ARIZONA (1-7) at CLEVELAND (4-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
OPENING LINE: Browns by 7 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Cardinals 4-4, Browns 3-3-1.
SERIES RECORD: Browns lead 33-16-3.
LAST MEETING: Cardinals beat Browns 37-14 on Oct. 17, 2021, in Cleveland.
LAST WEEK: Cardinals lost to Ravens 31-24; Browns lost to Seahawks 24-20.
CARDINALS OFFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (4), PASS (28), SCORING (26)
CARDINALS DEFENSE: OVERALL (26), RUSH (26), PASS (17), SCORING (25)
BROWNS OFFENSE: OVERALL (18), RUSH (2), PASS (30), SCORING (13)
BROWNS DEFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (7), PASS (1), SCORING (12)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Cardinals plus-1; Browns minus-7.
CARDINALS PLAYER TO WATCH: TE Trey McBride has emerged as one Arizona’s lead playmakers, catching 10 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens last weekend. The 6-foot-4, 246-pounder was a second-round pick out of Colorado State last season and started this season splitting time with veteran Zach Ertz before earning a bigger role.
BROWNS PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie WR Cedric Tillman is expected to become more involved in Cleveland’s offense following the trade of WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to Detroit earlier this week. A third-round pick, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Tillman had a solid training camp but has caught just one pass for 5 yards.
KEY MATCHUP: Cardinals WR Rondale Moore vs. Browns rookie CB Cameron Mitchell. The speedy Moore is a handful for any defender, never mind a first-year player lacking game experience. Mitchell may have to play in the slot if CB Greg Newsome II can’t go because of a groin injury. Mitchell got some time last week in Seattle and dropped a potential pick-6.
KEY INJURIES: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray (knee) was designated to return from the physically unable to perform list on Oct. 18. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has 21 days to return to the active roster. Coach Jonathan Gannon said if Murray isn’t ready to return, he’ll start rookie Clayton Tune, who was a fifth-round pick out of Houston. … Cardinals WR Michael Wilson (shoulder), RB Emari Demercado (toe) and LG Trystan Colon (calf) missed some time this week. … Browns QB Deshaun Watson could return after playing just 12 total snaps in the past four games because of an injured right shoulder. Watson got hurt on Sept. 24, missed two starts, played briefly against Indianapolis two weeks ago, and then sat out again last week at Seattle. … The Browns had 18 players on their initial injury report this week with Newsome II (groin), RB Jerome Ford (ankle) and RT Dawand Jones (shoulder) the most notable starters to miss practice time.
SERIES NOTES: The Cardinals are trying for their sixth consecutive win over the Browns. … Arizona is 6-2 against Cleveland since 1999, when the Browns returned as an expansion team. … The Cardinals are making their second trip to Cleveland in three years after going just twice in the previous 20. … The Browns are 15-8-2 all time at home against the Cardinals.
STATS AND STUFF: The Cardinals have lost five straight games since beating the Cowboys on Sept. 24. … McBride’s 10 catches against the Ravens were the most for a TE in Cardinals franchise history. The 95 yards receiving were the most for a Cardinals TE since 1989. … The Cardinals rank eighth in the NFL with 24 sacks. Eleven different players have at least one. … The Cardinals converted an onside kick against the Ravens last week. That was the first one converted in the NFL this season in 19 attempts. … Receiver Michael Wilson has 401 yards receiving this season, which ranks fifth in the league among rookies. … Gannon is from Cleveland and went to Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, where he was an All-State defensive back and also played basketball and track and field. … The Browns’ uncertain quarterback situation continues to be their season’s biggest storyline. Watson has only played in 10 of a possible 24 games since being acquired by Cleveland in 2022. He was suspended 11 games last season. The Browns want to get him back and sharp with key AFC North games the next two weeks against Baltimore and Pittsburgh. … Led by star DE Myles Garrett, Cleveland’s defense remains atop the NFL in several statistical categories, but has had issues the past two weeks while giving up 62 points and 818 yards. … The Browns are ranked first in total defense (260 yards per game), passing (163.3 yards) and third down rate (28.3%) and first downs allowed (89). … The Browns have rushed for at least 150 yards in the past three games. … RB Kareem Hunt, signed in the aftermath of Nick Chubb’s season-ending knee injury in Week 2, has four rushing TDs in the past three games. … Cleveland has a winning record despite leading the league with 17 giveaways and being minus-7 on turnover differential. … Garrett has a team-leading eight sacks. His 83 sacks are the most for any player before turning 28. … Garrett has averaged 0.91 sacks per game (91) since 2017, tying him with Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt for the highest percentage in league history. Watt has played 94 games.
FANTASY TIP: No matter who’s at quarterback for Cleveland, Browns WR Amari Cooper is their favorite target. One of the game’s best route runners, the dependable Cooper is a security blanket for Watson and P.J. Walker. He’s coming off an 89-yard game at Seattle and Cooper seems on the verge of a big performance.
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