Tag: Jerome Ford

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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Is Jerome Ford playing today? Injury updates for Browns running back

Browns running back Jerome Ford is returning from a knee injury. Here are the latest updates.

The Cleveland Browns are taking on the Cincinnati Bengals today will be doing so without their third-year running back Jerome Ford.

Sitting at 1-5 and without much of a run game (Philadelphia Eagles game excluded), this is not great news for the Browns as they look to get the train back on the tracks. The good news for the Browns, however, is the return of running back Nick Chubb.

This will soften the blow of the injury to Ford, but the loss of their third-year running back will still be noticeable. Here are all of the updates on the Browns’ injured running back:

Jerome Ford injury update

Ford suffered a hamstring injury a week ago in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. From there on out, D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. took over the load of the rushing attack.

Since the injury, however, Ford has not seen the practice field as the Browns prepare for the Bengals. Taking over the lead back for the Browns since the injury to Nick Chubb in Week 2 of the 2023 season, he has failed to establish himself as a true and reliable top dog at the NFL level.

How long will Jerome Ford be out for?

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has tabbed Ford with a week-to-week designation. He was ruled out on Friday after resting this week. As the Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens next week, Ford could be back for that matchup.

Hamstring injuries can be pesky. Sometimes they last one week, sometimes they linger for a month. It is hard to tell exactly when Ford will make his return to the field for the Browns.

Browns running back depth chart

Luckily for the Browns, they are getting star running back Nick Chubb back in this game as they will be without Ford. However, expect Chubb to have a light workload in his return, meaning the other running backs on the roster are going to have to step up as well.

D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. are the next men up in this case, both of whom are coming off of decent games against the Eagles. They will be relied upon again this week against the Bengals.

Jerome Ford exits game with hamstring injury; questionable to return

Jerome Ford the Cleveland Browns’ starting running back suffered a hamstring injury against the Philadelphia Eagles. He is questionable to return.

Jerome Ford the Cleveland Browns’ starting running back suffered a hamstring injury against the Philadelphia Eagles. Ford was tripped from behind during his rush for 11 yards. Ford went to the medical tent immediately after the run. He was escorted to the locker room immediately after. He is questionable to return.

Running back Pierre Strong and D’Onta Foreman have replaced Ford in the lineup. Strong and Foreman should have productive games against the Eagles. They are two adequate running backs who have familiarity with the offense.

The Browns must run the ball against the Eagles. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is struggling to move the ball through the air. The team’s passing offense struggled to start the game. The Browns scored zero points during the first quarter. The team is moving the ball well on the ground. They are averaging nearly five yards per carry against them. The Browns must produce on offense to beat the Eagles. They are losing to the Eagles 3-0 at the start of the second quarter.

Week 2 snap count observations: D’Onta Foreman, Jerome Ford near 50/50 split

What can we take away from the snap counts from Sunday’s game?

The Cleveland Browns won their first Sunday victory after going to Jacksonville and beating the Jaguars 18-13 as Jerome Ford and D’Onta Foreman led the rushing attack. The win was much needed after dropping the home opener to the Dallas Cowboys as the Browns get back to even ground at 1-1.

With injuries compiling and new schemes starting to settle in, here’s a look into the snap counts from the Browns:

100% Club

iOL Ethan Pocic
iOL Wyatt Teller
iOL Joel Bitonio
OT James Hudson
DB Grant Delpit

With all the injuries to the offensive line and the expected reinforcements on their way, it’s incredibly encouraging to see the interior line play to full strength throughout the game. Delpit was expected to step up after Juan Thornhill’s injury, and he did as such.

Majority Plays

QB DeShaun Watson – 96%
WR Amari Cooper – 88%
WR Jerry Jeudy – 79%
WR Elijah Moore – 72%
OT Dawand Jones – 85%

LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah – 98%
LB Jordan Hicks – 88%
DE Myles Garrett – 68%
DE Za’Darius Smith – 62%
DE Alex Wright 55%
CB Martin Emerson – 97%
CB Greg Newsome – 97%
DB Ronnie Hickman – 70%
CB Cameron Mitchell – 68%
DB Rodney McLeod – 54%

The list features your usual suspects up top though it is encouraging to see Jeudy play substantial snaps after his injury scare, as well as Myles Garrett who popped up on the injury report with a foot issue.

Owusu-Koramoah continues to be a leader on this defense by only missing a singular play and continuing to force opposing offensive coordinators to game plan around him.

Otherwise Notable

TE Jordan Atkins – 49%
TE Blake Whiteheart – 33%
RB Jerome Ford – 44%
RB D’Onta Foreman – 38%

LB Devin Bush – 5%
CB Denzel Ward – 18%

The Browns have taken a committee approach to replacing TE David Njoku by calling up Blake Whiteheart off the practice squad, but even with his and Jordan Akins’ efforts the Browns are choosing to run a handful of plays without a tight end at all.

The running back room flipped as Jerome Ford went from a workhorse in Week 1 to a true committee back in Week 2. D’Onta Foreman was the beneficiary as he played a single snap the week before leading the Browns in carries and doubling Ford in attempts.

Denzel Ward was questionable going into the game with a shoulder injury and played limited snaps. This was a curious decision as Ward didn’t play much at all, suggesting he was closer to not playing than to being healthy.

Finally, former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Devin Bush hasn’t cracked the rotation at all and plays far more special teams snaps.

Browns RB Jerome Ford was NFL’s fastest ball carrier in Week 2

Cleveland Browns RB Jerome Ford was the fastest ball carrier in the NFL during Week 2.

According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Cleveland Browns running back, Jerome Ford is one of the fastest players in the league. Ford hit 21.29 MPH on his 36-yard run on fourth down against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was the fastest ball carrier in Week 2.

Ford had one of his best games in Jacksonville. The running back had seven carries for 64 yards. Ford displayed great vision on a 12-yard gain in the first quarter. The running back feinted toward an inside hole before busting the play outside.

Ford is a highly skilled running back with a unique blend of size and speed making him a dangerous homerun threat. Ford runs like a locomotive. He starts slow and finishes strong. He needs space to hit his top speeds. Ford recorded speeds faster than 20 MPH twice last season. 

Ford must play with more decisiveness. If he can burst through the line of scrimmage near his top speed, he’ll be one of the hardest running backs to tackle. The Browns might want to experiment with Ford as a kick returner while they shuffle between James Proche II and Jaelon Darden. Ford is a talented player and the Browns need to find him opportunities to make plays with the ball. 

Browns teammate gives hilarious analogy of what it’s like to share a huddle with Jameis Winston

It’s pretty easy to visualize, actually.

The Cleveland Browns put backup quarterback Jameis Winston on the field twice in their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and running back Jerome Ford gave a perfect analogy for what it is like to share the huddle with his first-year teammate.

Describing what it is like to hear Winston call a play, Ford stated that it is like the backup quarterback has a surprise to tell. This is incredibly easy to visualize given the inflection and enthusiasm that Winston speaks with on a regular basis.

Winston, of course, came on the field in three different short-yardage conversions. First, he executed a quarterback sneak with perfection. Then, the Browns hit the Jaguars with a tendency-breaker, bringing Winston back on the field to sell the sneak before handing the football to Ford around the edge for a huge gain. Winston then executed another quarterback sneak later in the game.

What a perfect analogy given by the Browns’ starting running back.

10 sleeper running backs for 2024 fantasy football season

Blake Corum headlines this list of fantasy football sleeper running backs for the 2024 NFL season.

Welcome back, football!

The 2024 NFL season will kick off on Thursday night, which also marks the start of the fantasy football season. To help you win your league, we’ve put together a list of 10 sleeper running backs to target in your fantasy football drafts.

Keep in mind that we’re using the term “sleeper” to mean a player we expect to outperform their average draft position this fall. That doesn’t mean these players are necessarily unknown, just drafted lower than they should be. That represents great value for managers who pick them at the right spot.

So, keep an eye on these ten sleeper running backs as they approach their ADP places in your fantasy football drafts this summer.

1. RB Alvin Kamara (ADP 46): He’s not the fantasy monster he once was, but Kamara could prove to be a big steal at RB17 after finishing as RB3 in PPR points per game (17.9) last year.

2. RB Javonte Williams (ADP 77): Getting a clear-cut starter at RB27 is a steal. Williams lost 11 pounds this offseason and coach Sean Payton has said he looks like “a completely different player.” Now another year removed from his 2022 knee injury, Williams is healthy and the clear RB1 in Denver.

3. RB Jonathon Brooks (APD 93): Understand that Brooks will miss at least the first four games of the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from his ACL injury. He might not pay dividends until the second half of the season, but he would be the perfect use of an IR spot early in the season. Brooks is being drafted as RB34.

4. RB Jerome Ford (ADP 105): He will start at least the first four games of the season while Nick Chubb is on the PUP list. Chubb is recovering from a serious knee injury, but he’s being drafted as RB30 while Ford is going off the board as RB35. That should be flipped. Ford averaged 12.4 PPG last season, a serviceable number for RB3/flex, and depending on your roster, perhaps even an RB2. Getting him at RB35 should be a good value.

5. RB Chase Brown (ADP 104): Following the Joe Mixon departure, Brown might be the next man up in Cincinnati’s backfield. Zack Moss hurts his value, but a potential starter being drafted as RB37 is an intriguing option.

6. RB Trey Benson (ADP 113): If James Conner is ever sidelined, Benson will be the next man up. Conner has never played a full 16- or 17-game season and Arizona just used a third-round pick on Benson. He’s being drafted as RB39.

7. RB Blake Corum (ADP 111): Corum is arguably the most important sleeper and handcuff running back in fantasy football this year. He should have standalone value in L.A.’s offense and if Kyren Williams misses time like he did in each of his first two seasons, Corum’s stock will skyrocket. He’s currently being drafted as RB40.

8. RB J.K. Dobbins (ADP 120): Dobbins will likely be the lead running back for the Chargers this fall and if he stays healthy, Dobbins should easily finish higher than his RB41 ADP.

9. RB Tyler Allgeier (ADP 141): Similar to Corum, Allgeier already has standalone value, and if anything happens to Bijan Robinson, Allgeier’s stock will skyrocket. He’s a value at RB48 even as a rotational option.

10. RB Jaylen Wright (ADP 139): He’s currently behind De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert on the depth chart, but Wright’s speed should lead to him getting opportunities sooner than later. And once again, if there are injuries ahead of him, Wright’s stock will increase. He’s a flyer at RB48 with big upside.

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Which running back gets the bulk of the carries vs. Cowboys?

Who will step up in Chubb’s absence?

The Cleveland Browns will have multiple running backs in the mix when it comes time to kick off Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. The bulk of the carries is expected to be handled by Jerome Ford and D’Onta Foreman, who are both predicted to see a split amount of snaps as Nick Chubb slowly returns to health.

Foreman will look to have a recognizable role in this offense during his first year as a Brown, especially regarding red zone carries.

The Browns’ featured backs will also be supported by Pierre Strong Jr., who proved to have solid playmaking ability in 2023. While none of us know coach Stefanski’s plan with the running backs, they are assumed to go with the hot hand.

One pivotal factor of the run game will be who is starting at left tackle for Cleveland. The expectation is that Jedrick Wills will get the nod to assume his usual starting position. There are also rumors that Jack Conklin could be switching to his collegiate position with the rise of second-year right tackle Dawand Jones.

We’ll see who is defending our running backs when they take on the Cowboys in Cleveland on September 8th.

How the Browns will handle the running back position until Nick Chubb returns

How will the Browns handle running back snaps until they get their star back?

One of the most highlighted positions of discussion this offseason was the running back for the Cleveland Browns as they continue to wait on the return of Nick Chubb.

The team entered the offseason with the uncertainty of Chubb’s health and an expiring contract from Kareem Hunt, the team leader in rushing TDs. Until Nick Chubb returns, Andrew Berry has brought in some skilled veterans along with returning running backs Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong.

After making some impressive plays in his first game as a Brown, the secret is out about D’Onta Foreman‘s involvement in the run game. As a power back, the NFL veteran brings a powerful presence at the goal line and in short-yardage situations. Going into his seventh year, Foreman is someone who will look to handle a chunk of the rushing attempts for the Browns early on.

Nyheim Hines is another back who was brought in this offseason from the Bills. Still working through his torn ACL, Hines will look to bring speed to the backfield and special teams room.

Ford and Strong are the Browns’ returning backs who will have to fight for their touches early on. Both players filled in nicely after the devastating season-ending injury to Nick Chubb, but the Browns hope to not find themselves in that situation again. Until Chubb officially returns, the team will mostly rotate these backs efficiently.