By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Cody Kessler has taken a beating behind a Browns offensive line that can be considered patchwork at best.

But he refuses to come out of the game due to the pain. And there’s a good reason for it.

“My brother’s fighting through what he’s fighting through (a heart ailment),” Kessler said, via Cleveland.com. “So unless they force me to stay out like they did last week, I’m not coming out.

“It was tough and it was a little painful, but … my brother is at home watching and I’m out here with these guys who have been playing in the NFL for a long time and have taken much worse hits than I did today. It’s more so not for myself but the guys around you.”

In the four games he’s started, Kessler has been sacked 10 times. Six of those sacks came Sunday, when it seemed as though the quarterback was constantly swarmed by Titans defenders on almost every dropback. He finished, remarkably, with a 105.3 passer rating depsite the frequent pressure.

His comments were reminiscent of Josh McCown‘s reasoning for why he also wants to stay in the game at any and all cost — because he has family members who don’t have it as good as he does, and wants to give everything he has for his teammates.

The Browns are going nowhere this season. It’s evident in their record, their seemingly endless injury report, and their lack of talent on the roster. But Kessler’s words are just the latest example that brighter days might be ahead for the Browns, because despite starting 0-6, the respect for and desire to play for their teammates seem to be deeply ingrained inside their locker room. It shows when the team battles on the field, coming up short in close losses in four of their six games.

That isn’t common inside a building filled with struggles, let alone one that has rarely produced a winner in nearly two decades. That reflects on head coach Hue Jackson, who just might be the man to turn around the floundering Browns, starting with his third-round selection in these trying times.

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Brandin Cooks is fast — really fast.

This isn’t new information. But his 87-yard touchdown catch on Sunday showed the Saints don’t mind taking advantage of his speed, which has now become historic. Cooks became the first player in league history to score touchdowns of 85 yards or more in his team’s first five games on Sunday.

“I turn it into a track meet,” Cooks said, via The Times-Picayune. “It feels like you get the baton handed off to you and you just run. On the track, you’re not looking around, you’re just going. So, that’s what I feel like is my vision.” Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Kansas City dominated Oakland in the second half on Sunday, shutting out a Raiders offense that has shown a penchant for second-half explosions. Few plays epitomized this superiority more than Dontari Poe‘s score from one yard out.

For as long as football has been played, when a team needs to gain a few yards, it lines up the most mass it has and punches it up the middle, between the tackles. But this is 2016, where we spread defenses out with our ingenious formations and innovations. Andy Reid’s play-call included 6-foot-3, 346-pound defensive tackle Dontari Poe.

There have been a handful famous names for plays in football history. Student Body Right. Red Right 88. Spider 2 Y Banana.

Now, we welcome Hungry Pig Right to the elite group. One can only imagine how many faces lit up inside the huddle when Alex Smith relayed the play to his teammates. Continue reading →

By Around the NFL staff
NFL.com
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Week 6 saw huge games from big names and unlikely players alike. Rob Gronkowski and Odell Beckham posted career-highs in yardage in huge wins. LeSean McCoy saw his revenge game against Chip Kelly materialize to perfection. Jay Ajayi of all people became the first running back this season to break 200 yards! Here’s what we’ve learned from Week 6 so far:

Kansas City Chiefs 26, Oakland Raiders 10

1. Conditions weren’t favorable in Oakland, with the game starting in an absolute downpour. Derek Carrlaughed at that adversity, driving Oakland down the field for an opening touchdown. It was the first and last time the Raiders would find the end zone. From there Kansas City took control, bullying Oakland on the backs of Spencer Ware (24 carries, 131 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 32 yards) and Jamaal Charles (nine carries, 33 yards, one touchdown). While Oakland floundered on offense, Alex Smith was a tactician, chipping away at the Raiders‘ defense by completing 19 of 22 passes for 224 yards and swiftly moving Kansas City into Oakland territory.

2. Carr didn’t look quite like himself Sunday. You could blame the wet conditions, but he dispelled that notion early on. More of the blame (and conversely, credit) falls on the shoulders of Kansas City’s defense, which played tight coverage, harassed the quarterback and forced him into some awkward throws. On multiple occasions, Carr dropped back and floated passes off his back foot, with one being intercepted by Marcus Peters and another coming dangerously close to being picked off. We spent much of the afternoon waiting for another thrilling comeback win from Carr and BlackJack Del Rio, but it just never happened. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Kirk Cousins will be down a target in an important NFC East battle Sunday.

Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (concussion) was downgraded from questionable to out against the Eagles in Week 6, the team announced Saturday. Reed did not practice this week. Rookie safety Su’a Cravens was also downgraded to out with a concussion. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Carolina Panthers will get a much-needed boost in their lineup Sunday.

Quarterback Cam Newton (concussion) has been cleared to play against the New Orleans Saints, the team announced Saturday. Newton missed Carolina’s Week 5 loss to Tampa Bay after sustaining the concussion in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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There’s an old saying that can be applied to almost anything in life. It’s the KISS rule.

No, not the popular American rock band of the 1970s and 80s. It’s an acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid.

That’s what the Buffalo Bills have done since their back-to-back opening losses that had the team on the brink of early season disaster, according to NFL Network’s Mike Silver. Buffalo jettisoned offensive coordinator Greg Roman and replaced him with Anthony Lynn, who pared down the playbook and played to the team’s strengths. The Bills did something similar on defense, retaining Rob Ryan but shifting playcalling duties to defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Carlos Hyde has officially executed the most expensive front double biceps pose in history.

The flexing pose, popularized by modern bodybuilding pioneers and used by Hyde after a seven-yard reception against Arizona, cost the 49ers running back $9,115 in a league fine, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, according to an NFL spokesman. Continue reading →

By Around the NFL staff
NFL.com
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Week 6 of the NFL season is upon us, and that means it’s time for another round of bold predictions. As always, this week’s edition of fearless prognostications includes a macho helping of audaciousness and abandon as we head into Sunday and Monday’s contests. Warning: these predictions are not for the faint of heart.

A myriad of quarterbacks lead Browns to first win

The Browns have had their starting quarterback complete exactly two games healthy — a 30-24 overtime loss to the Dolphins and a 31-20 loss to the Redskins — this season, and have had a total of four signal-callers take the field. One of those was among Nashville’s most attractive and is also no longer on the roster. Another is dealing with a fractured coracoid bone, which I’d bet 85 percent of the football-watching world didn’t know about until Tuesday of Week 2. The point is, stability and Browns quarterbacks are water and oil. Continue reading →