PLAYER NOTES
–CB Denzel Ward practiced Wednesday with no restrictions. He missed the last two games with a concussion.
–C JC Tretter (ankle) did not practice. He has not practiced on Wednesdays for two months because of his ankle injury.
–DT Larry Ogunjobi (biceps) did not practice Wednesday but is expected to play against the Bengals.
–OL Austin Corbett (foot) was limited in practice Wednesday after missing the last three games with the injury.
–TE David Njoku (knee/thigh) was limited in practice Wednesday.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: RB Nick Chubb should be a focal point of the Bengals defense after what he did in Cincinnati last month. He rushed for 84 yards and scored on a 1-yard run. He caught three passes for 44 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown catch. The Bengals know what’s coming, but that won’t stop quarterback Baker Mayfield from getting the ball to Chubb. He needs 91 yards in the last two games to break the Browns’ rookie rushing record of 950 yards set by Trent Richardson in 2012.
GAME PLAN: The Browns went on the attack early in the first meeting with the Bengals. There is no reason to change that strategy in the rematch. Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half in the 35-20 victory and completed passes to eight players. The same approach could produce a series sweep.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
–Browns FS Damarious Randall vs. Bengals QB Jeff Driskel. Driskel replaced injured Andy Dalton (hand) in the second half of the first game between the Browns and Bengals. He completed 17 of 29 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown using quick throws. The Browns will know what to expect this time. Randall can disrupt Driskel’s approach by moving before the snap to confuse the third-year quarterback.
–Browns WR Breshad Perriman vs. Bengals CB William Jackson. Perriman isn’t the No. 1 receiver on the Browns’ roster (that is Jarvis Landry) or even No. 2 (that is rookie Antonio Callaway), but Perriman is a player quarterback Baker Mayfield has looked to more and more. The same thing could happen Sunday. Mayfield is confident Perriman can make a catch in a crowd.
