CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns won in Minnesota on Sunday, 14-7, to improve to 3-1 for the second season in a row. However, there was much more action going on around the NFL in Week 4.
Each week throughout the season, I’ll pick a handful of notable moments that happened, whether they are injuries. big performances or other newsworthy events, and analyze them and what they mean for the Browns.
Before we look around the NFL, here’s a refresher of the Browns’ schedule and the results for each game this year.
Week 1: Loss, 33-29, at Chiefs
Week 2: Win, 31-21, vs. Texans
Week 3: Win, 26-6, vs. Bears
Week 4: Win, 14-7, at Vikings
Week 5: at Chargers
Week 6: vs. Cardinals
Week 7: vs. Broncos, Thursday
Week 8: vs. Steelers
Week 9: at Bengals
Week 10: at Patriots
Week 11: vs. Lions
Week 12: at Ravens, Sunday night
Week 13: Bye
Week 14: vs. Ravens
Week 15: vs. Raiders
Week 16: at Packers, Friday
Week 17: at Steelers, Monday night
Week 18: vs. Bengals
1. Controversial offside plays role in Steelers’ loss
What happened: Pittsburgh is now two games behind the trio of Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland in the AFC North after losing in Green Bay, 28-17. The pivotal moment may have been on a Mason Crosby field goal attempt.
The Steelers blocked the kick and Minkah Fitzpatrick returned it for a touchdown. However, the Steelers were flagged for offside. So instead of the Steelers taking a 17-14 lead in the final seconds of the first half, Crosby hit a 26-yard field goal after the penalty to give the Packers a 17-10 lead.
CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore tweeted out a video that showed Fitzpatrick and Joe Haden moving right with the snap of the ball and that they would only have been offside if they lined up in the neutral zone.
It may not have won the Steelers the game, but going into halftime with the lead compared to trailing by seven at halftime may have made a big difference.
What it means for the Browns: Four games into the season, the Steelers are clearly behind the rest of the division. They also have both their games against the Browns and Ravens left on the schedule, along with a trip to Cincinnati.
The offense had another difficult day as it made just one red zone trip and went 4-for-11 on third down. It’s the third game in a row that Pittsburgh failed to score 20 points.
Home games vs. Denver and Seattle await the Steelers before the bye week. After the bye is a home game vs. the Browns on Halloween.
2. Ravens give Broncos a taste of their own medicine
What happened: The Denver Broncos got to 3-0 on the back of a tremendous defense. The Ravens came into Denver on Sunday and their defense was outstanding in a 23-7 win to send the Broncos to 3-1.
Lamar Jackson had a great game with 316 yards passing. But the story of the game was the Baltimore defense.
The Ravens sacked Broncos quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock a combined five times, forced a turnover and held Denver to 3-for-14 on third down. Baltimore has won three straight since the Week 1 overtime loss in Las Vegas.
What it means for the Browns: Jackson’s season-high 316 yards showed he can win with his arm when needed. But the defense looked more like defenses in Baltimore have looked for years.
Those two elements are why the AFC North is going to be a battle all the way until the end.
If Baltimore can play defense the way it did against the Broncos, it will only make the Ravens an even tougher out in the division.
3. Kyler Murray powers the Cardinals to 4-0
What happened: The Cardinals stand alone atop the NFC West at 4-0 after blowing out the Rams in Los Angeles, 37-20. Murray was sensational once again, throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns and adding 39 yards rushing.
Las Vegas, which hosts the Chargers on Monday night, is the only other undefeated team in the NFL.
Arizona’s 140 points in four games are the most in the NFL right now.
What it means for the Browns: There was no easy draw for the AFC North teams with the 17th game. Each team had to play someone from the loaded NFC West.
The Browns looked like they may have had the easiest draw of the four with the Cardinals. But no one is playing better than Murray and he has Arizona’s offense looking nearly unstoppable. The additions of A.J. Green in free agency and Rondale Moore in the draft have given Murray four quality options on the perimeter to go with Christian Kirk and DeAndre Hopkins.
It’ll be quite the test for the revamped Browns’ defense in Week 6.
4. Dak Prescott throws three third-quarter TDs vs. the Panthers
What happened: With a healthy Dak Prescott, the Cowboys look like the team to beat in the NFC East. They further solidified that by knocking the Panthers from the ranks of the unbeaten, 36-28.
Prescott threw for 188 yards and four touchdowns, three of which came in the third quarter to give Dallas the lead for good. The Cowboys also rushed for 245 yards, with Ezekiel Elliott getting 143 of them.
Dallas now improves to 3-1. Last season, the Cowboys didn’t get their third win until Week 11.
What it means for the Browns: What a difference Prescott makes in Dallas. He’s his usual self, and he’s got the Cowboys looking like a legitimate contender in the NFC.
Their only loss came in the final seconds at Tampa Bay.
Super Bowl contenders in the NFC are worth keeping an eye on since the Browns are firmly in the mix in the AFC. With an improved defense, it’s smart not to sleep on the Cowboys.
5. Titans fall in overtime to the Jets
What happened: It’s been a messy season in the AFC South after four weeks. The Titans are the best of the bunch, but they suffered a brutal loss in New York against the formerly winless Jets.
Randy Bullock missed a game-tying 49-yard field goal in overtime, giving the Jets a 27-24 win. Tennessee needed a touchdown with 16 seconds left just to send the game into overtime.
Only Indianapolis’ 27-17 win in Miami kept the AFC South from going winless in Week 4.
What it means for the Browns: Outside of the division, potential playoff matchups are something to keep an eye on. The Titans as it stands have the worst record among division leaders at 2-2. That means the best team to not win its division would be going to Tennessee for a wild card game if the season ended after Week 4.
With the rest of the division outside of Tennessee being a combined 2-10 thus far, the chances of the AFC South getting only one playoff team are only growing.
6. Bills roll Texans to set up massive showdown vs. Chiefs
What happened: Chiefs week has arrived for the Bills after they blasted the Texans, 40-0, on Sunday. Josh Allen didn’t have his greatest game but still threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns.
Defense was the story as the Bills picked off Texans quarterback Davis Mills four times and held Houston to just 109 yards of total offense. Houston also only converted one third down in nine tries.
Kansas City righted the ship with a 42-30 win at Philadelphia to get to 2-2 as the Chiefs await the Bills on Sunday night in Week 5.
What it means for the Browns: The Bills and Chiefs have long been considered two of the top contenders in the AFC along with the Browns. Their Week 5 showdown will either show how far the Bills have come or if the Chiefs still have their number.
Buffalo has clearly left its Week 1 loss to Pittsburgh in the dust and is feasting on a generous schedule. The Bills have beaten three straight teams that played their backup quarterbacks for most, if not all, of the game. But Buffalo’s offense did its job and then some by scoring 118 points in those three games.
It’s now measuring stick time for the Bills.
7. Lions might have lost Romeo Okwara for the season
What happened: The Lions are 0-4 after losing on the road to Justin Fields and the Bears, 24-14. But they might have suffered an even bigger loss.
Dan Campbell told reporters including Kyle Meinke of MLive.com after the game that defensive end Romeo Okwara is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the loss. Okwara will have more tests done to confirm the severity of the injury according to Campbell.
This past offseason, Okwara signed a three-year deal worth $37 million to stay in Detroit. He had one sack in the first four games of the seasons.
What it means for the Browns: The Browns are already 2-0 against the NFC North after beating the Vikings on Sunday. Okwara is arguably the best defensive player on the Lions, and it would be a massive loss for them if he’s out for the rest of the season.
The Browns will host the Lions in Week 11.
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More Browns coverage
Is the Browns defense officially for real after stopping the Vikings? – Scott Patsko
Why this game is a big, huge, enormous victory for the Browns – Terry Pluto
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