BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – While NFL front offices use minimizing the importance of running backs as a means of salary suppression for the position, there has been a renaissance on the field when it comes to their impact.
The Browns will be tasked with containing the explosive Alvin Kamara of the Saints this weekend. Good luck.
Here’s a few Brownie Bites from Wednesday.
Sum 41 – Kamara leads New Orleans in both rushing with 715 yards and receiving with another 421 yards. He has combined to account for seven touchdowns, six of those on the ground. “I say the reports of the death of running backs has been greatly exaggerated,” Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “I mean we've had Saquon [Barkley], we've had Derrick Henry and now Kamara and these guys that really carried a load and really set the tempo for their offenses.” In Schwartz’s eyes, Kamara is a different breed of back. “Saquon is strong and a jump cutter and Derrick Henry is just a freight train straight ahead and stiff arms and things like that,” Schwartz said. “Kamara is a different player. He can run inside the tackles. He can run wide. He's really good in the pass game. He's dangerous in screens and anybody that's leading rusher and leading receiver is going to get your attention and we sort of have to know every time where he is on the field where and why all the time…But that's a great challenge for us and our ability to hold him in check will go a long way to getting a win on Sunday.” It’s clear what the Browns defensive game plan will be Sunday at the Superdome. “Stop 41,” safety Grant Delpit said. “That's what we've been focusing on, from his ball carrying ability, balanced pass catching. But he's a leading rusher and receiver for their team right now. So I think that says everything.”
Home cookin’ – Delpit is a Louisiana native and he returns home this weekend. “I have a lot of family coming to the game to say the least,” Delpit said. “So I want to get them a good win, but of course they're going to be torn between the Saints and me.” Delpit rented a suite at the Superdome for over 40 friends and family Sunday and that still wasn’t enough to accommodate his ticket requests. Delpit has childhood memories of running around the Superdome as a young Saints fan. “We had season tickets, my grandpa did,” Delpit said. “They used to know me running around the stadium, up the ramps as a little kid that was just not even focused on the game really just running around the stadium. So definitely got some history and some roots in that stadium.” Delpit’s fandom spanned Joe Horn to Reggie Bush, but not this week. “It was a good team to grow up with cheering for man and the Saints mean so much to the city,” Delpit said. “So it's a good vibe in the Saints win, but unfortunately they got to lose this week.” The best part of getting to go home, of course his favorite home cooked meal. “My grandma’s Gumbo,” Delpit said. “She knows what's going on. She probably making a [batch] right now.”
Advice for 5 – Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey offered his coaching points for quarterback Jameis Winston, who is coming off a three-interception performance in a 27-10 loss to the Rams, for facing the pick happy Saints defense. “The big thing that we preach is we got to trust our eyes, trust what we see out there,” Dorsey said. “So I think when you do that as a quarterback and you trust your progressions, everything else takes care of itself. There's no need to force anything. There's no need to feel like, Hey, I got to make a play right here… So we want play smart, not conservative at the position. And to do that, you got trust progressions, trust your eyes and trust what you see on game day so you could play fast.”
Quote of the day – “I'm getting old here guys,” Schwartz said. “I'm coaching against Mike Shanahan and I'm coaching against Kyle Shanahan. I'm calling games against Gary Kubiak and now I'm calling the games against Clint Kubiak. And I mean as soon as some of your kids start writing articles, then I'm out.”
Injury report – LIMITED: LG Joel Bitonio (pectoral), DT Mike Hall (knee); FULL: LB Jordan Hicks (elbow/triceps), WR Jerry Jeudy (knee), QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger), OT Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee)
