The Browns have lost 31-year old linebacker Scott Fujita for a while with either a sprained MCL or PCL.  Fujita has played in 9 games for the Browns this year and he has 51 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 pass defensed, 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles.  Fujita will be replaced in the starting lineup by 33-year old David Bowens.  Bowens has played in 8 games for the Browns this year and he has 11 tackles, 3 passes defensed and 2 interceptions which he returned for TDs against the Saints.  The Browns will miss Fujita who is one of the leaders of the defense so they hope Bowens will step up like he did against New Orleans.

The Browns have lost 30-year old right guard Billy Yates for the rest of the season due to a torn biceps.  Yates played in 9 games (3 starts) for the Browns this year.  He will either be replaced by rookie Shaun Lauvao or Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack in the starting lineup.  I would think the Browns would want to leave Womack at RT where he is playing well. 

Josh Cribbs missed a lot of yesterday’s game due to 4 dislocated toes on his right foot but he’s still going to try to play this weekend against the Jaguars.  Cribbs hasn’t been himself this year as teams have been kicking away from him, which is very smart on their part.  He has returned 21 kickoffs for 439 yards (20.9 avg) so far this year and 11 punts for 95 yards (8.6 avg).  The Browns have tried to get him more involved in the offense to make up for his lack of chances on returns.  He has carried the ball 16 times for 69 yards (4.3 ypc) and he has also caught 17 passes for 235 yards (13.8 avg) with 1 TD grab so far this year.  He has also completed both of his pass attempts this year good for 19 yards.  The Browns hope that Cribbs will be able to give it a go this weekend against the Jaguars.

UPDATE:  (11/19/2010) – The Browns will likely be without Josh Cribbs after the signing of Clifton Smith.

The Browns have placed 30-year old OT Tony Pashos on the Injured Reserve List due to a severe ankle injury.  Pashos played in 6 games (3 starts) for the Browns this year.  Pashos will be replaced by 33-year old John St. Clair as the starting right tackle.  St. Clair has appeared and started in 3 games for the Browns so far this year.  In his two years with the Browns, St. Clair has played in 17 games (all starts).  The Browns are o.k. with St. Clair starting but they can’t afford anyone else to get hurt on the O-Line.

UPDATE:  (10/21/2010) – John St. Clair is going to miss this weekend’s game against the Saints due to a ankle injury.  Either Floyd Womack (the starting right guard) or recently signed Paul McQuistan will start at tackle this year.  Rookie Shaun Lauvao is finally healed from an ankle injury and the Browns could start him at right guard this weekend if they move Womack out to tackle.

32-year old DE Robaire Smith could miss the rest of the year if he needs back surgery which is a distinct possibility.  Smith has played in 5 games for the Browns so far this year and he has 25 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  In his four years with the Browns, Smith has played in 38 games in which he has 148 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 5.5 sacks.  Smith is a good run defender for a DE but he isn’t much of a pass rusher.  27-year old Brian Schaefering will replace Smith in the starting linuep.  He has played in 6 games for the Browns so far this year and he has 11 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.

UPDATE:  (10/20/2010) – The Browns have placed Robaire Smith on Injured Reserve ending his season.

The Cleveland Browns have lost Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme to high ankle sprains which will keep both of them out a while.  Wallace has played in all 5 games for the Browns so far this year and he has completed 63 of 100 passes (63%) for 693 yards with 4 TD passes and 2 INTs (88.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 7 times for 9 yards (1.3 ypc) for the Browns so far this year.  Jake Delhomme had to be shot up just to play last Sunday and he got beat up.  Delhomme has played in 2 games for the Browns so far this year and he has completed 33 of 60 passes (55%) for 324 yards with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs (48.2 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 2 times for -1 yard (-0.5 ypc) this year.  So now the Browns will turn to rookie third round pick Colt McCoy to start against the Steelers in Pittsburgh this weekend.  It will be a big test for McCoy as he didn’t look too great in the pre-season and that was against backup players.  The Browns also signed QB Brett Ratliff off of the Patriots’ practice squad.  He has been with the Browns the last couple of years so he knows the playbook and would be ready to step in if needed this weekend.

The Browns have placed 26-year old inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson on the Injured Reserve List with a torn pectoral muscle.  Jackson played in 6 games for the Browns last season and he had 59 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble.  He has now played in 49 games in his four years with the Browns and he has 407 tackles, 11 passes defensed, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 4 interceptions.  The Browns will rely on Eric Barton, Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong to handle the middle of the D going forward.

Starting QB Jake Delhomme has a high ankle sprain which will likely keep him out of action for multiple weeks.  Delhomme was injured in the season opener against the Bucs.  He completed 20 of 37 passes (54.1%) for 227 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs (59.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 1 time for 1 yard against the Bucs.  The Browns have turned to Seneca Wallace to start at QB.  He completed 16 of 31 passes (51.6%) for 229 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT (73.2 QB Rating) in his first start last weekend against the Chiefs.  He also has carried the ball 1 time for 4 yards and he has caught 1 pass for 9 yards this year.  The Browns better hope that Wallace can stay healthy because rookie Colt McCoy is the backup and he looked overmatched in the pre-season.

The Cleveland Browns have placed 23-year old inside linebacker Kaluka Maiava on the Injured Reserve List with a leg injury which ends his 2010 season with the Browns.  Maiava played in the Browns first two games but he only had one tackle.  He has now played in 18 games in his career with the Browns and he has 46 tackles, 2 passes defensed, 2.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble.  His loss will hurt the depth of the Browns’ inside linebacker corps.

Starting QB Jake Delhomme completed 20 of 37 passes (54.1%) for 227 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs (59.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 1 time for 1 yard.  Delhomme hurt his ankle in last week’s game against the Buccaneers on his first interception right before halftime.  He played the rest of the game on one wheel which hurt the team way more than it helped it.  He hasn’t practiced all week long and it looks as if Seneca Wallace will be the starting QB this weekend in the home opener against the Chiefs.  Wallace caught 1 pass for 9 yards from Josh Cribbs in the “Cyclone Formation” last weekend.  Wallace gives the Browns the ability to roll out more to either throw or run the ball.  I think he’s going to do a good job against the Chiefs.