clutch kick. And punter Corey Bojorquez, who has kept opposing teams buried deep in their territory, averaging 50.3 yards per boot. 

That's as much pushing this narrative is going to receive. No, this one will be decided by which team, at the risk of abusing a cliche, wants it more. This has become a war of attrition for the Browns at a time when overachieving is the primary goal and generally produces the best results.

The Bears are playing out the string. The Browns somehow keep overcoming the landslide of crippling injuries with the postseason remaining the main goal. They keep finding ways to win, which is more difficult at this juncture of the season.

On the plus side, there's the Browns' 6-1 record at home to take into consideration. For whatever reason, that's where the Browns have played their best regardless of any outside impediments. They have outscored the opposition on friendly turf, 144-88 (20.57-12.57 on the average). On the road, where they are 2-4, it's 145-184 (24.2-30.7).

The Bears, meanwhile, have been on a roll lately with an opportunistic defense playing a major role, winning three of their last four outings after losing six of the first seven games of the season. They have recorded 11 takeways in the last three.

The Browns, meanwhile, continue to be way too charitable with the football which, at least theoretically, plays into the Bears' plans for Sunday. They are now up to 26 turnovers. The lone game with none was the 27-0 perfecto they threw at Arizona in week nine.

One can only imagine how much more dangerous the Flacco offense would be with a little more concentration on ball security.

The Bears lately have also picked it up on offense with the return of quarterback Justin Fields, who missed four games with a broken finger on his throwing hand. The ex-Buckeye has thrown 13 touchdown passes in his nine starts with only six interceptions.

He is just as dangerous with his feet than he is with his arm, leading the Bears in rushing with 458 yards despite having missed a month of the season. This could be the game where the underwhelming Cleveland run defense of late gets back on track.

But when it comes to airing it out, Fields and wide receiver D. J. Moore have developed a nice relationship since the Bears traded for Moore with Carolina during the last NFL draft. They  have collaborated this season on 56 receptions for 860 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games, including an eight-catch, 230-yard, three-rouchdown afternoon against Washington in week five.

It sort of boils down to this: A Browns team with a roster not nearly as talented and dangerous as the one that began the 2023 season against a resurgent Bears team playing up to its capabilities in the last month. 

Sounds like a game where the special teams could be the deciding factor. That said, don't expect Flacco to keep up his torrid pace against a team aching to shut him down, Look for Kevin Stefanski instead to get back to a run game that keeps the chains moving and the clock running. Nothing fancy. 

Quick last question: Remember what happened to Fields during his rookie season when he made his starting debut against the Browns in Cleveland? Loyal fans do. Garrett sure does. He accounted for half of the nine sacks Fields absorbed in the 26-6 loss on Sept. 26, 2021.

"Hope we can change that going back this weekend," Fields said when reminded of that day. Not gonna happen.

Finding a way seems to have become the Browns' mantra lately. They'll honor it again Sunday as they creep closer to the postseason as the injury-riddled defense finds another gear and drops Fields at least twice and Flacco throws for two more touchdowns (Amari Cooper and David Njoku). Make it:

Browns 23, Bears 21