Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward (21) intercepts a pass against Arizona during the first half of an NFL football game Nov. 5. Ward will miss Sunday’s game against Denver with an injury.
David Richard | AP
BEREA — Cleveland’s top-ranked defense is without its top cornerback.
Denzel Ward will miss Sunday’s game at Denver with a shoulder injury, leaving the Browns’ secondary vulnerable as it tries to contain quarterback Russell Wilson and the Broncos, who have won four straight games.
Ward, a two-time Pro Bowler, missed his third straight practice on Friday, and coach Kevin Stefanski said the 26-year-old would sit this week with an injury sustained in last Sunday’s 13-10 win over Pittsburgh.
Stefanski wouldn’t predict how long Ward could be sidelined, and he didn’t know the exact play in which he got hurt.
Ward’s absence puts extra pressure on Cleveland’s secondary, which has been dealing with several injuries the past two weeks. With Ward out, the Browns likely will start Greg Newsome II and Martin Emerson Jr. at the corners, but they have other options.
“So next man up,” Stefanski said. “Guys got to step up. That’s the name of this game. Don’t have Denzel this week, but feel confident in the guys we do have.”
The Browns are allowing a league-low 143.7 yards passing.
Star defensive end Myles Garrett said it’s on Cleveland’s front seven to help the secondary and offset losing a player of Ward’s caliber.
“I mean they make it easier for us when they extend the amount of times the quarterback has to hold the ball,” he said. “We have to make their jobs easier by getting to them quickly, rush. No fanatical effort to keep on fighting. Extend plays and continue hunting.”
The Brown could have back starting safety Juan Thornhill, who returned to practice this week after missing two games with a calf injury. He’s listed as questionable.
“He’s making good progress,” Stefanski said. “I thought he moved around well.”
Starting linebacker and captain Anthony Walker Jr. made a surprise return to practice and is questionable with a hamstring injury sustained last week.
Stefanski ruled out wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (concussion). He’ll miss his third straight game after being hurt on Nov. 5 against Arizona.
CLEVELAND (7-3) at DENVER (5-5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST, FOX
OPENING LINE: Broncos by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Browns 6-3-1, Broncos 3-6-1.
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 24-7.
LAST MEETING: Browns beat Broncos 17-14 on Oct. 21, 2021, in Cleveland.
LAST WEEK: Browns beat Steelers 13-10; Broncos beat Vikings 21-20.
BROWNS OFFENSE: OVERALL (19), RUSH (3), PASS (26), SCORING (13).
BROWNS DEFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (11), PASS (1), SCORING (6).
BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (23), RUSH (14T), PASS (24), SCORING (15).
BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (32), PASS (24), SCORING (32).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Browns minus-5; Broncos plus-6.
BROWNS PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He overcame some shaky moments in his second career start last week by completing four passes on Cleveland’s final drive to set up a winning field goal. Thompson-Robinson will be given every opportunity to hang on to his starting gig, but the Browns added an insurance plan this week by signing veteran Joe Flacco, a Super Bowl MVP who has seen it all in 15 NFL seasons.
BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Courtland Sutton. He has a career-high eight touchdown grabs, including three remarkable ones during the Broncos’ winning streak. Sutton only scored twice in each of the last two seasons after missing almost all of 2020 after suffering a knee injury in the opener.
KEY MATCHUP: Thompson-Robinson vs. Denver’s depleted secondary that will be missing hard-hitting safety Kareem Jackson, who’s serving his second suspension for illegal hits. His fill-in will be PJ Locke if his injured ankle allows or Devon Key, a first-year undrafted player from Western Kentucky. Either way, Justin Simmons might have to have an even bigger impact than usual.
KEY INJURIES: Browns QB Deshaun Watson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery this week. … The Browns’ top-ranked defense is thin at safety after Rodney McLeod (biceps) was placed on injured reserve. His loss is complicated by starter Juan Thornhill’s uncertain status after he missed the last two games with a calf injury. If Thornhill isn’t ready, undrafted rookie Ronnie Hickman will likely start alongside Grant Delpit. … Browns LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring) could miss multiple weeks after getting hurt against Pittsburgh. … Browns top CB Denzel Ward (shoulder) missed practice time this week. … Locke missed last week’s game with a sprained ankle and his health is paramount with Jackson serving his second suspension for illegal hits. … TE Greg Dulcich (hamstring) has only played in parts of two games this season after missing two months of his rookie year in 2022 with pulled hamstrings.
SERIES NOTES: The Browns are 3-10 in Denver during the regular season, and 4-11 overall in the Mile High City. … Cleveland lost 11 straight to Denver before snapping the skid in 2018 with a one-point win. … The biggest games between these teams came in three AFC championships in the 1980s with Denver winning all three.
STATS AND STUFF: Cleveland is 7-3 for just the second time since 1999. The Browns were also 7-3 in 2020, coach Kevin Stefanski’s first season. … The Browns have won five of six, scoring the winning points in the final two minutes four times. … Led by All-Pro end Myles Garrett, the Browns’ top-ranked defense has been dominant all season. Cleveland is allowing 243.3 yards per game, the fewest through 11 weeks since the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers (237.2). … The Browns have been especially tough on third down, holding offenses to a 25.4% conversion rate. … Cleveland has given up just 125 first downs, 38 fewer than second-place Dallas (163). … Garrett could be on his way to winning a first Defensive Player of the Year honor. Despite almost constant double-teaming, he has 13 sacks with at least one in each of the last five games. … Browns K Dustin Hopkins has made a winning field goal in the final seconds the last two weeks. He’s leading the league in field goals (26) and points (93) and is tied for first in makes over 50 yards (seven). … Browns TE David Njoku was targeted 15 times last week and finished with seven catches, but had several drops. … Stefanski is just 1-5 against the AFC West. … Browns WR Amari Cooper is 15 yards shy of reaching 9,000 in his career. … The Broncos have won four consecutive games for the first time since starting 4-0 in 2016. … Denver is tied with Philaldelphia for the NFL’s longest active winning streak. … QB Russell Wilson leads the league with seven 100-plus passer ratings, is second behind Derek Carr in interception percentage (1.3) and tied for third with 19 touchdown throws. Last season, Wilson was 19th in interception percentage and 20th in TD passes. … Wilson has 12 TDs and just one INT at home this season. … Sutton is the first Broncos player with TD catches in five consecutive games since TE Julius Thomas in 2014. … Seventh-year RB Samaje Perine had a career-high seven catches for 60 yards last week. … Rookie RB Jaleel McLaughlin had a season-best five receptions last week. … Denver’s defense is still last in the league in many categories, but that belies the Broncos’ recent turnaround in which they’ve allowed just 17.4 points over their last five games. … ILB Alex Singleton has double-digit tackles in seven of his last eight games, including a season-best 16 last week. … CB Ja’Quan McMillian has recovered a fumble in each of his last two games and also had an interception last week. … Simmons tied his career high with three pass breakups against the Vikings.
FANTASY TIP: Sutton had four total touchdowns over the last three seasons and eight this season, including one in each of Denver’s last five games. He’s clearly on the same page with Wilson, more than any other pass catcher on the roster.
