BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Jarvis Landry didn’t put up monster numbers in his return from injured reserve last week against the Broncos, yet his impact was felt immediately.
Landry caught a 7-yard pass on the first play of the opening drive of the game and it lit a match and fired everyone up. Four plays later, the Browns had a 7-0 lead.
“Getting Juice the ball juices us all up,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said.
Landry caught five of eight targets for 37 yards in the 17-14 victory, but his energy proved to be more valuable than the number of catches or yards in the box score.
“That's something that I wanted to intentionally bring,” Landry said Thursday. “That was something that was important for me and where I was physically, and I think for the energy level of the team and the stadium.”
A sprained MCL suffered on the second play of the Browns 31-21 Week 2 win over the Texans sidelined Landry for four games.
He has 11 catches for 117 yards in under eight quarters this season but Landry, who became famous for his contagious speech that aired on Hard Knocks in 2018, remains the heart and soul of the team.
“Toughness, leadership and obviously his playmaking ability,” Van Pelt said of the five-time Pro Bowler. “His hands are incredible. He has strong hands. Just the leadership he provides in practice, on the sideline and the energy he brings on game day is tough to match. Guys get excited for him because he is a guy you like to pull for, for sure.”
Landry returned to practice Thursday after resting and rehabbing another knee injury, suffered against the Broncos, on Wednesday.
“It's something that stemmed from the MCL,” Landry said.
“I was very [nervous], but after the game and these past couple of days, feeling a lot better.”
Landry was listed as limited Thursday and although he’s still a little sore, he said that it won’t keep him off the field Sunday against the Steelers.
Tough as nails – Odell Beckham Jr. is also banged up and still dealing with a sprained shoulder suffered against the Cardinals October 17.
Beckham struggled in the first half against Denver and appeared to re-injure himself late in the first half, but he bounced back in the third quarter with a pair of catches for 23 yards that helped spark a touchdown drive.
“That is a serious injury. It is a painful injury,” Van Pelt said. “There is not much you can do for it other than medicate it on gameday. The sideline pass before the half when he slammed onto the ground, I thought that was going to be it for him for that game. Tough as nails to come back and play in the second half, give us two more catches and be out there on the field affecting defenses. Really credit to him and his toughness.”
Beckham has been limited both days this week at practice.
Still got it – Steelers cornerback Joe Haden is still going strong in his 12th NFL season, fifth with the Steelers.
The Browns former first round pick in 2010, has been credited with 20 tackles, a pair of pass breakups and a forced fumble in five games this season.
“Tremendous respect for Joe,” Landry said. “He continues to be one of the smartest defenders on the field. He continues to always find himself around the ball, making plays on the ball and challenging guys. So I don't expect nothing less from him.”
Tighter menu – Defensive coordinator Joe Woods made the most of the mini bye when it came to how he calls the Browns defense during games.
“I would say maybe just re-ordered maybe the calls,” Woods said. “We really looked at that, and we are going to try and keep a tight menu but maybe pick more from certain packages game to game instead of trying to do a little bit of all of it.”
With so many new starters entering the season, Woods tried to expand the playbook but injuries and lack of familiarity have hurt them at times early in the season leading to mistakes, including blown coverages in the secondary.
“You come out in practice and you rep some of those pressures to certain looks,” Woods said. “You get in the game, and it is something you did not rep it against. If somebody is off just a drop or their gap, now you get hit with a play. Just very conscious of that. I just want to make sure I do a good job of preparing them, but at the same time, do not give them too much.”
No hard feelings – Van Pelt grew up a Steelers fan.
“Until they cut me,” Van Pelt said.
“I was lucky enough to be there. It was just part of the deal. I was a rookie who did not deserve to make that team at that time. I just moved on and kept working.”
The Steelers used an eighth-round pick on Van Pelt, who played college football at the University of Pittsburgh, in 1993 but with Neil O'Donnell and Mike Tomczak in front of him, he didn’t make the team.
“I did not deserve to make that team,” Van Pelt said. “I was not good enough in practice or any of any of the preseason games.
“No grudges held.”
Roster move – The Browns waived offensive tackle Alex Taylor Thursday.
Injury report – DNP: DE Jadeveon Clowney (ankle, groin, knee), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin), and CB Denzel Ward (hamstring), S Richard LeCounte III (discipline/violation of team rules); LIMITED; QB Baker Mayfield (left shoulder), WR Odell Beckham Jr.
(shoulder), RB Nick Chubb (calf), RT Jack Conklin (knee), DT Malik Jackson (ankle), CB A.J. Green (groin), OL Blake Hance (elbow), LB Malcolm Smith (abdomen), C J.C. Tretter (knee), LT Jedrick Wills (ankle), LB Mack Wilson (calf); FULL: LB Tony Fields (illness)
Up next – Practice Friday.