CLEVELAND — We are about to head into the month of December with the Cleveland Browns fighting for a playoff berth.
This is the Browns football I grew up with in the late 1980s, when every game down the stretch was meaningful. This is fun!
The Browns stand at 8-3 after knocking off the pesty Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Give the Jags credit, they played a lot better thank you would expect from a 1-10 team. But the Browns saddled up Nick Chubb, got their passing game with Jarvis Landry in gear, and were able to score just enough points to win.
We talked about that and a lot more with Jim Donovan on Monday's edition of Donovan & Dino.
I think Nick Chubb is not only having an All-Pro season, despite missing four weeks with an MCL injury, but he is playing like a legitimate MVP candidate. If you think I'm overstating, look at the below numbers from CBS Sports:
So the 8-3 Browns have five games left to go in the season. The stretch run begins on Sunday in Nashville as they take on the Tennessee Titans. Sunday's game will be a showcase of elite running backs in the NFL, with Chubb and Kareem Hunt for the Browns against Tennessee's Derrick Henry.
Although the Browns will still be a little shorthanded against the Titans, it looks like Myles Garrett will be back on the defensive line. Not only is that good from a pass rush perspective, but I'd argue that Garrett has become a terrific run-stopper this season. His presence immediately bolters the Browns defense, who will need to be at their best to stop Henry.
There's so much on the line on Sunday, but here's one more incentive for the Browns to play well: Payback time. Last year's 43-13 rout by Tennessee over the Browns in the season opener at FirstEnergy Stadium set the tone for the entire 2019 season. The Browns committed 18 penalties and just seemed to wither away as the Titans scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. There's a new coaching staff and a new culture here, but those players who were around last year should remember how bad that loss felt and want some revenge. Sunday seems like the ideal time.
Watch Donovan & Dino in the player below:
Also, get more thoughts from "The Voice of the Browns" from Sunday's win over the Jags on Jimmy's Take here.
More Browns coverage:
- What are the Cleveland Browns' playoff odds after win vs. Jaguars?
- AFTER FURTHER REVIEW | Recap the Cleveland Browns' win over Jacksonville with Dave 'Dino' DeNatale and Jay Crawford
- Cleveland Browns react to clinching first non-losing since 2007
- Breaking down the biggest plays and those embarrassing referee calls: Jay Crawford on that Cleveland Browns win against Jacksonville Jaguars