Mid-week thoughts

Under ordinary circumstances, the Browns' home game Sunday against the Chicago Bears would be nothing more than game three on the schedule. Those circumstances changed the other day.

Justin Fields will make his National Football League starting debut as the Bears' quarterback. A huge majority of Browns fondly remember him as one of the most dangerous college quarterbacks in his two years at Ohio State, setting numerous records along the way.

The Bears thought enough of him to move up nine slots in the college draft last May to grab him and anoint him as their new franchise quarterback. A knee in jury to veteran Andy Dalton, who started the Bears' first two games, has forced Bears head coach Matt Nagy to move Fields' timeline to right now.

And that presents an interesting problem to the Browns, most notably the defensive unit, which has been more offensive in the first two games this season. The new group, comprised of as many as 10 new faces, has gotten off to what might be charitably termed an unexpected start.

With so many new faces, a slow start is not unusual. But progress with the renewed talent on that side of the ball is also expected. If anything, this defense regressed in game two after a decent start in the season-opening loss in Kansas City.

It appears as though the it lacks the physical and athletic talent to neutralize mobile quarterbacks, most notably 31-year-old Tyrod Taylor, who totally baffled the Browns for a half last Sunday. Either that or the scheme being used does not fit their particular talents. 

Fields, at least based on his terrific career with the Buckeyes, is just as much a threat with his legs as he is with his arm. That hasn't been the case yet in Chicago because Nagy has steadfastly said Dalton is his starter and only an injury knocked him off that stance.

Sort of reminds me of a similar situation in Cleveland in 2018 when Taylor, then the Browns' starter, went down in game three with a concussion and gave way to Baker Mayfield, who will make his 50th straight pro start (including playoffs) against the Bears.

Based on the results this season against quarterbacks who excel at extending plays, Fields presents the kind of athleticism that does not bode well for the Cleveland defense. Factor in how well Houston rookie Davis Mills played last Sunday after a rough start.

Mills took his offense on a 16-play, 75-yard journey that consumed more than eight minutes to pull the Texans to within 24-21, causing more than a few fans to wonder if the defense was in the midst of giving  another one away.

If that defense can't stop a raw rookie quarterback who was drafted in the third round and who took over unexpectedly after Taylor went down at the half last Sunday, imagine what lies ahead against a much more heralded rookie with more talent.

If the Browns can't stop a Davis Mills, what in the world is going to happen when a much more talented Fields lines up behind center? It might take a few games to find out whether he is the next Lamar Jackson. His first test is Sunday by the lakefront.

Now I might be getting a little ahead of myself with that suggestion because Fields is a blank slate right now. We don't know whether he can make a successful transition to the NFL. We don't know whether he can be schemed by a smart defensive coordinator.

Now there are more than a few critics out there who believe using Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods and smart in the same sentence is oxymoronic. Based on what we have seen this season in two games. that would make easy to win that argument.

There is no question the talent is there. It is infinitely better than last season's sad group. The question is whether it is being used properly. It has not been. Yet. The Bears game provides a good litmus test.

Woods has been around long enough to know it is easy to fool and confuse rookie quarterbacks from a scheming standpoint. Give them one look presnap, then morph into something entirely different. Blitz from everywhere on the field. Disguise coverages.

The Cleveland pass rush -- you call that a pass rush with just three sacks? -- has the bite of a tabby cat. They sure do miss Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon from last season. Of course it's only two games, but three sacks? Only one by a starter, Myles Garrett, who has strangely been MIA.

If that doesn't change Sunday, the start most fans expected by the Browns could turn very ugly very quickly in  Browns Nation.

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It sure looks as though Odell Beckham Jr. will make his 2021 debut against the Bears. And not a moment too soon due to Jarvis Landry's short stint on injured reserve with that banged-up left knee. His return from ACL surgery revives an old argument.

Beckham and quarterback Baker Mayfield have not meshed as anticipated since his arrival. Statistics prove the connection between the two is not as productive as expected when the Browns traded for the wide receiver.

In 22 games and one play, the play that led to the tear of his ACL early in game seven last season as he attempted a tackle following a pick, Mayfield has targeted Beckham 176 times with 97 successful connections, a 55.1% completion rate. During that span, Mayfield has completed 330 of 541 passes to other receivers, a 61% clip. 

In the 10 regular-season games during Beckham's absence last season, Mayfield connected on 66.2% of his passes, threw 16 touchdown passes and only two interceptions and won seven of 10 games in addition to a playoff game. In the first six games, only 10 touchdowns and six picks. He flourished with OBJ as a spectator. 

One more quick stat: The Browns are 11-12 with Beckham in the lineup, averaging 21.65 points a game. In the 13 games he has missed, the Browns are 8-5 and average 25.62 points a game.

Now with Landry gone for a while and nothing but young receivers surrounding him, it will be fascinating to see if Beckham can step up and be the All-Pro wide receiver he was with the New York Giants all those seasons before the trade.

Even though he might be somewhat limited because he hasn't played in nearly a year and will be chipping off the football rust he accumulated, he will still be the man. The always-threatening target capable of making the kinds of spectacular plays only he can make.

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The new taunting rule in the NFL might not be around much longer if strange application of the rule persists. It is being met with almost total disdain and ridicule as the league attempts, it seems, to take some fun out of how the game is played.,

For example, in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over Houston, Texans tight end Jordan Akins caught a 17-yard pass on third-and-7 from the Houston 41. He celebrated his tough catch against Cleveland strong safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. by spinning the football at Harrison's feet. It drew a flag.

Referee Brad Rogers switched on his microphone and announced the following: "Unsportsmanlike conduct, Houston, #88, spinning the football. First unsportsmanlike of the game." Unsportsmanlike conduct is a 15-yard penalty. It took a 17-gain and reduced it to two yards. The Texans went on to score a touchdown, anyway, but that's not the point.

Yep, spinning the football seems to fall under the purview of taunting along with who knows what else. The league now permits crazy, rehearsed displays of joy after, say, a turnover or touchdown or a play that engenders celebration. But not spinning the football near your opponent. 

It's taunting if Akers had gotten in Harrison's face and gloated. He didn't, but paid a price due to an official not understanding the essence of the rule. Is spinning a football like a top considered taunting? Of course not.  The countdown to its demise starts now.