Everybody starts somewhere. For New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, that start came in Cleveland.
Belichick will return to the city where he landed his first head coaching job over 30 years ago when New England (2-3) visits the Browns on Sunday in search of back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Before he was a six-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Coach of the Year, Belichick was a 38-year-old simply trying to break into the head coaching ranks with a rebuilding Cleveland team. He led the Browns to a 36-44 regular-season record in his five seasons at the helm (1991-95) before eventually becoming head coach of the Patriots in 2000.
The rest is history.
Belichick won’t be the only one coming face-to-face with his roots on Sunday, though, as Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett will also be feeling a sense of nostalgia.
Brissett was drafted by New England in the third round of the 2016 draft, spending the first season of his career with the Patriots. He appeared in just three games (two starts) but still managed to leave New England with a ring from Super Bowl LI.
“Jacoby looks like Jacoby. Big kid, strong arm,” Belichick said. “He does a nice job of running the offense and scoring whatever it is, 26 points a game. That’s part of the quarterback’s job — move the ball, score points.”
While it’s always fun to sit around and reminisce about the good old days, both teams are very much focused on the present.
The Browns (2-3) are suddenly in dire need of a win after dropping three of their past four games. They lost 30-28 to the Los Angeles Chargers last week in heartbreaking fashion, as Cade York’s 54-yard field goal attempt went wide right with 11 seconds left to play.
Cleveland will be looking to turn things around, and chances are it’ll be heavily relying on the services of running back Nick Chubb.
Chubb leads the NFL in both rushing yards (593) and touchdowns (seven). He’s racked up at least 110 yards on the ground in each of the last three games and is poised to keep that streak going on Sunday, although he knows it might not be easy against the Patriots’ defense.
“They’re very disciplined. The guys up front stay in their gaps,” Chubb said. “They don’t mess up at all. … It’ll be a great challenge.”
Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe has quickly provided a much-needed spark for New England.
Zappe nearly ousted the Green Bay Packers when he took over for an injured Brian Hoyer in Week 4. He then drew his first career NFL start last week and completed 17 of 21 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 29-0 drubbing of the Detroit Lions.
However, starting quarterback Mac Jones could make his return against the Browns after he was limited in practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury.
Wide receivers Jakobi Meyers (knee) and Nelson Agholor (hamstring) were also limited, as was center David Andrews (back), running back Damien Harris (hamstring), and cornerbacks Jalen Mills (hamstring) and Jonathan Jones (ankle).
Cleveland could be without defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who missed Wednesday’s practice due to knee, ankle and elbow injuries. Fellow defensive end Myles Garrett was a limited participant with shoulder, bicep and hand injuries sustained in a car accident on Sept. 26. The star sacker has missed the past two games.
–Field Level Media
