Tag: Denzel Ward

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes shares his thoughts on the Browns’ defense: ‘A great challenge’

Kansas City #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes shares his thoughts on the Cleveland #Browns’ defense: ‘A great challenge’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has faced pressure in the pocket throughout the season and has fallen victim to numerous sacks. This Sunday, he faces another aggressive defense with pass-rushing superstar Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns.

Mahomes shared his thoughts on Garrett and the Browns defense during Wednesday’s conversation with reporters in his weekly press conference.

“I think you have to prepare for it as an entire offense. You have to give him (Browns DE Myles Garrett) different looks. You can’t let him just pass rush over and over again. I mean, he’s – he won Defensive Player of the Year for a reason, man.” said Mahomes. “He’s going to win a lot of those matchups, and so we’ll throw him changeups, we’ll throw him different pitches that he can hopefully keep his mind racing, but at the end of the day, he’s going to make plays happen. When he starts to win reps or win certain plays, you have to not make them negative plays, get rid of the football, even if that’s throwing it away, and live to play another play.”

Garrett has gotten plenty of attention from offenses over the years for understandable reasons as he continues his torrid play. His teammates on defense have earned a reputation for great play over the years, and Mahomes was sure to highlight them as well.

“They have a lot of great players, I think. You look at the cornerback position in (Browns CB) Denzel Ward – the linebacker position, they’re flying around – safeties, same as well, and then obviously the defensive line. Then, (Browns Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Jim) Schwartz does a great job of mixing up coverages (and) bringing pressure when it’s necessary and then dropping into zone and man coverage when it’s necessary.” said Mahomes. “It’s a really good team. I mean, they were – last year, they have a lot of the same players from last year’s defense that was like number one in the league. It’s a great team with a lot of pride that’s going to be coming (and) playing hard, especially at home, and we understand that it’s going to be a great challenge. We’re going to have to play our best football to win.”

The Chiefs will play another hungry team on the road, trying to pull off an upset and salvage a disappointing season. A game of this nature occurred a few weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders as each contest came down to the final play.

Browns name their Walter Payton Man of the Year award nominee

Nominating a player for Walter Payton Man of the Year award every year, the Browns have named Denzel Ward their candidate

Every year, all 32 teams nominate one player to be named their Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and this year, the Cleveland Browns have named cornerback Denzel Ward their candidate.

The NFL awards one player every year and, “recognizes an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field. The award was established in 1970. It was renamed in 1999 after the late Hall of Fame Chicago Bears running back, Walter Payton.” Should Ward win the award, he would also receive $250,000 to donate to the charity of his choice.

This is the second time Ward has been nominated for the honor.

Ward is well known for his work off-the-field in making sure that every public gathering place has a defibrillator on site after his father passed away due to a heart attack. Ward has placed devices in YMCAs, gyms, churches, and more all over Northeast Ohio throughout his time in the NFL.

Congrats to Ward and best of luck as he now enters a pool of 32 other players for the prestigious honor of the Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Denzel Ward forces second Browns turnover vs. Broncos

All-Pro. Denzel Ward.

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has secured his second interception of the year and second of the night against the Denver Broncos.

Ward has had an unbelievable game so far with his multiple past afflictions and cause for the first interception earlier in the game. This interception came when Broncos quarterback Bo Nix took a deep shot on first down to wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. A lesson that Nix and most new quarterbacks have to learn when facing Denzel Ward.

The Browns have had an up-and-down performance against Denver so far. Despite this, they have still forced some crucial turnovers that have set the offense up nicely. They are currently riding on the coattails of an impressive performance from their offensive stars, but they will need more than that in this exciting matchup.

If they want to secure this win, they will have to continue to put the pressure on Nix and the Broncos offense.

Denzel Ward collects another turnover with forced fumble vs. Saints

Denzel Ward racks up turnover No. 2 against the Saints

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has forced another turnover in this week 11 contest against the New Orleans Saints.

After intercepting Saints utility player Taysom Hill earlier in the game, Ward has now also forced him to fumble in the same contest. The forced fumble came at a perfect time for this Browns defense as the Saints were in the red zone and on the doorstep of another score before halftime. That is now the second drive of the day that Denzel Ward has managed to stop a driving Saints offense in a critical moment.

Ward has been battling injuries for most of the first half against the Saints. Although they have not seemed to affect his play, he has continued to visit with trainers during his sideline visits. We’ll see if he continues to demonstrate his tenacity and dominance in the second half of this game, and how much of a difference that makes for Cleveland.

Chargers vs. Browns: Going behind enemy lines to preview Week 9 matchup

To get an idea of what to expect from the Chargers’ Week 9 opponent, we went Behind Enemy Lines with Browns Wire editor Cory Kinnan.

The Chargers head to Cleveland on Sunday for an AFC matchup with the Browns. Both rosters look vastly different from the last time the two teams played in 2022.

To get an idea of what to expect from the Browns, we went Behind Enemy Lines with Browns Wire editor Cory Kinnan.

What impact has Jameis Winston’s insertion into the starting lineup had on this Browns offense?

It’s pretty hard to deny the impact of the quarterback position in Cleveland after seeing Joe Flacco routinely throw for 300 yards, then none for the first seven games of the 2024 season, then one the week a quarterback change happened. This is a talented roster, and the most important aspect inserting Winston changes is the protection up front. With Winston getting the ball out on time, the pass protection looks night-and-day different.

Cleveland is playing like a league-average defense after finishing first in EPA/play last season. What’s changed on that unit?

They kind of got back into a rhythm last week against the Ravens. Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. has certainly shown some regression, which is hurting the defense as a whole. For the most part, however, they have just been on the field way too much. With sustained offensive drives a week ago, the defense was able to catch its breath and retake the field well-rested.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was ruled out early in the week. How does his absence affect what the Browns want to do defensively?

Losing a battery in the middle of the defense is not easy, especially with their MIKE linebacker out as well in Jordan Hicks. However, they have gotten stellar play out of former undrafted linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, which softens the blow. However, Devin Bush will likely start at WILL in place of Owusu-Koramoah, and that is a massive blow to the Browns defensively. There is no replacing the ability to avoid blocks and instantly shoot gaps that Owusu-Koramoah brings to the field.

How close is Nick Chubb to 100%? Should Chargers fans be worried about him going for 134 yards and 2 TDs as he did last time these two teams met?

He showed signs of his old self last week against the Ravens, finding narrow backside cuts that only a select view backs have the vision to hunt out. Chubb has shown he’s not bracing for contact and isn’t fearing initiating it, either. He’s pretty close if he isn’t 100 percent yet. The run blocking up front is the main issue here, not the health of Chubb.

What’s your score prediction for the game?

This Browns roster is excellent. They were a year ago and had been anchored by inept quarterback play. They could still make a run in a down AFC over the next few weeks. That run continues this week. It won’t be easy against a physical and well-coached Chargers team, but the Browns pull it out 27-24.

Denzel Ward’s gameday status vs. Chargers revealed

Denzel Ward has cleared the concussion protocol and will play against the Chargers

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has been no stranger to a concussion, and it put his game status in jeopardy against the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, he will play tomorrow against the Chargers despite leaving the game last week against the Baltimore Ravens with his sixth career concussion. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reports Ward will play Sunday after clearing concussion protocol.


Additionally, Cleveland is elevating defensive tackle Sam Kamara from the practice squad to the active roster for Week 9 against the Chargers. Kamara has appeared in four games for the Browns this year and recorded five total tackles.

Ward suffered a concussion in the team’s Week 8 win over the Ravens and returned to practice Friday in limited fashion. He’s listed as questionable but should be all systems go after clearing protocol.

Through eight games this year, Ward has been one of the NFL elites at the cornerback position and a true staple on the defensive side of the ball for the Browns. In defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s man-heavy defense, the versatility and lockdown coverage from Ward are a driving force behind their identity.

Bill Belichick selects three Browns stars on his midseason list

NFL Legend Bill Belichick selected LG Joel Bitonio, DE Myles Garrett, and CB Denzel Ward to his mid-season award list.

Bill Belichick selected his midseason All-Pro team on his podcast Thursday. The Coach’s Podcast is hosted by Belichick and former head coach Matt Patricia. The coaches were joined by former Browns’ front office executive Michael Lombardi to break down the best players this season. The group went over every offensive, defensive, and special teams position. 

Belichick selected three cornerstone pieces of the Browns’ franchise. Left guard Joel Bitonio, defensive end Myles Garrett, and cornerback Denzel Ward were at the top of the list. Unsurprisingly, no Browns players were selected for a Special Teams award. The three were brief in their complements.

Belichick admired Bitonio’s toughness this season when he kicked out to offensive tackle. The group acknowledged Garrett is the best defensive end in the NFL. Belichick believed Ward was the best cornerback before his injury. The group expressed their concern for Ward’s latest concussion.

The Browns have built up a talented team of stars. After a disastrous season start, fans hope those stars can lead the team to the playoffs. They probably need a few other players to leap to superstar during the season. Hopefully, Belichick’s end-of-season list will feature a few more Browns players.

Injuries to key DBs highlight Ravens’ struggles with pass defense in loss to Browns

The Ravens entered this game dead last in the league in pass defense, so the Browns were well aware they could exploit the secondary.

Those who call the NFL a league of parity (not “parody,” OMG! That common malapropism drives me insane) could certainly point to today’s 29-24 win by the Cleveland Browns over the Baltimore Ravens.

Worst beat first in the AFC North division as Baltimore’s five-game win streak ended, as did Cleveland’s five-game losing skid.

Jameis Winston, who many football pundits have declared “washed” for some time, finished 27 of 41 passing for 334 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions while leading the Browns’ offense to heights that had not been seen under their franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson this season.

The Ravens entered this game dead last in the league in pass defense, so the Browns were well aware the secondary was a position group that could potentially be exploited.

And things worsened for Baltimore even before a single pass was thrown, as Nate Wiggins (illness), Marlon Humphrey (ankle), and T.J. Tampa (IR) were all ruled out.

More change was still to come in the defensive backs position group, as Marcus Williams was benched for being largely ineffective this season. The Ravens’ pass defense has been a persistent problem this year, but it’s not as bad as it may seem.

Baltimore is so stout against the run that opponents consistently find themselves having to rely on their passing attacks heavily. Also, the Ravens entered the day in first place, with a 5-2 record, and teams with winning records tend to find themselves ahead, and even well ahead, most of the time.

And what do you do when you’re behind, often well behind?  You pretty much have to pass.

So, while today was undoubtedly a shocking surprise defeat, all is not lost.

Ravens take a step back in shocking 29-24 loss to the Browns in Week 8

Ravens take a step back in shocking 29-24 loss to the Browns in Week 8

Baltimore has a penchant for blowing late fourth-quarter leads, but on Sunday, the Ravens took a step back toward the inconsistent unit that lost two straight to start the season.

In what can only be described as a shocking loss, the Cleveland Browns had their most impactful performance without Deshaun Watson in a 29-24 victory over first-place Baltimore in Week 8.

Lamar Jackson started the game 6-6 passing but finished 23-38 passing, for 289 yards (7.6 avg), two touchdowns, and zero interceptions with a 101.8 rating. Just like Baltimore had their five-game winning streak snapped, star running back Derrick Henry came back to earth, rushing for only 73 yards (6.6 avg) and one touchdown on 11 carries.

After missing two practices during the week with an ankle injury, second-year wideout Zay Flowers posted another 100-yard game, logging seven catches for 115 yards on the afternoon.

Zach Orr’s defense played without two starters at cornerback, and Jameis Winston carved up the Ravens. The former Heisman Trophy winner went 23-38 passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns.

The Browns took the lead when Winston threw a 38-yard touchdown pass — his third of the game — to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds left as Cleveland erased weeks of frustration.

Baltimore will now look to regroup with Bo Nix and the upstart Broncos heading to M&T Bank Stadium in Week 9.

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Browns CB Denzel Ward leaves games for concussion evaluation

Cleveland Browns star cornerback Denzel Ward left the game against the Baltimore Ravens and is being evaluated for a concussion.

Cleveland Browns star cornerback Denzel Ward left the game against the Baltimore Ravens with a concussion spotter. Ward was seen entering the medical tent during the third quarter. Ward stayed in the medical tent with the spotter before walking into the locker room. Ward is being evaluated for a concussion.

Hopefully, Ward doesn’t have a concussion. The star cornerback has suffered multiple concussions during his NFL career. Fans and media have shown a lot of concern for Ward’s long history with concussions. Ward has kept his humor about the terrifying situation. He joked about his history of concussions on X earlier this year.

The Browns need Ward to lock down the left side of the field. Ward is playing exceptionally well this season. The cornerback leads the league in pass breakups. Ward is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He’s playing for All-Pro honors this season. If he can remain healthy, he should achieve his goal.