QB Jameis Winston looks to build on second start as Browns host Chargers and NFL’s stingiest defense

LA Chargers (4-3) at Cleveland (2-6)

Sunday, 1 p.m., EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 2.

Against the spread: Chargers 4-3; Browns 3-5.

Series record: Chargers lead 19-9-1.

Last meeting: Chargers beat Browns 30-28 on Oct. 9, 2022 in Cleveland.

Last week: Chargers beat Saints 26-8; Browns beat Ravens 29-24.

Chargers offense: overall (23), rush (20), pass (24), scoring (24).

Chargers defense: overall (8), rush (11), pass (9), scoring (1).

Browns offense: overall (21), rush (27), pass (29), scoring (27).

Browns defense: overall (14), rush (18), pass (12), scoring (18).

Turnover differential: Chargers plus-6; Browns minus-4.

Chargers player to watch

Rookie WR Ladd McConkey leads the team in receptions (30) and receiving yards (376). Last week against the Saints, he was the first Chargers rookie since 2010 to have a game with 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He’s fourth among the league’s rookies in catches and third with four touchdowns.

Browns player to watch

QB Jameis Winston didn’t look as if it had been two years since his previous start when he passed for 334 yards and threw three touchdown passes last week. Winston’s performance gave the Browns a huge emotional lift — and some hope this season is salvageable — just days after Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon. In fairness, Winston threw several passes that should have been intercepted.

Key matchup

Chargers RT Joe Alt vs. Browns DE Myles Garrett. Before the draft, Alt said the player he was looking forward to lining up against the most was Garrett. He gets his chance Sunday. Alt didn’t allow a quarterback pressure last week against the Saints according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the first time in three years a rookie offensive tackle has done that. Garrett leads the league with 21 quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds) and has the third-highest pressure rate of all pass rushers (20.7%).

Key injuries

Chargers: Edge rusher Joey Bosa (hip) was on a snap count last week. He was limited in practice but is expected to play. He missed three games earlier this season. … WR DJ Chark (hip) will likely make his season debut. … CB Kristian Fulton (hamstring) missed some practice and will likely be questionable. … Browns: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah remains sidelined after suffering a neck injury last week that led to him being hospitalized overnight. He is Cleveland’s leading tackler. … Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward missed practice time this week while in protocol with his sixth known concussion since 2018. … Six-time Pro Bowl LG Joel Bitonio (foot) was limited this week. He’s made 152 starts.

Series notes

Chargers have won four straight and 14 of 18. … Los Angeles is 14-0 when scoring at least 25 points against the Browns.

Stats and stuff

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is 1-0 against the Browns and 3-3 in his career against the AFC North, including Super Bowl 47 against Baltimore. … QB Justin Herbert has won both of his starts against the Browns with six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) and no interceptions. He has not thrown a pick since the first quarter of Week 2 at Carolina. … RB J.K. Dobbins has a rushing score in two of the three times he has faced Cleveland. He rushed for 125 yards with Baltimore against the Browns in 2022. … WR Joshua Palmer had a season-high 72 receiving yards last week. … TE Will Dissly has 13 of his 26 receptions in the past two games. … L.A.’s defense is allowing a league-low 13 points per game and has forced three-and-out drives on 21 of 77 possessions. The 27.3% rate is sixth best in the league. … LB Khalil Mack has two sacks in two of his past three games against Cleveland. … Bosa is one sack away from reaching 70 in his career. … Winston was the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, the first for a Cleveland QB since 2019. … Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the plan is for Winston to start the rest of the season, though in Cleveland, plans tend to change. Second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is now Winston’s backup. … Winston was the 39th QB to start for Cleveland since 1999. … Stefanski turned over play-calling duties last week to first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey and the Browns had their best offensive game of 2020 with two firsts — scoring 20 points and eclipsing 400 yards. … Second-year WR Cedric Tillman had a breakout last week with seven catches for 99 yards and two TDs. Tillman’s role has expanded since Amari Cooper’s trade to Buffalo. … RB Nick Chubb has averaged 7.9 yards per carry (41 for 320 yards) and three TDs in three games against the Chargers. This will be Chubb’s third game back following reconstructive knee surgery. … Dawand Jones, who played right tackle as a rookie, started at left tackle last week and held his own. He filled in for the injured Jedrick Wills Jr., who could be back this week. … The Browns are playing their third consecutive home game.

Fantasy tip

One of the NFL’s most consistent tight ends, Cleveland’s David Njoku has scored a TD in his last two weeks. Njoku, who was slowed by an ankle injury earlier this season, could thrive with Winston. Njoku had a big game against the Chargers in 2013 with seven catches for 149 yards and a score.

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